The Way of Technique and Wisdom

The icy, bone-chilling seawater submerged Hua Sheng’s face, and in his ears, apart from the gurgle of bubbles, there was nothing but silence. Looking up from beneath the surface, he could just make out the flickering, uncertain glow of fire above the waves.

That distant firelight receded farther and farther away, while he was slowly sinking beneath the water. The pressure intensified, making his eardrums ache. The surrounding light grew even more stingy, and his already blurry vision faded further.

Why am I in the water? Where is this place?

He could not recall a thing. At that moment, Hua Sheng had only one desperate wish: to swim to the surface as quickly as possible. He stretched out his arms, but suddenly, a stabbing pain near his heart burst forth, so excruciating it nearly made him faint. It was as if a surge of high-voltage current had ripped through his body.

He must have suffered a grave wound. In the dim light, he could see dark liquid floating in the water, rising slowly from his mouth and chest. A strong taste of blood filled his mouth. Even in the water, unable to breathe, a human being’s animal instinct could easily recognize the taste of blood.

If this goes on, am I going to die?

His consciousness began to blur, but the instinct to survive still spurred him to move his arms. The frigid sea kept flooding into his lungs. Though he knew how to swim, his strength had abandoned him.

That’s right, I remember now—I must have fallen off a ship… No, it was a massive cruise liner. Did something happen to the ship? Was there