SES Chapter 47 V1

Chapter 47

Mu Dai choked on a mouthful of seawater. The salty, acrid taste was so harsh it made her want to rip her hair out by the roots.

She reminded herself: Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

Her master had taught her that panic and chaos go hand in hand. Once you panic, everything falls apart. And once that happens, even things that could’ve been salvaged are ruined.

Holding her breath, she shut her eyes and tried to relax her body. Suddenly, her ankle bumped into something.

A boat! The overturned little boat!

Mu Dai’s spirit lifted. She flexed her foot, curling her toes inward to hook onto it, refusing to let go. Spreading her arms, she paddled hard, trying to move her body toward the boat. When she finally managed to press her side against the hull, it was like grabbing onto a lifeline. She clung to the edge and hauled herself up.

Water splashed as she surfaced with a gasp, air flooding into her lungs. She was so relieved she nearly cried.

Opening her eyes, she saw the boat was flipped over, hull up. She was now lying on the underside of the boat. Yan Hong drifted several meters away, her head bobbing in and out of the water.

She seemed to know how to swim, which was a relief. Mu Dai reached around the edge of the boat, feeling for something. She remembered a rope tied to the side and hoped to use it to lash herself to the boat. If the boat stayed afloat, she’d survive. If it sank, well, she’d done her best.

As she searched, her eyes drifted downward into the water. Beneath the surface, a shadowy shape moved off to the side.

What… was that?

A chill ran through her. In the panic of falling in, she’d only focused on surviving. But now, it hit her—something from below had flipped their boat.

A sea monster? A crocodile? A shark?

Scenes from horror movies flashed through her mind. She clung to the boat like an octopus, not daring to move, frantically signaling Yan Hongsato to hurry, hurry with exaggerated expressions and mouthing the words.

There were no islands nearby. This boat was their only hope. It wasn’t completely safe, but it was better than being in the water.

Yan Hong seemed flustered too, splashing toward her. Mu Dai whispered silent encouragements: Come on… a little more… stay quiet…

She was almost there when her face suddenly went pale. She froze in place.

Literally froze—she stopped swimming, her arms slowly rising like she was surrendering.

But strangely, she didn’t sink.

She’s standing? That couldn’t be right.

Mu Dai’s face went white. She asked shakily, “What… what’s wrong?”

Yan Hongsashivered, lips bloodless, and murmured, “Something’s got me… I’m stuck.”

The surface of the water rippled gently, eerily calm. But calm waters often signaled something worse.

Then, all at once, Yan Hong screamed, her voice shrill and ragged, “Something’s got me, Mu Dai! Pull me up!”

She thrashed wildly in the water. Mu Dai’s mind exploded with panic, but she couldn’t reach her. Then a flash of inspiration hit: “Lean back! Tip into the water! Stretch out your hand!”

Where she was standing, Yan Hongsa couldn’t reach. But if she leaned her body at an angle, forming a hypotenuse, she might make it.

Yan Hong understood. She took a deep breath and tipped sideways, arm extended, leaving only her wrist above water. Mu Dai paddled closer and grabbed her hand.

But no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn’t budge her. Worse, the force started pulling the boat toward them instead.

Mu Dai was getting desperate when suddenly something yanked from below. If she hadn’t been clinging so tightly to the boat, she would’ve been pulled under too. Terrified, she screamed her lungs out.

Everything spiraled into chaos. She didn’t know what was below the surface—only that she had to keep holding on to Yan Hong with one hand and the boat with the other. Water sprayed, the boat bucked and lurched violently, sometimes dipping halfway underwater. Mu Dai swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater, but she refused to let go.

At one point, she was dragged under, clinging to the boat with her legs like a vice.

When she surfaced again, she thought she saw—through a haze—a boat approaching in the distance, the thrum-thrum-thrum of an engine drawing near.

She gathered the last of her strength and screamed.

And was dragged under again.

This time, she swallowed more water.

Her final thought before losing consciousness was: Whoever saves me, I’ll give them the full ¥20,000. Screw character growth—I’ll go back to waitressing at the bar.

She woke up in the afternoon.

Warm sunlight slanted across her face. The salty tang of the sea tickled her nose, but her body felt steady, like she was lying in bed. Or something like it.

Mu Dai opened her eyes—huh? She was on a beach. Underneath her was an inflatable air mattress.

Oh. I’m alive.

Being alive felt incredible. She didn’t want to think about anything. She just stared up at the blue sky and let out a long sigh. “Amitabha…”

Then she turned her head.

This was a beach, but not near Wuzhu Village. Not far away sat a weathered white fishing boat—bigger than the average wooden skiff, with a cabin, deckhouse, and a large engine in the back. Clothes hung to dry from its railing.

Further out, a small village came into view. Children were running around, laughing, and playing. One bold little kid ran over with a shell necklace and called out from a distance, “Wanna buy one? Wanna buy one?”

Before she could answer, they all scattered, giggling.

If not for what she’d just endured in the water, this peaceful scene might’ve felt like a postcard from paradise.

Someone stepped out of the boat cabin.

Mu Dai’s eyes widened.

Yi Wansan?!