"If only I and my husband can be saved, then I will marry all 10 of them. I'll make them all my husbands," Suriya decided inside her mind while looking at the red marriage bond thread on her left-hand ring finger.
Suddenly, the red marriage bond thread in her hand multiplied into 10 and tied itself to all 10 men standing before her.
She saw every man's left-hand ring finger tied with her marriage bond thread. She let out a breath of relief.
Few hours before…
6:30 AM
Cold wind brushed against Suriya's face.
Sharp. Clean. Alive.
She stood at the edge where soil slowly turned into ice.
The Himalayan mountains stretched endlessly before her—vast, silent, and overwhelming.
White peaks rose into the sky, covered in snow that reflected the morning light.
That time, the tour guide stopped near her with papers in his hand.
"You're also in this group."
She turned her head. She saw the guide introduce her to a group of boys.
The guide turned and said to her, "These 10 boys and you are one group."
"You'll stay together for the entire trip," he said. "Don't separate."
Suriya saw those 10 boys. She felt they were familiar to her. The boys also felt she was familiar to them.
But before they introduced themselves to each other—
A loud announcement cut through the air.
"Everyone, please listen carefully!"
All attention shifted.
An organizer stood at a higher point, holding a microphone.
His voice was clear. Professional. Controlled.
"You have all been divided into groups based on your age and walking capability."
"Stay with your group at all times."
"This is a large expedition. You will not move together as one group. Each team will walk at its own pace."
"Share your contact details with your team members."
"Create a communication group."
"Check on each other regularly."
His tone changed. More serious.
"This is not a controlled tourist area."
"There are risks."
Silence slowly spread across the crowd.
"If anything happens to you—"
"The organization is not responsible."
The words landed heavily.
"You have already agreed to this before joining."
"If any situation changes, announcements will be made through speakers."
"Stay alert."
"Follow instructions immediately."
The announcement ended.
One of the boys stepped forward.
He collected her details and added her to their group.
Suriya saw the group members:
Long Yichen
Long Zhenyu
Long Haoran
Long Jingwei
Long Weiting
Long Ruihan
Long Zixuan
Long Minghao
Long Chenxi
Long Yuze
Suriya saw their names and asked, "You all have the same surname?"
Zixuan: "We are all siblings."
Suriya: "You added me to your already existing group."
Chenxi: "Just siblings' talk, nothing important," he said casually.
Yuze: "Hey, you have the same birthday as us."
Suriya checked the group members' information excitedly. Yes, they were all born on the same day.
That time—
Another guide approached nearby groups.
"Do not move alone," he said firmly.
"Stay within sight of your team."
"This region has unpredictable dangers."
"Follow instructions immediately if you hear emergency announcements."
He looked at them one by one.
"Out here…"
"Small mistakes can cost your life."
Then he walked away.
This expedition had young, middle-aged, and a few older participants too.
They had all signed that if they died during the trip, the organization would not be responsible.
The sound of rotating blades echoed across the mountains.
One by one, helicopters descended onto the narrow landing strip carved between towering walls of ice and rock.
Wind rushed violently with each landing, carrying snow and dust into the air, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
Suriya stood beside her group, watching quietly.
The moment had come.
The real journey was about to begin.
"Move in order! Don't rush!" one of the guides shouted, directing the groups toward the helicopters.
Despite the instructions, tension was visible on many faces.
Excitement had started to fade.
Reality had taken its place.
Suriya stepped forward when her group was called.
The ten boys followed closely behind her.
Inside the helicopter, the space was tight.
The noise was loud.
The vibration constant.
Suriya sat near the window.
Below her—
The world slowly changed.
The ground disappeared.
Green faded into white.
And soon—
Only snow and ice remained.
The mountains stretched endlessly in every direction.
Cold.
Silent.
Unforgiving.
Yet—
Beautiful.
For a moment, Suriya forgot everything else.
Her eyes remained fixed outside.
That same feeling returned again.
Stronger now.
Closer.
Like something ahead was waiting for her.
Not randomly.
But specifically.
For her.
The helicopter continued deeper into the mountains.
Time passed without anyone noticing.
Then slowly—
It began to descend.
The landing area appeared below.
A narrow strip.
Barely enough space.
No buildings.
No shelters.
Nothing.
Just a flat stretch between massive frozen peaks.
The helicopter landed.
The moment the door opened—
Cold air rushed in violently.
Sharp.
Piercing.
Real.
"Move out quickly!" the guide shouted.
Everyone stepped out.
The moment their feet touched the ground—
The isolation became clear.
There was nothing here.
No signs of human presence.
No safety.
No escape.
Only the mountains.
The helicopters didn't stay long.
One by one, they lifted off again.
The sound of blades slowly faded.
And then—
Silence.
Deep.
Absolute.
For the first time—
Everyone understood.
They were completely on their own.
The organizer's voice echoed again through a portable speaker.
"Listen carefully!"
All groups turned toward him.
"This is your starting point."
He pointed forward.
Far in the distance—
A faint red patch could be seen against the endless white.
"Your first checkpoint is there," he continued.
"The red forest."
"Those trees mark your destination."
"You must reach there before 2 PM."
Suriya glanced at the sky.
The sun was already rising higher.
"Current time—8 AM," the organizer said.
"You have six hours."
His tone turned serious.
"After 2 PM, this region becomes extremely dangerous."
"Multiple unknown creatures begin to move during that time."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Do not delay."
"Do not stop unnecessarily."
"Move at your own pace—but reach the checkpoint before the deadline."
He looked at everyone carefully.
"This is not a suggestion."
"It is for your survival."
"Guides will move with you—front, middle, and back."
"But do not depend on them."
"You are responsible for your own movement."
The instructions ended.
No one spoke immediately.
The weight of the situation settled slowly.
Then—
Movement began.
Groups started walking.
At first, everyone stayed close.
A large crowd moving in one direction.
But slowly—
As time passed—
The groups began to spread.
Different speeds.
Different stamina.
Different confidence.
The large crowd divided into smaller clusters.
Then into even smaller ones.
Until—
Each group walked almost independently.
Suriya walked with her group.
The ten boys remained around her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
But always aware of her presence.
The snow beneath their feet crunched softly.
The cold air made breathing slightly harder.
Wind moved steadily across the open land.
Time passed.
Without anyone realizing it—
Nearly two hours had gone by.
The red forest was closer now.
Still far—
But visible.