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墨書 Inktalez
I still had an important matter to attend to, which was to talk to Big Guy and the others. Since we had already promised Jenny and Mai Lao, I needed to give it a try.
Big Guy and the others were playing poker at the Rest Cabin. When they saw me arrive, all three forced smiles at me, especially Changshan, whose smile seemed a bit sinister, like one that harbored ill intentions. It made me feel a little uneasy.
I walked over and sat down directly. "What are you guys busy with?"
"We're busy with something, Loyalty and Righteousness. Just say what you need," Mantou said from the side.
I took out a cigarette and lit it up before continuing, "Well... it's a small matter, but I'm a bit embarrassed to bring it up. You all know we’re going down tomorrow, so..."
"Loyalty and Righteousness, you don't need to say much more. I understand what you mean. Don't worry; the three of us will also be going down tomorrow," Big Guy interrupted before I could finish.
"Really? Oh, that's great! I was worried you wouldn't agree." I quickly shook hands with Big Guy, surprised by how quickly their attitudes had changed. Was there something going on here?
I suspected that Changshan must have seen the jade pendant in my hand that night. His tone back then and the attitude of the three of them today were strong indicators.
Changshan continued to smile beside me when he suddenly said, "Loyalty and Righteousness, is your injury healed?"
"Oh, it's nothing serious; I'm basically fine now," I replied with a smile.
"Good. Next time, don't be so reckless. Getting injured is one thing; losing your life is another," Changshan said with a sharp gaze while maintaining his smile.
I didn't quite understand what he meant but sensed there was more to it. "Thanks for the reminder; you take care of yourself too." After saying that, I bid farewell to Big Guy and Mantou before getting up to leave.
The next morning, we donned our Diving Suits and checked our Spear, lighting equipment, and Oxygen Tank thoroughly to ensure everything was in order before preparing to dive.
Since my Paratrooper Knife was broken, I asked Jenny for a Diving Knife. I had grown accustomed to having a knife on me; it was a way of taking responsibility for my own safety. Having a knife was better than not having one at all.
Just before we set off, Mai Lao gathered everyone together. "This time we’re diving mainly to check the gap beneath the Wreck. Everyone must pay attention to safety and remain vigilant at all times. We cannot afford any relaxation; I don’t want to see any casualties again. Now let’s get ready to dive."
"Wait a moment, Mai Lao?" A thought suddenly struck me.
"What is it, Loyalty and Righteousness?" Mai Lao looked at me and asked.
"Mai Lao, are we still following the original route for this dive?" I countered his question.
"Yes, we're still going down the same way as before. Why?" Mai Lao seemed a bit confused.
I smiled and said, "I feel like we don't need to complicate things. We should be able to go directly down from above the Wreck."
"Is that possible, Brother Yi? Didn't we try that last time? We couldn't get down at all," Shunzi chimed in from the side.
"Exactly, Loyalty and Righteousness. There's no need to try again. That Dark Sea Area is impossible to penetrate," Big Guy said anxiously.
At that moment, Jiao Ba suddenly interjected, "Brother Yi is right. We can indeed go directly down from above the Wreck. I think that dark sea area has disappeared. Since it no longer exists, there’s nothing blocking our way."
I patted Jiao Ba on the shoulder but looked at Mai Lao and said, "That's right. In fact, I noticed this when we retrieved the coffin; that Dark Sea Area has been gradually disappearing. Is there really any need for us to waste more time?"
Big Guy looked puzzled and said, "That's strange. Why did that Dark Sea Area suddenly vanish?"
"It might be related to the coffin we brought up or the death of that Black Fish. It should have disrupted some kind of pattern," Changshan's voice floated in calmly from the side.
I glanced at him; he met my gaze briefly before looking away. This man usually kept quiet but had hit the nail on the head this time. It was truly a case of not judging a book by its cover; I had underestimated them.
"Alright, regardless of whether that sea area has disappeared or not, let's give it a try. Move the fishing boat over," Mai Lao commanded.
The fishing boat headed toward the sea area above the Wreck and stopped once we arrived.
Jenny cautioned us from behind, "Everyone, please be careful. Safety first."
I gave a military gesture and jumped into the water first, with everyone else quickly following suit.
This time, Li Xin did not join us. There was no other reason; she was simply tired and wanted to rest more. Whether this was true or not, no one would say anything.
After all, she wasn't a sailor, and being a girl, there might be some special circumstances. However, I was quite surprised when she came to find me that night and said a bunch of nonsensical things. I thought she would also go out to sea, but in the end, she didn't come, which left me confused.
Everyone else went; our group consisted of seven people as we quickly descended. Since it was morning, the sunlight was abundant, and the visibility in the deep sea was high, almost making the use of Underwater Light unnecessary.
As we descended to a certain depth, the underwater world remained a brilliant blue. The area we had previously encountered with lightning—the Dark Sea Area—had indeed vanished.
Mai Lao glanced at me and made a hand gesture. I responded with an "OK," indicating that everything was stable. We continued our descent at a steady pace. After about a few minutes, I vaguely saw something enormous below me; it must be the wreck of the Ming Dynasty.
I felt a small thrill inside me, wondering what treasures we might uncover this time. I exchanged glances with Jiao Ba, who also looked excited and quickened his descent.
The seabed became clearer and clearer. Indeed, the wreck lay quietly on the ocean floor like a small mountain, undisturbed by any waves. The surrounding waters had returned to normal.
The blue water replaced the deathly blackness, and many fish swam back and forth. I could also see some plankton resembling jellyfish.
Around the wreck, those long white creatures were no longer present; it was as if they had vanished in an instant. The ghostly wreck no longer seemed so terrifying.
I remembered how cold and deathly the wreck felt when the Dark Sea Area existed. Now it brought me a sense of calm and tranquility; my tension gradually faded away.
The complete disappearance of the Dark Sea Area made the wreck lose some of its eeriness. Although it still held an air of mystery, it now appeared more peaceful—like a sleeping elder rather than a slumbering demon.
We quickly descended to the rear of the wreck, but I also began to feel some discomfort in my body; my abdomen hurt slightly. It might have been due to pressure causing my wound to throb faintly. Thankfully, I could hold on; otherwise, I would have had to surface.
Mai Lao turned on the Underwater Light and examined the ship's hull. The color of the wreck seemed lighter than before, with a swarm of unknown small fish darting around it.
Upon seeing this scene, everyone displayed different expressions on their faces, but ultimately they all conveyed relaxation. Everything felt so harmonious; what was once dead silence had transformed into vibrant life.
I swam closer to the wreck and reached out to touch its hull. Indeed, that cold sensation had disappeared; it seemed everything had returned to normal, and there was nothing to worry about anymore.
Mai Lao waved his hand, signaling everyone to swim toward the bow of the ship. Following along the right side of the stern, we made our way forward. As we approached the bow again, we dove down directly toward an opening on the right side.
Soon, I could see the gap ahead. Mai Lao was swimming in front of me, and he was the first to stop. The rest of us followed suit, and now the bottom of the gap was right before our eyes. Although it didn't seem as terrifying as before, there was still an unsettling feeling.
I turned on the light and shone it inside. It remained pitch black; nothing was visible. Outside, everything was a shade of blue, but inside here, it was so dark. Although the Sting Horse Colt had died, I wondered if there might be another one lurking inside or some other terrifying creature.
Mai Lao gathered us seven into a small circle. He gestured and instructed us, "Follow my lead; do not act alone, and be cautious of your surroundings."
We nodded in agreement. Mai Lao was the first to swim into the gap, and I followed closely behind him. One by one, the others entered as well. Once I swam through the gap, I immediately felt the darkness enveloping us, a sense of oppression washing over me.
We lined up in an orderly fashion as we moved deeper inside. At the edge of the gap, there was nothing unusual; seven Underwater Lights illuminated our path. While they didn't light up the area completely, they were sufficient for our needs.
The space inside the gap was much larger than I had imagined. I had expected a narrow passageway, but upon entering, I realized how spacious it truly was.
Mai Lao stopped and signaled for us to pair up and spread out to investigate our surroundings while he waited in place for everyone to regroup. This seemed to be a gathering point. Shunzi and I swam toward the upper end of the gap but quickly reached a dead end; above us were wooden boards that likely formed part of the ship's cabin.
I looked around at the top under the glow of the Underwater Lights but found nothing—absolutely nothing. Shunzi turned to me and gestured, "Nothing found."
I nodded and signaled for him to return. We swam back to where we started, but the others had not yet returned; only Mai Lao remained alone. I swam over to him and helplessly shook my head to indicate that we hadn't discovered anything.
Mai Lao patted my shoulder and gestured, "Be patient; don’t rush."
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