Chapter 76 Typhoon Haishen! The Arrival of a Deadly Storm!
The "Exploration One" sailed smoothly on the sea for three days.
The endless expanse of blue has been the only color these past few days. Seagulls chase and play along the ship's side, and the sunlight makes the sea sparkle. Everything seems so peaceful and beautiful.
The research team members and crew on board gradually became somewhat bored after their initial excitement at setting off.
Qin Lie stood in the cockpit, observing the distant horizon through binoculars. This sea area was unfamiliar territory he had never set foot in before. On the map, it was just a blank space. Their mission was to fill in this blank space bit by bit with precise data.
"Chief of Staff Qin, we have arrived at the designated work area." The captain put down his sextant and marked a point on the nautical chart. "We can begin lowering the survey equipment."
"Alright!" Qin Lie nodded and gave the order, "All units, take note, prepare to begin hydrological survey operations!"
At his command, the crane at the stern slowly began to move, gently lowering a uniquely shaped metal cage into the unfathomable depths of the sea. The cage was filled with various sophisticated instruments.
Everything is proceeding smoothly.
However, no one noticed that the barometer in the corner of the cab was slowly and steadily dropping at a barely perceptible rate.
The weather started to change around noon.
The once cloudless sky was suddenly dotted with wispy, fish-scale-like clouds. Then, the clouds grew thicker and lower, as if someone had haphazardly smeared ink across the horizon.
The sea breeze began to grow wild. It was no longer the gentle caress of before, but instead carried a whistling, sharp sound as it swept across every corner of the ship's side.
White waves began to surge on the sea surface.
"Something's wrong!" The experienced captain was the first to notice the anomaly. He glanced at the barometer, his expression instantly changing. "The pressure is dropping too fast! This...this means a huge storm is coming!"
Qin Lie's heart sank. He immediately picked up the walkie-talkie: "Communications room! Communications room! Contact base immediately! Check the weather!"
"Roger that!" The communications soldier immediately began operating the radio. However, a few minutes later, he looked up, his face deathly pale: "Chief of Staff, we can't get in touch! The radio's just full of noise! We... it seems we've lost contact with base!"
"What?!" Qin Lie rushed over and snatched the earphones.
All I could hear in my headphones was a static, which was incredibly annoying; I couldn't hear any meaningful sound at all.
"Switch to the backup channel! Increase the transmission power!" Qin Lie shouted sternly.
The communications soldier tried everything, but the radio, which was usually in excellent working order, was now like a mute, and no matter how they called, they received no response.
Just then, the sky outside the cockpit window darkened at a visible speed. It had only been afternoon a moment ago, but now it felt like night had fallen instantly.
Large raindrops began to pelt the deck. Then, a fierce wind, carrying the torrential rain, swept in like a thousand horses galloping from the horizon!
"Boom—"
A bolt of lightning ripped through the pitch-black sky, illuminating everyone's faces with a deathly pale light.
"Retrieve the equipment! Return to base at full speed!" Qin Lie made a decisive decision and issued the most urgent order.
However, it was too late.
Almost the instant he finished speaking, a giant wave, the size of a hill, crashed down from the bow of the ship!
"Bang--"
A deafening roar! The entire "Exploration One" groaned in pain. Everyone in the cockpit was thrown about by the immense force of the impact. Charts and instruments were scattered all over the floor.
Qin Lie gripped the handrail fixed to the wall tightly to steady himself. He looked out through the rain-blurred porthole, his heart almost stopping.
He saw a sight he would never forget for the rest of his life.
The sea! It can no longer be called the sea!
They were towering, ever-moving black walls made of seawater! Before these walls, the "Exploration One" was as insignificant as a helpless matchbox!
One wave after another crashed relentlessly and frantically against the isolated and helpless ship from all directions.
The ship was tossed high into the air by the giant waves, then slammed down violently. Each rise and fall was accompanied by a sickeningly loud sound of metal twisting and snapping.
"Report! A crack has appeared on the starboard side of the ship! Seawater is flooding in!"
"Report! The stern crane has been broken by a giant wave! Survey equipment is missing!"
"Report!……"
One bad news after another came through the walkie-talkie, pounding on everyone's nerves.
"Hold on! Everyone hold on!" Qin Lie roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot. "Damage control team! Go plug the leak immediately! Engine room! Maintain maximum power output! We have to get out of here!"
But just then, the phone in the bridge rang urgently. It was the chief engineer calling.
His voice was filled with sobs and despair.
"Chief of Staff! Something terrible has happened! The main engine... a high-pressure fuel line for the main engine has burst... burst!"
"We...we've lost our motivation!"
Lost motivation!
These four words struck Qin Lie's heart like a heavy hammer.
He knew what this meant.
A ship that loses power in a raging storm is like a coffin floating on the sea! Its only fate is to be completely torn apart and swallowed up by the merciless and violent ocean!
"Where's the backup engine?!" Qin Lie gripped the phone, shouting with all his might, "Start the backup engine immediately!"
"No...no, Chief of Staff!" The chief engineer's voice was filled with fear. "The ruptured fuel line is spraying fuel everywhere! The engine room is full of oil mist! We can't...we can't start the backup engines! If there's even the slightest spark, we...we'll all be blown to bits!"
Qin Lie swayed. He leaned against the cold cabin wall, a bone-chilling cold spreading from his heart to his limbs.
It's over.
Everything is over.
He looked out the porthole at the apocalyptic scene. He thought of Jiang Wu, her gentle smile, and the unborn child in her womb.
He had promised her that he would wait for her to come home.
But now, he may have to break his promise.
Just as he was sinking into the abyss of despair, another even more terrifying giant wave silently attacked from the side, like a prehistoric beast that had been lurking for a long time, opening its bloody maw and biting down hard on "Exploration One"!
Qin Lie only managed to shout, "Hold on tight—"
The world is spinning!
The entire ship was capsized by this irresistible force!
Seawater poured wildly in through the broken portholes. The lights flickered for a moment, then went out completely.
Darkness, coldness, and a suffocating feeling instantly enveloped everyone.
Meanwhile, on an island thousands of miles away...
The sound of the news broadcast still echoed in the air above the family compound.
"...The following is a missing ship notice. Our military exploration vessel 'Exploration One' has encountered Super Typhoon Haishen while on a mission in the southeastern sea area and has unfortunately lost contact. There are 23 crew members and scientific researchers on board. The commander is our Chief of Staff, Comrade Qin Lie..."
"If any vessel spots any clues about this ship, please contact our East China Sea Fleet base immediately..."
The announcer's voice was calm yet cold.
But to the military wives, it was like a thunderclap.
The entire residential compound fell into a deathly silence.
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