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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 225: The Thousand-Person Conference and Heavy News
The morning sea breeze was biting cold, the chill cutting through the air like a knife, piercing into people's bodies and spirits. The fog hung thick over the sea, and the deck was already crowded with people, mostly young adults, with a few children scattered among them, but there were hardly any elderly.
The New Pu Ocean was a cargo ship, while the Cataclysm had once been hailed as a world-class giant cruise liner. With a deck length of 333 meters and a full-load displacement three times that of an American Nimitz Class aircraft carrier, it was equipped with the most advanced driving and navigation systems. It was said that even in tumultuous seas, it could operate for 24 hours without crew in the cabin and navigate automatically. This behemoth also featured state-of-the-art freshwater production equipment, capable of producing nearly 30 tons of potable water daily through seawater desalination, and carried 6,000 tons of fuel, allowing it to sail continuously for 60 days across the vast ocean.
Although the primary function of this giant was long-distance transportation, it was also armed with various weapons including Molotov Cocktails, high-pressure water cannons, and peace axes; its imposing deck featured a helicopter landing pad. Given its massive size… one could say that under current circumstances, as long as fuel supplies were guaranteed, this ship was an impregnable fortress at sea.
However, reality often brings disappointment. This "ark" was currently facing the awkward situation of running low on fuel, and docks around were unable to replenish its supplies. Other ships sailing alongside were consuming vast amounts of energy daily, and the few remaining oil tankers at the naval base had already ceased operations; when they would set sail again remained uncertain.
Although Shaoshan had informed them that attendance was not necessary, none of Jiang He's group could contain their impatience and sneaked onto the deck to gaze at the throngs of people below in awe. The sheer number of people didn’t shock them too much; after all, they had seen even more spectacular hordes during previous holidays and spring festivals on Cataclysm—what were these thousand or so people?
What truly amazed Jiang He was the massive deck stretching over three hundred meters. Jin Bo and others had already been awestruck by it yesterday; their attention clearly lay elsewhere as they kept making faces at Jiang He and chuckling quietly.
"What are you grinning about?" Jiang He asked in confusion as he punched one of them lightly.
"Where did you go last night? I didn't see you return to your cabin," Jin Bo said with a sly wink. "Don’t blame me for not warning you—the soundproofing on this ship isn’t great, especially when it’s so quiet…"
"Shut up." Jiang He shot a guilty glance at Song Yao, who was standing with Zeng Yadong and Wheat, animatedly discussing something while seemingly oblivious to the two whispering. However, Jiang He noticed Song Yao's cheeks flush red; she had clearly overheard.
"Eavesdropping isn't a good habit," Jiang He rolled his eyes and whispered back. "With that time, you should communicate more with Dong Dong."
Sure enough, as soon as the topic shifted to relationships between men and women, the young swordsman fell silent. He glanced helplessly at Zeng Yadong before sighing deeply and muttering, "Let’s not talk about that; let’s talk about something else…"
The five of them sat or stood near the stairs at the ship's railing. The large crowd had mostly gathered toward the bow of the ship. As Song Yao mentioned, it wasn’t just over three thousand people crammed onto one vessel; through the fog, several other large ships with varying designs could be seen looming in shadow.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled the air as someone seemed to be testing a microphone. After several attempts at 'hello,' they finally managed to get that broken loudspeaker working and launched into what sounded like a New Year greeting filled with parallel phrases.
Jiang He couldn’t help but chuckle mischievously. "Isn’t that some TV host? It’s hilarious—given how dire things are right now, they’re still gathering together!"
"The propaganda department can be unpredictable," Zeng Yadong said as several girls stifled their laughter; they were all amused by the speaker's 'greetings.'
Jiang He smiled, but his expression suddenly stiffened. It wasn't that anything was wrong; he just felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. It seemed that after boarding the ship, Song Yao and the others were in good spirits, radiating a sense of relaxation. Not to mention Song Yao herself, who had been running around with Jiang He and the others for quite some time, inevitably picking up some carefree habits. However, Zeng Yadong was different. She only appeared to be at ease when Su Lan was present; since leaving the Gobi Desert, it had been rare to see her smile.
Zeng Yadong noticed Jiang He's gaze and turned to look at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just lost in thought," Jiang He replied with an awkward smile, quickly averting his eyes. Regardless of the circumstances, it was undoubtedly a good thing that everyone could relax. It seemed he had missed a lot during his day-long slumber; perhaps what Shaoshan said about a new life on the island was indeed credible.
After chattering for a while, the opening speech finally concluded. The poor-quality loudspeaker intermittently emitted the howling of the sea wind, drowning out the speaker's voice. The surrounding Survivors strained to hear, leaning forward as if they could place their ears right in front of the speaker. Perhaps the speaker grew impatient and dismissed the person holding the loudspeaker early on, clearing his throat and calling out loudly. His deep and powerful voice cut through the wind, clearly reaching everyone's ears and overpowering the sound of the sea.
Knowing that the main event was about to begin, Jiang He and his companions hurried closer to the crowd to hear what the Establishment representatives had to say. As they approached, Jin Bo's keen eyes spotted Shaoshan. Shaoshan had likely been deliberately assigned to this ship to keep an eye on them; it was said that he had gone aboard a military vessel during yesterday's briefing but unexpectedly returned early this morning. Today, Shaoshan's task was to maintain order on the large ship's bow deck, where dozens of solemn Armed Warriors stood in formation along both sides of the ship, guarding those in between.
Shaoshan also noticed the five who were trying to blend in and shook his head helplessly. He winked at them and waved them toward another side. The five sneaked into the crowd, drawing some discontent from nearby Survivors. Jiang He could only apologize repeatedly until they reached a spot where they could clearly hear.
"…You don't need to worry about issues regarding the Reef; all regulations will be the same as those in previous living areas. Essential supplies will be provided by the Organization Department…"
"…As for work arrangements, everything will remain unchanged. If adjustments are needed, the Organization Department will notify you separately…"
"…There’s no need for concern regarding personnel placement; soldiers have already been dispatched to investigate both large and small Reefs, ensuring that all personnel can be evenly distributed…"
"…However, fuel is running low, and transport ships cannot cruise; therefore, after landing on the island, we will be unable to go out to sea for a period…"
"…The specific time for resuming passage is still uncertain; we hope everyone understands this…"
"…Considering some individuals' preferences, after this meeting, we hope those who do not wish to land on the island will voluntarily register at the captain's office…"
"…Reserved Living Areas and job positions will be replaced; discussions regarding future landings will be postponed…"
"…Additionally, regarding everyone's most concerned issue about Vaccines, we can provide an update on current progress…"
"…Due to limited conditions, researchers are under significant pressure; however, antibody Vaccines are indeed under development—this can be confirmed one hundred percent…"
"…Once the first batch of antibody Vaccines is successfully developed, those who land on the island will receive them first—rest assured; this is an organizational commitment…"
"…If anyone has any questions, you may ask now. If not, please return to the cabin in an orderly manner or stay in the center of the deck. Others, please proceed to the captain's office..."
The strong-breathed Military Man spoke briefly, but the weight of his message was undeniable. Not only did the crowd of Survivors erupt in chatter, but even Jiang He and others were left stunned, unable to process his words for a long time. Many people in the crowd began to voice various questions, and the soldier patiently listened, responding to each one specifically. The deck was lively yet orderly, and the drifting voices slowly tore through the thick fog that enveloped them.
" Jiang He, did I hear that right?" Song Yao exclaimed in shock, stuttering, "He... he said there’s a Vaccine? Antibody, antibody Vaccine?"
"I think I heard that too," Jiang He swallowed hard and pulled a few people away from the crowd, incredulously saying, "The Establishment has developed an antibody Vaccine?!"
"Could it be just to placate these Survivors?" Zeng Yadong furrowed his brow, finding it difficult to digest the heavy news mentioned by the officer.
Jiang He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That can't be it. It might work for a while, but over time it would just create more trouble. The Establishment isn't foolish; why would they create more problems for themselves?"
"Then how do we explain Shaoshan's actions?" Jin Bo asked. Although sometimes a bit slow on the uptake, he still had some independent thinking when it came to serious matters. "If they already have antibodies, why go all that way to find Dr. An?"
"They're not looking for Dr. An, are they?" Wheat timidly interjected. The little girl turned her big, shiny eyes and whispered, "On that day in Jiuquan... they talked about this; Dong Dong sister knows too."
Zeng Yadong paused for a moment before recalling that day when everyone was trapped in Belfry due to heavy rain. While tending to Jin Bo and others' wounds, they indeed discussed this matter. At that time, Jin Bo and Ming Junwei were deep asleep and missed out on this conversation.
"What did they say?" Jiang He asked.
"Shaoshan said their intention was to destroy that base and didn't know Dr. An was there too," Zeng Yadong explained.
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