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墨書 Inktalez
The sailors were utterly exhausted; it had truly been a massive operation! Everyone was resting on the deck, having removed their Diving Suits. Mai Lao suggested that we should inventory the items we salvaged tomorrow and that we should rest for the night. After finishing dinner, we returned to our sleeping quarters. During this time, everyone was quite tired, and as I lay in bed, I drifted off to sleep in a daze.
In the middle of the night, I suddenly woke up. This was a habit I had developed during my years in the military, allowing me to control my sleep schedule. Tonight, I planned to open the coffin in the Wreck and see what was inside. I waited for a few seconds; aside from the sound of snoring, there was no other noise in the sleeping quarters—it was completely quiet. I slowly sat up and got out of bed, glancing around to see that Shunzi and Jiao Ba were sleeping soundly.
I dressed quietly and carefully opened the Hatch, tiptoeing outside. The Wreck was anchored nearby our fishing boat. Although some parts had been salvaged, a portion of the hull remained submerged Underwater. As I reached the deck and prepared to set off, suddenly a shadow darted out from a window in the cabin, plunging directly into the sea. In an instant, it swam swiftly toward the Wreck with incredible speed, moving as gracefully as a fish.
I was taken aback—who could that be at this hour? Without thinking too much, I decided to follow and see what was happening. To avoid drawing attention, I lowered my Lifeline and slid into the water; jumping directly would surely alert whoever it was.
The midnight sea felt exceptionally quiet. With the moonlight guiding me, I spotted the dilapidated Wreck swaying not far from where I floated. The moonlight reflected off its surface, making the already eerie Wreck appear even more sinister and terrifying—like a Ghost Ship from legends, sending chills down my spine.
I hesitated for a moment; just thinking about the female corpse inside that coffin sent shivers down my back. The water seemed to grow colder around me, causing me to shudder involuntarily. But recalling the shadow that had just leaped out invigorated me—I had to find out what was going on. I swam quickly while trying to minimize any noise.
The Wreck loomed closer; after about a minute, I reached its stern. Grabbing hold of the ship's edge, I quietly climbed aboard. The shadow was no longer visible, but I knew it must still be on the Wreck. Who could it be? What were they doing here? A series of questions swirled in my mind, leaving me somewhat confused.
Could there be someone else who wanted to open that coffin like me? Or did that coffin hide some little-known secret? It seemed tonight would yield some discoveries.
I pressed myself against the hull as if I were a thief, moving quietly toward the deck while glancing around nervously to avoid attracting attention from that shadow. Just as I neared the deck, I caught sight of something in the water ahead—there appeared to be another figure swimming toward the Wreck.
What was going on? How could there be someone else? Initially, I thought tonight would be my solo venture; it seemed I had underestimated things—everyone had their own hidden agendas! Deciding to observe this person first, I quietly hid beside the deck and patiently waited for them to reveal themselves.
Before long, there was some movement near the Wreck. A shadow clumsily climbed onto it. Although the person’s movements were not very skilled, it was clear they had some experience. The figure looked around as if searching for something, then quietly made their way toward the hatch on the deck.
I hid in the darkest corner of the Wreck, confident that they couldn’t see me. However, I could clearly observe their every move. The only thing I couldn’t see was their face, but the silhouette seemed familiar, like someone I knew.
I slowly edged closer to them. Just as they were about to enter the hatch, I sprang into action from behind. One arm tightened around their neck while my other hand covered their mouth. The person instinctively let out a muffled sound through their nose and reached up to grab my head. I quickly pulled back, applying more pressure with my arm, and they immediately lost the ability to resist.
They desperately grabbed at my arm, trying to fight back. I had intended to knock them out, but when I looked down, I realized who it was—Jiao Ba. The moonlight reflected off his face, and I could see him clearly. Yet, I knew that with my head lowered, he couldn’t see me; all he could make out was a dark figure.
I hurriedly whispered in his ear, “Shh… don’t say a word. It’s me.”
After hearing my words, Jiao Ba stopped struggling. I slowly released him; his face was flushed from the pressure. Just as he was about to cough, I covered his mouth again and said, “Don’t make a sound; there are people nearby.” I lowered my voice to a whisper while listening for any sounds around us.
Jiao Ba nodded vigorously, and only then did I let go of him. He gasped for breath and asked in my ear, “What made you come here?”
I shot him a glare and growled, “Damn it! That’s what I wanted to ask you! What are you doing here?”
In a hushed tone, Jiao Ba replied, “I saw you come here, so I followed to check on you. I was worried something might happen. Brother Yi, are you planning to open that coffin?” It seemed Jiao Ba was well aware of my every move! This guy really had some skills; I hadn’t even noticed he was tailing me.
I didn’t hide anything and said, “Yeah, I intend to find out what’s going on. You’re quite something! When did you start following me?”
Jiao Ba grinned mischievously and whispered back, “Hehe! I didn’t sleep at all; I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist. But still, Brother Yi, I advise you not to mess with that coffin.”
“Enough chatter; we’re already here. Besides, it’s not just me; there are others too,” I whispered in his ear.
"Who else is there?" Jiao Ba exclaimed in surprise.
I didn't have time to waste with him; I needed to hurry and see who the other shadow was. I shook my head and said, "We'll find out once we go in. Follow me."
We quietly entered the cabin. Inside, there was still a lot of seawater, which had risen past my knees. The entire wreck was eerily silent. Neither of us had any lighting tools, and the moonlight from outside couldn't penetrate the darkness. The passage within the cabin was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything—much like the legendary gates of hell. I felt a bit uneasy, even sensing my heartbeat quickening.
Jiao Ba closely followed behind me as we took slow, cautious steps forward. The water underfoot made it necessary to move slowly; if we hurried, the sound of splashing would attract attention. We were practically dragging our legs along.
My purpose for coming here was simple: to find that coffin. I didn't bother looking at the other cabins because I knew that the figure in black was also after the Coffin Corpse. We had thoroughly checked the other cabins, leaving only this one unexamined. As we reached about halfway through, I vaguely saw a faint light ahead.
Jiao Ba nudged me and pointed forward. I nodded, and we pressed on along the side of the ship. The light grew closer and closer until it became clear that it was emanating from the last cabin—the one containing the coffin. My fear dissipated instantly, replaced by excitement.
We silently approached the entrance of the cabin. I could faintly hear some movement inside. Crouching low, I peered in as discreetly as possible. Just as I suspected, there was indeed a person next to the coffin, holding a flashlight and inspecting around it, their hand gliding over the surface of the coffin.
The figure seemed familiar yet hazy in my memory. They exuded an air of mystery, but what baffled me most was their attire—a complete black Night Cloak, reminiscent of ancient heroes' clothing popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Their head was covered with black cloth, and their face was also obscured by it. This truly astonished me; who in modern times would engage in such antics? Who could this person be? I simply couldn't figure it out...
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