"Wow... Brother Xu, you're really something else... You carried those crystal cores in a sack!"
Curious, Zhang Xiaojuan tried lifting them; they were so heavy they almost broke her arm. Two solid sacks of crystal cores, completely free of moisture.
“We used to deal with the mutated fish that washed ashore every day, and we could dig up a basin full of crystal cores a day.” Xu Shao said happily, waving his hand. “And sometimes when we fish, we catch shellfish similar to pearl oysters. After prying them open, there are two or three crystal cores inside.”
"We're in a tight spot for everything else, but we have a slightly better supply of crystal cores."
After Xu Shao finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
It's really true; some are dying of drought, while others are drowning in floods.
"Miss Lu, thank you so much for your help today." Xu Shao moved the two sacks of crystal cores closer to Lu Sheng's feet. "We'll take care of the rest of the work. You two can rest for a while."
Lu Sheng and the others were indeed a bit tired, so they found a comfortable spot on the deck to sit down and rest.
Fearing that the hard-won oil field would be targeted, Xu Shao arranged for a team of two hundred men to obtain firearms from Lu Sheng. After equipping them with weapons, he also allocated a large portion of the ship's rations to the team that would continue to guard the oil field.
The remaining people split into two groups: one group focused on catching large quantities of fish, while the other group quickly cleared out the old and discarded materials on the aircraft carrier to try to travel light.
"Why are you still fishing?" Zhang Xiaojuan asked, stopping Min Jingren.
Min Jingren was busy and sweating profusely. "The leaders have given you all the crystal cores, but we also need to eat. There are even fewer supplies in the inland areas, so let's prepare some now so we won't go back hungry."
The water was much shallower, and they could barely catch any normal fish with a single net. It took the combined efforts of the crew of the half-aircraft carrier to gather enough rations for a few days.
With the canned goods seized from the joint forces, they could barely gather enough supplies to go back.
Just as everyone was full of anticipation and preparing to return to the course, someone rushed over to report to Xu Shao, "Major General! Something bad has happened! Our aircraft carrier can't move!"
"What's going on?" Xu Shao frowned and immediately stood up.
"The power system has been turned on in the control room, but it won't move even at full power. We don't know which part is causing the problem yet."
The faces of everyone present immediately darkened.
Aircraft carrier maintenance is a major undertaking. Before the apocalypse, each maintenance required a dedicated fleet, and with the carrier entering port, it would take at least several months to complete the maintenance.
Under current conditions, if any part of an aircraft carrier malfunctions, the entire carrier can only be treated as a pile of scrap metal, with no ability to repair it.
Xu Shao immediately sent people to investigate, but news soon came that no problems were found inside the aircraft carrier.
"We need to send people into the water to check if there's a malfunction in the underwater part," said Zhao Lei, the deputy, with a worried expression.
There are also a large number of mutated fish in the deep waters, making going into the water an extremely dangerous task.
Xu Shao pondered for a moment, "Let's take a look at the diving equipment and check for any safety hazards."
Since the large-scale mutation of marine life, they have not sent anyone to dive underwater for a long time. Right now, they need to ensure that the equipment is still safe and usable before they can proceed to the next step of the procedure.
A while later, Zhao Lei rushed back. "There are still 4 bottles of oxygen left, and only 3 diving suits are undamaged."
"Bring me the stuff, I'll go into the water." Xu Shao said, immediately taking off his coat.
"Major General, how can you do such a dangerous job? I'll go!" Zhao Lei hurriedly pressed Xu Shao down and grabbed the diving suit to his chest.
"I'm a good swimmer! I'll go!"
"I'm in good shape! I'll do it!"
"I used to be a cruiser crewman! This is the job I know best!"
Others also wanted to share this dangerous job, but Xu Shao stopped them all.
"Listen to me!" Xu Shao raised his hand and made a downward gesture. "I'm the oldest on this ship. It doesn't matter that I'm old. You're all still young. You have a lot to do when you get back."
"Major General! We cannot live without your leadership!" Zhao Lei said, suppressing his emotions.
"Don't say that. Even without me, you can lead the troops just as well." After saying that, Xu Shao turned around and went into the room. When he came out again, he had changed into a diving suit. "I'm the only one on this ship with water-related abilities, so I'm the most suitable person to go."
The passive skill of water-based ability users increases their swimming speed underwater and prevents them from drowning under normal circumstances, making them the most suitable candidates for underwater investigations.
Everyone knew how dangerous this dive was, and they all stopped Xu Shao with red eyes.
"Tie the rope around my waist. If I pull on the rope, pull me up immediately." Xu Shao reassured everyone for a few moments, then turned to Zhao Lei and instructed him.
"Boss, I'll go down with you!" Min Jingren had secretly changed into a diving suit at some point.
Xu Shao stared at Min Jingren for several seconds, and finally sighed helplessly, "Okay."
The two checked the equipment one last time before plunging into the water.
The waiting time was incredibly agonizing.
The group waited on the deck for a full half hour, and the rope remained steadily submerged for about ten meters.
"It's been so long, why haven't they come up yet?" Someone couldn't sit still any longer and asked Zhao Lei nervously.
"Pull the rope! Get him up first!" Zhao Lei was restless and rushed over to grab the rope.
Having served as Xu Shao's deputy for ten years, he knew Xu Shao's temper very well. If he rashly stopped the dive without orders, Xu Shao would definitely give him a good scolding once he came ashore.
But Zhao Lei couldn't wait any longer, so he mustered all his strength and pulled the rope backward.
Soon, the immense resistance from the other end of the rope made Zhao Lei's heart tighten...
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