Chapter 281: Chapter 280: The Sleeper Beneath the Water

［No, no! We’re well-fed and won’t fight that guy for small fish.］

The otter family nodded obediently. Listening to Little Xu Station Chief, with plenty of whole fish feasts to eat, they wouldn’t brawl with the troublesome fish in the water.

Otter Dad and Otter Mom took the rope and went underwater together.

Captain Zhang mentioned that there’s a buckle on the probe; you just need to hook the curve into the buckle to secure the rope onto the instrument.

The eldest cub served as a scout for its parents, observing the situation underwater.

With a few splashes, the three otters dove in unison, and Xu Ying’s heart tensed up along with them.

Time ticked by second by second.

The otter family of three emerged from the water. [Little Xu Station Chief, we’ve secured the rope!]

Only the eldest cub seemed less lively when it surfaced, looking quite scared.

The otter parents groomed its head fur gently with their paws to comfort it.

The family of three handed the end of the rope securing the instrument to Xu Ying.

Xu Ying noticed the otter cub’s unease, “What’s wrong? Did you get hurt underwater?”

The eldest cub shook its head: [No, not hurt, I’m very strong!]

[It’s just that the underwater was too scary.]

[Little Xu Station Chief, we saw a biped creature’s corpse underwater!]

Xu Ying’s hand trembled mid-reach for the rope, goosebumps rising all over. “What’s the situation?”

Otter Mom replied: [We saw a female biped creature’s corpse underwater.]

[Unlike the rotting bones of other animal corpses, this corpse seemed like a living person asleep underwater!]

——[But we have confirmed she has no breath.] Otter Dad shook his head.

Xu Ying’s expression turned serious immediately: “Okay, I understand. Thanks for the information.”

The water temperature of West Mountain Ice Lake is near freezing all year round, especially in the deep waters, where archaeologists have discovered well-preserved ancient remains in high-altitude areas of West Mountain.

When someone falls into the Ice Lake, the corpse can be preserved for a long time due to the low temperature, decaying very slowly, like putting meat in a freezer.

In such a large lake, having one or two corpses isn’t surprising. It might be an accidental drowning, but based on the otter’s description, this corpse seemed quite “fresh,” likely not dead for long.

The eldest cub was still traumatized: [I was so scared that I fell on my butt.]

Xu Ying consoled it with mixed feelings: “When we get to the shore, I’ll check if your butt is injured.”

“You all head to shore first, the task is completed. The show team is preparing a whole fish feast for you!”

Upon hearing “whole fish feast,” the fear of seeing the female corpse was quickly forgotten by the eldest cub.

It agilely climbed onto the ice surface, sliding quickly towards the shore where the show crew was.

Otter Mom followed her kid ashore first, while Otter Dad stayed in the nearby waters with Xu Ying: [Little Xu Station Chief, I’ll stay here and help you check if the instrument’s unhooked when you pull it up.]

Xu Ying was touched by the otter’s thoughtfulness, forming a smile on her face: “Thank you so much!”

Xu Ying pulled on the rope to lift the instrument little by little.

The otters had already loosened the instrument at the lake bottom.

She felt minimal effort was required to pull the instrument up, guessing the devoted descendants of Zhe Luo Fish were assisting in pushing it up to the water’s surface with their bodies.

Under the collaborative push of the Zhe Luo Fish school, the thirty-kilogram cylindrical instrument quickly surfaced.

Xu Ying watched the vast fish school carrying the instrument in unison, their silver scales glimmering like a flowing galaxy under the sun.

Her eyes suddenly heated up, a tingling sensation rising on her nose.

The livestream room buzzed instantly, with bullet comments rolling in like a tide:

[Oh my god! This scene is too stunning!]

[They cooperate so seamlessly, just like they’ve been trained!]

[I’m crying; the cooperation between animals is so touching]

[This is the magic of nature]

“Thank you, thank you all!”

Xu Ying’s voice choked up, scattering all the fish food she had on her and in her backpack onto the lake surface, where the creatures eagerly gobbled it up, flipping excitedly, splashing with their tails in joyous waves.

Once the instrument was retrieved, everything else was manageable. Xu Ying placed it into the storage basket hung by a military drone.

Captain Zhang operated the drone, slowly lifting Xu Ying and the instrument from the water’s surface.

Like a steel eagle, the drone gently carried Xu Ying to shore.

Suspended in the air, Xu Ying held her breath, grateful for the Golden Eagle and Snow Pigeon flying alongside to ease her tension.

Finally touching the solid ground, Xu Ying exhaled deeply, the chilled white mist condensing in the air. The terrifying encounter at the Ice Lake was more thrilling than a rollercoaster.

“Captain Zhang, quickly check if the instrument is damaged!” Her voice still trembled slightly, her eyes focused on the valuable instrument lifted by the fish school.

Captain Zhang rushed forward with quick strides, cautiously taking over the instrument.

The next moment, all the crew members saluted her uniformly, their actions crisp and neat, casting a sharp arc under the sun.

Xu Ying stood frozen, her fingers subconsciously twisting the damp hem of her clothes.

She was about to speak when a warm sensation placed into her hand interrupted her thoughts—

“Take it.”

A deep male voice sounded by her ear.

She turned back, a cup of steaming ginger tea extended before her.

Qi Xiao stood half a step behind her, his wheat-colored skin glinting with a healthy shine in the sunlight, his thick brows furrowed with lingering worry.

Only then did she notice the thin layer of frost on her cold-weather gear, and her fingers were turning red from the cold.

Taking the ginger tea, the hot cup made her cold-stiffened fingers twitch slightly. Before she could thank him, a weight suddenly fell on her shoulder—a large windproof coat draped over her.

Qi Xiao’s movements were swift and smooth; his solid arm glimpsed past her vision, adeptly straightening her collar.

The faint scent of laundry detergent lingering on the coat immediately enveloped her.

“Keep it on.” His voice remained steady, arranging her collar, “There’s a full set of cold-weather gear prepared in the tent; change into it later.”

“Thank you!”

Xu Ying, her eyes bright, flashed an appreciative smile at Qi Xiao.

Looking up, she caught his quickly averted gaze.

Qi Xiao had turned to point towards the convoy direction, but the profile of his face was particularly clear under the sun, the blush spreading from his ear tip to his neckside.

“Little Xu Station Chief, the instrument isn’t damaged!”

Captain Zhang’s joyful news came from the other side, making Xu Ying’s dimples deepen, “That’s great!”

Yet, recalling the otter’s description of the lake bottom’s “sleeping female corpse,” Xu Ying’s smile faded away.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep