8.7 per cent for option I, 52.2 per cent for option two, 34.8 per cent for option three and 4.3 per cent for option IV.

……

[Option 2: Cut off the springboard for personnel to get on and off the ship]

Problems that may arise: After that, personnel can only use life-saving soft ladders to get up and down the research ship

……

Springboard!

Zheng Zhuo looked sharply at the springboard. This life-saving road, which helped everyone get on the boat in time, is now densely crawled with those weird and ugly fish-like people. Several sailors held steel pipes and hammers in their hands and struck the top of the gangplank desperately. Some of the fish-like people near the top fell due to the tremors, but many more were slowly climbing up against their fallen companions.

"The springboard has to be cut!" Zheng Zhuo poked those surging heads and hands down the railing of the research ship, shouting, "They're climbing up!" Captain! ”

"-Springboard-"

The captain gritted his teeth. A moment later, he gave the order.

"Cut the rope of the springboard!"

Click, click. The sailors opened the bolts of the gangplank, one left and one right. The four sailors closest to the gangplank pulled out the fire axes fixed to the inside of the hull. The blade of the steel swings towards the hinged latch.

Click, click, click.

Soth scattered. With the last axe, the huge gangplank made a "crunching ......" sound, pulling all the fixed ropes.

It descends with all the fish-like people above. Moments later, it crashed into the reef-strewn offshore water.

Boom, boom.

The loud crash was accompanied by a huge splash of water that radiated outwards and penetrated everyone's body.

……

After cutting the springboard, the pressure on the sailors and students was significantly reduced. Everyone got the gap, brought high-pressure water guns, and dragged barrels of oil from the transmission room. The crowd alternately used water guns and oil. Makes the hull and tether difficult to grip and slows down the speed at which monsters can board the ship.

All the members of the crew worked hard to support it. I don't know how long it took, but the sky was white. The fish-like creatures were no longer as active as they were at night, sliding off the hull and mooring, and not climbing up again.

But Zheng Zhuo knew that they were still nearby. The shadow behind the reef, the whirlpool near the shore, the filthy blisters next to the hull......

They were looking at them.

No one dares to let up. Everyone held the bird-proof forks, steel pipes, and hammers in their hands tightly and stood by the side of the boat. Time passed minute by minute, and each second seemed to be slowed down several times, grinding the nerves of the crew like fine sand.

And just like that, another long time passed.

The water did not pass the reef at all.

The tide is rising.

……

Finally stuck to this point!

"Everybody's back to work! Sail! ”

The captain gave the order. The gas turbine ignites, the engine starts, and the stern makes a huge splash.

The research ship sounded its first whistle in recent days. Slowly retreating towards the sea.

Everyone didn't even have the strength to cheer. After confirming that the terrifying island had become an insignificant spot in the ocean, the ship went into automatic sailing mode. Zheng Zhuo returned to the dormitory with everyone and collapsed on the bed that he hadn't seen for a long time.

……

Excessive nervousness and exhaustion made Zheng Zhuo sleep for 14 hours in a row. When he woke up, it was pitch black outside the window. Looking out of the porthole of the bedroom, you can only see the waves breaking in the hull under the light of the side lights.

We escaped.

The terrifying appearance of those fish-people is still imprinted in my mind. Zheng Zhuo washed his face vigorously in the bathroom and came to the restaurant.

The smell of fish in the restaurant is very strong. Zheng Zhuo wasn't sure if it was because he hadn't been back on the ship for too long and wasn't used to it, or if it was something else. He barely ate something, and the others woke up in the meantime, and came here one after another.

After a while, everyone began to discuss the damage.

They left the island in a rather hurry. Zheng Zhuo, Chu Huairen, and Professor Lin Wen's tents and sleeping bags were discarded on the shore, along with some dry food and pots and pans. These are negligible: there are no valuables.

In terms of scientific research, the daily collection of rubbing, image data and sampling data will be brought back to the ship for preservation on the same day. It's all preserved, and it wasn't lost because of this accident.

Some of the plaster used for the topography was lost, but there was still a lot on board. A few metal detectors and total stations were also lost, and these items were expensive and distressing to discard, but fortunately there were spare items on board.

The only "irretrievable" loss this time is the small equivalent crane.

We only brought one for this scientific expedition. Lost along with it was a small diesel generator and several kilometers of wires and lines.

"No way, on the island after that, let's use some substitutes."

Professor Lin Wen said lightly. The other students nodded.

“…… Well? ”

But this time, it was Chu Huairen who raised the voice of doubt.

"Are we going to the next island?"

"That's right, Huairen."

Professor Lin Wen said calmly.

"You see it too...... Such an amazing find. There are no problems with the state of the boat, and what is lost is not a necessity. We can still follow up to the end. ”

"But...... There are fish-man-like monsters...... Just like the one painted on the mural. Chu Huairen hesitated, "What happened ...... such a big thing?"

There was an eerie silence in the dining room. No one answered Chu Huairen's words.

Everyone just crunched and chewed on the distributed cooked saury.

"Huairen, don't you want to continue exploring?"

After a while, Professor Lin Wen spoke.

Chu Huairen was obviously shaken by this question.

After hesitating for a long time, he struggled to organize the answer.

“…… Of course I do. ”

……

On the other side, Zheng Zhuo had already opened the [Appraisal].

He watched Chu Huairen talk to Professor Lin Wen with his spare eyes while confirming everyone's situation.

Sailors, sailors, students, professors, captains......

Really.

Everyone's personal interface will flash for a moment after the [name] is displayed, and then the [human] will appear like a frame-skipping [human].

Among them, the sailors Cao Yang and Professor Lin Wen, who were unwell on the first day, were the most serious. The back of the two [names] continued to flicker, and the word "human" was not displayed until the end.

A few days ago, Zheng Zhuo thought that the [identification] was broken. But now it seems......

(Yes...... People are broken...... Bar...... ）”

He looked at the sallow faces of the sailors and students and the scratches on their necks, and his face became more and more somber.

……

No sailors or students objected to Professor Lin Wen's proposal, and the captain carried out the plan long ago. In the second half of the discussion, they took out charts and maps.

Sure enough, the ship was moving according to the map found in the niche. Now, they are heading to the second island.

Zheng Zhuo had been sitting in the corner watching them. Towards the end of the discussion, he accosted the nearest sailor, intentionally or unintentionally.

"I haven't been back to the ship for days. Or better sleep on a boat. ”

He said.

"But your faces aren't very good. Listening to my classmates, there have been rumors these past nights? ”

"It's more than the rumors." The sailor poured bitter water, "I can always feel the wet dampness in the middle of the night, and sometimes there is an unknown grunt—I wonder who is sleepwalking!" Ah, and the first few days, everyone woke up in the morning and found blood stains on the corners of their mouths. Hey, there must be a student who is not used to living in a cabin, and opens the door of the living area in the middle of the night - the salty sea breeze can easily wipe his face! Fortunately, after saying it a few times, there was no such thing for the rest of the night. But skin diseases began to plague the ship again...... Finally, I saw something strange. What an unsettling voyage. ”

"But you still agree to continue the scientific expedition?"

"I don't know much about these things. It's a big discovery, though, right? Of course we want to support it. ”

“……”

Zheng Zhuo frowned. He saw the sailor's pupils shrink as he said this.

"Thank you for your answer."

Zheng Zhuo smiled reluctantly.

……

The meeting is over. Everyone went back to work.

Zheng Zhuo also followed the crowd out of the restaurant. He happened to be standing behind Chu Huairen.

Chu Huairen's face was not good-looking. However, it did not become sallow. There is also no rash or scratch on the neck.

(In this way, Professor Lin Wen does not have any of these symptoms...... But his [identification] results were one of the worst. ）”

Zheng Zhuo thought and walked out.

Suddenly.

"Zheng Zhuo."

He heard Chu Huairen stop him.

Zheng Zhuo turned his head. He saw Chu Huairen's expression that he couldn't let go. His face was contorted with fear and other indescribable emotions.

“…… Something is wrong here. ”

"Ahh

He looked fine. Zheng Zhuo thought.

However, in the middle of a group of problematic people, people who are okay can easily go crazy.

"I ...... I know there's a problem...... But ......"

Chu Huairen's hands trembled with intense confusion.

“…… But...... I also...... Don't know why...... I also think...... The end of the map...... Something is calling me......"

Am I crazy too?

He asked Zheng Zhuo.

Of course, Zheng Zhuo knew that he was not crazy.

Or should I say, he's the only one here who isn't crazy. It is his personality that is calling him. His......

…… Curiosity.

Zheng Zhuo's face was also generally heavy. He stretched out his hand and patted Chu Huairen on the shoulder.

"Take it easy. It's here that the fall ends. Keep moving forward. You're going to be okay. ”

Zheng Zhuo is talking about the subconscious. The closer he got to the truth, the easier it was for Chu Huairen to leave this world.

Zheng Zhuo thought about it and said to Chu Huairen again.

"Go to the utility room and find a lock, and when you go to bed at night, lock the curtain from the inside to the bed frame. And ......"

“…… Go get something ready. ”

Zheng Zhuo knew that next, he was likely to fall into a situation where he and Chu Huairen were going to solve the problem.

For this reason, he had to ask Chu Huairen to make some preparations first.

……

【Question】

[It's likely that something is happening on the ship!] If there is someone you can trust, what should you do to prepare him? 】

[Option 1]

[Let him make sure that the unopened food is clean as much as possible]

[Option 2]

[Let him make sure as much as possible that he can make simple repairs]

[Option 3]

[Let him secure a lethal weapon as much as possible]

[Option 4]

[Let him find a way to get rid of the contents of Professor Lin Wen's suitcase and hide those items by himself]

[Option 5]

[Just let him be quiet and standby]