Chapter 0001: Falling into the Water

Ye Han stamped her foot fiercely. It is true that the south has abundant water, but who stipulated that people from the south must know how to swim

The shipowner quickly smiled and said: "You flatter me, my name is Ye Han, with 'Han' meaning cultivation. May I ask your esteemed surname?"

He Yang walked to the stern of the boat and grabbed the towing rope, but the towing rope was unexpectedly heavy, causing his palms to ache, yet he could not pull it.

"Young man, what is the price for chartering a boat?" a voice, old yet robust, suddenly inquired

It is not that she is being pretentious, but rather that it is truly too dirty

He Yang responded with a sound, casually turning the tablet upside down on the chair. The moment the tablet was flipped, a large shadow suddenly flashed across the computer screen.

"Old Qin, please be careful!" Ye Han assisted Old Qin into the open cabin of the boat, while others followed closely behind, each finding a place to sit down

However, when he rushed to the stern of the ship, there was not a trace of movement in the water, only a circle of ripples spreading out layer by layer

"Here?" Ye Han couldn't help but be taken aback, "Why stop here when it's so unreliable? Stopping and going consumes a lot of fuel."

Professor Qin smiled at Ye Han as he walked into the cabin. Several students immediately became busy under Professor Qin's direction; some were adjusting equipment, others ran to the side of the boat to collect water samples with glass bottles, and one student, holding an object as thick as an arm with a propeller at the end, ran to the stern, tied it to a rope, and directly threw it into the water

As the fishing boat navigated around a small island, a medium-sized yacht, painted with the number 417 on its side, suddenly appeared in front of the fishing boat, gently drifting along with the ripples on the lake's surface

How is the water quality?

Ye Han climbed into the cockpit to start the engine, and the dilapidated pleasure boat slowly departed from the dock, parting the waves as it glided onto the lake surface

Professor Qin chuckled nonchalantly and said, "In conducting research, one must knowingly pursue the impossible!"

Is someone in the water

Old Qin slowly walked to the outside of the cockpit and said, "Young man, is this boat converted from a fishing vessel?"

Ye Handun immediately felt a sense of respect, but still suggested, "Professor Qin, I advise you not to waste your efforts. There have been numerous investigations over the past few years. It's not that I am being pessimistic, but I estimate that you won't uncover much this time either."

"Professor, the equipment is set up!" shouted a bespectacled student from the cabin

The customer is God, Ye Han turned off the engine, and the boat gradually came to a stop, with only seventy to eighty meters left to 417. Ye Han looked around in confusion, wondering why there wasn't a single figure in sight on 417. Where did all the people go?

That is not the case; it is simply pitifully scarce, the largest being only half the length of a palm, not even enough to fill the gaps between teeth

Ye Han took a swift step out of the cockpit and strode towards the stern of the ship, deftly removing the inner tube of a truck tire that was hanging over the side of the vessel along the way

All water samples are classified as Category 3.

It is certainly the navigation that has caused excessive water resistance, and he immediately signaled Ye Han to stop the boat

I don't know. Ye Han immediately shook his head, "In recent years, no matter how many fish fry are released, there have been no fish in the lake. No research or analysis has been effective. Earlier this year, even a submarine was brought in, and after searching the lake for half a month, no fish schools were found."

He quickly pulled out the pocket telescope from under the control panel, but when he raised the telescope, he could no longer find that person... Could it be that I am seeing things?

The short-haired girl behind the old man immediately tugged at the old man's sleeve

The shipowner was overjoyed: "Please come aboard, young lady, I will help you with your luggage!" With that, he nimbly jumped off the boat

To speak frankly, he truly did not want to enter the water. It was not that he was unwilling to help, but rather that a person who cannot swim will instinctively grab onto anything they can hold onto when they fall into the water. A rescuer, if not careful, may be tightly embraced by the drowning person, and it is possible that not only will the person not be saved, but the rescuer may also lose their own life.

"Fifty yuan per person for Huxin Island, the boat is about to depart..." The young boat owner shouted energetically, yet he did not attract a single passenger

The girl wrinkled her nose in disdain and, with a lollipop in her mouth, mumbled, "Grandpa, this boat is too shabby!"

Old Qin chuckled and said, "I am also here to investigate"

The shipowner was extremely embarrassed and, in a moment of inspiration, supported the elderly man, saying: "I will assist you!"

Ye Han was momentarily taken aback; this location was at least 1 kilometer off the main shipping route, and it was notorious for its dense reefs. A slight miscalculation could lead to grounding and sinking. Only his shallow-draft old boat would dare to venture here. Had 417 taken the wrong medication

Getting too close to the island in the lake does not meet Professor Qin's requirements, so Ye Han decided to circle around the island a few times

The shipowner instantly revived with full vigor, gritting his teeth and resolutely declaring: "Three hundred for one hour!" Looking up, he saw that seven or eight people had already gathered beneath the ship, with an elderly man wearing a bowler hat leading the group.

Not a single one?" Old Qin furrowed his brows

Ye Han couldn't help but be taken aback, and turned around to ask urgently: "Can he swim? Does he know how to swim?"

At that moment, a sudden scream came from the stern of the ship: "Ah—"

The shipowner wiped the sweat from his forehead in disappointment and sighed helplessly. When one is poor, their ambitions are limited; with a dilapidated ship and a remote location, is it still possible to earn a living?

A cooked duck is about to fly away, and the boat owner looks troubled: "Old man, four hundred is the normal price; three hundred an hour is truly a price that drains my heart. If it goes any lower, I won't even be able to cover the cost of fuel"

The sun hangs high in the sky, and at the lakeside in midsummer, visitors are bustling about. A dozen or so boats of varying sizes are lined up at the dock, and under the waving flags of the tour guides, tourists are boarding the vessels.

The young woman pouted, took out a tissue, and carefully wiped the seat three times before sitting down.

"Why are there no fish in the lake?" inquired Old Qin with curiosity

As they spoke, the boat had already drifted several hundred meters from the shore. Old Qin suddenly said, "Xiao Ye, stop here for a moment."

No," said the student holding the tablet, shaking his head. The mini-submarine has not captured a single small fish until now

A few minutes later, at Professor Qin's request, the fishing tour was restarted, moving intermittently for over an hour, with the island in the center of the lake faintly in sight.

Ye Han suddenly discovered that there seemed to be a person and a book floating on the surface of the water ahead

Your insight is remarkable. Ye Han smiled shyly, saying, Over the years, I don't know why, the catch of lake fish has decreased year by year, and fishing has barely provided enough for meals. After returning from military service, I happened to encounter a low-priced boat sale, so I bought a boat to make a living.

Two years later, Jing Shui Lake Tourist Area

The elderly man smiled and patted the young woman's hand, saying: "This one will do, the others are not suitable."

The elderly man nodded with a smile and said, "Not bad, young man. What is your surname?"

My surname is Qin, and I am honored to be introduced. Old Mr. Qin still wore a beaming smile.

Old Qin waved his hand and said, "We are not here to play"

He quickly pulled the rope wrapped around the life buoy into his hands and turned to jump into the water

The bespectacled man said uncertainly: "He is from the south..." implying that he should be able to swim

At this moment, the atmosphere in the cabin was extremely tense, and Professor Qin was deeply worried: "Hasn't it been discovered yet?"

The girl hidden behind her sunglasses glared fiercely at the boat owner and said, "Who do you think you are, big sister!"

He Yang pulled the towing rope again; the rope remained heavy, but he was finally able to move it.

The elongated scream was suddenly drowned out by a splash, and everyone in the cabin stood up, but there was no sign of anyone at the stern of the ship

Professor Qin sighed in disappointment, saying, "He Yang, bring the submarine back."