"Captain, what kind of turtle is this?"
"I don't know."
"Captain, how does it breathe there?"
"I don't know."
"Captain, do you get tired staying in the sea all the time?"
"I don't... get tired."
"Captain, it..."
"Xiao Nian, why don't you take a rest? I think you must be tired too."
"But I'm not tired, Captain. You're the one who's tired, always moving underwater."
Captain: I'm a bit tired now, Xiao Nian.
"I think you should take a break." For the first time, the captain found the studious little kid not so cute! If possible, he would rather rescue ten more turtles than sit here answering questions.
The captain, unable to answer the questions, lost the joy of being an elder.
Lin An couldn't help but laugh listening to the captain and Nian Wenran's conversation, earning a glare from the captain.
Lin An suppressed a smile and said to Nian Wenran on the boat: "What the captain said makes sense. Comrade Nian Xiao Wang, go sit down and take a break."
The captain continued to gaze at the sky with his expression of despair. So, he was being laughed at by this little brat.
The captain suddenly couldn't understand human language. Regardless, the captain remained wise and valiant.
Ignoring Lin An's teasing gaze, the captain continued to comfort the uncomfortable little creature nearby.
Lin An looked at the massive sea turtle and, recalling the smooth sensation when he was pulling the rope earlier, curiously asked the captain, "Captain, this little guy is so big, but I felt quite relaxed when I was pulling just now."
Upon hearing this question, the captain immediately became spirited. "Let me tell you, this sea turtle is quite clever. The second time I went underwater, I kept waving in front of its eyes, and then suddenly it stopped struggling. I took the opportunity to tie the rope and gave it a push. Guess what happened."
"It kicked you?"
"I would say it was close." The captain continued, "Then, this little guy started swimming on its own."
"I thought I had gotten stronger." Lin An said with a hint of regret.
"You flatter yourself!" The captain gently touched the turtle's shell. "Mainly, this little guy is clever and smart."
Lin An nodded, "Yes, luckily its eyes weren't completely entangled in the fishing net, and it can still see a bit. Otherwise... it would have been fortunate amidst misfortune."
As they chatted on and off, the rescue team finally arrived.
They conducted a brief examination of the turtle. This turtle was rescued in time; judging from its wounds, it wasn't too severe. Generally, after releasing it from the fishing net, it could be returned directly to the sea.
However, it appeared to be in pain. The rescue team speculated that the turtle might have ingested marine debris such as plastic bags.
Many turtles mistakenly ingest plastic bags as food, causing difficulty in movement and reproduction. In severe cases, it leads to the loss of life. Every year, many turtles die because they don't receive timely assistance.
The rescue team indicated that they needed to take the turtle back for further examination to provide better treatment.
Using equipment, the rescue team hoisted the life raft onto their boat, moved the turtle onto it, and prepared to take it away.
The captain and Lin An returned to the boat at the same time. After the rescue team returned the life raft to them, they planned to quickly transport the sea turtle to the treatment center. At this moment, the turtle suddenly moved, slowly shifting to the railing, lifting its head to gaze at the three of them through the gaps.
It's like saying goodbye to them...
Seeing the little guy trying to move , Lin An wished he could understand the language of animals. Lin An looked at Nian Wenran waving goodbye to the turtle, silently bidding farewell to the little one in his heart.
Goodbye, little guy, and I'm sorry.
The rescue team's boat slowly sailed away, gradually disappearing from the sight of the three. The captain continued to stare in that direction.
"There's still a long way to go."
"What did you say, Captain?" Lin An didn't hear what the captain had just said.
"I said, don't think about slacking off. Hurry up and pick up the garbage! Otherwise, you will be last in the list later."
The captain suddenly raised his voice, leaning in close to answer Lin An.
Rubbing his ears tortured by the captain's loud voice, Lin An picked up his long-handled fishing net to resume the old business.
The more they collect, the lower the chance of injury to marine animals.
The captain is indeed an expert in this field, always able to find places with a lot of floating debris. Lin An and Nian Wenran have gained a lot this day.
During this time, the captain also demonstrated the efficiency of machine-assisted marine garbage collection. Indeed, it was much more efficient than manual collection, although some particularly narrow areas still required manual labor.
"When I have money in the future, I want to customize my own boat and travel the world with it."
Which man doesn't have an adventurous dream of conquering the sea? Lin An, listening to the captain's dream, couldn't help but feel a sense of yearning. However, for Lin An, this was just a fleeting desire. What he loved more was the solid land beneath his feet.
The land that gave birth to him and raised him, in the end, he will also sleep in that land. He hopes to leave a trace of his presence in this world.
Perhaps many years later, people may forget that there was a person named Lin An who once poured his youth into this land. But when they see those green hills, those acres of green fields, and even the old trees that have grown for many years, they will recall the clear or vague figure, smiling as they tell their children the story of a stubborn young man and the land.
The captain's words stirred the seed that had long been buried in Lin An's heart. He never spoke of this grand dream to anyone because he didn't want to hear others criticizing or doubting it. Lin An knew he had always been a coward.
But in this moment, the captain infected him, and he knew the captain must understand him. For no apparent reason, Lin An was sure of it.
"Captain, what will you name your boat?"
"Blue Sky and White Clouds." After thinking for a while, the captain solemnly and firmly stamped his future beloved ship with this name. "I want to ride the wind and waves in this vast blue sky and white clouds!"
A great dream.
Lin An thought.
"Lin An, may your green mountains and green fields always be filled with the freshness of spring." The captain looked at Lin An, who was lost in thought, with a serious expression and said these words very earnestly.
Lin An understood the captain's expectations in his tone.
It was not just a blessing; Lin An knew the captain truly believed he could achieve it!
"Salute to you, Captain."
"Salute to you, Lin An."
The two clasped fists, as if they had made a commitment or were paying respect to each other and their ideals.
Perhaps it was both.
Life is always a series of reunions and farewells. The captain took the two back to the small island, and the staff came up to inspect the marine debris collected by Lin An and the team—three large bags full.
Lin An and Nian Wenran waited for the return of the other guests. The captain didn't say much, only waiting for the director to finish instructing before sailing away from the island.
Watching the boat slowly move away, the captain's figure was bathed in a layer of radiance under the setting sun. Suddenly, Lin An shouted loudly, "Captain, I wish you an early retirement—"
To travel the world soon, Captain!
Lin An's words were carried forward by the sea breeze. The surrounding staff looked at Lin An in confusion. What a strange blessing was an early retirement?
The insider, Lin An's exclusive cameraman, revealed a mysterious and unpredictable smile. It felt good to be the only sober one among the intoxicated crowd.
A voice came through the loudspeaker, "Got it, little brat! I also wish you an early reunion with your loved one!"
Lin An instinctively looked at Nian Wenran subconsciously, then realized that something was wrong in the eyes of the staff around him.
"Cough, the captain is not serious, everyone, don't mind him."
Lin An probably forgot the saying: "Explanation is a form of concealment!"
It was unclear how long they waited but people from other groups also rushed back one after another.
When they went out, they were all dressed up and looked beautiful and handsome.
But when they returned, they all looked exhausted.
The results of the competition were obvious. Among the other guests, the group with the most marine debris was Su Nuo and Wen Jiusi; they salvaged two large bags of ocean garbage.
Therefore, Lin An unsurprisingly won the competition.
Can Lin An lose in a competition of strength?