Chapter 11 – “I am Coming!” opens in the aftermath of chaos, where urgency eclipses reason. Virginia Maxon’s disappearance becomes the singular focus for Professor Maxon, von Horn, Sing Lee, and the sole lascar survivor from the Ithaca. With limited time and unknown threats ahead, they board a serviceable boat to follow what little trail remains. They soon spot the Ithaca, adrift and overtaken by native Dyaks whom they rescue from a storm. This moment of uneasy alliance shifts the momentum. In return for help navigating the damaged ship, the Dyaks are persuaded to guide them toward Rajah Muda Saffir’s presumed location. Tension runs high, but desperation keeps the crew together, even as trust wanes with every paddled mile. Von Horn’s mind churns with strategies—he manipulates facts to keep Professor Maxon unaware of truths that could derail the mission. The professor, anxious yet determined, remains focused on his daughter’s fate.

The group’s arrival at a ruined battle site confirms what they feared—Virginia was likely caught between rival factions. Signs of struggle are everywhere: broken weapons, discarded fabric, and faint footprints leading away from the conflict. Maxon clings to hope that Virginia has not fallen to Number Thirteen, whose strength and mystery spark both fear and fascination. Von Horn feeds this fear subtly, twisting details to reinforce the idea that the monster they created now hunts them. They abandon the search for a missing treasure chest aboard the Ithaca and set out in a war prahu, tracking whispers in the wind. Each decision they make is weighed not only against the danger ahead but also against what each man knows and chooses not to share. Muda Saffir, feigning loyalty, joins their mission under false pretense, masking his desire to reclaim what was taken from him. In the background, Sing Lee watches everything, storing suspicions in silence.

Meanwhile, deep in the untamed jungle, Bulan and his few surviving brothers-in-creation make their own journey. Once bound by shared purpose, they now fragment under stress and doubt. Bulan, though weary and wounded, remains committed to finding Virginia. His path leads to a river, which he believes connects with the place she was taken. The jungle challenges them constantly—savage weather, elusive food, and unseen predators. They press on, not only through the wild but through the tension growing within themselves. Encounters with orangutan-like creatures stir a painful realization among them. Numbers Three, Ten, and Twelve begin to see themselves reflected in the beasts’ eyes. Their bodies are strong, but their minds are clouded with the fear that they are no more than wild things in human skin.

An argument breaks out as the trio voices their desire to remain behind and live as beasts in the jungle. Bulan’s heart aches as he hears this. He speaks with conviction, asserting that being born of science does not make one soulless or less than human. His words are firm but compassionate. He pleads for them to choose dignity, to strive for a higher existence. But the pull of instinct and isolation proves too great for some. One by one, they turn away, vanishing into the trees like shadows retreating at sunrise. Bulan, though left with fewer allies, presses forward, carrying not just the hope of rescuing Virginia but also the burden of proving his worth—of proving that what he feels inside truly defines who he is.

The separation marks a turning point. Bulan’s quest evolves from mere rescue to self-discovery. He now knows that to win Virginia’s trust and love, he must not only find her but stand before her as someone who chooses to be more than the sum of his parts. His determination sharpens. Every step brings pain, but also clarity. In the distance, echoes of pursuit grow louder—others are nearing. Time tightens around them all, drawing the searchers and the sought into one inevitable intersection. Fate, forged by science and emotion, prepares to test the limits of loyalty, truth, and identity in the chapters to come.