Shadow 380,000 Level 17 Suspended Spirit Hurricane Arrives

Chapter 21

Under Guo Dong's arrangement, Kou Yun and I became the two citizens who were "lucky" enough to be selected for the visit.

When boarding the ship in order, we didn't go up the stairs to see the propulsion system display like the other visitors. This was because Kou Yun had become very interested in something standing proudly at the bow before even boarding.

I'm quite familiar with this from playing the famous "Uncharted Waters" series of games, but it's rarely seen on modern ships. This is a figurehead.

The figurehead, cast in fine steel, stood dark and imposing at the bow. From a distance, it looked like a rather fierce beast's head, but now that we were on board, we couldn't see its front. Kou Yun clung to the gunwale, tiptoed, and peered out to see its side. I was worried she would fall and was about to pull her back when I saw my colleagues coming down the stairs not far away.

After watching them walk away, Kou Yun and I turned around and went up the stairs.

The New Hope yacht is 63 meters long from bow to stern, a configuration befitting an ultra-luxury yacht. The deck is made of oak, and the crescent-shaped open-air transparent staircase is also very stylish. The three-story cabin resembles three undulating waves, with soft and beautiful curves.

Going up the stairs to the second floor, I saw a wooden high-relief carving above the entrance door. I recognized it immediately; it was the same design as the prow of a ship.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a tiger's head, with wide-open tiger eyes, a "king" character on its forehead, a gaping maw, two long fangs protruding from its lips, and two sharp claws reaching forward to grab the lintel. To enter, one would have to pass under its steel teeth and claws.

9. The Strongest Thief (2)

The sculptor was highly skilled; the tiger head was not grotesque or terrifying, but rather exuded an extraordinary aura.

However, after looking at it a few more times, I felt that it might not be a tiger.

The pattern on its forehead isn't actually the character for "king," but rather the character for "three," winding and undulating like three deep wrinkles. The two rows of teeth between its two fangs aren't the sharp teeth of a carnivore, but rather the flat teeth of a herbivore. Its two paws, gripping the lintel, each have only three fingers.

It resembles a tiger but isn't quite a tiger, and it even looks a little like a lion. The way it's hugging the door makes me guess its origin.

This must be a monster called Bi'an.

In Chinese legend, the dragon has nine sons, each different from the other. This Bi'an, also known as Xianzhang, resembles a tiger and is the seventh son.

What puzzles me is that, in legends, the Bi'an is portrayed as public-spirited, outspoken, and capable of discerning right from wrong, making impartial judgments. Coupled with its imposing appearance, it is often depicted as a decoration on prison gates or crouching on either side of the main hall of government offices. In ancient times, whenever an official sat in court, its image was also displayed at the top of the official's plaque and the "Silence and Avoidance" sign, its menacing gaze sweeping around, used to maintain the solemnity and righteousness of the courtroom.

How did this symbol of litigation become the figurehead of the New Hope ship and even decorate its door? Did the person in charge of the design choose this image from Chinese mythology without knowing its symbolism?

Filled with doubt, I walked in under the watchful gaze of the Bi'an.

"How beautiful!" Kou Yun exclaimed softly.

This is a spacious, spherical hall, with a thick bronze pillar in the center, adorned with exquisite bas-reliefs. It depicts a scene of Heaven and Hell, roughly within the height of an average person. Hell is the area that can be viewed at eye level or from below, where sinners bow their heads to enter the gates, while others queue at the ferry of the dead. Countless struggling heads are faintly visible in the turbid waves. Several levels below show various scenes of people receiving terrible punishments. Looking up, the gates of Heaven radiate brilliant light, with angels flying to guide the wise. Above this is the sacred world of Heaven, where hymns echo among auspicious clouds. The angels display various expressions—majestic, merciful, holy, and carefree. At the very top, archangels, like stars surrounding the moon, support the Virgin Mary and Jehovah, bathed in holy light.

This single totem pole alone imbued the hall with boundless grandeur.

The upper half of the walls of the circular hall is made of transparent fiberglass, and the thick velvet curtains were already drawn, offering a panoramic view of the scenery on both sides of the Huangpu River. If it were at sea, it would surely be even more breathtaking. The fiberglass is light blue and has undergone a special process; the intense sunlight, filtered through this layer, becomes remarkably soft when it falls into the hall.

The windowsill, adorned with intricate patterns, extends long inwards, serving as a display stand for the ship owner's collection, showcasing numerous artworks of diverse styles. This entire perimeter of windowsills is equipped with specially designed securing devices to prevent these precious artifacts from capsizing and being damaged in the event of storms or rough seas.

A crew member leading the tour is explaining to the visitors that this hall was originally a banquet hall, and it is integrated with the third-floor terrace. The host entertains distinguished guests here, and if they feel stuffy after the banquet, they can go directly up to the third floor, where there is a circular swimming pool with a small musical fountain in the center. When it is not raining, the roof of the third floor can open automatically, giving people a wonderful feeling of being one with the sky and the sea.

The banquet hall has now been cleared of tables and chairs, and all the visitors who came up earlier are now gathered at the back of the hall, where the heart of the New Hope, the pride of the Black Flag Group, is being exhibited – New Energy.

Kou Yun and I chose a slightly open angle and craned our necks to peer inside.

Inside the glass case under the spotlight, the new energy source, sufficient to support the New Hope's global voyage and enable it to sail at a speed of sixty knots, lies quietly.

At the center of the glass dome was a transparent glass sphere, or perhaps a crystal ball. It lay gleaming on the black velvet. It was a hollow container, and upon closer inspection, a barely perceptible white line encircled its waist. If the crystal ball were taken out and twisted along this white line, it would split into two hemispheres.

The crystal ball now contains an irregularly shaped, matte metal object.

Because of its irregular shape, it is difficult to describe the appearance of this small object. If I had to describe it, it would be like a cylindrical iron block with many legs. Some legs are thicker, some are thinner, some legs extend straight out, and some legs even bend after extending out.

The crystal ball was about the same diameter as a roll of unused toilet paper, and the metal object was only slightly larger than a size D battery.

According to the introduction, the many "feet" of this strangely shaped "battery" are actually individual connectors. For the convenience of laypeople like us, the "battery" has been removed and displayed here. Before setting sail, the "battery" will be reinstalled, and a torrent of energy will surge forth from this tiny "battery," propelling the New Hope into the vast ocean.

Imagine the power of this "battery," and then compare it to its tiny size, and you can't help but feel that it is simply a miracle.

After visiting this oddly shaped little iron block, the rest of the yacht, no matter how luxurious the decorations or how priceless the artwork, seemed rather uninteresting. All the people around me were talking about and praising it.

"The world is about to change again," an elderly man with gray hair said to the person next to him.

Very few people can remain unfazed by immense power, and I am not one of them.

"It would be great if we could take it out and examine it. I wonder if it contains helium-3," I said softly.

"Didn't they say they'd announce it after the round-the-world voyage? You're too impatient, bro." Kou Yun seized a rare opportunity to scold me, grinning happily.

"That'll have to wait another month or two. There's no way around it; once curiosity gets the better of you, it's unbearable. If I were a legitimate journalist, I'd definitely interview one of the experts on board. I wonder what those people from earlier got to know. Besides, the timing of the announcement and how much information they reveal is all in the hands of the Black Flag Group. As long as they prove the safety and effectiveness of the new energy source, even if they break their promises and say nothing, they won't have trouble finding funding. And there are just too many mysteries surrounding the Black Flag Group; it's hard to say how much of what they say is embellished."

"But if it really is Helium-3, as you guessed, wouldn't that be even stranger?"

"Shh, keep your voice down." I noticed Kou Yun was becoming increasingly careless about lowering her voice, so I quickly reminded her. We were on the Black Flag Group's ship, thankfully no one was paying attention to us when we looked around.

However, Kou Yun was absolutely right. Black Flag Group simply doesn't have the capability to launch a spacecraft to the moon for mining. Even spacefaring giants like the United States would need about twenty years to achieve that. Besides, if Black Flag Group had that capability, why would they have entrusted China with launching the lunar lander?

Not to mention launching a spaceship to the moon and then successfully returning from the moon with minerals—that's a huge undertaking; who could possibly hide it from them?

Even if we follow the plot of science fiction, if the Black Flag Group obtained alien technology or had alien help and was able to secretly transport Helium-3 back from the moon, then why would they need to rely on China's "outdated" aerospace technology to launch such "outdated" lunar probes and rovers to the moon?

It's a paradox from almost any angle.

"Brother, I want to go see that thing again."

We had already walked along the tour route and were preparing to go ashore via the gangway on the deck when Kou Yun pointed to the top of the stairs and said...

Of course, I granted her this very common request. Walking back up the stairs, past Bi'an, I watched Kou Yun looking around the glass case, and I was genuinely puzzled. Why was this girl suddenly so interested in "batteries"?

9. The Strongest Thief (3)

I walked around the bas-relief pillar and carefully examined its carving. About ten minutes later, Kou Yun finished her second visit.

"What did you figure out?" I asked her with a smile.

Kou Yun smiled mysteriously but did not answer.

That's strange. Did she actually figure something out?

I couldn't resist going over to take a look for a while, then turned to look at Kou Yun, shook my head, and walked out.

This little girl is definitely waiting for me to beg her.

I'm not going to ask her; let's see how long she can keep it to herself.

As I was leaving the dock, I was about to flag down a taxi when Kou Yun blocked my way.

"Brother, don't call a car yet," she said, looking rather furtive.

She pulled me along Zhongshan Road for a few steps, then stopped.

"Well, I guess we can't go any further," she said, looking around.

What are you doing?

"Brother, let's go in and have some tea," Kou Yun said, pointing to the small red teahouse next door.

I squinted and stared at her until she lowered her head to play with the hem of her clothes.

"Is it enough to just enter this teahouse? Is there anything else we need to do? Tell us all at once."

"No further requirements, just come in here."

Pushing open the door, Kou Yun found the teahouse empty. He found a secluded corner to sit down.

"Iced tea," I said to the waiter.

"Same." Kou Yun didn't look at the tea menu; her mind was clearly not on drinking tea to quench her thirst.

The waiter walked away as instructed, and I leaned back in my chair, waiting for Kou Yun to speak.

Kou Yun frowned, pursed her lips, and looked uneasy.

I smiled and said, "Why are you hesitating now? You seemed quite prepared before."

"Uh, brother, there's something I've never told you." Kou Yun lowered her head and looked at the empty table, like a little girl who had done something wrong.

"That's alright, everyone has secrets. But are you ready to tell them now?"

"Hmm." Kou Yun nodded: "Actually, I've wanted to tell you this many times, but since I was little, the villagers have always told me that this skill must never be known to outsiders, otherwise it will cause a lot of trouble. But you would never harm me, and..."

Kou Yun paused, took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

"Brother, do you really want what's inside that glass ball?" she blinked and asked me mischievously.

"I do want to, but what does that have to do with your secret?"

Kou Yun did not answer. Instead, he closed his eyes, put his hands back, straightened his back, and sat upright.

Her eyelids trembled, she gritted her teeth, her temples bulged, and a fine bead of sweat appeared on her forehead in no time.

He looks like he's trying very hard to "think".

Correction is to "think" fiercely.

The waitress brought the tea, glanced at us, and hurried away. She assumed that Miss Kou was probably venting her anger on her boyfriend and might burst into tears at any moment.

After about three or four minutes, Kou Yun opened his eyes and gasped for breath.

"It's so far away, it's really difficult to handle."

As he spoke, he brought something up with his two hands, which had been under the table.

Without strong sunlight or spotlights, this crystal ball was so dazzling that it almost made my eyes lose focus.

It was still that crystal ball, with the strange "battery" inside, now with legs, lying quietly. Just minutes ago it was in a glass case hundreds of meters away, but now Kou Yun had forcefully "thought" it into view right in front of me.

Oh my god.

"Is this the one we just saw?"

Kou Yun nodded.

"Now we're in the exhibition hall."

Kou Yun shrugged, as if the consequences had nothing to do with her.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

Without bothering to ask what happened, I had to run away!

Luckily, my briefcase was big enough to fit the crystal ball inside. I immediately paid for the tea, grabbed Kou Yun, jumped into a taxi, and drove off.

After driving through several intersections, I could vaguely hear police sirens in the distance.