"Witness the Chief Divine! How co the position where the 'large bowl' subrges this ti is a bit off? It's strange; the position is different every ti... Move the ship a bit to the left!"
"Huh? Respected Red-haired Captain Chabo, the ship cannot move now. If it moves, the line traction will cause the diving bell's horizontal line to tilt and shift, making it easy to topple and leak air... We can only change position after retrieving the bell and before the next dive."
"Horizontal line? Leaking air?... Uh..."
The midday sun directly illuminates the sea surface, emitting a dazzling white. Colorful coral reefs lie at the seabed, and even from a distance of twenty or thirty ters, their splendor seems within reach. Amidst the coral reefs is a big iron-encased wooden bell, and nearby, yet seemingly apart, is a long-barreled cannon.
Aboard the Light Sailing Ship Stone Spear, Red-haired Chabo squints and gazes at the ocean's clear depths. He can distinctly see two lean Pearl Gatherers, like two busy ants, trying hard to tie a rope to a fixed wooden strip and the long-barreled cannon. After working for a while, the Pearl Gatherers must return to the bell for a breath of air before slowly coming back.
The simple process of tying a knot in the deep water proves to be so slow and challenging, like insects eating leaves. After a full seven or eight minutes, Chabo suddenly opens his eyes wide and exclaims joyfully.
"Haha! The old turtle is still impressive! After taking two breaths, he finally managed to tie another rope between that Magic Artifact and the fixed hardwood! Adin, how many ropes is this now?..."
Beside Red-haired Chabo, forr Noble Scholar Martin, now donned in Priest Apprentice attire with a sowhat peculiar Feather Crown, tries hard to peer into the deep sea but can only see two small dots, completely unsure of what the Pearl Gatherers are doing. The physiological differences between human groups beco evident through environntal adaptation and productivity evolution. Upon hearing the inquiry, he imdiately turns around, carefully smiling and speaking in awkward xica.
"Respected Red-haired Captain, your eyesight is as keen as a hawk; it's truly astonishing!... This is the fourth rope tied. Once all twelve ropes are secured with tightening ship knots, the Sailors can work together to retrieve the heavy 8-pound cannon!"
"Very well! Let's do that, take it slowly! Adin, has the ti run out on that hourglass of yours?"
"Ah, let see... It has been eight minutes, and there's still two minutes left... The air in the diving bell should be nearly depleted."
"May the Chief Divine bless us! Then pull up the old turtles! Retrieve this 'large bowl' and refill its 'air.' Then send two other Pearl Gatherers down!"
Red-haired Chabo makes the decision decisively. In the life of the Wilderness Tribes, as well as the various tribes across Central Arica, there is no musical instrunt like a 'bell' with such form and function, nor is there an hourglass for tikeeping. Ti is asured primarily by the sun and so amazing plants and animals that function as precise tikeepers, like the Dina Bird from the Guatemala Highland Maya, which chirps every half an hour, or the little yellow flowers that bloom precisely at eight in the morning.
"Wow... Whew!..."
Soon, two Pearl Gatherers are pulled up, lying on the small boat gasping heavily. With the underwater breathing 'Magic Artifact,' they no longer have to exhaust themselves completely and beco utterly weary with each dive. Now, even ordinary Pearl Gatherers can dive twenty or thirty ters deep with the diving bell's help, exploring the vibrant seabed never before accessible to them.
"Inhale... Whew!"
The diving bell is retrieved and then released again. Another two small Pearl Gatherers let out two 'whews' and jump back into the sea with ropes.
"Tied another one! Two ropes!..."
"Bless the Chief Divine, switch people, continue!"
The retrieval of the Thunderbolt Ritual Artifact progresses this way, bit by bit, from the golden sunlight of dawn, through the white brilliance of noon, to the fiery red of evening. Then follows the evening docking of the ship, where the Kingdom's Warriors and Taino Sailors light fire pits, eating cassava fish paste and singing tribal ballads while praying for Divine Spirit blessings.
"Praise Huitzilopo! He is imnsely powerful; he can absorb souls! He possesses worldly Demons' Apostles, wielding exceedingly strong Prophecy Power! I worship Him, begging for His mighty power, granting an unknown future!"
Pale-skilled Priest Apprentice Adin, foreheaded marked with a Hummingbird Emblem, also gleams with joy. He sings with everyone, praising the mighty 'Huitzilopo Great Demon,' and lauding the 'Prophecy Demon Apostle.' At this mont, he is imrsed in happiness, lding into the 'Devil Tribes' big family.' Evidently, under the Almighty's vision, he has fallen into demons, irredeemably stained...
The long night finally passes; the orange sunrise over the sea is exceptionally magnificent and warm. Following half a day of hustle, by the shimring afternoon, all twelve ropes are tightly secured. The 8-pound cannon, sturdily attached to the wooden strip, becos part of the Large Ship!
"Raise the sails, set sail! Eastward, to the Tribes' harbor!"
With much anticipation, Red-haired Chabo gives the sailing order. As the sails fill and the wind gradually swells, the Large Ship begins moving eastward. One by one, the twelve ropes tighten until, in a silent mont, there seems to be a faint, inaudible 'creak'!
"The Chief Divine bless us! The Chief Divine bless us! That Evil Demon's Artifact has finally been lifted! Retrieved from the seabed!"
"Howl! Praise the Great Divine Spirit!"
The Red-haired Canine Descendants widen their eyes, witnessing the black Thunderbolt Ritual Artifact ascend slowly from the sea bed's sand and mud. They are the first to issue wolf howls of hooray, followed by the Taino Tribe Sailors. Then, the artifact ascends higher and moves faster until forming an angle with the taut ropes, being hauled east by the Large Ship...
"Ah! Praise the Great Demon! The Thunderbolt Ritual Artifact is up! Precious life is absolutely preserved! Roar! Haha!"
At this mont, pale-skinned Priest Apprentice Adin, tears run down in eager devotion. He cannot help but jump and cheer exuberantly with these 'Barbaric Devil Tribes.'
"Haha! Quick! Speed up eastward! Land at the Tribes' harbor, and then let several dozen strong n work together to haul this 8-pound cannon ashore and present it to the respected Owl Priest!"
Once again, the sun sets westward; faint pink appears at the sky's edge, like the beautiful Phoenix Snail Pearl. Upon docking, the twelve ropes are pulled by hordes of Tribal strong n, and monts later, even louder cheers echo across the Marine Tribe's entire coast!
"Praise the Chief Divine! That's thick, that's huge! What a massive, black, solid iron barrel, what a Thunderclap Great Magic Device!"
"Ahahaha! After so long, such effort, this Evil Demon's Thunderclap Great Magic Device has finally been retrieved by , brave and wise Captain Chabo!"
Under the sunset, Red-haired Captain Chabo laughs head-up, pride soaring just like the Black Wolf General he once escorted. A somber 8-pound cannon, with faint rust, symbolizing the era's truly mighty sea force, stands silently facing the East~~
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