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Soon, Jiao Ba whispered a few words in my ear, setting up a perfect yet troublesome plan for capturing our target.
“How about it, Brother Yi? Does this idea work?” He finished speaking with a sly grin on his face.
I turned to glance at him, smirking as I nodded, “Very good, let’s go with that.”
After dinner, we chatted for a while in the Rest Cabin, naturally discussing the coffin that had been salvaged. We talked for about half an hour before everyone started lying down to sleep.
I intentionally glanced at the time; it was now seven-thirty in the evening. I lay on my bed with my eyes closed, but my mind was racing with thoughts about tonight's operation. It seemed that this evening would bring unexpected rewards.
An hour later, the sounds of snoring filled the Rest Cabin. I suddenly opened my eyes and quickly rolled out of bed, quietly making my way to Jiao Ba’s bedside.
To my surprise, he was actually asleep and snoring. I hurriedly patted his face to wake him up. When Jiao Ba opened his eyes and saw me, he immediately understood it was time to set off.
He quickly got out of bed as well. We dressed quietly and stealthily exited the cabin, beginning to execute our original plan. The plan was quite simple: to find out who the real person in black was and whether there was another puppeteer behind it all.
According to what Jiao Ba said before dinner, the person in black would definitely appear again tonight. The goal was obvious—they were after the coffin we had salvaged earlier that afternoon.
Thus, he devised a more comprehensive plan: I would stay on Jenny’s boat to observe the situation discreetly while Jiao Ba patiently waited for the arrival of the person in black on Bearded Man’s fishing boat.
If I noticed anyone sneaking away from the fishing boat, I would immediately signal Jiao Ba. Then I would check each Rest Cabin to identify who it was.
Even if the person was very cunning and managed to evade my sight, it wouldn’t matter. Conversely, if someone climbed onto Bearded Man’s fishing boat, Jiao Ba would also signal me right away.
Our signal would be using flashlight beams for communication. Once I received his signal, I would promptly check each Rest Cabin again. If someone was missing from a Rest Cabin, they would be the most likely suspect as the person in black—this method had about a ninety percent certainty of success.
Jiao Ba’s plan minimized the chances of failure; while it might not be foolproof, it was certainly a solid strategy. This tomb raider's mind proved to be sharper than mine as a soldier.
Once we reached the deck, we split up to carry out our tasks. Jiao Ba slowly lowered the lifeboat and boarded it, paddling directly toward Bearded Man’s fishing boat.
As for me, I quietly climbed onto the roof of the boat and lay down to observe. From this vantage point, I had a broad view of nearly every corner of the fishing boat. As long as I kept a keen eye out, I would immediately notice if anyone left the fishing boat—success was virtually guaranteed.
Tonight, I felt an inexplicable excitement; perhaps all the mysteries would be unraveled this evening.
Since Jiao Ba went out to sea, I had been watching him closely. The two fishing boats were not right next to each other, but they were quite close—about forty to fifty meters apart. Under the moonlight, I could see clearly as he rowed his small boat to the side of Bearded Man's fishing vessel and quickly climbed aboard.
Then he flashed a Flashlight at me, signaling that he was ready. I responded with a flash of my own, letting him know everything was set, and we could patiently wait for the appearance of the man in black.
I lay on top of the boat, observing my surroundings carefully, not daring to be careless. The man in black was incredibly skilled; if I let my guard down even slightly, he could slip away right under my nose.
Time passed slowly. An hour went by without any sign of movement, and I began to feel anxious. Was Jiao Ba's information reliable? What if the man in black didn’t show up? Would we have to spend the night out here?
But then I thought again—if the man in black didn’t appear, someone would eventually slip up. Perhaps those hiding in the shadows would show themselves tonight; anything was possible.
Just as I was concentrating intently, a faint scent wafted through the air—a delicate fragrance that was both unique and strange. It wasn’t floral or perfumed; it was a lingering scent that made one feel comfortable inside.
I found it puzzling; where could such a fragrance come from on this vast ocean? At that moment, I suddenly saw a flicker of light from across on Bearded Man's boat. The frequency of the Flashlight’s blinking was rapid—this was an urgent signal from Jiao Ba. Could it be that someone had boarded?
Who could it be? I had been watching for so long and hadn’t noticed anyone leaving the fishing boat. This was truly my oversight; someone had managed to slip away without me noticing.
I didn’t have time to think further and quickly rolled over, quietly climbing down from the top of the boat and heading straight for our Rest Cabin. The passageway of the cabin was silent; aside from the lights, there was nothing else—no sounds at all.
I reached the door of the Rest Cabin, slowly opened the Hatch, and turned on the light. But when I did, I was taken aback—there wasn’t a single person inside our Rest Cabin. Shunzi and the other sailors were nowhere to be found; the beds were neatly made with no signs of having been disturbed.
I turned around and rushed outside, hurrying to check the other three Rest Cabins. The result was the same: not a soul in sight. Jenny, Li Xin, Mai Lao, the helmsman, Repairman, and Big Guy—they were all gone.
I nearly turned the fishing boat inside out—dining room, kitchen, control room—I searched everywhere but found no trace of anyone. It seemed like I was left alone on this entire fishing vessel.
What... what on earth is happening? Where did they all go? I remembered clearly that when I first climbed onto the deck, they were all still inside sleeping. Yet now, after just an hour, everyone had mysteriously vanished as if they had evaporated into thin air.
I had observed for an hour without seeing anyone leave. Where could they possibly be? I forced myself to calm down when suddenly it struck me—I seemed to have overlooked one place.
I recalled that when I first boarded the fishing boat, Jenny had shown us around, but there were still two Storage Rooms we hadn’t entered. Could it be... With that thought in mind, I hurriedly ran toward the Storage Room.
The two Storage Rooms were located in the most inconspicuous spot of the Cabin. Since I boarded the ship, I had never entered them even once, and I had no idea what was inside.
One Storage Room was on the left, and the other on the right, with a small Passage in between. I glanced at both doors, which were closed, then walked to the left and tried to open the first one.
The Hatch on the left wasn't locked; the handle turned easily. I gently pushed the door open, but it was pitch black inside. The switch at the entrance didn't work, and the light wouldn't turn on at all.
I took out my lighter and lit it, stepping inside. By its flickering light, I turned around in the small space. It was quite small, yet it was completely empty—nothing at all, not even any old junk. How strange.
I quickly backed out and hurried to the right. As I reached the Hatch on that side, a foul smell hit my nose. It was a pungent odor that was definitely not that of fish.
This is... I suddenly realized—it was Blood Smell, a strong Blood Smell. Oh no, could something have happened? Cold sweat trickled down my forehead and soon covered my entire body.
I rushed to twist the Hatch's handle, but it was tightly locked; I couldn't open it at all. Stepping back a bit, I tried kicking it hard several times, but it had no effect.
Damn it, I'm going for broke! I stepped back a few meters and charged forward with all my might. With a loud bang, my body crashed into the Hatch, forcing it open as I fell to the ground along with it.
The fall left me aching all over. After a few seconds of catching my breath, as I braced myself to get up, my right hand accidentally touched something sticky—very sticky and slimy. What the hell is this?
The Cabin remained shrouded in darkness. I quickly pulled out my lighter to take a look. Oh my God! My right palm was covered in bloodstains. I jerked my head up to look ahead, and under the light of the lighter, what I saw shocked me...
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