Adventure and hard work were satisfying, but they were exhausting too.
With the argument over for now, the survivors who had worked all day finally felt their fatigue catch up with them.
To keep the voyage safe, Xia Lun ordered the Submarine to stop for the night and drop anchor, giving those scheduled to sail it a chance to rest.
That left everyone free to rest except Xia Lun, who was on night watch on the upper deck, and the Attendant and Oceanographer, who were on duty inside.
But rest was only his stated reason. Xia Lun's real reason for stopping was to make Moonlight Glowmoth Gel. Cooking while the Submarine was underway would make an accident—and a ruined dish—far more likely.
"Splash, splash..."
Wave after wave washed endlessly against the Submarine's hull. Time passed, the orange-red sun sank beneath the sea, and a bright silver moon slowly climbed into the sky.
Before midnight, Xia Lun set the Jade Wolf Pot on the heater and poured in three full units of purified water, bringing it to a boil.
The minutes ticked by. Standing before the pot with the translucent Glowmoth Gel between his fingers, Xia Lun looked up at the sky.
The night was gloomy and thick with clouds. The stars were unusually dim, and even the bright full moon appeared only in glimpses between the clouds.
Xia Lun felt a twinge of worry. Moonlight Glowmoth Gel required moonlight as an ingredient. If there was too little, the dish's effects might suffer.
I'll wait. If it's still cloudy when the moon reaches its highest point, I'll make it another day. Xia Lun waited quietly for the right moment.
About an hour later, a cold sea breeze swept across the water, raising ripples on the waves and tearing a great opening