YM778.TV Chapter 228: 225 I'm Floating
Bi Fang was the first to notice the non-reflective shadow, his tired spirits instantly tense.
It was the ocean, where cries for heaven went unanswered, and pleas to earth bore no fruit, a true isolation without support. Anyone seeing a non-reflective shadow suddenly at midnight would be scared out of their wits.
Especially when the shadow was considerably large, fear surged uncontrollably like breathing.
Bi Fang’s anomaly caught the attention of some of the audience. When they followed Bi Fang’s gaze, they too noticed something amiss.
On the brightly lit sea surface, the shadow spread like an expanse of darkness, all light seeping out from it.
[Damn, what’s coming our way?]
[It’s huge.]
[A fish?]
[Why is the fish moving so slowly?]
Everyone was somewhat worried. They had all witnessed first-hand how bad Bi Fang’s condition was. Having not eaten for two days, while not life-threatening, was far from being in top shape; he’d do well to use half of his strength. If an accident occurred, could he resist it?
Even Jerret and Pondy were on full alert, immediately instructing the driver that they must rush to the rescue at the first sign of danger.
The shadow was about one square meter in size, it still seemed rather big, particularly at night, and with the cinematographer’s eerie music, added quite a bit of tension.
The life raft was not a wooden raft, but inflatable rubber and nylon fabric. Meeting any kind of danger could lead to deflation. Once the raft was punctured, even with a hole no bigger than a palm, the challenge could basically be deemed a failure.
Therefore, Bi Fang had no choice but to muster all the energy he could, treating the shadow with the utmost caution. This was a heavy burden on both body and mind for someone who had been starving for two days.
Perhaps it was because there were no waves during the day, the mere appearance of a shadow was enough to pique the viewers’ interest, and the number of viewers started to climb slowly.
Lying at the edge of the raft, Bi Fang stared for more than ten minutes, his eyelids knotting up, while the shadow remained motionless.
Could it be an inanimate object?
At this thought, Bi Fang perked up. Lucky him, he had been racking his brains for a lack of materials, and here one was drifting towards him. Could it be that his luck for the past two days was finally turning?
Even a piece of plastic sheeting would be hugely useful to him at the moment.
“Maybe I should go check it out.”
After looking on for a long time, Bi Fang decided to move closer and take a look. From what he could see now, it didn’t seem dangerous, but still, many of the faint-hearted viewers were scared.
The sinister music, dark environment, and the rise and fall of the camera’s view gave the feeling of watching a horror film. They feared that as soon as Bi Fang paddled over, just as he reached out, something monstrous would leap out from the shadow and bite down.
Having made his decision, Bi Fang didn’t rashly approach but took some seawater in his hands and sprinkled it towards the distance. The drops hitting the surface of the water made a distinct sound.
The shadow remained immobile and wasn’t attracted by the noise. Now, Bi Fang was much more reassured and took more water again, this time sprinkling it directly towards the shadow.
The result was the same.
“It seems it really is some sort of dead thing.”
After several confirmations, Bi Fang was somewhat excited. Whatever dead thing it was, it was a material, and if it could be used, then it was a good thing!
Assured that it posed no threat, Bi Fang immediately lay at the edge of the raft, pushing down on half of the raft, rolling up his sleeves, and paddling towards the shadow bit by bit.
Without a paddle, relying solely on his hands, the life raft moved very slowly, sliding through the water like a short-legged turtle, one without hind legs at that.
With little wind or waves, there was no hurry, and Bi Fang could steadily get closer to the shadow.
Minutes later, as the distance between them closed to less than two meters, Bi Fang, with the help of the faint moonlight, finally made out what that mass was.
Seaweed!
[Seaweed? Can seaweed appear here?]
[Damn, has Old Fang’s luck finally turned around? Did a piece of seaweed actually drift over here? Is the achievement of starving for three meals going unfulfilled?]
[Damn, even the Heavens are helping Master Fang!]
[Why would seaweed appear here? Doesn’t this stuff usually grow along the coast? Didn’t Old Fang say the water here is at least one hundred and fifty meters deep? Can seaweed even grow in such a place?]
[Could it be arranged by the program group?]
[But it’s not like you can’t eat seaweed, right?]
[I think it’s fine, at this point, wouldn’t we even consider eating grass and tree roots?]
The appearance of seaweed took everyone by surprise, sparking various discussions and even leading some to suspect it was arranged by the show’s organizers.
Bi Fang didn’t pay attention to the viewers’ reactions and instead wrapped his hands in a bath towel, his eyes filled with a green glow.
Damn, it’s seaweed indeed!
“There are over a thousand known species of algae in the ocean, not all of which are edible. However, the types of seaweed that can appear in the open sea are few, and among them, there is one common seaweed that is edible.”
Bi Fang spoke excitedly. Although the moonlight was dim and he couldn’t see clearly what kind of seaweed it was, he strongly suspected that the seaweed that had drifted nearby was the kind he knew.
Sargassum Natans!
This type of Horsetail Kelp doesn’t grow in the open ocean; on the contrary, it grows in coastal waters, mostly in the intertidal zone. But it has one characteristic!
It drifts easily!
As a “raft,” this plant grows in the ocean, absorbing nutrients directly from the seawater, requiring only sunlight to thrive and reproduce. This growth form allows Horsetail Kelp to travel about under the influence of ocean currents, and it isn’t rare for it to drift to the open sea; in fact, it’s quite common.
Many ships in the open ocean often see some seaweed debris, of which ninety-nine percent are Horsetail Kelp!
Especially Sargassum Natans in the Sagos Sea Area and the North Atlantic warm current are greatly influenced by the current, allowing them to drift very far.
For Bi Fang, who is drifting in the North Atlantic, encountering it is not unusual.
Luck is on my side!
[Damn, so that’s the case? Sorry for my ignorance.]
[When luck comes, you can’t even block it!]
[It drifts that easily (Dog’s head)?]
[Not only is it edible, but it can also be used as bait, right?]
“Exactly! If it truly is Horsetail Kelp, then it’s not only edible but can also be used as bait!”
Upon saying this, Bi Fang couldn’t help but feel elated. Damn it, after starving for two days, he finally saw some good “goods”. Although it wasn’t fish, having something to eat was much better than before!
“However, before fetching it, everyone needs to be careful. These floating seaweeds may harbor many small crabs, shrimp, and fish that feed on them. Some cephalopods are dark brown, similar to seaweed, and like to hide within it, making them hard to detect.”
The shadow wasn’t large, so Bi Fang wasn’t worried about any big fish being hauled up and tearing the life raft. Having some small fish or shrimp might even add to the meal.
“Of course, since it has drifted to the open sea, the likelihood of finding small fish and shrimp inside is slim, but we cannot be careless; therefore, we shouldn’t rashly touch it with our hands. We can wear gloves; otherwise, getting cut or bitten could be troublesome.”
The more fruitful the harvest, the calmer we must be. In wilderness survival, any injury can be fatal, even a small wound can pose an infection risk hundredfold compared to in the city!
With this in mind, Bi Fang wrapped his hands in a bath towel, approached the shadow getting closer, and once within reach, he swiftly extended his hands and scooped up the entire clump of seaweed!