Chapter 103: Peril at Sea

The two CHN Division investigators mentioned by Charles as having appeared at the Philippine base were Damin and Brother Long. Ever since they learned that Lin Xiaofeng had set off alone to spearhead the mission to Ghost Island, they had been traveling day and night, desperate to catch up and join him, fearing that he might run into trouble without anyone to watch his back.

Starting from Shazhou City, Brother Long and Damin flew directly to Manila, the capital of the Southeast Asian island nation of the Philippines. There, they transferred to a vehicle and headed for the United Nations relief base (established temporarily after the disaster) located on the east coast of Luzon. It was said that one could find supply ships bound for the waters around Ghost Island there.

As luck would have it, because Ghost Island is so remote, few ships ever pass through. However, due to a massive supply shortage in Latin America, international aid centers were urgently mobilizing resources from around the world, and the Philippines happened to be a transit hub. Thus, upon arriving at the base, Damin and Brother Long had no time to rest before they found a ship capable of reaching the Ghost Island region. They even managed to board ahead of Lin Xiaofeng, avoiding the long wait he had endured in Sydney.

As for Lin Xiaofeng, he had already guessed that the two investigators from the CHN Division boarding in the Philippines were Brother Long and Damin. Based on the sailing time, he estimated they would arrive at Ghost Island less than two days after him. This gave him great peace of mind; at the very least, he would have reinforcements.

Of course, Lin Xiaofeng’s calculations assumed everything would go smoothly, but unforeseen circumstances can change everything. For instance, shortly after Brother Long and Damin boarded their transport ship, they encountered a typhoon.

Typhoons are common enough when sailing the Pacific. It was only because Magellan happened to be incredibly lucky during his circumnavigation—evading all dangers and avoiding storms for so long—that he mistakenly believed the ocean was truly "pacific."

Even though the ship was prepared for such sudden events, people felt truly insignificant when the winds and waves actually struck. The ship carrying Damin and Brother Long was relatively large, yet in the churning ocean, it looked as inconspicuous as an ant, coming perilously close to capsizing multiple times. When the storm finally passed, everyone felt a sense of relief, grateful to have survived the ordeal.

However, Brother Long and Damin couldn't bring themselves to be happy. During the storm, their ship had been pushed by the currents toward the northeast, heading straight for the Alaska Peninsula. Even if the crew turned south immediately, it would add nearly a full day to their voyage. In that one day, too many variables could arise; there was no telling what might happen.

As it turned out, their worries were justified. While they were facing their trial of life and death, Lin Xiaofeng and his crew were running into trouble of their own: their ship had been hijacked by pirates.

In truth, encountering pirates was nothing out of the ordinary for ships traveling to Ghost Island. Located far from any continent, the area was a vacuum where Interpol could not reach in time. Usually, ships plying these waters were equipped with weapons for self-defense.

When the incident occurred, Lin Xiaofeng was chatting with Captain Dylan. They weren't discussing anything important—just idle talk. After all, life at sea was monotonous, and men with nothing to do would naturally gather to boast.

Though it was just small talk, Lin Xiaofeng was most interested in the conditions around Ghost Island. To him, having never been there, it was a place of mystery. He had heard various rumors, but they were all hearsay, not something he had seen with his own eyes, so he didn't count them as facts. As it turned out, in the descriptions provided by Captain Dylan, who frequently traveled this route, the reality of Ghost Island was quite different from the legends.

According to Captain Dylan, his family had been running the route from Australia to Ghost Island since his grandfather’s time. His grandfather had started it after a failed business venture left him heavily in debt, choosing this rarely traveled route specifically for the high commissions.

Initially, they encountered many problems, though not as dangerous as people claimed. The first issues were the weather and the navigational hazards—the route had fickle climates and complex conditions, with many reefs and undercurrents that could ground a ship before help could be summoned. Over time, however, these hazards became easier to avoid.

For them, the biggest nuisance was the Balal people active in these waters. Isolated from other civilizations, they had retained many bizarre customs, some of which they had learned from the early colonists—such as circling the island in prayer, begging the heavens for food.

It was said this activity originated from Spanish officers who used to patrol the island. The local Balal people, watching these outsiders do nothing but walk around the island while large ships delivered their food, couldn't understand it. Under the influence of local shamans, they began to imitate the practice. Later, when the colonists disappeared, these strange customs remained.

With the advent of globalization, the Balal people returned to the world's stage. This time, the exchange was mutual, profoundly changing their society and perceptions. Their traditional society began to disintegrate, followed by modernization and unrest. The pirates active in these waters were essentially Balal tribes who relied on robbing merchant ships for industrial goods.

Just as Captain Dylan was explaining this to Lin Xiaofeng, the pirates arrived.

Following standard procedure, Dylan asked Charles to take some goods to appease them as a "toll." It wasn't that Dylan was a coward; he simply didn't want to invite trouble. It cost little—far less than the price of ammunition—and it bought peace. Why not?

However, a short while later, Charles returned with a serious expression. He whispered a few words into Dylan's ear. The voice was low, and combined with his thick Australian accent, Lin Xiaofeng couldn't make out the specifics. But from Dylan’s expression, he could tell that the captain was angry.

Out of courtesy, Lin Xiaofeng waited quietly on the sidelines. Dylan spoke a few more words to Charles, who then walked away. Dylan stood up, stating that he had some trouble to handle.

Lin Xiaofeng had caught the last few words Dylan said to Charles, something about the pirates being overly greedy this time. Feeling idle, he wondered if he could be of any help. Dylan thought for a moment; the ship was indeed short-handed, and if a fight were to break out, an extra pair of hands would be useful. He invited Lin Xiaofeng to follow him.