"Mouri, come over, relax, it won't hurt you."

Chen Fei waved at Mouri Misono, then forcefully pried open the enormous fruit, creating a crack wide enough for a person to enter.

"Huh?! Huh huh huh..."

Mouri Misono, puzzled, thought Chen Fei was inviting her to eat this... huge fruit. How exactly was one supposed to eat this?

It seemed it couldn't be finished in one sitting. Bringing such a big fruit as a guest gift was really too courteous.

Following his words, she leaned in, curious to see what kind of pulp it held, but was caught off guard when Chen Fei pushed her from behind. Stumbling towards the fruit's crevice, she instinctively tried to grasp the edges to steady herself, but before she knew it, the crack widened like a large mouth, unexpectedly swallowing her whole.

She felt as if she had fallen into a soft sofa, enveloped in a sensation of softness from head to toe. Struggling to turn her head, Mouri Misono saw Chen Fei outside the fruit, waving at her with a smile.

"Just take it as a nap, Mouri, see you later!"

"'Rookie', you..."

Without noticing, countless threads inside the fruit quickly wrapped around her body. The crack that had let in the light rapidly closed, and as the last sliver of light vanished, a deep fatigue washed over her like a tide, swiftly drowning her.

...

Unsure how long she had been out, Mouri Misono was awakened by a bustling noise. The camp, made up of neatly arranged tents, resembled a refugee camp, with constant clamor being a part of the daily routine.

With a slight movement, crumpled sheets, as stiff as cardboard, slid off her body.

"Huh?"

In confusion, she sat up, realizing she had somehow ended up lying on the ground, covered with thin objects, as large as palm leaves and as small as fingernail clippings, along with numerous fiber-like threads tangled around her. The same covered the ground beneath her.

Mouri Misono couldn't recall placing these things, resembling old paper, over herself, especially considering their varying sizes and shapes, making it no easy task to lay them neatly. The tent flaps swayed gently; she barely knew anyone in Habulav, and now temporarily at Socotra Island, it didn't seem like anyone's prank.

She touched herself again in bewilderment; her clothes were intact, with no limbs missing.

Yes! No limbs missing!

Hmm? No limbs missing?

Yes!!! No limbs missing!!!

Mouri Misono slowly lowered her head, her hands meeting her downward gaze. Her left hand was there, and her right hand... was there too?!

"Huh? Huh!~~~~~~~~"

A staggering scream echoed inside Mouri Misono's tent.

Her voice inevitably alerted those in the surrounding tents, although the patrolling mechanical beings, who should have been the first to respond, remained at their posts without coming to check.

"Hey, Miss Mouri, are you alright?"

"Is it a cockroach? Damn little bugs, how did they end up on the island!"

Some people gathered around Mouri Misono's tent in small groups. Having been neighbors for a few days, they were somewhat familiar, mostly colleagues in different departments, with varying ranks.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, just a bit dazed from sleeping."

Mouri Misono hurriedly pushed aside the tent flap and walked out to reassure them of her safety.

Before stepping out of the tent, she glanced at the time; it seemed she had only slept for a little over two hours.

In just two hours, her severed hand had grown back, an incredible phenomenon that felt almost dream-like.

"Miss Mouri, your hand..."

Someone sharp-eyed noticed the anomaly with Mouri Misono, and more people began to observe her right hand, showing expressions of astonishment.

"Ah? Weren't you missing a hand?"

"How? How did it reattach?"

"Was it a regeneration magic potion? Or a spell?"

Whether it's a magic potion or some other spell, the cost of regenerating a severed arm is definitely not low. Even at the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee Headquarters, few people have access to such resources.

Out of the blue, if someone suddenly regenerates a limb in the tent area, it would undoubtedly cause quite a stir.

Mouri Misono half-jokingly explained, "A friend gave me a magic potion; even I didn't know about it beforehand."

The first half of the sentence is false, but the second half is true.

She couldn't exactly say she climbed into a giant fruit, took a nap, and then her lost hand grew back. If she explained it that way, then what about the fruit?

Pointing at those crumpled, paper-like things and calling them a big fruit or something takes a lot of belief. Most would probably think she didn't want to reveal the truth about her limb regeneration, offending people in the process.

If the "neighbors" in the tent area were strangers, it wouldn't matter, but most are employees of the Global Joint Defense Committee Headquarters, or staff from auxiliary outsourcing firms. Mouri Misono has to carefully maintain her reputation.

Once your reputation is ruined, it's social death, and that's something she absolutely doesn't want to see.

"What kind of friend could get something like that? Truly impressive!"

"There are quite a few disabled people among those transferred from Habulav this time too."

"Shh! Things that can regenerate limbs are rare and hard to come by. Let's not talk carelessly or spread it around, and avoid causing trouble for Miss Mouri."

"Who has such skills, Mouri? You're really lucky to have met someone like that. Isn't it your boyfriend? If it's your boyfriend, that would make sense."

The people present could understand Mouri Misono. After all, there are many disabled individuals from Socotra Island. If everyone wants limb regeneration, where are there so many magic potions or spell opportunities?

Mouri Misono is indeed lucky to have met such a capable friend, but it's her luck.

"Not my boyfriend; he already has a girlfriend. I was just lucky."

Why must a man and a woman pair up as a couple? A confused and courteous smile appeared on Mouri Misono's face, unable to fathom such thinking! This is impossible to explain!

"Wow! Such luck!"

"Envy!"

"Since there's nothing else, let's go. We have things to do!"

After all, the opportunity for limb regeneration didn't come from Mouri Misono herself but from someone else's help. Aside from envy, there wasn't any other excess emotion, and everyone dispersed.

What else could they do, chop off Miss Mouri's hand to attach to their own? Borrow someone else's hand to remedy another's disability?

Such thoughts are insane, aren't they?

Half an hour later, with both hands restored, Mouri Misono arrived at the camp area.

This camp isn't the temporary base for the people from Habulav but Socotra Island's existing camp. Besides rows of integrated modular dormitories, there are storages filled with standard shipping containers and an airship port with occasional takeoffs and landings, handling the island's material distribution.

Sovereigns provide a massive amount of supplies to Socotra Island, with recipients not just being Chen Fei but also Habulav's people. The office area, the commercial zone being restored, and modular residential buildings require massive supplies to be built. Not to mention daily necessities for so many people, with farms being needed again and fishing boats around the island adding fresh seafood to the food supply.

"Thank you!"

Miyoshi Monk handed a steaming cup of tea to Mouri Misono. The latter nodded in acknowledgment, cradled the cup, blew on it, and took a sip before setting it down again.

"Good tea!"

The mat wrapped in plywood is also called a tatami mat, sized as a standard stack, barely covering the entire pavilion. It's what the ninja squad temporarily crafted as carpenters, serving as the venue for this hometown reunion, also known as the Monk's Zen-style display.

Unfortunately, there's no garden, burbling stream, or the occasional clack of a deer chaser, only distant rumbles of massive airships taking off in the airport.

"I have no experience with large teams or urban management. Even though I received payment in advance, I'm incredibly nervous."

Mouri Misono sat properly on the tatami mat. Before joining Habulav, she was just a small section chief in a defense company, a minor leader at most. With no qualifications to manage the entire Socotra Island, her nervousness wasn't humility but truth. Her heart was pounding with anxiety, fearing she might startle this "tyrant" and get her hand chopped off again. The decisive Miss Japan was also quite scared!

"Don't worry about the lack of experience. 'Adam' and Miyoshi will assist you; you'll handle the execution."

Chen Fei sat on a wicker sofa directly placed on the tatami. Next to him was a large tea mug equal to at least two kettlefuls on the small clay stove that Miyoshi Monk was using. He didn't conform to the monk's Japanese Zen style, choosing comfort instead.

Before approaching Mouri Misono, he had already planned it out. Artificial Intelligence AI would handle daily plans and routine operations, and Miyoshi Monk was very familiar with Habulav's people, especially the surviving leaders. High-level connections and low-level execution were not lacking, only a familiar and reliable face to show up.

Just like ancient governance structures, no matter how capable, an emperor couldn't do all the work alone. Otherwise, what's the point of the Three Provinces and Six Ministries and the court. Chen Fei also lacked experience and abilities in large team and administrative management. But, by delegating professional tasks to professionals and setting the overall direction himself, things would generally work out. Even an inept emperor wouldn't ruin a dynasty in minutes.