There were many holes like this along the riverbank, pockmarking the ground. Everyone was used to them and had never thought much of them before.
Now that Lu Ao had stopped at one of the holes, Xiang Xingchang asked, "Is the Platypus in here?"
Lu Ao could indeed sense some kind of animal inside. It was not a crab, but he could not be sure whether it was a Platypus.
"Do we have a hoe? Let's dig it open and take a look."
Wu Anzhi volunteered, "I have one in my car."
"I have one too." Another team member stepped forward, though he did not go back to get it. Instead, he pointed at the hole and asked suspiciously, "Isn't this a Mud Crab hole?"
Mud Crabs were common in their area, and they lived in holes along the riverbank.
Mud Crab burrows were enormous. Some could dig holes large enough for half a person to lie inside, so a big hole did not prove anything.
"It's not a Mud Crab," Lu Ao said.
The man replied, "I don't see any Platypus tracks near the entrance either. Even if it isn't a Mud Crab, that doesn't mean it's a Platypus."
Xiang Xingchang cut in, "Maybe not, but it's still possible. Go get the hoes first. We'll dig it open and see."
Xiang Xingchang held considerable authority in the team. Since he had stepped in to smooth things over, the others could not refuse him. They had no choice but to put aside their doubts and go fetch the hoes.
Their vehicles were parked some distance away, so it would take a while to bring the hoes over.
The remaining people stood around the hole, looking at one another.
One team member asked, "Are we just going to stand here and