Chen Hao swam forward a short distance, the GPS in his hand glowing faintly. He glanced at his remaining oxygen level: thirty-eight, enough to last a while longer. The three behind him followed closely, none of them speaking; the struggle to evade the predator had taken a toll on their energy.

"Where do we go next?" Susan asked over the communicator.

"Proceed with the original plan," Chen Hao said. "Find resource points. Minerals and organisms are both acceptable; anything we can bring back is valuable."

Nana's voice followed: "The geological activity in the area is currently stabilizing. We suggest extending 500 meters to the northeast, where there are gentle slopes suitable for ecological aggregation."

"Okay." Chen Hao changed direction. "Take it slow, and don't provoke anything big."

The thrusters were operating at minimum power, and the water flow gently propelled them forward. The sonar signal was intermittent, as if it were being blocked by something. Carl reached out and patted the side of his helmet, and the image became clear again.

"This broken equipment," he muttered. "If this keeps up, I won't even be able to see what I look like."

“You couldn’t see clearly to begin with,” Chen Hao retorted. “The helmet’s reflection is brighter than your face.”

Carl rolled his eyes and didn't reply. Susan, however, chuckled and slid her finger across the sampling arm's control panel.

“I’ve shifted my focus to biological resources,” she said. “Anyway, we haven’t found any valuable minerals yet.”

“It’s wise,” Nana said. “According to database records, the bottom of the deep-sea trophic level is often supported by chemosynthetic organisms. If a stable community exists, it is very likely that edible plants will also grow there.”

Chen Hao turned his head: "What did you say? Dishes?"

“Theoretically, yes.” Nana’s tone remained unchanged. “Green algae variants that rely on hydrothermal energy for growth have been discovered on Earth. The environment here is similar, so the possibility of similar species evolving here cannot be ruled out.”

"Ouch!" Chen Hao grinned. "Are we going to start underwater farming?"

"This is just speculation at the moment," Nana said.

The detector ahead flashed as soon as he finished speaking.

"Wait a minute," Susan said, staring at the screen. "There's something over there."

Everyone stopped. A blurry blue-green patch of light appeared between the rocks, neither flashing nor moving, perfectly still.

“It doesn’t resemble bioluminescence,” Carl said. “The rhythm is too steady.”

“It’s not mineral radiation either,” Susan added. “The wavelength doesn’t match.”

Chen Hao released the remote control probe. The small machine slowly approached the area of ​​light, and the lens zoomed in.

The image transmitted back—clusters of slender leaves grew close to the rock, their edges shimmering slightly, as if coated with fluorescent powder. The roots were embedded in the cracks of the basalt, their structure compact.

"Plants?" Chen Hao leaned closer to look.

"The initial assessment is yes." Nana connected to the image analysis. "The leaves contain chlorophyll analogs, but the spectral absorption peaks have shifted, indicating that their energy source is not sunlight, but chemical energy. This is consistent with the characteristics of deep-sea chemical synthesis."

"Is it edible?" Chen Hao asked directly.

“Unknown,” Nana said. “Further testing for toxicity and nutritional components is needed.”

"Then let's pick one and try it," Chen Hao said. "At worst, we can cook it and feed it to the fish, and see if it dies."

“The sample must remain viable,” Susan cautioned. “If all the cells die, all subsequent culture will be wasted.”

"Understood." Chen Hao commanded, "Karl, you go. Put on your gloves and be careful."

Carl approached the rock face and put on special harvesting gloves. These gloves could be heated and controlled to prevent tissue tearing. He reached out and touched the roots of the plant; they felt like a damp sponge mixed with plastic filaments.

"It's quite sturdy," he said.

"Don't pull it off forcefully," Nana said. "I suggest using a temperature-controlled cutting method to simulate the natural shedding process."

"Understood." Karl adjusted the temperature of his gloves, slowly heating the contact point. The roots began to loosen as they were heated, as if they were retreating on their own.

Susan opened the portable, sealed capsule, which was filled with a temperature-controlled nutrient solution. She waited nearby, ready to catch the excised sample at any time.

A few seconds later, the entire plant detached from the rock. Carl carefully cradled it and placed it into the sealed chamber. Liquid instantly enveloped the leaves, the blue-green light still shimmering faintly.

“Alive.” Susan breathed a sigh of relief. “Normal metabolism.”

"Let's see if there's anything else around," Chen Hao said.

The probe continued scanning a few more times, finding three or four smaller clumps nearby, but none as intact as this one. The team decided not to collect any more, to save time and minimize environmental disturbance.

Just as they were about to retreat, Chen Hao suddenly noticed two small fish-like creatures approaching the broken stem. They circled the severed area a few times and then began to gnaw on it.

“Hey,” he pointed to the screen, “they’re eating.”

The three of them leaned closer to take a look. The two little creatures were biting at the remaining roots, their movements practiced and without the slightest hesitation.

“Filter feeders typically do not actively ingest solid matter,” Nana said. “Their behavior indicates that the plant is non-toxic and has some nutritional value.”

“Then it’s edible,” Chen Hao laughed. “It might even be the staple food for deep-sea fish.”

“Take it back to base for analysis first,” Susan said. “Don’t rush to conclusions.”

"I'm not in a hurry." Chen Hao patted the sealed compartment. "I just feel that the food might be about to change for the better."

"The premise is that they can grow," Carl said. "If vegetables can grow in places like this, they probably won't survive with the limited sunlight and water temperature at our base."

“Then let’s change the environment,” Chen Hao said. “We’ll fix whatever’s missing. At worst, we can turn the lab into a vegetable garden.”

Nana suddenly spoke up: "The scan results show that the sample is rich in protein, omega-3 substances and various vitamins, and its comprehensive nutritional value is 23% higher than that of existing cultivated crops."

The line fell silent for a moment.

"Say it again?" Susan asked.

“The nutritional value is 23 percent higher,” Nana repeated. “It is especially rich in B vitamins and trace elements, making it suitable for long-term deep-sea divers.”

"My God," Carl whispered, "have we struck gold?"

“We didn’t pick them,” Chen Hao corrected. “We picked them ourselves.”

“The problem now is,” Susan said, looking at the oxygen reading, “it’s thirty-five left. Should we look deeper and see if there are any large areas of it?”

"No way," Chen Hao shook his head. "One live plant is enough. If we take another step, what if we run into that eighteen-meter-tall behemoth again? How will we escape?"

“He’s right,” Nana agreed. “The current priority is the safe return of the sample. Subsequent exploration can be carried out by unmanned probes.”

“Let’s go then.” Carl packed up his tools. “We can’t lose this thing on the way.”

The four-person team regrouped, with Chen Hao in front, Susan in the middle, and Carl and Nana bringing up the rear. The sealed cabin was secured to Chen Hao's back frame, in the most stable position and the easiest to keep an eye on.

They floated upwards along the slope. The current gradually slowed, and the pressure gauge readings slowly decreased. The thrusters continued to operate at low power, conserving every bit of energy.

During the journey, Chen Hao would occasionally glance back at the sealed cabin. The plant was still emitting light, its color stable, as if it were asleep.

"Do you think it might reproduce on its own?" he asked Nana.

“Theoretically, it is possible if the environment is right,” Nana said. “Its root system has meristematic tissue, which can achieve clonal proliferation through breakage.”

"So it grows if you just throw it in water?"

“It requires a specific substrate and energy supply,” Nana said. “It’s not as simple as just putting it in the ground and expecting it to survive.”

“That sounds like a hassle,” Carl said, “but it’s better than eating energy bars every day.”

“Energy bars are fine too,” Chen Hao said, “but I feel nauseous if I eat too many.”

“You ate four of them in one go last time,” Susan reminded her.

"I was hungry," Chen Hao argued. "Who told you to hide the food in the cupboard?"

"I'm worried that you won't have the energy to work after you eat."

“I have the strength right now.” Chen Hao quickened his pace a bit. “When I get back, I’ll apply for a plot of land specifically for growing this.”

"What's your name?" Carl asked.

"It's not decided yet." Chen Hao thought for a moment, "Let's call it Deep Sea Green. It sounds like medicine, but it tastes better than medicine."

"How about we call him Hao Ge Cai?" Karl laughed. "After all, you were the first to discover it."

"This name is too low-class," Chen Hao shook his head. "It needs to be more sophisticated."

“I suggest naming it ‘E-7 Chemosynthetic Green Body’,” Nana said.

"..." Chen Hao was silent for two seconds, "Let's still call it Green Vegetables."

The team continued onward. They had 32 units of oxygen remaining, enough to sustain them until the ascent handover point. Communication signals, though weak, remained effective. No further unusual heat sources or moving targets were detected along the way.

Chen Hao conducted a final inspection of the sealed chamber. The nutrient solution was clear, the plants were in good condition, and the leaves were swaying slightly, as if they were breathing.

"We're almost there," he said.

"We expect to arrive at the first buoy in twenty minutes," Nana announced. "Please maintain formation."

"Understood." Chen Hao nodded. "Keep a close eye on everything, so that nothing goes wrong at the end."

They passed through a narrow rock ridge, and suddenly the view opened up before them. Ahead was a gentle slope, at the end of which a metal ladder extended, connecting to a vertical ascent passage.

Just then, the plant inside the sealed chamber suddenly flashed its light.

It wasn't a continuous light, but a brief flash, like a heartbeat.

Chen Hao looked down.

The leaves slowly closed and then opened again.