473: Chapter 473 Chu Bi Island

Due to the highly contentious nature of these waters, to reduce potential incidents, Yang Qi piloted the "explorer" to the waters near Yongzhubi Island.

Everyone on board was busy sorting the catch. Through the tireless efforts of the eight people, by the time the "explorer" docked at the Chubi Island pier, all the fish had been categorized and sent into the Freezer Hold.

Chubi Island, formerly known as Shabi Reef or Chouwei, is located 23 kilometers southwest of Zhongye Island in China's Nansha Islands and falls under the jurisdiction of the Nansha District of Sansha City, Hainan Province.

The island is a circular reef with a reef flat area of 16.1 square kilometers, a lagoon area of 7.5 square kilometers, and lagoon water depths ranging from 1 to 24 meters.

The water depth outside the reef drops sharply, while there are breaking waves inside the lagoon. There is no natural entrance; parts of the reef flat are exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. There is a small reef gate in the south through which only small boats can enter the lagoon, so general vessels anchor outside the atoll.

Surrounding geography: To the west is the central basin of the South China Sea, about 11 kilometers southwest of Yongshu Island, southeast of Taiping Island, and to the east, it faces Zhongye Island, which is illegally occupied by the Philippines.

A simple pier and helicopter platform are located in the southwest of Chubi Island, and an artificial waterway has been excavated in the southeast.

In 2015, through land reclamation, a permanent land area of 4.3 square kilometers was formed. After the reclamation, the eastern reef flat was preserved to maintain seawater exchange, creating an artificial island with a continuously expanding land area.

Since then, Chubi Island has become the second-largest artificial island in China's Nansha Islands.

Zhubi Reef holds a very important strategic position. It is one of the three major bases in the Nansha region garrisoned by China and is the closest large base to the main Xisha island, Yongxing Island.

The Zhubi Reef Airport, along with the Meiji Reef Airport and Yongshu Reef Airport, forms a triangular support structure. They are the three major airports of our country's Nansha Islands, known as the Iron Triangle, standing like the Pillar of the Sea in the South China Sea.

Chubi Island is the future second-largest city in the South China Sea, with dense and magnificent architecture. It features not only civilian residential buildings but also military barracks, lighthouses, airports, and other facilities, forming an unsinkable aircraft carrier.

Furthermore, our country now has a garrison of 300 soldiers on Zhubi Island, making it a military stronghold in the South China Sea.

It has also become the strategic core of our South China Sea. The recovery of Zhubi Reef can be said to have extended our country's sovereignty by hundreds of kilometers.

It has significant meaning for enhancing China's capacity to serve domestic civil affairs and international public welfare in the Nansha Islands.

Since it was still the middle of the night, Yang Qi and the others did not go ashore. Instead, after reporting to the garrison, they stayed on the ship to rest.

The next morning, Yang Qi led the entire crew to pay their respects to the garrisoned officers and soldiers, bringing several hundred kilograms of vegetables, meat, and fruit.

These supplies had been prepared by Yang Qi before setting out to sea, and he had also prepared for Yongshu Island, which they would pass later on this journey.

Even after years of effort, while Chubi Island is currently mostly self-sufficient in vegetables and meat, fruit is still relatively scarce.

Every month, they rely on military supply ships to deliver items according to quotas.

Therefore, the arrival of Yang Qi and his crew was warmly welcomed by the garrisoned officers and soldiers!

Unable to decline their hospitality, Yang Qi and the others had lunch at the military canteen. One of the platoon leaders, surnamed He, actually turned out to be from the same town as Uncle Zheng Tie.

It was truly a case of 'When fellow townsmen meet, their eyes fill with tears'!

After the military leaders finished lunch with Yang Qi's group, they handed the task of accompanying the guests to Captain He.

After three rounds of drinks, Captain He seemed to have finally opened his 'alcohol gates.' Amidst the exchange of toasts, except for Yang Qi and Zheng Tie, the other crew members of the "explorer" either passed out or repeatedly begged for mercy as they were defeated.

Following that, Yang Qi and Zheng Tie used all their skills and drank the other two leaders accompanying them into vomiting.

In the end, only the three of them—Yang Qi and the others—were left at the table.

"Brother, you are the great heroes guarding the nation's gate. You've worked hard. Let me toast you another cup!"

Zheng Tie picked up his glass and clinked it with the two of them.

"Brother He, we came a bit in a hurry this time. What supplies do you need us to bring next time we come?"

Yang Qi asked.

Hearing this, Captain He refilled Yang Qi and Zheng Tie's glasses and said:

"If possible, bring us some 'spiritual food.' The quota is really a bit too low!"

"Is it this?"

Yang Qi pulled out a cigarette and handed one to Captain He and Zheng Tie as he asked.

"Exactly, that's it. Because it's so boring on the island, all of us have become old chimney smokers. It would be even better if you could bring a bit more alcohol!"

Captain He said with a glint in his eyes.

"Alright, I understand. I'll definitely bring more of these things for you next time I come."

"I didn't bring much this time, but I can spare five cartons of cigarettes and four bottles of white liquor for you."

Yang Qi thought about the supplies on the "explorer" and said.

"Great, great, great! Then I'll thank you in advance. This is truly a timely rain! We were almost out of 'provisions.' With your 'spiritual food,' we should be able to hold out until the next supply ship arrives."

Captain He was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Realizing there was a shortage of alcohol in the barracks, Yang Qi and Zheng Tie felt embarrassed to continue drinking.

So, the three of them finished the wine in their glasses and concluded the happy lunch hour.

Captain He called a soldier to follow him and escorted Yang Qi and the others to the pier. After taking a brief tour of the ship, he took the five cartons of furong wang and four bottles of Kouzijiao liquor that Yang Qi gave him.

"Yang Qi! When do you plan to leave this afternoon?"

Captain He took the cigarettes and wine, handed them to the soldier beside him, and asked.

"Probably around three in the afternoon!"

Yang Qi thought for a moment and said.

"Then I'll come back in a bit. Our leader said we should give you some of our local specialties! There's enough time."

Captain He said with a smile.

"Oh? Local specialties? What kind of local specialties do you have here?"

Zheng Tie asked curiously.

"Hahaha, whatever we have the most of here, that's what the local specialty is!"

Captain He grinned.

"Is that necessary?"

Yang Qi had guessed what Captain He meant.

"Don't you worry about that; I'm also carrying out an assignment."

"What is there the most of in the Nansha area that can be called a local specialty? Besides seawater, of course, it's seafood."

Captain He said with a laugh.

Yang Qi could only nod in response. Since the military wanted to give something back, he could accept it graciously.

Isn't a relationship built through interaction? Constant taking or constant giving is not a healthy way to get along.

Giving and receiving in return—that is the correct way to maintain a relationship.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Captain He returned to the pier to find Yang Qi. He then took him to a bay three nautical miles from the pier.

There were several large net cages there, filled with all kinds of seafood.

"Our leader said that since you provided so many valuable supplies, you should take all the seafood in these net cages back with you."

Captain He said with a smile.

"This... Brother He, this seems like a bit much!"

Yang Qi felt a bit embarrassed.

"What's 'too much'? Besides water, we have plenty of fish here. We don't have much else, so since we can't give you anything fancy, we can only give you some local specialties."