Chapter 59: The Private Counselor's Gift

The old man searched through chests and cupboards for quite a while.

After a long time, a look of relief finally appeared on his face as he carefully pulled a map from the very bottom of the cabinet. The map looked quite old, made of ordinary kraft paper. Perhaps because it had been thumbed through too many times, the edges of the paper were frayed and slightly yellowish, and the corners were even somewhat tattered, as if they would shatter at the slightest bit of force.

The old man gently patted the dust off the map, held it in both hands, and walked solemnly over to Lin Yu. Handing the map to him, he said, "Xiao Yu, this map was drawn from my own memory back in the day. Look here, I’ve marked some important places on it—where you can go, where you need to be cautious, and where you must never go at all are all clearly indicated."

Lin Yu hurriedly took the map with both hands and began to examine it closely.

Simple lines on the map roughly outlined the contours of the sea area around the village. Although the markings were crude, they were clear and easy to understand.

Some spots depicted oddly shaped reefs, with small notes written beside them indicating that sea cucumbers were abundant around those rocks or that large abalones tended to hide there; other spots sketched clusters of seaweed, marking that the vegetation was dense there and one must be careful not to get entangled; still other areas drew deep trenches, emphasized by several red lines alongside to warn that the undercurrents there were fierce and must be strictly avoided.

Old Man Zhao stretched out a calloused finger, pointed at the marks on the map, and patiently explained to him: "Look right here, this reef area might look unassuming, but sea cucumbers love to hide in those crevices. However, the surface of the reef is terribly slippery, so you have to be careful not to slip when you grab onto it. And look here, this patch of seaweed looks thick, but don't just blindly dive into it; it's easy to get trapped and unable to come out."

As he spoke, the old man gave Lin Yu a deep look and said earnestly, "Xiao Yu, in our line of work, people are always led by experienced masters who teach them hand-in-hand. For a 'sea-diver' to complete his apprenticeship, it takes at least three to five years, or even longer. This old frame of mine can't go into the sea anymore, so I have no way to teach you personally. You must consider this very carefully; this is no child's play."

At this point, the old man paused, pointed at the map again, and continued, "Furthermore, the environment at the bottom of the sea is always changing. Since I drew this map a long time ago, it might not be all that accurate. Once you are down in the water, you must have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. You can't rely solely on this map. In case you encounter any sudden situations, you have to stay calm and handle them, understand?"

"Thank you, Grandpa. I will remember your instructions."

Old Man Zhao smiled slightly, the beard at the corners of his mouth twitching, and the wrinkles on his face blooming like a smile.

"Oh my... looking at you like this reminds me of when I was young—fearless of heaven and earth, willing to do anything just to have enough to eat. Relying on that gutsy, driven spirit, I managed to keep the whole family from ever starving."

With that, Old Man Zhao took down a pile of "sea-diver" equipment and placed it in front of Lin Yu.

He went on, "These pieces of gear are useless now. Leaving them here just gathers dust, so take them all."

Lin Yu was startled. Looking at the pile of equipment, he quickly said with embarrassment, "Grandpa, how can I do that?"

"Why ever not?" the old man chuckled and said, "Didn't you say I am your master's master? Isn't it perfectly reasonable for a grand-master to give you a few things? Besides, you brought me meat."

The old man picked up the heavy cotton-padded jacket and gave it a gentle shake. Although time had dimmed its color and the cotton inside had lumped together in some places, the solid craftsmanship of its manufacturing era was still evident.

Handing the cotton jacket to Lin Yu, he said, "Xiao Yu, this jacket is extremely important. When we go into the sea, the water is freezing cold, and we rely entirely on it to keep us warm and block out that biting chill. Don't look at it as old now; it was a huge help to me back in the day. Every time I came up from the sea shivering all over, if it weren't for this, this old frame of mine probably wouldn't have held out."

Next, the old man picked up the rubber diving cap, stroked the brim with his hand, his eyes full of memories, and introduced it to Lin Yu: "You have to wear this cap properly. Its seal is good, which prevents seawater from pouring in. Don't underestimate this; if seawater gets into your head area, it makes things even more miserable down in the water, as it's both cold and impairs your vision. Besides, the material of this cap has to withstand being soaked in seawater for a long time. The quality of this one of mine isn't bad; it's been used for so many years without any major issues."

After that, the old man picked up the goggles, holding them up to the light coming through the window. There were a few fine scratches on the lenses, which he pointed out to Lin Yu, saying, "These goggles are our eyes in the sea. Although there are some scratches now, they don't affect their use. Once you go under, the light at the bottom of the sea is dim, and we rely entirely on them to help us see the surrounding situation clearly. Finding sea cucumbers, abalone, and the like is impossible without them. You must take good care of them and remember to wipe them clean after every use."

Then, the old man took out the thick pair of gloves and said, "These gloves are also indispensable. The seabed has many sharp reefs, and you can easily cut your hands if you aren't careful. With these gloves, our hands are protected, and it makes it easier to grab things and climb the reefs."

Old Man Zhao meticulously introduced each piece of equipment, its use, and the points requiring attention, while Lin Yu listened earnestly. After all, the seabed is extremely dangerous and volatile; perhaps one remark from the old man could save his life.

"Grandpa, is this a lead weight?" Lin Yu asked, picking up a rusted sphere. It was very heavy, and Lin Yu felt a considerable heft as he grasped it.

The old man chuckled and said, "That's right. This lead weight is tied around the waist; by strapping it on, we can smoothly sink to the bottom of the sea. But this weight is not light. At first, you might not be used to it, so you'll need to adapt. When entering the water, pay attention to controlling your body balance and don't let this weight throw you off center."

Finally, the old man picked up the net bag and the fish knife, waved them, and said, "The net bag is used to hold the sea catch we harvest, like sea cucumbers and abalones. The fish knife has great uses; if you get entangled in seaweed or encounter any dangerous situations, you can use it to cut the seaweed, and sometimes it can even help pry sea catches out of reef crevices."

The old man laid these pieces of equipment out in front of Lin Yu one by one, his gaze filled with care and worry. "Xiao Yu, Grandpa has handed all these things over to you. You must use them carefully. When you go into the sea, always put your own safety first. Grandpa hopes you will go smoothly and doesn't want to hear any bad news."

"Grandpa, that won't happen. I have confidence in myself," Lin Yu said.

He swept his gaze over each piece of "sea-diver" gear before him, a hint of solemnity in his eyes. It was as if, through these worn yet meticulously cleaned objects, he could see those thrilling scenes deep within the years and feel the heavy weight of history.

The trade of the "sea-diver" had been rooted in this coastal land since a very long time ago.

The ancestors of those days possessed equipment that was primitive to the extreme compared to today. Perhaps they merely wrapped themselves in a few coarse cloths and wore self-made headgear that barely covered their heads, yet they relied on swimming skills as hard and natural as if born with them, along with an intensely detailed familiarity with the surrounding marine environment, to resolutely plunge into the boundless sea and begin their arduous "game of chess" against the ocean.

High officials and noble lords on the shore lived securely in carved-beam and painted-rafter mansions, indulging day in and day out in luxurious lives laden with gourmet banquets. They tasted supreme delicacies from the sea like lobsters, abalones, and sea cucumbers, knowing only their delicious flavors, completely unaware that behind every single bite lay the life-or-death struggles of the "sea-divers" traversing the turbulent, peril-laden ocean floor.

Exposed to the dim, reef-strewn depths of the sea, every move made by those "sea-divers" brushed shoulders with danger.

Old Man Zhao looked at Lin Yu's pensive expression, gently tapped the bowl of his tobacco pipe, exhaled a puff of smoke, and slowly said, "Xiao Yu, you must remember that the dangers of the seabed are uncontrollable. Back in the day when we 'sea-divers' entered the water, several of us would always go as a group, looking out for each other once we reached the bottom. In case someone encountered danger, the others could lend a hand so they wouldn't be left helpless all alone. You'd better try to find a companion to go with you, so Grandpa can feel a bit more at ease."

Hearing this, Lin Yu wore a smile on his face, nodded hurriedly, and said, "Grandpa Zhao, I know. I will try to find someone."

Yet deep down in his heart, he knew very well that in this day and age, finding a companion willing to be a "sea-diver" was simply too difficult.

Everyone knew the risks involved; even if times were tough, no one was willing to lightly risk their lives. Thus, this matter probably wouldn't be so easy to accomplish.

Lin Yu continued to converse with the old man for a long time. The old man unreservedly shared all the experience he had accumulated over the years and the secrets of the sea hidden deep in his heart. Lin Yu listened with exceptional attentiveness, feeling that he had reaped a wealth of extremely useful information.