The Ultimate Evolution

Chapter One: The Return of Whaling

On a pitch-black night, a tempest raged.

The raging waves of the vast sea relentlessly crashed against the reefs, as if at any moment they would overturn the entire landmass. The bright orange balloon, suspended over ten meters above the ground, was twisted and contorted by the howling winds, a clear indication that the typhoon was nearing. Even the sturdy poles below, serving as windbreakers, began to creak and groan, as if they would snap at any second.

For the remote port of Siqiao, although such dreadful weather was infrequent, it would occur three to five times a year. Consequently, the residents had grown accustomed to it. They would retreat into their humble huts, lighting dim candles and savoring dried fish while sipping on the fiery Red Star liquor. They also took the precaution of placing buckets and oilcloth beneath the leaky spots on their rooftops, along with anything that could ward off the dampness. Despite their efforts, the blankets remained perpetually moist, as if a touch would cause them to emit a mist.

Amidst this atmosphere, inside a dilapidated hut to the west of Siqiao town, a roaring fire blazed. Discarded rubber tires were haphazardly piled inside—a cheap and effective material for patching up boats, much valued by the impoverished fishermen. Gathered around were a dozen or so weathered seamen, their dark-skinned faces filled with excitement. Most of them were in their twenties and thirties, except for the middle-aged man sitting in the center. Deep wrinkles adorned his face, as if etched by a knife, and his grizzled stubble hinted at a touch of gray. His features exuded a mix of hardship and kindness, a clear sign that he had learned to accept life's challenges with resignation.

"Oh my, oh my! Let me tell you, it was Sanzi who deserves credit for today's events, but Senyan's aim was spot on!" exclaimed a scar-faced young man named Gao Qiang, his words accompanied by exaggerated gestures and spittle flying about. His remarks garnered unanimous agreement from his companions, who nodded in approval, directing their admiring gazes towards the young man sitting on his right.

This young man possessed thick, black eyebrows, and his muscular arms displayed prominent bulges. Despite an air of confidence in his countenance, he maintained a sense of composure. Currently, he sat casually on a decrepit wooden stool, cradling a chipped porcelain bowl. The steaming hot water inside compelled him to blow on it as he sipped. Upon hearing his name mentioned, this young man known as Senyan smiled faintly, but remained silent. He simply nodded and smiled at his companions before resuming his drinking.

"Of course, Senyan's shot was exceptional, but I managed to harpoon the whale nine times, nine times!" declared a robust middle-aged man with a prominent nose, energetically gesturing with his hands.

"By the gods, that monster dragged us for at least thirty li! If it had pulled us for another ten li, we would have been at the mercy of this storm."

Interrupting from the corner of the room, a thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man chuckled, "Big Si, I reckon we've obtained nearly twenty kilograms of whale oil this time! Even after it's dried, we'll still have a solid ten kilograms. You've always wanted to refurbish the Fuyuan, right? Well, now you'll have enough funds for ten rounds of repairs!"

(Note: "li" is a Chinese unit of distance, approximately equal to 500 meters)

The man referred to as Big Si is evidently the middle-aged gentleman. Upon hearing the discussion, he smiled genially, his countenance radiating delight. Having grown up by the seaside since childhood, the briny scent of the sea had permeated his very marrow. Throughout his life, he had considered the boat his home. Due to his early adoption of two orphaned children, he had never sought a wife and seemed disinclined to do so in the future. Years ago, he had purchased the old vessel Fuyuan with his life savings, only to be swindled. Consequently, shortly after acquiring the boat, he had to perform extensive repairs, leaving him burdened with lingering debts.

If it were true that kindness and honesty were rewarded by fate's favor, then one might believe that Big Si would have amassed great wealth. However, the reality was that no matter how arduously he toiled, he could not escape his destitute and impoverished existence. Nevertheless, even the harshest of deities occasionally display moments of enlightenment. The day before yesterday, while the Fuyuan was at sea, it encountered a solitary behemoth known colloquially as the "pang tou guai" in the Guangdong/Guangxi/Hainan region, but more formally recognized as the renowned sperm whale. This creature possessed a stocky and lumbering physique, its movements sluggish and clumsy. Its appearance was remarkably peculiar, with a disproportionate head and a tail that seemed lighter in comparison. If one were to liken it to another organism, perhaps a magnified tadpole would be the closest approximation. The massive head of the sperm whale accounted for nearly a quarter to a third of its body length, resembling a large box. Its nose, too, was exceedingly unique, with only the left nostril unobstructed, situated in the upper left front, while the right nostril remained blocked. Thus, when it expelled its breath, a misty column was emitted at a 45-degree angle to the left front. Experienced fishermen could discern their presence from the water spouts ejected by these whales from a great distance. However, after decades of hunting, the population of sperm whales had dwindled to a mere few hundred worldwide. In the past five years, news of encountering the "pang tou guai" had surfaced only three times in the entire South China Sea, highlighting its rarity.

It was Ah Fa, the thin and dark-skinned man who was on equal terms with Big Si, who discovered this solitary "pang tou guai." The other younger men all referred to Big Si as "Uncle Si." To be honest, given the limited capabilities of the aging fishing vessel Fuyuan, it was impossible to engage with such a colossal creature. Fortunately, Ah San, one of the three orphans adopted by Uncle Si, possessed dexterity and ingenuity. A few days ago, he had stumbled upon a discarded harpoon in the dilapidated warehouse at the pier. With some tinkering, he managed to make it serviceable. However, his original intention was merely to use it for hunting sharks in the South China Sea and harvest a few pieces of shark fin. Little did he anticipate encountering the nearly extinct "pang tou guai."

Thus began an unwavering pursuit.

The vessel Fuyuan was determined to seize the opportunity bestowed by the heavens, disregarding the typhoon warning as it fiercely latched onto the ten-meter-long sperm whale amidst the raging winds and waves! However, apart from Uncle Si, there was no one on board with any whaling experience. Furthermore, the fixed harpoon installed on the ship was practically in a semi-scrapped state, failing to hit the mark even after four consecutive attempts in the tumultuous storm, consequently alerting the colossal creature, which was now contemplating diving into the depths.

At this critical moment, Fang Senyan, another orphan adopted by Uncle Si, swiftly stepped forward. His body swayed like a fallen leaf amidst the turbulent waves, yet his hands remained firmly attached to the harpoon, as if welded to it. He aimed for a full ten seconds, just when everyone had almost given up hope, and then, with a single shot!

That shot pierced through the vital spot of the sperm whale!

In its dying agony, the enormous beast dragged the Fuyuan for a full thirty nautical miles, dyeing the seawater crimson along the way. However, in the end, it reluctantly became a human trophy. The weathered Fuyuan returned miraculously to the Sizhao Port before the typhoon made landfall. For the sperm whale, although its flesh, oil, and bones held considerable value, the most precious treasure lay within its intestines—the "fragrant paste." This local term referred to a well-known substance called "ambergris" after undergoing a drying process.

The sperm whale's primary food source was squid and octopus, but it couldn't digest their sharp beaks and round bones. As a result, the distal colon or proximal rectum of the sperm whale underwent pathological changes due to irritation, producing a gray or dark secretion. Over time, these secretions gradually formed a sticky dark substance in the small intestine, stored within the colon and rectum. When freshly extracted, it emitted an unpleasant odor, which gradually transformed into a fragrance with time. This is what is known as ambergris.

Ambergris contains 25% ambrein and serves as a precious raw material for exquisite fragrances, acting as the best fixative to maintain the allure of perfumes. It is also a valuable traditional Chinese medicine. The sperm whale Uncle Si captured was only about ten meters long, relatively small among its kind. Even so, the harvested ambergris could fetch a substantial sum!

As the crew gathered together, sharing laughter and conversation, they found themselves deep into the night. Having spent half a month fishing at sea, not to mention rushing back to Sizhao Port before the impending typhoon, they had endured considerable hardship. Once the excitement of capturing the grand prize subsided, fatigue immediately overcame them. Rain poured outside, and the typhoon was expected to persist until tomorrow afternoon at the very least. It was only natural for Uncle Si to accommodate everyone in his own shed, settling them down to sleep on the floor. These sailors had grown accustomed to such conditions on the ship and didn't mind. On the other hand, Sanzi and Fang Senyan had already found separate accommodations. Each had constructed a shed near the Mazu Temple Street in the northern part of Sizhao Town, granting them their own private space. Despite the strong winds and heavy rain, donning oilcloth and traversing from one end of the town to the other would take little time.

The two individuals pushed open the old door, which had been nailed together with several wooden planks. A gust of cold wind, accompanied by heavy rain, rushed in, instantly sending shivers down their spines. Even the crew members who were already lying by the fire in the middle grumbled discontentedly. Fang Senyan and Sanzi huddled under an oilcloth, protecting their heads from the rain, while Uncle Si rushed over with an umbrella to join them. Taking advantage of the dim light seeping through the crack in the door, the two of them discerned the direction and began their journey back home, taking one step after another.

Siqiao is a small town that is not even marked on the map.

Its specific location is a small bay south of Fangchenggang, a border city in Guangxi. Even on clear days, you can see the Vietnamese territory to the west with the naked eye. Administratively, it falls into a gray area, belonging to an unregulated zone. Consequently, an invisible formation of a distorted port, combining smuggling, trade, and illegal immigration, has taken shape. Most of the people inside engage in gray industries that operate on the fringes of the law.

As for the honest and straightforward Uncle Si, the reason he chose to settle here was because the Fuyuan, this old vessel, was also stolen. Furthermore, Uncle Si couldn't bear the heavy tax burden. Fang Senyan had once seen the lengthy invoice, which involved numerous departments, including finance, taxation, commerce, public security and border defense, health, township government, fisheries committee or village committee, and fishing vessel management company, among others. However, here in Siqiao, they only needed to pay protection fees to the local "boss" Huashan Fei.

Due to the constant threat of being "swept away" by authorities, most of the buildings in Siqiao are hastily constructed with cheap materials such as plywood, tires, and fiberglass tiles. They are precisely the kind of unauthorized structures that the urban management officers despise. Fang Senyan is approaching 19 years old this year, a few months older than Sanzi. Since the age of 14, he has been recommended by Uncle Si to work on ships through acquaintances. His calm and dependable work ethic has earned him high praise from employers. He has traveled to various ports around the world at such a young age, and both his knowledge and character are considered top-notch.

Chapter Two: Embrace Life's Pleasures, Embrace Death without Regret!

A year ago, as soon as Uncle Da Si purchased the Fuyuan, Fang Senyan resolutely abandoned his position as the second officer on a 5,000-ton cargo ship sailing under the Panamanian flag and returned. At that time, he was already on the verge of retirement as the first officer. Despite the captain's persistent efforts to persuade him to stay, Fang Senyan firmly declined and returned to the dilapidated Fuyuan as a crew member. He even used all his savings to help Uncle Da Si repay his debts. The shack where Fang Senyan and Sanzi lived separately was built using the last month's salary he received before resigning.

Although they hadn't walked far, their shoes were already filled with muddy water. The bone-chilling cold seemed to seep into their very bones, making each step a struggle, accompanied by the muffled sound of "clunk, clunk." After a short while, they ar