I don't want to drink too much water, just take a few sips to relieve my thirst. After have a rest, I feel I have more strength. I sit next to Phoenix's body and looking at her. I know she can not hear anymore, but I can't help whispering to her, "Thank you!"

Then I pick her up, push her hard out of the side of the raft and let go. Her body falls into the sea, sinking slowly and disappearing little by little...

I can't help but dip my head in the sea water, open my eyes and watch her sinking little by little under the water. Her body is stiff, her arms are opening slowly, her hair is rolled up by the sea water, and she's floating away slowly.

Until I can not hold my breath and my eyes are painfully p.r.i.c.ked by the sea that I retract my head and lie on the raft panting. I tell myself: Chen Yang, you have to do that.

I have to push the corpse into the sea. If put it on the raft, within the sun and the wind blows, it would be stinking very soon.

This radical woman finally had a little conscience before she died. I hope she can rest in peace.

I have been desperate and thought I'm going to be dead this time, but now I suddenly get such a bottle of glucose water. In despair, people suddenly see a glimmer of hope, even if it is only a tiny little hope, will instinctively exert all efforts to seize it!

I'm the same!

I don't know if this bottle of water will support me through this. But at least now I see a glimmer of hope! At least I don't need to die for the time being. I don't need to die now!

I can't bear to finish it all at once. Only when I can't support it, I just allow myself to take only a small sip, a very small sip! I begin to work hard for my own survival!

With the direction of the sun, I recognize the direction, and then begin to paddle with the oar. I'm paddling eastward. According to my judgment, at least I saw the gunboat pursuing the stowaway s.h.i.+p, which is the Canadian flag, so I think I should be situated not far from the west coast of Canada. It's a blind judgment in absolute despair, but I'm still trying to inspire myself.

I start rowing and take a rest when I'm tired, although I know that when I try to row for the half a day, it's still very easy to be taken off course when I'm encountered ocean currents. But at least it's better than lying there waiting for die and doing nothing.

Glucose water can not only quench my thirst, but also help me replenish my strength! With this bottle of water, I've persisted for another two days. Two days later, I'm still alive, but I have only one breath left.

I'm as soft as cotton, don't have any strength. I'm so hungry that I don't even feel any more. At first it was stomach cramps, and then it's no longer feeling in the stomach. I just feel empty. I look at the money in the bag and really want to eat them!

But I know, if it is the white paper, maybe I'll really eat it. But this is the banknotes. There are printed inks on. If you eat it, you'll die.

The turn of events finally arrives on the third day! The mineral water bottle is empty and no drop can pour out.

I lick the bottle hard with my dry tongue, but I can't lick any drop of water. But I feel greedily with the tip of my tongue, as if I could feel the residual sweetness on the bottle wall.

The wind has changed! I look up at the sky in surprise and find that the sun that had been exposed to me for so long has finally disappeared, the clouds on the horizon began to acc.u.mulate and thicken, and the waves on the sea begin to rise violently.

If I'm not mistaken, it's supposed to be a storm coming!

I'm really thirsty and hungry. But it's so cold that the whole person is numb. At this time, I struggle to pick up the bags on the boat and tie the three bags together. Maybe they can add a little weight, which would be good for stability. Then I pull the rope on the raft and tie myself carefully. I sit quietly, holding the oar in my hand tightly. The oars are also fixed with ropes. I'm just waiting quietly for the storm.

The waves on the sea are growing bigger and bigger, and the hull of the s.h.i.+p goes up and down. Finally a thunder comes from the horizon.

I just feel a tremor, as if the whole sea has gone wild! A wave tosses up the raft and opens the storm!

I can't open my eyes any more. The raindrops are almost falling all over my face without warning. While trying to fix my body, I'm paddling hard, and the raft is thrown up and down like a roller coaster. I'm afraid of being thrown out several times. Fortunately, the rope tied me tightly. I open my mouth, but although it's rainning heavily, but raindrops don't fall much to my mouth.

I feel that my raft has been thrown up and down many times, and every time I thought I'm really finished this time. But every time, I'm surprised to see that I'm still alive!

The raft is undulating in the waves, and it is possible to be subverted at any time! I should be lucky, because although the storm came fiercely, it also disappears quickly!

Just like the beginning of the storm, suddenly, as if after a big wave, I suddenly feel the speed drops. The raft falls into a wave and gradually subsiding. The clouds in the sky disperse in an instant, and the suns.h.i.+ne is s.h.i.+ning again. I even feel that the light is colorful!

Then I'm surprised to find that there's already a lot of water in the raft! Almost with a cry of joy, I take out the bottle and carefully fill it with the water first. Then I throw myself on the raft and try to get a full drink. Finally, I think for a moment, take out a bag, empty the money inside, and carefully fill the bag with water.

I think, at least for the time being, I'm not dying of thirst! For the first time in my life, I suddenly feel that drinking water is such a luxury and happy thing!

The next day, I'm filled with hope! Originally exhausted, but suddenly feel that I have more strength! The feeling of hunger is still afflicting me, but I pick up the oars again!

In the evening of this day, I finally see there is a little sail from the distance! A boat is coming towards me. The hull is old, and I can even see the rust stains on it, the sails on the mast, the long netting devices hanging on both sides.

I immediately recognize that it's a fis.h.i.+ng boat! Immediately I get up from the raft, raise my arms and wave them vigorously. At the same time, I exhaust my life's strength and shouting loudly.

The boat has found me, and a very sharp whistle comes from it. I breathe a sigh of relief. A string in my heart that has been tightly tightened for several days has finally loosened down! I feel like a marathon runner who has finished running. At the moment of crossing the finish line, all the strength has left me. I feel my legs weak and my brain begins to dizzy.

The boat begins to shake in my sight. No, it's not that it's shaking, but that I'm shaking myself! I try to open my eyes, but I find that the shadow of the boat in front of me is getting more and more blurred. d.a.m.n, it's getting closer and closer, but how can it get blurred?

I subconsciously raise my hand to rub my eyes, but at this time my body is soft. With a splash, I fall into the sea! The cold water floods my head and pour into my mouth. I don't feel any more, I just feel the darkness in front of me, very very dark…

A strong ray of light is coming into my eyes. I feel some pains in my eyes and dizziness in my head. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids don't obey the order.

It's not just my eyes. I can't even feel my body, as if my body has been completely separated from my consciousness. I can only vaguely see a room around me, a torch shaking in front of me, and the light s.h.i.+ning in my eyes.

Instinctively, I turn my eyes a few times and hear a few murmuring conversations in my ear. I recover a little and finally realize why I couldn't control my eyelids. My eyelids are stretched out by one hand.

Then the man let go, and my eyelids close gradually. My last sense was to see a brand appeares on the wall. It's in English. I can't understand it. But there is still some joy in my heart.

I'm sure of one thing: I'm still alive!

After that, I fall asleep again.

...

"#$$%%$^^"

When I wake up again, and the words in my ear make me a little confused. I can't understand any word. I strenuously open my eyes and look at the people around me.

A strong-looking man is standing in front of me in a pair of large trousers with a strap. He's clean, but he has a lot of beard on his face, a high nose, a strong and tall nose.

I try my best to open my mouth: "I don't understand what you said."

He sees me open my eyes and speak, with a surprised look on his face, and then he says many words in fast speed, and then he shouts something.

As he's shouting, I look around. It's obviously a cabin. It's very narrow and fishy. The bedpanels under me are very hard, but it's very warm. I'm covered with a blanket.

A man comes in, wearing a thick coat, some dirty, let me notice that he is wearing a hat, seems like the captain's hat, tall, but very thin. He has a cup in his hand.

The man first says something to the strong man. The strong man goes out then. He sits down beside me and hands me the cup.

I hesitate and take it. It's a cup of hot coffee. I take two sips and feeling much more comfortable.

This man looks strange. From the color of his skin, the height of his nose and the outline of his facial features, I can see that he does not seem to be a white man, but he does not seem to be a yellow man too. He should be a mixed blood Eurasian.

Then he speaks to me, and this time I understand, because he say it very short, just one word.

"Korean?"

I shake my head.

"j.a.panese?"

I still shake my head.

"Main land?"

I nod.

He grins. His teeth are yellow, but he's smiling kindly. Then he's stuttering to me. This time he's speaking our language! Although not very standard, and obviously a bit rigid, some words do not meet the meaning, but at least I can barely understand him now.

"h.e.l.lo! Welcome to... Aboard! I'm Captain Vick!"

His p.r.o.nunciation is funny, but I don't laugh at the moment. Instead, I look at him seriously and say, "Thank you. Captain Wick... You saved my life!" Be afraid of he can't understand me, I say "Thank you" again in English.

I know this word at least.

Fortunately, he understands me, and then he asks me a few more questions.

I hesitate for a moment and tell him frankly that I'm a stowaway. I don't have a certificate. I can't speak English or French. Anyone knows I'm a stowaway at a glance.

Wick shrugs his shoulders, not too surprised. Then he stands up, looking at me, showing a very serious expression: "Sir, you need not be too grateful for the rescue. Because that's what any conscientious seafarer at sea would do. But for your ident.i.ty, I have to say: you have brought me a big trouble! It's a very big trouble!"

He is fear of I can not understand him, and at the same time he makes a gesture with his hand, a huge gesture.

"You... Have you reported to the police?" I'm a little nervous.

Captain Wick looks at me for a moment and slowly shakes his head. "No."

I breathe a sigh of relief and he then smiles at me. "You're lucky because you're from mainland. So was my mother. When she was young, she also stole to Canada!"

I look at him and say nothing.

But Wick's tone changes and he looks at me very seriously: "If you're just a stowaway, I can choose not to call the police and wait until we have arrived the next port. You can sneak out of the boat. I can think I don't know... But now, you've brought a big trouble to me!"

I still look at him and say nothing.

Wick steps back and points to the corner. "Are those yours? Are you really just a stowaway?"

I take a look. There are two bags with those dollars in.

I see. Wick doubts my ident.i.ty! A stowaway can't bring such a huge sum of money!

"Sir, I now doubt your ident.i.ty not only as a stowaway, but also as a drug dealer or an arms smuggler! You know, in the sea, only these two kinds of people will carry so much money! And it's cas.h.!.+"

I've calmed down and look at Captain Wick, "What are you talking about with me?"

Suddenly I see a strange look in his eyes. I've seen too much lately. That's the greedy!

I immediately calm down and take a deep breath: "Captain Wick, can we make a deal?"

"No, no, no, no!" He's shaking his head at once and saying seriously, "I don't trade with drug dealers! I am a legitimate crew working for a legitimate fishery company!"

I smile.

To be honest, although I have never been a crew member, I also know something about them. How many crew members are truly legal?

Especially for ocean-going people, even if they are doing business properly, it is very common for them to carry some smuggled goods when they are running s.h.i.+ps in peacetime. It's no secret that many runners smuggle some small goods to make extra money.

"I'm not a drug dealer." I look at him. "My deal is simple, too." I try to make my smile very peaceful: "You saved my life, I am very grateful. As a return, I'd like to give you the money free of charge. Hmm, just take it as I personally donate it to your fishery company."

I can see that Captain Wick, though looks serious and friendly, is in fact very cunning!

He stops talking, but looking at me quietly and listening to me.

Seeing that he does not want to interrupt me, I know that there might be hope. I immediately go on to say, "Besides, I hope you can meet my little request. I just hope you don't call the police and then let me go ash.o.r.e when your s.h.i.+p docks. That's all."

Captain Wick seems to be thinking. His eyes are wandering back and forth between me and the money in the corner.

My heart is beating...

I don't really expect him not to call the police. If he is a legitimate crew member, it is normal for him to call the police!

What I'm afraid of is: To be honest, I'm afraid that he'll too value the money! It's not that I'm thinging too much. I've seen too many things these days! If he is hard-hearted, he will kill me and throw me into the sea to feed the fish, and then the money will naturally belongs to him! If that's the case, I can't resist at all with my current situation!

I'm not worrying too much! The greed in this fellow's eyes just now didn't escape from mine!

I just hope he doesn't develop any bad intentions. I don't care about that money at all. It wasn't my money anyway, so I can just give it to him as long as I can get ash.o.r.e alive.

And if he takes my money, then I'm sure he won't call the police! Because if I'm caught by the police, he can't hide these money anymore!

I look at Captain Wick quietly, and finally I see a smile in his eyes.