Swallowing the Seas (吞海)

Chapter 1

Translate: Ice | Edit: juurensha, Amelea

Wee woo wee woo wee woo——

Beneath the sprawl of vibrant neon lights, the bustling traffic of the streets scattered, parting to make way for the flashing red and blue sirens escorting an ambulance at breakneck speed. Suddenly, an abrasive screech sounded as the cars came to an abrupt stop. In mere seconds, the open space before the emergency building became akin to a frying pan. Dozens of officers began to shout in thunderous voices as they emerged from their cars, but the experienced medical staff had already rushed forward to retrieve the bloody stretcher from the ambulance.

"Hello everyone, this is XX News. According to our latest report, the provincial police and armed police force have engaged in a fierce gunfight with a gang of armed drug lords from across the border. All highways have now been closed. We are currently standing by the entrance to the Emergency Department of the city's Peoples' Hospital... Aiya!"

The female reporter suddenly cried out in shock. Somebody had shoved her aside, causing her to stumble and drop her microphone to the ground with a loud crash. But before the photographer could help her up, he was also harshly shoved by a police officer: "Fuck, how the hell did the media get here so quickly? What are you filming?!"

The photographer had been pushed back to the extent where he was unable to maintain a steady footing: "We have the right to report..."

But before he could complete his sentence, he was interrupted by the Head Nurse's hoarse shout: "The patient has lost too much blood! He's going into hypovolemic shock! Alert pathology to prepare for emergency blood transfusion!"

"The situation is critical, his blood pressure is dropping!!"

"Prepare for the procedure, hurry, hurry, hurry!!"

　　......

*

The scene had devolved into utter mayhem. At this time, the Hospital Director could be observed swiftly pulling on his cloak as he rushed out of the on-call room, only able to drape it over his shoulders in his haste. He flew down the hall, quickly arriving at the scene, but was pulled to a halt by somebody before he could even regain his balance: "—— Feng-ju?!"

The dignified old Director-General of the Public Security Bureau had never appeared so unsightly before. His usually immaculate grey hair was now a disheveled mess, his police uniform mottled with dark red bloodstains, and the lenses of his reading glasses had cracked in two... causing the Hospital Director to shiver with apprehension at the sight: "Feng-ju, you..."

"You must save this person at all costs." The old Director-General's nails were caked with blackened blood and mud. He grasped the Hospital Director's hand in a death grip, panting and trembling violently as he rasped: "This man has been an undercover agent in our covert division for twelve years... twelve years! You must save him for me, otherwise... otherwise—!"

The Hospital Director's heart tightened at the Director General's grisly words. At that moment, a shrill scream suddenly reverberated from somewhere nearby: "Doctor! Doctor, we have a problem!"

The note of panic that punctuated the shrill brought on a suffocating sense of foreboding. Feng-ju whipped back his head.

*

All gazes were fixated on the stretcher. The immense pain of the young man who struggled tenaciously to raise his upper body was unfathomable - as if he was trying to grasp onto the faint glimmer of hope within the abyss, only to be held down by the throat by the withered claws of Death. The delicate features of his face became distorted and deformed as his entire body convulsed.