Chapter Forty-Nine: An Unexpected Encounter at Sea

If I just drove off like this, there was no guarantee I wouldn’t be stopped by the traffic police. After all, I was now driving without a license, and the car wasn’t even registered yet—a clear invitation for trouble.

I used to have a driver’s license, but here, I’d have to find time to take the test all over again.

“Chongchong, how long can I actually stay underwater now?” Last time, I’d been in the sea for well over an hour at least. That made me really curious—just how long could I hold my breath in the ocean?

“There shouldn’t… be any time limit. You can stay in the sea as long as you want,” Chongchong replied, though not with much certainty. That last incident had caught even Chongchong off guard.

It seemed I was extremely well-adapted to everything in the ocean, but Chongchong couldn’t be sure; it needed to be tested again.

“No time limit? Then I’m basically no different from a fish. If I ever want to eat fish, I could just catch one myself in the sea,” I said with a laugh.

As a graduate student in biology, I quickly accepted this reality.

Living by the sea, and now possessing such an ability, could be considered a stroke of good fortune.

Still, things like this are best kept low-key. That’s why, to avoid the crowds, I’d deliberately chosen a deserted stretch of coastline.

It wasn’t a tourist spot; people who came here were usually long-term residents.

I hadn’t originally planned to go swimming, so I hadn’t brought anything special. It was summer, and I wasn’t wearing much to begin with; going into the water fully clothed wouldn’t be a problem.

But then there was my phone…

It was brand new, and if it went into the water, it’d be ruined. But if I left it on the shore, I worried I might not get back in time. Or worse, I’d swim so far out I’d forget my way back.

But then I remembered—even last time, when I’d swum such a long distance, Chongchong the dog had managed to guide me back, so I shouldn’t get lost this time either.

So, I hid my phone in an inconspicuous spot, covering it with some leaves. To avoid any calls, I even switched it off. These days, though I only had one number in my contacts—Pei Xi’s—you never know when a spam call might come through.

People seem to get hold of your number from who knows where, and call at the most inconvenient times.

With everything set, I stretched a bit, then dove straight into the water. It was actually quite dangerous to dive headfirst in unfamiliar places, but for me, these concerns didn’t apply.

At that very moment, it was the hottest part of the day. The instant I plunged in, my skin felt a wave of relief. The seawater wasn’t exactly cold, but far more comfortable than the scorching sun.

The deeper I went, the cooler it got. Instead of swimming out to sea, I headed down toward the seabed.

In these shallow waters, I didn’t have to worry about running into anything like sharks, right?

I could still vividly recall my last encounter with a shark. Just because I’d escaped unscathed once didn’t mean I’d always be so lucky.

“Master, the seabed is truly beautiful. Let’s stay here a while,” Chongchong said. Last time, he hadn’t paid much attention to the scenery, too busy figuring out how to control the big fish.

Now, with the chance to look closer, he realized just how stunning the underwater world was.

Though it was a shallow sea, the spot I’d chosen was a favorite among free-diving enthusiasts.

The water wasn’t deep, but the scenery was unique.

It wasn’t hard to reach the ocean floor, and there were plenty of aquatic plants and small fish.

There was no sandy beach here; all sorts of things washed in by the tide were hidden beneath the waves.

If you were patient enough to search, you could always find a few pretty shells and the like. They weren’t worth much, but those who came here were enthusiasts, not treasure hunters.

Finding something you liked while swimming was an unexpected delight, making people love the place even more.

Only after learning to swim did I finally understand why people loved living by the sea. Here, if you wanted to swim, you could just dive in—comfortable, refreshing, and with no worries about water quality.

With a nudge from Chongchong, I started swimming farther out. My speed was impressive—before I realized it, I was moving as fast as a small boat.

Lost in the dazzling scenery, I didn’t even notice how far I’d gone.

No oxygen tank, no goggles—I really was just like a fish, gliding through the ocean, and the experience filled me with joy.

After about half an hour, I spotted something on the surface up ahead—a boat.

Judging by the light, it was a medium-sized trawler, the kind fishermen use during the fishing season.

But it wasn’t fishing season yet, so what was a boat doing here?

Could they be fishing illegally?

With that thought, I quietly approached. If I went from the sides, the people onboard would surely spot me. But if I came up from directly below and hid under the hull, no one would notice.

If they really were poaching, I could probably do something to stop them.

Hiding beneath the boat, I looked around but saw no fishing nets. The people on deck weren’t fishing either—just standing around and talking.

Being underwater, I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

I wasn’t one to eavesdrop anyway; as long as they weren’t poaching, it was none of my concern.

Just as I was about to swim away, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

That man… wasn’t he the one they called Brother Nan at lunch earlier today?

I’d just seen him while eating, and I hadn’t left long ago—how had he ended up here so quickly?

Curious, I moved closer to confirm if he was indeed the same Brother Nan.

As I drew near, I realized it was not only him, but he was also holding something in his hand. Two others stood nearby—one with his back to me, whose identity I couldn’t make out, but the one standing respectfully beside him was clearly an assistant.

You could tell by his deferential posture, and the way he stood silently by, that he was the assistant or subordinate of the man with his back to me.

The object in Brother Nan’s hand glinted brilliantly in the sunlight.