Chapter 882: Comforting Hearts
In the icy ocean, dark currents surged beneath the surface.
The atmosphere on the ship had once again grown heavy because of the recent events.
Whether it was the oppressive presence of the Colombian Navy or Zhang Yi’s execution of the traitor Che Haicheng, the mood among the crew had become somber.
Even the sailors were anxious due to this blind voyage.
Losing their course meant they had to rely on a sextant to determine their route, just like centuries ago.
Unfortunately, the sunlight was faint, the white sun offering no warmth, visible for only a few hours each day.
And at such a time, the Fin Dragon lurking in the deep sea revealed itself once again.
It appeared several kilometers away from the Golden Edge, its massive body hundreds of meters long faintly visible amidst the waves.
Its cold and terrifying eyes shone like deep-sea ghostly lamps at night, frightening the watchful sailors into shouting loudly.Zhang Yi snapped awake from his sleep and immediately rushed to the deck.
But as soon as he appeared, the Fin Dragon sensed him and without turning its head, dove back into the seabed.
Zhang Yi frowned. This beast was too troublesome. Without the ability or equipment to dive into the deep sea, there was really nothing he could do about it.
And to make things worse, they were currently on the run and unable to activate sonar.
This meant they could not detect it in advance beneath the deep sea.
The creature was smart; it had sensed the Golden Edge’s predicament and had begun acting recklessly lately.
It was patient, waiting for the Golden Edge to falter or for the people aboard to weaken before making a move.
Zhang Yi returned to the deck and called out, “Old Tian!”
He received no response. Turning around, he saw Old Tian comforting a watch sailor who had just been startled, along with several other crew members who had just woken up.
Without sonar feedback, there had been no warning of the Fin Dragon’s sudden appearance.
In the middle of the night, suddenly seeing such a titan-like sea monster—who wouldn’t be terrified?
Zhang Yi stepped into the control room. The sailor was taking deep breaths, even wearing an oxygen mask, and it took a long time before he regained his composure.
“Old Tian.”
Zhang Yi called again. Old Tian finally heard him, quickly stood up, and walked over.
“Mr. Zhang.”
A worried expression showed on Old Tian’s face. In recent days, the wrinkles on his face had deepened.
Though not yet fifty, years of sea wind exposure made him look like a man in his sixties.
“Check the weapons, especially the deep-sea bombs. Make sure they can be deployed immediately.”
“Yes, Mr. Zhang!”
Zhang Yi thought for a moment, then raised his voice:
“Also, tell them that people from the East Sea Region have already been dispatched to pick us up.”
A calm and composed smile appeared on his face. “Don’t worry too much. The East Sea Region Navy has already mobilized. The Colombian Navy wouldn’t dare to confront us head-on in these waters.”
“We just need to get through this period, and then we can go home.”
If it were the old Zhang Yi, he wouldn’t have explained so much.
But right now, morale on the ship was low, and they needed encouragement.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhang Yi’s words, hope flickered in everyone’s eyes.
“When will they be here?”
“This aimless sailing makes it easy to deviate from course. Honestly... it’s hard to say when we’ll reach the designated spot.”
The crew couldn’t help voicing their concerns.
“It won’t take too long. Even if you stay on the ship, I’ll protect your safety. I have enough supplies to last you a lifetime. What is there to worry about?”
“You’re all experienced sailors. Don’t burden yourselves mentally. It’s not a big problem. The real issue is letting your own minds collapse first.”
“That would be meaningless.”
After Zhang Yi’s guidance, the crew’s mindset improved noticeably.
Though all veteran sailors, they had been at sea for over three months straight, only landing briefly at Rockflow Island.
Experienced sailors knew this tested one’s willpower immensely.
After comforting everyone, Zhang Yi called Old Tian aside.
“Can we confirm our current location?”
Old Tian’s expression turned awkward.
“Although we have navigation charts, we can only estimate our position. And... we can’t guarantee it’s accurate.”
It was no longer the Age of Exploration.
Even veteran sailors heavily relied on electronic devices.
Suddenly losing navigational instruments made relying on the naked eye, sextant, and experience truly difficult.
“It’s fine. If we’re off, we’ll just try more. The main thing is to avoid heading into the Colombian Navy’s hunting ground.”
Old Tian quickly reassured, “You can rest assured on that. They’re trying to find us now, but it’s like searching for a needle in the ocean.”
If it were so easy to find a ship that had shut down all electronic communication, there wouldn’t be so many lost wrecks every year.
“Well...”
Old Tian hesitated.
Zhang Yi glanced at him. “Say what you need to say!”
Old Tian forced a smile. “The crew’s spirits have been quite low recently. If this continues, it won’t end well.”
“I know that. Any ideas on how to fix it?”
Zhang Yi asked.
Old Tian thought for a moment, then said, “The best ways to relieve worries are those few: smoking, drinking, women, and gambling.”
Until now, drinking had been banned aboard by Zhang Yi’s direct order.
Zhang Yi laughed, “Alright then. Starting today, I permit you to drink on the ship. I’ll provide the alcohol, but you must promise me the watch crew will not drink!”
Since the ship was basically adrift, letting the crew relax wouldn’t have much impact.
“As for other things, handle them yourselves. Regarding women... or the ‘young master’ issue, don’t involve the Rockflow Group people. But there are some in the lower deck cabins.”
“You can exchange supplies with them, but don’t force them like animals.”
Old Tian hurriedly said, “With your order, we will definitely follow the rules!”
“Also, I have another request. We should be near the southern sea area now, so there must be some islands nearby.”
“It’s been too long since everyone set foot ashore. If they can rest and recuperate on land, it might help the journey ahead.”
Old Tian cautiously observed Zhang Yi’s expression.
Zhang Yi was indeed tempted by the suggestion.
After all, humans were land animals. Staying at sea for long made one yearn for solid ground.
That feeling of feet on firm earth gave a reassuring psychological comfort.
“If we can find relatively safe land, we can consider landing to rest.”
Zhang Yi nodded, agreeing to Old Tian’s proposal.
Author's Note