390: The last four boxes

"Maybe we should hoist a few more boxes at once; that should be faster."

Bai Xue suddenly felt that hoisting only one or two boxes at a time was too much of a waste of time.

"Mainly because they're too heavy and moving them out is too slow, but hoisting a few more at once is also possible."

"I originally thought the gold was too heavy and feared the rotten boxes wouldn't hold, so I only hoisted two at most. It seems I was being too conservative."

Yang Qi recalled how he was still hoisting them one by one when they started yesterday, and his face couldn't help but flush with heat.

"If it doesn't work, we'll just wrap more ropes around them and tie the boxes up like zongzi; that should do it!"

Bai Xue added.

"Alright, let's do as you said and try hoisting three boxes at once."

The two swallowed the last bite of chocolate, grabbed one end of the rope, and jumped into the sea again.

Arriving at the shipwreck, they tied the rope to the bow, took the Fishing Line that had been cut in half, and entered the cabin.

Working together, they tied up a box and, in one breath, dragged and hauled it onto the deck.

By the time they had pulled out six boxes in a row, Yang Qi felt his arms and legs were already very sore.

After all, being underwater isn't like being on land where one can gain better leverage and exert force.

Secretly estimating that Bai Xue must be even more tired, he didn't plan to move any more boxes and started calling her over to tie the ropes together.

When the two returned to the "setting sail" together, he noticed that Bai Xue's legs were trembling slightly.

However, she still insisted on going over to start the Crane, while Yang Qi, of course, gripped the rope tightly.

Once this weight came out of the water, Bai Xue definitely wouldn't be able to hold it alone. Theirs was a semi-manual operation.

"Sigh! If only we had a Winch, it would save so much effort."

When the three boxes, tied up like zongzi, were hoisted onto the deck, the two of them—who had originally feared the boxes wouldn't withstand the weight and tension—finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Yang Qi didn't even want to waste time untying the ropes on the boxes and just cut them directly.

He picked up another section of the Fishing Line and went back into the sea. He tied up the other three boxes as well.

"Xiao Xue, how are you feeling?"

As another three boxes were hoisted onto the "setting sail", Yang Qi looked at the panting Bai Xue and asked.

"I'm fine. Give me two minutes to catch my breath."

Bai Xue swung her arms a few times and rubbed her already stiff thighs.

"Let's go, Hubby! It's past three o'clock."

"Alright!"

Just like that, the two gritted their teeth and persevered, hoisting up another six boxes in two separate trips.

By this time, Yang Qi's legs felt like they were filled with lead, and his arms were incredibly sore. Bai Xue didn't even want to stand up; she lay spread-eagled on the deck, gasping for air.

"Xiao Xue, how about we just call it a day?"

"Hubby, there are only the last four boxes left. It's not even four-thirty yet. Luckily it's a rainy day today; the heavens are giving us a chance. If we push through, we can manage one more salvage."

"I don't know if we'll have another chance to come here. I don't want to give up this time!"

Bai Xue murmured.

"Then we'll do the same as before: you help me tie the ropes, and I'll drag the boxes."

Yang Qi looked up at the sky; a drizzle was falling, and the sky was still pitch black.

"Okay. Come on, Hubby, give me a hand!"

The two returned to the shipwreck's cabin once more. Yang Qi lifted one end of a box, and Bai Xue quickly passed the rope through and wrapped it several times.

Yang Qi wrapped the other end of the rope around his waist a few times and, like an ox pulling a plow, dragged it toward the deck.

Untying the ropes was out of the question; there was no time and no extra energy.

Only about two hundred meters of the five-hundred-meter hoisting rope remained; the excess had long since been cut into twenty-meter short segments.

Yang Qi took another short rope and headed back into the cabin. Before long, he pulled out another box.

For the last two boxes, one of them dragged while the other pulled, and it took a massive effort to get them onto the deck.

Gathering all the short ropes from the four boxes together, Yang Qi took the hoisting line and tied them securely.

It was the final stretch anyway; coming down one more time was impossible due to both time and physical strength.

Four boxes at once—hopefully, no accidents would happen.

When the two finally surfaced, Bai Xue didn't even have the strength to reach out and paddle. It was Yang Qi who carried her on his back to the surface.

"Xiao Xue, we're here."

At the aft deck of the "setting sail", Yang Qi pushed against Bai Xue's bottom to help her up.

"Oh, we're here!"

Bai Xue snapped awake instantly and scrambled onto the deck with effort.

"Take your time coming over! I'll go start the Crane first."

Yang Qi climbed onto the aft deck and gritted his teeth as he took several quick steps. He started the Crane and hoisted the load up about thirty meters, then wrapped the rope around the hook of the boom, tied it to the gunwale, and went to turn off the Crane.

Then, gritting his teeth, he ran to the Cockpit, started the "setting sail", and turned the rudder to head west.

Because he saw the sky starting to turn pale, there was no more time to hoist the boxes onto the deck.

No one could say for sure when a Philippines vessel might put out to sea and pass by here.

Since it was already the final stretch, there was no need to take even the slightest risk.

Yang Qi set the destination, turned on cruise mode, and walked out of the Cockpit.

Not seeing Bai Xue anywhere, he grabbed two cans of red bull and staggered onto the deck.

Sure enough, he saw Bai Xue lying motionless on the deck, her face pale.

If it weren't for her chest rising and falling steadily, Yang Qi probably would have worried that something had happened.

"Xiao Xue, how are you feeling?"

"Hubby, I feel like the sky is spinning, I can't open my eyes, my limbs won't obey me, and I can hardly catch my breath."

Bai Xue said weakly.

Yang Qi looked at the exhausted and collapsed Bai Xue, feeling a pang of heartache.

"Come, come, Xiao Xue, have some red bull first to relieve the fatigue."

"Hubby, feed me, I can't sit up!"

Yang Qi went to Bai Xue's side, wanting to pull her up into a sitting position.

As it turned out, his hands really had no strength left; trying to pull up Bai Xue, whose body felt like it was falling apart, he failed several times.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm!"

Yang Qi didn't know if he had hurt Bai Xue; he only saw her with her eyes closed, frowning in protest, and pouting her small mouth.

Yang Qi thought for a few seconds and understood; she was acting spoiled, wanting him to feed her with his mouth.

"Hehehe, as you wish."

Yang Qi immediately took a sip and leaned down; the moment he touched those soft lips, they indeed opened automatically.

By the time he had fed her half a can, Yang Qi actually found a small, fragrant tongue intruding, searching around inside his mouth for a good while.

"Hehehe, Hubby, I caught you off guard with a sneak attack, didn't I!"

Bai Xue laughed triumphantly.

"Yeah! I'll have to launch a sneak attack of my own next time, otherwise it's too unfair to me."

"Giggle, giggle, giggle!"

Hearing Bai Xue's happy giggling, Yang Qi knew she had finally regained some of her spirit.

"Xiao Xue, do you want me to carry you to bed to sleep for a while?" Yang Qi asked.

"No need, I'll lie here for another ten minutes. Let's hoist the boxes up first before anything else."

Bai Xue shook her head, her voice very soft but her tone very firm.