It is uncertain whether it was his Atlantean bloodline that made Arthur extraordinarily strong or if he was simply naturally robust. Regardless, surviving in the primitive forest was by no means difficult for him. Fetching and carrying logs was just the beginning.
Arthur's task was simple: to lay the chopped wood horizontally on the ground, position the entire refrigerator on the cylindrical logs as a chassis, and then load other supplies on top.
As he pushed the refrigerator, the logs served as wheels. This method made things much easier and quicker.
Although for Hal and Shiller who could probably carry everything much faster their way, they had agreed not to cheat. Thus, it was best to use a method manageable by ordinary people.
This double-door square refrigerator was probably custom-made to fit the unique space inside the plane. Once the power supply was cut off, it no longer had a cooling function, but at least it could be used as a storage box. Additionally, the refrigerator's insulation layer could significantly slow down the defrosting process of the food until they managed to get back to the cooler cave.
Since the rolling logs by themselves bore significant weight, various herbs would be directly flattened, not obstructing the path. When the front log was reached by the refrigerator, the log at the back would have to be moved up front, and the trio would take turns to do this.
Hal and Shiller's special abilities meant they barely felt tired, yet surprisingly, Arthur could keep up without falling behind.
The distance from their current location to the cave they previously stayed in was quite far. However, even at the end of the journey, Arthur showed no signs of exhaustion. Moreover, when it came time to move the refrigerator into the cave, he still had the leisure to chat. He said, "Honestly, this reminds me of the time I went out to sea with a fleet."
"You probably don't know how tiring deep-sea fishing is. I was 17 then, working with my uncle fishing for tunas, without any sleep for four days…"
While carrying the front half of the refrigerator, Shiller looked back and asked, "Were you in charge of watching the fish finder?"
"No, of course not, I couldn't do that job. I was a regular sailor, in charge of catching fish." Arthur shook his head. "At that time, we didn't catch any tunas, but that was okay. After all, tunas are rare. Both bluefin and yellowfin tunas are hard to come by."
"However, at that moment, we happened to encounter a school of skipjack tuna. These fish sold well and because they traveled in schools, their catch was large. Over those few days, our work was straightforward: cast the net, haul the net, cast the net, haul the net. When hungry, we ate some hamburgers, and when worn out, we drank some energy drinks or had a smoke…"
"However, hard work pays off in the end. At that time, there was a shortage of dried skipjack tuna, so we sold our catch for a great sum. This deal significantly improved my uncle's business. Later on in life, he gave up deep-sea fishing and started trading in all sorts of fishing boats instead."
"He was the best captain." Arthur said pompously. But quickly, a bit of regret surfaced in his tone. "Actually, my father was also a legendary captain in his youth. His name, Captain Curry, even echoed along the entire East Coast…"
"Back then, he brought in a blue marlin that broke fishing records on the East Coast. I can't fully convey how big this fish was, but everyone stood gaping. He was a highly admired captain."
"For some unknown reason, he stopped going out to sea after that, settling in Brude Haven and becoming a lighthouse keeper. Many sailors regretted his decision on his behalf. My uncle tried to dissuade him many times, but no matter what, my father was no longer willing to go out to sea."
Arthur looked ahead. Between the dense rainforest, the blue seas were still visible. He said, "There were rumors among the old sailors who once sailed with him. They suggested that he encountered a sea monster at sea and managed to return to shore after a series of perilous adventures."
"They said, he angered the sea monster and got cursed. Since then, he could no longer touch seawater. I don't know if that's true, but I do know that he would often stare out at the sea, his eyes brimming with longing…"
The trio put the refrigerator down on the ground, and took a short break. During the break, Hal asked curiously, "I don't mean to be rude, but your mother…"
"My father said she died in a sea disaster. It must have been when I was very young; I have no recollection of her." Arthur shook his head and did not seem to want to discuss it further. Shiller, knowing the truth, did not remind him. After all, it was a personal matter.
Of course, even though they are unsure of this universe's Atlantean attitude towards the human race, one thing must be acknowledged: as long as Gotham remains a coastal city, Atlantis cannot provoke significant havoc.
While ordinary industrial pollution struggles to threaten the deep-sea Atlantis, Gotham's industrial pollution definitely can. Even assuming a fish, unfortunately, bit Joker first and then returned to the sea, it would not take long for Atlantis to turn into a natural disaster.
When the trio moved the refrigerator and other supplies back to the cave, Oliver was taken aback. He asked, "...where are the passengers?"
Arthur placed the refrigerator on the ground and said, "What crashed was not a passenger aircraft, but my mode of transport to California. This pilot, Hal, wanted to find me using this plane, but was unfortunately unsuccessful."