Eric was hurled through the air, her ears filled with screams as the world spun wildly before her eyes.
The moment she plunged into the water, she glimpsed the swift fin of a shark cutting through the waves. In that perilous instant, she summoned every ounce of strength, swiftly adjusting her body's position upon entry, swimming perilously close along the shark's flank.
"Ah!" terrified cries erupted everywhere as the sudden assault sent shockwaves through the survivors.
Eric's calf brushed against the shark's side—its cold, slimy texture sent a chill coursing through her, yet she dared not dwell on it; she could only push onward—swimming with all her might!
Everyone aboard the lifeboat had been cast into the sea like dumplings dropped into boiling water; the shark's attention was scattered, granting Eric a fleeting chance to escape.
Screams pierced the water as the scent of blood began to taint the air.
Only a few meters away, another lifeboat capsized.
"Go! Hurry!"
"Wait for us! Don't leave us behind!"
"I'll pay you two million if you let me on!"
One after another, lifeboats roared to life and fled into the distance. Eric seized the nearest rope dangling from a lifeboat's exterior and was whisked away in a flash.
The speed was astonishing—as if she were flying through the air!
Seawater splashed fiercely against her face, stinging her skin and blurring her vision.
Clinging to the lifeboat were many others, silent and tense, afraid to speak lest they lose their grip and be cast aside.
Survivors scattered in every direction, and Eric could no longer discern her bearings; survival was her sole concern.
After an indeterminate span, the lifeboat finally stuttered to a halt.
"Why have we stopped?"
"Are we safe now?"
"I'm worried about fuel—need to conserve it for the island," the weary helmsman said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Eric finally released her grip and floated on her back, spitting out the salty brine. She felt as if she had become a twisted strand of kelp adrift in the salty expanse.
"How long have we been at sea? Anyone have a phone?"
"I have a watch—when the ship capsized, it was just after nine; now it's past eleven."
Only their lifeboat remained nearby; the whereabouts of the others were unknown. After a brief rest, Eric queried the helmsman, "Can you still locate the island?"
The sailor withdrew a compass from his pocket and examined it carefully. "According to what the captain said earlier…" He gave a bearing, pointing decisively. Eric memorized it silently, her heart yearning for such a device—so indispensable for future endeavors.
Suddenly, a sharp rush disturbed her senses.
Eric's hairs stood on end as she witnessed a passenger beside her dragged beneath the waves.
"There's something underwater!" she cried, diving down to investigate.
Sure enough, a shark appeared. The victim was reduced to an upper torso in its gaping jaws. Though the murky depths clouded her vision, the ominous shadow of the shark loomed closer—a grim specter on the hunt.
"Don't wait any longer; we must head to the island now!" Eric urged the helmsman.
Others concurred, and the sailor hurriedly agreed, "Let's set off!"
Alas, as dawn approached, the lifeboat malfunctioned.
"How could this happen?"
"Is it out of fuel?"
The helmsman grimaced. "The gauge shows there's a little fuel left, but the engine's dead—probably damaged during last night's shark attack. Considering we managed this long, we're lucky."
They were adrift on the vast, unforgiving ocean.
A sleepless night passed, the passengers weary and famished, tempers fraying.
The lifeboat carried scant emergency rations—mere morsels shared thinly amongst all, leaving none satiated. Water supplies dwindled as well, and stranded in this dire predicament, no one could remain calm or composed. By sunrise, the passengers' frustration erupted. Neither Eric nor anyone else knew who struck first, but a struggle ensued as someone was pulled beneath the lifeboat, only to be trampled upon as others jostled aboard.
"What are you doing? Stop!"
"Let me on! I paid to board the cruise! Why shouldn't I have a spot on this lifeboat?"
"Quiet! Let's discuss this civilly…"
Eric resolved to distance herself from the turmoil. Before departing, she grasped the exhausted sailor, confirming once again the island's direction. Upon hearing no discrepancy, she released him and began swimming toward the distant shore.
"Where is she going?"
"To the island, surely. Does she intend to swim there? She's mad!"
"Maybe we should swim too—without fuel, waiting here is certain death!"
"I don't know how to swim—what am I to do?"
Eric vaguely caught snippets of the whispers behind her, but paid them no heed, focusing solely on propelling herself forward. Having endured a fortnight's trek across the desert in her last mission, she harbored confidence in her ability to swim to the island—provided she maintained the correct course and escaped the jaws of the lurking shark.
Misfortune struck two hours later, as she rested wearily within a large white barrel. From afar, she spotted the ominous fin slicing through the water. Her limbs tensed instinctively, yet she swiftly regained composure; life or death hinged upon this moment, and surrender was not an option.
Eric stowed the barrel and submerged beneath the surface, her gaze tracing the formidable creature beneath.
The shark exceeded four meters in length. Though her knowledge of sharks was scant and she couldn't identify its species, her eyes widened at the sight—not only of its massive form but of its gaping, blood-stained jaws.
It surged toward her with alarming speed, its maw agape, eager to consume.
At the precise instant it lunged, Eric brandished a row of iron shelves retrieved from her inventory, holding them horizontally.
The shark's teeth clamped down upon the metal and were instantly ensnared.
Before the beast could shake off the impeding barrier, Eric darted towards its flank and deftly slipped behind it. Beneath the shark's mountainous bulk, she felt insignificantly small, yet survival hinged not on size, but on indomitable will.
For several agonizing seconds, the shark's teeth remained caught in the iron rack. Seizing the moment, Eric ascended onto its back.
Adrenaline surged—her heart pounded wildly!
Time was of the essence. With all her might, she hacked at the shark's dorsal with a kitchen knife.
The creature writhed in pain, thrashing violently. Eric clung desperately to the hilt, struggling to maintain her grip atop its slippery hide. The iron shelving had vanished into the depths; enraged, the shark thrashed its tail, surging through the water before suddenly lunging upward, gathering force—
The shark breached the surface!
Eric gasped sharply to fill her lungs with precious air. The next instant, the beast slammed back into the ocean with ferocious force, and she lost control, plunging into the water. She swiftly evaded its jaws, though a stabbing agony radiated through her leg, blood seeping into the sea.
The shark, unsatisfied with merely severing her calf, circled and charged once more. Eric's resolve hardened and, tossing aside another iron shelf, she blocked its advance and propelled herself toward the surface. As she rose, she retrieved a barrel from her supply.
With shaking hands, she flicked a lighter.
Click, click, click—no flame.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
Beneath her, the current roared—and the shark was closing in.
Quickly substituting another lighter, she succeeded in igniting a flame. Joy flooded her as she brought the fire close to the barrel's wide mouth, lighting the thick wick fashioned from a dozen candle wicks she had painstakingly gathered—instantly catching fire.
The shark burst forth from the water, jaws agape, lunging for her. Holding her breath, Eric hurled the flaming barrel.
Boom!
A fiery explosion erupted before her eyes, a tempest of scorching heat, shrapnel, and fragments of the shark crashing towards her face. The searing pain robbed her of sight; she could not avert her eyes.
When the chaos subsided, Eric's vision swam in crimson. Agonizing waves radiated from her severed left leg, pain so profound she nearly lost consciousness. Helpless, she deployed a healing kit.
Instantly, her eyes cleared; every ache vanished, and the missing portion of her calf regenerated.
The elation was tinged with an eerie chill.
There was no time to linger on such thoughts. She stowed the headless shark carcass into her inventory—success at last!
A fleeting thought crossed her mind: Could she capture a live shark? Quickly, she shook her head in denial. Her inventory was her trump card; allowing a destructive beast inside could wreak havoc, destroying goods or even compromising her safe haven. She would rather endure the pain of losing limbs than risk such calamity.
This place was no longer safe. Checking the sun's position and determining direction, Eric swiftly departed.
Once at a safe distance, she donned fresh clothes and poured scented cologne over herself to mask the odor of blood.
The journey ahead remained fraught; she encountered another shark and, after another fierce battle, replicated her tactics to stun and annihilate it.
After two such ordeals, her reservoir of gasoline—reserved for emergency power—was entirely depleted, and she resorted once more to a healing kit.
As night fell, she nestled within the white barrel again, drifting upon the sea and partaking of her evening meal.
Half-awake during the night, a distant sound jolted her to alertness.
A faint glow approached, and her eyes widened. Could it be a lifeboat?
Minutes later, indeed, a lifeboat drew near, bearing a familiar face.
Megan's expression softened as she spotted Eric. "That barrel looks cozy—want to come aboard?"
"Absolutely."
Eric clambered onto the lifeboat. "Thank you. Seeing you puts me at ease; I was afraid I'd lost my way."
Megan produced a compass. "You were spot on. Your sense of direction is impressive. This dungeon isn't particularly difficult; as long as you have a lifeboat, sufficient fuel, provisions, water, and a compass, finding the island ensures success."
Eric envied Megan's effortless composure. She had glimpsed Austin, Jessica—seasoned players who radiated a poised ease that inspired admiration.
"Take your seat—we'll keep pressing forward," Megan said, impatient as always. She'd secured many supplies but lacked food. Resting until dawn was not an option; she intended to reach the island by nightfall, complete the mission, and depart.
With Megan's companionship, Eric's fortunes improved. Before dawn, they had indeed located the island!
The portal glowed conspicuously upon the shore. They moored the lifeboat, and Megan waved goodbye. "I'm off," she said, stepping into the portal and vanishing, leaving behind only a kitchen knife and a compass—items irretrievable from the dungeon.
Eric lingered, then retrieved the items and stowed them with the lifeboat into her inventory. Two shelves had vanished from the supermarket, and debris cluttered the space; she vowed to organize it later.
As she stepped into the portal, Eric noted two lights approaching from different directions—undoubtedly other players. She withdrew her gaze and stepped forward.
[Player Eric has completed the standard dungeon: Sinking Cruise Ship, earning 4 points.]