Any ordinary person would instinctively stiffen when stared at by Xie Tianlang's wolf-like gaze, and how stiff their body would become depended on how fierce or ferocious Xie Tianlang's expression was.
The person who suggested that the sea otter Fugui help them retrieve food was a slightly chubby young man. His clothes were no longer visible after he fell into the water, but the expensive watch on his wrist and the large gold chain around his neck that hadn't fallen off when he jumped into the sea clearly showed that he was a wealthy man.
The slightly chubby young man trembled involuntarily after being stared at by Xie Tianlang, and instinctively shut his mouth, not daring to repeat what he had just said. However, he was clearly unwilling to be intimidated by being stared at like that, and after enduring it for a while, he finally couldn't help but mutter something under his breath:
"What's with the attitude? So what if we're raising an animal? Besides, I wasn't wrong. Wouldn't it save a lot of effort to let that sea otter go down into the sea and retrieve things for us?"
Because he didn't think he was wrong, even when he muttered to himself, his voice wasn't too quiet, clearly indicating that he wanted to speak out and find someone on the ship who would agree with him.
But he couldn't find anyone who agreed with him, and suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks!
Startled, Pang Youjin let out a howl, his legs trembling as he lurched forward from the life raft. Turning around, he saw the sea otter he had called a beast holding a sea urchin spiky ball the size of his palm, innocently slamming it against his back and buttocks.
When he looked over, the sea otter tilted its head and grinned at him, its slightly raised chin and squinted eyes exuding maximum mockery.
"I'll fuck you, you little beast!"
Enraged by the laughter of those around him, Pang Youjin, who had just embarrassed himself, reached out to slap the oblivious sea otter to death. However, his hand was grabbed halfway by another hand, and no matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free from the grip.
Pang Youjin raised his eyes in hatred, meeting Xie Tianlang's calm yet icy gaze: "Its master isn't dead yet, what do you want to do to it?"
Xie Tianlang forcefully flung Pang Youjin aside, then glanced around at the surrounding lifeboats and rafts, and said in a voice loud enough for them to hear:
"Let me be clear from the start: Yuanyuan has already done its best to help you retrieve the lifeboats and rafts; it was its own choice to help you. But don't take this help for granted, and certainly don't push your luck."
"There's no such thing as a free lunch, and my Yuanyuan isn't your parent. Everyone here has hands and feet, and you're still breathing and haven't sunk to the bottom of the sea. So don't be a useless person who needs to be fed by a sea otter."
Xie Tianlang's narrow eyes revealed a mocking expression: "You should know that if you become trash, you have no value in existing."
Xie Tianlang's words were quite impolite, not only publicly humiliating Pang Youjin but also making those who shared Pang Youjin's thoughts blush with embarrassment.
If it were anyone else, people would probably have already expressed their dissatisfaction, but Xie Tianlang, who looked formidable and had contributed the most to the rescue, was unusually quiet among the people on the lifeboats and rafts.
Then a more tactful person smoothed things over: "Mr. Xie is right. We all have hands and feet, how can we rely on a small animal? Besides, one small animal can't possibly support so many of us!"
"There are emergency compressed biscuits and drinking water on the boat, as well as enough fishing gear. Even if there is a shortage of food, it won't be enough to steal a little cutie's food."
The others echoed this sentiment, with most nodding in agreement from the bottom of their hearts, as they all held a good impression of the sea otter that had saved them.
Moreover, anyone with a modicum of intelligence knows that even if this sea otter named Yuanyuan were truly willing to hunt food for everyone, it would be impossible to satisfy the needs of over a thousand people here.
So after that, no one mentioned letting the sea otter Fugui catch food anymore.
Moreover, when everyone tallied up the supplies on the ship and the catch from the previous hour or so at 7 p.m., almost everyone in each lifeboat and life raft had retrieved quite a lot of things. Opening the boxes, in addition to warm clothing, they had also found enough food to last everyone another day.
With the food and water already in the lifeboats, there was enough for just over 1,500 people to survive well for four days.
If food were distributed according to each person's minimum energy requirements, it could even sustain the more than 1,500 people for six to eight days.
In six to eight days, once the storm has passed and distress signals can be successfully sent and received, everyone should be able to wait for the maritime rescue team to come to their aid.
The first mate of the Brilliant Crystal told everyone this, which greatly eased the survivors' anxiety.
It was already past 8 p.m., and the storm had subsided considerably compared to its most intense period, allowing even those with a strong constitution to fall asleep. However, the ocean inevitably turned icy cold at night, and even in a fully enclosed lifeboat, one could feel the chilly sea wind howling. The life rafts, which were only inflatable tents, were even colder.
Even if everyone squeezes together as much as possible, they cannot hold onto the rapidly fading warmth.
Everyone was so cold and the seawater was so rough that they couldn't sleep.
But the sea otter is a different story.
He wasn't worried at all about the freezing seawater; his thick fur was like a natural, highly insulating blanket. The only thing that bothered him was where to find a piece of seaweed to tie himself up, since if he didn't, he might wake up the next morning and not know where he had drifted to.
As Gou Fugui was pondering where to find seaweed, Xie Tianlang bent down, looked down at him, and stretched out his hands: "Do you want to sleep with Dad tonight?"
As Xie Tianlang said this, he also showed off his muscular chest and even lifted the hem of his shirt to reveal his abs: "Human cushion, with its own temperature control system. And Dad has plenty of firepower."
Sea Otter Fugui stared at the square eight-pack abs and couldn't help but scratch his own belly, then rolled his eyes at the guy with great disdain.
He's always throwing himself into my arms and lifting my clothes; this guy is definitely not a decent person!
But he was a proper otter.
Finally, Otter Fugui found a few light and airy silk dresses and tied himself and Xie Tianlang's life raft together.
This way, he wouldn't be swept away by the waves, and he could also hear the conversations of the people around him.
Although those people spoke very softly, the sea otters, with their keen hearing, could hear them clearly.
"I feel so nauseous, I feel like throwing up..."
"Just hang in there and get used to it. We'll be able to get ashore once the storm passes."
...
"What bad luck! If I had known something like this would happen, I wouldn't have come out to play. This storm came without any warning. Isn't that strange?"
"It's not just this big storm that's strange... Wasn't it strange that there was a month of widespread global rainfall before? That was global rainfall! Even desert regions experienced continuous rain for more than ten days, and everyone just treated it as a spectacle, they were just laughing like idiots!"
Gou Fugui twitched his ears slightly and turned his head toward a rubber raft. The conversation between the two young men seemed to have something going on.
"Everyone thinks global rainfall is a spectacle, but we climate scientists just find it terrifying! Let me put it this way, looking at the entire history of global climate records, there has never been such a large-scale global rainfall event!"
"This completely violates the cyclical nature of climate!"
"Let me tell you a joke that's so lame it's almost a joke: this kind of large-scale rainfall that's on record globally reminds me most of the great flood in our ancient Chinese mythology, or the apocalyptic flood in the West."
"...Holy crap, don't scare me!"
"Damn it, who has time to scare you! I'm terrified just thinking about it myself!! This isn't a climate miracle at all; I have a feeling this is an omen of disaster and the end of the world!"
"Anyway, I'm going to start stocking up on supplies after we get ashore, and buy a lot of waterproof essentials. If it stops raining, then I'm just being paranoid. But if it rains again... or if the sea level rises significantly... Dongzi, you'd better be prepared."
After that, the two people stopped talking. Gou Fugui, floating on the sea, could only hear the sound of the waves, people's painful groans, and the occasional low sobs.
He looked up at the dark sky, which was lit by stars and moonlight, and began to have some guesses about the end of the world.
But even knowing the type of apocalypse isn't enough. Where is the core of this world? In what form will it exist? Is it humans, animals, or a special plant? Or perhaps a small stone on the roadside that no one would notice?
The sea otter sighed deeply; this was truly making the otter bald.
In this state of mind, he drifted off to sleep, only to be suddenly awakened in the middle of the night.
He heard the roar of a huge storm and waves coming from afar!
"Fuck!"
Didn't that kid from Sanchuan say the next big storm was in two days?! How could he be so unreliable?!
Sea otter Fugui straightened up and quickly swam to the life raft, trying to wake Xie Tianlang.
As soon as he grabbed the edge of the life raft, Xie Tianlang's tightly closed eyes snapped open, his bright and sharp expression showing no sign of sleepiness.
"Yuanyuan, what's wrong?"
"Aaaaaah!!" Gou Fugui wished he could speak human language at this moment, but he could only try his best to show his panic, and even used his two little paws to make a terrified capsizing gesture, which can be said to be the ultimate use of body language.
To Otter's delight, Xie Tianlang, his godson, was indeed on the same wavelength as him and quickly understood his meaning.
Xie Tianlang's expression turned serious instantly. He immediately blew the life-saving whistle around his neck to wake most of the people, then turned to Song Sanchuan and asked, "Check if a big storm is coming?!"
"Everyone put on your life jackets! Seal the lifeboats and life rafts! Remember the safety survival postures we taught you before?! Don't panic! Mentally time your breathing and don't panic! Try your best to curl up your body with your hands behind your head!"
"Then……"
"My God, how is this possible?!" Xie Tianlang finished speaking his last few words amidst Song Sanchuan's incredulous exclamation.
"Let fate decide."
As he finished speaking, everyone present, including Gou Fugui, saw the gigantic wave that seemed to connect heaven and earth, roaring and carrying the terror of death.
Before his consciousness faded into darkness, Gou Fugui was once again firmly grasped by a large hand and sank into that warm, soft human cushion.
"Stay put and don't move around. Even if you can float, you might not be able to withstand bumping into things everywhere."
Author's Note:
Otter Rich: In the end, I still ended up sleeping on a human cushion. Tsk.
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