An Youyu's gaze passed over the 【NO RENEWAL UPON EXPIRY】 at the top of the notice, landing on the two lines of text below.
【Upon re-examination by the Anchorage Association, twenty-eight days remain on the current lease for Ugly Stone, rented by Clown Float-Commune.】
【Upon expiry, the lease shall not be renewed, and Seven-Masts Anchorage shall reclaim and dispose of it.】
Lu Guizhou rushed over beneath the notice board, clutching the rent settlement slip.
“Feng Dehai!”
He held the slip with its barely dried ink right in front of the man's face.
“You just collected the Sea-Calming Rent, and the next second you post a notice saying Ugly Stone won't be rented to Clown anymore?!”
“If the Anchorage Association wants to reclaim the stone, you at least have to explain things clearly!”
The round-faced Maritime Affairs officer, Feng Dehai, extended two fingers and slowly pushed aside the corner of the paper that was nearly touching his nose.
“Chief Lu, it is written clearly on the slip that this settles the current period's rent! What, just because you paid this term in full, the next lease must be renewed for Clown?”
“The board only states whether it will be renewed or not. Why the Anchorage Association is reclaiming the stone is originally none of Clown's business to know.”
“Though, if you insist on hearing it, follow me.”
Feng Dehai tucked the ledger under his arm, turned around, and stepped onto the main bridge.
The commune members gathered below the board followed behind him one after another, with An Youyu trailing at the rear of the crowd.
Without looking back, Feng Dehai said, “The Sea-Calming Stones in the Seven-Masts Waters normally release Fresh Marrow whose medicinal properties are too diluted to refine even ordinary fish materials.”
“A material refiner came to the anchorage a while ago and said the concentrated marrow accumulated inside the stone head over many years might be different—it could potentially be refined into a local specialty fish material.”
“So the Seven Seats discussed it and chose one to open up and try.”
Ahead was the center of the float-commune.
A giant old-era clown head stood above the surface, with the anchor well located directly beneath it.
A thick windlass stood on the side of the well, its main chain wrapped around the axle and hanging straight down into the deep water.
Feng Dehai walked over to the edge of the well and pointed down into the water.
“The one chosen is No. 17 Sea-Calming Stone, which is Ugly Stone.”
Carried along by the crowd, An Youyu shuffled a few steps closer to the anchor well, peering down between the shoulders of the people in front of him.
The seawater below was dark and heavy, yet a patch of faint blue glowed from its depths.
The heavy main chain extended from the windlass all the way into the deep, its end locking around a suspended stone in the sea that was just large enough for a person to wrap their arms around.
The surface of the stone was covered in fluorescent blue algae, with fine blue lights flickering against the stone's skin, making its crooked outline discernible even through the deep water.
The float-commune was originally named after the clown head above the water, and as chance would have it, the suspended stone beneath the well also possessed sunken eyes and a split mouth, so the commune naturally called it 【Ugly Stone】.
What Feng Dehai called 【Marrow Extraction】 meant chiseling holes into Ugly Stone to extract its marrow.
The commune members beside the well looked down at Ugly Stone, their expressions darkening completely. When they turned back to Feng Dehai, rage flared uncontrollably in their eyes.
“Whether those medicinal properties are even viable fish material ingredients, whether it can be refined, or what grade it will turn out to be—do you have certainty on any of that?!”
“Yet every bit of stone marrow taken is gone forever! If it's truly drained dry, the stone head will disconnect from the hidden mountain, shatter completely, and sink into the ocean, never to be recovered!”
“Just for some illusory fish material, you're going to destroy our Sea-Calming Stone?!”
“Your Sea-Calming Stone?” Feng Dehai scoffed. “No. 17 Stone is registered under Seven-Masts Anchorage. Just because Clown has rented it for a few decades, you actually think you can claim it as your own?”
Ignoring the crowd, Feng Dehai picked up a red cord, wrapped it around the windlass loop by loop, and hung an iron plaque on it.
【VACATE ANCHOR WITHIN DEADLINE】
The moment the iron plaque was secured, a gray-haired old boatman rushed forward and pressed his palm against it.
“Vacate what anchor?! Once this chain is unfastened, Clown Float-Commune disbands on the spot! The young and old of this entire commune will be driven straight into the sea by you!”
Feng Dehai slapped his hand away and straightened the plaque.
“Aren't you left with twenty-eight days? Think carefully about where you'll go.”
“On the day of the Great Ebb Tide, the Maritime Affairs Office will naturally return to unfasten the chain.”
“When the time comes, clear away the people and belongings around the well in advance. If you wait for the fish-transformed martial guards to clear the area, things won't look pretty.”
Having said that, he turned and left.
The commune members beside the well immediately swarmed forward, blocking the path leading to the main bridge.
Yet Feng Dehai didn't even slow his pace.
He had long seen right through this crowd.
As he stepped forward step by step, those blocking his way retreated step by step, until they ultimately parted and gave way.
Feng Dehai crossed the main bridge and quickly returned to the black-canopied speedboat by the water gate.
...
For a long time, no one beside the well spoke.
The savory aroma of fish left over from the all-commune banquet still drifted over from the public warehouse, but the laughter from the feast was gone.
Only after a long while did a thin-faced man speak up.
“How about...”
“...we dismantle the commune right now?”
Several people whipped their heads around.
The thin-faced man bit the bullet and continued, “The anchor chain is still here, and every family's boat can still sail.”
“Divide up the remaining fish in the cold chamber, then go to other communes to beg for a place to stay.”
“Settle whichever family we can.”
“It's better than waiting until twenty-eight days are up, when the anchor is gone and everyone drifts together.”
A man beside him instantly flushed with anger, his eyes bloodshot.
“Easy for you to say!”
“Which float-commune isn't short of fresh water right now? If they're willing to take in a few who can risk their lives in the sea, that's already considered an act of charity. If we drag this entire commune of young and old over, how many water tickets can a few crates of fish buy?”
As he spoke, he pointed behind himself.
“I have three elderly relatives and two children in my family.”
“You pick for me.”
“Who do I take?”
“Who do I abandon?”
The thin-faced man was struck speechless.
Only after a long moment did he stiffen his neck and retort, “Then what do you suggest we do?!”
“If everyone stays here and waits, does that mean no one has to die?”
Behind him, a white-haired old woman gently tugged at the corner of his shirt.
“When that day comes, take your wife and child and leave.”
“I'll stay behind.”
“Mother!”
“What are you yelling for?”
The old woman gripped his sleeve tightly.
“At my age, I can't do any work. Without one extra mouth to feed, maybe they'll still be willing to take in your family.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
The thin-faced man hurriedly grabbed her.
Several more elderly people slowly walked out from the crowd and stood beside the old woman.
The young people of each household panicked instantly, rushing forward to hold tightly onto their elders.
A few children didn't understand what was happening, but seeing the adults' eyes turn red with tears, they began to cry as well.
“All of you, stand back!”
Lu Guizhou's roar boomed across from the side of the anchor well.
He took a stride up to the windlass and slammed his palm against the iron frame.
Thump!
The entire windlass shook violently.
The crying and shouting beside the well abruptly fell silent.
Lu Guizhou glared at the elders who had already begun arranging their own affairs.
“Feng Dehai has barely hung up a plaque, and you're already scrambling to make room for your children and grandchildren?!”
“It's far too early for that!”
The elders froze on the spot.
Lu Guizhou pointed at the iron plaque on the windlass reading 【VACATE ANCHOR WITHIN DEADLINE】.
“Twenty-eight days.”
“That's still enough time for Clown to fight one more time!”
An old man froze in astonishment.
“Old Lu...”
“What do you want to fight for?”
Lu Guizhou raised his head.
His gaze passed over the crowd, landing on the commune monument on the other side of the public warehouse.
The sea breeze blew past.
The eight fish markings at the top of the monument were shrouded in the night.
Lu Guizhou said word by word:
“Seize the Mast.”
...
Rate on N.U.
