"What's going on?" Xiao Mingli exclaimed as the water cup on his table toppled over, spilling its contents. The passenger and cargo ship Yunsheng No. 1, which had been running smoothly, came to an abrupt halt, as if tripped by an unseen force. "Where did that jolt come from? Did we run aground? Or collide with another ship?"
"I don't know! It's too dark outside; I can't see a thing," replied Liu Dafa, who had been staring out the window. Suddenly, his expression shifted from surprise to panic. "What's happening? Why is the sky getting brighter?"
Xiao Mingli noticed it too. The cabin was suddenly bathed in a blinding white light, far brighter than the dim interior lights could produce. Instinctively, he shut his eyes, his ears ringing with chaotic noises as the ship tilted slightly.
Moments later, the cabin seemed to stabilize. Xiao Mingli opened his eyes and dashed to the deck. Outside, darkness still blanketed the scene, but the ship had stopped moving. The rocking had subsided. Faint shouting could be heard from the left front, but the strong winds made it impossible to discern what was being said.
More passengers gathered on the deck, their murmurs growing louder. A few children's cries punctuated the rising tension.
"Please do not panic. Our ship has accidentally run aground. We are contacting the maritime authorities for rescue. Please return to the cabin in an orderly manner," the ship's loudspeakers repeated, their robotic tone attempting to instill calm.
"What's the situation?" Captain Xiao Bailang demanded, beads of sweat dotting his forehead.
"The cabin is dry, and the hull is intact," reported Chief Engineer Han Dezhi, who had just returned from inspecting the ship's condition with his team.
"Are there any injuries? Check every cabin, and provide first aid to anyone who's hurt," Xiao Bailang ordered, motioning for the ship's doctor to act quickly. "Is the navigation equipment still down?"
"Yes, and it's not just that," added First Mate Wang Tiechui, pulling out his mobile phone to demonstrate. "The maritime satellite phone isn't connecting either, and there's no signal on this."
Xiao Bailang stood silent for a moment, visibly troubled. Finally, he asked, "What about the barge? Did it run aground as well? This doesn't make sense. We've sailed this route for years, and it's the flood season. How could we run aground now?"
No one had an answer. The strange phenomenon in the sky earlier left everyone uneasy, their thoughts drifting toward ominous possibilities.
Waiters moved through the cabins, checking on passengers and addressing their needs. Gradually, the initial panic subsided, and the noise diminished.
"This is sea breeze!" exclaimed Wang Qinian, inhaling deeply. "I spent three years in the Zhoushan Islands. I'd recognize that salty, humid smell anywhere."
"Sea breeze?" Ma Qianzu, a director from a county-level municipal party committee office, handed Wang Qinian a cigarette, his face puzzled. "That's impossible. We're sailing on the Yangtze River."
"Exactly, that's what's strange. Didn't you notice?" Wang Qinian switched on his high-intensity flashlight, pointing it toward the distance. "The river here is barely 30 meters wide, and the depth couldn't be more than three or four meters. We're stranded near the estuary—or at least not far from it."
"Don't overthink it," Ma Qianzu muttered, tossing his cigarette butt into the water as he turned back toward the cabin. "We'll have a clearer picture at dawn."
The waiters distributed biscuits and hot water among the passengers, helping to calm their frustrations. Many passengers grew quiet, waiting patiently for rescue. Some even managed to return to their cabins and sleep peacefully despite the lingering uncertainty.
---
Shao Shude grumbled in dissatisfaction as he climbed out of bed. The sun was already up, and the deck was alive with noise—heated arguments mixed with the sound of people crying.
"What's going on?" Shao Shude asked, gently patting the shoulder of a young man standing nearby. It was Qian Hao, a fellow villager he had met on the ship the day before. They had hit it off quickly.
"Brother Shao! Something big has happened!" Qian Hao waved his arms excitedly. "We've crossed over! This isn't the Yangtze River anymore—we've traveled through time!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shao Shude almost snapped, but the strange events from the night before stopped him. He swallowed his skepticism and chose not to say anything.
"Brother Shao, look at the sun!" Qian Hao pointed skyward, his face flushed with excitement.
Shao Shude froze. The sun hung high in the sky, but something was very wrong—it was in the northern sky. It was only half past eight in the morning, yet it was unmistakably glaring down from the southern hemisphere.
"Hasn't the maritime department sent anyone to rescue us?" Shao Shude asked reflexively, but he immediately regretted it. If they were already in the southern hemisphere, what rescue could they expect?
"All the communication equipment has failed," Qian Hao said grimly, pointing toward the captain's room. "Satellite navigation is out, and we haven't been able to contact anyone since last night. Look over there—people are demanding answers from the captain."
Shao Shude glanced toward the commotion. A crowd of angry passengers had gathered at the captain's door, their voices a chaotic blend of complaints and demands.
"Dear passengers..." Xiao Bailang, his face glistening with sweat, stood before the crowd. His collar was crooked, and his voice was hoarse. "We're working to confirm the situation. Please remain calm. We've sent people ashore to seek help."
But the passengers weren't buying it. Their voices grew louder, and the more impatient among them began shoving and pushing. Security guards rushed to break up the scuffle.
"Hey! They're back!" Lin Youde, the security captain, shouted suddenly, his voice cutting through the noise. "Wang Tiechui and the others are back!"
All heads turned toward the river. Sure enough, three figures were on a lifeboat heading back to the ship. But something was wrong.
"They're being chased!" someone yelled.
The pursuers came into view—figures wrapped in animal skins, their faces painted like ghosts, yelling unintelligibly as they sprinted toward the riverbank.
"Are those Indians? Are we in a movie?" a voice murmured from the crowd.
Xiao Bailang pushed his way to the railing, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the first mate, Wang Tiechui, steering the lifeboat with two security guards aboard. They were visibly shaken, shouting at the top of their lungs as they sped toward the center of the river.
The pursuers stopped at the riverbank, brandishing spears and shouting in frustration. Behind them, more figures emerged from the trees, similarly dressed and armed. Their numbers were growing by the second.
Wang Tiechui collapsed onto the deck, panting heavily. "Thank God we're back!"
"Did you find anyone? What happened? Who are those people?" Xiao Bailang fired off questions in rapid succession.
"We didn't see anyone," Wang Tiechui gasped, catching his breath. "The place is like a wilderness—no signs of civilization anywhere. But those people—Indians or whatever they are—they spotted us from a distance and charged like we'd killed their family!"
The two security guards nodded in agreement, their faces pale.
The crowd erupted in panic. Whispers, shouts, and cries spread like wildfire. Some clung to hope, while others descended into despair.
"A lot of them are coming again!" someone shouted.
Everyone turned to the shore. The pursuers were still gathered, spears in hand, shouting and gesturing. Behind them, another dozen figures emerged from the forest, running toward the riverbank with grim determination.
The tension on the ship was palpable. They weren't just lost—they were surrounded.
The chaotic scene on the deck escalated as an unlucky man suddenly let out a scream.
"What are they doing? Ah, I'm shot!" he yelled, clutching his arm in panic.
The crowd erupted in panic, scattering like frightened deer as everyone sought cover. The ship's doctor arrived quickly, carrying a first aid kit. He knelt beside the man, inspecting his arm with a tense expression.
"Relax! You weren't shot—it just went through your sleeve!" the doctor announced, showing the man the torn fabric where an arrow had grazed it.
Before anyone could process the relief, more arrows rained down sporadically onto the deck, thudding into the wood with ominous precision. Gasps and cries filled the air as passengers scrambled to safety.
Passengers who had been peeking out to observe the situation quickly abandoned their curiosity, retreating into the cabins for safety. Tension gripped the ship like a vice—every creak of wood or whistle of wind felt like another imminent threat.
"It's a bone arrow! The workmanship is crude," Wang Qinian muttered, crouching down to pick up one of the scattered arrows. "Judging by the force behind the arrow earlier, their bows aren't very strong—probably poorly maintained."
"We need to find a way to drive them off," said a black-faced man in his twenties, leaning over. "There are high-precision hunting crossbows in the cargo hold. They're much stronger than these primitive bows. If we take down a few of them, the rest of those savages will scatter."
"Is this... legal?" Ma Qianzu asked hesitantly, his uncertainty evident.
"Legal?!" Xiao Bailang snapped, his tone laced with anger. "They shot at us with arrows! Are we supposed to just stand here and take it? Xiaolin, grab a few men and bring up the hunting crossbows from the cargo hold."
Security captain Lin Youde nodded and quickly led a small team to the cargo hold.
Meanwhile, the "suspected Indians" on the opposite riverbank continued their shouting. A few wooden javelins flew toward Yunsheng No. 1 and the barge, but they landed harmlessly, causing no injuries.
"Captain, the hunting crossbows are here," Lin Youde announced as he returned with four security guards, each carrying a cardboard box.
Without a word, the black-faced man began assembling one of the hunting crossbows. He loaded an arrow, strung the bow, and took aim.
"Swish!" The 8mm featherless arrow flew out with precision, striking one of the "suspected Indians" on the riverbank. The man staggered before collapsing. Without hesitation, the black-faced man loaded two more arrows and fired again. Both hit their targets with deadly accuracy, leaving him composed and unflustered.
The "Indians" froze in stunned silence for a moment before retreating into the woods. The passengers on the ship stared at the black-faced man, some with awe, others with unease.
"High-precision hunting crossbow with optical sights," the black-faced man began, his voice steady despite a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. "8mm featherless arrow, initial velocity of 150m/s, effective range of 125 meters. At this distance—less than 20 meters—it's hard to miss. And don't look at me like that; I've used this for hunting plenty of times before."
The ship's doctor, Wang Liao, frowned deeply, his voice trembling. "Are they dead? This... Even if it's self-defense, isn't this excessive force?"
"Tch! Old Wang," Lin Youde interjected, rolling his eyes. "Do you seriously think there are Indians like this in modern times? And after everything that's happened since last night, haven't you figured it out yet? We've traveled through time! The only question is where and when we've ended up." A faint grin spread across his face, betraying his excitement. It was clear he had long dreamed of an adventure like this.
Xiao Bailang, who had been silent until now, stood slowly. His expression was a mix of exhaustion and resignation as he sighed. "It seems we need to hold a general meeting."