Lu Mingfei Returns from Monster Hunting

Chapter 268 Leviathan (4.8k)

Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Franz Josef Land.

This huge island group is composed of more than 100 small islands, which together cover an area of ​​more than [-] square kilometers and belong to Russia's territory.

There are no permanent residents on the island, but there are scientific research stations left over from the Soviet era.

In the midsummer of previous years, there are always Arctic cruise ships full of tourists mooring at the port here. Many passengers will follow the guide's pace to land on this archipelago and visit for a while.
In addition to breathing the icy sea breeze, you can also enjoy the unique vegetation in the Arctic region.

Especially poppies, when they are in full bloom, the petals reflect the sun like a mirror, shining brightly.

But at this moment, summer has not yet fully arrived, the white ice has only melted less than half, and the bright sun hangs low, like a dying old sheep.

The world in front of me is like an unreal illusion, where light and shadow are all distorted.

Caesar stood at the bow of the ship and looked out. The crew was cleaning up the pale figures on the ice in the distance, sweeping away the snow with brushes, loading them into kayaks, and pulling them back to the cabin with snowmobiles.

It feels like a scene where a sculpture exhibition has just finished and the staff is cleaning it.

In fact, those things covered by ice and snow are not sculptures, but people who were frozen to death alive.

AA1 anchored at Franz Josef Land for the scientific expedition team that died.

Half a month has passed, and it seems that even time has been frozen on this scientific expedition team, and everything is still the same as when they just died.

The sound of champagne corkscrew came from behind, and Caesar turned back to the table.

This dining table was placed on the deck of AA1, with a clean white tablecloth and sterling silver cutlery.

Although it is not big, it has everything you need to eat.

Setting aside, it's a table in one of the top restaurants in Paris.

But now the guests wearing thick winter clothing broke the atmosphere. Each of them wore goggles. If they didn't wear sunglasses in this high-risk area, the ultraviolet rays would quickly blind their eyes.

"Sea bass from Peru, paired with 1990 Salon Champagne, please enjoy while it's hot." Passy lifted the silver cover on the dinner plate.

The heady aroma of sea bass was served with grilled white asparagus, veal sautéed with garlic slices and calamari tartare.

Seeing this scene, the captain of AA1, Rebalco, salivated, and exclaimed, "You must be the richest research institute in the world!"

"Then I hope that our trip will have world-shocking research results." A man dressed as an old professor raised his glass.

But the strange thing is that the old professor wears something like a respirator in his mouth, and his voice is as hoarse as a torn paper bag.

The dragon-slaying team led by Professor Schneider of Kassel College claimed to be a private scientific research institute from the United States.

They told outsiders that the purpose of their team was to study this strange cold summer, so they spared no expense to buy AA1 to carry out this polar expedition.

As for the real purpose, only they themselves know.

The wine glasses collided, and the crew drank it all in one gulp, but Schneider just took off his respirator and took a shallow sip.

His respiratory system was already on the verge of collapse, but after entering the Arctic Circle, the harsh weather made the situation worse.

What is supporting him now is probably not air and food, but some kind of strong will, so strong that it seems to be able to burn at any time.

"But wouldn't it be a little disrespectful for us to eat and drink next to the victims?" Rebarco looked in the direction Caesar was looking at just now, subconsciously wanting to move the table below the deck to enjoy the big meal, after all, he was in the severe cold Eating is not something everyone can afford.

"It's nothing. Expeditions to the end of the world have been accompanied by a lot of sacrifices since ancient times. The victims are not willing to find their own people who are simply mourning. They still hope that the remaining people will continue to walk with their dead wishes."

Schneider said slowly: "If I die, you don't have to pay much attention to my body. It is the duty of our scientific researchers to discover the truth behind the matter."

"Professor Schneider, you must have studied philosophy in college!" Rebalco licked his chapped lips.

The crew clinked glasses again and chatted over sea bass.

Rebalco is quite chatty, talking about everything from food to girls to his experiences sailing around the world.

The ship departed from the west coast of the United States. Some members of the "scientific research" team boarded the ship at that time, and the other part boarded the ship on the east coast of Russia.

Most of them have been together for a while. The Eastern European crew headed by Rebarco are a group of bold and unrestrained guys. They are experienced, not afraid of danger, and love vodka.

The research team headed by Schneider is basically gentle and elegant, well-read poetry and books, quite educated and knowledgeable.

They can always chat all over the world, and get drunk.

Passy kept pouring wine for everyone, and Rebalco soon became slightly drunk when the glass was dry.

"We've been sailing together for so long, and I still don't know why you all go to sea~"

Even though he was a little drunk, Rybalco drank another glass of champagne, feeling a little enthusiastic.

Facing his question, Caesar smiled and said, "Didn't you tell me when you boarded the ship?"

"We are a private research institute invested by the Italian Gattuso family to investigate the abnormal climate in the Arctic Circle this year."

"It's a bit embarrassing to say that, Mr. Gattuso." Rebarco shook his glass, "Your excuses are okay for novices, but old sailors are not so easy to deceive."

Fingel looked a little nervous. This was his last task before graduation, and whether he completed it would be related to his future job assignment.

Chu Zihang still lowered his head, and carefully scratched the cold grilled sea bass with a knife and fork, but he didn't open his mouth, as if the things around him had nothing to do with him.

Schneider and Caesar looked at each other.

"Captain, do you think we are lying?" Caesar asked calmly.

Rebalco was not restrained, and drank it all in one gulp after clinking glasses again.

"You guys don't do research, you look like a soldier. Of course, I'm not saying that you are soldiers disguised as scientific researchers. Soldiers should not have as much money as you, but you must be a militarized team!"

“How come you see?”

Rebalco tapped the table with his fingers: "Because Mr. Gattuso, your perception is too keen. Although you try not to show it, you stand anywhere and all the situations around you are taken into account by you, even the happenings. Something out of your sight, though I don't know how you do it."

He turned his head to look at Chu Zihang: "This Mr. Chu from China doesn't look threatening, but just being stared into by his eyes makes me flustered and my breathing is stagnant. His hands must have been killed."

He looked at Schneider again: "As for the professor, he really looks like an academic, and he speaks quite philosophically, but you can direct Mr. Gattuso and Mr. Chu with your eyes. Don't say that it's because of your excellent knowledge."

The last person he turned to look at was Fingel. After looking at it for a moment, he skipped him and looked at Caesar again.

"What's your attitude? I'm the senior of these two guys! Don't underestimate me!" Fingel almost slapped the table and got angry.

"But you do look like a tourist on a boat." Rebalco spread his hands and said helplessly, "However, I am very impressed with your appetite for food and drink. There is an adjective that suits you very well in China."

"what?"

"big eater."

"?"

Caesar puts an end to a meaningless quarrel with a timely toast to Fingel.

"Your insight is astonishing." Schneider showed a meaningful smile, "But...Major Alexander Rebalco, based on your resume, it is only natural that you have such insight."

Schneider raised his hand and beckoned slightly, and Patsy immediately put a stack of documents into Schneider's hand.

Schneider pushed the file along the table to Rebalco.

When he heard the name "Alexander Rebalco", Rebalco's expression changed.

The drunken look disappeared in an instant, and his eyes were alert, like a cheetah aware of danger.

But he didn't dare to move, the knife and fork in Chu Zihang's hand next to him exuded a man-eating cold murderous aura.

Although he was still operating with his head down, he seemed obsessed with dismantling the piece of sea bass along the texture of the fish, but the pair of tableware made of sterling silver was so dangerous in Rybalco's eyes, no less than a pair of tableware. Sharp military thorns.

Rebalco picked up the documents, and as he read more and more, his expression became more and more frightened.

Everything about him is recorded there.

Sasharay Balko, whose real name is Alexander Ray Balko, once belonged to the Alpha Special Forces of the Russian State Security Agency, with the rank of major.

Even after retiring, he is still a "highly dangerous" figure.

He has received very complete counter-terrorism training, so he can instantly transform into a top terrorist if he wants.

Such a dangerous task should have spent his whole life under the strict supervision of the Russian government, but he is not satisfied with wasting his life. The most important thing is that the amount of pension is really not enough to support his huge living expenses.

So Rebalco fabricated a new identity for himself out of thin air—Sasha Rebalco, an old sailor with rich sailing experience.

Later he even became the captain of the AA1!

This ship used to be a powerful gambling ship on the Arctic Ocean route, receiving rich gamblers from all over the world, and it is natural for someone with his experience to be the captain of this ship.

The seamen under him are basically members of the former Alpha Special Forces.

After retiring, these people, like Rebarco, felt that money was scarce or life was boring, so they came to AA1 to find some profitable and interesting jobs to do.

Rebalco slowly put down the file, took a deep breath, and stared at Schneider with lion-like eyes.

"You come prepared!"

"Naturally, we bought this ship not only because of its excellent resume, but also because it has a team of excellent sailors." Schneider said, "Besides, the crew's resume is also part of the value of the ship, and we need to understand it clearly."

This sentence is not accurate. Considering the hidden background of Captain Rebarco, Kassel College originally planned to only buy ships, but not to hire these crew members.

But AA1 was built in the Soviet era, using the full range of Soviet technology.

It can be called a treasure in the antique world.

They couldn't afford to hire crew members temporarily, so they reluctantly kept these crew members.

Schneider continued to speak slowly: "But we also know that you are a very caring person. You came out to work mainly for your ex-wife. She is now a vegetable and needs a lot of medical expenses, and your sister, who is in school. It's also costly."

"We think such a person is trustworthy, so we won't keep it from you."

The people of Kassel Academy all raised their heads and stared at each other.

Rebalco's sudden attack was indeed beyond their expectations, but they invited Rebalco to come here for dinner, and they were indeed planning to explain part of the situation to him.

Anyway, there is no way to hide it anymore. The crew transported back so many skeletons. Just explaining that all members of the scientific expedition team were recovered could not suppress the panic of the crew.

And in this difficult and dangerous ice sea operation, what they have to face is the king who once stood on the top of the sea.

If they don't want to have traffic problems halfway, they still need the captain's help.

"Are you here for Leviathan?" Rebalco said hoarsely.

This time it was the turn of the others to change color.

It's not that Rybalco guessed right, but it's pretty close.

The target of their visit this time is Niord, the resurrected king of sea and water, and they don't know if Leviathan has been resurrected.

But if the crew knew that the purpose of their trip was to hunt giant beasts, it might cause the crew to mutiny.

"Leviathan is a monster recorded in the Bible. It only exists in legends. There are really fools who believe in it?" Schneider remained calm.

"No, there are many rumors about it. Some people say that they have seen Leviathan, which is an evil dragon, and some people say that it is a devil in the deep sea. But I heard from an acquaintance that Leviathan is actually a dragon. Huge whale."

Rebalco was calm, and while exaggerating in a boastful tone, he stretched out his glass to Passy and asked for another glass of champagne.

"The previous owner of this ship was a guy who was fascinated by legends. He once got drunk and told me a lot about Leviathan. You talked about 'big guys' hunting several times in private chats. ', seeing me stop talking after eavesdropping, I thought of Leviathan, but I'm not sure. But judging by your expressions now, are you really going to hunt whales?"

Caesar and Schneider secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the captain's tone was a bit strange, after all, ordinary people would panic and fear if they suspected that they were involved in hunting ancient beasts, but Rebalco's expression was too plain.

It gives people a feeling of "oh, so you are also here to resell antiques".

The good news is that Rebalco doesn't know about the dragons, which makes it easy for them to conceal the details.

"What did the captain say?" Caesar also pretended to be calm.

"He said that Leviathan is a white sperm whale. It is extremely large and extremely aggressive. When it is angry, even its own kind will attack. Small ships will only be destroyed when they encounter it."

Rebalco talked eloquently.

"You should know that Leviathan has appeared in many myths. In Indian mythology, it is called TIGI. In Greek mythology, it is one of Poseidon's pets. The constellation of Cetus is named after it."

"But the Inuit know it best. The Inuit live in the Arctic Circle and have more opportunities to see that guy. Some people say it is the emperor of whales."

"It hibernates most of the time, and only swims out of its own Arctic ice cave every 60 years. It swims around the North Pole, patrols its own territory, and hunts along the way."

The people at the Kassel Academy looked at each other in blank dismay, and the story Rebalco told was also very bizarre, but it was completely different from "Arctic Hunting Dragon".

But it is no wonder that Rebalco is so calm.

Hunting a white sperm whale is to a former intelligence service major what a hunter goes into the mountains to hunt wild boar.

And knowing that what they were going to hunt was the legendary "Leviathan" sperm whale, the major immediately became interested and very excited.

It seems that the spirit of challenge hidden in the bones of the Russians still exists today.

"Do you really believe that a whale can live from the age of mythology to today?" Schneider frowned.

"My former boss didn't think so. He said that Leviathan is a very special whale. It is a vampire among whales. It can drink the blood of other whales to stay young." Rybalco shrugged.

Everyone in Kassel couldn't help raising their eyebrows at such a false statement.

Rebalco then continued: "But I don't believe it. I think Leviathan should be the alpha of the whale group. It is constantly replaced. Only the biggest and most ferocious whale can take on the role. When a whale king dies, it will be replaced by another one." one."

"Whales aren't social animals, are they? They rarely travel in groups, especially if they're different species of whales."

Schneider asked suspiciously: "Do you mean that you think that all the whale groups in the Arctic Circle actually belong to the same super whale group, and Leviathan manages his subjects like a kingdom?"

He has not answered any of Rebalco's questions until now, but keeps asking questions.

This is a chat technique to induce more information from the other party. Lu Mingfei also used this technique on Christina.

It's just that Rebalco's IQ is obviously not comparable to Christina's.

He shrugged his shoulders: "I'm just a wage earner who helps people sail a boat, and I'm not an expert in whale research."

(End of this chapter)