Leyenda del pueblo de Baima

Capítulo 9

Liang Yingwu said, "This thing has too many unsolved mysteries and extremely high scientific research value. Moreover, I don't know much about it. I'm not even sure if it's really dead. So handing it over to the X organization is the best solution."

I was taken aback and said, "You mean it might still be alive?"

At this point, a thought suddenly struck me. I remembered what Wang Liang had told me last time. I grabbed the giant Omba protozoan and said, "I have a way that might work."

I ran to the sink, turned on the tap, and rinsed the unknown object in my hand back and forth.

Liang Yingwu said, "What are you doing?"

I said, "Wang Liang said that rinsing it with water will soften it."

As I spoke, I could feel the object in my hand soften; it was not only soft but also somewhat slippery.

My heart was pounding, and I was considering whether to put it down when I suddenly felt the object in my hand move slightly, slip out of my palm, and fall into the sink.

I was startled and yelled, "It moved! It moved!"

Liang Yingwu quickly approached, only to see the giant Omba protozoan lying in the water tank being violently washed by water undergoing an unbelievable change.

As the water flowed, his body shrank rapidly, like a bar of soap dissolving in water, but a hundred times faster. By the time I remembered to turn off the tap, there was nothing left in the sink.

Liang Yingwu and I looked at each other, a chill running down our spines.

Liang Yingwu suddenly turned around, took a glass slide, put a drop of residual water from the sink onto the glass slide, and placed it under a high-powered microscope.

After a long while, he raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and said to me in a hoarse voice, "There are no Omba protozoa in the water, not a single one."

I murmured, "Yes, they were all washed down the drain."

Liang Yingwu shook his head and said, "You don't understand that this kind of creature has no intelligence and very weak mobility. It's impossible for such a huge number of Omba protozoa to be completely carried away by the water just now."

My mind was a mess, and I didn't understand Liang Yingwu's meaning, so I asked, "Why is that?"

Liang Yingwu said, word by word, "There is only one reason: they are all consciously moving towards the sewers, and their movement ability is much stronger than before."

A thought popped into my head: "You mean, he's intelligent."

Liang Yingwu remained silent, his face extremely grim. After a long while, he finally blurted out, "The sewage in the sewers flows into the sea; they were originally meant to live in the ocean."

I don't know how I got home. I sat on the sofa for a while before I came to my senses and picked up the phone to call Wang Liang. After hearing what had happened, Wang Liang was speechless for a moment. Indeed, this matter was beyond human imagination. The only person who could talk and laugh so freely after hearing such a thing was probably Wesley from Ni Kuang's novels.

With the monster gone, I naturally couldn't write the big news story I wanted. The events I was experiencing, though bizarre, lacked any verifiable factual basis. They might be suitable for a novel, but as news, they wouldn't even pass the editor's test. Therefore, I kept quiet about it at the newspaper, but Liang Yingwu did write a report on the matter to Organization X.

I thought that was the end of it, but things don't always go as planned.

About a month later, I received an assignment to go to sea for an interview.

In April of this year, a major event occurred off the coast of Shanghai, which was reported by the media at the time. However, most Shanghainese did not see any potential threat in these reports.

This incident is known as the Dae Yong-ryun incident in South Korea.

To get a clearer picture of the details of this incident, I think it's best to quote a report from China News Network.

Beijing, May 24 (China News Service) -- On the morning of April 17, the South Korean bulk carrier "Daeyong" collided with the Hong Kong-based bulk carrier "Dawang," a 10,000-ton bulk carrier en route from Shanghai to India, in dense fog near Jigu Reef outside the Yangtze River estuary, en route from Japan to Ningbo, China. Of the 2,000 tons of styrene carried by the "Daeyong," 701 tons leaked into the sea, causing pollution to the nearby waters and atmosphere.

Following an investigation, the incident was confirmed as the world's largest styrene leak. Chinese authorities have demanded "state compensation" of up to eight million US dollars from those responsible.

Benzene is a chemical that is quite difficult to decompose and readily precipitates. Following the "Dayong" incident, China's solution was to use oil booms to gather the styrene floating on the sea surface in the affected area, and then periodically spray a decomposing agent. The currently enclosed area covers several square kilometers. Due to the troublesome nature of benzene, even the most optimistic estimate is that complete decomposition will take decades.

I interviewed people about this incident at the time. An environmental expert involved told me that styrene has extremely high permeability and would cause considerable harm to the ecology of the Yangtze River estuary. That area happens to be a spawning ground for many fish species, with large schools of fish, including eels and ribbonfish, thriving year-round, and countless fishing boats on the sea every day. Therefore, it's very likely that some fish would mutate as a result, and it wouldn't be surprising to see two-headed monsters appear. Furthermore, if people consume too much fish containing styrene deposits, it will harm their health.

However, this part was deleted from the published article, supposedly to avoid causing public panic.

Because of my good relationship with the Maritime Safety Administration, they gave me an exclusive news tip. The styrene deposit, which originally covered more than ten square kilometers, is rapidly disappearing. A week ago, only a little over three square kilometers remained, and two days ago, when the Maritime Safety Administration's ship went to check again, it was less than the size of two football fields.

This has reached a point where science cannot explain it. This isn't the only styrene leak in the world, and while other leaks have been smaller in scale, without exception, local authorities have been working diligently and slowly to break down the styrene. There has never been a case of styrene disappearing rapidly in a short period. The word "disappear" is used because decomposition alone could never achieve this effect.

Today, the Maritime Safety Administration will send another ship to assess the situation. Besides the Maritime Safety Administration personnel, an environmental expert will also accompany them to collect samples and conduct tests. Strangely, this environmental expert is neither from the Maritime Safety Administration nor the Environmental Protection Bureau; their identity is shrouded in mystery. Xiao Zhang, the Maritime Safety Administration official who is in contact with me, quietly told me that we weren't supposed to go to sea today because Typhoon Fitow, the seventh typhoon of the year, is rapidly approaching, and going to sea would be dangerous. However, this environmental expert, whose background is unknown, insisted that we go as soon as possible and couldn't wait, and surprisingly, the higher-ups agreed.

Xiao Zhang kindly asked me, "This sea voyage is dangerous. Shouldn't you not go and wait until they come back to do the interview?"

Of course I refused. How could I do an interview without being there in person? I smiled and told him, "It's okay, I'm a good swimmer. Even if I fall into the sea, I can hold on until I'm rescued."

I took a deep breath and asked, "You mean, styrene caused the mutation of the Omba protozoan, and since the Omba protozoan feeds on styrene, that's why styrene disappeared this time?"

Liang Yingwu did not directly answer my question: "After returning, I discussed with some researchers in the institution, and the conclusion was that the mutated Omba protozoan may already be a new species. We know nothing about any characteristics of this new species, which is too dangerous. I think the disappearance of styrene this time is related to this, and there is another reason."

By this time, the destination was not far away. The other maritime officials were leaning against the railing on the deck, gazing ahead. They probably thought I was interviewing an environmental expert, unaware of the sensational things we were talking about.

“I checked the national satellite meteorological map for the recent period. A few days after the ‘Dayong’ shipwreck, a warm and humid air mass formed here. Undoubtedly, this air mass would contain a large amount of styrene volatilized from the sea surface. This warm and humid air mass moved northward and brought heavy rainfall to the Northeast, including that toxic rain.”

Liang Yingwu looked at the sky and said, "The speed at which styrene is disappearing this time is astonishing, so we can't wait. If we wait for the typhoon to pass, the styrene will be completely gone, and I may not be able to find any trace of the Omba protozoa. The agency takes this matter very seriously, so it contacted the Maritime Safety Administration."

"But how can you be sure you can find the monster's whereabouts this time?"

"I have a feeling that I will encounter it again."

"We're here," I heard someone shout.

Liang Yingwu and I walked to the bow of the boat and looked out. There was a huge pile of heavy, yellow and black floating debris in front of us, emitting an unbearable smell.

I think that's styrene. Roughly estimating the area, it's about the size of one and a half football fields, which is indeed smaller than it was two days ago.

"Oh no!" Liang Yingwu blurted out.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Based on the rate of absorption in the previous period, the current area should not be greater than one hundred square meters. How can there still be so much? Could it be that..."

I noticed that Liang Yingwu used the word "devour," and I was taken aback. I turned my head and saw that Liang Yingwu's forehead was covered in sweat. I couldn't help but feel anxious and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with the slowing down of the devouring speed?"

"That means that the creature did not feed on styrene. It is very likely that styrene was just a substance it needed before it completed its full mutation."

"You mean, it's fully grown."

Looking at the styrene floating quietly on the sea, Liang Yingwu said, "I'm afraid so."

At that moment, I felt the boat tilt suddenly. I looked around and saw the patrol boat rapidly turning around. I heard shouts in my ears: "A typhoon is coming!"

Although it was noon, the sky darkened rapidly, and in just a short while, it was as dark as night. A booming sound could be faintly heard in the increasingly strong wind, and the previously calm sea began to churn. My heart pounded, and when I looked at Liang Yingwu, his face was just as deathly pale.

Suddenly a desperate voice cried out: "Look...look behind you."

I looked back, and my heart sank as if struck by a heavy hammer; everything went black. A giant wave, as high as a dozen stories, was rapidly approaching our small boat.

I knew that if this wave hit, the boat would capsize, and I might be killed instantly by the crash. So I pulled Liang Yingwu and shouted, "Jump!"

The two people held hands and jumped off the boat into the sea. When they looked up to breathe, towering waves were already in front of them.

I've lost count of how many times I've been swept into the water by giant waves. This time, when I finally managed to get out, I was completely exhausted.

Liang Yingwu and I were still gripping the instruments tightly, clinging to each other like lifelines, unwilling to let go. However, I wasn't sure how much longer I had the strength to hold on. I could hear Liang Yingwu's heavy breathing; his condition couldn't be much better than mine. I realized then how ridiculous it had been to tell Xiao Zhang I could swim. In this situation, what difference did it make whether we could swim or not? And there was no way any reckless rescue boat would come to our rescue anyway.

Another giant wave rolled in, and I don't know if I'll be able to surface again this time.

However, when the giant wave crashed over my head, I was surprised to find that I was not swept underwater by the force.

Because I actually stepped on something real.

The giant waves swept us far away, but we always felt something solid beneath our feet.

That doesn't feel rustic.

Liang Yingwu and I both looked down at the same time.

I couldn't see anything, just the blue of the sea.

But my feet were definitely on the ground, and I could feel myself rising.

When the giant wave subsided, I found that we were already above the sea level. I didn't know exactly how high I was, because all I could see were blue objects, the sky was still dark, and I couldn't see through them even with my best eyesight.

Liang Yingwu murmured, "There are... there are such enormous creatures on Earth."

I crouched down and touched it with my hand. It felt smooth, indeed very much like the skin of a living creature. But how could such a creature exist? Compared to it, the legendary sea serpent and the king octopus become mere playthings not worth mentioning.

I suddenly recalled Zhuangzi's "Free and Easy Wandering": "In the Northern Ocean there is a fish named Kun. Kun is so big that no one knows how many thousands of miles it is."

The wind was still howling, and Liang Yingwu and I, unable to stand steadily, sat down. Just then, the seemingly boundless, blue creature began to change color like a chameleon.

The blue gradually faded, finally turning into a crystal-clear white, and beneath that almost transparent white, I saw wrinkles resembling those of a brain.

"It's it!" Liang Yingwu and I exclaimed at the same time.

Is this the fully grown Omba? If we can continue to call it Omba... then we definitely have to drop the word "protozoa".

I noticed that the brain-like markings beneath my feet weren't coarse despite my enormous size; they remained as fine, dense, and deep as a human brain. If this truly was a brain, then Omba's wisdom must be unimaginable!

Liang Yingwu and I sat atop this colossal creature, which was undoubtedly moving at great speed. Before long, we were out of the storm's reach, and the sunlight began to shine on my head and on Omba's glistening back.

I suddenly felt my body sinking. When I put my hand down, I found myself sinking into Omba's back. Looking down, I saw that Omba's once smooth white back was now sinking and twisting.

This was a familiar situation, and I blurted out, "It's melted again."

As soon as I finished speaking, there was nothing beneath me, and Liang Yingwu and I fell into the sea from a height of tens of meters, splashing up a large spray of water.

I noticed that the seawater in this area was a bit murky, but it quickly returned to its clear blue color.

“Look,” Liang Yingwu pointed.

A tanker is approaching from a distance.

After this matter was resolved, Liang Yingwu wrote a detailed report for Organization X. I glanced at it; it described Omba as a biosphere capable of combining at will through unknown means. When dispersed, it might be a single-celled organism, but when combined, it could be thousands of times larger than an aircraft carrier and possibly possess astonishing intelligence. Now, this organism has fully matured and no longer requires styrene; what it feeds on remains unknown.

Liang Yingwu told me privately that there are many insects in the biological world whose individual forms lack intelligence, but when living in groups, they develop a kind of collective intelligence, enabling them to cooperate and divide labor to ensure the survival of the species. This is a product of millions of years of evolution. Omba's intelligence is very similar to collective intelligence, only much more advanced.

Later, I told Wang Liang about this, and he actually sighed, lamenting that he wasn't on that patrol boat at the time—what a reckless guy! He told me that Omba rescued us out of gratitude, since we were the ones who brought it back to the sea. I think that's quite possible, while the others on the boat are still missing.

A chemical leak somehow created this creature thousands of miles away, and it eventually returned to its origin to fully mature—something no one with a vivid imagination could have predicted. Two weeks later, someone invited me to swim at Sanjiagang Beach. As I gazed at the boundless sea, the thought that every drop of seawater might contain this Omba sent chills down my spine.

Another issue was that the sonar system of the oil tanker that rescued us didn't detect anything ahead. Liang Yingwu later told me that military monitoring satellites outside the atmosphere didn't detect anything unusual in the area, even though such a large creature shouldn't have escaped their keen eyes. This made the agency doubt his report.

What surprised me most about the journal entry "Night Abyss" wasn't the so-called "Sea Overlord Omba," but rather Liang Yingwu. Of the three mysterious journal entries, the one whose existence is definitively confirmed so far is "Feng Lide" in the first entry, who is actually Xu Xian. Although the names are different, these two are undoubtedly the same person, perhaps changed to avoid taboo. The second is Liang Yingwu. Strangely, this high school friend wasn't renamed. Did Xu Xian have to avoid the taboo, but Liang Yingwu didn't? Even stranger is that Liang Yingwu clearly graduated from the Department of Bioengineering at Fudan University, and then went abroad to further his education, obtaining a PhD in Life Sciences from Harvard and a Master's degree in Nuclear Physics from Stanford, all in less than four years. Yet this journal entry says he graduated from the Department of Biochemistry at Fudan University and stayed on as a faculty member after graduation. If this can be considered a form of concealment, then what's the point of this journal entry boldly exposing Liang's identity as a researcher at the X organization and clearly stating his name, deliberately misrepresenting his resume?

Furthermore, it's true that Liang Yingwu's family was very wealthy, but did he own a house near Quyang? How come I didn't know that?

There are just too many oddities. At this point, I believe the appearance of these three notebooks must have some underlying purpose, so the unusual details recorded within cannot be ignored. Not being able to guess the purpose doesn't mean there isn't one. Could this matter possibly involve Liang Yingwu?

With this in mind, I didn't hesitate to call Liang Yingwu. Ever since I received the first notebook, Liang Yingwu and I had been discussing this matter repeatedly. However, there had been no progress for a long time, and he was too busy with his own affairs to pay much attention. Now that there was new progress, and it was related to him, of course I had to call him in to analyze it together. In this regard, his vision was broader than mine, his thinking was clearer, and he knew more inside information than I did. The only thing I could surpass him in was probably his imagination. Moreover, this notebook actually revealed the existence of Organization X to the world. When this notebook was published, the sales of "Mengya" were far less than they are now, and Organization X was probably unaware of it. Now I was very curious about how Organization X would react to this. If I could get Organization X involved in investigating this matter, given the enormous power of this mysterious underground organization, it was impossible for them to fail.

His phone was off, his home phone was answered, and the school said he had taken a week off. It seems Liang Yingwu is "on a mission" again. This world seems to function normally every day, but the undercurrents beneath are something that only someone like Liang Yingwu, who faces the truth directly, can truly perceive.

I left a message for Liang Yingwu, asking him to contact me as soon as he received it.

I tapped the computer desk lightly with my index finger, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

Now, what can I do? Things have progressed to this point, and I can no longer just sit and wait like before; I have to do something.

"Na Duo, what articles do you have today?" Editor Lu Chuan asked as he walked over to me.