1879

"What year is it now?"

After Milluki said that, Vick was still clutching the water bag, stunned for several seconds.

It was as if he had not understood.

"What year?"

Vick's cracked lips moved.

"1879."

He looked at Milluki, then at Bai Zhu, his face full of confusion.

"Could it be some other time?"

Milluki did not answer.

Neither did Bai Zhu.

The lamp mechanism was still creaking as it turned.

Each creak made the log pages in Milluki's hand tremble slightly.

Bai Zhu stared at the identity tag on Vick's chest.

Several lines of old lettering were engraved on it.

[Atoll Lighthouse Keeper]

[Vick Rosen]

[Spring Rotation, 1879]

Milluki flipped the log to its first page.

The paper had yellowed, and mold spots stained its edges, but the writing was still legible.

[June 17, 1879. Southwest wind. Lamp oil normal.]

The next page.

[June 18. Unusual fog over the sea at night.]

The page after that.

[June 19. Ship has not returned.]

Milluki's hand slowed as he turned the pages.

Bai Zhu took the log directly and rapidly flipped ahead.

[June 20. Third knock.]

[Do not respond.]

[The supervisor said there is a ship beneath the sea.]

[The kitchen staff heard his wife singing.]

[The door is knocking.]

Bai Zhu stopped turning the pages.

The door was knocking.

Pushi's old ship plaque immediately flashed through his mind.

The first ship.

The Door-Knocking Ship.

Do not knock a third time.

The words carved by that captain in 1879.

And what Pushi had said—

That captain was still knocking.

Bai Zhu closed the log and cursed.

"Fuck, it really matches up."

Milluki's throat tightened.

"What matches up?"

Bai Zhu handed the log back.

"1879 was the year the first Door-Knocking Ship