1391 The Phantom on the Ocean (1/2)

Even an ocean with no breeze had waves, not to mention that at the moment the wind was gusting and it was high tide. Wind and water worked in tandem as the waves raged against the sea. Zhang Zian watched the tide from the shore, feeling a bit nervous for the man aboard the raft.

The vessel had seemingly lost all mobility and was being jerked up and down atop the waves. It looked like it had lost all power or gas, so it was stuck.

The silhouette of the man aboard the raft was constantly being jerked back and forth by the storm, but he never ceased his efforts to get back to shore. He continued to row despite the wind, but whenever he managed to come a few yards closer to shore, an errant wave would bring the raft right back to where it started.

So...the man had brought the girl in the wheelchair to the shore and had gone out to sea alone aboard the raft. He had planned to be back before high tide, but due to poor planning, the raft had lost power and was trapped by the waves, with the girl almost being swept away.

She was young. The man on the raft was probably her brother, father, or someone else whom she trusted. That's why the pair had visited the shore, but now he was in a predicament.

Now that Zhang Zian could rationalize what had happened, he let out a sigh of relief. The girl in the wheelchair wasn't trying to commit suicide. As for the man on the raft, though he was stuck for the time being, it didn't look like he was in any immediate danger. As long as he didn't do anything foolish, like jumping overboard and trying to swim to shore, he would be fine once the storm died down.

One thing that Zhang Zian noticed was that the girl in the wheelchair never seemed to speak but instead pointed a lot. Even when she had been searching for her lost hat, she'd done nothing but frantically glance left and right.

Could it be that, aside from not being able to walk, she couldn't speak either?

Then surely the heavens had been much too cruel to her.

It was like...a fairy tale he had read long ago. What was it... Cinderella? Snow White? It had been about a girl living under the sea who, due to something or someone, had wanted to live on land, so much so that she was willing to pay the price of her vocal cords in order to feel the sensation of the ground beneath her feet.

He remembered the tale, but why the girl in the story was living under the sea he couldn't quite recall.

Seeing the silent girl in the wheelchair reminded him of this fairy tale.

Many people, including Zhang Zian himself, had lamented the fact that they hadn't born with a silver spoon to a rich family with only a comfortable life ahead...but, now seeing the girl in the wheelchair, he began to think that all one really needed was good health and two living parents in order to lead a happier life than most.

”Hey! Are you guys okay?”

Zhuang Xiaodie hadn't come yet, but someone else was rushing over.

It was a middle-aged man with a sharp look in his eye. Though he was wearing casual clothes similar to Zhang Zian's, his demeanor suggested that he was shrewd and skillful.

Zhang Zian did not know him, but he looked familiar. He was used to this sort of feeling by now.

”I saw what happened from far away, but unfortunately my legs aren't what they used to be. Good thing you were fast enough, otherwise this little lady would have been washed away,” the middle-aged man gasped while trying to catch his breath.

”It was nothing. Just glad I could help.” Zhang Zian pointed to his mouth and made waving motions with his hands, hoping to signal to the man that the girl was mute.

The man looked surprised for a second but then nodded.

”And that man. Looks like he's with the girl, but he's stuck on the water right now. Should we call some sort of department and ask for help?” Zhang Zian pointed at the sea.

”What man?” the middle-aged man gazed towards the water.

”That...”

Zhang Zian figured he must have pointed in the wrong direction, but then he turned his eyes toward the sea, which was now vast and empty, with no raft or man to be seen.

He rubbed his eyes and looked again Still nothing.

”Um...”

He was speechless, and his outstretched arm, which had been pointing to the water, began to drop.