Day one of the team-building activities, and both bosses and employees are excited to kick things off with a survival game early in the morning. Employees are grouped into participants, game initiators, pit stops, and safety personnel. There are only 50 participants, prioritizing the artists and the bosses. All five bosses have different teams, each consisting of 10 members. The game is simple: whoever reaches the finish line first wins, with a twist. They'll explore the island and gather a set of maps, each clue leading to the next location. Once all 7 maps are collected, they'll reveal where the finish line is. Bonus tasks are also scattered throughout, rewarding teams with tools or buffs depending on the task. The teams have 8 hours to complete the game. The winning group will be rewarded generously by the company.
As for the groupings, Slacovich's team consists of employees from the PR department; Diego's team comes from his own department; Li's team is made up of people from HR; Tyler's team includes the artists from their entertainment company; and Ara's team consists of members from the security department. All teams gather at the starting area, the beach. Each group leader receives their first clue to begin the game. Every group also has a cameraman to film their movements and conversations. Once they hear the starting shot, all teams move out.
Each team's first clue is different to lead them to separate maps before the clues start overlapping.
Tyler's team receives a clue that reads: "Underneath the burning heat, the raging waves that hit the rock scatter droplets of sea water."
They pause for a moment, then head toward the rock formations at the far end of the beach, becoming the first to leave the starting point.
Slacovich's team reads their clue: "I can give you roof under the rain but be warned, I am filled with darkness and no one knows what's hidden in my deepest part."
They immediately think of a cave and set off into the forest to search for one.
Li's team had already headed into the forest slightly ahead. Their clue states: "The tallest tree in the middle, which one eye dares to look."
Li remembers spotting a strange-looking tree when she launched the drone earlier and suspects it might be the one.
Diego's team struggles with a cryptic clue: "When I look at the east, I see the cliff. But when I look at the west, the same cliff appears. Where am I?"
Confused, they glance around. From their position, the cliff is clearly visible. Tyler's team heads in that direction but stops at the rock formation. Diego decides to head to the cliff first and figure it out on the way.
Meanwhile, Ara's team moves south from the hotel. In that area, unused materials are stored openly. Their clue reads: "I'm just lying around, you may step on me but you'll never notice. Yet you'll probably say this place needs tidying."
They conclude it must be the pile of junk materials.
Each team moves to where they believe their clues point. Tyler's team finds the first piece of the map and continues searching the same area for the next clue. They dig, search crevices, and overturn rocks. Eventually, one member finds a small bottle wedged between water-washed rocks. Inside is the second clue, and they move out toward the next location.
As teams try to collect all seven pieces, someone is already on the island, watching and waiting. Enemy or ally, they don't know yet.
While Diego's team searches around the cliff, Diego peers into the clear sea water and sees his reflection. A realization hits him: the map must be somewhere between the water and the cliff's edge. He carefully climbs down the stiff cliffside and spots a small bottle with a folded paper inside. Just as he reaches for it, he slips and falls into the water.
His team screams his name. Safety personnel rush in. Divers jump into the sea, but within seconds, Diego disappears. The game is canceled. Everyone joins in the search. Minutes turn to hours, but there's no sign of him. Exhausted divers return with nothing. Slacovich believes Diego wouldn't die in a simple accident, but the worry spreads. The group splits up, Li and Slacovich head to the top of the cliff for a better view, while Tyler and Ara follow the current, hoping it leads to Diego.
From above, Li spots something odd.
"Slacovich, am I seeing things?"
"What do you mean?"
"Look at that." She points to a small circular light, not far from their position. It's growing larger.
"I don't know what that is. We better ask Tyler." Slacovich calls him, and Tyler confirms seeing the same light from below. He reassures the others that Diego is safe, resting in a nearby cottage. Everyone returns to the hotel.
Later, Tyler and Ara climb the cliff alone and meet Slacovich and Li. The four of them study the light.
"Tyler, any idea?" Ara asks, concerned.
"If I'm not mistaken… that's a vortex."
"A vortex? Like a portal to another world?" Li's eyes widen.
"I don't know why it's here, but if it appeared when Diego vanished, then it's connected."
"What do we do now?" Slacovich asks, standing at the cliff's edge.
"Only one way to find out." Tyler grins. Since childhood, he dreamed of inventing a portal to another dimension. People told him it was impossible, but this light sparked a hope he couldn't ignore. The four of them turn into bats and fly toward the vortex. Hovering above it, all they see is blinding white light.
"What now?" Ara asks, hesitant.
"I can sense Diego inside." Li moves closer and is instantly sucked in. Slacovich tries to pull her back but is pulled in too. Tyler dives after them, followed by Ara.
Inside, their bodies feel like water flowing with the vortex's energy. Moments later, they find themselves in a large laboratory, trapped in a cage. Weak and disoriented, they spot Diego lying on a bed, unconscious, strapped down with equipment around him.
"Diego! Diego! Wake up!" they cry. No response.
A voice interrupts them. Sweet, but laced with malice.
"He can't hear you. He's in a deep sleep," the woman says.
"Who are you? What do you want from us?" Ara snaps.
"My, my. What a fiery girl," the woman steps into view, about the same age as Ara.
"You're just a girl!"
"I'm not." She presses a button, electrocuting the four of them. They scream in pain but remain standing.
"You'll need more than that to take us down," Slacovich snarls, unnerving her. She raises the voltage, but the cage bursts open. They drop to their knees but stand tall again, wounded, but defiant. She retreats in fear.
"Stay where you are! Or I'll kill your friend!"
"Kill who?" Diego suddenly rises, removing the devices and restraints. Blood in his eyes, he walks toward her.
"You've got to be kidding me." She stumbles back, only for Diego to catch her. She pushes him away.
"Calm down. I bet you're smart enough not to play with fire," Tyler steps in, offering a hand.
Speechless, she realizes all the information she gathered was real, every piece of it.
But who is she?
They all want to know.