The Great Worm Lich

Seeing that his sister was safe, Hatton had a faint sense of relief on his expressionless face. His bloodshot eyes were halted immediately by his deep frown. “Trish, I hope that you remember this lesson.”

He patted Trish and Tina’s back softly and pushed the two girls away. He walked to the deck in big steps toward the man who was clearly the boat’s owner.

“Sir, you have saved my dearest sister, and also my mother who is still lying sick on the bed. I can’t tell you how thankful I am…” Hatton clenched his teeth to prevent himself from tearing up. He raised his chin high, but his tears eventually flowed. “Please forgive my misbehavior, I… I…”

“Mr. Hatton said he’s grateful for you saving his sister, he said he’s misbehaving in front of you…” The interpreter did his job just when his feet landed after being lifted onto the boat by a cable tied around his waist.

“You don’t have to interpret. I have kids, too, how could I not tell what he’s talking about. Sigh, damn it. It’s hard for adults from all countries to…”

“No, Mr. Xiong, Mr. Hatton is Ms. Trish’s brother…”

“Are you Chinese? An elder brother is like a father, have you not heard of that? I have a sister who is more than ten years younger than me, she doesn’t listen to me. I’m so worried about her but… but I couldn’t tell her…” The owner seemed like he was touched and patted Hatton’s shoulder hard. Hatton seemed to understand what he meant and nodded, looking solemn.

Zhang Lisheng, who was walking down the second-floor cabin, could not help but smile after seeing the two tough hunks—who looked like big rocks on a mountain—communicate smoothly even when they couldn’t understand truly each other. However, the smile on his face vanished without a trace when he walked close to the side of the boat and obtained a full view of the plane next to the boat. He suddenly realized that it was impossible for such a small plane to contain Island Dragon’s gigantic body.

Just when Zhang Lisheng had a change of expression, a shadow covered him, “Mr. Lisheng, I would like to thank you, too. Trish told me on the phone last night that it would be impossible for her to be alive when we get here if not for your rich wilderness survival skills since you guys lost the guides.”

“I was just saving myself, Mr. Hatton. The regret is that something happened to Sheila, Shittu, and Walter even though I’ve tried my best. You know hunger makes one lose their mind, it’s impossible for me to watch everyone in the jungle.” Zhang Lisheng thought about it and said.

“We can’t blame you, a human isn’t God who knows everything. Alright, I’ll go take a look at Sheila, Walter, and Shittu. We’ll leave right away, there’s not much fuel on the plane.”

“I’m afraid that tiny plane of yours would sink in the river if all of us get in. I’ll bring you to Sheila and the rest first. Oh yeah, they haven’t had lunch today. It’s best that they don’t eat,” Zhang Lisheng as he brought Hatton to cabin No.12.

“Mr. Lisheng, the plane I flew here is a standard 9-seater… Oh my god, what happened to these young people!” Even Hatton could not help but exclaim when he saw Sheila, Walter, and Shittu who were three to four times bigger compared to the last time he saw them.

“They ate everything when they lost their mind. Plants’ roots, leaves that look delicious, and even worms in the jungle…”

“But it’s impossible that they would gain so much weight from eating everything in the rainforest. It should be water retention.” Hatton pressed Shittu’s fat arm as he spoke, but there were no indentations which would stay for a long time that he was expecting.

“If it’s water retention, we should give them time to wear this out instead of pressing on it. So I think I won’t be leaving with you. To be honest, before coming to the Amazon, I told my family that my reason for coming here is to do a science expedition. I can’t go home if I didn’t collect some rare insects or plants’ seeds specimen to prove myself…”

Tina was surprised to hear that Zhang Lisheng wanted to stay on the tugboat. She said in a panic, “Lisheng, how… how could you not go back with us? You’re so skinny, you could definitely squeeze into the plane… You can collect insect and plant specimens when we get back to Tuikano…”

“Tina, this tugboat might dock at Rukututu City tomorrow. It’s the same no matter where I go to collect a specimen. Moreover, I’m figuring Mr. Hatton would arrange you guys to return to America as soon as you guys landed in Tuikano. We would be separated by then, so why not we do it now before you guys return to Tuikano. It’s safer.”

“But… but… but…”

“Stop saying buts. Winter holiday will end soon, we will see each other in New York when school opens.” What Zhang Lisheng said made Tina unwilling, but she couldn’t find the words to persuade him. Meanwhile, Hatton, who had the most right to decide whether Zhang Lisheng should stay or leave, had been treating him equally ever since they first met. Hearing the young man was unwilling to leave with him, he did not have the intention to force him. He only asked, “Are you sure about that?”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay, you’re different from Trish, Tina, and the rest. Since you managed to bring these few burdens out of the jungle just like that, of course, I would respect your plan. I just want to remind you that you must be extra careful if you see that Professor Tubalin next time!”

“You know Professor Tubalin, too, Mr. Hatton?” Zhang Lisheng asked in shock. Hatton nodded in all seriousness. “On the third afternoon after separating from Trish at the port, I went for you guys at the Paradise Hotel. I didn’t expect all of you to have departed to the jungle. I tried calling Trish and Tina’s satellite phones, but I couldn’t get to you. I heard of the name Tubalin by accident when I went to ask about your departure from the hotel attendants feeling frustrated. Unfortunately, he had left Tuikano by then and nobody knew where he went…”

“So that old native who might have a double doctorate in fundamental physics and biomedical science from Cambridge University caught your attention.”

“No, Mr. Lisheng, Professor Tubalin indeed has a double doctorate from Cambridge University. At the same time, he’s also America Duke University’s biomedical science professor. You could find him on the internet. He had two good friends back in the university. One was Stephen Hawking from Trinity College, Cambridge’s master and named the greatest physician in the world after Newton. He even mentioned about this old friend in A Brief History of Time’s foreword. Another good friend is criminal Professor Yasa Marton who served the longest sentence at Nevada Prison. His fame in the international terrorists is no less similar to Professor Hawking in physics. He was named the Father of Bomb Mailing…”

“No wonder that Professor Tubalin said among the outstanding fundamental physicians, he and the fella who’s sitting on a wheelchair who goes ‘eeeeee’ when he speaks are the only sane ones. The rest either became the ancestors of mail bombing or became hippies after they turned 60… He even mentioned about the bookmark, bookmark…” Zhang Lisheng jolted and said that out loud.

“What?”

“Nothing, Mr. Hatton, I just recalled something that we talked about with that Professor Tubalin. I just thought it had a hidden meaning now that I thought about it, please continue what you were saying.”

“You think Professor Tubalin gives out the feeling that he’s mysterious too, huh. I investigated into him through some ways because of him behaving mysteriously. I found out that he’s very influential to those natives in the Amazon rainforest. Some native tribes even worship him. It involves some federal secrets which I can’t reveal to you. No matter what, be careful if you see him again. Of course, it might be unnecessary for me to be saying this to you since the possibility of you meeting him is slim.” Hatton seemed to have said something confidential as he spoke, so he ended the conversation hastily.

Noticing that Hatton was unwilling to tell more, Zhang Lisheng understood and did not ask further. He accompanied Tina as she led the three who looked blank to the side of the boat. They noticed that the owner had arranged two rubber boats which were lifted on the crane.

“Kid, tell your American friends to get into the rubber boats first. I’ll get the crane to release the rubber boats, and you guys can board the plane from the rubber boats,” the owner spoke while pointing here and there.

“Uncle Xiong, the plane’s too small. I’m afraid that something would go wrong if I get up. Can I not follow them and stay on your boat instead?”

“How… How could that American dude not bring you along? Nah, he doesn’t look like those bastard…”

“It’s me who asked to stay. My three friends had poisonous fruits, and all of them are suffering from water retention. I don’t want anything to happen to the three of them if it’s too cramped in there. Moreover, this plane’s really too small.” Zhang Lisheng pointed at the mini plane that seemed smaller the more he looked floating by the big boat. “I’ll stay on your boat and leave when we get to Rukututu City…”

“What do you mean leave? You will stay if that’s the case. It’s our fate that we met in Amazon, far away from home.”

“I shall thank you in advance then, uncle.” Zhang Lisheng smiled as he thanked him and then turned his head to look at Hatton. “Mr. Hatton, you guys can get into the rubber boats. The boat owner will send you guys into the plane from the rubber boats. Tina, Trish, see you guys in New York.”

“Oh no…” Tina hugged Zhang Lisheng while crying, and then she kissed his cheek. “Lisheng, call me as soon as you get back to New York.”

“I will.”

“Call me too.” Trish hugged the young man before leaving.

“I will,” Zhang Lisheng gave both girls the same answer. He watched as they went into the rubber boats. The seven of them were lifted up by the crane and put into the Amazon River watercourse. When the crane was moving, Xiong Zhuangming got next to Zhang Lisheng quietly and complimented him softly, “Brother, you’re pretty smart. You took the initiative to stay to show your heroism, making the two American babes become so touched. As soon as you get back to New York, hehe…”

“I really didn’t think so much into it.”

“Are you being serious? You’re so pure…” The crane had dropped the rubber boats onto the watercourse as the duo spoke. Hatton and the rest went onto the plane carefully, and Tina even turned her head and waved at Zhang Lisheng hard before going in. She bid farewell loudly, “Goodbye, Lisheng, please be extra careful in the jungle.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself. Goodbye, Tina.” As Zhang Lisheng bid farewell, the plane accelerated all of a sudden. It cruised tens of meters on the vast watercourse and lifted off, then dashed into the majestic blue sky.