Global Film Emperor

Chapter 457 Exile (Part 1)
"Hey, it's me, Leo."

The sound of pages turning filled the air, and the screen gradually came into color. As dusk fell, the phone on the shoe cabinet in the entryway was answered. A hand picked up the receiver, and golden sunlight cast soft spots of light on the magazine. Outside, children ran wildly in the yard. Although their laughter was muffled by the closed doors and windows, Leo could still hear their lively voices.

"Leo, I'd like to have a detailed talk with you about a new job."

Leo's face wasn't shown directly on camera. Instead, a close-up of Tina's face was given as she came out of the kitchen carrying a turkey. The smile on her face gradually disappeared, and her emotions were somewhat mixed. The camera then moved to Tina's perspective, looking at Leo who was standing at the door making a phone call.

He seemed to notice someone behind him, turned his head, half of his face was hidden from the sun and in shadow, and saw that she was holding a baking tray in both hands, so he took two steps forward and opened the door.

In an instant, the children's laughter, the adults' chatter, and the soothing country music, accompanied by a gentle breeze, blew into the room. The books on the shoe cabinet were blown about, their pages flipping quickly and making a rustling sound, until Leo pressed them down again and casually placed a bunch of keys on top of the books.

His fiancée was watching him, which was giving Leo a headache. He rubbed his forehead with his index and middle fingers, and seeing that Tina still hadn't come out of the door, he unconsciously softened the tone of his voice on the other end of the phone.

"Please, Paul, I've only been a father for a short time. My daughter's first birthday is on the 14th of next month, and then I have to plan my wedding with Tina. I'm sorry, I really don't have time."

“I know, and I’m sorry, but we really need your help. I promise you, the work will last a month, and regardless of whether the mission is completed or not, we will return by then. I guarantee we’ll make it in time by the 14th of next month. I’ll also be attending Kara’s birthday party then, OK?”

“You’re putting me in a difficult position; my family needs me right now.”

"Yes, I'm sorry, but they are National Geographic and are willing to pay us 20,000 yuan a week. How about you come back with 80,000 yuan next month and buy Tina a big diamond ring?"

A diamond ring...

He removed the key from the magazine, gently turned the pages, and saw a pair of brown-eyed eyes staring intently at the pages. He turned his head away again, but Tina was still standing there. After their eyes met, Leo looked away again.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"That northern blue whale."

"You are joking?"

Just last week, a fishing boat spotted a massive blue whale near the Gulf of Mexico in the North Atlantic. Based on the video footage, the whale is estimated to be over 32 meters long.

The northern blue whale, as one of the subspecies of blue whale, is slightly smaller than other subspecies. Adult male northern blue whales are about 25 meters long, while adult female northern blue whales are about 23 meters long. Of course, as they age, their size will continue to increase, and a length of 27 to 30 meters is considered reasonable.

The monster in the video is conservatively estimated to be over 32 meters long. Heaven knows how old it is or how much it has eaten. If it is found and measured to confirm its length, then this North Atlantic blue whale will be the largest North Atlantic blue whale subspecies discovered by humans to date.

The video caused a sensation in the industry as soon as it was released. At first, some people questioned the authenticity of the video, but after testing, the video was indeed not faked. As a relatively unknown marine scientist, he had naturally heard about it.

Furthermore, if its size exceeds 33 meters, it will break the known maximum growth limit of blue whales. For such a creature of scientific research value, scholars will naturally organize teams to search for and explore it.

This is not surprising. What puzzled him was that National Geographic actually wanted to drag that guy out of the Atlantic Ocean in a month, which seemed unrealistic.

"It's not that we want to find it in a month, but rather that it only gives us about a month to discover it. Currently, it is with a group of animals, and its activity range is relatively fixed. It hasn't strayed out of our observation range. But the bad news is that the weather station predicts that a cold air mass will reach the North Atlantic next month, and the temperature may drop to below ten degrees Celsius. You know they don't like the cold. If it really goes out of its range by then, it will be even more difficult for us to find it."

"But it is still very difficult."

“That’s what they should be thinking about. If they find it, they have to pay us a bonus. If they don’t find it, they still have to pay me my salary, every month, at least 80,000 yuan.”

As a father and a man about to marry his fiancée, he was indeed in a bit of a financial bind, so he was tempted by the generous offer and gradually began to have ideas, even though he was very reluctant to associate with the professional team working for National Geographic.

Those people have plenty of funds, a professional team, and many top talents, which are all advantages. However, they are not friendly to temporary workers like Leo, and they have a condescending sense of superiority.

They hire scholars like Leo, who nitpick, simply to assist those big shots, to let them brainstorm, and incidentally, to act as professional clowns while the big shots are recording documentaries, throwing out various opinions that contradict the big shots' predictions, and then waiting to be proven wrong, thus increasing the entertainment value and fetching a good price from the TV station.

Of course, the premise is that your negative statement must be reasonable and professional. This is not just a simple act of showing off and being slapped in the face, but a very intense discussion in the eyes of outsiders.

Leo didn't want to be a clown, but for ordinary scholars like him who only taught at schools and didn't have a professional team to appreciate and recruit them, this was their way of survival.

Tina was still watching him from behind, making it difficult for him to agree to Paul's offer without discussing it with his fiancée.

"I'll think about it and give you an answer by tomorrow at the latest."

"Alright then, you'd better hurry up. We'll be setting off in four days."

"can."

This was a very rushed timeframe, of course, for Leo alone. The team must have already made thorough preparations, leaving him alone to passively accept this rule.

After hanging up the phone, the room fell silent. He looked at Tina with some trepidation, rubbing his hands together with his fingers interlaced. Gazing into her calm eyes, he pointed out the window.

"They must be getting impatient, let's go out."

"Leo".

"Ok?"

She looked calm, with no anger or sadness in her eyes, just quietly watching him, holding the plate of roasted turkey that was reddish and looked very appetizing.

"Can we not go this time? Lucy will be one year old soon, and she will soon be able to call you Dad. I don't want you to leave during this period, and I don't think you want that either."

"I know, but you have to believe me, baby. It's only for one month. I won't stay even a day longer than that."

Were you swayed by the salary they offered?

“I don’t deny it, after all, the family really needs money right now, and I think this wedding dress really suits you.”

He picked up the magazine, and on the page he turned to was a wedding dress that looked very expensive. The price tag below confirmed Tina's guess; yes, it was indeed very expensive.

“If it’s because of the wedding dress, I think you should stay. I don’t need such extravagant decorations. What I need is for Lucy’s dad to be with me and the child.”

The two didn't argue; they calmly analyzed what the job could offer. She was genuinely moved, but at this point in time, she also genuinely needed a sense of security.

Her words made Leo hesitate for a long time. Leaning against the shoe cabinet, he rolled the magazine into a cylinder and held it in his hand. He was lost in thought, his mind racing, weighing the pros and cons of the job. In the end, his meager savings could not resist the temptation of the high salary. Eighty thousand a month, he wanted to give it a try.

Finally, he spoke, and Tina received a result that disappointed her somewhat. Although she wouldn't get angry with Leo because he had set off before the child's birthday and wedding, it was all for the sake of the family.

"I will be back in a month, with that wedding dress. If Lucy can still speak, please give me a call."

……

With rapid montage editing, organizing tools, packing books, packing changes of clothes, and shouldering military green backpacks, the sound effects team was impressive. The sounds produced by the series of actions were very clean and crisp, achieving the most comfortable effect for all sounds without affecting the audience's perception.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of his family, he appeared wearing a green fisherman's hat, a multi-pocketed fisherman's vest over his vest, and well-fitting work pants and Doc Martens boots, making him look very well-proportioned.

He took off his sunglasses, hugged his family goodbye, and Tina didn't show any extreme emotions. In all the years she had been in a relationship with Leo, they had always been separated most of the time. Now that he was leaving again, it was only natural. All she could do was take good care of the children while Leo was at work and not let him worry.

Looking at the child in Tina's arms, he stretched out his index finger, which was grasped by the baby's tiny hand. Feeling the warmth of his child, he smiled slightly, showing that he was also reluctant to part with the baby. He gently kissed Tina.

"wait me back."

"be careful."

The brief exchange was enough; neither side wanted to make the short separation so sad, since they would meet again in a month.

Amidst his family's farewell, he placed his backpack in the back of the car. Paul sat in the driver's seat, chewing gum, not daring to get out to check on the child, as he wasn't sure if Tina would blame him.

With a final wave, everyone said goodbye. The Wrangler slowly started up, its wheels began to spin, and soon it disappeared from the Leo family's sight.

……

"Gentlemen, our journey is nearing its end. I am about to land. Good luck!"

The roar of the helicopter drowned out the pilot's shouts. In the downdraft, even with a hat strap over his chin, the hat could easily be blown off by the wind. However, compared to Paul's disheveled state, his appearance was still better; at least he had a hat, so his hair wouldn't stand on end.

Because of the time constraints, the National Geographic research vessel had already left the port yesterday and started searching for targets at a speed of ten knots per hour. As a result, Leo and his team had to rely on a helicopter to board the ship. With their bags on their backs and their right hands pressing down on their hats, they followed behind Paul. The two of them crouched down as they got off the helicopter, gave the pilot a thumbs up, and waited until they were completely out of the propeller's range before the wind picked up again and the helicopter prepared to return.

"The Field has a gross tonnage of about 3,000 tons, a displacement of 3,500 tons, a length of about 90 meters, a beam of 16 meters, and a draft of 5 meters. It is equipped with a large number of advanced equipment, such as scientific fish finders, multibeam sonar, shallow sea profilers, CTD temperature and salinity profilers, etc. It has a range of 15,000 nautical miles. It is a really powerful vessel."

Leo surveyed the ship, while Paul explained everything to him. It was clear that Paul was very satisfied with the ship; it was beautiful, equipped with high-end facilities, and the rooms were brand new and clean. Working on such a ship would undoubtedly be the most comfortable experience.

As the two were talking, a man dressed somewhat similarly to Leo came out. Upon seeing this, Paul quickly went to greet him. After shaking hands, Paul introduced Leo to the man, who was Evans, the team leader of this research project. He did not display the arrogance typical of National Geographic employees and his attitude was quite good. He invited the two into the cabin, took out a contract, and had them sign it. From that moment on, both parties had reached a cooperation agreement.

This was not something Leo was very familiar with, because although he had conducted many scientific expeditions, most of them involved leading students between bays and archipelagos. In his nearly twenty years of oceanography, he had only gone to the deep sea with major professional publications like National Geographic, and might even sail out of the shipping lanes into uninhabited waters. He did not have much experience with this.

This is also why National Geographic was willing to hire Rio.

Afterwards, Leo and his companion left their room and made friends with the captain, first mate, and other ship operators. However, they did not see any other members of the research team. Just as a sailor was about to lead them to their bedroom, they suddenly heard a loud shout as they passed the deck. The two of them immediately stopped.

"It's a whale!"

The photographer, carrying his equipment, ran frantically to the fence and quickly took pictures of the huge figure about to emerge from the water. Soon after, a group of members of the scientific expedition team appeared out of nowhere and gathered on the deck.

Whales surface to breathe every ten minutes or so. Of course, the breathing time varies slightly depending on the species of whale, but it is generally similar. So seeing whales breathing after going out to sea is not a rare sight. As oceanographers, we are not surprised to see this scene. It is only because the target this time is a whale that it is exciting.

However, when the whale had only revealed a small part of itself, everyone was already disappointed. It wasn't a blue whale, or even a blue whale, but rather a killer whale, the natural enemy of the blue whale.

It emerged from the deep blue seabed, spewing out a jet of water several meters high. The water droplets even hit Leo, and in the sunlight, they formed a perfect rainbow.

With a long, somewhat lonely cry, it leaped out of the sea, revealing its white belly, splashing up a wave that even made the boat rock slightly. At that moment, no one regretted that it wasn't the one they were looking for, because every time they saw a whale leaping, it was a beautiful sight worth treasuring in their memories. It was a treasure of nature, and to be able to see it was already extremely lucky. What more could they ask for?

Perhaps it was because at some point in time they witnessed this beautiful sight, felt a sense of awe, and were moved to the point that their dreams were changed. That is why some people are willing to endure loneliness, dare to face death, and have close contact with these slightly mysterious animals in the ocean, dedicating their lives to the ocean.

“I’ve seen whales breathe many times, but every time I’m still amazed.”

"Who says it's not?"

Paul handed Leo a piece of chewing gum, only half a piece, but Leo didn't mind and put it in his mouth to chew. The two leaned against the railing, watching the sea gradually return to calm, and were somewhat lost in thought for a moment.

Only the captain and crew continued working. Compared to the research team, they seemed to lack an eye for beauty. Perhaps it was because they had seen too many such sights and they were no longer surprised, or perhaps it was because years of drifting at sea had worn away their appreciation and love for fish.

Not far away, a camera was filming a white man who looked to be around fifty years old. He had long blond hair that fell over his shoulders, and he was very fit, but not overweight. His skin was tanned and red. He was holding a water glass, with his back to the sea, and talking to the camera.

"Is that Professor Ronnes?"

The two quickly recognized the newcomer as Giles Rorns, a professor of marine science at Oxford University, a leading figure in the field, who has been working in marine science for over thirty years and has published numerous papers that have caused a sensation in the industry. Even Leo had taken Professor Rorns's courses when he was in school.

The two did not rush forward to greet him. They stood still and listened quietly to Professor Ronse's evaluation of the orca that had just taken a breath. His voice was clear and was not disturbed by the sound of the waves breaking through the hull.

“What is a whale? I’m sorry, I can’t give you any explanation. Even though I can call it in English, Spanish, Latin, or even Chinese, you really can’t understand what kind of creature it is unless you’ve seen it with your own eyes.”

"As you have just seen, they are treasures of the deep sea, wonders of nature, with the largest bodies in the world and long enough lifespans. That is all I can explain to you. If you are really curious about whales, then you might as well come and see them with your own eyes."

After recording a few simple words, the camera paused filming. Professor Ronse took a sip of water, accompanied by a middle-aged man who appeared to be a member of the research team. The two walked towards Leo's direction.

Suddenly, Ronse spotted the two people standing by the fence. He raised his left eyebrow, whispered in the ear of one of the expedition members who they were, and after getting the answer, he walked over to Leo.

"Zhang, and Griffin too, right? Welcome."

Ron was the first to reach out. His hands were large and thick, with bright red palms that looked like they were coated with chili powder. When Leo held them, it felt like he was touching a hot iron; the heat was astonishing.

“Hello Professor Rawns, I attended your open lectures at Oxford, and the knowledge you taught still has a profound impact on my career.”

This wasn't just a compliment made to earn a living; it also stemmed from Leo's admiration for Ronne. As he said, Ronne's open class more than a decade ago truly inspired Leo and gave him the courage to fight the ocean.

"Really? Then we really are destined to meet."

He laughed heartily. The man, who was nearly sixty but looked less than fifty, patted Leo on the shoulder with a smile. However, the smile quickly disappeared, and his face became serious again. He looked directly into Leo's eyes and whispered in Leo's ear in a very soft voice.

"Then I hope you can surprise me. During this time, offer more professional insights. I look forward to debating with you. That's all. Good luck, Zhang, and Griffin too."

"I wish you a pleasant life, sir."

He left, no longer holding the water glass, but instead splashing half a glass of water directly into the sea. He didn't forget to vigorously shake off the remaining water droplets in the glass, nodded slightly to the two of them, and left with his research team members.

"He is giving us a chance."

"I know, but I think it's best if we don't show our faces. Let's go and see our room."

Being able to analyze a situation alongside Professor Rawns in a documentary is undoubtedly a prestigious opportunity for a relatively unknown scholar. However, this is a double-edged sword. If one's analysis is flawed and lacks professional rigor, it will inevitably attract criticism from numerous peers. Such incidents are all too common. One must consider whether one is truly qualified to engage in joint analysis and debate.

He put his arm around Paul's shoulder, picked up his backpack from the deck again, nodded to the sailor, and followed him into the rest area.

……

Over the next ten days or so, they encountered many whale pods of various species, and even filmed a very rare humpback whale, but the giant blue whale never showed up.

A week later, the Field began a large-scale search of the observation zone at a speed of fifteen knots per hour. On the tenth day, the entire observation zone was searched, but the fish finder had not captured even a trace of the blue whale.

Thirteen days later, the expedition team began to panic because the weather station announced that a cold front would make landfall in the North Atlantic at the beginning of next month, causing severe thunderstorms and at least a Category 10 hurricane.

For safety reasons, they will have to return to port, otherwise a hurricane of level 10 or higher at sea is no joke and poses a significant risk.

What's certain now is that the whale has definitely strayed out of the observation zone. Optimistically, it might still be within the shipping lanes, and passing ships might still spot it. However, the worst-case scenario is that it has wandered into uninhabited waters. Everyone can only pray that it's a well-behaved whale and is still playing within the shipping lanes; otherwise, this research trip, which has cost a huge sum of money, will essentially have ended in failure.

Seventeen days later, the expedition team was having a meeting. The photographer was looking at the nautical chart and yawned out of boredom when suddenly the door was kicked open. A sailor, his face beaming with elation, stood with one foot in the doorway and yelled at everyone present.

"We just received a radio signal from a container ship, about 670 nautical miles southeast of here. We've spotted it! We've also received the video; it has a wound on its forehead from an orca bite. It's definitely it! No doubt about it!"

"Nice! Evans, check the flight path!"

"The outermost route!"

"Sir Sailor, if we go at full speed, how long will it take us to reach our destination?"

"At full speed, we can increase to 37 knots per hour, which is about 66 nautical miles per hour. We expect to reach the target location in 10 hours."

"Excellent! Let's get started right away!"

Ten minutes later, the Field began to move at full speed, and the research team began to formulate a plan, making predictions based on the average speed of the blue whale and the direction it was swimming, calculating where the whale would probably swim to after they reached their destination.

At the same time, Leo and his companions also saw the video taken by the crew of the cargo ship. This video was more visually striking than the previous ones because when it took a breath, it was only about ten meters away from the ship. Its huge body surfaced, about one-third the length of the cargo ship and equivalent to more than ten stories high. Such a shocking size made Leo swallow hard.

When the ship arrived at the destination, it was already 2 a.m., nearly an hour later than expected. The fish finder was turned on and the sonar began high-intensity detection, but it was still nowhere to be found within the maximum range.

This was not unexpected, as no large numbers of krill or fish that whales could eat were detected in this area, and it would definitely not stay there to fill its stomach.

Based on the experts' predictions, everyone turned their attention to the southeast. In the distance, the sky was filled with stars, but the sea surface in sight was still pitch black, without a single ray of light.

The seawater pounded against the hull, making a loud splashing sound that constantly stimulated every nerve on board the Field, stirring up the deepest fears of humanity. Ahead lay the deep sea, uninhabited waters.

The unknown is the source of human fear. In this uninhabited sea, no ships will pass by, there are no supplies, no rescue. Reaching this point is equivalent to being separated from human society. Only the people on the ship can form a small society and become proof of human wisdom in this sea. What they have to face are all kinds of unknown creatures and all kinds of inexplicable phenomena. All of this began to make Leo instinctively feel uneasy.

"Captain Glenn! Do we have enough fuel and supplies?"

"We just finished resupplying two days ago, have you forgotten? It's enough for us to drive all the way to the mainland in one go!"

"If we go at full speed, how long will it take to get back to land?"

"Nine Heavens! Not even nine heavens!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go! While the storm and hurricane are still in the South Atlantic, let's go and bring that monster back!"

This is a conversation between Ronse and Glenn. The ship moved, heading towards the darkness. No, it should be said that at this moment, they had already merged into the darkness.

Unfortunately, three days later, they still hadn't caught a glimpse of the whale. Ronne started to lose his temper, obsessed with the blue whale. But reason told him to leave quickly, or it would be too late!
"Let's head back."

Ronse gave the order, though reluctantly, but it was the right choice. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he said that. They were afraid that Ronse was crazy. At this moment, time was not money, but life. Not a second could be wasted.

But less than two hours after they had been traveling at full speed, Leo, who was resting in his bedroom, heard a loud thud from the bottom of the boat, followed by a violent shaking.

He was startled awake and came out of his bedroom, forgetting even to put on his shoes. Paul did the same. Inside the cabin, everyone rushed toward the bridge. They needed to know what was happening because it was so terrifying.

"What happened, Captain Glenn!"

"Wait! The mechanic is investigating, Smith! Smith? Respond if you hear me? Damn it! Allen! Check the radio! I can't hear anything!"

"Captain! Radio signal lost! We are temporarily unable to contact the outside world!"

The radio operator shouted in response, constantly adjusting the radio frequency. Sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the keys, where he wiped away the streaks with trembling fingers.

"Captain, we've checked it, the engine... six cylinders have blown."

The mechanic ran up, panting heavily, his chest heaving. He had to break his sentence into several parts to express himself completely. But the news made everyone feel dizzy and disoriented. Those who were less timid were now sitting on the ground, already on the verge of collapse.

"Damn it, wasn't this generation of engine supposed to be super powerful? How come all sorts of weird things keep happening to me? Allen! What's going on over there?"

"I don't know either, we can't even make satellite phone calls anymore."

The captain was complaining and swearing. He had never encountered an engine failure in his life, and now, at this critical moment, six cylinders had blown out. Such a big problem could be fatal. However, he quickly calmed down, gave instructions to the others, and reassured the research team.

"Shut down those six cylinders. Try running the other cylinders, but reduce the power to five knots. Allen, continue adjusting the radio. We're probably on some metal mine, and the signal is completely blocked. That might be the reason for the engine failure. It'll be fine once we get out of the mine. First mate! Calculate how far we are from the shipping lane. It's okay, as long as we get rescued within nine days, this rainstorm will only be chasing after us, watching us reach the shore! We'll be fine, everyone. Don't worry, I'll get you all back to your wives safe and sound. Now you can go back and rest. The rest of you! Crazy lads! The long-awaited battle is here!"

Captain Glenn roared, trying to calm the crew. The crew members' faces flushed red with anger. They were going wild, defying the approaching storm. At this moment, not a single sailor yielded. The research team members, however, could not offer much help and could only return to their lounges, praying for their safe return home.

Five minutes later, the Field started moving again, slowly making its way home. Everyone cheered, even though it was less than half its full speed. What might have taken three days to cross the deserted seas would now take seven or eight days to return. But speed didn't matter anymore. As long as the ship could still sail, everyone had hope.

……

Seven days later…

Leo could already see the dark cloud in the distance. In fact, it had been in everyone's sight since yesterday evening and was getting closer and closer, gradually catching up with its target.

The radio was still malfunctioning, but the hull was relatively stable. They continued to flee the torrential rain at a leisurely pace. By now, the wind and waves had grown larger. Although the waves were not quite towering, they could occasionally lap against the part of the ship above the red line. The deck was always covered in water stains.

Large numbers of seagulls flew low over the water, occasionally landing on the fence and leaving behind bits of dead fish that they hadn't fully swallowed on the deck. Then, amidst the envious gazes of everyone, they spread their wings and flew away quickly from the danger.

"6454-1321-54216"

He tried to make the call, but even though there was no signal at all, he couldn't get through each time. Ever since the engine blew out, he had often thought about Tina's attempts to keep him. He regretted it a little, but there was no point in saying anything more. He could only try to make the call again and again, imagining whether his daughter could call him "Dad" by now.

"Leo..."

"Ok?"

Paul walked into his bedroom, sat on the sofa opposite him, looking somewhat gloomy. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it shakily.

"It's dead."

"Who?"

"Martin, the diving team."

"How did you die?"

"He committed suicide."

"how come……"

"Who knows, even those who go diving aren't as brave as us non-water enthusiasts. Want one?"

He quit smoking after Tina became pregnant, but it was impossible for him not to be nervous now. He picked up a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but before he could even light it, the ceiling light began to flicker rapidly, becoming bright and dim, as if the voltage was unstable, or even as if it were haunted.

"What's wrong now?!"

The ship began to rock violently, which gave a good indication of how big the waves were outside. Maybe... the waves were already hitting the deck. Paul cursed angrily, but still sat obediently on the stool and handed the lighter to Leo.

The lights went out completely, and the room was no longer bright, but pitch black. Leo lit a lighter, and the only light illuminated the two men's uneasy faces.

Crying could be heard outside the door. Everyone probably thought they were doomed. Although a hurricane might not necessarily sink the ship, as that was a very small probability event, all the misfortunes of this voyage weighed heavily on their hearts, causing no one to doubt that they were about to face a shipwreck and the tragic fate of being buried at sea.

But then, the lights suddenly came on, followed by cheers. Sailors ran wildly down the corridor, shouting, "The radio is working! We've been rescued! A ship will be here to pick us up in four hours!"

This was absolutely the most exciting news Leo had ever heard in his life. He and Paul got up at the same time, opened the door, and shouted excitedly as they watched the sailor running toward them.

"Really!"

"It's true! A cargo ship is heading this way! They're here to pick me up..."

"Boom!"

Another loud bang, so familiar yet even louder than the last one, and in an instant, Leo realized something terrifying.

This time... the engines must have all blown up.

The violent tremor threw Leo to the ground. In an instant, Leo felt his vision go black and his eyes began to blur. Paul was on top of him, making it even harder for Leo to breathe. But these were minor problems. The sailor was not so lucky. The huge tremor and the crashing of the waves sent him flying into the air, crashing headfirst into the iron pipe next to Leo.

Blood splattered all over Leo and Paul's faces. Red warning lights flashed in the corridor, and thick smoke filled the cabin, carrying the nauseating smell of burning tires. The two scrambled to their feet, screaming loudly, their souls nearly leaving their bodies.

"Stop yelling! Run! There's a fire!"

Someone grabbed Leo and Paul by the collar, dragged them up, and ran frantically toward the deck. Judging from the voice, it sounded like Professor Ronnes, but Leo and Paul didn't have time to confirm.

It wasn't until they reached the deck that Leo confirmed it was indeed Professor Ronne. However, all three of their faces were covered in soot, making them almost unrecognizable unless one looked closely.

With the waves surging, the ship began to rock violently, and everyone could only lie on the deck, trying to find a balance so as not to be thrown into the sea.

Meanwhile, people kept running out of the cabin, coughing violently, and then imitating Leo and his two companions, lying on the deck, not daring to move.

"Stop lying there pretending to be dead! Quickly get the lifeboats and get them into the sea!"

"Go down into the sea?! The waves are so big! You'll disappear as soon as you go in!"

"That's better than waiting on deck to be burned to death or drowned! The ship is leaking! All twelve tanks left! They've all blown up! A huge hole has been blown in the hull! The ship will be fucking sinking in less than ten minutes!"

"It can't even stand up straight! How can we put it down!"

"Allen! Get the fire hose! Tie it around your waist! We have enough lifeboats! Everyone, don't panic! You can all run! Hurry up! Otherwise, the pressure valve will definitely explode! Then we'll all be meeting Jesus!"

Before long, the fire hoses and ropes on the mast were removed. The strong and capable divers went forward to lower the lifeboats, and once they were seated, they threw the ropes back to the second person.

Soon, the rope was thrown to Leo, who picked it up, tied it around his waist, and prepared to run towards the lifeboat in one breath. But halfway there, he was met by the biggest wave he had ever seen.

"Leo!"

He was sent flying by the blow, crashing into the railing. Despite the excruciating pain, he managed to get up and board the dinghy before the next wave hit, putting on his life jacket.

"You scared me to death! What if something had happened to you? How am I supposed to explain this to Tina?!"

"Don't fucking worry about 'what ifs'. We already have ten thousand, why are we thinking about how to explain ourselves? Maybe we'll both be fucking done for this time!"

"Say something nice!"

"I fucking wish you a happy birthday!"

Six people on board, in sixteen lifeboats, were lowered into the water. As the waves gradually moved away from the Field, a drop of rain hit their heads. Leo looked up and saw that dark clouds had descended upon them.

Flames began to burn on the ship, the raging fire shattering pane after pane of glass. Flames peeked out of the windows, grinning menacingly at the people adrift in the wind and rain. Then came a violent explosion, just as everyone had guessed, the pressure valve had detonated. In an instant, all that could be heard in everyone's ears was a buzzing sound.

Holding tightly to the handrails, and taking advantage of the gaps in the waves to splash seawater out of the raft, wave after wave of huge waves not only made it difficult to breathe, but also made people dizzy.

"careful!"

On Leo's kayak, one person was knocked unconscious. The kayak rose into the air with the giant wave, then fell back to the sea surface. The man was thrown out and Leo watched him fall into the water and then disappear.

One by one, people perished at sea, a terrifying experience for all the survivors. They dared not look, and could only close their eyes tightly, pretending to be deaf and dumb amidst the lightning and thunder.

Soon after, only three kayaks remained, but the storm was far from over.

"Woo..."

"what sound?"

A question began to form in his mind. The sound was so familiar, like... the cry of some kind of animal. His brain started working at lightning speed, and then he suddenly realized something.

"whale!!!!"

His heart-wrenching screams were drowned out by the raging ocean. He opened his eyes and looked down at the seabed. A huge figure rose from the surface, emitting a lonely cry and spewing a wave several meters high. On its forehead was a scar left by the bite of other animals.

This guy is definitely more than thirty-two meters tall...

All sound disappeared... Leo's last memory was of it leaping from the sea, obscuring the moon, and him standing in the shadows, watching its white belly, and then... three kayaks were crushed beneath it.

……

"On April 10th, to investigate and protect the largest blue whale in history, National Geographic organized 17 outstanding oceanographers from various countries, 30 professional divers, and 20 film crew members to travel to the North Atlantic aboard the research vessel HMS Field. However, due to engine failure, they encountered Hurricane Lincoln, causing the Field to sink. Currently, the professional salvage team has discovered the wreckage of the Field, confirming a total of 21 fatalities and 92 missing persons. The salvage team has verified that the Field's wreckage was less than six nautical miles from the ocean shipping route. We will broadcast the details shortly. This is a BBC News report."

"..."

I've only finished the setup, but I thought I'd post it anyway to avoid keeping everyone waiting. This part was indeed difficult to write. I was quite confident before I started, but once I picked up the pen, I realized there were too many plot holes and the logic was flawed, making it hard to reconcile. I'll try my best to fix the bugs, but I'm sure there are still some. After all, I don't really understand the professional knowledge of navigation, so I had to rely on Baidu to find the answers. This chapter counts as five pages; after deducting the chapters that should be updated, I still owe seven chapters.

Also, a friend came to visit me, and we drank heavily for three days straight, until dawn each day, which delayed the update. Otherwise, I should have updated three days ago. I'm really sorry, and I hope you'll continue to vote for me. I promise I'll make it up to you.



(End of this chapter)