I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 144 Ghost Ship Mist

A storm raged across the sea, thunder roared, and lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating the dark sea like daylight. Zhang Wanqing gripped the rudder tightly, her eyes firm and sharp, as if she could penetrate the raging storm and gaze directly into the unknown ahead.

The waves hit the boat again and again, and each impact made the boat shake more violently, but Zhang Wanqing still stood steadily, her body naturally adjusting the center of gravity as the boat swayed.

Fu Siyuan stood beside her, his eyes fixed on the radar screen, his hands working rapidly on the control console. His forehead was covered with sweat, but his fingers were remarkably steady. He knew they had to find a way out, otherwise they would not be able to escape the pursuit.

Li Wei stood at the bow, his eyes fixed on the sea ahead, his flare gun ready to fire at any moment. His body tensed, ready to respond to any crisis. He knew they were at a critical juncture of life and death, and any slight slack could lead to catastrophic consequences.

At this moment, Fu Siyuan suddenly shouted: "Wanqing, there is a ship at two o'clock!"

Zhang Wanqing turned quickly, her gaze piercing the wind and rain as she caught sight of the outline of a ship. The ship seemed particularly lonely in the storm, its hull dilapidated, as if it had been abandoned long ago. Yet, a strange tranquility surrounded the ship, as if the storm could not touch it.

"What kind of ship is that?" Li Wei's voice was filled with doubt.

An ominous premonition welled up in Zhang Wanqing's heart. She remembered that she had heard the legend about this sea area. There was a ship called the "ghost ship" here. It appeared in the storm and led lost ships to destruction.

"We have to be careful, it might be a ghost ship." Zhang Wanqing's voice was low, and there was a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei exchanged a glance, both with a hint of uneasiness in their eyes. But they knew they had no other choice but to approach the ship and see if there was anything they could use.

The boat slowly approached the ghost ship. Zhang Wanqing could clearly see cracks and rust on the hull, a broken mast, and tattered sails. But on the deck of the ship, there was no sign of life, only some shabby furniture and scattered items.

"Let's go up." Zhang Wanqing made the decision, her voice firm.

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei nodded, and they followed closely behind, boarding the ghost ship together. The wind on the deck grew stronger, and the raindrops hit them like bullets, but their steps were extremely firm.

They began searching the ship, hoping to find some useful items or equipment. Zhang Wanqing entered the cabin, which was dark and damp, with a musty smell in the air. Her gaze swept around the cabin, and suddenly, she discovered an old logbook.

She carefully opened the log, which recorded the history of the ship and the stories of its captain and crew.

The log mentioned that the ship was once a merchant ship, but was attacked by pirates during one of its voyages. All the people on board were killed, and only the captain survived.

The captain wrote in his log that he had hidden the ship in a secret location, hoping that justice would be found one day.

A complex emotion welled up in Zhang Wanqing's heart. She knew that the captain of this ship, like herself, was seeking truth and justice. She took a deep breath and decided to use this ship to confuse the pursuers.

She quickly returned to the deck and explained her plan to Fu Siyuan and Li Wei. They immediately took action, hiding the boat in the shadow of the ghost ship and then using the ghost ship's equipment to create some false signals to confuse the pursuers.

The storm continues to rage and the waves continue to hit the ship. They will use this ghost ship to escape from their pursuers.

The roar of the storm echoed in her ears as Zhang Wanqing stood on the deck of the ghost ship, her face wet with rain and seawater. Her gaze roamed over the dilapidated hull, searching for clues in every corner of the ancient vessel.

Every crack and every speck of rust on the hull seemed to tell a story of the past. She took a deep breath, trying to find a trace of peace in the wind and rain.

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei followed closely behind, their eyes revealing awe and curiosity about the ship. Fu Siyuan's gaze fell on a half-open door in the cabin, which seemed to hide some secret. He gently pushed it open, and a musty smell hit him. The dimness of the cabin was in stark contrast to the storm outside.

"We have to hurry, the storm won't give us much time." Fu Siyuan's voice echoed in the cabin, with a hint of urgency in his voice.

Li Wei nodded, his eyes scanning the cabin until they finally landed on a worn wooden box. He walked over and forcefully opened the lid, revealing some ancient navigational tools and maps. He carefully flipped through the maps, hoping to find some useful information.

Zhang Wanqing walked to the other side of the cabin, where there was a shabby desk with scattered documents and logs. She gently brushed the dust off the cover of the log and opened the first page, which recorded the ship's navigation log and the captain's personal notes.

Her attention was drawn to a passage:

"In these waters lies an ancient secret, a secret of untold riches and forbidden power. I have sought to uncover it, but the price was too heavy. Now, I leave it to those who come after me, may they be wiser than I."

Zhang Wanqing's heart raced, realizing this passage might hold a connection to her father's secret. She continued to leaf through the log, hoping to find more clues. As she turned the pages, she discovered a record of strange events the ship had encountered, as well as the captain's fears and suspicions about a mysterious organization.

"Wanqing, come and look at this." Li Wei's voice interrupted her thoughts. He was holding a yellowed map in his hand, on which was marked an unknown island.

Zhang Wanqing walked over and studied the map with Li Wei. The island on the map was southeast of their current location. It had a distinctive mark, seemingly an ancient symbol. She remembered seeing a similar symbol in her father's study, a symbol of an ancient civilization he was studying.

"This island may be related to my father's secret." There was a hint of excitement in Zhang Wanqing's voice.

Fu Siyuan came over, his eyes scanning the map. "We have to go there. This may be our only chance."

They quickly made a plan and decided to use the ghost ship to confuse the pursuers while heading to the island to find the truth.

Zhang Wanqing returned to the deck and manipulated the rudder, causing the ghost ship to sway in the storm, creating the illusion that it was out of control. Fu Siyuan and Li Wei operated equipment in the cabin, sending out a false distress signal.

The storm gradually subsided, and the sea returned to calm. Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei stood on the deck, their gaze piercing the night sky toward the distant island. Their hearts were filled with anticipation and unease, knowing that there might be a secret hidden there that could change everything.