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墨書 Inktalez
After breakfast, Mai Lao called us to discuss the next steps at Jenny's Rest Cabin. Jiao Ba was still asleep, so it was just Shunzi and me who went. I noticed that Shunzi was recovering well, and both Jenny and Mai Lao wore smiles on their faces. Regardless of whether those smiles were genuine or what they might be hiding, I had to greet them with a smile as well.
Li Xin had already recounted everything that happened in the cabin last night, and today I merely supplemented the details. After searching six cabins without any progress, we had gained nothing but those strange occurrences.
I deliberately said, "I think we should just forget it; it's just a rundown grain ship with nothing on it."
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! You all need to investigate again; I'm sure you'll find something useful," Jenny immediately countered. I glanced at her; she was pretending to be clueless, but I could tell she already knew.
"It's easy for you to say. Going into the water is dangerous, and that old ship has nothing. What else is there to investigate? Mai Lao, what do you think?" I pressed on, wanting to gauge their attitudes.
Mai Lao hesitated and said, "Well... Li Xin, what do you think about this?" This Old Man was clever; he pushed the question onto Li Xin.
"I'm fine either way. If you say go, we'll go; if you say not to go, we can just go home," Li Xin replied straightforwardly, tossing the dilemma back at us. She made her stance clear: going or not going didn't matter to her.
At this moment, Jenny seemed a bit anxious. "No, I disagree! We must go down one more time. Loyalty and Righteousness—I'm begging you all; can we please check again?"
I looked at her without saying anything. Jenny, oh Jenny, you really disappoint me. I've asked you several times why you went out to sea, but you've never told me. Now you're begging me to go back into the water—do you have some hidden agenda? Or are you simply using us? This beautiful woman is indeed untrustworthy.
In the end, it was still Mai Lao who made the decision. "Alright then, let's do as Jenny says. Everyone do your best; we'll go down one more time. If we find nothing this time, we'll head back home."
After discussing everything, we decided to rest for two days before going back into the water. When we returned from our dive this time, I expected a strong reaction from the other sailors. However, surprisingly enough, after a night of turmoil, they could hardly remember the strange images they saw in the cabin—only that the Underwater Light flickered for a while.
Jenny didn't dare tell them they were possessed either; of course, this was something Mai Lao had instructed us about. We were supposed to keep quiet and say everyone collectively experienced hallucinations. But seeing this situation unfold made further explanations unnecessary.
In fact, both Jiao Ba and I understood that even if the sailors remembered, they wouldn't dare say they were possessed. If that got out, it would likely cause an uproar among them. According to Jiao Ba, it was merely a toxin—a toxin that could stimulate the brain—but where did this toxin come from? It seemed this wreck truly needed a thorough investigation.
Although the other sailors couldn't recall anything, why could Shunzi remember? This puzzled me greatly. I even specifically asked Jiao Ba about it; he hesitated and couldn't provide a clear answer—only suggesting that Shunzi might have prepared in advance or had better physical condition than them. Such explanations might fool a child; who could believe that everyone forgot while he remembered?
If he had truly prepared in advance, Shunzi wouldn't have acted as if he were possessed. If it were about physical condition, those old sailors were all stronger than him. Jiao Ba's words were contradictory and unreliable—could it be that Shunzi was indeed the hidden mastermind behind all this? That once innocent boy had turned into a cunning villain in an instant? It was hard for me to accept.
With nothing much to do in the morning, Shunzi was busy writing notes while Jiao Ba looked at his little green notebook. The other sailors were catching up on sleep in the Rest Cabin; everyone was exhausted after these days of work. It was fortunate they had good physical condition; otherwise, several of them might have collapsed from exhaustion.
I wasn't feeling sleepy at all; instead, I lay on my bed smoking and thinking aimlessly about recent events which had become increasingly bizarre—so much so that my head felt dizzy. I had no choice but to carefully recall everything that happened and analyze every detail seriously. Yet the more I analyzed, the more confused I became.
Since we set sail, things hadn't settled down for a moment—starting with that Qing Dynasty Shipwreck marked on our map which should have been for salvaging a Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. Why did we unexpectedly encounter a Qing Dynasty Shipwreck instead? And one containing a Ming dynasty female corpse? At that time, I was too busy trying to find the man in black and uncovering the identity of the female corpse to seriously consider this matter.
Now, upon careful analysis, there are indeed many doubts. First, if the Nautical Chart is correct, we shouldn't have encountered this Qing Dynasty wreck; we could have gone straight to find the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. Yet, here we are, stumbling upon it. Is this a coincidence? Or is everything being deliberately orchestrated by someone?
Second, it's already strange enough that a Qing Dynasty wreck contains a Ming Dynasty female corpse. Adding to that, our stated purpose for going out to sea was to find the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. Could this also be a coincidence? It clearly defies logic.
Third, and most importantly, the man in black went to the wreck that night. If it weren't for me and Jiao Ba stopping him, that half of the jade pendant in my hand would surely have fallen into his possession. Moreover, the item that Jiao Ba snatched from the Bearded Man—the small gold piece found in the mouth of the female corpse—also indicates that things are not as simple as they seem. Even now, the identity of this female corpse remains unresolved; these are key issues.
Reflecting on everything, it’s clear there are numerous points of suspicion. Someone must know the secret of this Qing Dynasty Shipwreck; they were clearly after that Ming Dynasty female corpse. Analyzing it closely now, I realize that among us, there must be someone who knows all of this.
Furthermore, the man in black knew there was something significant about the corpse. I believe it could unlock the ultimate purpose of this expedition. But who exactly was that man in black? I filtered through all the events in my mind, hoping to find a clue.
As I extinguished my cigarette butt, it suddenly struck me: this man in black must be someone who knew about the corpse in the wreck. Yes, it has to be him! If he didn’t know about the corpse, why would he stealthily approach at midnight?
Thinking of this, I quickly called out to Jiao Ba, "Lao Ba, Lao Ba! Come on, let’s go outside for some fresh air."
Jiao Ba continued to look at his notebook without raising his head and said, "Can't you see I'm busy? You go by yourself, Brother Yi."
At that moment, Shunzi put down his pen and smiled at me. "I'll go with you, Brother Yi."
To avoid raising Shunzi's suspicions, I smiled and nodded. "Alright then, let’s go out and soak up some sun." However, before leaving, I called out one last time, "Lao Ba, you should come too; don’t stay cooped up or you’ll get sick."
Jiao Ba glanced at me and I gave him a subtle look without saying anything. He feigned reluctance and said, "Alright, I got it. You guys go ahead; I'll join you shortly."
Shunzi and I made our way to the deck. The weather was nice today—clear skies with no clouds—and the sea breeze felt pleasant against our skin. Looking out at the vast ocean before me, I sighed and said, "I used to think the sea was beautiful and enchanting—a place one longs for in life—but now it seems not only is it not enchanting; it's actually terrifying and can lead one to their doom."
Shunzi laughed beside me and said, "Brother Yi, when did you become so poetic? Getting all sentimental now?"
I gazed at the ocean and replied, "One must constantly adjust their mindset; you can't face life with just one attitude. Moreover, when it comes to being human, principles matter greatly—especially with friends; one must be kind and sincere." I intentionally said this for Shunzi's benefit to gauge his reaction.
"Yes, Brother Yi is right; we should indeed be kind and sincere with friends," Shunzi responded firmly with clear eyes that lacked any murky expression.
Looking at this big boy before me still gave me a sense of innocence; he was still that Shunzi who was willing to follow me no matter what—a sunny and handsome young man from the countryside. But was his inner self truly aligned with his outward appearance? That remained unclear to me. "Shunzi," I asked him after all we've been through together, "do you regret coming out to sea with me?"
"Brother Yi," he replied honestly, "at first I was scared. But once that feeling passed, it wasn't so bad anymore. If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have experienced so much; actually, I'm quite happy." Shunzi also looked out at the ocean as he spoke.
"Hey! What are you two chatting about?" Jiao Ba ambled over with a sway in his step and casually pulled out cigarettes for both Shunzi and me.
I took a cigarette from him and lit it up. "Nothing much—just some idle chatter. Aren't you busy with your little notebook anymore?"
"Researching an egg? I'm just bored and killing time during these days off," Jiao Ba said, taking a drag from his cigarette and exhaling the smoke.
The three of us chatted idly, with not a single serious word exchanged. We reminisced about the past and discussed our plans for when we returned home. After about half an hour, Shunzi said he was feeling tired and wanted to go back to sleep, turning to leave the deck for the cabin.
As soon as Shunzi walked away, Jiao Ba turned to me and asked, "Brother Yi, have you discovered something?"
I glanced around like a thief to ensure no one was listening before I quietly replied, "Yeah, I just analyzed the previous events again..." I then shared all the questions that had come to my mind.
After listening, Jiao Ba pondered for a moment before saying, "Yeah, that makes sense. Your analysis is quite reasonable; we really didn't pay attention to those details back then."
"But who could have known there was a female corpse in that wreck? That person must be one of the men in black," I squinted as I continued to think.
Suddenly, Jiao Ba exclaimed anxiously, "Wait, Brother Yi, who was the first to discover that Qing Dynasty Shipwreck?"
Right! How could I have forgotten such an important detail? The person who first discovered that wreck could very well be the mastermind behind it all. I recalled the situation at that time, but as soon as I finished thinking about it, my head started to ache again, and I couldn't say a word for a long time.
Seeing me silent, Jiao Ba nudged me and said, "What's wrong? Speak up, Brother Yi. Who was it that discovered it first?"
I glanced at him; my face looked grim as I said, "It was... Shunzi and Mai Lao..."
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