Green Mountain Wild Man Valley

Kapitel 13

Ding Gen said, "It sounds more like the roar of an engine to me, but it's strange that the sound seems to be coming from underwater."

As they were talking, Zhang Liheng and Shen Juan also came over.

The buzzing continued for a few more minutes before falling silent, and I couldn't hear anything anymore. I yawned and said, "What's wrong with this reservoir? Why does it always make noise just before dawn? Aren't you tired? I didn't get a good night's sleep again."

Turning to look at Zhang Liheng, he was about to say something more when he saw Zhang Liheng's appearance and couldn't help but be taken aback.

Date: 2008-04-06 10:20:00

The little girl seemed to have woken up early; she had changed into clean clothes and washed her face. Compared to yesterday, she looked much more energetic. What surprised me was her hairstyle. Her long hair had been cut short, and the back of her hair was messy like a man's. Her bangs were all combed up on top of her head and fixed with hair wax or something similar. If I had that hairstyle, I would definitely look like a traitor in a movie. But the little girl's hairstyle made her look very energetic, refreshing, and capable.

Zhang Liheng noticed that I kept staring at the top of her head, and Ding Gen also had an expression that seemed like he wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. He looked a little embarrassed and said with his head down, "It's nothing. I asked Shen Juan to help me cut my hair. It's getting in the way, and besides, I'm going into the water soon, so I think I shouldn't keep my hair long."

Ding Gen and I immediately said in unison, "You want to go into the water too? No way!"

Zhang Liheng said, "Why not? Huang Ning was poisoned because of me. I heard you all discussing going into the water to find out what happened. You can't leave me on the boat to guard Lao Gu, can you?"

I quickly defended myself, saying, "I'm not poisoned at all, it's just wild guessing. Ding Gen and I were just discussing it. We're just waiting for rescue today anyway, and he happens to have some equipment, so let's not waste it. Let's go down and take a look. If things don't look right, we'll come back immediately. We don't have the skills to investigate! We don't have enough air tanks, and besides, diving requires professional training. Otherwise, you'll just be making things worse!"

Zhang Liheng smiled confidently: "It doesn't necessarily have to be diving. I think you should also consider this rocky mountain. Why insist on going into the water instead of going up the mountain? Zheng Jian and the others have been gone for a day and a night and haven't come back yet. There must be something else going on with this mountain. If diving is really necessary, I'll just come back."

Date: 2008-04-06 10:35:00

Shen Juan was clearly not as bold as Zhang Liheng. The two things yesterday, the spider and Lao Gu hanging himself, had frightened her quite a bit. She hadn't recovered even after sleeping all night. When she heard that Zhang Liheng also wanted to go into the water with us, she immediately became anxious: "That won't do. I absolutely can't stay on the boat alone. And with Lao Gu like that, I can't handle him."

I looked at Zhang Liheng's refreshing face with envy, my mind already soaring to the heavens, my thoughts racing with all sorts of wonderful things. When I heard Shen Juan's words, I unconsciously said, "Then let's all go. Don't worry, with me and Lao Ding here, there won't be any difficulties."

As soon as I finished speaking, I realized it was a mistake. I had blown my own horn. Even if the two of them really didn't know anything about diving, then I would have been the one to ruin things. Even if they did know, with the current equipment, it wasn't enough for four people to go underwater together. I must be getting senile. Zhang Liheng is such a good catch, she must already have a boyfriend. Why am I even thinking such nonsense?

Sure enough, Ding Gen glared at me angrily. I cleared my throat guiltily and said, "Wait, I didn't mean we should all go together. I meant that I'll go down with Lao Ding first to check the situation and then come back to get a plan. We can't make any rash decisions now. Okay! That's settled then. Lao Ding, you go prepare the equipment. Shen Juan, you go get some food. Comrade Xiao Zhang, you tell me again what else we don't know about Zheng Jian and the others?"

Ding Gen glanced at me and immediately understood that I wanted to get closer to Zhang Liheng. He pulled Shen Juan away and said to me meaningfully, "Comrade Lao Huang, sometimes, you still have to pay attention to matters of principle."

Chapter 35 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Chapter 35 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Author: Ghost Grinning

Date: 2008-04-06 21:24:00

Looking at Zhang Liheng, I unconsciously became a little awkward. Zhang Liheng spoke first: "Zheng Jian and his dozen or so men, I don't really know what they went to do. I only know that they had equipment that could detect traces of targets. Also, when they got separated, I heard someone shouting 'plane,' and it only quieted down after the gunshots. It was so dark, I really can't say anything specific."

Yes, my thoughts followed Zhang Liheng's words and turned back to the rocky mountain. How come so many people didn't make a sound all day and night? I really don't believe they were born with bad intentions. At most, they were just following orders. But how many secrets do the people who gave them the orders know?

Looking at Zhang Liheng, I decided to stop thinking about the reasons and calmed myself down, saying, "Old Ding and the others haven't finished cooking yet, let's chat for a bit."

Zhang Liheng glanced at me sensitively, then lowered her head and said, "Okay, let's talk."

Seeing her like this, I was speechless. I could only laugh it off and casually ask, "Comrade Zhang, I remember you said you were also a soldier. How did you end up in the army? Did someone in your family serve in the military?"

Zhang Liheng sighed: "I knew you would ask this. Why do strangers always ask this question? It's normal for women to serve in the military. My father and brother were both soldiers. I grew up in the military. It's only natural for me to do an administrative job."

I nodded: "Oh, I see. Don't tell me your dad is some high-ranking official. The revolutionary spirit you show when you get down to business really makes you seem less like a scoundrel. You're a good prospect."

At that time, the higher-ups had just issued an order to restore the military rank system, but there were no specific regulations yet. I smacked my lips and sighed with lingering regret, "I wonder what rank you'll get after the order for the military ranks comes down? Sigh, Lao Ding and I don't even want to think about it. We're not destined for that."

Zhang Liheng smiled and said, "Stop guessing all the time. You've already retired, why are you still concerned about so many things?"

I was infected by her laughter and couldn't help but laugh too: "So, Comrade Zhang, you must have quite a background. How about it, you're eager to try diving right now, did you actually train before?"

Zhang Liheng stopped joking and said somewhat seriously, "Of course, I never fight a battle I'm not sure I can win. Although I'm not a formally trained diver, I've put in a lot of effort, and I'm especially familiar with the submarines in our military region. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been assigned to the Fisheries Department to do some clerical work."

Date: 2008-04-06 23:21:00

I really didn't expect that Zhang Liheng, who looks so refined, could have such abilities. I'm still skeptical.

Just as I was about to discuss the girl's hobbies further, Ding Gen came over dragging a bunch of diving suits and oxygen tanks, while Shen Juan was holding a can of luncheon meat. When I saw it was Pearl brand, I immediately lost my appetite. Once you get tired of this stuff, it's hard to get excited about it again.

Seeing my gloomy face and unwillingness to eat, Ding Gen couldn't help but scold, "That's how our allies feed you, they've spoiled you rotten. Look at you, if you don't eat something, are you going to go into the water and die?"

As divers know, this diet is quite particular, following the principle of "three highs, two suitable, and one easy." To compensate for the significant energy and vitamin depletion during diving operations, it's essential to eat plenty of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamin-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and fresh vegetables. Foods that easily produce gas should be avoided, as they can cause abdominal pain during ascent and decompression. These include beans, potatoes, soft drinks, and beer. Alcohol is especially prohibited during operations; it should be avoided before diving, and even the night before a dive.

If I don't force myself to eat some now, I might become a burden when I get in the water. So I had no choice but to eat while muttering, "This stuff is hard to digest. It's all army food. You old Ding are just trying to fool people with this stuff. We're all friendly forces, but we're the navy!"

After we finished eating, it was almost dawn. As agreed beforehand, Zhang Liheng and Shen Juan stayed on the boat to keep watch, while Ding Gen and I went into the water to check the situation. There were no objections.

The water wasn't very cold yet. Before going into the water, Ding Gen and I agreed to swim across the surface first, trying to get around the rocky mountain, and then dive when we got close to the place where we heard buzzing last night, so as to save on the air tanks.

These are old partners I've worked with for many years. It feels so warm and familiar to go into the water together. Although there are many uncertainties in the water, having a buddy to adventure with gives you a feeling of high spirits and fearlessness that you can't experience when you're alone.

Ding Gen and I were in the same mood, chatting and laughing, facing the rising sun, fully armed with masks, fins, and flashlights, swimming towards the back of the rocky mountain. Of course, I also had a knife in my hand, while Ding Gen switched to an underwater speargun with a rotating light device at the front of the barrel.

Chapter 36 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Chapter 36 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Author: Ghost Grinning

Date: 2008-04-07 17:27:00

We're both the type who's highly skilled, daring, and fearless. We refused to carry the diving rope and kept swimming towards the back of the rocky mountain. Along the way, I dived into the water several times to carefully check if my eyelids were affected. To my surprise, although it wasn't as bad as fish gills, it did have an advantage: the mask became unnecessary. That unexpected eyelid formed a thin protective film in the water. I could see clearly underwater without a mask, and my eyes didn't hurt as much.

I chuckled and told Ding Gen about the benefits, but he laughed at me, saying, "Save your breath. That thing might be some kind of virus. Hey, Lao Huang, look how happy you are. Why don't we just head back home? You can go to a big hospital and get studied. Maybe if you're lucky, you can make a modern specimen. I can even bring the kids to visit for free. Just so you know, Uncle Huang can't charge admission."

These words left me speechless, yet I couldn't refute them. Thinking of the fish-gill man's tragic death in the dimly lit cave, which was probably due to a viral outbreak, my initial joy bubbled up and vanished. I lowered my head and silently swam away.

Ding Gen, on the contrary, felt bad: "Hey Lao Huang, I was just kidding with you. Can't you handle it? What's the rush? Let's go together and find out all the monsters and demons. Don't worry, your business is my business. I will never let you suffer alone."

However, these words dampened our enthusiasm for playing around, and we were determined to show off our skills and find out what the Russians had been up to.

After rounding the rocky hill, I turned to look at Zhang Liheng and Shen Juan, who were still standing at the bow of the boat. They were too far away to see clearly who was who, but the girl's figure inexplicably made me feel a little attached. Perhaps, between people, as long as they have experienced unforgettable things together, there will always be something to think about in their hearts.

I said to Ding Gen with a bit of emotion, "So Xiao Shen has a good impression of you. Come on, buddy, settle down soon. I'm still single."

Ding Gen smiled mysteriously: "This can't be rushed. We believe in letting things happen naturally. You know, the most beautiful time is when there's a thin veil between a man and a woman, and neither of them tries to break through it. To be honest, I really wish we could stay in this moment forever. You like me, and I like you, but we just don't make it clear. Isn't that wonderful?"

I glanced around and realized I could no longer see the two girls, so I said irritably, "Give me a break. You're the most unruly one in our team. Stop pretending to be innocent with me."

Date: 2008-04-07 18:01:00

By the time Ding Gengang came to his senses and was about to refute me, we were both stunned by what we saw.

On the other side of the rocky mountain, there was also a tile-shaped depression. This damned mountain must not have looked like this when it wasn't filled with water. There was a big gap on the side I swam over, and I didn't expect the other side to be like this too, except that the curve on this side was much gentler. My first thought was that I knew where that swamp came from.

When I see footage of icebergs collapsing on TV, a huge chunk of iceberg crashes into the sea and floats away. I think the swamp I encountered was probably caused by something like that breaking off from the mountain. Because on the rocky mountain, there are some very steep cliffs, and the angle makes it look like someone just recently cut off a piece of it.

Ding Gen and I were both dizzy from watching this. What was going on? Zheng Jian and his gang couldn't possibly be that capable, could they?

To conserve oxygen, I remained afloat, carefully examining the mountain for signs of human activity. Ding Gen, however, was the first to dive down and scout the area, clearing the way for our counterattack. I squinted and peered for a while, but found nothing. Ding Gen, on the other hand, hurriedly surfaced, grimacing as he explained that he had just dived to the bottom and gotten injured as soon as he approached the rocks.

I quickly grabbed him, and saw a bloody gash on his shoulder that had torn his wetsuit, but it wasn't serious, just a superficial wound. Ding Gen said embarrassedly, "It's no one else's fault, it's ridiculous, I shot myself with a harpoon!"

Date: 2008-04-07 22:16:00

What's going on here? I highly doubt that Ding Gen, with his boldness and meticulousness, would actually shoot himself with a harpoon.

Ding Gen continued, "Well, not really. How should I put it? I hadn't gone very deep, maybe seven or eight meters at most. I saw the rocky hill hidden below the water, nothing special, but there were a lot of strange mushrooms growing there. Compared to the mushrooms we eat in hot pot, these were much taller and longer, with strands of sediment on them. I didn't think they were naturally formed, so I casually swung my spear at one of them. But to my surprise, the speargun bounced back and grazed my arm. I was really unlucky."

After hearing the whole story, I was both angry and amused. What kind of mess is this?!

He took out some duct tape and wrapped it tightly around Ding Gen's arm twice. There was no other way; it would be too embarrassing to go back to the boat to get it bandaged now. Besides, the injury wasn't serious, and he could manage.

Ding Gen's mention of mushrooms piqued my curiosity, so we dived down together, one after the other, to see for ourselves.

When I descended to a depth of seven or eight meters, in the pitch-black water, I saw the base of the rocky mountain. It hadn't reached the bottom yet; it was just a little gentler than the top.

Among the rocks that weren't so steep, there were indeed slender mushrooms, similar to enoki mushrooms, about 1.8 meters tall, standing obliquely upwards, pointing towards the sky.

What is this?

Ding Gen and I flanked them from the left and right, gripping our weapons tightly with full concentration. As we got closer, I noticed that these slender pipes were actually two pipes tightly side by side, with a slightly thicker cap at the very top. Judging from the straightness of the pipes, they couldn't possibly be naturally formed. Some aquatic plants and other debris were hanging on them, bobbing up and down in the water, making them look nothing like living creatures.

Filled with suspicion, I swam closer to examine the tops of the two long tubes.

If you tap it lightly with a diving knife, it will produce a crisp, metallic sound!

I used a knife to scrape away the water plants and debris hanging from the top of the pipe, and finally saw what it was. It was definitely an anti-aircraft gun!

Date: 2008-04-08 0:14:00

In this body of water, I counted at least ten such cannons, all pointing diagonally towards the sky. Judging from the way the gun mounts were embedded in the rocks, these anti-aircraft guns had been in place for many years. If the rocks hadn't collapsed and shaved off some of the sand and gravel covering them, the cannons would not have been visible.

Furthermore, these cannons have only been exposed in the last few months. For some unknown reason, a swamp has formed around the rocky mountain, and the cannons are just sitting quietly at the bottom of the water. Is it for defense or for attack?

Ding Gen and I certainly didn't believe these cannons could still fire normally. After being submerged for so many years, they were all duds, no matter what kind of cannon they were. There was nothing to be afraid of. But was it necessary to figure out what was the deeper meaning behind these anti-aircraft guns pointing towards the sky? Or had some earth-shattering change occurred underwater that caused these cannons to be exposed?

After circling the submerged artillery position for a while, Ding Gen and I felt bored. Too much time had passed, and no clues had been left. We could only tell that these anti-aircraft guns were definitely Soviet-made weapons. However, my country's artillery forces developed rapidly during the Korean War, and many of their equipment were also Soviet-made. So, we couldn't tell who hid them here just by looking at the gun barrels.

The base of the cannon barrel was firmly embedded in the rocks. Looking through the gaps, it was too dark to see clearly even with a flashlight, so it was certain that the space inside was not very large.

This won't do! Ding Gen and I gestured and discussed it. We decided it would be best to pull out a gun mount and see what was inside. After all, this gun is worth a lot of money just for its caliber. It's impossible that the back is solid and just buried here as a decoration. Besides, this style is not our army's tradition. The thought that this was something the Russians had done got me excited, and I hurriedly looked around to see which gun showed any signs of loosening.

After a careful search, the target appeared. There was a door near the bottom of the cannon barrel that was crooked and not in the right position. Ding Gen and I kicked and pulled, using the cannon barrel that was as tall as a person, and forced it open a crack. Like a fish, I swam in sideways.

Chapter 37 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Chapter 37 of "The Empty House in the Abyss (The Salvage Worker's Adventure)"

Author: Ghost Grinning

Date: 2008-04-09 00:08:00

There was a lot of silt and loose soil inside, making the water very turbid. I looked and explored, and finally figured out the trick.

The base of this cannon has mostly tilted outwards, and there are no shells piled up. The space is narrow, and the firing angle of the cannon is fixed and cannot be adjusted. I don't know what purpose it was placed here. Before the reservoir was submerged, was this rocky mountain, along with the nearby peaks, once a weapons testing ground?

After searching around for a long time, I was still clueless. I had originally guessed that there should be a passage behind the cannon, but I didn't find any hidden doors or anything like that.

Worried that Ding Gen would wait too long, I withdrew and surfaced to rest.

I breathed a sigh of relief and asked Ding Gen, "Didn't Lao Deng say there were undercurrents in these mountains? How come we didn't seem to notice anything along the way?"

Ding Gen said, "The undercurrent is in the water, it's not so easy to find. Besides, we didn't look carefully. I've been thinking about this rocky mountain you mentioned. There are big trees and experimental cabinets inside, and even more strangely, we found the fish-gill man's notebook. It's a pity it was blocked by the swamp, otherwise I really wanted to go in and search carefully. You must have missed some clues."

I said with a wry smile, "Don't go. Toads are no joke. I still feel a burning pain from the pus and blood on my skin. So many fat, trashy fish, who knows what they ate to grow up like that, not to mention the cabinet. What if a few more jump out and you get caught in their trap? You'll lose both your wife and your money."

But that strange tree puzzled me. Logically, its canopy should be visible on the mountaintop, but we couldn't see it at all. Besides, what was that fish-gill man doing inside? Perhaps Ding Gen's suspicion was correct. At the time, we were only focused on escaping and didn't notice any clues.

"Forget it, don't think about it too much. Anyway, going that way is more dangerous than promising. Let's try to find a way from this side. Do you think that buzzing sound last night was made by Zheng Jian and his group?" I finally made up my mind to open up a new battlefield.

Ding Gen shook his head: "Who knows? I'm still thinking about your guess. If the composition of the water is indeed abnormal, and a curved surface can be made to reflect sunlight, what would that be like? Did you notice that before Lao Deng and Lao Gu fainted, they were both squatting there looking up at the sky, looking both vigilant and fearful? And all the cannons we see here are pointing at the sky, ready for battle. What are they afraid of? I really don't understand."

Date: 2008-04-09 0:38:00

These seemingly chaotic clues, when put together, vaguely seem to have an inherent connection, but neither of us can guess what it is.

Ding Gen's words left me speechless, so I changed the subject: "Forget it, we don't have much time left. If we wait any longer, the rescue team on the shore will probably come in. Let's hurry down and take another look. I can't understand why there are so many tricks here."