Chapter 1173: Ice s.h.i.+p
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The rock that Li Du was holding had a ma.s.s that did not match its look. The rock was
the size of a volleyball or slightly smaller. If it were a granite, it would weigh at least ten
kilograms.
However, the rock only weighed a few kilograms. Li Du could lift it up with just one
hand. One of the possible reasons for that could be that the rock resembled a beehive
and had many small holes on its surface.
Steve was ecstatic and called out, “Give it here, hurry, let me have a look.”
Steve squeezed his way through again, b.u.mping into even more penguins than before.
Hence, he had also provoked more penguins, and around a dozen angry birds started
to gang up to attack him.
One of the bodyguards rushed forward to protect Steve, but the two of them could only
retreat when the penguins poked them harshly.
Carrying the rock in one hand and pulling Ah Meng with the other, Li Du squeezed
through the penguins. He walked carefully and did not b.u.mp into the Emperor penguins,
hence he was not attacked.
Once Li Du walked out of the crowd of penguins, Steve stretched out his hand and
s.n.a.t.c.hed the big rock from him.
Hardly taking a second look, Steve said excitedly, “G.o.d, this is right! No doubt about it,
this is the Wilkes meteorite!”
Elson looked at Li Du strangely and said, “Who was the priest that baptized you? He
must have supreme powers to bless you with such immense good luck!”
Sophie smiled. “Li Du is a Taoist, he has never been baptized.”
Li Du was surprised too. Is that really a meteorite? He was really a lucky charm. It was
just his second day in Antarctica and he already found a piece of a meteorite.
He said, “Sophie has been baptized. In reality, it’s Sophie’s who is lucky. This rock was
just beside her snowmobile. My pet knocked it into me…”
Ah Meng was still scratching at the ground. It seemed determined to take revenge.
Elson nodded. “Sophie, I must get to know the pastor who helped to baptize you.”
Holding the rock, Steve looked like he would never let it go.
Seeing Steve’s enthusiasm for it, Li Du waved his hand and said, “I’ll gift that to you.”
Surprised, Steve looked at him and said, “Would you really? Ha, do you know how
much this rock is worth?”
“I can guess. Fifty thousand… a hundred thousand?”
Steve smiled mischievously and said, “No, at least five million!”
Li Du gasped. “Is it soo expensive?!”
Steve nodded. “Very few Wilkes meteorites have been found. You’ve seen the weather
here. It’s only suitable for humans to live in during the warm season. At other times, it’s
impossible to come here.”
“Even if someone managed to make their way here, there are layers of ice and piles of
snow on top of them. The snow blocks all view. There is no equipment to detect rock,
no sensors. In any case, you can only rely on luck to find meteorite shards!”
“I’ve been in Antarctica since the time when I attended your engagement ceremony. I
had not found a single meteorite piece. Some of my friends who have been here for six
months have not found a single one either!”
Li Du asked, “But what exactly is its use?”
“It can reveal the secret of the Wilkes meteorite…” Steve said seriously.
Li Du nodded and said, “I have zero interest in that. This rock belongs to you now.”
Li Du inwardly debated whether he should spend the rest of his time in Antarctica
looking for the meteorite. He had no interest in Steve’s Fifth Dimension, but he was very
interested in the money.
Now Mr. Li had a big family and a big business. He had a mine to develop, an island to
build upon and a government official to support. All that required money!
Steve said, “I’m really grateful to you, Li. you are my lucky star. I found what I really
wanted once you arrived here. I estimate that this rock is worth around five million, you
can check the market…”
Li Du interrupted him, “No need to. It is yours now.”
Li Du needed money, big money. He did not care about a mere five million. He would
rather spend that money to earn someone’s favor. Steve possessed great capabilities
that Li Du respected.
Steve gazed at him and said, “You have saved me twice. Now you give me such a gift.
To be honest, I owe you too much.”
“You will owe me more in the end,” Li Du smiled.
Steve shrugged his shoulders and said, “Bring it on. I have a feeling that I will gain
many things thanks to you during this trip to Antarctica. I will owe you a favor once
more.”
He kept the rock in his bag and carried it himself.
That piece of rock was worth much more than just five million to him. Some things were
priceless, and if he lost it, he would not be able to buy another even for fifty million
dollars.
Having stashed away the precious rock, they began to get ready to go out to sea.
Steve did not keep them in suspense any longer and said, pointing to a floating ice cap,
“This is our s.h.i.+p, an ice s.h.i.+p.”
Although the seawater was blue, there were many small ice particles in it. Hence, to the
naked eye, the water did not look pure and clean.
The Antarctic ocean was different from the melted ice on land. The seawater was very
cold. It was just like the ice spring that Li Du saw in a martial arts novel. One could feel
the cold upon nearing it.
The sea was vast and blue and resembled an icy mirror. It was calm and deep. Facing
the ocean, one felt as though one’s soul could be engulfed.
The so-called ice s.h.i.+p was a floating iceberg that had been sculpted. There were many
similar icebergs by the sea. A depression on the floating ice was created by using a
hammer chisel and a chainsaw to form a concave surface. The depression could
accommodate people and thus a vessel was formed.
After hearing Steve’s explanation, Li Du asked, “Isn’t all ice in Antarctica resistant to
being crushed as it had been frozen for hundreds of thousands of years? Haven’t they
become ice cores?”
Steve smiled. “That’s true for the ice that is meters below us. The ice surface and the
floating ice on the sea are not tough. They might even melt during the warm season.
Hence, Ah Meng was able to break that kind of ice.”
Saying that, Steve could not help but put up his thumbs as a gesture of praise. “Even
so, the claws of your honey badger are extremely sharp. It’s the first time I see ice being
dug without the use of any equipment.”
There were a few floating icebergs that had been sculpted by the sea. They were even
safer than s.h.i.+ps. Icebergs were tough and could float better. It could appear as if just a
small piece of ice was floating, but in fact, it would only be the tip of a humongous
iceberg.
Everyone was split across the two ice s.h.i.+ps.
Although it was the warm season, Antarctica was still freezing cold. Once the ice s.h.i.+p
neared an iceberg, it would freeze and stick to it within a day.
After breaking off the parts that had been frozen to with the iceberg, they climbed upon
the s.h.i.+p. There were some holes in it to place metal poles and hang the sail. Using the
wind current and the paddle, the s.h.i.+p could be moved.
The ice s.h.i.+p was very safe. However, it was difficult to start. After all, it was very heavy.
Fortunately, the sail and the water flow could help push it along. Adding on to the
strength of the paddles, they were able to slowly move the ice s.h.i.+p.
“Where are we going to cast the net and catch some krill?” Li Du asked.
Steve smiled gallantly. “You will know then. The ocean will give you the answer.”