Heading to the Campsite

"Disembark in an orderly manner, and don't break anything!"

Yu Xing pushed open the door, the damp air that rushed in carried a natural fragrance, entering his senses along with the powerful sound from the loudspeaker.

Everything around me suddenly became clear; the deck beneath my feet swayed slightly, and the waves were gentle, making a swishing sound.

One by one, the busy people jumped off the boat and landed on the lush island. Those who had run the furthest had already entered the jungle, wearing helmets and carrying long-barreled guns.

He felt his waist being tightly bound, and couldn't help but look down at himself.

This outfit was the same as most of the people present: camouflage, thick fabric, warm, and it seemed waterproof to the touch.

The neck, wrists, and ankles are tightly bound together; this is a common measure to prevent insect bites in the jungle.

The belt was also tightened, highlighting Yu Xing's slender waist. He wasn't used to wearing it like this at first and felt a little stuffy, so he coughed softly twice.

He carried a very professional-looking backpack on his back, but it wasn't very heavy; you could tell by the weight that it didn't contain any large items like tents or sleeping bags.

A video camera with a tripod was placed next to him; considering his position, this was probably equipment he carried with him wherever he went.

"Group One Group Two, scout ahead! Group Three, protect the researchers, the rest follow, Group Four, stand by!"

"Lab staff, be careful not to get hurt! Handle the equipment gently; you'll be responsible for any damage!"

A handsome middle-aged man with a megaphone stood not far from Yu Xing. He was strong and well-proportioned, clearly someone who exercised regularly. He hadn't disembarked yet, and was using the ship's elevated vantage point to direct the people's actions.

Suddenly, the man turned to look at Yu Xing, put down the megaphone, and frowned, saying, "Fang Xiaoyu, what are you still standing here for? Your sister went to great lengths to get you in here, so don't cause me any trouble!"

His tone was half stern, half helpless, and also revealed a hint of tension.

Yu Xing raised an eyebrow, having already understood the relationship between the man and herself in that single glance.

"Brother-in-law, don't be angry, I'll go downstairs right away."

He agreed in a half-joking tone, so that even if the man and his "sister" weren't married yet, he wouldn't feel anything was wrong.

Sure enough, the man's brows relaxed considerably after hearing this, but he still maintained a stern expression and scolded, "Don't think you can act all innocent just because I'm your brother-in-law. Your task is to accompany the Group Two Armed Unit on daytime exploration and filming. I specifically put you with Old Liu, so learn some filming techniques from him whenever you have time."

"Alright, brother-in-law, I'm off now." Yu Xing recognized the Group One Armed Unit Group Two had entered the jungle from the man's shout, so she grabbed her camera and stepped off the boat with great energy.

Little did anyone know, beneath Fang Xiaoyu's excited exterior lay a lazy soul screaming, "Why is this camera so heavy... damn it..."

Once his hiking boots touched the ground, Yu Xing breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, even as he grew weaker, he still had enough strength; otherwise, such a cumbersome camera would have been a joke on him.

However... his stamina is not easily depleted.

This is tricky.

The seawater soaked the island's coastline. Yu Xing took a few steps and couldn't help but look back.

The sky was overcast, and the nearby sea was a hazy gray, only turning blue in the distance.

A lifeless, gray sea surface makes one wonder what lies beneath.

It must be dark and without light.

He could see nothing but hear the gurgling and popping sounds of the water enveloping him. He moved slowly, and countless fish eyes stared at him from all directions. A huge, unknown creature swam slowly past him, its fins brushing against his face.

He tried to call for help, but his mouth only filled with seawater. As the oxygen gradually disappeared, he couldn't even make a sound.

Beneath his feet, a gigantic maw with fine, sharp teeth lay silently open, waiting for the moment to devour him whole.

They cannot see, hear, make a sound, or move.

This is the abyss...

"Fang Xiaoyu, don't look."

Suddenly, a pair of calloused hands covered Yu Xing's eyes. The slightly prickly touch jolted Yu Xing back to reality, and she belatedly felt a thin layer of cold sweat on her face.

There's something there. He only glanced at it and thought about it for a moment, but those images uncontrollably surfaced in his mind, and he was overwhelmed by a sense of panic and helplessness.

Well, if you look at the sea too many times, you'll basically develop depression.

Yu Xing took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, releasing the pent-up frustration in her chest. Then, smiling, she pulled down the hand in front of her. "I'm not watching anymore."

He turned around and saw that the person covering his eyes was a man in his forties. The man had dark skin, deep wrinkles around his eyes, and was also carrying a video camera.

"Don't laugh, this is a serious matter. Didn't Boss Fang tell you not to look at the sea?" The uncle's voice was more weathered than his appearance. He sighed, "The sea can devour a person's soul. If you look at it for too long, you might just disappear."

"Oh..." Yu Xing wondered who this was. Was it Old Liu, whom her brother-in-law had mentioned, who had come looking for her because she hadn't kept up with the group?

However, he didn't need to guess at all. A support staff member walked by, seemingly acquainted with the uncle, and laughed, "Old Liu, you always say things like that, tsk, maybe you really are suited to filming on this Dead Spirit Island, your temperament matches!"

Old Liu glared at the man, then pulled Yu Xing away.

They followed the people in front of them, heading into the jungle, but not directly in; instead, they cut along the side, heading towards the back of the huge rocks on the shore.

Yu Xing guessed that the group planned to cross this small patch of jungle to reach the coast on the other side of the giant rock.

He gathered the information he had and asked, "Hey, Uncle Liu, shall we start filming now?"

Old Liu glanced at him, seeing his bewildered look, and said helplessly, "Not now. We'll follow up after we set up camp and officially begin exploring the island. Did Wu Runhao send you here because he found you annoying? I'm not trying to be mean, but why did you, a young man, have to come to the island to join the fun? If I were Wu Runhao, I'd want to beat you up too. You have no common sense at all, yet you dare to come. Only Boss Fang spoils you."

Yu Xing recognized Wu Runhao as his brother-in-law's name. Since he dared to address his leader by his given name, Old Liu must be a senior cameraman with a high position.

After being scolded by Old Liu, he appropriately showed some unhappiness.

Both my brother-in-law and Old Liu mentioned Fang Xiaoyu's willfulness. If he were too well-behaved, people who know Fang Xiaoyu well would notice.

"Since we're already here, let's take some pictures. My brother-in-law said you'd help me out, don't you want to?" Yu Xing's tone turned serious, and Old Liu sighed and shook his head, as if he had expected this.

"Of course I don't want to. Who would want to take care of a pampered child like you who always wants to do whatever she wants?"

Yu Xing stopped in her tracks. "..."

Old Liu quickly tried to salvage the situation. "But you're Boss Fang's brother, and Wu Runhao specifically told me to keep an eye on you, so I can't just abandon you."