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墨書 Inktalez
The passage of time sometimes depends on one's mindset. On the sun-drenched deck, time crawls like a snail, while at midnight on the Sea Surface, it feels as if everything has entered an accelerated orbit. Not only does time speed up, but even the ship's speed seems to be increasing with each passing moment. Moreover, the climate in the South China Sea is indeed starkly contrasting; it’s scorching hot during the day and chillingly cold at night. The crew members on deck retreat back into the cabin, with little to do during the voyage. Except for Cao Zheng and his team who remain steadfast at their posts, everyone else is simply passing the time.
Song Jiu spent some time in the cockpit, where the crew had already changed shifts, and Cao Zheng had gone to rest. At that moment, it was the White-Clad Captain at the helm. The two had little in common to talk about, and Song Jiu could sense that this captain seemed to have a problem with him, his words often laced with barbs. However, Song Jiu didn’t mind; that day at the Stilt House, Surface had been at odds with Xiao Zhuang, indirectly insulting everyone else present. It was no surprise that the captain wouldn’t be friendly towards him.
Having no common ground wasn’t entirely disadvantageous; at least in this confined space, they didn’t have to force conversation. They both acted as if the other didn’t exist, busying themselves with their own thoughts, which was quite pleasant. The wind howled through the night, and there was no one on deck. Most of the crew were either in the Leisure Lounge or tucked away in their beds sleeping soundly. Song Jiu wasn’t tired and didn’t want to join a group in the bustling hall, so he ended up here, staring blankly at the captain.
On the day they set sail, Song Jiu had gotten drunk and woke up to find it was already noon the next day. He immediately faced the sweltering sea breeze; the crew felt stifled and chatty spirits were low. No one bothered to ask about Song Jiu’s condition, which suited him just fine as it spared him unnecessary explanations. Gradually, that strange feeling inside him faded away as he adapted and stopped being plagued by chaotic thoughts.
Song Jiu was quite satisfied with his current state; he felt it was a recovery of sorts. He had stepped out of his shadow and was returning to his former self.
Natalia had also changed over these past few days; she no longer clung to Song Jiu as before and began to venture out of the Sleeper Cabin to mingle with others. Despite the language barrier, she seemed to enjoy herself among them. Back when they were on the island, she would always hover around Song Jiu; if he wasn’t there, she would stay alone in the Stilt House. To put it bluntly, if Song Jiu hadn’t checked on her, she might have died without anyone noticing. Barbie Doll’s newfound sociability meant that Song Jiu lost another companion by his side. Previously, he found her overly clingy; now it was better—when he returned to the Sleeper Cabin at night, there was no one to warm his bed anymore. Upon inquiry, he learned that Blonde Woman had gone to sleep with Fang Fei and her group.
That night, Song Jiu lay alone in bed when an absurd thought crossed his mind: one-night stand concluded.
The chandelier by the porthole swayed gently, casting flickering shadows over Song Jiu and the captain with its dim yellow light.
Song Jiu flipped through Surveyor's Sea Chart and compared it with Ye Qingmei's drawing, discovering something odd. According to Little Leaf's Sea Chart markings, the Garrison should be located at Yongshu Reef; however, Surveyor's planned route was directed toward Taiping Island. Although both belonged to Spratly Islands, there was quite a distance between them—and why take such a detour?
During casual conversations earlier in the day, Sun Houqi seemed to have mentioned this too—indicating they would first go to Taiping Island for a rest before heading toward Yongshu Reef. At that time, Song Jiu thought it was just a matter of convenience; but looking at the Sea Chart now revealed otherwise—the yacht would have to make a significant detour around Yongshu Reef, wasting nearly half a day's time before reaching their final destination.
“Cough,” Song Jiu cleared his throat in confusion and asked, “Captain, are we heading to Taiping Island now?”
The captain paused in surprise; he hadn’t expected Song Jiu to speak up. Initially reluctant to respond but feeling it might come off as petty not to acknowledge him, he nodded gruffly and replied, “Yes.”
Song Jiu rolled his eyes at his back and patiently pressed on: “But isn’t your Garrison located at Yongshu Reef? Why not go directly there?”
The captain glanced back at him and shrugged without saying anything further.
Song Jiu despised this kind of half-hearted communication but realized that given their differing allegiances, he had no authority over him. Cursing under his breath silently, he picked up the Sea Chart and left the cockpit.
The lounge remained lively; soft music played in the background while groups of men and women gathered together—some playing poker while others chatted away on sofas—creating an atmosphere of peace and contentment. Just like before, Song Jiu felt invisible here; only Chef Jia and his sister occasionally looked up to greet him while everyone else seemed engrossed in their activities as if tomorrow were their last day alive—making sure they finished all their conversations today for fear they might never get another chance again. Scanning through the crowd, he noticed Wu Wentao was likely still asleep in the Sleeper Cabin.
“ Jiu Jiu.”
Song Jiu was just about to head to the Sleeper Cabin to find him when, sure enough, he heard Chef Jia's voice behind him.
With tears welling in his eyes, Song Jiu turned around and walked over, touched. “Sister Jia, you’re the only one who still sees me.”
Hearing this, Chef Jia chuckled and gave him a light pat. “What’s been going on with you lately? You’ve been wandering around alone, sneaking about.”
“Ah,” Song Jiu said with a wry smile. “It’s just that no one pays attention to me.”
“Come on now, Xiao Meng and Luo Yu have looked for you a few times, but you weren’t in the cabin. Where have you been?” Chef Jia poured him a glass of wine and asked, “What are you and Old Wu scheming? Can you tell me?”
“Nothing,” Song Jiu replied, puzzled. When did Xiao Meng and Luo Yu ever look for him? Wasn’t he always hanging out with Dai Wei and the others?
“If you can’t say anything, then forget it,” Chef Jia said with a playful glare. “We’re almost at our destination. If there’s anything going on, it’s best to let everyone know so we can be prepared.”
Song Jiu looked confused and murmured, “I understand, but really, there’s nothing at all.”
“Then where have you been at night these past few days?” Chef Jia asked, seeing him still playing dumb. “I went to the Sleeper Cabin looking for you too. If you were in the Sleeper Cabin, would Natalia really go over to Fang Fei and the others? Isn’t it just too lonely by yourself?”
Song Jiu fell silent. Wasn’t Natalia the one mingling with the Ladies? How was that his fault?
“Alright, alright, go on and do your thing. Just remember to give us a heads up if anything comes up.”
“Okay,” Song Jiu replied and left the hall with his wine glass in hand.
He knocked on Wu Wentao's Sleeper Cabin door. The latter appeared still half-asleep and paused when he saw Song Jiu standing at the entrance.
“Where have you been?” Wu Wentao opened the door and let him in before turning back to sit by the bed.
"Well, it was up there," Song Jiu said, taking a sip of the crimson wine. He found it strange that everyone kept asking him the same question. "The yacht is this big; where else could I go?"
Wu Wentao paused for a moment, his expression hesitant. He shifted his gaze and asked, "Did you need something from me?"
"I did." Song Jiu recalled the main topic and set aside his scattered doubts. "Didn't we say that The Establishment's Garrison was at Yongshu Reef? Why are we going to Taiping Island first?"
Wu Wentao raised an eyebrow, his expression stiffening for a moment. He leaned closer to Song Jiu, snatched the wine glass from his hand, and said irritably, "If you've had too much to drink, go to sleep."
Wu Wentao wasn't joking. He downed the rest of the wine in one go, stood up, and opened the cabin door with an annoyed look. "I'm on duty for the second half of the night. You need to get some rest; we're landing on the island tomorrow. Get your act together."
Song Jiu sat there in a daze, suddenly wanting to slap him across the face. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Are you still half-asleep or just talking nonsense?"
"Hmm?" Wu Wentao frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I asked you a question, and you didn't hear me? What do you mean by saying I drank too much?" Song Jiu slammed the Sea Chart onto the table and cursed, "Are you blind? Taiping Island and Yongshu Reef are worlds apart! Aren't you even a little curious?"
At the door, Wu Wentao sighed and reluctantly closed the cabin door as he walked back in. He stared seriously at Song Jiu and replied, "I am curious."
"So that's why I'm here to discuss with you what you meant by that," Song Jiu said, feeling a bit anxious. Natalia was already disregarding herself; now even you, Wu Wentao, are getting annoyed with me?
"It's nothing much. You want to know why we're going to Taiping Island first, right?" Wu Wentao rubbed his face, pulled out a cigarette, lit it up, and took a deep drag before continuing. "It's because Yongshu Reef isn't the only Garrison for The Establishment. Over the past few years, they have spread to nearby islands, and Taiping Island is part of Sun Houqi's faction's Garrison—it's also where your two friends are located."
"Ah," Song Jiu felt his rising anger dissipate as his expression changed slightly. He murmured, "You knew all along."
"Yes, I did." Wu Wentao nodded and offered him a cigarette as well. "The reason we're going to Taiping Island first before heading to Yongshu Reef is that Yongshu Reef is the headquarters of the Garrison. We need to report to Taiping Island first for preliminary discussions before we can go to Yongshu Reef."
Song Jiu opened his mouth but couldn't find any words for a while. He sensed something was off but couldn't pinpoint why. He asked curiously, "Why didn't you tell me after asking them?"
Wu Wentao took a deep breath, staring into Song Jiu's eyes for a long time before softly saying, "I'm tired. I wanted to tell you tomorrow. Now that you know, go back and rest."
"Alright," Song Jiu pouted, took two quick puffs of his cigarette, and stood up to head for the door. He paused just before exiting, hesitated for a moment, then turned back and said, "Old Wu, is it just my imagination, or have the people on the ship been acting a bit strange these past couple of days?"
"Don't worry, I've been keeping an eye on things. It's nothing," Wu Wentao replied as he stood up and walked slowly toward Song Jiu, smiling as he playfully punched him in the arm. "Go rest and recharge."
After Song Jiu left, Wu Wentao did not go back to sleep. Instead, he sat at the table, smoking one cigarette after another. He glanced at his watch; the hour hand had just pointed to the number three. Outside the cabin door, he could faintly hear a piano piece playing in the lounge. Furrowing his brow, Wu Wentao gazed out at the sea surface through the porthole. After a long moment of contemplation, it seemed he had made some sort of decision. He quickly dressed and strode toward the leisure lounge.
Most people were present; there were no set schedules on the ship. With little to do during the voyage, everyone was in high spirits and reluctant to linger in their sleeper cabins.
"Old Wu!" Chef Jia waved at him from a distance and walked over with a smile. " Jiu Jiu woke you up."
"Yeah," Wu Wentao nodded, squinting around before quietly saying, "Tell Song Yao and Luo Yu to come see me."
Chef Jia's expression shifted slightly as he raised an eyebrow and whispered, "You plan to take action?"
"What?" Wu Wentao asked, taken aback.
Chef Jia blinked in confusion and said, "Aren't you conspiring with Jiu Jiu? I was just talking to Jiu Jiu earlier; you two should probably give everyone a heads-up so they aren't caught off guard."
Wu Wentao was speechless for a moment before pondering deeply. "Alright, have them come quickly. I have something to discuss; don't alert anyone else."
"Understood," Chef Jia nodded with an understanding smile.
In the sleeper cabin, Song Yao and Luo Yu sat at the table, looking perplexed at Wu Wentao who was lost in thought while smoking.
"What’s going on?" Song Yao asked with a slight frown. "Sister Jia said you were looking for us."
"Yes," Wu Wentao nodded, seemingly gathering his thoughts. His expression was unusually serious, making both women feel somewhat anxious.
Luo Yu wanted to speak up but was afraid of disrupting his train of thought. She glanced at Song Yao, who also wore a puzzled expression.
After a long silence, Wu Wentao extinguished his cigarette and frowned at the two women. "After we land on the island, keep an eye on Song Jiu."
"What do you mean?" Luo Yu and Song Yao exchanged glances, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"
Wu Wentao remained silent, seemingly still contemplating something.
Song Yao, feeling a bit displeased, furrowed her brow and said, "Wu Wentao, I don't understand what you're getting at. You'd better clarify."
Luo Yu didn't speak, but her expression had changed; her thin lips pressed together, and her gaze held a hint of coldness.
"You've misunderstood," Wu Wentao said, lowering his head and pulling out another cigarette to play with between his fingers. He spoke softly, "Song Jiu came to find me just now. He asked me why we were going to Taiping Island first before heading to Yongshu Reef."
Song Yao and Luo Yu were taken aback by his words, increasingly confused by what Wu Wentao had said. They wondered aloud, "What do you mean? Didn't we already discuss this? Does Jiu Jiu have other ideas?"
"That's right; this matter has already been discussed," Wu Wentao's expression grew strange as well. Tilting his head, he changed his tone and spoke each word deliberately. "We talked about it that day at Stilt House."
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