41 WHERE IS MRS. GONG?

Zoe instantly jumped to her feet and went to the gilded edge of the boat like a fitful flash of lightning.

"What the hell happened?"

She was comforting Mrs. Gong, so she could ask her questions that are burning in her heart. But before she even had a chance to do that, she just plunged into the gleaming waters.

Though, she was not sure if she voluntarily bolted into the seawater. The boat triumphantly entered the sacred threshold of the Ball's Pyramid. But it rocked as it encountered the violent winds from the strange island.

Because of this, Mrs. Gong's shawl flew again. Zoe tried to grab it. But as she turned back to her, she was already gone. All she heard was a spatter of water so to appear to be someone diving into them.

"Mrs. Gong!"

Zoe scrutinized the specific location where Mrs. Gong jumped.

"I don't understand," Zoe furrowed her expressive eyebrows and contemplated. "I recalled seeing Mrs. Gong drown the first day that I spotted her in the Lord Howe Island. Or is it perhaps the weather wasn't really good that day?

'If she would dive on her own, how come I could not see her right now? Did she sink?'

But she could gaze at the rare corals under the sparkling waters. The vast ocean is as transparent as glass.

"Did she just swim away to the mysterious isle?" But it is still far to be reached in such a short time span.

As she was examining the sudden turn of peculiar events, Koby cleared his throat to give out explicit instructions.

Zoe was more perplexed. "Didn't they hear the mighty splash from Mrs. Gong as she dived into the waters? Why is he acting like he wasn't aware of it? And even the clueless tourists in the boat were not looking at their direction!"

Koby called out a quick orientation to every passenger on the boat. "We will now drop our anchors and stopped right here. We couldn't move any farther."

Zoe put her hand on her waist. They must save Mrs. Gong!

She approached Koby and whispered in his ear. "Someone needs our help."

She didn't want to alarm the other passengers as it might turn out that Mrs. Gong could perhaps dive on her own.

Koby glanced at her. But he asked her to wait for a while. "Let me finish this first. I'll get back to you."

Zoe scowled her face. 'What if something happened to her? She was about to jump in and looked for her when Koby's story distracted her.

"The Reeftastic has solemnly sworn a blood compact with the King of the Ball's Pyramid. They would permit us to revel in their picturesque landscape if we would settle only until this point." He winked at them.

'King? Does that mean the hidden kingdom is real? Do they have a personal connection with Koby and Captain Nicky?'

Zoe speculated if the tale of the concealed city was true or not. A curious kid from the boisterous crowd raised up his hand.

He has no idea about the secret city. What interested him was the set limitations. "What would happen if we insist on passing through?"

She glanced at Koby and waited for his answer. "The mighty winds would be angry and wreck our boat. And if we manage to come out of it alive, there are frightful beasts on this fortified island. They were desperately waiting to gobble up those who would try to enter it."

Koby twinkled at the responsible adults. In response, they laughed and affectionately patted their kids' heads. It may look like Koby was joking around. But to Zoe, it was not impossible.

She recalled her recent dream wherein she was in a scary forest and haunted down by a ferocious beast.

It made her doubt whether to jump in or not.

Koby changed the creepy mood by announcing the activities that they could do while on that spot.

"Don't you worry, lovely ladies and gentlemen. For this is the best place to see the remarkable marine lives this beautiful island has to offer. So gear up, it's snorkeling time!"

All the tourists waved their eager hands in exhilaration. They wouldn't miss this unique opportunity for the world!

The parents supported their teenagers to wear their flippers and snorkeling equipment. They wanted their children to enjoy this island's splendor while they were still there.

Zoe hadn't been able to rent a piece before she joined this tour. But this time, it looks like she would need one.

She cautiously approached Koby. "Sir, I hope you're done by now. I would like to report about my friend, Mrs. Gong. She just jumped into the waters a while ago. She was emotionally unstable, and she needs our help."

Koby furrowed her brows. "Mrs. Gong? Who was Mrs. Gong?"