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墨書 Inktalez
Dai Wei's predictions ultimately came true.
Before evening arrived, the sky had already changed color. The bright blue of the day seemed to be shrouded in a layer of shadow, the hues gradually darkening, exuding a sense of gloom from within.
Song Jiu stood at the bow of the boat, clearly experiencing some of the signs Dai Wei had mentioned, such as the wind. Earlier that morning, he could still feel a gentle sea breeze when he extended his hand over the railing. Now, however, the air felt completely still, and the temperature was increasingly stifling, hinting at something unusual.
The crew had taken their positions. Jin Bo led a group down to the lower deck to monitor the boat's generator, while the rest gathered in the main cabin. The limited supply of life jackets was distributed; those that needed inflating were inflated, and those that needed to be worn were donned without any carelessness. For four whole hours, Cao Zheng was fully committed, treating the luxury yacht meant for leisure as if it were a racing boat, pushing it to its maximum speed while taking advantage of the calm conditions to race against time.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t outrun it.
Song Jiu glanced at his watch; it had just passed six o'clock. If they were on land, it would still be bright at this hour, with darkness only beginning to fall around eight. But now, the sky was shrouded in deep gloom, thick clouds continuing to pile up as if something ominous was brewing above, waiting for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow to this tiny vessel on the sea surface.
"Look over there," Qianqian said as she stepped out of the smoky cockpit and moved to stand beside Song Jiu. She pointed toward the northwestern sky and asked, "Do you see that cloud?"
Song Jiu followed her gaze but didn’t quite understand what Qianqian meant. He knew she could analyze some clues from the cloud formations, but he couldn’t find anything unusual; all he saw were lead-colored clouds.
"That long one—doesn't it look like a tail?" Qianqian tucked her hair behind her ear and patiently explained. "We call that a dragon tail cloud."
"Does it have any special meaning?" Song Jiu squinted for a long time, trying to visualize what she referred to as a dragon tail. Finally spotting a similar cloud formation amidst the thick overcast sky, he wondered aloud, "Is it a good omen or something?"
"Quite the opposite," Qianqian replied with a bitter smile and a soft sigh. "It means extremely unstable weather; thunderstorms and strong winds could happen at any moment."
No sooner had she spoken than a deep rumble of thunder echoed ominously.
Song Jiu was left speechless, staring blankly up at the still dark sky where there was no lightning and no way to tell which direction the thunder came from.
"Talk about being a harbinger," Qianqian muttered self-deprecatingly as she gripped the railing tightly with both hands and murmured, "It's coming soon; we should head back inside."
"What about you guys?" Song Jiu turned back to glance at the cockpit located on the middle deck. The cabin was below them; theoretically speaking, as long as the boat didn’t sink and its hull remained intact, their safety was somewhat assured. However, since the cockpit was above deck, it would be one of the most dangerous places if large waves struck—second only to the bow deck itself.
"We will do our best to get everyone safely through the storm." Qianqian smiled calmly, her demeanor exuding a serene Little Woman quality. Despite her petite frame that seemed fragile, her simple words brought an immense sense of security to Song Jiu.
"You all need to be careful. No matter what happens, we face it together," Song Jiu said, aware that he couldn't be of much help. The power of words felt weak, but it was all he could do at the moment.
Luxury yachts are supposed to be equipped with lifeboats, but this one had none. They hadn't anticipated a storm when they set off; their excitement about the new yacht led them to overlook many details. However, even if there had been lifeboats, they would have been useless against the strong winds and waves. The yacht itself might not survive, and a small dinghy could easily be smashed to pieces by a single wave.
On the deck, ropes crisscrossed everywhere, and everything that needed securing was tied down tightly. The Porthole of the cockpit was open, thick smoke wafting out from inside. Cao Zheng stood straight, his expression serious and his lips slightly pale.
"What’s wrong?" Cao Zheng asked as he steadied the helm, noticing Dai Wei's low sigh beside him.
"Forget about islands; I can't even see a single rock," Dai Wei grumbled as he put down the binoculars. He pulled out a bottle of liquor marked with foreign labels from the storage cabinet, twisted off the cap only to put it back on again, and casually placed it in the cluttered compartment next to the control panel.
Cao Zheng glanced at him and licked his lips with a bitter smile. "You’ve even brought out the strong drink."
Dai Wei grinned and joked, "Just offering a toast to the Dragon King."
"Be careful; the Dragon King might not take kindly to your foreign liquor. I was just venting a little frustration, and now you’ve gone and annoyed him," Cao Zheng replied with a laugh, and for a moment, the heavy atmosphere lightened between the two men.
"By the way," Dai Wei suddenly remembered something and moved over to the other side of the cabin door. He opened a metal box fixed to the wall.
Cao Zheng turned back to look at him and shrugged in confusion. "Is that really necessary?"
"Better safe than sorry," Dai Wei replied without paying him any mind. He reached in to plug in the radio signal line, picked up the transmitter, and made a couple of test sounds. Recalling maritime safety regulations, he adjusted the frequency knob while mumbling, "Hope is something we need; what if it actually works out?"
Song Jiu returned to the cabin after a while. He intended to relax and take a nap but felt an inexplicable restlessness coursing through him, making it hard for him to sit still. Outside the Porthole, there was no sign of rain yet; despite only having an overcast sky above, it created an even greater psychological pressure. This scene easily reminded him of two sayings: "the calm before the storm" or "the mountain rain is about to come." In any case, none of them were reassuring thoughts; the more he thought about it, the more anxious he became.
"It can't be," Song Jiu muttered to himself. His broken finger had nearly healed; new flesh had grown over the wound—pink and tender—contrasting sharply with his rough hands. It looked bare without any texture except for a small bump at the joint that seemed odd. Pressing his fingertip against where it had broken, he felt a faint pain and could almost touch the bone through his skin; it felt strange.
After fiddling with his injury for a while, Song Jiu chuckled softly to himself as he sat on his Bed Rest. It is said that people act strangely when in extreme panic; staring blankly at his broken finger made him realize just how afraid he was of death. He thought he had forged an iron heart through hardship but found that when faced with an uncontrollable crisis, his hidden cowardice still revealed itself.
There was a soft knock outside the cabin door. Song Jiu got up to open it, revealing Luo Yu standing there, holding an orange life jacket. A hint of worry flickered in her eyes as she softly asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Song Jiu replied, taking a deep breath and putting on a nonchalant facade. He shrugged and added, "What about you all?"
"Just like you," Luo Yu shot him a glance, knowing he was putting on a brave face despite his pale complexion.
"Come in," Song Jiu said awkwardly, opening the door wider for Luo Yu to enter the Sleeper Cabin. He turned back towards the Porthole, gazing at the increasingly darkening clouds, and asked, "Where's Old Wu?"
"Outside smoking," Luo Yu said as she sat down on the soft bed, placing the life jacket on the round table. Neither of them spoke; their eyes were drawn to the clouds beyond, their breathing synchronized in an unspoken understanding.
After a long while, Song Jiu exhaled a heavy breath and said solemnly, "It will be okay."
"Yeah," Luo Yu nodded in agreement.
The first to notice something amiss was Dai Wei.
A sudden crackle of static filled the ship's lounge as the intercom buzzed with an unstable signal. Dai Wei's slightly tense voice came through.
"The wind is picking up. Do not go on deck, do not leave your cabin. Find somewhere to stabilize yourself and stay away from fragile items."
The crew exchanged glances; there was no need for further questions—the storm they had anticipated was finally here.
Song Jiu and Luo Yu walked into the lounge together, scanning the room filled with pale faces. With a forced smile, he reassured everyone, "Don't panic; stay steady."
Before he could finish speaking, the ship suddenly lurched violently. Crew members who were sitting or standing stumbled in unison, gasping as they struggled to regain their balance. Dai Wei's warning echoed in their minds; there was no need for further reminders as those who had been sitting quickly got up and dispersed, each searching for something to hold onto. Their eyes darted between Song Jiu and Wu Wentao, exchanging silent glances filled with uncertainty and bitter smiles.
Thud.
A muffled sound reverberated through the ship as it rocked again, tilting slightly. The bow rose higher, causing a potted plant next to the central staircase to tremble before slowly sliding down the slanted deck. Yuan An reacted quickly; while stabilizing himself, he pushed Dr. Zhong aside just in time. The pot grazed Dr. Zhong's scalp as it fell, crashing heavily against the empty fish tank by the wall with a loud crash, shattering into countless pieces that scattered across the floor.
Until this moment, everyone gradually began to awaken to the reality of the situation. Before the storm, most were still contemplating how to respond, but now that the wind had picked up and the appetizer was so unusual, all their thoughts on strategies had undoubtedly turned into empty talk.
"Once again, I warn you, steady yourselves, stay away from fragile items, and do not go on deck!"
The announcement rang out again, Dai Wei's voice much louder this time. One could faintly hear the sound of crashing waves outside; this was no longer a warning—the storm had truly arrived.
The cabin was unexpectedly silent. There were no screams or shouts as anticipated; everyone seemed stunned, as if they were suppressing emotions about to erupt. Men and women, newcomers and veterans alike struggled to maintain their balance. No one spoke, as if opening their mouths would release the hard-won strength they had managed to hold onto.
Wu Wentao swayed unsteadily to his feet, bracing himself against the wall as he navigated around the displaced leather sofa. He grasped the handrail of the central staircase and turned back to say, "Everyone back to the cabin."
Nods of agreement followed. Initially, they thought that being together would provide some comfort, but it was clear now that it was useless; having more people didn’t help at all. They could only stare at each other in wide-eyed confusion as they watched one another tumble like rolling gourds. The ship rocked violently, and the sound of waves crashing against it grew louder; just moments ago, a tilt had turned the entire hall into chaos.
"Everyone back to the cabin, stick together!" Song Jiu shouted. Chef Jia was already pulling Huihui as they stumbled toward the stairs. Dr. Zhong and Yuan An supported Pockmarked Girl, following closely behind. The rest of them didn’t care who was who anymore; they grabbed whoever was nearest and moved awkwardly toward the stairs like walking on thin ice.
"What about Jin Bo and the others?" Song Yao asked, leaning against the bar for balance, worry etched on her face. "They're down below."
"You all go back first; I'll check on them," Song Jiu said halfway through his sentence when a heavy thud echoed in his ears. The ship lurched again, this time tilting headfirst with its stern rising sharply. Everyone was thrown to the ground in a heap of limbs and cries, rolling over just in time to avoid clinging desperately to the staircase.
Song Jiu, tumbling and scrambling back to his feet, leaned against the Scenic Wall. He kicked aside tables and chairs that had rolled down and helped separate the pile of people before escorting Chef Jia and others up first.
Song Yao and Luci lagged behind; all supplies for food and drink were stored in the hall, and the two girls seemed carefree enough to worry about that.
"Quickly go back; don’t worry about it for now!"
The sound of wind and waves grew louder, with heavy impacts becoming more frequent. Outside the cabin, it was impossible to know exactly what was happening; they could only judge by the sounds where things stood.
As the tilt lessened and the ship stabilized somewhat, people seized the opportunity to quicken their pace. The group scattered like quails taking flight; earlier tension dissipated amidst the chaos. No one considered survival anymore—returning to stabilize in the cabin became their top priority.
Song Jiu scanned around; Jiao Ziqian had already taken Ying Dou Dou away while others formed pairs or groups and rushed toward the stairs in a frantic yet orderly manner toward the cabin. Song Jiu quickly spotted Luo Yu in the crowd and hurried over to help her up. She was propping herself against the bar, glancing back at him without saying much as she focused on maintaining her balance while climbing up the stairs.
The advance team had already passed through the Sleeper Cabin corridor and pushed open the hatch to roll inside. The resting area near the deck was already filled with the fierce and swift sea breeze.
Song Jiu was the last to climb up, grabbing Luo Yu's hand and urging, "Follow me."
Luo Yu paused for a moment, not following Song Jiu's lead, and pulled his hand away from Song Jiu's grasp.
Song Jiu reached out but found only empty air. Turning around, he saw Luo Yu retreating down another corridor.
"I'm with Xiao Meng, don't worry. You hurry to the aft cabin; Natalia is alone," Luo Yu spoke rapidly before turning and running off, helping the swaying Yang Xiaomeng, who appeared drunk, and kicking open a Sleeper Cabin to slip inside.
Song Jiu stood frozen for a while, staring blankly at the lingering warmth in his palm, feeling a sense of loss wash over him.
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