"National Water Emergency Rescue Center..."
"Please accurately report the geographical location of the emergency and the name of the vessel in distress so rescue personnel can reach the scene promptly."
The captain quickly spoke into the communication channel. "I'm the captain of the Conch. We're nineteen nautical miles southeast of Hai'an Port, almost there. The coordinates are..."
"Please describe the nature of your emergency..."
Before the other party could finish, the captain hurriedly shouted.
"A volcanic eruption! An undersea volcano erupted! It's right behind our ship!"
"...Please remain calm."
"I am calm!"
"...But as far as I know, there are no volcanoes in such nearby waters. How severe is your situation?"
The captain said, "It's not too bad. The hull hasn't suffered any damage, and there have been no casualties."
"Then what danger are you actually facing?" The operator sounded puzzled. "Even if an undersea volcano erupted, couldn't you just move away from it? Ships on the surface generally aren't in danger."
"The eruption boiled the seawater! The undersea volcano is chasing us! It's been following us for over ten minutes!"
"...Please remain calm."
"I said I'm calm!"
"Chasing you? A volcano is chasing you?" The operator felt as though he and the other person did not live in the same world.
"That's right. It chased us for two nautical miles already. I've pulled ahead of it now. It should be about six hundred meters behind the stern." The captain looked at the plume of smoke shooting into the sky behind them.
"Mm, speed up, then. Don't let the volcano catch you."
"This yacht can only do five knots."
"Five knots? Then why did you even go out to sea? Forget it. Just hold on for now. We'll send a rescue vessel to meet you."
"Alright! Thank you so much."