After getting the call, Demi and Tasha stealthily led their men to the wharf. When they looked up, they could see a small island nearby. It had lush forests and daunting looking mountains. The sun was high, and the wind whistled through the trees.
Tasha took out a bank card and threw it to the boatman. "Hey, this is your reward for the information. Get us to the island, and there'll be more."
"Go there? You're crazy." The boatman put the card into his pocket and shook his head.
Tasha saw a glint of fear in the boatman's eyes and asked curiously, "Why?"
"If we go there, we might not make it back. The island is guarded by the elks—C Island's guardian beasts. I heard Princess Nina went there when she was little. She got lost, but an elk guided her out. I don't think we'll be that lucky.
Some went there out of curiosity, but they didn't come back. Want my advice? Stay away. I won't lie—you pay well. But money's no good if you're trapped there."
Demi didn't believe what the boatman said. "That's just superstition. It's a deserted island. It might scare cowards, but we know what we're doing. I need two boats. We'll get there ourselves."
"Yes, ma'am."
Boats were tied to the dock, water slapping against their hulls. The men went and untied the boats, and then they got in one after another.
The boatman stood there, shaking his head and sighing. He watched the two boats launch and get closer and closer to the uninhabited island.
As soon as he turned to leave, he ran into a tall man. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I'd like to rent a boat. Do you have any available?" Noah handed him a bank card, never setting down his briefcase.
"Going to the island too? What is it about that place today?" The boatman took the bank card from his hand and waved his hand. "You use one of the boats. I won't take you there. Just be careful. People went there, and weren't able to come back."
"Thank you." The boatman showed him the basic controls, and soon Noah was underway.
As soon as Noah got off the plane, he heard people grumbling. He asked what the problem was, and found that Van and Don were taken away. Leon had shut down the airport, rerouting all flights coming or going.
Noah had been figuring this out, connecting the dots where he could. He sat in the car and did some people watching. His efforts paid off. He saw Demi, Vicente's assistant, get in the car with a group of people. One of the women looked familiar.
It was the suspicious-looking waitress from the cinema. Noah thought she was a spy who had fooled Demi, so he followed her.
Noah took a picture of the island from the boat and sent a message to Vicente.
The wharf was not far from the island, a little more than 10 minutes away. The wind whipped his clothes and hair, and he felt the need to straighten his clothes and hair when he came ashore.
Noah raised his head and looked at the towering trees. The branches and leaves covered each other, forming a canopy. He took out his machete and cleared a path through the tall grass, insects and birds chirping at him. A dense forest like this got almost no sunlight. It was dark and cold there, and more than a little frightening.
A cold, quiet environment like this was nothing to Noah, but Cali's scalp tingled.
She summoned up all her courage to step into the grass carefully. She didn't know if she would miss the next step or slip. Every nerve was on high alert.
Although she was scared herself, she had to comfort Van and Don.
"Van, Don, don't be afraid. The bad guys can't find this place, and even if they could, they wouldn't dare to come here. You're all right." Cali's voice trembled, her eyes wide open. She remained vigilant, ready for anything.
"Princess Nina told me that she'd come here every year on her birthday, She'd watch the stars with the elks. It's not scary at all. You'll get to see fireflies flitting around." On the way, Cali had been trying to recall the stories Nina told her about the island.
She kept moving on. "Where's the meadow? And the lake? And the giant tree? Why can't I find any of them?"
Cali was so anxious tears welled in her eyes. The light in the forest was getting dimmer and dimmer. It would be dark soon, and she still couldn't find where Nina used to hang out.
There would be no way she'd find it in the dark.
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