Try one more time.
Those words, once spoken, brought an unspoken silence from everyone.
If they got it wrong again, the second floor would surely be flooded as well…
Even Li Li, who had been so certain before, couldn’t help but hesitate, not daring to make a hasty decision.
Tan Xiao was a little dazed. Looking at the varying expressions on everyone’s faces, he asked, “What’s wrong with all of you? Haven’t we already found the beads? Why does everyone look like that?”
Li Li said, irritated, “Aren’t we just worried about getting it wrong again…”
“How could we get it wrong?” Tan Xiao widened his eyes in confusion. “If it’s not the beads, what else could it be?”
Everyone looked at one another.
Right…
If not the beads, what else could it be?
They had already searched this house inside and out countless times! Besides the ship they’d pulled from the whale plushie, there was nothing else that could be called a treasure.
These glittering beads before them were their only hope!
Shen Mo thought for a moment, then said, “Just in case, let’s move the useful things from the second floor up to the attic first. If the second floor gets flooded, we won’t be able to use anything left there.”
Teacher Cheng said, “Bring the unfinished books up too!”
Shen Mo nodded.
Perhaps the remaining books contained other clues.
Everyone rallied their spirits and began transferring the things from the second floor up to the attic — some carried books, some carried mattresses and pillows.
During that time, Zhu Shu dived down once and found one bead.
She rested briefly, then dived a second time to look for more beads, but her luck had run out, and she came up with nothing.
Meanwhile, up in the attic, ten people had crammed in, and with the addition of books, bedding, and household items, it was packed to bursting — the very air had become stifling.
Lu Ang had a large frame and was suffocating. He told Tan Xiao to open the window.
The attic had only one small window.
The latch had rusted. Tan Xiao pushed hard twice before he managed to force it open.
Briny, damp wind carrying rain swept inside, bringing in fresh air but also soaking the floorboards near the window.
Tan Xiao stuck his head out and looked around — as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but endless water. The hillside and forest had all vanished. This house seemed like a lone island in a boundless sea, facing the risk of being swallowed by the tide at any moment.
He clicked his tongue with awe and pulled his head back in, saying, “The window is so small — if this place gets flooded too, we won’t even be able to get out.”
“Then we’ll fight it to the end!” Lu Ang said roughly. “We’ve got ten people. We can come up with something — are you telling me we can’t kill one measly fish?!”
“Its hide is so thick — how would we do that?” Tan Xiao said with distress. “We don’t even have any weapons.”
The only paring knife had fallen into the water while rescuing Lu Ang.
Shen Mo overheard and said flatly, “The paring knife should be somewhere near the staircase — it won’t be hard to find. But the beads still need to be confirmed.”
Including the one Zhu Shu had just found, they had a total of thirty-three.
But were there only thirty-three beads?
If they were short a few when presenting them to the guest, would the creature fly into a rage?
Yan Qingwen said, “Let’s do one final check. This time, we’ll go down one by one. The beads are very small — when you swim underwater, the movements create ripples that can shift the beads, so everyone be gentle.”
Except for the injured Lu Ang and Li Li, Teacher Cheng and Bai Youwei who couldn’t swim, the remaining six all went down to the second floor.
Even Pan Xiaoxin went down.
Everyone took turns diving for beads.
Without realizing it… another two hours had passed.
Three in the morning. Everyone was utterly exhausted.
They dragged their wet, cold bodies back to the attic and placed every bead they could find together —
“Everyone rest where you are. Tomorrow, we entertain our guest.” Yan Qingwen delivered the final word.
—