bestfiction Chapter 1264
Chapter 1264
Waves of heat continued to rise from the deck, and the pungent smell of sulfur wafted directly at you through the steam.
No one dared to linger outside. The crew members who had been leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance had all begun to crawl into the cabin.
Only a few patrol members remained, pacing back and forth along the ship's side, warily watching the churning, milky-white waves all around.
They can't stay outside for too long, whether it's the scorching temperature or the terrible air quality; staying outside for too long feels like playing with their lives.
From the deserted island where they set off, they had only sailed ten nautical miles, but the scenery on the sea had already changed dramatically.
When we set off, the surrounding sea was covered with a thick layer of volcanic ash, dark and grimy, as if shrouded in a dirty veil.
But now, it's as if the volcanic ash has been suddenly swept away by an invisible hand. Looking around, all that can be seen is a vast expanse of white, as if all the black and gray ash has been swept to the seabed.
This change was not without reason.
Beneath this boiling sea, the earth's crust is already in turbulent motion.
Several islands stand scattered across the sea, seemingly isolated and helpless, but in reality, they form a natural barrier.
The lava and volcanic ash that erupt from the underwater volcano spread outwards under the influence of ocean currents, but their course was abruptly altered when they collided with the reefs of the islands.
Some of the volcanic ash was intercepted by the reefs and slowly deposited in the trenches surrounding the island.
The other part was swept away by the eddies formed between the islands, drifting towards the deeper, unknown sea.
The sea area they were currently sailing in had already left the area blocked by the islands, which was why they were less affected by volcanic ash.
Zhou Shuwan and Mu Mu only stood on the deck for a short while before going back.
She also picked up lunch for herself, Mu Mu, and Qi Mingyu.
Qi Mingyu is talking to Captain Ma in the cockpit and will be back soon.
Their lunch consisted of rations distributed by the base.
very simple!
There were a dozen or so pieces of whale meat, which were quite tough, a fist-sized boiled potato with wrinkled skin, and a bowl of soup made with kelp strips and eggs.
The soup was delicious, a rare treat in this apocalyptic world.
However, the seaweed strips were a side dish they ate at almost every meal, and they had long since grown tired of them.
This ship was a hastily put civilian vessel, and it couldn't compare to the well-equipped facilities of the mid-air fortress.
The cabin was poorly furnished, with large patches of paint peeling off the walls, revealing the mottled cement underneath, and even a thin layer of mold in the corners.
The original air conditioning system had long been broken, so the crew went to great lengths to bring up several micro-generators in an attempt to power the ship's fresh air system and lower the temperature inside the cabin.
However, the effect was not very obvious, and it was better than nothing.
Therefore, their physical experience inside the cabin was not much more comfortable than on the deck.
Eating, washing up, and taking care of personal needs all have to be done quickly; if you're even a little slow, you'll be covered in sweat from the stuffy air inside the cabin.
Zhou Shuwan, Qi Mingyu, and Mu Mu lived in a four-person dormitory.
The space is larger than their original fleet and fortress.
It was also very stuffy indoors.
She was prepared; she took out a few ice cubes from her spatial storage and placed them, along with the empty bucket, in the corner of the room.
The ice melted quickly, and the ice water dripped into the bucket, soon filling it to about half full, which also lowered the temperature in the room by several degrees.
These ice blocks were giant blocks that she and Qi Mingyu collected on the island when the sea froze over. She put them all into her spatial storage.
The quantity is large.
Because of the fortress's air conditioning system, there was enough ice for their family of five to use occasionally.
Therefore, Zhou Shuwan was not stingy at all when it came to using it.
When the ice was almost completely melted, he took out new ice blocks from his spatial storage.
When Qi Mingyu and Mu Mu returned, Mu Mu sighed comfortably and took off her air-conditioned clothes.
Compared to wearing a temperature-controlled suit day and night, this kind of feeling is the most comfortable.
Qi Mingyu smiled when he saw that Zhou Shuwan had also taken off her air-conditioned clothes, and then changed his clothes as well.
They had already patrolled for two hours that morning, and the next two hours were not their shift.
You can rest for a while.
Zhou Shuwan then took out some food from her spatial storage.
The food they received was enough to keep them from going hungry, but it was far from enough to provide a full meal.
Given the opportunity, we should make sure our family members are well-fed and well-clothed so they have the strength to fight the tough battles to come.
Besides, the whale meat was too tough and difficult to eat; Zhou Shuwan had already eaten it all.
So I took the opportunity to change things up.
Because there were other people on board, they couldn't eat food with strong flavors either.
Zhou Shuwan then took out several hot sesame seed cakes, filled with chopped braised beef, their color reddish-brown and their aroma enticing.
It also contains a white egg soaked in meat broth, as well as thinly sliced tofu skin and bean sprouts.
It's basically a pre-apocalyptic flatbread with fillings.
When you get tired of steamed buns, trying this sesame flatbread with vegetables is a refreshing change and tastes especially delicious.
Mu Mu's appetite was whetted. She picked up a round, plump sesame seed cake and began to eat it in big bites.
The crispiness of the sesame flatbread mixed with the rich aroma of braised beef spread in his mouth, making him squint his eyes involuntarily.
Qi Mingyu also picked up a sesame seed cake and ate it slowly.
Actually, when making a sesame seed cake with fillings, you're supposed to add shredded kelp.
However, they now eat seaweed strips with smoked fish for every meal, which is far too much.
So Zhou Shuwan specifically picked out the seaweed strips.
The three of them sat around the small table and quickly devoured all the sesame seed cakes, steamed buns, and boiled eggs, even finishing the bowl of seaweed and egg soup.
The ice in the room was still slowly melting, bringing a refreshing coolness that mingled with the warmth in my stomach, creating a rare sense of comfort.
After eating and drinking her fill, Mu Mu leaned against the bed and let out a satisfied burp.
Qi Mingyu turned his gaze to Zhou Shuwan, his expression turning serious: "What do you plan to do next?"
Of the twenty-odd people on the ship, apart from the Zhou family of three, none of the others knew the specifics of their mission.
Therefore, it means that once they reach their destination, the three of them will need to complete the mission by themselves while piloting the submarine.
Although the submarine has already been tested at sea, it has no problem diving into boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius.
But the thought of them about to take their submarine to the depths of the boiling sea sends chills down one's spine.
Mu Mu, who had been enjoying herself, sat up straight and listened with a serious expression.
In fact, as new hydrothermal vents are formed in the depths of this boiling sea, new seabed minerals will indeed be formed.