Felicia’s palms were slick with sweat. She remained motionless, observing her surroundings and the terrifying snake that, for some reason, wasn't attacking her. They stared at each other for a long time. Then, the golden-eyed snake flicked its tongue, releasing a faint, putrid scent. The smell was distinct—different from the fog that had shrouded the island, yet undeniably toxic or hallucinogenic.

In her shock, Felicia tried to hold her breath, but it was too late. A wave of exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her mind remained alert, but her body refused to obey. She slumped to the ground, her eyelids falling shut. And just like that, she slipped into a dream—or perhaps a hallucination.

In this surreal vision, Felicia saw the island's history. She witnessed its transformation over time, and then an old man…

The old man sat on the water's surface, unmoving, holding what resembled a fishing rod. The line was simply woven grass, lacking a hook. How did he expect to catch anything? But that wasn't the important part. Felicia's priority was waking up.

She tried pinching herself, but felt no pain. To break free from this strange dream, she needed another way. She approached the shore. Just as she was about to speak, the old man said, "This is not a place you should be."

Felicia blinked. Her lips twitched slightly, but she quickly responded, "Gramps, I think so too. So…"

The old man shook his fishing rod, turned to face her, and smiled. "Sure, but you need to answer one question first." Was this a test?

"Go ahead," Felicia nodded.

The old man raised an eyebrow. His question seemed completely unrelated. "How long do you think it'll take me to catch a fish?"

There were no fish in sight. Even if there were, his so-called fishing rod had no hook. Unless he was some legendary fisherman, he wouldn't catch anything. But if he was asking, he wanted an answer.

She sighed, then strode into the water. Moments later, she returned, dragging a freshly caught fish. She tied it to the old man's line and said, with a deadpan expression, "Now."

The old man looked at the fish, then at Felicia. Finally, he burst into laughter. "Good! Wonderful! You're an interesting one, little girl."

Once he finished laughing, he stood, balancing his fishing rod. At that moment, she saw his face clearly. Before she could process the shock, the entire scene collapsed. The dream was ending.

The world swirled, and she snapped awake. She was still in the snake-filled cave, but now it was rapidly flooding, and the pain in her ankle worsened. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to stand. It was too dark to see; she could only follow the fleeing snakes.

Unfortunately, the water had quickly risen to her chest. She tried to control her breathing, but the water rushed in too fast, nearly submerging her. She fought to stay afloat, but her oxygen was dwindling; she still couldn't find an exit. She kept swimming, her strength fading. As her consciousness began to fade, the only thought in her mind was Stephan. Where was he? Had he reached the others?

Stephan… Stephan…

Even as her body was engulfed in freezing seawater and her consciousness faded, his name remained on her lips. Unfortunately, it seemed she wouldn't see him again. Her body slowly sank. Just then, the currents stilled. Someone was swimming quickly to her side. As that person held her, they pressed their lips to hers, giving her air.