Chapter 248: Blood is the key

As the video drew to a close, Tessa felt a renewed sense of determination coursing through her veins. She had put off this quest for answers long enough. It was time to follow the breadcrumb trail her father had left behind, no matter where it might lead.

With a heavy sigh, Tessa closed her laptop and surveyed the room one last time. Her gaze lingered on the framed photograph of her and her father, taken during happier times. A pang of sorrow tugged at her heart, but she steeled her resolve.

"I'll find out what happened to you, Dad," she murmured, as if making a solemn vow. "Even if it's the last thing I do."

Following her father's meticulous notes and hand-drawn maps, Tessa soon found herself trekking up the winding trails of the towering mountain that loomed over the island. The humid air clung to her skin like a second skin, but she pressed on, driven by a singular purpose.