Twenty minutes later, the convoy followed the bumpy coastal road and finally reached its destination.
The students stepped out of the vehicles and immediately gasped in amazement.
It was nothing like the rotting, dilapidated town of Innsmouth.
Before them stood a sizable resort hotel.
The hotel had three buildings, each four or five stories tall.
They were built from neatly laid brick and stone, with a coat of white paint on the outside.
Brown wooden frames surrounded the windows, and the glass within had been polished until it sparkled.
Under the midday sun, the buildings gleamed bright and clean.
At a glance, the place looked stylish and upscale.
A tall redbrick wall encircled the grounds, with an enormous gate nearly five meters wide at the front.
Neat stone paths ran through the courtyard, with awnings on either side for shade.
The hotel entrance faced the sea. From there, it was less than thirty meters to the sunny beach and its fine sand.
Several staff members were already waiting at the gate.
When the group arrived, they stepped forward with smiles to welcome them.
"Welcome to the Byron Group's Seaside Research Hotel."
"I'm Laman, the manager here."
Laman was a young man in his early thirties, dressed in a well-tailored gray suit.
His golden hair was neatly styled, and a brass Byron Group badge hung on his chest.
He carried himself with easy confidence and seemed quite pleased with his position.
Laman then led everyone into the hotel.
Around Evan, the students kept exclaiming in delight.
"My God! This has to be the best hotel I've ever stayed in!"
"You can open the window and see the beautiful sea. It's straight out of my dreams!"
"That's the Byron Group for you! I'll never forget this trip!"
Amid the noise and