Upon reaching the hotel, the trio originally planned to head directly to the beach, rent a boat, and set out to sea in search of the isolated island.
As for why they didn't directly fly there, first, although Arthur was aware that someone was stranded on the island, he didn't know the specific location of the island. The schools of fish couldn't relay such detailed information.
Secondly, when the plane is high in the sky, far from the ground, it becomes difficult to determine which of the numerous islands nearby is their destination. Additionally, when Arthur is in the air and not in contact with seawater, he cannot tune into the messages brought by the sea, making this method less efficient than searching by boat.
So, after landing in Seashore City, they planned to set out to sea. Hal contacted an old friend and found a fine vessel. However, when he returned with this news, he also brought unfortunate news - he was afraid he might not be able to participate in this quest to save the stranded islanders.
"The friend I contacted is my cousin. I hoped he wouldn't tell my parents about my return, but in the end, they found out and hoped I would go home." Hal looked a bit troubled. His previous departure from Seashore City was mainly due to family matters.
"My parents felt that my job as a test pilot was too dangerous, so they pressured me into finding a new job..." Hal took a deep breath and said, "Or, not so much as pressuring me, it's just the pressure they put on me was so immense that I couldn't do otherwise."
"Indeed, I've always been the black sheep in our family. My other cousins chose very stable professions, and they all stay locally in Seashore City. When they heard I wanted to be a pilot, they assumed I would be transferred to Washington or even sent to the battlefield, so they firmly disagreed."
In the hotel room, Hal lit a cigarette, and said as he puffed on it, "My mother cried several times, and I had quite a few arguments with my father. In the end, I compromised because I know they love me and don't want me to take risks..."
Arthur, leaned back on the bed and said, "My dad felt the same way. He thought that going out to sea to fish was dangerous, e with low income rates, and even suggested that being a taxi driver in a big city would be better. He nearly managed to convince me to follow in the footsteps of his friend and become a farmer in Kansas."
Arthur's slightly nostalgic tone stirred emotions in Hal. Arthur said, "It's because he's a lighthouse keeper and has seen too many fishing boats disappear in the sea that he is very well aware of the fury of the ocean. He doesn't want me to be swallowed up by it too."
"Will you stand your ground?" asked Hal.
"I'm not sure. When Professor Shearer initially told me he wanted me to go to college, I unconsciously felt a kind of repulsion, not against studying at university. It's just... I didn't really want to go to a big city, feeling like the people there were not nice, and there were too many things I didn't understand." Arthur lowered his head and sighed, "I knew there could be people calling me a coward, saying that it would be better once I adapted, saying that others made it through too..."
"But that made me unhappy. Even if I could only be a fisherman in the sea or even inherit my father's job as a lighthouse keeper, I'd rather stay in Brude Haven, living with familiar friends and neighbors, rather than go to the metropolis in pursuit of some professional dream."
Shearer looked at Arthur, who in some ways was similar to Clark at present. Both of them came from small places and exuded a sort of simplicity, to the extent of seeming a bit foolish at times.
However, Clark always had passion and motivation, striving to adapt to his life at Metropolitan University and had the determination to overcome all obstacles. As for Arthur, perhaps because the lighthouse keeper who taught him was a particularly mild-mannered person, his father, Old Curie, he didn't have the same enthusiasm, and instead seemed more content.
"This actually isn't a bad thing, Arthur. Not everyone in the world can live in large cities or become elite white-collar workers. There is always a need for people to be fishermen, to be lighthouse keepers."
"God has given you a different talent, perhaps just for you to do these jobs, to help those fishermen who may be engulfed by storms." Shearer spoke, adopting the rhetoric of an electorate, that happened to hit Arthur right at heart, he said, "That's how I feel, too. I think my talent can be used to help those fishermen..."
"The fish in the sea can tell me about the weather that's coming and where sailors are stranded, so I can rush to their rescue."
Arthur and Hal, two people with no intersections, were quite similar in life situations. Their parents both didn't want them to go on adventures, wished that they could choose a more gentle and stable profession. However, because Arthur's father was kinder, he didn't force Arthur to choose, while Hal's parents were more dominating, exerting great pressure on him, hoping that he would follow their wishes in choosing his profession.
"I can't convince my parents, so now I am a bit afraid to face them..." Hal hung his head and said, "I know, my neighbors may gossip about them because they have a son who never comes home, which is quite rare here."
"People in Seashore City are deeply proud of this city; they think it's the best city in the world and hence very few relocate. Perhaps, I am the only odd one out."
"No, Hal, you have to go back." Shearer took an unusually determined attitude and said, "I think, you might get a different answer this time."
Hal looked up at Shearer, seemingly puzzled by what he was saying. But he trusted Shearer's professional ability and thus, after silently sitting for a moment, stood up and patted his legs, saying, "I'm sorry I can't participate in this rescue operation. However, I suppose rescuing a person is not out of your capability."
"If you come back, call my house. Pilot Hal is always on standby." Hal made a gesture unique to pilots and then left. Shearer watched his departing figure and shook his head.
"Alright, no time to lose, let's get going." Shearer said standing up, "You previously mentioned that you could identify the direction of the isolated island once in the sea. I hope you weren't exaggerating, otherwise I would have no way of finding where that small island is."
"It's not me who can guide the way, it's the fish that can lead us." Arthur followed Shearer out of the room and said, "If my memory serves me right, all the fish nearby are aware of this news; they will guide us."
Exiting the hotel, they took a taxi to the pier where they saw a medium-sized fishing boat. While it wasn't the most advanced, it was significantly larger and newer than the one Arthur owned.
A middle-aged man walked up enthusiastically, shook Shearer's hand, and patted Arthur on the shoulder, saying to him, "I can see that you're a fisherman and a good one at that. Hal is my nephew. I've chosen a pretty nice little guy for you all, just been at sea for less than two months."
Arthur walked up to the boat, looked up, and said, "Indeed it's pretty good. I've seen this boat in a fisheries magazine before. Its speed and endurance are both amazing, and it even has a large ice store that I like. Unfortunately, it's just too expensive. I can't afford it."
The middle-aged man led the two onto the boat, saying, "There's nothing we can do, the prices for the new model are soaring. Maybe when the next model comes out, the price will drop. Alright, off you go, I wish you a big haul."
Shiller shook his hand with a smile and once Hal's uncle had left, Shiller said, "It seems Hal really is a good person, his uncle was willing to lend us such a great boat."
Arthur nodded earnestly in agreement, running his hand along the boat's railing, saying: "This really is a nice little vessel, you can't find this kind of boat in Brude Seawen."
Stepping into the cabin, Arthur began heaping praises upon praises. Shiller didn't understand the professional jargon he was using, but he could see that Arthur was a boat enthusiast who was especially knowledgeable about fishing boats. He could talk at length even about little components or the type of paint used on them. Shiller asked:
"Where did you learn all this from?"
"The most popular thing in Brude Seawen is fishing magazines. Whether they're published by the official ocean department or by various industry groups, or even the fishing magazines from over in Canada, they can all be ordered in Brude Seawen."
"Actually, I like reading the magazines issued by the Canadian Ocean and Fisheries Bureau the most. They like to state facts, especially information about the weather and water quality that's useful for fishermen. Unlike American magazines, which are always competing over who's caught the biggest fish or where a fishing competition is being held."
Heading to the control room, Arthur seemed to be in his element. Despite never having operated this type of vessel before, he had seen the cockpit in magazines countless times, and was already familiar with the purposes of all the buttons without even needing to look at a manual.
He began directing the boat away from the dock and turned to Shiller, saying, "I just saw that there seem to be fishing rods in the toolbox in one of the back rooms. You could try your luck fishing, maybe you'll have better success than in Brude Seawen."
Shiller laughed and said, "How could my luck be worse than in Brude Seawen? Back then, I didn't catch a single fish."
Half an hour later, Shiller realized he had celebrated too soon. He didn't manage to catch a single fish, and he even broke the fishing rod. His luck was even worse than when he was fishing in Brude Seawen.
He realized it seemed he wasn't cut out for the sea. He didn't enjoy eating fish, he couldn't fish, and he was constantly feeling seasick.
Before ever having seen the sea, he hadn't been without fantasies of becoming a carefree fish swimming through the ocean. He even had a persona with a fish tail for a lower body as a result of these dreams. But now it seemed that this persona was better off staying in the swimming pool inside his Thought Palace, the sea was not for him.
Two hours later, Shiller felt he had celebrated too soon yet again, because he was starting to feel seasick in earnest.
Entering the pilot's cabin, he drew a deep breath and asked Arthur, "Still haven't found it? Are you sure the shoal of fish guiding you isn't directionally challenged?"
Arthur frowned and glanced at the fishing radar, "This is a bit unexpected. The fish can only provide approximations. They said the target was on the west coast, but it looks like it may not be the American west coast …"
"Then where?"
"It could be closer to Mexico. We're currently heading for the equator, we could end up near the Panama Canal. I think there are quite a few islands there..."
"But I'm feeling seasick," Shiller added, leaning against the door frame. Arthur turned around to glance at him: "It's normal. People who've never been out to sea before and then stay on it for such a long time, they usually feel quite off. Just hang in there a bit longer, we should arrive very soon."
After Shiller stepped outside, he asked the Gray Mist in his mind, "Why can't you control seasickness?"
"Because it's not a physical illness," the Gray Mist replied with slight aggravation. "There's nothing wrong with the body. The stomach reaction is psychological. Every time I make the stomach relax, it goes right back into spasms a few seconds later."
"Psychological effects…" Shiller rested his body against a railing, closed his eyes, and entered his Thought Palace. His consciousness had barely sunk in, when he suddenly woke up, he heard a voice from his Superego: "No entry."
"Why can't I enter?"
"I'm on vacation."
"You can actually take vacations?"
"Why shouldn't I be allowed to take vacations? Are you the only one permitted to take time off?"
Shiller fell silent, then asked:
"How long are you planning on staying off?"
"36 days."