Chapter 101: The Isle of No Return

Life in the Great Wilderness Mountain was comfortable, yet Long Ge and Da Min dared not stay too long. They knew that Xiao Feng was in grave danger at this moment. After spending just one night, they took their leave. Ping An, realizing that urging them to stay was futile, could only advise them to be extra cautious.

At this time, Lin Xiaofeng’s situation was indeed extremely perilous.

That night, as he slept soundly, a man suddenly burst into his room. Though Xiaofeng couldn’t make out the intruder’s face, he was certain this person was no friend. In the ensuing struggle, unprepared, Xiaofeng was accidentally scratched on the arm…

To his surprise, the attacker did not intend to kill him. After gaining the upper hand, the man abruptly withdrew. Xiaofeng gave chase but found no trace.

Confused and at a loss, Xiaofeng hurried to Long Ge’s room for help, only to find Yang Dalong utterly unresponsive, like he was dead. With no other choice, Xiaofeng returned to his own room.

Upon entering, his eyes immediately fell on a letter. It was clear this was a trap meticulously set to intimidate him and deliver a message.

After reading the letter, Lin Xiaofeng tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Though he knew it was a setup, he was unwilling to stand idly by.

As dawn approached, Xiaofeng returned once more to Long Ge’s room. Long Ge’s condition remained abnormal—still unresponsive. After some thought, Xiaofeng left a secret message for him, packed his belongings, and set off.

For safety, he concealed the information with great care. By the time Long Ge discovered it, several days would likely have passed, and Da Min would have returned from Europe.

Prepared for this, Lin Xiaofeng was not overly worried. He resolved to shadow his adversary closely during this time, leaving markers along the way, waiting for Da Min and Long Ge to rendezvous.

He checked the location left by his opponent. It was in the South Pacific, a place so remote that even the Beidou satellite navigation system couldn’t find it—arguably the most isolated corner of Blue Star. But this posed no challenge for Lin Xiaofeng. He booked a flight to Sydney, on Australia’s east coast, from where he hoped to find a way forward.

Sydney, one of the largest cities in the Kangaroo Nation, was also the city least affected by the disaster. Since the calamity struck, it had naturally become the command center of the nation. Unlike other densely populated regions, Australia’s population of just over twenty million had been steadily converging around Sydney, expanding its influence across the southern Asia-Pacific region.

Every day, commercial and military vessels traveled to various nearby islands. Lin Xiaofeng intended to find a ship here bound for his destination—the Ghost Island.

Located in the southeastern Pacific, Ghost Island was far from any continent, especially distant from Australia. Since the Pitcairn Islands, to which Ghost Island belonged, shared Commonwealth membership with Australia, traffic was relatively frequent, with tourist boats, merchant ships, and fishing vessels coming and going. The indigenous Barall people, with their unique culture, attracted visitors worldwide.

Though the disaster drastically reduced trips to Ghost Island, some supply ships still made the journey. Yet, over the past few days, no one seemed to know of any commercial or fishing vessels heading there. When Lin Xiaofeng inquired, people gave him strange looks as if wary of the island.

Eager to reach his destination and uncover the secrets that made everyone avoid it, Lin Xiaofeng found no one willing to share what was happening. Those who heard of Ghost Island only shook their heads.

Finally, on his third day stranded in Sydney, Lin Xiaofeng’s chance arrived.

A fishing boat was about to set sail near Ghost Island. Its captain was a young man, handsome and with bronzed skin—likely weathered by years at sea.

Lin Xiaofeng met him in a bar.

That evening, stranded in Sydney, Xiaofeng sat drinking alone. Though he pretended to drink, it was mere pretense; he had no leisure for revelry. Thinking of his foolish solo journey and being stuck halfway, he felt frustrated. This time, he had truly acted recklessly. Waiting for Da Min and Long Ge would have been wiser. The three of them could have conferred and supported each other in trouble.

As he pondered his impulsiveness, fate turned in that small bar.

Captain Dylan was a frequent presence in the waters near Ghost Island—not for anything else but the extraordinarily fat fish there, worth the risk.

Of course, there was another reason. When sailing out, Dylan often took along clients seeking passage to Ghost Island but unable to find a route. These customers were typically wealthy, making it far more lucrative than fishing.

Hearing that an Eastern young man had been stranded in Sydney for days, Dylan, guided by acquaintances, sought him out.

“Hello! Handsome guy, drinking alone and feeling down?” Dylan greeted Lin Xiaofeng in Chinese, accented but clear.

“Not gay!” Lin Xiaofeng shot back coldly, eyeing this provocatively dressed, muscular man.

Seeing the misunderstanding, Dylan didn’t rush to explain. Instead, he sat opposite Xiaofeng, raising his glass. Then he said slowly, “Me too!”

“I’m a businessman. I heard you have a job, still looking for someone to take it on. I think I can help you!” Dylan got straight to the point, revealing his purpose.

“Can you really get there?” Xiaofeng, doubtful, asked the young man. It was understandable; rumors of danger near Ghost Island were rampant. In maritime ventures, experience was paramount. Dylan looked barely older than him and didn’t seem like a seasoned captain.

“Ghost Island! If you want to go, you probably can’t do it without me! At least for now, that’s how it is!” Dylan said confidently.

“Oh? So sure? Pray tell!” Intrigued by Dylan’s boldness, Xiaofeng leaned in.

“The Deadly Island! The danger isn’t the environment itself! If you want to go, contact me anytime! But I won’t be available for long—I’m leaving early the day after tomorrow!” Dylan handed over a business card and left.

Thus, a new chapter began.