Chen Hao pressed the thruster switch, and the water flow gently propelled him forward. The three people behind him followed closely, the stardust ore lying quietly in the sealed box, none of them noticing its brief flash.
They had only walked for less than three minutes when Susan spoke up: "This road is flatter than the one we came on."
“Of course,” Chen Hao said. “The road back always feels short; it’s human instinct.”
Carl muttered from behind, "Maybe it's because we're dying and our sense of time is malfunctioning."
Nana suddenly spoke up: "The water flow speed is abnormal 300 meters ahead, exceeding 8 meters per second, which is 200 percent higher than the safety threshold."
"What?" Chen Hao stopped abruptly, the thrusters jolting in reverse. "You're not kidding?"
“The data is accurate.” Nana’s voice remained unchanged. “An undercurrent is forming, moving from west to east in a spiral shape, and is expected to cover the current area within thirty seconds.”
"Shut down the thrusters!" Chen Hao shouted immediately. "Everyone, shut down the power, connect the tow ropes! Align the interfaces, quick!"
The four moved swiftly. The tow rope was pulled out from the side of the equipment, and the buckles clicked to connect in a line. Chen Hao was in the center, with one person in front, behind, and to the left and right, forming a diamond shape.
"Stay close to me," he said. "Don't let go, and don't move."
The water started to slosh as soon as he finished speaking.
It started as a slight push, like someone gently nudging you from behind. Then came a sudden jerk, pulling the entire team more than two meters sideways. Rock fragments began to fall from the rock face, crackling as they hit our wetsuits.
"Visibility is decreasing," Nana reported. "It's five meters now."
"Five meters is enough." Chen Hao gritted his teeth. "Nana, wherever you say, we'll pose there."
“Maintain the current formation,” she said. “Prepare to veer 15 degrees to the left to avoid the center of the vortex.”
"Did you hear that?" Chen Hao shouted to those behind him, "Switch to the left, turn slowly!"
The four of them adjusted their angles in unison. The current grew stronger and stronger, as if an invisible hand was churning the entire sea. Chen Hao felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and his joints creaked.
“Coating warning,” Nana warned. “Microcracks have appeared in the outer layer of the right arm. It is recommended to reduce the stress area.”
"Got it." Chen Hao pulled his right arm back a little. "Karl, how are things on your end?"
Carl gasped for breath: "The oxygen circulation is a bit messed up, but I can still manage."
"Save your breath and don't talk," Susan reminded her. "You're breathing 30% more per minute now."
“I know…” Carl’s voice tightened, “it’s this thing that keeps cramping.”
"Hang in there," Chen Hao said. "We'll be able to surface once we reach a gentle slope."
Nana continued her calculations: "We've ruled out two paths. The northern route carries the risk of a secondary vortex, and the southern route has sunk too deep and may hit the bottom. Recommended route: ascend along the southeast direction with low power consumption, at a slope of six degrees, estimated to take seven minutes."
“Then let’s head southeast,” Chen Hao decided. “Switch everyone to low-power mode, turn off the lights, shut down non-essential systems, and leave only communication and life monitoring on.”
One by one, the helmet displays went dark. After the lights went out, it was completely dark all around, with only a faint glow coming through the edges of each helmet.
"I'm deploying the buoy." Chen Hao took out an emergency buoy from his waist bag, pressed the trigger button, and gently pushed it out.
The small ball rose slowly, carrying a faint signal light, like a slowly drifting star in the murky water.
“Follow it,” he said. “Don’t rush, take it slow.”
The group began to move slowly. Each adjustment in posture required signaling by holding hands. The current remained fierce, frequently throwing people against the rock face. Once, Susan nearly crashed into a protruding rock ridge, but Carl pulled her back.
"Thanks," she said softly.
“Next time you bump into me,” Carl replied, “I’m thick-skinned.”
"You two save your energy," Chen Hao interrupted. "We'll talk about crosstalk when we get back to the base."
A few minutes later, the vibration lessened.
“The flow rate has decreased.” Nana updated the data. “Currently, it’s 4.7 meters per second. It’s still in the danger zone, but it has moved out of the main vortex zone.”
"That means we're halfway to survival." Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "Three minutes left?"
"To be precise, there are three minutes and fourteen seconds left."
“Can’t you just say ‘almost’?” he complained.
“No,” she said. “In this environment, ‘almost’ is tantamount to death.”
"Alright." Chen Hao looked down at the terrain beneath his feet. "The slope has changed; it's definitely going uphill."
The ground had changed from a mixture of mud and sand to a layer of hard rock, and the cracks had decreased. They were moving down a gentle slope away from the cliff area.
“The entrance to the passage is another 100 meters ahead,” Nana said. “The external platform of the base is just ahead.”
“That’s great,” Susan said softly. “I thought I was going to sleep underwater tonight.”
"I can sleep," Chen Hao said, "but I might wake up tomorrow looking like a dried salted fish."
Just as the outline of the exit was becoming visible and the lights were shining from a distance, they suddenly went out.
"The lighting system is out of power," Nana judged. "It's probably due to a short circuit caused by the impact of the undercurrent."
"Where's the navigation?"
"Signal interrupted. Unable to pinpoint platform location."
"Damn it," Chen Hao cursed, "What do we do now? Go in in the dark?"
“I can scan,” Nana said. “Activate the infrared optical reconstruction procedure.”
“Use it,” he nodded. “But we have to go in one by one, don’t crowd them all together.”
“Agreed,” Carl said. “If anyone touches the electric fence, the whole door will lock up.”
Nana activated the backup system, and the helmet camera quickly scanned the area in front of her. A few seconds later, the 3D profile was shared via the communication channel.
“The passageway is 3.2 meters wide and 2.1 meters high. There is a maintenance ladder on the left and a drainage ditch on the right,” she described. “The platform entrance is located 18 meters ahead. The metal grating surface is slippery, so it is recommended to proceed in single file.”
"Then let's do frog jumps," Chen Hao ordered. "I'll go first, and call the next person once I've landed firmly. Be slow, don't rush."
He was the first to move forward, his toes testing the ground. The water was still lingering, and he had to check his grip with each step.
When I reached the tenth meter, my right foot suddenly slipped.
He swayed slightly, but quickly braced himself against the wall with his left hand to avoid falling.
"Be careful," he warned over the channel. "There's a slope here, and the water's deep."
After regaining his footing, he continued forward. Seventeen meters, eighteen meters...
Finally, I felt the familiar metallic texture under my feet.
“We’ve reached the platform,” he said. “The first person has stepped onto the grille.”
"Received," Susan replied.
Chen Hao turned around and watched the three approach one by one. Karl walked at the back, his movements noticeably slower than before.
"Hurry up," he urged, "Don't get stuck in the doorway."
Carl moved closer step by step, and when he was two steps away from the platform, his elbow accidentally brushed against the side wall.
"It's nothing," he said. "I'm just a little tired."
"Just come up." Chen Hao reached out and pulled him up.
Carl grabbed his wrist and used it to step onto the grille. All four of them came to a stop.
The alarm sounded and then stopped. The red light above the hatch turned green, and the mechanical lock clicked open.
"You can go in now," Nana said.
Chen Hao was the last to cross the threshold, then turned around to make sure all his teammates were inside.
The airtight compartment began pressurizing, and the outer door slowly closed. He leaned against the wall, took off his helmet, and wiped the water from his face.
"I almost died here this time," he said. "I'll have to have a big meal when I get back."
Susan was also unloading her gear: "What do you want to eat?"
"Hot pot." He said without hesitation, "It has to be spicy broth, and there's plenty of beef."
"Do you remember the time you got diarrhea after eating hot pot?" Carl asked.
"That's because the waiter brought the wrong condiments," Chen Hao argued. "It has nothing to do with my stomach."
“But you said ‘I can’t do it’ three times back then,” Susan laughed.
“That’s dramatic expression,” he insisted. “That’s how artists are.”
Nana stood to the side, a data cable popped out from the arm interface, and she plugged it into the terminal port on the wall.
“The navigation log is being uploaded,” she said. “The environmental data package has been packaged and is awaiting system reception.”
"You've worked hard." Chen Hao patted her shoulder. "Your accurate predictions are all thanks to you today."
“I’m just executing pre-defined logic,” she said. “The decision is yours.”
"Hey, don't be modest." He grinned. "If you were a human, I'd want to give you a banner of appreciation."
“A banner can affect operational efficiency,” she said. “Why not give me a recharge?”
"Okay, I'll let you plug in all the sockets later." Chen Hao smiled and turned to the others. "Check your physical condition. If you're okay, go change your clothes. Wearing this wet gear for too long can easily cause arthritis."
Susan nodded: "I'll go get the testing equipment."
Carl has begun disassembling the outer protective module; his movements are slow but steady.
Chen Hao flexed his wrists, and just as he was about to say something, he suddenly noticed a faint blue light emanating from Nana's data cable port.
It was very faint, fleeting.
He frowned: "Did your end... flicker just now?"
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