Fang Xiaoxia originally harbored great confidence in staying on Red Island; unexpectedly, this played right into the hands of the interviewer. His name was Jiang Huaiyi, a name that sounded grand and impressive.
But the reality was far from it.
He first fulfilled his promise, helping you participate in activities on Red Island.
This was not a guarantee of being able to stay on Red Island, merely the opportunity to join the talent show.
Fang Xiaoxia, full of anticipation, had staked everything, yet she still couldn't get the chance to go to Red Island.
In Jiang Huaiyi's words: "We call this a transaction, of mutual consent!"
However, to her surprise, he subsequently stripped them of all their rights.
Every girl who made a deal with him was, without exception, beaten and abused.
And all of this was orchestrated by him and his friends.
She had personally witnessed three or four girls tortured to death.
This had almost shattered all her perceptions of the world.
Fortunately, her turn was later, so she was temporarily safe from this danger.
But that kind of life was inching closer, and soon she would suffer the same fate as them.
Jiang Huaiyi's activities, though inhumane, were carried out with a peculiar orderliness.
It was almost pathological.
Whose turn it was was set in stone, with no room for negotiation; for those whose turn it wasn't, he was polite, even lenient.
Most terrifyingly, his friend, as thin as a monkey, would come to the island demanding blood to satisfy his perverted desires.
Fang Xiaoxia lived in constant fear, desperate to grasp any straw of hope for survival.
After her, a girl named Sasha arrived.
Her name suggested she might be from an ethnic minority.
Naturally beautiful, for some unknown reason, she too was trapped in the assessment stage.
She often sought out people to talk to, and Fang Xiaoxia felt a little timid when she first met her.
But Sasha's words gave her hope for a new life.
Since death was inevitable, she might as well take a gamble and try her luck.
Sasha was a journalist who, based on the account of an escaped girl, learned of the depravity that existed here and came to investigate.
Beneath the gleaming facade, what kind of world was this?
Sasha confided her purpose to Fang Xiaoxia, promising that if she helped, she would definitely get her out of here.
Fang Xiaoxia had no other choice. This was the only dimly lit path she could see; even death would be preferable to being tortured to death.
Strangely, whenever Jiang Huaiyi and his friends came to the island, they would release blue balloons.
It seemed to signify something.
To this day, she still hadn't figured out what kind of person Jiang Huaiyi was to control the entire Second Island.
Sasha had already written a note and handed it to her. Fang Xiaoxia was constantly prepared to meet Bai Suxiang.
As long as Bai Suxiang could relay the message to that person, they would be saved.
Ahead of her were three more girls, who could only hold off one round of Jiang Huaiyi's friend's feast.
If she didn't find a way soon, she feared she would perish here.
Fang Xiaoxia neither wanted to see the blue balloons nor not see them.
On days without blue balloons, they were like birds set free; though they couldn't escape the cage, they were free from danger.
But living in fear of the inevitable, with no hope in sight, was enough to drive one mad.
"Quick, quick! Blue balloons!"
Sasha's voice alerted Fang Xiaoxia.
In every operation, Sasha provided cover, while Fang Xiaoxia was responsible for contacting Bai Suxiang.
The reason for this was that Fang Xiaoxia had participated in Bai Suxiang's talent show and knew she had made it to Red Island.
Bai Suxiang possessed a kind heart and a helpful spirit; she would surely help her escape this predicament.
However, according to Sasha, the note was for a prominent figure on Red Island. Could Bai Suxiang accomplish this?
Though it seemed hopeless, she had no other choice.
The two continued to cooperate seamlessly, heading towards the hole in the isolation net.
It was around one o'clock in the afternoon. Both Second Island and Red Island were in a state of quiet repose at this hour.
The tourists on the beach were a mix of out-of-town sightseers and girls participating in the preliminary selection.
They were not in danger; an invisible force clearly separated them from the isolation wall.
Looking at them, Fang Xiaoxia recalled her own state when she first arrived on the island.
She regretted entering this "Peach Blossom Spring," even regretted coming to Shamen, and hated herself even more for not being as carefree as Bai Suxiang.
On the day of the questioning, she had clearly witnessed the entire process; it was greed that led to the loss of her reputation and the forfeiture of better opportunities.
The biggest difference between Red Island and this Second Island was the temporary absence of mortal danger.
And people said that on Red Island, there was a thirty percent chance of leaving this "Peach Blossom Spring."
But for them, that had long since become a distant dream.
As for the hole in the isolation net, it seemed to have been there for a very long time.
The soil around the opening had been trodden firm, indicating that many people had met secretly here before.
As for how it was discovered, Sasha had told her.
She had happened to see Bai Suxiang walking nearby that day.
She had been waiting at that spot for days, and if she didn't see Bai Suxiang soon, she might have stopped hoping Sasha could help her escape.
But reality had offered her a glimmer of hope, forcing her to become a grasshopper on this boat.
Disregarding Sasha's true identity, she only wished to be led out of this "Peach Blossom Spring."
They were undoubtedly being watched, but this was the time of shift change.
The island's security was not as strict as the military; during shift changes, it seemed to be a time of respite for those guards.
No one paid close attention to monitoring others.
Because on this island, apart from the regular ferry service, it was almost impossible for anyone to escape.
Rumor had it that some people had escaped before, but it was said they ultimately never reached the shore.
Even so, some people were constantly trying to flee this place.
"Slow down! Shh!"
Fang Xiaoxia whispered to Sasha behind her, quickly crouching down.
Two guard soldiers walked past on the path by the treeline.
It seemed they had just finished their shift and were heading back to their post.
Fang Xiaoxia's heart pounded with nervousness as she lowered her head, praying.
The two soldiers walked slowly, as if they had endless conversations, and even stopped to chat.
When Sasha tried to peek, Fang Xiaoxia held her head down.
The two were urinating, a rather unseemly sight.
Sasha remained on the ground, afraid to move.
"Let's go, we're leaving!"
Fang Xiaoxia said softly, her actions at that moment resembling a tough older sister.
Only when the danger had passed did Sasha stand up and brush the dust off her clothes.