The airplane commenced its gradual descent, gliding smoothly through a dense curtain of clouds as Song Island gradually emerged beneath them. Its breathtaking terrain was laced with pure nature, prompting a wave of gasps spread through the cabin. Everyone quickly pressed their faces to the windows, their eyes wide with awe. Their gazes drifted across the waters, sparkling under the afternoon sun to the coastline, holding several tall palm trees. They all stood in a line like vigilant sentinels with its fronds swaying gently in the breeze as if welcoming the aircraft’s arrival. A few distance from the resort at the shore, modern buildings with minimalist designs rose faintly above the greenery, hinting at the island’s developed areas.For a moment, it felt almost surreal; such an unspoiled, stunning paradise seemed too perfect to be real. One student nearly lifted out of their seat, with his eyes glued to the window with an expression of wonder, as if the island might vanish if they b

The bus finally rolled to a halt at the edge of the island’s temporary dormitory compound, and the faint scent of salt from the nearby sea drifted in through the half-open windows. Above them, the moon hung, casting a silver veil across the landscape. Uncertainty lingered through the bus, and the students stirred from their reflections on the contrast between the moonlight and the warmer glow spilling from the compound ahead.The dormitory towered above them from the distant, almost modest and welcoming. The exterior was bathed in a mixture of pale yellow and the golden shimmer from lamps fixed along the wall perimeter. The doors of the bus hissed open, and one by one, the students exited, with their luggage in their hands. Few had their backpacks slung over their shoulders; others dragged rolling suitcases that rattled over the uneven ground. The fatigue of travel lingered in their movements, but curiosity brightened their eyes as they glanced around the unfamiliar compound.“So t

Mason lay on his back, eyes fixed on the cracked white ceiling above him. The faint hum of the air conditioner blended with distant laughter from the hallway. The room was a standard dorm with bunk beds welded to the floor, metal lockers, and a study desk bolted beneath a window that overlooked the restless sea. Above him, the university’s crest had been carefully carved into the plaster, bold and proud.It took a few seconds for the realization to settle in.He knew the university had private partnerships with quiet investments scattered beyond its official campus, but he hadn’t expected this.Song Island.He swallowed slowly.Who would have thought I’d own property on Song Island? The thought curled at the edge of his lips, forming a faint grin. Ownership meant leverage. "Leverage" meant control.And control meant survival.Across the room, he could feel King’s eyes on him, curious, calculating. Mason didn’t look his way. He didn’t need to. He was used to being watched.The door sud

Deep inside Song Island, the bus finally rolled to a slow, groaning stop, allowing the silence of their tires to linger for a second.For a moment, nothing moved, and the students all sat frozen in their seats, staring through the dusty windows as if the view outside would somehow change.Apart from the cracked road and the tire trail ending where the bus had parked, the environment was nothing but endless forest.Ahead of them, three rose like ancient pillars, and their trunks were thick and twisted, stretching so high that their crowns tangled together to form a massive canopy. The deeper parts of the forest were swallowed by shadows so dense they looked almost solid. Damp mist clung to the air, and the faint sounds of insects, assisted by rustling leaves, and distant animal calls echoed like whispers in the distance.Civilization felt like a distant memory.The road they had traveled now looked like a thin scar cutting through the wilderness leading back hundreds of miles to the w

The sharp crack of a breaking branch shattered the silence of the forest, and everyone snapped their head toward the sound.The group froze instantly, and for a moment, no one dared to breathe. The forest itself seemed to pause, as if every insect and bird had fallen silent to listen.Mason felt his pulse pounding loudly in his ears. His fingers tightened around the small LED light in his hand. The other students’ lights trembled as they cut through the darkness toward the bushes ahead.Even Kurt didn’t move. The calm confidence that had surrounded him earlier had faded into tense stillness.They waited for an unknown number of seconds, and when nothing emerged from the bushes, from the back of the formation, Max released a long breath he had been holding."Damn, I thought something was actually there,” Draco muttered quietly. The tension in the group slowly loosened, but no one completely relaxed.“Let’s keep moving,” Kurt said at last, his voice now steady but low. “Remember, we ha