69novels Chapter 435 Guangxi 9-ton Skylight
Chapter 435 Guangxi 9-ton Skylight
Chapter 435 Guangxi Nine-Bun Skylight
One week later, at Hong Kong International Airport, in the private jet terminal.
The Gulfstream G650's hatch slowly opened, and Lin Yu'an stepped down the gangway, wearing only a simple black T-shirt and tactical trousers, a stark contrast to the chilly Alaskan air of a week earlier.
He didn't wait, because he knew his first mate was never late.
Raven has arrived.
She changed out of her sun-kissed beach bikini and into a black, high-intensity athletic bodysuit, topped with a lightweight Arc'teryx windbreaker.
Her long, golden hair was neatly braided into a tight scorpion braid, hanging down her back.
Beside her were not luxury brand suitcases, but rather a dozen or so Pes, like black armored behemoths.
Lican heavy-duty waterproof safety case.
Each one was securely fastened to the luggage trolley with orange straps, exuding a professional aura that said "keep away."
Upon seeing Lin Yu'an, Raven's face lit up with a familiar, radiant smile, but she didn't pounce on him like she had in Miami.
"Captain." Her voice was crisp and clear.
"First Mate." Lin Yu'an's gaze swept over the mountain of equipment behind her. "Looks like you've emptied out every dive shop in Florida."
"Almost." Raven pulled a folded piece of paper from her jacket pocket. "This is the purchase list and bill, totaling—one million seven hundred and forty-three thousand US dollars. Remember to have your finance officer reimburse me."
Lin Yu'an took the long list and stuffed it into his pocket without even looking at it.
He walked up to the pile of black behemoths, with Raven beside him, introducing each one like an arms dealer introducing his weapons.
"Let's start from the core." She opened one of the largest boxes, inside which lay a uniquely shaped piece of equipment, full of the beauty of industrial design.
"BlueprintSubsea's 'Oculus M750d' dual-frequency high-resolution imaging sonar."
Raven stroked its cold exterior, her eyes shining. "Ordinary fish-detecting sonars are like old-fashioned televisions, but this is an IMAX theater."
"It can create a photorealistic 3D terrain map of the area within 30 meters ahead of us in real time underwater with zero visibility."
"This is the same civilian version that is used on the British Navy's minesweeping submarines. This set alone, plus the spare unit, cost you six hundred thousand US dollars."
Lin Yu'an understood that this was the main part of the purchase.
She then opened four long, rectangular boxes, inside which were four Sue XK series underwater thrusters with sleek, torpedo-like designs.
"A brand new Ferrari SF90 costs about $500,000, so these four underwater Ferraris together would cost about $100,000," Raven said half-jokingly. "Their range is enough for us to race underwater for six hours."
Next, she demonstrated the two JJ-CCR closed-circuit respirators, which are known as "underwater spacesuits".
"The ordinary CCRs available on the market are like civilian drones, while these two are military-grade versions produced by a Swedish factory for naval special forces."
"All pipelines and sensors have been double-backed up for redundancy to ensure they will not fail under any extreme conditions."
They don't have publicly listed prices, but just these two units are enough to buy a decent apartment in Miami.
Lin Yu'an's gaze eventually fell on a few other square, seemingly inconspicuous boxes.
"And most importantly, our gas plant," Raven said, pointing to them. "Inside the box are a portable gas mixing station, two HaskeI high-pressure booster pumps, and a high-precision gas analyzer."
"These things may seem insignificant, but they add up to more than $100,000."
Raven's tone became extremely serious. "I have already ordered industrial and medical grade raw materials for us: 99.999% pure helium, medical pure oxygen, and high-purity nitrogen. They will be transported by special vehicle before we arrive at our base in Guangxi."
"But we will never use any gas that we haven't personally tested and mixed."
"Once we arrive at the base, our first task is to use this factory to personally mix, pressurize, and analyze every gas we need to ensure that every bottle of breathing medium is absolutely pure and precisely proportioned."
"For deep-sea diving, the quality of the gas is our life, and we must not rely on others for this."
"Many national-level cave rescue teams may not have a mobile support system as comprehensive as ours."
Lin Yu'an nodded in satisfaction. This is how top-tier expedition teams operate—minimizing supply chain risks and firmly controlling the most crucial life-saving measures.
Raven's professionalism and execution will never let him down.
"Well done." He looked at Raven, his eyes full of approval. "Now, our first challenge is how to transport this 'national-level' equipment into mainland China."
"I've made arrangements. Tonight, a dedicated temperature-controlled and shockproof freight truck will deliver the goods directly to the designated warehouse in Shenzhen."
""
The next morning, at Shenzhen Bay Port.
Lin Yu-an and Rui-wen passed through the normal passenger channel smoothly.
Inside the VIP parking lot, the rental company staff were already waiting there, respectfully handing over a car key.
"Mr. Lin, considering your extensive equipment and domestic road regulations, we have not prepared an imported pickup truck for you." The man pointed to a powerful and massive vehicle behind him.
It was a brand new Great Wall Mountain & Sea Cannon off-road pickup truck, the top-of-the-line model, with a low-key yet sophisticated matte gray body.
Its wide body, strong lines, and muscular front end give it a strong off-road feel even when it's stationary.
"This is currently the top-of-the-line off-road pickup truck series in China. It has a blue license plate and can travel freely in most cities across the country."
"We have already installed these devices at the warehouse you specified."
Lin Yu'an walked to the back of the vehicle and saw that the dozen or so black Perricone hard cases were perfectly embedded in the huge open cargo bed, like Tetris blocks.
Each container is securely locked to the bottom of the cargo compartment with professional heavy-duty ratchet straps, making it as stable as a rock.
At the very top, there was a thick layer of military green waterproof tarpaulin, which was also tightly stretched with elastic ropes.
"Let's go, Raven." Lin Yu'an opened the car door and got into the driver's seat. "Our road trip is about to begin."
Accompanied by the distinctive roar of its V6 turbocharged engine, this gray "domestic behemoth" smoothly merged into the busy traffic of Shenzhen.
The journey from Shenzhen to Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, is over 700 kilometers and is a long drive.
Raven curiously examined the interior of the vehicle. She was used to the rugged and even somewhat rudimentary design of American pickup trucks, but this Chinese pickup truck completely overturned her perception.
Soft leather seats, a huge central touchscreen, exquisite wood trim and delicate stitching—this doesn't look like a work vehicle at all; it's practically the cabin of a luxury SUV.
"I have to admit, the interior of this car is much more comfortable than my Raptor," Raven said, leaning back comfortably in her seat. "And the sound insulation is so good, I can't believe this is a pickup truck."
She skillfully secured her military-grade Panasonic Toughbook laptop to the stand on the center console.
The screen displays the intricate underwater mapping map of Jiudun Skylight, which resembles the capillaries of the human body.
Raven pointed to a red marker on the screen, "This is where the bodies of the two divers were found three years ago, at a depth of 123 meters."
"According to Mr. Han, who participated in the salvage operation, they deviated from the main guide rope at that depth and entered an unknown fork in the road."
"The water flow there is extremely turbulent, and visibility is almost zero. They likely ran out of gas there."
As Lin Yu'an maneuvered the domestically produced behemoth through traffic, he listened to Raven's analysis, his brain working at lightning speed.
"And Evelyn Rockefeller's disappearance location may be even deeper," Lin Yu'an said in a deep voice. "The information Arthur gave me mentioned that the equipment she was carrying could theoretically support her diving to a depth of 200 meters."
"Her goal is to find the underwater passage connecting skylights four and five."
“That’s a route that no one has ever successfully traversed before.” Raven’s expression turned extremely serious. “Moreover, according to local hydrological data, the underground river network of Nine Peaks is closely related to seasonal rainfall.”
"Once it rains, the underwater flow rate and turbidity can change catastrophically in a short period of time, and we must take weather factors into account."
The two of them were thus conducting a life-or-death "pre-battle simulation" in this mobile "combat command center".
As the vehicle entered Guangxi, the scenery outside the window changed dramatically once again.
The flat Pearl River Delta plain has disappeared, replaced by undulating karst landforms resembling an ink painting.
The solitary peaks rising abruptly from the ground are shrouded in a misty, humid atmosphere, exuding a mysterious and primal beauty.
"So beautiful." Raven temporarily looked away from the computer screen, gazing at the unique landscape outside the window, and exclaimed sincerely.
"Yes," Lin Yu'an nodded, "but the more beautiful a place is, the greater the danger it often hides."
After a nearly ten-hour journey, the gray Shanhai Cannon truck entered NN city as the city lights were just coming on.
Lin Yu'an didn't stay in a five-star hotel, but instead rented a three-story house with a separate garage and yard in an inconspicuous urban area.
This will be their frontline combat base for the foreseeable future.
That evening, the two men worked together to unload the dozen or so heavy Palico trunks from the car and carry them into the spacious living room.
These black behemoths instantly transformed this cozy home into a professional expedition gear depot.
Raven began meticulously checking and adjusting every piece of equipment, replacing the oxygen probe on the regulator, charging the thruster's batteries, and testing the brightness and battery life of each diving light.
Lin Yu'an, meanwhile, was studying a more detailed map of Guangxi, planning the final route from Nanning to Dahua County, where Jiudun Tianchuang is located, and contacting local guides and logistical support.
In the stillness of the night, the only sound in the living room was the faint noise of Raven adjusting the equipment.
Lin Yu'an put down the map, walked behind her, and gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Raven's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, resting her head against his chest.
"It's what I should do." She stopped what she was doing, took his hand in hers, and said, "But you, you just finished a month of being a stay-at-home dad, and now you're immediately throwing yourself into this kind of high-intensity task. Can your body handle it?"
"Don't worry." Lin Yu'an lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "The lullaby of Alaska and the underground river of Guangxi are both places that I need to protect."
Raven turned around, looked up, and her blue eyes shone brightly under the light.
She looked at the man before her. In the glitz and glamour of Miami, he was a dazzling king; by the cradle of Alaska, he was a gentle and caring father; and here, he had transformed back into the calm, powerful, and utterly captivating explorer.
"Captain," she said, tiptoeing to kiss him, "I look forward to our journey to the center of the earth together."
Silent all night.
The next morning, as the subtropical city of Nanning was still waking up in the hazy humidity, Lin Yu'an received a compressed file package from New York in his encrypted email.
The sender was Arthur.
Lin Yu-an unzipped the document, and inside was not a simple authorization letter, but a "clearance document" that no competent authority in any country could refuse.
The folder contains the following core files:
Consular Request for Assistance in the Search for the Remains of U.S. Citizen Evelyn Rockefeller
The document was addressed to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou. It was not a strong diplomatic note, but a consular request with very precise wording that conformed to international practice.
The letter clearly states that the missing person, Evelyn Rockefeller, is a U.S. citizen, and her family has commissioned a top international private expedition team to conduct a humanitarian search.
We request that local Chinese governments provide the necessary facilitation for the team's legitimate actions within the framework of laws and regulations.
This is not an order, but an official endorsement, meaning that the operation has been registered at the U.S. State Department level, and any unexpected events could escalate into a diplomatic incident.
Proposal for a Joint Scientific Expedition on the Hydrogeology and Biodiversity of the Jiuduntianchuang Underground River System
The proposal was initiated by the “Giant Rock River Heritage Farm Foundation” and “GUE (Global Association of Underwater Explorers)”.
The proposal cleverly packaged the search operation as a joint Sino-US scientific expedition project with "scientific research" as the primary objective and "searching for missing persons" as a secondary humanitarian goal.
The proposal elaborates on the significant role of studying the hydrogeology of the Nine-Tiered Sky Window in global karst landform research.
This is the legal guise for the operation, elevating a sensitive private salvage operation to the level of scientific research exchange between the two countries, providing the Chinese authorities with a perfect reason for cooperation that can be included in official reports.
White Paper on Technology and Security Assessment:
This report, which is over a hundred pages long, was written by Raven. She worked almost non-stop for the past week to complete this textbook-level technical solution.
The report details all the equipment to be used in this operation, down to their serial numbers, gas mixing schemes, and descent and decompression procedures.
In addition, there are detailed emergency response plans (SOPs) for more than three thousand possible accidents, such as CCR water ingress, guide rope breakage, and underwater flooding.
It was resubmitted after being evaluated and verified by other professional teams in the United States, proving the professionalism of the plan.
A comprehensive global adventure liability insurance policy worth up to one hundred million US dollars.
This substantial insurance policy, issued by Lloyd's of London, covers all possible accidents that may occur during the operation, including personal injury, equipment loss, environmental damage, and even compensation for losses to local rescue efforts.
This is a declaration of financial strength, assuring the Chinese side that no matter what happens, all economic consequences will be borne by the insurance company, and will not impose any financial burden on the local government.
"Arthur's team—they're simply devils," Raven exclaimed sincerely, looking at the flawless file package.
Lin Yu'an calmly printed out all the documents and put them into a thick folder.
"Let's go, First Mate. We need to go and file the report."
That morning, the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
This solemn and imposing government building seemed like a completely different world from the residential house they had stayed in yesterday.
Lin Yu-an and Rui-wen did not wear adventure suits, but instead changed into low-key and capable business casual attire, looking like overseas investors who came for a regular business visit.
After showing their appointment letter, they were led into a spacious conference room by a young secretary.
A moment later, a middle-aged man of about fifty years old, wearing black-rimmed glasses, with a calm and refined demeanor, walked in.
He wore a Party emblem on his chest, his expression was serious, and his eyes held a subtle, scrutinizing look.
"Hello, I am Chen Jianguo, the director of the Foreign Affairs Office."
"Director Chen, hello. I am Lin Yu'an, and this is my colleague, Raven Montgomery," Lin Yu'an said in fluent Chinese, extending his hand.
Director Chen shook hands with him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
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"Please have a seat." Director Chen got straight to the point. "We have received your application. To be honest, it puts us in a difficult position."
He placed his hands on the table, his tone becoming serious: "Mr. Lin, Ms. Montgomery, you may not fully understand the significance of the Nine-Beat Skylight here."
"It is not only a world-class natural wonder, but also a dangerous forbidden zone that has swallowed too many lives."
"The accident three years ago, in which two top international divers died, still haunts us."
"To retrieve their bodies, we mobilized a large amount of public resources and even invited Mr. Han Ting, one of the top experts in the country, to go into the water himself. The whole process was thrilling."
Director Chen's gaze sharpened: "Our principle is that we welcome and support legitimate and safe scientific expeditions."
"But we will never allow anyone to take unnecessary suicidal risks on our land. Especially when it involves foreign citizens, the consequences would be unimaginable if an accident were to occur."
These words were both a warning and a test.
Lin Yu'an did not refute, but calmly pushed the thick folder in front of Director Chen.
"Director Chen, we fully understand your concerns. Therefore, we have made some preparations before our formal visit."
Please take a look.
Director Chen opened the folder with suspicion.
When he saw the prominent U.S. consulate badge on the first document, his brow immediately furrowed.
He didn't say a word, turning the pages one by one.
When he saw the project proposal titled "Joint Scientific Expedition," his furrowed brow relaxed slightly.
When he turned to the technical white paper written by Raven, which was over a hundred pages long and filled with various technical terms and detailed flowcharts, a hint of surprise appeared in his scrutinizing gaze for the first time.
Although he didn't understand technical diving, he could see the rigor and professionalism of the plan.
Finally, when his gaze fell upon the enormous insurance policy worth one hundred million US dollars, his serious face was completely moved.
He closed the folder and looked up to re-examine the two young men in front of him.
Their gaze had shifted from initial wariness and suspicion to a reassessment of the professionals.
"It seems you came prepared," Director Chen said slowly.
"We have no intention of offending you, nor do we intend to cause you any trouble," Lin Yu-an said sincerely. "Our only purpose is to fulfill a father's last wish and bring his daughter home."
"Therefore, we are willing to abide by all laws and regulations of our country and assume all possible risks and responsibilities."
Director Chen remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "I need to report to my superiors. In principle, we support international cooperation projects that are well-prepared, have complete procedures, and have significant humanitarian implications."
He stood up and extended his hand to Lin Yu'an.
"However, I have two conditions."
"Please speak."
"First, the entire operation must be kept absolutely secret. No media are allowed to get involved before the mission is completed. We don't want this to be overhyped."
"This is our common goal," Lin Yu'an nodded.
"Secondly, we will assign you a liaison officer to coordinate your relationships with local governments, public security, and emergency response departments throughout the process."
"At the same time, to ensure that everything goes smoothly, we will also invite relevant domestic experts as observers and consultants to conduct a final evaluation of your action plan."
"This is the proper procedure, and we will fully cooperate," Lin Yu'an agreed without hesitation.
"Alright." Director Chen finally smiled. "Welcome to Guangxi, Mr. Lin, Ms. Montgomery. I hope you can complete your mission here."
As the two walked out of the Foreign Affairs Office building and returned to the sweltering Nanning sun, Raven let out a long sigh of relief.
"My palms were sweating from nervousness," she said, shaking her hands. "I thought he was going to kick us out."
"The technical solution you provided is the real key to unlocking the door." Lin Yu'an looked at her, his eyes full of approval. "Professionalism is a universal language."
Three days later, a "red-headed document" stamped with a red seal was delivered to their rented apartment building.
The document approved the application of the "China-US Joint Hydrological Expedition Team" to conduct closed-loop scientific research activities in the Jiuduntianchuang area of Dahua County.
The gate to the depths of the Earth's core has finally been officially opened.
The real journey has only just begun.