Once they had confirmed that Zhang Heng and Song Jia would be returning with them, the two Inuit wasted no more time and immediately got back into the van.
Because Ollie's injuries had not healed yet, Alesha took over driving.
When Song Jia pulled open the rear door, the first thing she saw was Sachus's face. The art museum director gave her a nervous smile and opened his mouth as if to say something, but all that came out was a string of muffled noises. His mouth had been stuffed shut, his hands and feet were tied, and he had been firmly secured to the seat with the seat belt and two extra ropes.
"He wasn't very cooperative. The moment you left, he started shouting about R'lyeh... that R'lyeh's master had returned. This was the only way to make him behave," Alesha explained.
Sachus's smile gave Song Jia goosebumps. Especially knowing that she would have to share the same vehicle with him for the rest of the journey, she felt an inexplicable panic rise within her.
Fortunately, Zhang Heng, standing behind her, spoke up. "I'll sit with him. You can sit in the back."
Ollie also reassured her softly. "Don't worry, we won't be driving for long. We'll switch transportation once we reach the ice field."
Only then did Song Jia get into the van and take a seat in the last row. Strangely enough, the moment Zhang Heng sat beside Sachus, the latter suddenly became obedient. He no longer wore that creepy grin or muttered incomprehensible nonsense. Instead, he desperately shrank back, as meek as an elementary school student who had run into his homeroom teacher.
Once Alesha saw that everyone was aboard, she started the van.
Song Jia soon noticed that the cabin had suddenly fallen silent.
Alesha