After Old Yuan pulled the safety rope up, he discovered it had been untied, not broken. This led to the conclusion that Yang Hanxue had untied it himself. The reason, he speculated, was that his destination was not conducive to carrying a safety rope. If this guess was correct, it meant he had found something on the seabed. He felt a surge of anticipation. Could Shen Wansan's tomb truly be at the bottom of the sea?
Another half hour passed with the sea surface calm and motionless. Old Yuan grew visibly uneasy and ordered two more sets of diving suits to be brought, seemingly preparing to go down himself. Song Bing stood beside him and remarked, "One oxygen tank typically lasts about forty minutes in the sea. If Mr. Yang hasn't surfaced by now, he's likely in grave danger."
Hearing this, my heart tightened. "Could something have happened to him?"
Song Bing shook his head. "It's hard to say..."
Old Yuan and another sailor, clad in their diving suits, plunged into the sea. Safety ropes were attached to them, and all that could be seen was the continuous unwinding of the ropes. The situation below remained unknown. After more than ten minutes, Old Yuan's head emerged from the water, signaling for them to pull him up.
As soon as he reached the deck, I approached him. "Brother Yuan, what's the situation down there?"
His brow furrowed. "The water pressure in this area is peculiar... It's too immense down there. We can't descend further than about seven or eight meters before it becomes incredibly difficult to continue." He paused to catch his breath. "I reckon, Boss... he's likely met with misfortune."
"What should we do then?" I asked.
Old Yuan shook his head, his face etched with bewilderment. A few minutes later, the other sailor also surfaced, holding something in his hand. Upon reaching the deck, we saw he was holding a diving mask. "I found this in the sea. This must be the Boss's diving mask... The water pressure down there is too great, making it incredibly difficult to descend."
Had Yang Hanxue met with such a fate? I found it hard to accept, and even harder to believe. I was convinced he was alright; he must have discovered something, which is why... But even thinking this, it didn't quite add up. This was the ocean. Without oxygen, a person couldn't survive for long.
"Hurry! There's something in the water!" A crew member suddenly shouted, and we all rushed over. Indeed, something was floating in the distance. Old Yuan immediately ordered someone to investigate. A sailor dove into the sea and swam towards it. When he brought the object back, we discovered it was Yang Hanxue's diving suit!
Untying the safety rope, discarding the diving mask, shedding the diving suit… What had Yang Hanxue encountered underwater? By the time night fell, there was still no sign from the sea, and the crew's spirits were low. After dinner, I went onto the deck, gazing at the dark sea, at a loss for ideas.
Song Bing handed me a cigarette. "Now that we're at sea, there's not much we can do. Don't overthink it." I nodded, took the cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. "I can't understand it. Yang Hanxue wasn't a reckless person. What could he have encountered in the sea to make him act like that?"
"Only he knows now. We're also unsure about the situation down there." I asked, "Can you swim?"
Hearing my question, Song Bing raised an eyebrow. "You want to go down and take a look?" I nodded.
"Diving is no joke. Without professional training, it's easy to get into trouble," Song Bing said. "I can dive, but it's mainly about you..."
I replied, "Don't worry. My hometown is full of rivers. I grew up splashing around in the water, so diving shouldn't be a problem for me."
Song Bing hesitated for a moment. "Alright then, I'll go down with you." He then asked, "When are you planning to go in?"
"Now!" He seemed taken aback by my response, but I didn't elaborate. Based on the day's analysis, I believed Yang Hanxue must have encountered something at sea, most likely entering an underground palace! Thinking about how he dealt with Captain Xue, from his meticulous planning to execution, it was clear he was a thoughtful individual. Someone so careful and patient wouldn't act without considering the consequences. He would always weigh his options before making a decision. Therefore, it was highly probable that he had discovered something down there. I couldn't rest easy without investigating.
My purpose for this trip was to bring Yang Hanxue back to Guangling. If something happened to him, no one might be able to open the Five Elements Twin Dragon Casket. If the casket remained unopened, the clue to the Marquis Sui Jade might be lost. Furthermore, I needed to understand why he was so fixated on finding Shen Wansan's tomb.
Back in Guangling, Sister Ying had taken me to an auction where she had spent a considerable sum to acquire a golden lock and key. The auctioneer had stated that this golden lock and key held the secret to Shen Wansan's Treasure Gathering Basin. I felt that all these events were interconnected: Yang Hanxue's tattoos, the golden lock and key, Shen Wansan's tomb… If I could unravel these mysteries, I might discover what Sister Ying was searching for, and perhaps even understand who she truly was.
For whatever reason, I felt compelled to go down and find Yang Hanxue. When I told Old Yuan that Song Bing and I were going to dive, he initially refused, stating it was too dark and unsuitable for diving. "Head Yang's fate is uncertain, and I'm deeply concerned. We are friends, and I must go down to see," I said, my voice filled with conviction. Seeing my determination, Old Yuan sighed and instructed Niu Gang to prepare the diving equipment.
"Brother Xiang, please be extremely careful when you go down," Old Yuan cautioned. I nodded. "Don't worry. If anything happens, just pull us up."
Bai Hanyan heard that Song Bing and I were going to dive and was eager to join, but I firmly refused. "We're not going down for fun; it's very dangerous. You just wait for us up here."
"What's so dangerous? I can dive too. My swimming skills are not bad, I'll have you know." Seeing her persistence, I resorted to my trump card and whispered in her ear, "Do you know what's down there?"
"What is it?"
"Sea monkeys… the kind that eat people."
She froze for a moment, then glared at me. "Who are you kidding?"
"I'm telling the truth. That's what Head Yang told me before he went down…"
"Then why are you still going down…" Before she could finish, I interrupted, "The three of us... if Song Bing and I run into trouble, at least you can help make arrangements for us." Hearing this, her eyes suddenly became a little red. "Then you shouldn't go down…"