Several onlookers turned their gaze toward the tranquil surface of the canal, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary amidst the sparkling water.
"No!"
"Yeah, I didn't see anything either," someone said.
However, one staff member who had detected the anomaly persisted, affirming, "I'm telling you, I saw it with my own eyes. There was a massive black shadow on the water's surface, almost a hundred meters long, and it passed by swiftly."
Sceptical glances and dismissive headshakes met the staff member's claim. Another person quipped, "Croft, your vision must be blurred. How could something of such enormous size exist?"
"I assure you, I saw it—a colossal creature, moving at an astonishing speed," Croft insisted.
"Croft, you must have been drinking at night. It's likely just alcohol-induced hallucinations," someone mocked.
None of Croft's friends believed his account, shaking their heads with smiles. Some even jokingly mentioned the notion of a massive whale swimming past.
Indeed, the behemoth Bawang had traversed the canal moments ago. Cloaked by the cover of night, it propelled itself rapidly, surpassing 20 knots, swiftly vanishing into the distance.
The Suez Canal stretched over 200 kilometres, connecting vast lakes through several meticulously dug channels. One would encounter Small Bitter Lake, Big Bitter Lake, Timsah Lake, and Manzala Lake from south to north.
Bawang smoothly navigated the initial section of the canal, entering Little Bitter Lake without hindrance. Once within the lake, Bawang's speed surged, quickly passing through its expanse before entering the canal's second section.
Upon entering the canal again, Bawang decelerated, cautiously maneuvering through this stretch of water. With the cover of darkness, no one noticed any abnormalities beneath the surface.
Bawang continued its sequential journey through multiple sections of the Suez Canal, traversing various lakes. Eventually, after departing from Port Said, Bawang finally reached the vast expanse of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the Mediterranean, the Overlord could finally relax, liberated from the need for stealth and now accelerating at full speed.
In the early morning hours, after a long voyage, the Overlord finally arrived in the specific sea area mentioned by Liu Yong.
A layer of white mist veiled the sea's surface, presenting formidable challenges for the search efforts of Country M's personnel. The dense mist significantly reduced visibility.
However, for Bawang, it was a fortunate circumstance. The colossal overlord promptly reported, "Master, I have arrived."
Liu Yong heard Bawang's voice resonate in his mind and activated his third-party vision, enabling him to witness not only the massive presence of Bawang in the sea but also the ethereal mist shrouding the waters.
"How fortuitous," Liu Yong remarked. "This mist will undoubtedly impede Country M's search efforts, making their task more arduous."
"Let's hope they haven't discovered the downed plane, let alone the two lithography machines that plunged into the sea," Liu Yong's mood improved, his voice tinged with hope.
"Master, it was no trouble at all. I could easily swim thousands of nautical miles without issue," Bawang replied.
Liu Yong nodded; gratitude was evident in his voice. "Please continue your efforts. Search for the crashed plane and locate the two lithography machines submerged in the water."
Internally, Liu Yong prayed, desperately hoping that Country M had not yet stumbled upon the plane wreckage. Furthermore, he yearned for the lithography machines to remain undamaged and fully operational.
Following Liu Yong's instructions, Bawang tirelessly scoured the designated sea area.
This region constituted the coastal waters of the European continent, where the sea's depth averaged a mere three to five hundred meters, occasionally even plummeting to just tens of meters. Scattered throughout were clusters of small islands.
Roughly 20 to 30 nautical miles away from Bawang, a search and rescue ship manned by Country M's personnel diligently combed the area in search of the downed plane.
The head of the search team, Ernesta, expressed her frustration, venting, "This infernal weather! We've been working for over ten hours, from yesterday afternoon until now, and yet we've found nothing."
"Boss, dawn has broken. Can we launch our helicopter now?" a team member inquired.
Ernesta responded impatiently, "Yes, take off, but be cautious. The sea is shrouded in thick fog."
A search and rescue helicopter sat on the deck of the ship. Due to the dense fog during the night, it had remained grounded. However, it could finally ascend into the sky, aiding the search efforts.
Shortly after, the search and rescue helicopter began exploring, braving the limited visibility caused by the thick fog. Luck would likely play a significant role in their search.
Meanwhile, the Overlord's fortune proved superior to theirs. At that very moment, Bawang had spotted the wreckage of the plane.
The crash site rested in relatively shallow waters, with depths of no more than a dozen meters. The plane's remains were lodged obliquely in the water, its nose pointing downwards, while a portion of the tail jutted above the sea's surface.
The massive impact had severely damaged the transport plane, nearing the point of disintegration.
"Master, I believe this is the plane!" Bawang's voice resonated with excitement. After a journey lasting over ten hours, Bawang hadn't expected to discover the wreckage so swiftly upon arrival.
Liu Yong's own enthusiasm surged. The odds seemed uncanny, almost as if fate were favouring their cause.
"It appears that Country M hasn't located the plane wreckage yet. This is a prime opportunity to seize the two lithography machines before they do," Liu Yong mused, his voice brimming with determination.
Without awaiting any explicit orders, Bawang approached the plane wreckage.
Simultaneously, Liu Yong keenly observed everything through his third-party perspective, his focus squarely on the remains of the downed plane.
To his delight, Liu Yong noticed the presence of four standard containers within the damaged cargo hold of the military transport plane.
The securing cables mainly were severed, causing the four large containers to tilt precariously.
The lithography machines were housed within these containers!
andasnovel.com Curiosity arose in Liu Yong's mind. Why were there four large containers instead of the expected two? Logically, each lithography machine should have required a single container, not two.
Nonetheless, dismissing the anomaly, Liu Yong resolved to remove all the containers. "Overlord, check the cargo hold for four large containers. Retrieve them all," he commanded.
"Understood, Master."
Bawang promptly set to work.
With a weight surpassing 620 tons, Bawang effortlessly handled objects weighing dozens of tons, even capable of managing loads exceeding 1,000 tons.
The first container was swiftly extracted, remaining intact without any deformations.
Internally, Liu Yong expressed a mix of relief and trepidation. Although the containers remained undamaged, he pondered whether water had breached them. He desperately hoped that the lithography machines were suitably packaged to resist water damage.
As the first container emerged, Liu Yong witnessed a baffling sight. Rather than sinking, it surprisingly floated to the water's surface.
"Master, it has a buoyant force. I have to hold it down; otherwise, it will rise to the water's surface," Bawang reported.
Liu Yong's initial confusion dissipated as he swiftly comprehended the situation, his heart filling with joy.
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