"Splash..."
"Splash..."
"Splash..."
A rhythmic sound reached his ears. At first it was hazy, as though coming from some faraway place through a veil of mist, flickering in and out of existence in Zhang Tie's ears. As the sound entered his ears, his consciousness, like a single candle lit in the darkness, began to flicker faintly back to life.
That rhythmic splashing continued to sound in his ears. Only after more than ten minutes did it gradually become clear.
As the sound grew clearer and clearer, Zhang Tie finally recognized it as the sound of waves striking the beach. Then, as a little sensation returned to him, he realized that with every wave, his body would rise slightly before falling again. Something beneath him was supporting him, keeping him from sinking fully into the water and instead letting him float on its surface.
The feeling in his hand returned as well. Zhang Tie felt something smooth and hard beneath it, marked by strange patterns and texture. His only remaining hand was gripping the thick edge of that object, and he seemed to be lying atop it.
One of his feet was in the water. From below the knee to the sole, the entire foot felt somewhat itchy. Something beneath the water seemed to be propping up his foot, keeping it afloat so that he could lie steadily...
After a difficult struggle, Zhang Tie finally opened his eyes.
The first thing that entered Zhang Tie's sight was a stretch of beach and an island not far away, along with the rolling waves. Looking beneath himself, Zhang Tie discovered that his hand was gripping the edge of a vast brown-black turtle shell. A giant sea turtle, its back more than a meter across, was carrying him toward the beach.
In the water