Chapter 9 Chapter 7: Different Seas

After another period of time, the scientific research ship stopped shaking violently.Johnson signaled that he could go out.Lao Yang opened the hatch next to him and walked out first, followed by Johnson and Luo.Lao Yang looked up at the sky.There was not a cloud in the sky, and the stars looked very bright.Lao Yang remained motionless, looking at the sky, frowning.Johnson also made the same movements as Lao Yang, even with similar expressions. "I have never seen such clear stars." Lao Yang said. "Yeah, those stars that usually need to be seen with a telescope can now be seen clearly." Johnson said.

"What time is it now? I remember it was noon when the boat entered the vortex." Lao Luo interjected and asked. Lao Yang didn't answer Lao Luo.When people are facing a crisis, they are always unaware of the passage of time. The hatches on the scientific research ship opened several times one after another.The Americans who were at their posts just now all walked onto the deck.The four Americans are very happy. They feel that the most dangerous moment has been passed. "Cao!" Johnson pointed to the deck below.Lao Yang saw Cao Cang walking up with an American on his arm.

"He was injured." Cao Cang said to Lao Yang, "Ask the Americans if there is a first-aid kit on board." "Can you treat my injury first?" Lao Luo raised his arm in front of Cao Cang helplessly. The sea is very calm, just like before entering the vortex, without any ripples, like a piece of boundless glass, giving people the illusion that they can step on it safely. "Your fate is really great." Lao Yang said to Cao Cang, "Even a tsunami can't wash you away." Cao Cang had finished bandaging Lao Luo and Ai Lun, and turned to Lao Yang with a smile.

Everyone gathered together again. "Now, it's time for us to get to know each other," Johnson said. Lao Yang introduced the Chinese to Johnson one by one.When talking about Cao Cang, he paused. Johnson said: "Mr. Cao is our designated candidate. He must be our 'Mike'." After Johnson finished speaking, the Americans laughed.Johnson was proud of his one-liners, but he didn't understand that not all the Chinese people in front of him could understand what he said. Cao Cang changed the subject, and said to Lao Yang, "This Allen, he saved my life just now."

"I'm Joey." "I'm Joseph." "I'm Joshua." "I'm Carlin." Cao Cang could tell from the names that Joshua was a Jew, and Karin had a dark face, so he should be of Indian origin.This knowledge is still what he hastily memorized in the base. "Cao." Johnson said something in English to Cao Cang.After Lao Yang heard this, he hesitated for a while, and then said to Cao Cang: "The Americans are asking you, what is your identity?" Cao Cang remained calm, but he was thinking quickly.What Johnson said just now is: "From now on, all of us will follow your command unconditionally." It is completely different from what Lao Yang translated.

Cao Cang said: "My ancestors once went to Nanyang with the Sanbao eunuch. After that, each generation of our family did business at sea. Until the Revolution of 1911, my family was torn apart. This time, it was my family's distant relatives in the United States. Find me in the country." While making up lies, Cao Cang checked everyone's expressions.Lao Song and Sister Zhou both had expressions of enlightenment, and Lao Luo said, "It turns out that this is the case. Your family must have passed down special skills for surviving at sea." Cao Cang smiled, taking it as an admission.

Lao Yang was expressionless, and Cao Cang wondered if he believed in him. Lao Yang told the Americans the original words of Cao Cang in English, and it seemed that the Americans believed them. Cao Cang lied after consideration. Lao Yang didn't know that he knew English, and he didn't know this basic information. This proves that the state did not tell them his identity, so of course Cao Cang continued to cover up. Americans don't seem to know the origin of Cao Cang, they only know that Cao Cang is very important, and Cao Cang's cryptic explanation can make them reluctantly clear their doubts.

Only one person showed a disdainful expression after hearing Cao Cang's words, but this expression only existed for a moment.But Cao Cang noticed - this person is Ximei. Cao Cang understood that Ximei knew he was lying, but she didn't expose him. Americans are eager to ask Johnson to ask Cao Cang whether Cao Cang has some special ability to deal with special situations at sea. Lao Yang refused on Cao Cang's behalf: "We Chinese people will not casually tell others about the secret art passed down through our families." Everyone was silent. After a while, Karim ran to his cabin and brought food and water.It appears Karin is a chef, at least part-time.

Everyone was hungry, so they picked up the compressed biscuits and ate them with water.Cao Cang had eaten compressed biscuits before, and he could barely swallow them. Lao Yang also ate them calmly, but sister Zhou couldn't eat anything. Lao Luo couldn't get used to compressed biscuits, so he took a toothpaste-like tube and gestured to the Americans. Americans all laughed. Lao Luo looked at the English on the toothpaste, and passed it to Lao Yang. Lao Yang said blankly: "This is a mixture of vegetables, chicken, and beef." Lao Luo said: "Why don't you eat such a good thing?"

Then use the active hand to squeeze the semi-liquid food in the tube into his mouth. "Plop—" Lao Luo spat out the food, "It's really unpalatable!" The Americans laughed gleefully. After the catastrophe, everyone's spirits were no longer so tense.The ocean also became gentle and quiet, completely gone from the danger just now. Lao Yang and Johnson discussed for a while, and each told their compatriots that they could rest, but two people should stay on duty.Of course, a Chinese and an American were on duty at the same time. "OK" Johnson walked to the bow deck, stood against the railing, took out the binoculars and looked at the sea in the distance, "It's calm, everyone go back to the cabin and rest. Joey, when can you fix the satellite navigation system on the ship?" ?”

"If all goes well, tomorrow morning," Joey said. "Okay, then use the satellite navigation system to determine our position tomorrow. The experiment has been successful, and maybe we are somewhere in the Indian Ocean now." Everyone was happy, and Joseph and Alan high-fived each other.However, there were still a few people who were not affected by this emotion, Ximei still had a disdainful expression, and Lao Yang remained calm.Cao Cang felt puzzled in his heart. "Everyone..." Johnson turned around and said to everyone, "To celebrate the success of our experiment..." Johnson couldn't go on, because he saw the expressions of astonishment on the faces of everyone facing him. Johnson knew something was wrong, and asked, "What's wrong?" "Get out of here!" Joshua yelled at Johnson. But it was too late, Johnson didn't know what happened until he died. Behind Johnson, a stream of sea water rose straight up, it was an irregular crystal clear water column - the diameter of the upper part was several times that of the lower part, like a mushroom.Countless strips protruded from the water column, filament-like strips.These strip-shaped objects entangled Johnson. For an instant, Johnson was pulled into the water column. Everyone could see clearly that after Johnson was pulled into the water column, he pedaled desperately, trying to struggle out of it. Everyone rushed to the ship's side, trying to rescue Johnson, but the water column had moved several meters away from the hull.Cao Cang saw Johnson gradually suffocating.The water column slowly sank below the surface of the sea. Alan and Karin wanted to jump into the sea to save Johnson, but were stopped by Lao Yang. "He is dead." Lao Yang said, "You didn't see that his body has changed color." The sea surface returned to tranquility, and everyone leaned forward and looked towards the sea surface. "Everyone come back!" Lao Yang shouted, "Go back to the cabin." Lao Yang's reminder was very timely, and water columns rose again on the sea surface, this time, there was more than one. Everyone retreated to the deck in the middle of the ship. After a while, these gently moving water columns moved to the side of the ship and surrounded the scientific research ship.But their protruding strips cannot be stretched for a long distance, so they just swayed back and forth on the side deck of the ship, and the deck was wet. "What are these things?" Sister Zhou asked in panic. No one answered her. After the water column stood upright beside the boat for a while, the tentacles did not get any harvest, and slowly receded and sank to the surface of the sea. Everyone's face was dignified and they were silent.This sudden change made everyone's mood suddenly heavy. "From now on," Lao Yang said in Chinese and English respectively, "Everyone, don't walk around on the deck, and return to a safe place in the cabin." "Are you ordering us?" Joshua asked. "Among the twelve of us, only two have lived at sea for a lifetime. Like Johnson, I am also a captain. If anyone has more sailing experience than me, they can stand up." Americans no longer offer opinions.After a while of silence, Lao Yang said: "Leave two people now. Joshua and I will stay on duty overnight, and Joey will repair the equipment. After two hours, Cao Cang and Allen will replace us, and then Xiao Zhou and Joseph... Tomorrow morning After we have determined the location and contacted the outsiders involved in the experiment, we will search for Johnson." Everyone stopped talking and walked towards the cabin, Joshua stayed behind.Everyone acquiesced to Lao Yang's arrangement. "Stay away from the ship's side!" Lao Yang reminded again.In fact, it doesn’t need to be said by him, everyone also knows to walk close to the side of the cabin. Two hours later, Cao Cang and Allen replaced Lao Yang and Joshua and came to the rudder cabin. The scientific research ship did not use power to drive, and just stayed on the sea surface quietly, without even a trace of shaking.In the boundless sea, there is only a lonely boat floating quietly in it.The sea surface was extremely quiet, and it was also extremely depressing. Allen was restless, and Cao Cang really wanted to ask Allen in English. He really wanted to know how much the Americans knew about this experiment. Allen was talking to himself, very vaguely, and Cao Cang couldn't hear clearly. Cao Cang patted Alan on the shoulder, found a pen and paper in the cabin, and began to communicate with Alan with pictures. Cao Cang drew a map of the earth on paper, the kind that unfolds flat.Then Cao Cang drew a question mark on the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean respectively. Allen read it and understood what Cao Cang meant.But he spread his hands, then smiled wryly, drew a crescent on the edge of the map, and then drew a question mark on the crescent. Cao Cang also smiled, it seems that Allen really doesn't know where the boat is. Cao Cang said to Allen in Chinese: "Where are you from?" Allen replied, "I'm thirty-one." Cao Cang held back a smile, "What did you do before?" Allen said solemnly: "I have two sons, very cute." Cao Cang and Ai Lun chatted indifferently like this, until sister Zhou and Joseph came to replace them, and they went back to sleep in the cabin. At daybreak, Cao Cang walked on the deck, and the others slowly came together. Everyone was waiting for Joey to tell them the current location of the scientific research ship. The sun rose above the sea level, and Cao Cang discovered a phenomenon that puzzled him: when the sun rose, it was not bright red, but the moment it emerged from the sea level, it was very bright. This phenomenon is difficult to explain.Moreover, as soon as the sun's rays shine on a person's body, it makes people feel uncomfortable.What is even more incredible is that although the sun's rays are strong, the surroundings have not brightened up.Everyone was amazed by this strange phenomenon. Half an hour later, the sky began to gradually brighten, but the brightness was far from enough. It was not the usual clear light, but more like the dim light in the evening, but the sun was very hot. "Are we near the equator now?" Someone finally spoke.It was Miss Zhou who spoke. "I have been sailing all my life," Lao Yang said, "I have never seen this kind of sun." Why is the light so dim when there are no clouds in the sky.This question arose in everyone's mind at the same time. Everyone looked at each other, hoping to find the answer from the faces of others. Joey walked into the crowd at this moment. "Where are we now?" Lao Yang asked. "I'm sorry," Joey said, "I don't know." "Has the satellite navigation equipment not been repaired?" "No, Captain, I fixed it," said Joy, "but I still can't tell where we are." "Can you give me a definite answer?" "That's right," Joey replied, "The satellite navigation system can't receive any signals. Now this set of equipment is just scrap iron." Americans were shocked.Lao Yang told the Chinese what Joey said. "Why can't I receive the signal from the satellite?" Lao Luo said, "Is it a problem with the band... Ah, I see." Lao Luo immediately stopped talking. Lao Yang said to Joey: "You mean, the satellite navigation system has completely lost contact with the satellites in the sky?" "yes." Everyone understood the meaning of this question and answer - the experiment is still going on and not over. "Can I say it?" Lao Luo looked at Lao Yang and asked hesitantly. "Let's talk," Lao Yang said, "Since the country arranged for us to cooperate with the Americans, we should tell everyone about this situation. You should try to be as concise as possible." "It's still the Philadelphia Experiment." Lao Luo said.Lao Yang translated for the Americans at the same time. "Our ship..." Joey asked, "Is it already surrounded by a strong electromagnetic current, and no external equipment can detect us, including satellites?" Lao Luo told Lao Yang his thoughts.Lao Yang said to the Americans: "I don't know if you really understand the purpose of the experiment, but judging from the current situation, this experiment is definitely more complicated than the Philadelphia experiment." Lao Luo quickly expressed his thoughts, and Lao Yang did not hide anything, telling the Americans truthfully: "This experiment does not change the ship, but the ocean." "God!" The Americans became restless. Cao Cang's heart was also shaken. How much energy would it take to magnetically seal a piece of sea area (it's still not sure how big the sea area is) to form an independent space? But Lao Luo's statement cannot explain the weirdness of the surrounding environment and the paralysis of the positioning system. "What should we do?" asked the American. "Wait until it gets dark." Lao Yang said coldly, "We are going back to the age of great navigation, using constellations to determine our orientation." "Then where should we go?" This time it was Lao Song who asked. "Now we have only one destination, which is to go back to where we started. Hope it's not too far away." Under the sun's rays, the sky is brighter.Cao Cang found another problem: "Although the sun is very hot, the temperature has not changed much. Is this the environmental change caused by the electromagnetic force?" There is another question, Cao Cang thought: "How big is this electromagnetically altered sea area? Ten square nautical miles? One hundred square nautical miles? One thousand square nautical miles?... Or the entire ocean?" The scientific research ship continues to stay on the sea surface. In the case of unknown position, the best choice is not to move. As always, the sea is still calm, there is no wind at all.Now everyone is gathered together, not because of fear, but because of loneliness, this kind of loneliness abandoned by the world, hanging in everyone's heart. Now everyone, whether American or Chinese, speaks together, no longer caring about the barriers between languages ​​and countries. All the topics now revolve around where the scientific research ship is now, how far it is from the start of the experiment, and when will the scientific research ship return to its original position... Everyone has a faint feeling that maybe they will never go back.But everyone was careful not to say this sentence. Finally, in the evening, the dazzling sun sank below the sea level.As soon as the sun disappeared, the sky suddenly darkened, replaced by dazzling starlight, hanging above the dome. Lao Yang looked up at the sky for a long time. Joseph moved a long cylindrical object from the cabin, placed it on the deck, and began to observe the sky.Judging from his skillful movements, he is at least an astronomy enthusiast. Lao Yang looked at it for a long time, and said to Joseph: "Can you tell me where we entered the vortex?" Joseph replied: "North latitude 20°-40°, West longitude 35°-75°." Lao Yang remained silent for a while without saying a word. Others waited anxiously for Lao Yang to tell the current location of the scientific research ship, and then according to the approximate location judged so far, they headed for 20°-40° north latitude and 35°-75° west longitude. Joseph slowly put away the astronomical telescope, just like Lao Yang, ignoring everyone's expecting gazes. Lao Yang finally spoke: "I want to tell you a piece of bad news." Everyone didn't ask any more questions, and waited for Lao Yang to continue speaking in two languages. "I can judge the position of the ship according to the position of the stars in the sky. Everyone believe me... I have lived on the sea since I was a child." Old Yang paused and continued, "Our current position is at 20 degrees north latitude- 40 degrees, 35 degrees to 75 degrees west longitude, even if it is not in this position, the distance will not be too far, at most a few hundred nautical miles error..." "No!" Joseph interrupted Lao Yang, "Your judgment is not wrong, your error will not exceed one hundred nautical miles." "What do you mean?" Allen asked Lao Yang. "Perhaps, we never left the sea area where we entered the experiment." Lao Yang said to the Chinese. Joseph also said to the Americans: "That is to say, we have not moved positions at all." "The experiment failed?" Everyone asked separately. "Why can't we see the staff and ships outside the experiment?" Allen shouted, "Why, we can't see anything?" Whether it is an American or a Chinese, they are all emotional at this time. "What is the thing that ate Johnson? I've never heard of such a vicious creature in the sea!" "What's wrong with the sun, nothing is right here!" Everyone asked in a hurry, and now the only remaining hope has been shattered, and everyone no longer cares about these sensitive topics. "Everyone, calm down, calm down." Lao Yang gestured to everyone.But at this time, no one listened to Lao Yang's words. "I have an idea." At this time, Lao Luo spoke again.Everyone looked at Lao Luo, hoping that this expert in electromagnetics and microwaves could judge everyone's real situation, "My previous inference may have been too far ahead. This experiment is far less complicated than we thought, and we don't have the space displacement, and the ocean is not shielded by the magnetic field." "The core of the experiment is still our ship?" Lao Yang asked. "Yes." Lao Luo said, "Have you forgotten the original intention of the Philadelphia experiment, which is to shield the surroundings of the hull so that the outside world cannot detect the hull?" "The current situation, is it?" Lao Yang asked. "The purpose of this experiment has been fully achieved." Lao Luo said, "Not only the outside world can't detect us, but we can't see everything outside." Lao Yang told the Americans about Lao Luo's inconsistent inferences in English. "I have a question," Allen said hesitantly. "The purpose of the Philadelphia experiment was to prevent the enemy's electronic detection equipment from detecting the hull. The shielding medium was the radar band, not light." Lao Yang quickly told the Chinese about Alan's words in Chinese, and everyone was calm for a moment. "The experiment we are participating in now is an upgrade of the Philadelphia experiment." Lao Luo said, "The waveband of electromagnetic force shielding has been greatly expanded, including the spectrum." Cao Cang said suddenly: "It's not enough." Everyone understood what Cao Cang meant, and his voice was like a wave.The scientific research ship is completely isolated from the world. Now in the world, the scientific research ship can no longer be detected by any means. Correspondingly, the world is also undetectable to the scientific research ship. Now the boat we are on is a transparent boat, and it is a blind transparent boat.The research ship and the outside world are like two deaf and blind people, walking in the endless darkness, groping for each other. "What on earth are the Americans going to do?" Old Song shouted. The Chinese all looked hard at the Americans on board. Lao Yang asked: "What is the purpose of this experiment conducted by your country? This experiment cannot be used on the battlefield at all." Joshua said: "In the name of the Holy Son, we really don't know the military's experimental intentions." Lao Yang told the Chinese what Joshua said. "Lies, lies!" Lao Song shouted, "They are all liars, we should control them now and force the Americans to send us back!" Unable to control his emotions, Lao Song suddenly rushed to Lao Yang's side, and took out something from Lao Yang's body. What Lao Song raised was a pistol!He said to Allen: "Contact your people quickly and send us back." Allen looked at Lao Song's muzzle, stepped back step by step, and retreated to the edge of the deck. Cao Cang was very puzzled, where did Lao Yang's pistol come from, and it was impossible for him to pass the inspection of the United States with the weapon. Allen was pointed at by Lao Song's pistol, and raised his hands with a look of horror. His back was already leaning against the railing of the ship's side, and there was no way to retreat. "Lao Song, calm down!" Lao Yang scolded Lao Song. "No, we can't be played by the Americans like this!" Lao Song couldn't control his emotions at all. While panicking, behind Allen, a nearly transparent water column rose from the sea again, exactly the same as the one that swallowed Johnson.Countless slender tentacles have swayed out of the water column, twisting and swinging in the air, and are about to swing on Allen. The Americans all exclaimed, and shouted at Lao Song: "Please!" When I saw this paragraph in the document, on QQ, the avatar of the vest started to flicker. "Brother Snake, how much have you read?" "See the Philadelphia Experiment." "Do you think what my father recorded is credible?" "I can only say this, if this is not your father's real experience, then your father must be a whimsical paranoid." "Ha ha." "So your father, you won't be angry." "No, keep reading. If you think my father is paranoid now, then after reading the following documents, you will think that my father must be a lunatic." "Where are you now, are you still in Wuhan?" "Not here." "then where are you?" The vest's profile picture was black, and he went offline suddenly without even saying hello.