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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as Mai Lao finished speaking and was about to disperse the group, I suddenly remembered something important and hurriedly said, "Mai Lao, there's a problem with that gap at the bow; I saw something moving inside."
After I spoke, Li Xin abruptly interjected, "You're so paranoid, always suspecting something."
"Could you please not interrupt me when I'm talking? I didn't ask for your opinion," I snapped back. This woman was infuriating. If I found out she was the one in black, I would make sure to deal with her myself.
Li Xin scoffed, "You're really full of yourself, as if anyone cares what you think."
Jenny quickly stepped in to mediate, saying, "Alright, alright, both of you should just tone it down."
I was too tired to argue with her. This woman was such a nuisance. I turned to Mai Lao and said, "What I'm saying is true; there really is something in that gap. Remember the shadow that killed Landmine? I suspect that thing is right there at the bow."
Mai Lao didn't respond directly but glanced at Jiao Ba as if seeking his opinion. Jiao Ba pretended to cough and said, "Well, to be honest, I didn't see anything at that time, but I believe Brother Yi. We should definitely be more cautious. By the way, Mai Lao, now that Brother Yi mentioned it, I remembered something too. Earlier underwater, Brother Yi and two other sailors heard a strange sound—it sounded like a beast breathing. It was terrifying, and the sound echoed right by our ears. We were all a bit panicked; did you hear anything over there?"
As soon as Jiao Ba finished speaking, I jumped in, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten! That sound was indeed horrifying and right next to us, which is why I suspect there's something in that gap."
If it weren't for Jiao Ba, I might have almost overlooked this matter. Although nothing significant had happened during our three dives so far, I knew very well that there could be something sinister lurking in those dark waters. Each time we went down, we encountered strange occurrences; if we didn't investigate soon enough, it would only be a matter of time before something went wrong.
After pondering for a moment, Mai Lao finally said, "I actually didn't hear any sounds. But since you say there's something in that gap, why don't we check it out tomorrow? It will put everyone's minds at ease. We must safely recover the wreck; I don't want to see any more casualties."
Once everything was arranged, we returned to the rest area. The other sailors had already gone to sleep; today had been the most exhausting day since we set out to sea. Not only were they tired—I felt like I was falling apart too. My ears were still ringing and my muscles ached all over.
Sitting on my bunk and smoking a cigarette, I reflected on everything that had happened over the past few days. From what I could see now, things weren't getting any better; instead, the problems seemed to multiply one after another. I truly had no idea what else might happen next. What secrets did this incomplete Nautical Chart hide?
"Brother Yi, what are you thinking about?" Jiao Ba's voice broke through my thoughts as he walked over and plopped down on my bunk.
I glanced at him and extinguished my cigarette butt. "What else could I be thinking about? It's all about what's been happening lately—it's so damn annoying."
Jiao Ba shamelessly replied, "Forget about it; don't think too much. Problems will always get solved; it's just a matter of time. Don't worry; as long as I'm here, Jiao Ba can handle any difficulty for you."
I shot him a look and mockingly said, "Damn it, you're really full of yourself! Alright then, go back now; I'm going to sleep." With that, I rolled over onto my bed.
Jiao Ba laughed and patted my shoulder with a mature expression on his face. "Sleep well, kid; we have to dive again tomorrow."
Just as I was about to kick him out of annoyance, he darted away faster than a dog could run. Turning back with a wave of his hand, he whispered softly, "Goodnight, Brother Yi."
That night, I slept soundly, without any dreams, especially not the terrifying ones. It was the first time since going out to sea that I felt so at ease. Perhaps it was because I was exhausted from the previous day; I didn't wake up until after two in the afternoon. When I finally got up, everyone except Shunzi was still fast asleep.
As I was getting dressed and about to get out of bed, Shunzi pushed the door open and walked in, carrying a plate. "Brother Yi, you're awake! You were really tired yesterday, right? I've brought you some food. Have a bite."
I smiled at him and said, "Yeah, I was a bit tired. How's your injury? Is it feeling better?"
Shunzi placed the food on the dining table and handed me a pair of chopsticks. "It's all good now. I'm planning to go out to sea with you guys today."
"Forget it; you should rest for another couple of days. The pressure in the deep sea is too much. I'm worried your wound might reopen." I took the chopsticks from him and glanced at the food on the table—pickled vegetables, canned fish, porridge, and eggs. It had been a while since I'd had fresh vegetables or meat; occasionally eating fresh seafood didn't excite me much.
"It's fine, Brother Yi. I can handle it; I won't cause you any trouble." Shunzi looked at me earnestly as he spoke.
I set down the chopsticks and took his hand, smiling as I said, "I understand what you mean. You're worried about me, right? Don't worry about it, Shunzi. Lao Ba and the others are here too. Just focus on healing; wait for us on the ship."
Shunzi sighed and nodded helplessly. I quickly ate a little before putting on my clothes and heading out to the deck. The sea breeze was gentle today, and the weather was nice. The sunlight felt warm against my skin; after so many days at sea, I hadn't really had a chance to bask in it properly.
The deck was unusually quiet today; there wasn't a soul around. Normally, by this time, the sailors would have gathered together, but it seemed they were all exhausted after several dives into the deep sea yesterday. If someone had a weak constitution, they could easily have collapsed.
I stood at the bow of the ship, pulled out a cigarette, lit it up, and took a few deep puffs while gazing at the endless ocean before me. My mood lifted slightly; I preferred the daytime sea to its nighttime counterpart—it was quieter and gentler during the day, with occasional sightings of free-flying seabirds.
In contrast, the night sea brought me darkness and fear. Since this voyage began, I had experienced too many bizarre events. Everyone on this ship seemed so strange; each person had their own hidden agendas—even Jenny was no exception. I found myself unable to read her anymore.
"You're up! What are you doing out here alone in the sea breeze?" Jenny approached me and looked out at the ocean.
I turned to glance at her and replied, "Aren't you also out here alone enjoying the breeze?"
Jenny smiled back at me. "I've been up for a while now. You all must be exhausted from yesterday."
"Of course we're tired! We went down three times; how could we not be?" I replied somewhat irritably. Jenny was great in many ways but could be incredibly stubborn at times.
"Oh dear! Why so angry? Did someone provoke you?" Jenny asked with a smile instead of being offended.
I suddenly chuckled and said, "Jenny, can you tell me something honestly? What exactly is our destination for this trip? Why are you only interested in things from the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty?" I genuinely wanted to hear her response; something told me she was hiding something from us.
Jenny looked serious as she said, "I told you last time—I really don’t know..."
"Come on! Who do you think you're fooling? You don't know why we're going out to sea? Didn't your family tell you what secrets are hidden in this Nautical Chart?" Before she could finish her sentence, I interrupted her because I couldn't stand her evasive answers any longer.
"Really, there's nothing. My family just told me that a Nautical Chart could lead to the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck, and I came out to sea this time without telling them. If they knew, there's no way they would agree, especially since it's dangerous," Jenny said with a worried expression, looking anything but deceitful.
As I gazed at her beautiful face, I felt a momentary infatuation, an impulse to kiss her suddenly surged within me, but it vanished just as quickly. "Never mind, I believe you, Jenny. Have you noticed anyone on the ship acting strangely or any changes?"
In truth, I didn't fully trust her; I still sensed that Jenny was hiding something. I just didn't know what it was yet. Just like Jiao Ba said, the truth would eventually come to light. As long as I stayed close and didn't fall behind, I would find out sooner or later.
Jenny shook her head in confusion. "No, everyone seems pretty normal. What's wrong? Are you still worried about what happened last time?"
"Yeah, I just have this feeling that there's something off on our ship. Someone must be hiding among us," I said, trying to probe her for any knowledge about the man in black.
Jenny rolled her eyes at me and laughed. "I think you're the one with the problem. No wonder Li Xin always talks about you; you're so paranoid."
I looked at her seriously and said, "Li Xin has problems of her own; don't you see that?"
"What problems? You're just talking nonsense. I've known Li Xin for many years; she's just not good with words, but she's not a bad person," Jenny surprisingly defended Li Xin. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.
I glanced at her and replied, "You see everyone as a good person; you'll figure it out eventually."
Jenny smiled and said, "You should take care of yourself. We're going out to sea tonight; try to get some rest. I'm heading back now." With that, she turned and left the deck…
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