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墨書 Inktalez
When we returned to the Rest Cabin, the other sailors collapsed onto their beds and fell into a deep sleep. It was no surprise; this trip had been exhausting, and it was also the most dangerous one we had faced in a long time—dangerous enough that we nearly faced total annihilation. Reflecting on it now sends chills down my spine.
I sat on my bunk, smoking a cigarette, my mind meticulously analyzing everything that had happened. "Brother Yi, not tired?" Shunzi's voice broke through my thoughts.
I turned to glance at him and replied, "I'm okay, just sore all over. If you're tired, you should get some sleep."
"Alright, I’ll sleep now, Brother Yi. You should rest early too." With that, Shunzi rolled over and drifted off.
Jiao Ba was still lying on his bed, engrossed in his Little Green Notebook. He often pulled it out to look at it for no particular reason. I hadn’t asked what it was about, but I suspected it contained important information left by his grandfather.
Ignoring him, I continued to ponder my thoughts. The situation we encountered in the Wreck felt connected to the previous Qing Dynasty Shipwreck. Setting aside the matter of the Sting Horse Colt—an entity belonging to a special category of creatures—there were deeper connections to consider.
I recalled vividly that we had discovered five bodies of modern Divers in the cabin of the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck. Now, we had found severed limbs of another Diver in the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. Could these two incidents be related?
Moreover, there were weapons used by Qing Dynasty individuals found in this Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. According to Mai Lao and Jiao Ba, this wreck might have been excavated during the Qing Dynasty. If that were true, then the coffin containing a Ming Dynasty female corpse in the previous Qing Dynasty wreck could also be linked to this Ming Dynasty Shipwreck.
Additionally, we had discovered three other coffins at the upper end of the forbidden area. What did that signify? Coupled with those bizarre treasures, I believed there was a ninety-nine percent chance that everything was connected to that Qing Dynasty Shipwreck. I also had a strong feeling that someone among us knew all of this.
I couldn’t pinpoint who that person might be, but I was certain they were closely tied to the mysterious figure in black. Even if they weren’t the same person, they were likely the hidden puppeteer behind everything. Just as Jiao Ba and I had analyzed, perhaps there was indeed another individual present that night besides us and the figure in black—a person lurking in the shadows.
But who could that person be? Jiao Bayi suspected Shunzi might be that hidden figure. Given all current signs, Shunzi certainly raised suspicions; however, suspicion alone wasn’t enough to confirm anything. I still felt that the puppeteer was Mai Lao, but who was the figure in black? Initially, I suspected Li Xin.
However, the physique of the figure in black didn’t match Li Xin’s at all; there was too much of a disparity. The figure was tall and robust while Li Xin appeared significantly smaller by comparison. None of us on board matched that figure’s stature; it simply didn’t add up, which puzzled me endlessly.
Yet Li Xin was undeniably strange. From the moment she entered the water, I sensed she had an agenda—definitely an agenda. I remembered how she followed me closely in the dark layers and even tried to stop me from uncovering those Bones. If I hadn’t insisted on continuing, I wouldn’t have discovered that Oxygen Tank and the severed arm of a Diver. There must be something hidden behind this woman…
I turned these thoughts over and over in my mind; however, one person's capacity for deduction is limited—many things eluded me entirely. I glanced at Jiao Ba; he hadn’t fallen asleep yet and was still fixated on his little notebook. Although I harbored some doubts about him as well, he remained the most trustworthy person at this moment. He was my only option.
“Lao Ba! Lao Ba!” I called out to him repeatedly.
Jiao Ba put down the notebook in his hands and looked at me, saying, "What's wrong, Brother Yi?"
I quietly got out of bed and approached him, whispering, "Let's go outside and talk."
Jiao Ba nodded, and the two of us silently opened the hatch. As we left, I took a moment to glance at Shunzi, who was snoring loudly; it seemed he was in a deep sleep.
Once on the deck, we found a secluded spot. "Brother Yi, what's going on? You're acting all mysterious," Jiao Ba asked me.
"Nothing much. I just wanted to ask you if you know anything about this wreck, especially those coffins," I said, planning to gauge his thoughts first.
Jiao Ba smiled slightly and replied, "Brother Yi, just say what you want to say. I won't hide it from you. I have noticed some issues with those three coffins, but it's just speculation; it's not definitive."
"What did you notice?" I asked him.
"I'll tell you that later. First, tell me if you're looking to discuss something with me," Jiao Ba countered without directly answering my question.
I shot him a glance and said, "You're quite clever. Alright, I'll go first. I just analyzed everything carefully and feel that this wreck is related to the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck we found earlier..." I detailed my analysis of the situation to him.
After listening, Jiao Ba squinted and said, "Brother Yi, your analysis is spot on. But have you considered this: could the divers from these two wrecks be the same group? Did they perhaps find the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck first and then discover the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck?"
I thought for a moment; Jiao Ba had a valid point. It was possible that the divers who died in these two wrecks were indeed part of the same group. However, there was still a question lingering in my mind. "Even if what you say is true, why wouldn't they have discovered the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck first instead of the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck? How do you explain that?"
Jiao Ba looked around cautiously and whispered, "I can't explain it well either, but I believe they were searching based on the Nautical Chart's location. These modern divers must know the exact location of the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck; there's no mistake with the Nautical Chart. Anyone who can read it would understand."
"Moreover," I added, "we've analyzed before why we found the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck first and then discovered the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck. Someone must be orchestrating all of this with the intention of reaching that Qing Dynasty Shipwreck first. However, I'm suspicious about who led those divers to find this wreck. Where did they get their information about the Nautical Chart? We need to clarify that."
I whispered, "Maybe it's someone among us?" It was just an instinctive guess without any evidence.
Jiao Ba rubbed his forehead and said thoughtfully, "That's quite reasonable; it's not impossible. Also, there's one more thing: in this Ming Dynasty Shipwreck, we've found traces of Qing Dynasty people. Personally, I believe that those Qing Dynasty individuals excavating this Ming Dynasty Shipwreck are connected to those we recovered from the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck."
Jiao Ba's reasoning was not without merit, but mere speculation was insufficient; actual evidence was necessary. "Are you sure about that?"
"I'm not certain," he replied calmly. "After all, this is just a hypothesis. But think about it: do you remember the Coffin Corpse from the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck? It was a female corpse from the Ming Dynasty, clearly belonging to someone from the Qing Dynasty, excavated from the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck." Jiao Ba spoke with a composed demeanor.
"Even if they were excavated from the Ming Dynasty Shipwreck, that doesn't necessarily mean there's any connection to this wreck," I pointed out, unsure if my thought was correct. I needed Jiao Ba to clarify.
With a sly smile, Jiao Ba said, "Let me tell you, Brother Yi, do you remember the three hanging coffins we found in the forbidden area?"
I immediately replied, "Of course! How could I forget something so important?"
"Exactly! The problem lies here. I just checked my grandfather's notes, and according to them, there shouldn't only be three coffins in that forbidden area; there should be four—one for each direction: east, south, west, and north. Clearly, one coffin is missing," Jiao Ba said with a serious tone.
Suddenly, I understood. "So you're saying that the Coffin Corpse from the Qing Dynasty Shipwreck was taken from this Ming Dynasty Shipwreck?"
"That's right. It's very possible. If there were only three hanging coffins, it wouldn't make sense at all. But if we include the previous Coffin Corpse, then it adds up. This could solve some of the mysteries. If these four coffins are connected, then there’s much more to uncover in that forbidden area," Jiao Ba continued nonchalantly.
"What do you mean by that?" I glanced at him, feeling confused again.
Jiao Ba leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "This is called... the Four Hanging Cursed Coffins."
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