MASG chapter 34

 

Silver Fang was still standing in the middle of the circular hall on the first floor.

In front of him, two ship crew members complained to him.

“We just found out the ship can’t dock. It seems we can’t get past it. Everything else is normal, though. The crew rooms are all filled up, and we’re continuing to work.”

“The seas are rough, and we’re constantly seasick. When will this situation end? When can we leave?”

Despite Yan Xia’s roaring voice in his headset, Silver Fang remained nonchalant. He said, “Okay, we’ll repair the Tide as soon as possible. Everyone, please gather in the central dining room for a headcount.”

The two crew members’ eyes revealed a deep sense of confusion, but they turned and headed for the central dining room. As they turned their heads, Silver Fang could see the corruption in their ears. As soon as their figures disappeared, Silver Fang pressed the intercom. “Tell me again, what exactly happened?”

“Time loop: four minutes and twenty-seven seconds.” Yan Xia activated her timer. “Xia Yu and his brother discovered it. I trust them. Team code: ‘Heavenly King Covering Earth Tiger[mfn]“天王蓋地虎” literally translates to “The Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger.” This phrase comes from a classic Chinese folk riddle or chant, often used in playful exchanges or secret codes. In modern often used in games, stories, or team situations as a fun secret code or signal.[/mfn].'”

“Team code: “You are the real tiger.” Although Silver Fang didn’t feel uncomfortable, he firmly believed that Yan Xia wouldn’t joke about such a serious matter. Besides, this was their old team code, known only to them. According to the plan, he was supposed to go to the Central Restaurant and take notes for the assembled personnel. However, now he couldn’t waste a single second.

“Team A, report the situation,” Silver Fang said immediately.

“Captain, there are 33 crew members gathered in the central dining room. According to the disembarkation list, there are 48 people on board. The captain and first officer are missing. We just asked a few people, and they said the captain might be in the library,” Team A reported.

“Find the missing captain and first officer. Time is repeating, and we only have a few minutes. Everyone, listen up! If we don’t break the cycle, we’ll be stuck on the Tide forever.” Sweat dripped from Silver Fang’s temples. The situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

Time was too short. No one could formulate an action plan in time, and even if they did, it would be rendered obsolete immediately. He immediately contacted Yan Xia again. “What did Xia Yu and the others say?”

Yan Xia had just climbed onto the shelf when she felt something shake beneath her feet. “There are huge claw marks on the shelf. They don’t look human.”

“Then this corrupted center isn’t just about electronics. There’s also a monster or parasite host. This is a complex area.” Silver Fang strode toward the cockpit and searched through the logbook. “We must find a way to transmit information.

“I can transmit the time loop information. How about you?” Yan Xia jumped off the shelf. She also noticed that the water level in the cargo hold had increased.

Xia Yu stood in the water, watching her busy about. He wanted to help, but he couldn’t. He could only hold on to Mo An. The water was now above their thighs and rising with each cycle.

It wasn’t just the water in the cargo hold rising; the entire ship was sinking. In a few more cycles, level B2 would be completely underwater. If they couldn’t escape this cycle, then by the final one, he, Mo An, Xi Ban, and Yan Xia would all drown.

Mo An wasn’t afraid, but the rest of them would drown. They would all sink to the bottom with the Tide and become a permanent part of the cargo ship.

Yan Xia continued to communicate with Silver Fang as the seconds ticked by. The water outside the window seemed to tempt them not to come ashore. Suddenly, Mo An pinched Xia Yu’s finger and said, “It’s time.”

The time had come, and darkness enveloped Yan Xia and Xi Ban once more, causing them to disappear.

Xia Yu pulled Mo An to his side and stared at the water for a moment.

“The water is rising, but don’t be afraid.” Sensing Xia Yu’s uneasiness, Mo An said, “If the cabin floods, I’ll break the window and get you out.”

“No, we’re in a corrupted area now. If the ship won’t let us go, we can’t leave. Even if we break the window, we might never reach the surface. There are now two paths before us. Listen carefully.” Xia Yu had already begun to prepare for both scenarios. “If Silver Fang and Yan Xia can… If we can resolve this cycle and escape safely, we must remember to find the special medicine.”

Mo An frowned unhappily. “I don’t want to hear about the other option.

“If we can’t get out, you won’t drown. You must find a way to leave and not stay on this ship forever.” Xia Yu smiled and touched his face. Even if his life was already in the countdown, he didn’t want to be so sad.

The separation of life and death is heavy enough, as Xia Yu will never forget the last sight of Professor Wang Qin. He hopes that when Mo An grows up and becomes a majestic siren, he will remember his smile.

“I don’t like hearing you say that. Stop it, or I’ll get mad.” Mo An was genuinely furious. “You can’t leave me. If you say that again, I’ll hit you on the head with my tail.”

“If I can survive, I definitely won’t leave you,” Xia Yu whispered, holding back the rest of his words. But survival was truly difficult.

“You must live. I won’t let you die.” Mo An angrily slapped the back of his hand.

“Ouch.” It didn’t hurt, but Xia Yu was startled nonetheless. The slap brought him back to reality. Things hadn’t gotten to the worst yet, and he couldn’t say such disastrous words. Professor Wang Qin hadn’t lost her fighting spirit until the very end; she was still holding onto hope.

“Okay, I take it back. Let’s think of a solution.” Xia Yu slurped through the water. “We need to get them moving and find the person responsible for the electronic corruption. The key is…”

“Shorten the time,” Mo An replied. He gripped Xia Yu’s hand and examined it closely, regretting his earlier pressure.

“Yes, shorten the time. They need to communicate clearly with each other. The shorter the time, the better. That way, there’s more time to act. Let’s not sit around looking for injections nearby.” Xia Yu dragged Mo An through the water, struggling to move. The water’s resistance grew stronger. “We haven’t checked the shelves here yet. Let’s look first.”

When you’re at a loss, you have to find something to do. Don’t let this trip be in vain. Mo An thought so too; this was their mission.

However, the shelves were no longer easy to climb. Mo An was extremely cautious as he climbed. Moss and seaweed-like plants were growing on the metal shelves. Xia Yu stood below, waiting to catch Mo An, but his mind was racing.

Why did electronic corruption occur?

The crew members’ ears were rotting. Was it because something had been installed in them?

Xia Yu had a feeling he had seen something related in a book before, but he couldn’t remember what. He had flipped through all the books in the research institute and seemed to have come across something about seafarers.

What was it? What was it? Xia Yu was trying to think quickly when Mo An suddenly dropped something.

“Oh my god! There’s a book here!” Mo An exclaimed.

“A book? Why is there a book here?” Xia Yu quickly picked it up and opened it. “It’s not a book. It looks more like someone’s journal. A logbook?”

The book was large and unlike any ordinary notebook. Its hardcover revealed its identity as a logbook. Eagerly, Xia Yu flipped through it, but the first page disappointed him. The entry was written in pen.

After being submerged in the sea for so long, the handwriting had become illegible.

Mo An jumped down too, splashing into the water over half a meter deep. Xia Yu held Mo An with one hand to prevent him from running away while carefully reading the logbook with the other. Mo An didn’t run away. Instead, he approached Xia Yu and helped him turn the pages. “Can you see clearly? What’s on it?”

Human characters were still too difficult for Mo An. No wonder Talos called him an illiterate fish.

“Some of it’s a little unclear. I’ll try. Maybe this is the key to solving it. Xia Yu hoped so. With Mo An’s help, he turned the pages. “Stop.”

Mo An stopped. Words appeared on the paper.

Xia Yu read aloud, “It’s so beautiful… It’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. It’s what I’ve always thought and wished for.”

“What?” Mo An didn’t understand.

“On the first day, a little water and no food. It just sat there quietly, and that was enough. My mind was completely occupied by it, and I had no other thoughts.” Xia Yu continued. “On the second day, a little water and still no food. I believe we can communicate. I believe there is a flow of emotion between us. This is real.”

Mo An didn’t say anything else; he just listened quietly to Xia Yu.

“On the third day, it…” Xia Yu paused. The words that followed were unclear, so he skipped them. “On the fifth day, it refused to drink or eat. I saw the decline of its glory and radiant destruction in its eyes, and its singing sounded like nature.”

“Singing?” Mo An raised his head.

“On the sixth day, it was like a gust of wind. I want it to stay with me forever.” Xia Yu paused at this point, unable to make out the long message written in the margins. He closed the logbook and asked, “What does all this mean?”

Mo An shook his head and pointed ahead. “They’re coming!”

Yan Xia and Xi Ban reappeared, and the loop started again. Mo An rushed over and said, “You told me your last name was Huo, but it’s not. Time is repeating itself. The last time you spoke to Silver Fang, you gave me a code!”

Yan Xia and Xi Ban paused, their expressions stiffening.

“Contact Silver Fang quickly! We only have four minutes and twenty-seven seconds!” Xia Yu said.

Yan Xia was still gasping for breath, but Mo An’s words were undeniable. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to tell him all this. She contacted Silver Fang without delay. “Something’s wrong! Time’s looping! There are only four minutes and twenty-seven seconds left! The Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger!”

“What’s going on? Who told you?” Silver Fang asked the two crew members in front of him.

“Mo An. I trust him. He revealed my secret code.” Yan Xia’s anger vanished. “We have to find a solution!”

Silver Fang was also shocked. The two crew members before him were anxiously nagging him. Initially, he tried to brush them off with a few words, but after successfully persuading them to return the favor, he revealed his true feelings in a conversation with Yan Xia. “This is the first time I’ve ever encountered this kind of situation. I’m contacting Team A now. How are things going over there?”

This time, Yan Xia simply switched on the intercom. “Not very good. No information at all. I can feel the sea level rising significantly. Mo An and Xia Yu aren’t affected, but they can’t get out either.”

“Turn on the public broadcast and stay in touch. Have them pass on information.” Silver Fang’s thoughts echoed Yan Xia’s. The key to their escape lay with those two children. “Change the plan now. Wait for my order.”

“Okay.” Yan Xia had barely finished speaking when Xi Ban measured the rising sea level.

“Not good! It’s already above Xia Yu’s chest, and it’s increasing faster.” Xi Ban quickly grabbed Mo An. “Don’t be afraid. I can swim.”

“Don’t underestimate me, man.” Mo An wasn’t afraid.

“Oh, yes, I almost forgot! Everyone on this mission can swim.” Xi Long turned to Xia Yu and asked, “What about you?”

Xia Yu nodded. “I can swim, too, but… the water seems alive.”

The water, which had been rising slowly, was now rising faster, as if it would fill the cargo hold in minutes. Yan Xia pushed over the cargo rack while talking to Silver Fang. “Is Team A confirmed? Are the captain and the second-in-command missing? So many people have disappeared from this cargo ship?”

“It’s confirmed. I was planning to go to the mess hall, but now I’m heading to the captain’s cabin. There might be a logbook there that can help me figure out what happened on the ship,” said Silver Fang.

“There’s no need to go to the captain’s cabin. I found the logbook. It’s here!” Xia Yu quickly handed over the notebook.

The water had risen to his neck, forcing him to tilt his head back. Yan Xia took the notebook, flipped through a few pages, and said to Silver Fang, “Don’t go to the captain’s cabin. The logbook is with me!”

“How did it get into your hands?” Silver Fang asked, bewildered.

“I don’t know. Anyway, don’t go to the captain’s cabin. Look somewhere else. I’m starting to suspect that this ship has a consciousness of its own and wants us all buried with it! It’s not just the crew parts that are malfunctioning; the ship’s parts have developed their own consciousness, too!” Yan Xia finally found a suitable shelf. “Where are you going now?”

“First, to the kitchen, then to the central cafeteria.” Silver Fang had already pushed open the kitchen door.

The kitchen is usually one of the messiest places on a ship, but the Tide’s kitchen was the cleanest place Silver Tooth had ever seen!

There was a silver-colored freezer, a spotless stove, and a work area devoid of even a cutting board or a set of knives. White chef’s uniforms hung on the wall, seemingly normal at first glance yet eerie.

“Did you see anything?” Yan Xia turned on her flashlight and began flipping through the logbook. “Is the captain crazy? He seems obsessed with something and keeps wanting to feed it. Are they secretly breeding dangerous creatures?”

“There must be something else on this ship. The information Nuwa gave us isn’t enough! The Tide is definitely not an ordinary cargo ship!” Silver Fang quickly opened the refrigerator and cabinets, examining every possible spot. Ten seconds later, he was about to give up. “Okay, listen to me, Yan Xia. As much as I despise you…”

“Are you wasting your precious time scolding me?” Yan Xia finished reading the logbook.

“But now, I choose to trust you, little brat. Tell those two kids to let me go straight to the kitchen the next time we go through the cycle. Something’s wrong here! Where is the first page of the logbook?” Silver Fang asked.

Yan Xia quickly replied, “Seven months ago!”

“Seven months. The Tide was at sea for seven months total. Why is the kitchen so clean? I need to find the cargo manifest. What parts did the crew install? They…”

Silver Fang’s words trailed off. Yan Xia and Xi Ban vanished again in front of Mo An and Xia Yu. The logbook fell from the air into the water. By then, the water had already surpassed Mo An’s height.

Fortunately, Yan Xia knocked over a shelf, and they climbed up it to the top level. The sea was at their feet, ready to swallow them alive.

“They’ve disappeared again. Hopefully, they can return before the sea overwhelms us,” said Xia Yu, maintaining a false calm. His lips trembled and turned pale. Mo An’s legs weren’t as nimble, so he grabbed him by the ribs and pulled him up.

Mo An stared at the water below, unsure if he was afraid or simply confused.

“What else can we do now?” Xia Yu asked.

The logbook had floated unnoticed to their feet. Mo An bent down and picked it up; the writing was now completely soaked. He hadn’t felt any danger before, but now his uneasiness was gradually rising. After all, Xia Yu couldn’t breathe underwater.

If the worst happened, he would find a way to get Xia Yu out of here.

Let’s go. As for Yan Xia and Xi Ban… I wish them good luck.

When the two were at a loss, the bracelet lit up.

Jingwei: [Where are you? It’s so hard to contact you. Xia Yu, can you hear me?]

Xia Yu seemed to see a glimmer of hope. “Jingwei! Save us! We’re on the Tide. The Tide is going to drown us!”

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