Chapter 348: The Fountain of Youth (5)
When Grant and the others reached the lakeshore, Everly had already spotted the green lake through gaps in the trees.
She found a concealed vantage point from which she could clearly see the lakeshore, then stood there with the chameleon skull clenched between her teeth, observing how Grant’s group planned to deal with the situation.
This was where the advantage of having a large group became apparent.
Two mercenaries removed heavy packages from their backs and opened them. From inside, they each took out a black Hypalon inflatable boat and a matching outboard motor.
They were well-trained and efficient, quickly unfolding the inflatable boat on an open patch of ground by the lake. Using the accompanying foot pump, they inflated it fully, then secured the outboard motor to the stern.
Once inflated, the boat was about five meters long and two meters wide, with a maximum capacity of twelve people.
With those specifications, transporting twenty-seven people would originally have required three trips. But after the various casualties along the way, fewer than twenty people remained in the group, so two trips would be enough.
Seeing that they had an inflatable boat, Everly furrowed her brow slightly.
She could swim and was quite good in the water. Moreover, the poem had never mentioned that crossing the jungle and a lake would be necessary after arriving on the island, so she hadn’t brought anything for crossing water. She couldn’t have carried such equipment anyway. A boat like Grant’s weighed a full twenty-five kilograms when folded and packed, and carrying one would severely hinder mobility. It was simply too much for anyone traveling alone rather than as part of a team.