I raise furry animals and fly them to my motherland.

Chapter 281 The Person Sleeping Underwater
No, no! We're full, we won't fight with that guy for the fish.
The otter family nodded obediently. If they listened to Station Master Xu, they would have plenty of fish to eat and wouldn't fight with the troublesome big fish in the water.

The otter father and mother otter went into the water together, holding onto the rope.

Captain Zhang said that the detector has a buckle, and you only need to insert the hook into the buckle to hook it in order to fix the rope to the instrument.

The eldest cub acts as a scout, observing the situation in the water for its parents.

With a few "plop" sounds, the three otters dived down at the same time, and Xu Ying's heart tightened.

Time passed by minute by minute.

A family of three otters surfaced from the water. [Station Chief Xu, we've secured the ropes!]
However, when the cubs first emerged, they weren't as lively and looked quite frightened.

The otter parents then used their paws to groom the fur on its head to soothe it.

The family of three together handed the end of the rope securing the instrument to Xu Ying.

Xu Ying noticed the otter cub's unease. "What's wrong? Did it get hurt underwater?"

The eldest cub shook its head: [I'm not injured, I'm very strong!]
[But it's terrifying underwater.]
[Station Chief Xu, we also found the carcass of a two-legged creature underwater!]
Upon hearing this, Xu Ying's hand trembled as he took the rope, goosebumps rising all over his body. "What's going on?"

The mother otter continued, "[We found the carcass of a female biped at the bottom of the water.]"
[Unlike the decaying skeletons of other animal carcasses, this corpse looked like a living person asleep at the bottom of the water!]
—[But we've confirmed she's not breathing.] The otter father shook his head.

Xu Ying's expression immediately turned serious: "Okay, I understand. Thank you for providing the information."

The water temperature of Xishan Ice Lake is close to zero degrees Celsius all year round, especially in the deep waters. Archaeologists have discovered well-preserved ancient remains in the high-altitude areas of Xishan.

If a person falls into an icy lake, the body will be preserved for a long time due to the low temperature, and the decomposition process will be extremely slow, just like putting meat in a freezer.

In such a large lake, it's not surprising to find one or two bodies; they could have accidentally drowned. However, according to the otter's description, the body was "fresh," suggesting it hadn't been dead for long.

The eldest cub still has psychological trauma: [I was so scared I fell on my bottom.]
Xu Ying, both amused and exasperated, comforted it: "When we get to the shore later, I'll check if you've hurt your bottom."

"You can go ashore now, the mission is complete~ The production team is already preparing a whole fish feast for you!"

Upon hearing the words "whole fish feast," the eldest cub had already forgotten his fear of seeing the female corpse.

It nimbly climbed onto the ice and slid towards the shore where the production crew was located.

The mother otter followed her cubs ashore first, while the father otter remained in the waters near Xu Ying: [Station Chief Xu, I'll stay here and check if the equipment has come detached while you pull it up.]
Xu Ying was touched by the otter's thoughtfulness, and a smile spread across her face: "Please!"

Xu Ying pulled on the rope holding the instrument, gradually increasing the force as she pulled upwards.

The otters have already loosened the instruments that were submerged at the bottom of the lake.

She felt that it didn't take much effort to pull the instrument up with the rope, so she guessed that it was the taimen grandson who was helping her push the instrument to the surface with his body.

With the help of the taimen, the 30-kilogram cylindrical instrument quickly rose to the surface.

Xu Ying gazed at the vast school of fish, all supporting the instrument with their bodies. The silvery scales shimmered in the sunlight, like a flowing galaxy.
Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and a wave of soreness washed over her.

The live stream chat instantly erupted, with a flood of comments pouring in:

Wow! This scene is absolutely stunning!

They work together so well, it's like they've been trained!

I was moved to tears; the cooperation between animals is so touching.

This is the wonder of nature! "Thank you, thank you all!"

Xu Ying's voice choked with emotion as she poured all the fish food she had on her person and in her backpack onto the lake. The fish opened their mouths wide to catch the food, then thrashed about, splashing excited waves with their tails to express their joy.

Once the instrument was pulled out, everything became much easier. Xu Ying placed the instrument into the storage basket suspended by the military drone.

Captain Zhang operated the drone to pull Xu Ying and the equipment up from the lake.

The drone, like a steel eagle, slowly carried Xu Ying to the shore.

The feeling of being suspended in mid-air made Xu Ying hold her breath, but thankfully the golden eagle and snow pigeons accompanied her around to ease her tension.

Xu Ying's feet finally touched the solid shore. She breathed a sigh of relief as the icy white mist condensed in the air. This terrifying experience on the frozen lake was even more thrilling than riding a roller coaster.

"Captain Zhang, quickly check if the equipment is damaged!" Her voice trembled slightly as she stared intently at the precious instrument being lifted up by the school of fish.

Captain Zhang rushed forward in three quick steps and carefully took the instrument.

The next second, all the fishing team members saluted her in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, drawing a sharp arc in the sunlight.

Xu Ying stood there, stunned, her fingers unconsciously twisting the wet hem of her clothes.

She was about to speak when the warm touch placed in her palm interrupted her thoughts—

"Take it."

A deep male voice sounded in my ear.

She turned around, and a steaming cup of ginger tea was handed to her.

Qi Xiao stood half a step behind her, his wheat-colored skin glowing healthily in the sunlight, and a lingering worry between his thick brows.

She then noticed a thin layer of frost on her winter coat and her fingertips were red from the cold.

Xu Ying took the ginger tea; the scalding cup made her frozen fingertips tremble slightly. Before she could even thank her, a heavy weight suddenly fell on her shoulder—a large, windproof coat was already draped over her shoulders.

Qi Xiao's movements were swift and decisive; his strong arm swept past the edge of her line of sight as he skillfully adjusted her collar.

The windproof jacket still carried a faint scent of laundry, instantly enveloping her.

"Put this on for now." His voice remained steady as he helped her straighten her collar. "There's a full set of winter clothes in the tent. Go change into them in a bit."

"thanks!"

Xu Ying's eyes were bright, and she gave Qi Xiao a grateful smile.

When she looked up, she met his gaze, which he quickly averted.

Qi Xiao had already turned and was pointing towards the convoy, but the outline of his profile was particularly clear in the sunlight, and the red from his earlobe extended all the way to the side of his neck.

"Station Chief Xu, the equipment is not damaged!"

When the good news came from Captain Zhang, Xu Ying's dimples deepened even more. "That's wonderful!"

However, when she thought of the otter's words about the "sleeping female corpse" at the bottom of the lake, Xu Ying's smile faded.

(End of this chapter)