Xiao Guang's forehead was covered in sweat as he maintained the balance of the beetle. The sailboat, now in the water, glided over the surface like a flying creature, leaving Crab Island far behind.
Sitting behind Xiao Guang, Su Pei gazed downward at crabs crawling beneath the water and then turned her head to see the countless crabs on Crab Island launching a renewed attack.
In her hands, Su Pei held a pouch given to her by Xiao Guang containing potions to ward off fish.
Before they set out, Xiao Guang instructed her to keep an eye on the water's surface. If something seemed amiss and fish were spotted trailing them from a distance, she was to sprinkle the potions into the water.
Despite having applied a protective coating to the hull, prolonged exposure to water would dilute its effectiveness. While the shore was guarded by crabs, the deeper waters might still be infiltrated by fish. She must remain vigilant and not let her guard down. Piloting the beetle required his full attention, leaving him with limited energy to spare.
With a tense expression, Su Pei observed the young men on the boat, her eyes filled with admiration.
Over the past year, they had been brave and united, overcoming numerous hardships.
Unafraid of sacrifices, they never backed down in the face of danger.
This group of young men, lean and hungry, gritted their teeth and gave it their all.
They treated her like a little sister, playful and respectful in their interactions.
It was precisely because of this that she was willing to catch seabirds for them and bring Xiao Guang along. Everything they had gone through was uncertain and risky, yet it made sense. She was willing to stake her chances on that one-in-a-billion opportunity for them. And in this final moment, although she sat behind Xiao Guang, she had already made a decision. If the crossing failed, she would untie the ropes on the beetle, severing their connection to the boat. She couldn't let Xiao Guang be implicated, and she herself would jump into the sea, never parting from them. The pressure of surviving alone was something she couldn't bear.
Xiao Guang hadn't told her that the moment she mounted the beetle, he secretly used a knot to tie her foot to his.
When Su Lao and Li Ji were busy, they told Xiao Guang, "Please, no matter what happens, don't let her jump off!"
Focused, Xiao Guang urged the beetle on. By his estimation, following their current course at full speed would take at least ten hours to reach their destination. The beetle's stamina wouldn't last, and it couldn't row continuously for twenty hours. They would have to rest along the way, meaning it would conservatively take about two days to cross.
The people on the boat had just experienced a fierce battle, with no time for recovery before hastily boarding. In mere minutes, they had gone through intense turbulence. Even the fittest soldiers were struggling. Many had vomited, were unsteady on their feet, and numerous others had fallen into a deep sleep, unable to stand.
Xiao Guang turned to Su Pei and said, "Let everyone rest, I'll handle the boat."
"Dad, you guys get some rest. Xiao Guang says we still have at least twenty hours to go."
Su Lao looked up at his daughter and nodded, showing signs of fatigue himself. "Li Ji, let everyone take a break!"
"Understood!" Li Ji no longer hesitated. As the commander, he understood just how crucial the team's stamina was.
After assigning a few sentinels, Li Ji commanded, "Everyone, sleep!"
The order was straightforward and direct.
Then he squatted down and went to sleep, and Su Pei on the beetle smiled. By now, they had distanced themselves from Crab Island. The water surface was calm, and Xiao Guang began his performance.
He knocked left and right on Dou Dou and muttered something in his mouth, taking out something for it to sniff. Then, Dou Dou obediently approached the beetle one by one.
Xiao Guang cautiously extended a stick to touch their antennae, muttering sinisterly to each beetle that came close, taking out something and sprinkling it into the air like a magician's gesture.
Under Su Pei's wide-eyed gaze, the beetles that had been chattered at actually flew back to the boat and rested quietly.
Finally, unable to hold back, Su Pei tilted her head and perked up her ears to listen to what this guy was muttering when he leaned his head over again.
"Sniff, quickly stop flying. Yeah, it worked. Move forward. I'm not afraid of anything. You're all big fools. I'm the biggest winner in the world."
With a serious expression, Xiao Guang solemnly spouted nonsense.
"In a while, it will be our turn to set off as laborers," Xiao Guang sat at the bow and said to Dou Dou beside him.
"Yeah."
Xiao Guang's precise maneuvers allowed the beetles to take turns resting. At this point, only a few beetles remained suspended in the air, towing the small boat forward.
The beetles influenced by the powder only moved in one direction. When they deviated from the course, Xiao Guang, sitting at the bow, manipulated the "reins" in his hand with agility. Like an excellent coachman, he kept the beetles on track.
This strange skill, which had allowed the rested individuals to recover, piqued the interest of those around. Su Lao was the first to approach and inquire.
"Xiao Guang, what's the principle behind this maneuver? Animal behavior?"
"I liked playing with bugs when I was a kid, that's all."
"How about you give it a try?"
"No, no, no, it's not a good idea. It could go wrong," Su Lao quickly waved his hands.
"I'll give it a try, I'll give it a try," Su Pei shouted from the side.
"No!" Su Lao refused. This was a serious matter, not something to be played with.
"Hmph!" Su Pei teased Dou Dou with a small stick.
Li Ji and a few commanders beside them just chuckled without saying anything.
After a period of rest, everyone's stamina had been restored. After discussing together, they decided to conserve their energy on the calm sea surface. Maintaining a steady speed of progress was crucial.
This time, with the beetles providing propulsion, they opted to take a detour into the deep sea, avoiding the treacherous mudflats during low tide. That area was far too perilous.
According to their calculations, the journey would take three days. But every day, the tide would rise and flood the path. In other words, they would have to switch between walking and boating, towing the boat along. Otherwise, they'd be submerged halfway. Crossing was nearly impossible. The previous time, it was the heavy rain speeding downstream that had allowed them to drift onto the island before the tide receded.
Although they had hurriedly boarded the boat, their scientific knowledge remained. After resting enough, they sat down to discuss and decided on a long voyage, circumventing the mudflats. This would likely take about two days.
The supplies on the boat were almost sufficient. Most people conserved their energy, sitting or leaning, chatting in twos and threes—rare moments of relaxation. The sea surface at this time was unusually calm, and in the distance, the sky displayed a crescent moon, its curve like a hook, hanging low as if one could reach out and grasp it. It was hard to resist the urge to leap and seize the hooked moon, climbing up to pluck the nearest stars.
Su Lao silently observed Xiao Guang for a while. With his scientific background, Su Lao looked left and right, ultimately itching to try first.
"Xiao Guang, can I really give it a try?"
"Phew!" Su Pei burst into laughter, finally not teasing her dad with words.
"Science, this is science!" Su Lao declared earnestly.
Xiao Guang chimed in, "Go ahead, give it a try."
"Okay," Su Lao's playful side emerged.
"Ah, wait, that's not right."
"Huh? Why isn't it responding?"
"I did it the same way, why doesn't it work?"
Su Lao utterly failed.
A few other biologists approached, equally perplexed.
They all knew Xiao Guang was unlikely to be hiding anything.
"I just find it strange. I watched your method just now, it seemed ordinary, but they obeyed you as if there's a connection between you," one of them said.
"Really? Jin Lao said the same," Xiao Guang replied. "I wrote down the instructions in a book for Jin Lao, but it's weird, none of them succeeded."
In the conversation between Xiao Guang and Su Lao, Su Lao suddenly grew curious. Where was that clever daughter of his? Why hadn't she chimed in for so long?
Turning around to look, he found her in a somewhat dazed state.
Su Pei hopped and skipped, thoroughly engrossed in playing with Dou Dou, capturing the attention of another group of people.
Against the backdrop of the deep blue sea, Su Pei resembled a joyful spirit, her back against the stars and the moon. She waved the branch in her hand with lightness, while Dou Dou bobbed its head adorably, as if following the rhythm of an ancient, melodious drumbeat, singing distant songs with distinct cadence.