Yuming's POV

The wrecked ship loomed before us like a skeleton of something long dead, its decayed wood and corroded metal blending with the desolate shoreline. Jun had been the first to spot it, his sharp eyes catching the faint glint of something metallic through the trees. I wasn't sure what we'd find, but the way he strode toward it with purpose made it clear that he had a hunch.

I wasn't sure what I hoped for—a cache of supplies, maybe, or even something as simple as clean water. Anything to remind me that the world hadn't completely fallen apart.

The interior of the wreck was darker than I expected, the air damp and thick with the smell of mildew. My footsteps echoed as I followed Jun inside, dagger clutched tightly in my hand. He had insisted I keep it on me at all times now, though I wasn't sure how much help I'd be in a fight.

Jun led the way, his sword drawn and his movements deliberate. The creaking of the floorboards beneath our feet sent shivers down my spine, but he didn't seem fazed. He never did.

"This place gives me the creeps," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Good," he replied without turning around. "It should."

We searched the upper decks first, though most of what we found was useless—rotting furniture, rusted tools, and the remnants of what might have been a sailor's quarters. The lower levels were submerged in water, inaccessible except for a few precarious beams that jutted out over the wreckage.

"Careful," Jun warned as I stepped closer to the edge.

"I'm not an idiot," I snapped, though the truth was I wasn't as confident as I sounded.

We worked our way toward the rear of the ship, where the remnants of what looked like the captain's cabin stood mostly intact. Jun pushed the door open with the flat of his sword, the creak of the hinges loud enough to make me flinch.

Inside, the room was eerily preserved. A desk sat in the center, its surface cluttered with papers and trinkets that had somehow survived the decay that had claimed the rest of the ship.

Jun moved immediately to the desk, his sharp eyes scanning the papers. Most were too water-damaged to read, but one in particular caught his attention.

"What is it?" I asked, stepping closer.

He didn't answer right away, his expression unreadable as he picked up what looked like a map. Unlike the others, it was protected by a thin layer of waxed paper, the ink still clear and vibrant.

"A map," he said finally, though there was something in his tone that made me pause.

"What kind of map?"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But it's old. And it's not just a map."

He turned it toward me, and I saw what he meant. The lines and symbols weren't just cartographic—they were intricate, looping in patterns that didn't belong to any geography I knew.

"Is that... writing?" I asked, squinting at the strange symbols.

"Not any writing I've seen," Jun said. "It's something else."

The weight of his words settled over me, and I felt a strange unease as I stared at the map. There was something about it—something almost alive.

"What do you think it leads to?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jun didn't answer immediately, his fingers tracing the edge of the map. "We're going to find out."

As we made our way back to the clearing, the map tucked securely into Jun's pack, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had stumbled onto something we weren't meant to find.

"What if it's a trap?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Jun glanced at me, his expression as calm as ever. "Then we'll deal with it."

His confidence was maddening, but it was also strangely reassuring. I didn't trust the map—or whatever force had preserved it—but I trusted Jun's ability to handle whatever came next.

The clearing was just as we had left it, though the stillness of the island felt even heavier now. Jun spread the map out on the flat surface of a rock, his eyes scanning the symbols with a focus I had never seen before.

"Do you recognize any of this?" I asked, crouching beside him.

"Some of it," he admitted. "These markings—" He pointed to a cluster of symbols near the edge of the map. "They look like they're meant to guide. Landmarks, maybe."

"And this?" I pointed to a circular design at the center of the map, its lines interwoven like a spider's web.

Jun's jaw tightened. "I don't know. But it's important."

The next few hours were spent deciphering the map as best we could. It was slow work, and Jun's growing frustration was evident in the set of his shoulders.

"This isn't just a map," he said finally, his voice low. "It's a puzzle. And whoever made it didn't want it to be solved easily."

I frowned, leaning closer to examine the intricate symbols. The more I stared at them, the more they seemed to shift and blur, like they were trying to elude my understanding.

"What do you think it's hiding?" I asked.

Jun didn't answer right away, his gaze fixed on the map. "Something powerful. Something worth hiding."

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself as I looked out at the desolate landscape. Whatever this map led to, I wasn't sure we were ready to face it.

But Jun was determined, and I knew better than to argue.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, we decided to set up camp for the night. The map was carefully rolled up and placed back into Jun's pack, though the weight of its mystery hung heavy over us.

Jun built a small fire, his movements precise and efficient as always. I watched him silently, the flickering flames casting shadows across his face.

"What are you thinking?" I asked finally, unable to bear the silence any longer.

He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "I'm thinking this map might be the key to everything."

"To what?"

"To the sickness. To what caused it. Maybe even how to end it."

The weight of his words hit me like a punch to the chest. I had been so focused on surviving day to day that I hadn't even considered the possibility of a solution.

"Do you really think that's possible?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Jun's gaze softened slightly, though his tone remained firm. "I don't know. But I'm going to find out."

That night, as I lay by the fire, I couldn't stop thinking about the map. Its strange symbols, its intricate design—it was unlike anything I had ever seen.

But more than that, I couldn't stop thinking about Jun.

He was so sure of himself, so focused on the task ahead. It was maddening at times, but it was also comforting.

For the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope.

Whatever the map led to, I was determined to see it through.

With Jun by my side, I felt like we might actually stand a chance.