Chapter 53 Maria

The so-called national fortune is largely predetermined.

It will only have an impact if there are major changes or human intervention.

Furthermore, those who have successfully intervened throughout history are often masters of their craft, in other words, people who are also blessed with good fortune.

As Chen the Blind thought this, he looked back again.

The scene was no longer a vast grassland, but rather a lush expanse of tall trees whose tops were invisible when you looked up.

Luo Yin followed along, her steps uneven, glancing left and right every now and then.

She really didn't expect to come along, but thinking about what happened a few days ago, she still had a clue.

This matter is very strange, and after this person repeatedly assured her, and after asking for her opinion, Ani Ama decided to come anyway.

In fact, Luo Yin was quite curious, especially given her own experiences, which made her unable to help but pay attention.

"Keep pushing, try to reach the fifth peak today, then rest!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Hearing the order from the front, Luo Yin's legs trembled slightly.

These past few days they have been traveling day and night, setting off almost at dawn and only finding a place to rest after dark;

She has no idea how she managed to keep up with him the whole way.

"Huff, huff~" Luo Yin wiped her sweat, her hand holding the wooden stick was becoming increasingly weak.

The mountain in front of us became increasingly steep, its near-vertical height making it difficult to traverse.

Fortunately, she was traveling light, with almost no luggage, and had someone watching over her. Old Chen was much more comfortable than her, as they were able to carry her up some sections of the trail.

Several more hours passed, and it gradually got dark!

The sounds of Hisoka and insects chirping continued.

The team leader stopped and looked at Old Man Chen.

"Everyone, stay put and rest while we start a fire and cook."

"The deputy captain will lead a team to keep watch."

"yes."

After assigning the task, Luo Yin habitually found a place to rest.

Her feet were covered in blisters; the previous ones broke, and new ones started to appear.

The deputy captain saw her earlier and, wanting to take care of her, got her some herbs; and they worked quite well, but unfortunately, she was always on the move and would get pain every time she stopped to rest.

"Girl, how are you? Can you still keep up?"

Old Chen fumbled around not far from her and asked.

Luo Yin's lips twitched, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. "It's nothing!"

Many people who were listening intently found it amusing; for some reason, these two always bickered whenever they met, but their relationship was better than anyone else's.

"Pah, I can't see it, don't try to fool me!"

"Who's fooling me? I'm perfectly fine. It's you who's been messing around because it's already dark and you can't see the road. Go back and sit down and rest."

When Luo Yin saw that he was coming over, she quickly refused.

"Why do I hear a hissing sound? Could it be that little snake has come out?"

"Hiss hiss~"

Luo Yin froze; that was clearly her scream of pain.

That old bastard was really getting revenge; how petty!

"I don't know. I'm hungry. I'll go help. You can just stand there."

As he spoke, he walked toward the fire. Although the journey was urgent these past few days, the food was quite good.

This was all thanks to their supplies and Old Man Chen's generosity.

I bought a lot of dairy products and dried meat to stock up.

Seven or eight lunchboxes were bubbling with steam, each containing different things.

The lunchbox contained boiling water, thin porridge, and steamed flatbread.

Despite saying she would help, Luo Yin didn't actually lift a finger.

However, she still filled her water pouch and then ate her meal first. In the group, only Old Chen and she received this treatment.

They laid a mat on the ground and placed the lunchbox on the stone.

Luo Yin was relieved that she wasn't alone; her comrades took good care of her.

The small fire lit up the scene as everyone ate and chatted occasionally; Luo Yin counted the number of people and realized that there was also a group of guards.

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content and putting their things away, Luo Yin looked at Old Chen.

As they got closer to the interior, the old man seemed to become increasingly agitated.

"What are you looking at me for? Get some rest, we still have to travel in the middle of the night."

Luo Yin pouted, "Look, look, look, is this all..."

Despite thinking this in her heart, she still behaved herself and followed him to the spot he had scouted out beforehand, where she took out her sleeping bag, laid it out, and rested.

I laid out a mat from home, curled up, and slept soundly.

Seeing that someone was on night duty, the firelight was bright, and the surroundings were quiet, Luo Yin gradually became sleepy.

Just after midnight, the sound of snoring began.

Many people were fast asleep, but the deputy captain on night duty had dark eyes.

The other two were also awake, but upon hearing their teammate's snoring, they subconsciously yawned.

These kids are sleeping so soundly!

"Aha~"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Awooooo~"

Several gunshots rang out in succession, accompanied by the cries of animals.

The sound immediately resounded throughout the entire mountain forest.

"alert."

"What's going on?"

The captain, who was leaning on the railing, immediately woke up, and his drowsiness vanished.

His sharp gaze swept into the distance.

The deputy captain's face was grim, and he looked around warily. "Judging from the sound, it's a hunting rifle, and the distance is no more than a kilometer."

"Where are Old Chen and the others?"

"Over there, the person has woken up too!"

Blind Chen got up and realized something was wrong.

Luo Yin was the last to wake up; she was awakened by the noise. She sat up blankly and opened her eyes to see that each of them had a weapon tucked into their waistband.

Cough cough cough.

"You're awake. Pack your things and follow me later."

"Don't look too much, don't ask too many questions, or you'll lose your life!"

After the old man finished speaking, he walked towards the captain and the others, and Luo Yin was startled.

Is this old man trying to scare her again?!

But what happened next proved to her that the guy wasn't bluffing; increasingly dense gunfire erupted from all around.

Luo Yin's ears trembled several times from hearing this.

But then came the howls of wolves and shrill screams.

A cold sweat immediately broke out on her back!

What is that?

She sidled up to Old Chen, following him like a tail.

The captain looked grim. "Judging from the noise, they've been attacked; judging from the sounds they've made recently, they shouldn't last much longer. Mr. Chen, do you know who those people are?"

The piercing and painful screams rang out from time to time, as if they were right next to their ears.

The team members were all feeling terrible and restrained their urge to rush to the rescue; they couldn't act on their own!

"Idiot, those people have a death wish!"

To everyone's surprise, Old Man Chen spoke with a disdainful and contemptuous tone.

The group looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

Luo Yin looked at him, then at the others.

"You knew that?"

The vice-captain couldn't help but ask.

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be them. At this point, apart from those few families who are rushing forward, no one else would be that stupid."

"Then what do you think...?"

Old Chen waved his hand, his face resolute.

"Team Leader Zhang, Deputy Team Leader Huang, I know what you mean, wanting to help rescue them; but it's unnecessary. Even if we rushed over, it would be too late. Besides, they should have stopped by now. Those people are going to suffer. Do you really think they can learn a little bit and be done with it..."

He abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

"Alright, this will make our journey much easier. Let's wait and see, we'll leave when the time comes."

The restless emotions calmed down immediately.

Those who heard him say this felt a chill run down their spines and were somewhat frightened.

Luo Yin subconsciously moved away from him!

Old Chen pretended not to see it and took out his tools to start calculating.

He would stop every now and then, frowning as he looked around, his gaze hesitant and conflicted.

"What about the other two?"

"I hope nothing goes wrong."

The old man muttered to himself, puzzled.

Two weeks ago, Hosen led the team and successfully brought the second group to their destination.

In addition to researchers like Xia, there was also a familiar face in the team: Ganda Gyatso.

Yes, Hossen successfully tricked people into going on business trips.

Ganda Gyatso followed along the entire journey, and the expedition team went up mountains and down rivers, covering almost the entire length of the Mother River.

This trip has left these cultural figures utterly exhausted.

Xia Mingjiang felt overwhelmed and his hands and feet were no longer under his control.

But he didn't get a chance to speak; the team leader was a very strict person.

The inspection mission not only required meticulous oversight, leaving no room for error, but also demanded that they write inspection reports, striving for novelty.

Xia Mingjiang had been traveling for days, and his weathered and haggard face was now etched with worry.

"Hey, Old Huo, I'm exhausted from this trip!"

"Look at my face, and my clothes are all blurred out." It's so tragic, so incredibly tragic!

Hossen leaned against a spot to rest, glancing around a few times out of the corner of his eye.

"We're not brothers anymore."

"Alright, stop complaining. The trip is almost over. You won't have a chance to suffer anymore."

Xia looked at him with a "what are you saying?" expression.

"Let me tell you, I don't like hearing that. By the way, where's your barefoot doctor? Where did he go?"

Huo Sen was speechless. "He was born into a Tibetan medicine family."

"It's all the same, but honestly, what do you mean by this? Why are you bringing him along?"

Xia, who had been wanting to ask about this for a while, looked at him with curiosity and anticipation.

He glanced at the person in front of him indifferently, and then said.

"There's no reason, don't ask."

"Tch, boring!"

"I've finished eating, I'm going back to work now."

They came in a hurry, and left even more hurriedly.

Hosen glanced at the busy team not far away, instructed his men to keep an eye on them, and then walked out.

He didn't know why, but military orders were absolute.

Perhaps it really is because of him?

As Hosen pondered and speculated, the days of travel had little effect on him, but his heart was churning like a giant wave, and he was far from calm.

Knowing more than others leads to thinking more.

Wow, that's amazing!!!

After a series of twists and turns, from dawn to noon, Luo Yin and the others finally arrived at Tianchi.

Looking at the vast, ink-black Tianchi Lake, Luo Yin sighed repeatedly.

This was her first time here. Looking around at the Heavenly Lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains, it was indeed extraordinary!

She sighed, unaware that Old Chen's face was dark.

After a long silence, he finally spoke in a low, melancholic tone.

"It seems we can't hold this in any longer!"

"What...it can't be suppressed!"

After everyone had finished listening, they heard the second half of his sentence.

"Alright, we haven't even started yet. We'll need your help again, Captain Zhang and Deputy Captain Huang."

Old Chen gave his serious and calm instructions, and the person opposite him immediately responded.

"No problem, Mr. Chen, please go ahead."

"Just tell us what you need, and we'll do it."

"That's how it is..."

Seeing the three of them huddled together whispering, Luo Yin instinctively moved closer, but before she could hear anything, Old Chen chased her away.

"Go away, little girl, don't ask questions. You can't handle this. Go rest over there."

Luo Yin didn't dwell on it and found a corner to stay in.

Look at the scenery in front and behind, take a few deep breaths of air, and you'll feel wonderful!

But no matter how you look at it, this place is just like this. Luo Yin looked at almost everything and found that there seemed to be something wrong with the Heavenly Lake in front of her.

Luo Yin stared wide-eyed at what seemed to be churning and surging in the center of the Heavenly Pool.

Afraid of misreading, she deliberately moved closer and found a higher vantage point.

She craned her neck to look again, but found nothing.

The lake was calm and still, without the slightest ripple.

What happened?

She rubbed her eyes and looked around curiously.

I didn't find anything strange, but those people had all moved aside and were busy doing something, banging and tapping.

Seeing this, Luo Yin didn't ask any questions. Remembering the wooden house she had come from, she thought for a moment and ran back the way she came.

The room is small, only about ten square meters.

The door was ajar, and it was pitch black inside, so you couldn't see through the crack.

Luo Yin didn't rush in. Remembering what Old Man Chen had said, she strolled back.

As soon as she left, the people inside came out.

The person who came was elderly, and her cloudy eyes warily followed the direction she had left.

"Make sure all orders are placed before dark!"

"Don't worry, there won't be any problems."

As Luo Yin approached, she saw them hammering and staring at something. She glanced at it and saw that the thing was at least half a meter long.

Thinking about Old Man Chen's background, Luo Yin shuddered.

She always felt that someone was acting strangely ever since she went up the mountain.

It seems like I'm being watched!

I don't know if it's just my imagination?

"Stop daydreaming, come here, I have something for you to do."

Blind Chen called out to her, and Luo Yin went over and found that the old man was indeed acting strangely.

They actually made her go to a designated location to come up to the water of Tianchi Lake.

"Old Chen, is there something down there?" Luo Yin looked at the deep, bottomless Heavenly Pool, feeling somewhat frightened.

"Haha, there's nothing there, don't be afraid!"

The old man laughed, but Luo Yin didn't believe him.

"I don't believe it. You've traveled all this way through mountains and rivers. Who would believe you if you said there was nothing wrong with this? Why don't you find someone else?"

Blind Chen shook his head, his face enigmatic.

"No, only you can do it."

"It's alright, I'll find you a tool so you can get water from the side."

Luo Yin glanced at the downward-reaching staircase platform and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

That's more like it. "Okay then, where's the stuff?"

She reached out, quickly grabbed the homemade bucket and glass bottle, and left.

He accompanied her along the way. The old man would locate the spot, and she would use a small bucket to fetch water from the spot. Every time she fetched water, he would touch it with his finger and then put it in his mouth to taste it.

I don't know what it tasted like, but I had her pour it into the bottle and write down the number and location.

After trying again and again, it finally took less than an hour to get it done.

"Yes, I knew it. Girl, help me take my things up to the cabin."

Old Chen gave the order, and Luo Yin glanced at the busy crowd around her, then had no choice but to follow.

After following him swaggering inside, Luo Yin saw that there were several other people inside as well.

"The items have been retrieved, everyone please take a look."

Luo Yin quietly retreated towards the door. Who were these people?

The group of people who arrived only glanced at her before turning their attention to the bottles.

They took them one by one, examined them closely, and then whispered among themselves.

Blind Chen wasn't in a hurry. He leisurely sipped his hot tea and even offered her a seat.

"Don't be afraid, little girl. These people are all with your Grandpa Chen. They'll treat you to a meal when they're done."

Seeing that he was being impolite, Luo Yin realized she wasn't so shameless as to be arrogant. All she could do was force a smile and laugh.

"This girl has pure, clear, and bright eyes; it's a pleasant sight to behold."

"Hmm, she doesn't seem like a simple girl. What's your name?"

Some people, out of curiosity and wanting to think about it, actually asked the question.

"Hey, hey, don't ask around. I've already vouched for the elders, I'll protect them." Old Chen knew them all too well; they were all sharp-eyed and cunning.

If they see something impressive, they'll go to great lengths to find out more.

"Chengcheng, let's stop here for now. What do you guys think? Will this method be able to subdue it?"

The group steered the conversation back to the main topic. Luo Yin was getting confused as she listened. She glanced at Old Chen and saw that he was calm and relaxed.

Looking back on my journey, it really was just for fun!

Am I really a mascot?

......

Several days have passed since the last underwater salvage operation.

The "Maria," piloted by James and his crew, was finally discovered.

They were discovered by a fishing boat salvaged nearby.

At the time, James and his teammates didn't take it seriously at all, but little did they know that trouble would break out soon afterward.

Because they appeared near the waters of China without cause and stayed there for an extended period of time, despite repeated statements from the person in charge of the "Maria" that they had no malicious intent.

Although all the documents and explanations were complete, the navy stationed nearby was already very suspicious.

The situation was immediately reported, and the perpetrators were subsequently expelled.

Just then, the expedition team from the south discovered the situation and immediately led their team to the scene.

After hearing the eyewitness accounts, the leader of the third group immediately felt that there must be something left on the seabed.

The Maria is a well-known ship in the world.

After all, in the previous times it appeared, there were almost always shipwrecks in the sea area where it was located.

After thinking it over, Yang Anguo realized that the most likely place nearby was the former East India Company's merchant ship, the "Rhine".

But they actually went to the South China Sea region, could it be...?

Having had experience before, Lao Yang immediately led his men to the destination.

Because they were notified in advance, all the ships and equipment for the voyage were ready, but compared to the "Maria," which has the most advanced salvage equipment, their equipment was rather meager.

Nevertheless, cultural heritage must not be lost.

"Everyone, put in more effort and search the area within a 50-mile radius of this location. I believe we will definitely find something."

Fortunately, the old fisherman from that day was on board, and his directions made them roughly the same position.

Old Yang was also skilled, having spent several days investigating and exploring.

Finally, on the afternoon of the fourth day, some good news came from the surveying and underwater acoustics teams.

"Quick, let me see what the potential profiler is showing."

The comrade in charge of taking notes leaned over to Lao Yang, looking at the densely packed dots on the paper, somewhat puzzled.

"Captain Yang, what are these?"

Old Yang was overjoyed, his fingers tracing the slight undulations.

"Haha, look at these below, they are seabed silt, they are all flat; these flat ones are different, they are relatively more."

"I see. How many meters underwater must it be?"

Although they had diving equipment on board, few people rushed down.

Including Captain Yang, there are only three people.

"It's alright. We've found the location, there's no rush for the rest. I'll take the men down first, and you keep an eye on things up here."

Since the Blackwater Pool incident, Yang Anguo has been paying close attention to underwater matters.

Adding to the recent events, Lao Yang's mindset has also changed a lot.

Fortunately, there was still a chance. Old Yang revealed the plan, and the research team quickly made arrangements. Then, at noon the next day, everyone decided to go into the water.

Not only was the weather good that day, but the underwater environment was also excellent.

Visibility was higher than usual, and the three men, led by Captain Yang, descended into the water in a triangular formation.

Because Lao Yang mentioned that all actions should be based on his instructions.

He led the three of them down seven or eight meters quickly, and the underwater situation gradually became more complicated, with schools of fish and seaweed beginning to surface.

Old Yang gave a hand signal and continued diving.

After a while, the water pressure dropped even lower, reaching about 18 meters underwater.

At this moment, more than half an hour has passed since we went into the water.

However, Yang Anguo and the others did not realize that at this moment, he was already feeling apprehensive. According to their calculations, they had to successfully return to the shore within an hour.

Otherwise, it's a dead end.

The other two gave a pause signal, and Lao Yang checked the remaining oxygen; he stretched out a hand and pointed upwards with his thumb.

The two thought for a moment, nodded, and decided to leave five more minutes.

The three then continued their descent.

This time they have reached a depth of 22 meters underwater.

At this moment, a large area of ​​sea mud and marine life lies on the seabed.

When the flashlight beam was shone, everything was pitch black.

You can't see anything; from above, it looks like a series of undulating hills and mountains standing on the seabed.

Old Yang reached out and grabbed a handful, vaguely feeling something.

Someone behind him reminded him that his time was up.

He glanced at the ground, gave a retreat signal, and the group immediately swam upstream.

Just after the group left, a sea turtle, carrying something on its back, swam in from who-knows-where and slowly chased after them.

Just as it passed the undulating hills, a surge of air pushed it away quickly.

Then the place fell silent again.

Upon closer inspection, not a single school of fish approached.

"The people are here, they've come out."

Soon, people saw several people emerge from the water, and everyone helped to pull them up.

After a quick tidying up and putting the equipment away, everyone looked at them again.

"So, have you found anything on the seabed?"

Everyone looked on with great curiosity.

What is it like deep in the ocean?

"I don't know, the equipment ran out of oxygen, we couldn't go any further than 22 meters," Old Yang said after he had rested enough.

"Ah, it's so deep, haven't you noticed yet?"

"What if there's nothing down there, or it's not over there?"

Old Yang didn't say anything, but the two comrades next to him explained to them.

He got up, walked to the side, found a wooden basin, poured in some water, and then poured the sea mud he had dug into it.

Researcher Chen Tian, ​​who had followed along, waited curiously to the side.

"Captain Yang, what's going on...?"

She looked at him with expectant eyes.

Yang Anguo shook his head. "I don't know either."

He stirred the water gently with his hand, and the basin quickly became cloudy.

Seeing this, Chen Tian brought over another bucket, and the two of them repeated the process several times until the water was finally clear.

The remains left in the basin have also been exposed.

"What's this?"

After removing the mud and sand from the basin, a small creature was buried beneath a shallow layer of clear water.

It was pitch black, about the size of a thumb, and very inconspicuous.

But under the basin of water, it was so dazzling.

"Captain Yang, this... this..." Chen Tian restrained the urge to touch it.