“Crack, crack, crack~” All the tree trunks around them trembled and split open. Charles and his group seemed to have triggered some kind of mechanism, as all sorts of deformed creatures, as if startled from their slumber, stretched out their nauseating fleshy tendrils.

They swayed, emitting piercing, headache-inducing screeches, turning the entire island into a living hell.

All around, malicious gazes swept over them, making everyone feel a chill run through their bodies, their limbs stiffening.

“Hurry! Faster!!” Charles supported the young man as they fled for their lives.

No one knew how long they had been running; the situation was growing ever more dire. Now, not only was the flesh behind them surging, but even the monstrous trees ahead began to shake.

At that moment, the writhing tentacles ahead formed a giant net—they were surrounded!

At the critical moment, Charles suddenly remembered something. He reached to his waist and felt something hard—that was the dynamite he had brought!

“Boom!!” Flesh and blood splattered, and the blocked path reappeared.

The dynamite could help clear a path, but as their supply dwindled, everyone’s expression grew grimmer.

When Charles was down to his last pack of dynamite, the sound of waves crashing on the shore could be heard in the distance—the exit was just ahead!!

Everyone knew what this meant, and their pace quickened even more, desperately squeezing out every ounce of strength from their bodies.

The last pack of dynamite was lit and thrown, and finally, the hard ground was replaced by soft sand. They were out.

The seven of them dashed madly toward the wooden boat on the shore, with the fleshy monsters close behind.

Out of the corner of his eye, Charles saw a flash of golden light nearby—it was the statue of Futan he had thrown to the ground earlier.

Charles ran a few steps, grabbed the statue, and jumped directly onto the boat. The others frantically rowed, and just before the monsters caught up, they made it back to the sea.

The monsters seemed to fear the seawater; after barely touching it, they all shrank back.

Once everyone was safely back on the Rat, they finally let out a sigh of relief, collapsing to the ground and panting like exhausted old dogs.

Though every muscle in his body protested, Charles forced himself to stand up. The danger wasn’t over yet—they had to leave the island.

“Fire up the main engine, sailors weigh anchor, first mate take the helm! We’re leaving this cursed place.”

“Aye, Captain.”

As he watched the crew swiftly carry out his orders, Charles suddenly felt a bit surprised, sensing that something was off.

He quickly sifted through his memories and was amazed to find that all the crew had returned, and he could recall their names.

It seemed that whether it was the island or those monsters that had altered their memories, as long as they left the island, their memories would return.

Leaning on the ship’s rail, Charles gazed toward the distant island. In the darkness, the fleshy monsters were just a blur.

They stretched out their tentacles, swaying rhythmically from side to side, as if performing some kind of ritual, looking especially terrifying in the darkness.

Under Charles’s watchful gaze, black smoke once again billowed from the Rat’s smokestack, and the group slowly sailed away from the strange island.

It wasn’t until mealtime that, with Charles’s explanation, all the crew finally learned what had happened, and they were all deeply shocked by the situation.

“My god, are unexplored islands really this dangerous? No wonder the disappearance rate for exploration ships is so high.”

“My memory disappeared and then came back? Captain, you’re not tricking me, are you?”

After taking a sip of soup, Charles cleared his throat, and the chatter died down.

Charles glanced over each of their faces and said, “Everyone, start reporting your names and positions. Cross-check your memories and see if there’s anything contradictory.”

That bizarre island had left him extremely wary. It could silently make crew members vanish and even erase his own memories—such power made him deeply uneasy.

“Bandage, position… first mate, assist the captain and organize all work plans… responsible for preparing the cargo stowage plan, 12~24… helmsman.”

“James, position: chief engineer, responsible for maintaining the normal operation of the vortex furnace; also maintaining the propulsion system and auxiliary equipment, boiler, as well as lubrication, cooling, and fuel.”

“Frank, position: cook, responsible for the crew’s meals.”

“Dean, position: boatswain, responsible for guiding sailors in the maintenance and repair of anchors, cables, and loading/unloading equipment; leading sailors in painting, rigging, and working aloft.”

“Walter, position: able seaman: responsible for steering, navigation watch duties, and daily deck maintenance.”

“Jack, position: ordinary seaman: responsible for handling lines, operating the gangway, and various deck tasks.”

“Anna, position: ship’s doctor, responsible for treating crew illnesses and conducting routine check-ups.”

Comparing the memories in his mind and confirming there were indeed eight sets of footprints, Charles finally breathed a complete sigh of relief. He had really been overthinking it—things were finally over.

Chapter 10: Ship’s Doctor Anna

“Year 8 since crossing, July 2.

Exploring islands is much harder than I imagined. I originally thought that places untouched by humans would at most have some powerful monsters, but what happened yesterday taught me a lesson.