Li Juntang’s fleet was like leaves caught in raging waves within the Death Zone, torn and tossed about mercilessly.
The giant waves, like moving hills, smashed
onto the decks one after another, producing a deafening roar.
The ships rocked violently, as if they might
break apart at any second, the groaning of the wooden planks echoing endlessly,
as though lamenting the destruction that was about to come.
A soldier was swept into the air by a massive wave.
He flailed his arms in despair, his scream instantly swallowed by the howling
wind, and then he crashed into the sea. Before even much of a splash could
form, the whirlpool had dragged him away without a trace.
Li Juntang clung tightly to the railings of the
ship, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip, his nails digging
deep into the wood.
His eyes were bloodshot, locked firmly on the
chaos before him. The mixture of seawater and sweat ran down his chiseled
jawline.
“Quick! Secure the ropes!” Li Juntang roared,
his voice hoarse as though it had been scraped raw by sandpaper.
A young soldier beside him fumbled to grab a
rope, his hands trembling uncontrollably, his face twisted in terror. His lips
quivered as he stammered, “Your Highness, I–I can’t hold it!”
Before the words had even finished leaving his
mouth, a stronger gust of wind struck. The whirlpool yanked hard, the rope
snapping with a sharp crack. The soldier let out a short, sharp scream
before vanishing into the whirlpool in an instant.
Li Juntang watched helplessly, a twitch running
through the corner of his eye, his heart feeling as though it had been struck
by a heavy hammer. But there was no time to grieve.
“Hold steady, everyone! As soon as we get past
this whirlpool zone, we’ll be safe!” a commander on a nearby escort ship
shouted.
But no sooner had he spoken than a massive wave
struck, capsizing the escort ship in one blow.
Within just a few breaths, the entire vessel
had been sucked into the depths by the whirlpool, its fate unknown.
The other escort ships fared no better.
Soldiers screamed, clinging to each other in vain.
One soldier reached toward the flagship, his
eyes full of desperate pleading, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
Soon, another escort ship was swallowed by a
whirlpool, leaving only ripples on the surface of the sea, as if nothing had
ever happened.
Time dragged on, every second feeling like an
eternity.
When the storm finally began to ease slightly,
Li Juntang scanned the surroundings, his heart sinking to rock bottom.
The once orderly fleet had been reduced to only
a few tattered vessels.
The decks were splattered with blood and
scattered with broken planks. The surviving soldiers wore expressions of fear,
their eyes hollow. Some sat limply on the deck, clutching their heads, sobbing
quietly.
Li Juntang took a deep breath and barked, “Pull
yourselves together! We’re still alive --- if we’re alive, there’s hope!”
Just then, the ship suddenly lurched downward,
a massive force surging from beneath.
Li Juntang looked down and saw a pitch-black
whirlpool forming beneath the hull, its pull dragging the ship lower and lower.
“Not good!” he thought, panic flaring. He
wanted to give the order to evade, but it was already too late.
His pupils contracted sharply, his face frozen
in shock and despair, his grip tightening instinctively.
The ship was wrenched down into the whirlpool,
darkness swallowing everything, the only sound the roar of rushing water.
Li Juntang felt his head spin, his body as
though it was being torn apart. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth
so hard that the veins bulged on his forehead.
He had no idea how much time passed before he
suddenly felt lighter, as though the ship had landed somewhere.
Slowly opening his eyes, he blinked in
confusion, then a trace of doubt flickered in his gaze.
The pitch-black seawater was gone --- replaced
by bright light.
Staggering to his feet, still weak in the
knees, he walked to the railing and looked out. The sight before him made him
freeze in astonishment.
His mouth opened slightly, his eyes widening
round, his expression shifting from shock to disbelief, then melting into pure
joy.
“T-This is…” The commander beside him stepped
forward, and his exhausted face instantly lit up, his once-cloudy eyes now
sparkling.
It was an enormous island, stretching farther
than the eye could see.
The island was covered in lush, vibrant trees.
Some had trunks so thick it would take several men linking arms to encircle
them, their branches spreading wide like massive green umbrellas. Others were
slender and straight, their tops blooming with flowers of red, purple, and
yellow, dazzlingly beautiful and releasing a faint, sweet fragrance.
A young soldier inhaled deeply, his face
melting into bliss as he murmured, “It smells so good… I’ve never smelled
anything like this before.”
The ground was blanketed in thick green moss,
soft and springy underfoot like a carpet.
Scattered among the moss were tiny, unknown
plants, some topped with sparkling dewdrops that glimmered in the sunlight.
One soldier cautiously stepped onto the grass,
then exclaimed in delight, “This grass is so soft! Just like cotton!”
Not far away lay a crystal-clear lake, its
waters as blue as a massive sapphire.
The lake’s surface shimmered in the light.
Every now and then, colorful fish would leap out and splash back in, sending
ripples across the water.
Along the shore, aquatic plants floated with
emerald leaves, some hosting brightly feathered waterbirds that preened lazily,
occasionally letting out crisp, pleasant calls.
In the distance, the island’s heart revealed
rolling mountain ranges blanketed in dense forest, their slopes shrouded in
drifting mist like a mysterious veil.
Waterfalls cascaded down the mountainsides,
crashing against rocks with a splash-splash, the spray catching the
sunlight and forming beautiful rainbows.
The wildlife was just as extraordinary --- small
furry creatures darted between the trees, their fur snow-white, ears long, and
eyes bright as rubies.
Overhead, flocks of brilliantly colored birds
soared, their feathers gleaming like metal in the sunlight, their songs melodic
and clear.
The soldiers stared in awe at these strange creatures,
their earlier fear and exhaustion seemingly washed away.
Li Juntang gazed at the idyllic scene before
him, his whole body trembling with excitement. His lips quivered, his voice
thick with long-suppressed joy and exhilaration.
“It’s Penglai Island… we’ve found Penglai Island!” - Ton
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