Andre walked up from behind, crouching down to speak to me, "Well? Have you thought it through? Impulsiveness won't solve anything."

I didn't answer him, but instead clenched my fist tightly, saying, "Mr. Andre, please help me. I believe you don't want to see a catastrophe either, do you?"

Andre sighed, patted my shoulder, and said, "Actually, that's what I should be saying to you. I need your help."

I froze for a moment, shook my head, and asked, "What do you mean?"

Andre glanced at the top of the container, pondered for a moment, and then said, "There's still plenty of time before the Great Tree revives. Your arrival in Russia isn't entirely a bad thing. I've actually been investigating matters concerning our ancestors for a long time, but because this can't be spoken of to just anyone, I've made no progress. This time, you can join me out on the sea to investigate the ancient miracles of our forebears. If we can get a clear picture of our ancestors' background, I might find a way to deal with the Fire-Born Great Tree."

Since even Andre suggested this, I had no choice but to trust him now. As we were of the same lineage, he likely wouldn't deceive me into watching disaster unfold.

The question of why our ancestors possessed a civilization far more advanced than ordinary humans was also a significant one for me. Finding the answer could lead to major breakthroughs.

So, I said to Andre, "Mr. Andre, since I am in your homeland, I am naturally willing to serve you, only hoping that when I need assistance, you will also offer yours."

Andre let out a hearty laugh, slapped my shoulder, and said, "You and that stubborn old man Nie Haiyun—the difference is truly immense... Get some good rest, young man. Regain your strength, because this trip to Chukotka will be incredibly arduous."

As we were speaking, the chains on the container door rattled again.

Soon after, the Russian who had previously unbound us walked in.

He swept his flashlight around, looked at the three of us, and muttered, "Is that madman feeling any better?"

"Madman? What madman?" I asked, confused.

Andre quickly intercepted me, saying, "He's much better now; he isn't going to lose control constantly."

Hearing this, the Russian focused the beam of the flashlight directly onto my face.

The blinding light made my eyes water, but I had no choice but to endure it, as my body barely allowed for free movement right now.

The man shone the light for a while, then grunted, saying, "That bastard Ivan—who knows what medicine he took to let you three out and even arrange rooms for you on the ship."

Xiao Feiyang and I exchanged bewildered glances, both finding it hard to believe.

However, Andre just chuckled, saying, "It seems Ivan isn't a complete scoundrel after all."

"Let's go. Put the madman in the porcelain storage room. Ivan isn't that foolish..." the Russian mumbled as he turned to leave.

At that moment, I grabbed Xiao Feiyang and asked, "What madman? Who is the madman?"

Xiao Feiyang grinned sheepishly and replied, "Earlier, you were about to clash with them, right? To get you out of trouble, I colluded with Mr. Andre to say you suffer from intermittent psychosis. When you go crazy, you cause destruction everywhere. You rammed the container wall with your head."

I was momentarily speechless. Clearly, the lie had worked rather well. Who could dent such thick container walls with their head? Only someone insane could possibly manage that.

To prevent me from wrecking his treasures, their leader, Ivan, had shown leniency and arranged rooms for us.

We followed the Russian out. Just as we stepped through the container door, a colossal wave slammed against the side of the ship. Spray erupted like rain, showering down over our heads, instantly soaking my hair and causing me to swallow a mouthful of saltwater.

As the spray subsided, the ship lurched violently to one side, and the three of us nearly went sprawling onto the deck.

The Russian ahead was clearly an old hand at seafaring; his stance was rooted to the deck like thick anchors, utterly unshaken.

Once the vessel stabilized, he cursed under his breath, "Damn it, this tropical storm is hitting faster than we anticipated. We won't be sleeping well tonight either."

Then he turned back to us, saying, "You should be thanking me for saving your lives. Last year, three of our containers were swept overboard by a giant wave."

He spoke those words while continuing to walk without stopping, suggesting he wasn't truly expecting our gratitude.

I turned to look at the distant sea and sky.

The sky was choked with rolling black clouds, like a massive, dark curtain draped over the ocean, its lower edge almost touching the water's surface.

Within the turbulent clouds, flashes of blue or white lightning occasionally split the darkness, resembling dragons emerging from their lairs, gone in an instant, followed by a deep, rumbling growl.

On the sea, tides surged violently. Giant waves moved like small, black hills, advancing with a massive, unstoppable momentum, one pushing the next toward the horizon.

Reflecting the light of the lightning above, they resembled the spiked ridges of a mythical dragon, shimmering with an intense, dazzling sheen.

I had been to the seaside before, of course—sunbathing, swimming—but I had never witnessed such a majestic, terrifying scene. For a moment, I stood transfixed, allowing the slightly salty wind to whip my hair about like tangled seaweed.

At that moment, Andre patted my shoulder and asked, "Well? Is this your first time seeing a storm at sea? Are you feeling the awe?"

I nodded, still gazing longingly toward the distance.

Andre chuckled darkly, "Hurry up now. You'll have plenty of chances to see scenes like this in the future—provided you don't cross that scoundrel Ivan."

Hearing that, I quickened my pace, following closely behind Xiao Feiyang.

The Russian in front never looked back at us but walked straight into the aft section of the ship, then down a narrow ladder.

Before entering the lower deck area, Xiao Feiyang and I both looked up. We knew the Russians must be living upstairs, as those cabins were generally far more luxurious.

The few rooms above us had lights on. Several Russians leaned out of the windows, watching us with expressions of undisguised ridicule.

Seeing their unfriendly gaze, I pulled Xiao Feiyang, saying, "Let's go."

So, we ducked into the lower hold and descended the narrow, winding stairs.

Once inside the stairwell, a faint, damp, moldy smell immediately assaulted us. The air felt thick with moisture; taking too many breaths felt like suffocating my lungs.

But we had no choice; we had to keep going down.

The Russian led us onto a corridor on the level below the main hold, flicked on a dim, yellow electric lamp, and pointed to the nearest wooden door. "Both sides of this corridor are storage rooms, all empty. You can pick whichever one you like, but I advise you to take this room, as the beds and blankets inside are slightly better."

I thought to myself that this Russian seemed to be helping us consistently; perhaps he wasn't such a bad fellow after all.

With that, the Russian left.

Without hesitation, the three of us pushed open the door he had indicated.

The result was a room that wasn't large but was surprisingly tidy. Two sets of wooden bunk beds stood along the walls, separated by a small cabinet which even held a few snacks.

Entering the room, we found that apart from slightly damp walls and moist bedding, the environment was quite good—somewhat resembling a soft sleeper compartment on a train.

Seeing instant noodles and potato chips on the small table, Xiao Feiyang's eyes lit up. He mentioned that the Russians had been feeding them canned food and millet porridge for days; they were desperate for a change of flavor.

However, just as Xiao Feiyang reached for the items on the table, Andre stopped him.

Andre frowned deeply and said, "Don't eat their food yet. I have a feeling that if this Russian has been so helpful throughout the journey, he must have something he needs us to do for him."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door creaked open, and the helpful Russian walked back in.