activa-t Chapter 422 Cold!
Chapter 422 Cold!
When Zhong Yuemin arrived at the lake, everyone was already captivated by the cool, clear waters that had suddenly appeared in the boundless Gobi Desert. Even Haiyang, Dalong, and the other members of their team were completely mesmerized.
There was no stopping them; cheering, they jumped into the water like dumplings being dropped into a pot, splashing up large sprays of water.
Some couldn't wait to scoop up water and wash their faces, some simply buried their entire heads in the water, and some had already started taking off their outer clothes and taking a shower. This sweltering heat was simply unbearable.
He stood on the shore, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze sweeping across the vast and tranquil lake.
The lake water has an unusual, almost emerald-green color, crystal clear, and shimmers under the scorching sun, forming an extremely eerie contrast with the surrounding endless, lifeless yellow sand desert.
"Strange..." he muttered to himself.
"How could such a large lake suddenly appear out of nowhere in this godforsaken place? Where does the water come from?"
Yang Qing, who was squatting by the lake, seemed to have the same question. She carefully bent down, scooped up a handful of lake water with both hands, brought it to her nose and smelled it. There was no strange smell. Then she tentatively tasted it with the tip of her tongue.
A refreshing, sweet taste with a distinct coolness melted in her mouth, instantly invigorating her.
"This water...it's ice cold!" she exclaimed, looking up at Zhong Yuemin in surprise.
In this scorching heat that can bake a person, the lake water is not warm at all, but rather so cold, which is highly illogical.
Zhong Yuemin squatted down and tested the lake water. Sure enough, it was the same. He turned to Wang Ye, a geological team member who was also observing the lake, and asked in a deep voice, "Engineer Wang, what's going on? What do you think?"
Wang Ye pushed up his glasses, his expression serious. He grabbed a handful of wet sand from the shore, rubbed it between his fingers, and then looked at the color and flow of the lake water, pondering:
"Captain Zhong, this lake is indeed a bit strange. Normally, in such an extremely arid environment, the surface water should have evaporated completely long ago. Even if there is any residue, it should be a lukewarm or even scalding saltwater pool."
The lake water is not only vast, but also incredibly clear and icy cold… The only explanation is that it's connected to a massive underground river, and a very deep, low-temperature one at that, to maintain this state. Otherwise, there's simply no other explanation.
Just then, several screams suddenly came from the people bathing in the lake.
There's something underwater!
"Ouch, you tripped me!"
"They're here too, they look like... clothes and shoes?!"
Several team members who were splashing around in the shallow water started shouting, and someone pulled something out of the water and waved it in their hand.
Zhong Yuemin's eyes sharpened, and he immediately waded across the water.
Soon, several items were passed to him: a khaki jacket soaked in water but not too old, a pair of liberation shoes covered in mud, and a military green satchel with a blurry five-pointed star pattern. These items had obviously not been soaking in water for long and were not old things that had been sitting in the water for many years.
Yang Qing's gaze was instantly drawn to the military green satchel. She snatched the satchel from Zhong Yuemin's hand, her fingers trembling slightly as she ran her fingers over the familiar wear and tear and the faded red star on it.
He eagerly turned his bag inside out, pulled back the lining, and pointed to a nearly illegible "Yang" character embroidered in red thread. His voice trembled with barely suppressed excitement.
"It's...it's my dad's. This is the satchel he's used for over ten years. I recognize it; there's no mistake."
The surprise lasted only a moment before a huge worry immediately arose in his heart: how could his father's handbag have been left in this strange lake?
Could it be... that the person has already met with misfortune?
The thought made her face turn deathly pale. Without thinking, she jumped up and started taking off her coat without a word.
"I want to go down and take a look!"
Her snow-white arms dazzled in the blazing sun, and her high, firm chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing, trembling slightly, immediately attracting the attention of many young team members on the shore, some direct and some evasive.
Zhong Yuemin was in the same boat; those two things were heavy, making it difficult for him to avoid them. He frowned slightly, stepped forward, and blocked the woman's path.
"The situation down there is unclear and too dangerous. You wait on the shore, I'll go down and check."
Yang Qing was worried about her father's safety and wouldn't listen to any advice. She wouldn't feel at ease unless she went down to check on him herself.
"What? You think I'm a burden because I'm a woman? Yuemin, let me tell you, when I was studying in America, I crossed the English Channel!"
He's a better swimmer than most men here; holding his breath underwater for seven or eight minutes is no problem for him."
After saying that, she didn't give Zhong Yuemin any chance to stop her. She neatly threw her coat on the ground, put on her vest and trousers, turned around and "plop" plunged into the deep water with a standard entry posture, swimming towards the center of the lake.
Zhong Yuemin watched her retreating figure and sighed helplessly. Are all rich and beautiful girls this stubborn? They're impossible to persuade.
He knew this person was probably a good swimmer, but the sudden appearance of this lake was strange in every way, and he was really worried.
"Wang, you stay on the shore and keep an eye on the water!" He quickly instructed Wang Ye, then quickly took off his coat, revealing his strong upper body, and jumped into the water after him.
Seeing this, Wang Ye knew the matter was of great importance and dared not be negligent. He said, "Be careful!" and then took off his shoes and went into the water to be responsible for guarding and providing support in the area near the shore.
The icy lake water instantly enveloped Zhong Yuemin's body, invigorating him and making him shiver involuntarily. It also deepened his doubts; the water was indeed excessively cold. He took a deep breath and swam vigorously in the direction where Yang Qing had disappeared.
The two of them, one after the other, reached the center of the lake, took a deep breath, and then plunged into the water. It wasn't shallow; it was probably more than ten meters deep. Once at the bottom, the water was icy cold and completely clear, revealing nothing but sand and dirt. They found no clothes, shoes, or anything like that.
After searching the surrounding area, they found the same thing. The two stayed in the lake for about ten minutes, but the cold became unbearable, and they came ashore, their lips turning purple.
Yang Qing felt conflicted, unsure whether to be happy or disappointed. Her father's bag had been found, but he wasn't there. Perhaps their research team had been here before, and he had accidentally left it behind while showering. That was the only way she could console herself.
It was already afternoon, and the sun was about to set. After a day of frantic running, everyone was exhausted. Traveling at night would be even more dangerous, so they decided to camp out for the night near the lake. Fortunately, there were a few rocks where they could hide and rest. They used the sand they had to build a small mound next to the rocks to protect themselves from the sandstorm and the cold night wind.