Chapter 119: Arc 4: Chapter 7: Return to Skull Island

On the second morning, Merlin and his assistant Hill, along with Professor Serizawa and Miss Vivienne, rode on Monarch's jet plane all the way across the Atlantic from Isla de Mona.

After 13 hours of flight time, they stopped for a rest in the large city of Dubai in the Middle East, then continued towards Thailand Bangkok.

After having a simple Thai breakfast, the group changed to a large helicopter as they flew toward the mysterious island.

The locations of the ancient titans are highly classified.

The Skull Island where the mysterious Kong resided in could not be found on the map. Only with Monarch's map would one be able to find Skull Island from the innumerable amounts of small islands across the South Pacific.

Merlin was currently in the helicopter cabin looking at the spread-out map in front of him.

At the center of the map, which was on the edge of the South Pacific, was Monarch's emblem, which is where Skull Island resides.

"It's a long way from the nearest habitable island from the mainland."

Professor Serizawa sits opposite to Merlin, he points at the mark on the map and says to Merlin:

"It's like an 'ecological island' in biology terms, there's a completely different ecological system from the outside world. We suspect that it's due to this seal that Skull Island's ecological system had remained in ancient times, and due to this, Kong's race survived the ecological evolution throughout the eons."

Merlin nods, but his attention was on a different question.

"This place may be desolate, but it's unlikely for no one to discover it over the years as merchant ships must've come by this island before; so I'm curious, how did you keep Skull Island a secret after thee exploration in 1973?"

Merlin looks at Professor Serizawa and asks:

"Delimitation of military restricted areas? Or some other way? And if Kong is the same ancient titan as Godzilla is, then surely its size cannot be hidden by a mere island."

"Kong's a juvenile titan."

Next to Professor Serizawa, Vivienne Graham tells Merlin:

"And from the data our members brought back from in 1973, Kong was approximately 100 feet high back then, with Skull Island's internal mountain structure, it is fully capable of hiding Kong."

"Other ancient titans like it have an extremely long growth process, with Professor Serizawa's estimates, Kong may need a few more hundred years before it fully matures. From the data we've collected from Skull Island, Kong in its maturity may exceed 200 feet, its weight may even exceed 20 tonnes, even 30 tonnes."

Vivienne places a picture in front of Merlin and says:

"Kong's different from other titans, it's not yet to fully grow into a top predator. In fact, we built our observation lab on Skull Island is not just to observe it, but to protect it."

"Protect?"

Merlin picks up the picture, it was a black and white picture; on that picture was a gorilla with black fur standing between the mountains. It looked like the average gorilla Merlin had seen before, and the most eye-catching thing was its height.

Compared with the mountains around it, the gorilla was at least 30 meters high...

It may not be as shocking as Godzilla raising its head from the sea, but it was most definitely more majestic than Rodan who was sleeping in the volcano.

And Merlin also notices an obvious scar on the gorilla named Kong's left arm.

He hands the photo to agent Hill, he then looks to Vivienne and says:

"You're saying that the Kong now can be harmed, even killed?"

"Yes."

Professor Serizawa nods and says in a deep tone:

"The exploration of 1973 was unsuccessful, it's an internal secret in Monarch, as well as the reason we refuse to work with the military. In the exploration op in 1973, a soldier from the Vietnam War who acted as our guard was extremely paranoid, he almost killed Kong...this is why Kong despises outsiders."

"So what happened in 1973?"

Merlin asks:

"If Kong really is as intelligent as you say. Then he should have a strong sense of revenge after being harmed by humans, your lab wouldn't have been able to be set on Skull Island at all...so I'm guessing there's something else in the 1973 story aside from Kong being harmed, right?"

"There are many types of people in the world, Professor Merlin."

Ishiro Serizawa takes off his glasses and says while rubbing his forehead:

"As there are some who try to harm others and inflict their own pain and depression on other beings as to show themselves through force. There will be those who treat everything well, even risk sacrificing themselves as to stop the disaster peacefully."

"In the exploration team in 1973, aside from the crazy colonel, there were also our predecessors; as the colonel tried to kill Kong, they gave Kong assistance and helped Kong counter-kill the most dangerous enemy during the early stages of its life."

"Kong remembered this aid, thus Monarch could set up a lab in Skull Island. But Kong also remembers the harm, so our observers are unable to go deeper into the island. Like the research on Rodan, we've rarely discovered any useful information since 1973."

Professor Serizawa raises his head, this gentlemanly Japanese looks at Merlin and says softly:

"We desperately wish to make a breakthrough on our research in Kong."

"You must understand, Merlin, if a massive brawl ensues amongst the titans in the future, then the ancient titan who'll most likely side with the humans is Kong."

Expectation and plea flashes in the professor's eyes as he says to Merlin:

"From my perspective, perhaps Kong is the future of human civilization."

"So, you invited us to Skull Island not just to investigate and evaluate, right?"

Merlin squints his eyes, agent Hill next to him also understands Professor Serizawa's intentions.

It was clear that the capabilities Merlin had shown in Isla de Mona allowed Professor Serizawa to see the hope of a breakthrough; he generously opened Monarch's second project to Merlin as they wish to acquire Merlin's help and help the lab they have in Skull Island make a breakthrough.

"Yes."

Professor Serizawa nods and says to Merlin:

"Compared to the volcano titan in Isla de Mona, Professor Merlin, I'm certain that you will find even more in Skull Island. The ecological environment there is still the same as it was eons ago, there are multiple strange creatures there aside from Kong, and the food chain there is completely different from how it is outside. It's absolute heaven for an excellent irregular researcher like you!"

"I can authorize to share with your research team Skull Island's lab..."

Professor Merlin says in a deep tone:

"We can help each other! As long as you keep Skull Island a secret."

Merlin was not angry, in fact, he wasn't angry at all, the results were within expectations. Monarch was using him, without a doubt.

But this was also what Merlin wished to see.

He had to enter the internal structure of Monarch if he wants to make a precise evaluation report, and now he's done so.

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Just as Professor Serizawa had said, this is a mutual aid relationship.

And it's perfectly normal to be used in the world of adults.

If you don't want to be used, then become trash, no one would pay attention to trash.

"I'll have to look at Skull Island first."

Merlin expresses a researcher's rigorousness, he did not make promises and says:

"I'll have to inspect the field myself to know whether or not I can help you."

"We'll arrive at Skull Island in 50 minutes."

Vivienne looks down at her watch, then says to Merlin and Hill:

"It may get a bit bumpy as we approach Skull Island. For the record, none of you get seasick right?"

"Mmm?"

Vivienne's question confused Merlin and Hill. They were currently flying, what does that have to do with seasickness?

This confusion lasted until 40 minutes later, at the edge of the vast South Atlantic Ocean, several kilometers ahead of the helicopter, something attracts Merlin and Hill's attention.

"Shit!"

The always calm Hill couldn't help but curse in a low tone as she saw that thing.

Next to her, Merlin's expression was not all that good either.

He finally knew how Monarch hid the existence of Skull Island.

It's easy, they didn't have to...

Perhaps nature favors these titans a lot, so it gave Skull Island and Kong a perfect disguise.

On the sea in front of them, a massive tornado that reached the skylines was there; in that typhoon which could easily decimate a city, were clouds similar to fire and there was also lightning flickering from within those clouds. The glow of the lightning lit up the massive typhoon from within, making it look like a gate to hell.

Extreme waves were easily formed in the seawater around it by the typhoon wind, no ship could get close in that sea vortex.

Any rational captain would avoid this storm, this is why Skull Island has yet to be known by the outside world since its discovery.

"No one knows when this storm appeared."

Professor Serizawa stands up and holds his hand against the cabin wall, in the bumpier helicopter, he says to Merlin:

"From the time we discovered Skull Island from a military satellite in 1973 until now, this storm has never ceased; it was like Skull Island's special weather phenomenon, it never gets stronger, nor does it weaken."

"This isn't normal!"

Merlin presses his glasses and says to Professor Serizawa:

"Even if I know nothing about meteorology, I know that something weird on the island must be maintaining this storm...have you not discovered anything after decades of research?"

"We can't get deeper into the mainland."

Professor Serizawa looks at the terrifying typhoon that was getting closer and says:

"But some of my friends that are experienced with geology suspect that somewhere in Skull Island was a passage to the hollow world in the Earth's mantle layer. They believe that Skull Island is one of the passageways that the air flows through between the underground and surface worlds; it is due to the airflow caused by the tunnels deep underground that this typhoon seemingly never ends."

"But we have no proof."

"Mmm, interesting."

A glow flashes in Merlin's eyes as he says:

"If this truly is the entrance into the underground world...then we'll have to really do a thorough field study."

Agent Hill's breathing became faster as the helicopter got closer to the typhoon. This was normal, as any normal human would cower in the face of an extra-large typhoon that could decimate an entire city.

Not to mention, they were heading into the eye of the storm in a wobbly helicopter...

It was practically suicide.

"Sit tight!"

The pilot of the helicopter shouts backward:

"Pray that we won't get struck by lightning, my friends!"

Then, the sped-up helicopter storms into the typhoon.

But unexpectedly, the raging winds that were supposed to be in the typhoon were not there, the wind in the typhoon may seem intimidating, it was rather gentle and did not have much destructive force.

Merlin who braced for impact opens his eyes, he looks at the surroundings as they were being enshrouded by fog; he could feel that although the exterior of the helicopter was struggling, it still maintained direction in the wind.

The clump of seemingly destructive 'typhoon' was nothing but a pretty face.

The helicopter was bumpy, it felt like rafting as it wobbled so much, people couldn't stand straight. No wonder Vivienne had asked whether or not he and Hill could get seasick.

It pretty much felt like taking a boat through the storm, the waves after waves of vibrations shook like it was going to make people's brains pop out.

Merlin could still hold on, but Hill next to him had gone completely pale and was wobbling, Merlin reaches out and holds Hill's body close to him as Hill subconsciously holds tight onto her officer.

In this bumpy storm, Merlin sat firmly like a pillar.

After a few difficult minutes, following the pilot's cheer, the helicopter storms into the eye of the storm carrying a stream of clouds

Merlin opens his eyes, a calm and beautiful scenery appears before him; the golden glow reflected by the sunlight shining down made people can't help but hold their breath.

"Skull Island."

Merlin looks down at the green mountains and lakes, saying softly:

"Here I come..."

 

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