We, the group, wasted no time on the road and soon arrived at a new camp.
This camp was the one built by Sivir and his group after their landing. Compared to the temporary camp we set up yesterday, this one was much more formal, with over a dozen tents, giving it a substantial scale and abundant supplies.
Inside, there were many professional pieces of equipment that I couldn't have even imagined before, truly opening my eyes.
It was only after arriving here that I understood why Sivir had been so confident in returning all my gear. Even with the chip controlling me, if I had wanted to take them all down with me, there was a high probability I could have succeeded.
Now, in this camp, I finally realized that Sivir simply didn't value my equipment. Several tents in the camp were dedicated to firearms, ranging from handguns and rifles to sniper rifles, with everything imaginable.
Unlike my old-fashioned revolver, the firearms in the camp were products of modern industry, even including laser guns specifically designed to capture drones.
In front of these weapons, my revolver was utterly insignificant.
As soon as Sivir arrived at the camp, he began distributing firearms to others. Hathaway strapped two micro-submachine guns to herself, while Professor Sun took a small handgun.
A sense of loss washed over me. For days, I had relied on the advantage of my weapons to survive countless battles on this island. I understood all too well the overwhelming difference that superior weaponry made.
Take the Barrett sniper rifle Sivir now carried on his back, for instance. If he had time to choose an ambush spot, this rifle could eliminate an enemy from a kilometer away.
An enemy wouldn't even see where the ambush was coming from, only for their comrade's head to explode like a watermelon. Such fear was unparalleled.
Judging by the scale of the tents in this camp, Sivir's group must have been quite large when they first arrived on the island, yet now there wasn't a soul to be seen.
As if sensing my confusion, Qu Xiangyun, who was beside me, quietly explained.
It turned out that Sivir's group was once much larger, but many had died on the island due to various reasons.
Now, only a few of them, the old, weak, and injured, remained. This was also why she had shown me mercy and wanted me to join them.
After all, communication with the outside world was difficult on this island, and someone as sharp and agile as me was extremely precious.
"Xiangyun, where are Sivir and the others going? Tell me first, so I can be prepared."
I watched Sivir and the others busily working and seized the opportunity to quickly ask Qu Xiangyun about their destination.
"Sivir and the others are taking us to an underground palace deep within the island. This palace is located in the heart of a snow-capped mountain. Not only is the weather there harsh, but there are also many traps and mechanisms left by the island's wild tribesmen."
Qu Xiangyun sighed, seemingly resigned.
Her words made me suddenly freeze. The snow-capped mountain deep in the wilderness – could it be the same one I had been to before?!
"Why are they going to that palace? Is there something they want to obtain inside?"
I pressed on, desperate to understand Sivir's motives. Without knowing their objective, I couldn't find an opportunity to escape with Qu Xiangyun.
"Darling, sometimes knowing more brings you closer to danger. Right now, you know nothing. If you have a chance to escape later, the company won't go to great lengths to hunt you down. But if you know everything, they will do everything they can to find you and kill you."
Qu Xiangyun sighed and shook her head at me, her eyes filled with reluctance and affection.
My heart warmed, and then I let out a bitter laugh.
Silly girl, if I wanted to escape alone, I would have left in the forest by now. With the chip implanted in me, if I were to escape, it would have to be with you.
I understood Qu Xiangyun's character well; it was difficult to persuade her once she had made up her mind, so I stopped asking. What exactly Sivir and the others were looking for, I could only find out myself.
A moment later, Sivir finished organizing the supplies and walked up to me.
"Alright, stop this sappy display. We're leaving soon. Put that man you have into a tent. This trip is very dangerous, and we can't bring dead weight."
A chill ran down my spine. Sivir was truly heartless. This man was so severely injured that even with constant care, he might not survive.
If left in this camp, he would likely die within a short time. Not to mention, there was no guarantee that wild beasts wouldn't pass by and eat him.
At this moment, I couldn't disobey Sivir's order, so I obediently placed the man in a tent.
However, my resolve hardened. I absolutely would not follow Sivir down this path to the end. If they could abandon their own companion, then once I had no further use, they would likely kill me directly.
Coupled with how I had previously embarrassed Sivir, this woman was deeply cunning. Even if she harbored resentment, I wouldn't be able to tell.
If she later made my life a living hell, I would be helpless.
Once everything was packed, we set off towards the snow-capped mountain destination.