Chapter 320

Evelyn Sinclair scanned her surroundings with quiet astonishment. The mountain trail she'd taken earlier ran parallel to the ocean's edge, though her map showed no indication of any coastline nearby.

It felt like standing between two separate worlds. The rhythmic crash of waves against the shore created a mesmerizing soundtrack. Evelyn reached for Ethan Caldwell's hand as they boarded the speedboat.

The sea still triggered unpleasant memories for her. During her time stranded on that remote island, she'd stared at the endless horizon daily, consumed by despair.

Those were the dark days she preferred to forget - when death had nearly claimed her. Evelyn frowned at the nautical chart in her hands, completely baffled.

This maritime map made absolutely no sense. Ethan chuckled beside her, his roguish grin making him look devilishly handsome.

"Ms. Sinclair, you can stop studying that chart. Even Adrian wouldn't be able to decipher it." Evelyn folded the map and met his gaze. "Then do you know which way we're headed?"

Ethan arched an eyebrow. "Naturally. But we're not in position yet. Hold on tight." With that warning, the speedboat lurched forward violently.

Evelyn nearly tumbled overboard. She gripped the railing desperately as saltwater sprayed into her mouth, nearly choking her. Violent coughs wracked her body.

Noticing her distress, Ethan reduced speed and turned back with a sheepish expression. "You didn't brace yourself?" His innocent gaze held genuine concern, completely devoid of malice. Clearly, the near-disaster had been accidental.

Viewers watching the live feed flooded the comments section:

[Ethan's such a clueless hunk! Is his face his only redeeming quality?]

[Oh no! My poor Evelyn finally met her match. Stay strong, queen!]

[Ethan Caldwell is a world-renowned explorer. Has he never done a tame variety show before?]

Evelyn swallowed the curses burning her tongue. Recognizing his mistake, Ethan wisely maintained a slower pace. Within minutes, the shoreline disappeared from view.

"Ms. Sinclair," Ethan called over the engine's roar, "Adrian told me you were highly capable." His tone carried subtle skepticism. "Why do you seem... less than prepared?"

Evelyn forced a tight smile. "Mr. Caldwell, he said the same about you." Ethan's lips curved in amusement.

"How did you get into exploration work? Honestly, it's not really my thing. Adrian dragged me into this as filler."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "He claimed you begged to come along." Evelyn's eye twitched at the blatant lie.

"You've known Adrian for years, right?" Ethan's gaze turned distant as waves rolled across the vast Pacifica Ocean. The cold sea breeze stung their cheeks.

"Yes, we go way back. After my girlfriend passed, Adrian and I started traveling the world together - throwing our lives at every adventure we could find."

Evelyn stiffened, caught off guard. Did I just stumble into painful personal history? She quickly changed subjects. "So where exactly is our destination? Out here in the ocean?" If true, the mountain team would never reach the final location.

Ethan pointed skyward. "Up there." Evelyn followed his gesture to see scattered clouds against the blue expanse. Turning shoreward, she could just make out distant mountain peaks.

She shot him a dubious look. Ethan pressed his lips together thoughtfully.

"There are marked sailboats positioned around this area. If we view them from the correct elevation, they'll reveal our destination's name."

Evelyn considered this. "Simple yet challenging? A panoramic view? How exactly do we achieve that from sea level?"

Ethan anticipated her confusion and pointed downward. "This specific coordinate aligns with the solar elevation angle and geographic markers on the map. The tools we need are beneath us."

Evelyn's breath caught. "To reach the sky... we first have to dive underwater?!"