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墨書 Inktalez
The question pierced my mind like a needle, sending a chill from the depths of my soul. Even in front of a roaring fire, I couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.
I glanced at Xiao Guolin through Cao Mingzhe and noticed that he was no better off than I was; he too was startled by Cao Mingzhe's words.
My thoughts immediately turned to the stone platform in the center of the basin above and the hexagonal groove on that platform.
That piece of iron. He was holding that piece of iron!
My mind began to swirl with chaotic images, making it difficult to concentrate on the problem at hand. The image of that hexagonal metal kept flashing before me until it consumed all my thoughts, leading me to one question: What was the purpose of that iron?
I didn't dwell on how Song Guilong had obtained that iron; I could investigate that once we managed to escape. The more pressing issue was what he intended to do with it. Knowing the answer would not only allow us to search for Song Guilong with purpose but also clarify what dangers we might face. After hearing Cao Mingzhe say, "He has the iron," a sense of crisis seeped into my bones, as if a great danger was closing in on me.
Xiao Guolin's expression confirmed my apprehension. He seemed to know more than I did about what that iron could do and what dangers it might bring. If possible, I wanted to extract those secrets from him immediately. My curiosity was not the main torment; it was the fear of not knowing where danger would strike from that was truly terrifying. However, I couldn't ask Xiao Guolin these questions in front of Liu Squad Leader and the Medic; confidentiality agreements and the need to prevent panic from spreading forbade me from seeking answers right away.
Suddenly, Xiao Guolin's face appeared grotesque in the flickering firelight, as if he were under some spell, his gaze flickering without a fixed focus, giving me the impression that his eyes were constantly shifting positions. Yet whether his neck or eyeballs moved, his expression had become disturbingly strange.
I couldn't bear to look any longer; I felt that if I continued watching him like this, I would be the first to break down. Cao Mingzhe sat down between Xiao Guolin and me. I looked at Xiao Guolin, and he looked back at me. As I withdrew my gaze from Xiao Guolin's face, I met Cao Mingzhe's eyes.
Cao Mingzhe's eyes still held a hint of daze, but his expression towards me was sincere, filled with trust and reliance. Seeing his face almost pushed me over the edge; it felt like he was leading me down a path of despair.
I dared not pose any questions to Cao Mingzhe. If he recalled certain things, he would speak without hesitation, completely disregarding confidentiality agreements, which could endanger others. His immediate recollection of the iron indicated that he would reveal everything he knew without a second thought. Trying to appear calm, I patted Cao Mingzhe on the shoulder and said, "Old Cao, I'll help you find Song Guilong. Don't be nervous."
Cao Mingzhe nodded solemnly, and the trust in his eyes became even more evident.
The bizarre scene could not help but attract the attention of Liu Squad Leader and Medic, but they both consciously chose not to ask questions, even pretending not to notice. Their confidentiality protocols required them to act this way.
Silence, a prolonged silence. It lasted until Zhao Squad Leader and his team returned. By that time, Medic had already gone back up to tend to the injured above, where the most severely wounded individual was also located.
During this time, I pulled out suitable sticks from the woodpile and shaped them into torches. I could no longer tolerate this strange silence; I needed something to do, and I wanted to show Xiao Guolin my determination in searching for Song Guilong.
It should be noted that before Zhao Squad Leader left, he had led the soldiers to completely dismantle the broken ship and transport it here. The dismantling axes from the Escape Pod and the soldiers' Engineer Shovels were quite effective; even the thick wooden keel was neatly cut and stacked behind me. I didn't have great tools either, just a dismantling axe and a Military Dagger for this task. Four people watched from the side, and none came over to help me. Throughout this process, there was no conversation; even during meals, silence reigned. When Zhao Squad Leader returned, he looked exhausted but excited. He eagerly told Xiao Guolin, "I made a winch at the top of the crack," swinging his arm as if demonstrating its function. "It's much easier to send things down now. Liu Squad Leader can go up without any issues." This should have been good news, but upon seeing our expressions, he realized something was amiss. He quickly composed himself and asked Xiao Guolin, "What happened with Xiao Team?" Two soldiers accompanied Zhao Squad Leader down, both carrying large packages that didn’t seem heavy.
Xiao Guolin first invited the soldiers to sit down before revealing my plan to hunt Aquatic Creatures. Zhao Squad Leader hesitated before responding, clearly deep in thought. Seeing his attitude gave me hope; I hadn't expected him to be so pliable. I had always thought he would be the toughest nut to crack. Ultimately, I would need Xiao Guolin's support to pressure him. After Xiao Guolin clearly stated his lack of support for my plan, my resolve began to waver as I prepared to abandon it.
However, with Zhao Squad Leader showing signs of flexibility, my heart stirred again; I needed to seize this opportunity. First, I had to understand what Zhao Squad Leader was hesitating about and why he seemed interested in changing his mind regarding this matter. My mind raced with possibilities; perhaps he was worried about us needing a Powerful Flashlight. But upon further reflection, that didn’t seem right—he was strong now with all the Guard Company soldiers back; he didn’t need to consider our opinions anymore. The only one who could influence him was Xiao Guolin.
I glanced at the two soldiers; one of them was familiar—Xu Xinming. I smiled at him and asked the other soldier, "How are things on your side? No incidents?" The soldier replied, "We're fine; the injured are stable. Just... food is tight." My eyes lit up as I immediately understood Zhao Squad Leader's thoughts—he wanted to hunt for military rations. I quickly responded, "We don’t have much food left either; we can last at most one more day." My statement contained an element of exaggeration, but food scarcity was indeed a reality. The compressed food in the Sealed Chamber could sustain us for five to ten days depending on our activity level. If we waited for rescue in place, we could last ten days without issue. However, in our search for water over these past two days, we had exhausted ourselves significantly while also needing to fend off the cold temperatures below; we had no choice but to continuously consume calories, leading to greater food consumption than anticipated.
From Zhao Squad Leader's expression and the information conveyed by that soldier, it seemed their food consumption had also exceeded expectations. Thus, finding alternative food sources became an urgent priority.
(Note: This is an update.)
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