Chapter 64: Strange Island

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Strange Island

They were indeed online trolls, but they weren’t hired by Lin Xiaoyun. Her husband, Huo Yunjian, was the one who hired them.

After all, as the CEO of an entertainment company, manipulating public opinion was a required skill.

Ever since Lin Xiaoyun and Huo Zhao Hua joined the show, he’d had people monitoring the online buzz to control the narrative at a moment’s notice.

To get the full picture, Huo Yunjian had even made a point of watching the replay, focusing on the clips of Lin Xiaoyun’s interactions with Gu Qingyin. Watching them almost gave him an aneurysm.

’He’d always thought Lin Xiaoyun was reasonably smart. How could she turn into a complete idiot every time she came across Gu Qingyin? It was laughably stupid!’

Huo Zhao Hua, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise.

Huo Zhao Hua was, on paper, Huo Yunjian’s only son, but he’d never been particularly satisfied with him. Huo Zhao Hua was very capable, but his personality was too righteous and inflexible—a major disadvantage in the business world.

To his surprise, Huo Xinghai seemed to have a good impression of Huo Zhao Hua.

On second thought, Huo Yunjian understood. The main family’s triplets had been impossibly astute since they were children. It was only natural that they’d be drawn to more guileless people. Conversely, anyone who approached them with an agenda would trigger their instinctive defenses.

This unintentional move had turned out to be the right one.

’Lin Xiaoyun is a lost cause,’ Huo Yunjian mused. ’I can only count on Huo Zhao Hua now. I’ll have to call Zhao Hua after the livestream ends and tell him to act more natural, less deliberate. It might just work wonders.’

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

The office door was knocked. A beautiful, fair-skinned assistant in a business suit pushed the door open. Before Huo Yunjian could speak, she said, "Netizens suspect your wife hired online trolls. Do you want us to continue the damage control?"

Huo Yunjian’s brow furrowed in displeasure. "Post a few more and then pull back. We don’t want to look too desperate."

The female assistant pursed her lips. "My, you’re so concerned about your wife."

Huo Yunjian shot her a glare that looked fierce, but his tone was soft. "She’s my wife. She represents not just herself but the company’s reputation. I can’t just let it slide."

He leaned back in his chair and held out a hand to his assistant, cooing, "Don’t be mad, baby. You know I love you most."

The assistant’s lips curled into a slight smile. She swayed over to him, expertly settled onto his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "If you really loved me, you wouldn’t make me your secret mistress," she flirted, her breath warm. "You’re just good at sweet-talking me."

Huo Yunjian planted a kiss on her fair cheek. "Baby, you have to understand. Given my status, I can’t be the one to file for divorce unless Lin Xiaoyun makes some catastrophic mistake."

In short, the company’s image was paramount.

The assistant huffed softly, her finger tracing a line down his neck. "Then you have to make it up to me," she demanded playfully. "I want you to buy me that new limited-edition bag from the C brand."

"Done, done, done!" Huo Yunjian agreed instantly. "I’ll buy you whatever you want, baby." As he spoke, he couldn’t resist leaning in. "But first, let your man get a kiss."

Soon, amorous sounds filled the office.

The PR director outside, who had been monitoring the online situation, grew impatient after receiving no response. He came over to check, but the sounds from inside the office stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned away, his face expressionless, took a few steps back, then pulled out his phone and replied in the group chat: "Orders will be issued in five minutes."

’Based on his experience, the boss would be five minutes, max.’

Meanwhile, the guests on the yacht were preparing to disembark after lunch, having docked at a tiny island.

Before they disembarked, the director was making an announcement. "Don’t be fooled by the island’s size, everyone. The sand here is incredibly fine, and the water is crystal clear. It’s a famous spot for sightseeing and wading! If anyone wants to swim or dive, you can rent equipment from the crew. The underwater scenery is absolutely stunning."

Gu Qingyin hadn’t been paying attention at first, but when she stepped outside and took a look, her eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but let out a "Woah."

Next to her, Lin Tian also let out a "Woah."

Though they both made the same sound, the difference in their tones was obvious.

Lin Tian’s was a cry of delight. Gu Qingyin’s was one of pure shock.

’She was born with the Yin Yang Eye! The world she saw was completely different from what ordinary people saw!’

Who knew what this island was hiding? It was shrouded in black clouds, as lifeless and heavy as a graveyard!

Lin Tian had already scrambled off the boat, eagerly running back and forth on the pristine white sand. The water was indeed crystal clear, exactly like something out of a travel brochure for a tropical island.

"It’s beautiful," Huo Xinghai couldn’t help but sigh. "Just looking at this place feels relaxing."

Gu Qingyin’s lip twitched. She turned to look at his neck and reminded him, "Keep your Jade Pendant on properly."

Huo Xinghai instinctively froze, looking up at Gu Qingyin in disbelief. She simply raised an eyebrow, her gaze confirming his suspicions.

Looking at the stunningly beautiful beach now, Huo Xinghai felt a chill run down his spine. It was like looking at a spirit monster using a beautiful facade to lure humans into a trap, only to devour them whole.

[What are those two being all secretive about again?]

[Is the Jade Pendant that important? Sister Qing is always reminding Haibao’er to wear it properly.]

[Just guessing here, but it’s probably an Amulet, right?]

[So, this island is dangerous?]

[Now that I think about it, Sister Qing’s "woah" from earlier sounded a little off.]

[You guys are getting way too into this. You really think Gu Qingyin is some mystic master? The barrier to entry for the mystic arts is incredibly high!]

[Seriously, don’t get so invested!]

[Instead of taking pictures and enjoying such a beautiful place, she’s just creating anxiety. Gu Qingyin is such an attention-seeker. It’s getting to be overkill.]

"Cousin," Huo Zhao Hua said, walking over. He pursed his lips, looking a little embarrassed. "Can I borrow some money? I want to rent some diving gear to catch fish."

Huo Xinghai’s expression was conflicted. With the island’s situation being unknown, he couldn’t just stand by and watch Huo Zhao Hua get in the water. What if he ran into danger? But with the cameras rolling, he couldn’t refuse.

After weighing his options, he looked at Gu Qingyin and asked, "Can I go in the water with him?"

Gu Qingyin nodded and said cryptically, "Go ahead. The water here looks fine. There shouldn’t be any major danger."

Huo Xinghai breathed a sigh of relief. "Let’s go. I’ll go with you."

A small smile touched Huo Zhao Hua’s lips, and a hint of excitement seeped into his usually cool voice. "Thanks."

The two cousins went to find the director to rent the equipment, while Gu Qingyin disembarked at a leisurely pace.

The moment she stepped onto the island, she felt her skin crawl. It wasn’t fear, just her body’s instinctive reaction to danger.

"Sister Qing!" Lin Tian called out, waving her arms with a huge smile as she splashed in the shallows. "Come take pictures with us!"

Gu Qingyin looked over and saw that Lin Xiaoyun had joined Lin Tian at some point. Opposite them, Lin Xian was taking candid shots with his phone.

"Coming!" Gu Qingyin called back. But just as she took a step, a breeze blew from the island’s interior, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

It was a sickeningly foul smell—a mix of fish and rotting flesh that was utterly nauseating.