If I could use an easy-to-understand metaphor to describe the scene before me, it would be a worker using a nail gun to quickly drive nails into a wooden board. That's right, these oarfish are like nail guns. Although their bodies are swinging softly like silk ribbons, their heads are staring at the "big king beetle" very close below, and they just hear "bang". With a sound, it was difficult to tell what happened with the naked eye, but what could be seen was that the "big king footed insect" below had disappeared. Many fish hunt in this way, taking one hundredth of a second to suck the prey into their mouths. The chewing sound of "click, click" sounded, and after a few seconds, the oarfish opened its mouth, spit out a pile of broken insect shells, and then targeted the next prey. It is true that the efficiency is not as high as that of the "Siren", but the oarfish is more numerous, and the most important thing is that those "king oarfish" have an instinctive fear of the oarfish, and many of them have begun to scatter and escape.
More than a dozen oarfish surrounded Ling Hao and Tian Yong, because the bugs on their bodies were the most concentrated. Amidst the sonic booms of "bang, bang", the two of them were pecked as if they were receiving some kind of physical therapy. They staggered, groaned, and looked extremely funny, but the number of "king-footed insects" on their bodies was also decreasing. Although the situation has improved, the insect tide has not completely receded. Ling Hao and the others are still quite far away from the "Pippi Shrimp".
At this moment, a huge black shadow shrouded the heads of Ling Hao and Ling Hao. Before they could react, two huge mechanical arms had clamped their belts and lifted them directly off the seabed. This is the "Trilobite". It relied on the "eyes" of three robots to accurately locate the two people in the mud and fog. After catching them, they were thrown directly into the cargo hold.
In the cargo hold, Peter and the three young men were busy picking out the "king worms" from Ling Hao and the others and throwing them into a large bucket. After a lot of effort, they were "cleaned" out. .
"Xue Ting, don't worry. We have escaped from danger and are now on the Trilobite. We are not injured." Tian Yong did not want Xueting to be anxious, so he immediately reported that she was safe.
Ling Hao immediately started the system's self-test program to see if the "Armor" diving suit was damaged. The two of them breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that everything was intact and that they were safe.
"Brother Pete, thank you for saving us. You were able to drop boxes of gold bricks and save our lives with all your strength. I, Ling Hao, will remember this sentiment and I will make you my friend." Ling Hao held Pete's hand. hands to express sincere gratitude. In this deep seabed, where there is no way to reach the sky or the ground, and there is always a treasure in front of you, it is inevitable that some people will lose their nature. Those who can withstand this kind of test, Ling Hao believes that he can make deep friends.
Peter smiled humorously like an old naughty boy, and then shouted to the three young people behind him: "You three, stop hanging around, your work is not done yet." The three young people turned over in unison. He rolled his eyes and went back to controlling the robot to move bricks, which made Ling Hao and Tian Yong laugh a little.
"It's just a joke. Just let the robot do the rest of the work. You were frightened just now. Take a good rest. I have good whiskey here. Do you want to have a drink to calm down the shock?" Peter hugged Ling Hao. shoulders, with a flattering expression on his face.
Ling Hao was a little surprised, and his sudden enthusiasm was obviously a request: "I won't drink anymore. Let's just rest for a while. Brother Pete, do you want to tell me something?"
"Uh..." It was indeed a bit embarrassing to say some words, but for his early retirement and for his daughter's future, Old Pete had to say it, but he hadn't figured out how to say it yet. "Brother Ling Hao, the risks in our business are actually very high. Under the deep sea, anything can kill a person. In fact, it's not that I can't get the equipment you are wearing, but I still It cost ten times the price to build three robots. Susan’s mother passed away early, and my old life no longer belongs to me. For my daughter’s future, safety is always the most important thing.”
"You are right. Being brave does not mean seeking death. I will also consider using robots to perform salvage missions in the future. It doesn't matter if the equipment is more expensive. Everyone's life is the most important." Ling Hao followed the other person's words and waited to enter. To the point.
Peter continued: "I have thought about some things over and over again, but I still want to communicate with you. In the past, we were engaged in salvage work, and many of us helped others salvage their underwater properties. It is normal to receive a small commission, but this time we will not Same thing. This shipwreck cemetery is not the property of his Greek shipping king family. Even Julian doesn't know the specific location. We provide labor, equipment, and even risk our lives. Why can we only get 15% commission? ?It's not fair that Julian is just a person who provides inaccurate information, and he sits in the comfort of a beachside holiday cabin and takes advantage of it."
Hearing this, Ling Hao already knew roughly what the other party was going to say: "You are right, I also feel a little bit embarrassed. I wonder how Brother Pete can solve this problem? Let me learn more."
"Okay, let me tell you. We are now in an inaccessible place. No one except you and me will know how much we got. I think the total we got in the sea this time is nearly 1 billion. U.S. dollars, right? If we hide half of it somewhere under the sea, and 500 million U.S. dollars is a huge amount of money obtained out of thin air for Julian, he should be able to accept it. We will take back the treasure in the future, Sell it at a good price without anyone noticing, and I can retire early and lay a good foundation for Susan's future. For you, this money is much more than the 15%. What do you think of my idea? Sample?"
Ling Hao was dumbfounded. Normally he would disdain such a thing, and he was not short of money now. But if he refused, it would obviously block Peter's financial path, and he would not want to get along with him again in the future. Even if he handed over everything he owned and asked Peter to keep it secret, and promised to keep it secret, he was afraid that others would never trust him, and the result would still be a breakdown in the relationship. Not for a while, it was very difficult.
"I don't know if Brother Ling Hao has a personal relationship with Julian, but I heard before that he seemed to have adopted some dishonorable means to get you to take this business. I think you must have enough respect for this person. In terms of cognition, do you think that when the treasure is handed over to him, he won't do anything when calculating the price? Will what you and I really get will be 15% of the actual value of the treasure? As a person, I always do business. He is very trustworthy, but for people like Julian, if you trust him, he may not trust you. This time he went to sea, he clearly came to make money for free, and even the commission is the wool of the sheep, you How much do you plan to let him take away with nothing? Is it fair?" Peter became more and more emotional as he spoke, and his old face turned red.
Ling Hao was also a little aroused. Yes, in order to get him into trouble, Julian even did not hesitate to attack Cheng Linfeng. Was he doting on him like this? "You are right. Giving him half is enough to keep him awake. Giving him more will only encourage his greed. At that time, no matter whether we are willing or not, he will do everything possible to force us to continue coming here until Until the shipwreck cemetery is emptied out. This is a 1,500-meter seabed with the most complex currents in the world. If something goes wrong, it will be too late for us to regret it. Anyway, no matter how much I can earn this time, I don’t plan to come here again after I go up there. It’s a shipwreck graveyard, I want to give it up when it’s good, and I want to let that kid Julian stop it, and if he pesters me again, I’ll make him walk around without food.”
"Okay, let's settle it. On the way here, I saw a lonely flat-topped mountain on the seabed 15 nautical miles west of here. Although the water is more than 1,200 meters deep and others can't get down, it's still a good thing for you and me. It’s easy to find. If you can trust me, old Pete, let’s put half of the things we find on the mountain, and after things calm down for a while, we can come back to pick them up again. How about that?”
Although the plan is crude and based entirely on mutual trust between the two, it needs further discussion. However, Ling Hao's desire for money is not that serious, and he also really wants to make Pete as a friend. If anything happens in the future, If he encounters any difficulties on his mission, he is probably the only one in the world who has the ability to help him. Thinking of this, Ling Hao readily agreed. Old Pete was as happy as if he had won a big prize, and he just grabbed Ling Hao for a drink.
During this period, the oarfish had eaten enough and left one after another, and the "king worms" had to hide and escape because the smell of the carrion water had dissipated, leaving behind insect shells all over the seabed. Everything gradually returned to calm, even the swaying sand gradually sank to the bottom, and the visibility returned to clear. Three robots have already moved the remaining boxes into the "Trilobite", and there is no need to stay here anymore.
Seventy percent of Mussolini's treasures were on the "Trilobite". Plus the previous gains, the load was so heavy that the "Trilobite" could only barely move slowly, and there was no way to float quickly, let alone pass through. Due to the turbulent and complicated sea currents, it could only stop next to the "Stone Crab" and move most of the treasure to the latter's cargo hold. After all, the "Stone Crab" was larger in size and had a much larger load capacity.
After a lot of work, the two submersibles left the shipwreck cemetery and arrived at the flat-topped mountain on the seabed. After putting down all the jewelry, most of the gold objects, and more than a dozen boxes of gold bricks, Ling Hao planned to contact the surface of the sea. Several days have passed, and the weather conditions on the sea are good, which is a good time to float up. The reason why only the gold bricks and a small number of gold items are left to trade is because it is easier to calculate the prices of these things, and Mussolini’s gold bricks have a certain national nature, which feels difficult to deal with. This kind of problem is naturally Julian should be left to solve it, he is the biggest beneficiary.
Ling Hao smiled and asked Peter to come up with him, and the latter said with an embarrassed look on his face: "When all the gold bricks were put on your side just now, you asked me why I didn't let the 'Trilobite' also put some on it. I didn't say it at the time, but actually I thought so. Now that I've come here, there are still so many sunken ships in front of me. Now that the cargo hold has been emptied, the Trilobite is still in relatively calm waters under the chaotic ocean currents. It's a rare opportunity. I might as well go there again, after all, who would think it’s too much money, right?”
Ling Hao frowned and said very solemnly: "Brother Pete, you and I hit it off like old friends, and you saved me again. There are some things I would say only if you were my elder brother. It may not sound good, but I hope you understand what I mean. Hello."
Peter smiled coquettishly: "You tell me, I also treat you as a brother, just say it if you have anything to say."
"Okay, you and I are both people who have been making a living at sea for many years, and we know best that the sea is a place that eats people without spitting out their bones. This time our mission went smoothly and we made a lot of money, but I hope you can calm down Look at the facts carefully. This is one of the worst sea areas in the world, and the operating location is below 1500. These two factors alone have stopped almost all teams in this industry, and only you and me are left. You must not forget, This is definitely a very difficult and dangerous task. Whether it was the blessing of the Poseidon or the blessing of the Dragon King, it is all our luck. There is an old saying in China, "If you often walk by the river, you will inevitably get wet shoes." Can you guarantee that it will be smooth sailing when entering the shipwreck cemetery? Susan and your two students are by your side. You have already made a lot of money, so why take the risk just for the icing on the cake? You can't make money. It’s over, but life only lasts once.”
Ling Hao's words were very straightforward and pertinent, causing Peter to fall silent for a moment. After a long time, he said: "Brother, I have listened to what you said, and I understand it too. I also know an old Chinese saying, 'Those who drown are those who know how to swim.' But everyone has it." My own difficulties, you and I are peers, and I believe you are also aware of the situation in our company. People like us are called shipwreck hunters, but in fact, how many times can we find treasures on shipwrecks in our lives? I am considered an expert in this industry. Are you a senior? But I have only experienced a harvest like today twice in my life. The first time it turned out to be nothing, which became the biggest joke in the industry. But this time is the biggest opportunity in my life, brother. . In fact, most of the time, 'Odyssey' company used Weibo's commission to salvage lost equipment for others, repair submarine facilities and drilling platforms, and even boringly helped energy and mining companies search for minerals on the seabed. The competition for things that are not difficult is fierce, and no matter how high my level is, it is not an advantage. Therefore, the company has been stumbling over the years. Everyone thinks that I am a rich man, but in fact, every time I go on a mission, I may have to pay for fuel. And worry. That’s all. Susan’s mother passed away early, and our father and daughter depended on each other. As you can see, this child was still very young before he could be independent. The year before last, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, although it was not a serious illness. It is a fatal disease, but gradually the joints will grow together, and there is no cure. This means that the time left for me to go into the water is running out, and the countdown has begun. As a single father, I want to try my best to get out of the water before I lose my ability. The child’s future arrangements are clear. I believe this feeling is not difficult for you to understand. In fact, if you are unwilling to take a business like Julian’s that has a high chance of being wasted, do you really want to take it? I just want to take a gamble. , I’m just looking for a way to solve the problem once and for all. Otherwise, with my character, would I do what I am doing now, throwing aside my lifelong professional ethics and hiding some of my treasures privately? And shamelessly begging you for nothing It’s also a shame. Ten years ago, this was simply not something I could do.”
This time it was Ling Hao's turn to be silent. After a long while, he sighed: "Brother Pete, I apologize to you for what I just said. I understand that you have your difficulties, and I will not stop you from going back to the shipwreck cemetery again." Now, I will go up and hand over the gold bricks to Julian. As long as the weather permits, I will wait for you on the sea. If you encounter any difficulties, you should contact me as soon as possible and I will dive down immediately to help you."
Pete's eyes turned red and he gave Ling Hao a tight hug: "Good brother, I am lucky to get to know you at this age."
