Night lay deep, black clouds stretched overhead like a lid.
Dozens of boats of every size floated at Two Rivers Junction. Even late at night, the Lishui River was bustling with activity.
Every boat had its high-powered searchlights blazing, illuminating the entire junction.
The countless beams even bleached the clouds overhead, making night look like day.
At the center of the river,
A huge workboat loomed like a beast on the water, its crane arm extending dozens of meters.
Its diesel crane roared across the river as a cable thick as a barrel reeled in at a steady pace.
Splash! With a tremendous rush of water, a waterfall rose slowly from the river beneath the crane.
Water soon poured off it, revealing a large wooden sailing ship beneath.
The ship looked ancient, with two masts and three decks.
Despite its old-fashioned design, its hull looked new, nothing like something that had spent long underwater.
It was about the size of the restaurant ship, but it was not the same vessel.
The hundred-odd people on the river stared in astonishment at the sailing ship, which looked as if it had only just sunk.
The salvage crew directed the operator to lower it onto the transport ship beside them.
A gust swept across the river, and something strange happened.
The ship that had looked brand-new moments ago began to decay under the searchlights, visibly rotting before their eyes.
Its planks rapidly discolored and fell away. The masts and decks began to collapse.
By the time the crane set it down on the transport ship's broad deck, it crashed into a heap of wreckage.
"What—"
The operator stared, dumbfounded. He was certain he had handled it gently.
The others were just as wide-eyed, but the person in charge reacted instantly. "Get them out!"