cc.floodtide-第113节
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he felt a growing surge of anxiety。 The treasures had to be somewhere inside the broken hulks； he told himself over and over as the submersible sank ever deeper into the cold waters of the lake。 They had to be。 It was inconceivable that someone had e before。
The descent took less than ten minutes； but to Qin Shang the seconds passed like hours。 He gazed into pure blackness before switching on the exterior lights。 It was also being cold inside the chamber； and he set a small heating unit to seventy degrees。 The echo sounder indicated the bottom was ing up fast。 He allowed a small amount of pressurized air to flow into the ballast tanks to slow his descent。 On deep…water dives beyond one thousand feet； he would have dropped weights attached to the keel of the submersible。
The flat； barren lake bed emerged under the lights。 He adjusted the ballast and stopped five feet from the bottom。 Then Qin Shang turned on the electric thrusters and began banking in a wide circle。 〃I am on the bottom；〃 he called to his support crew above。 〃Can you see where I am in relation to the wreck？〃
〃The sonar shows you only forty yards west of the starboard side of the main wreckage；〃 Jiang answered。
Qin Shang's heartbeat raced in anticipation。 He banked the Sea Lotus until it was moving parallel to the hull； and then brought the sub upward until it passed over the railing along the edge of the forward cargo deck。 He saw the cranes looming out of the black void and banked to miss them。 Now he was over one of the cargo holds。 Hovering the submersible and tilting its stern upward so the lights beamed down； his eyes strained into the darkness as he stared into the gaping cavern。
With indescribable dread； he saw that it was empty。
Then something moved in the shadows。 At first he merely thought it was a fish； but then it moved up from the black of the cargo hold and materialized into an unspeakable monstrosity； an apparition that belonged in another world。 Slowly it rose； as if levitated in air； like some hideous creature from the murky abyss； and moved toward the submersible。
On the surface； Captain Chen Jiang stared with mounting apprehension as the research vessel he'd sighted earlier had turned on a ninety…degree course and was now facing the Jade Adventurer。 Abruptly presenting its bows after having showed its starboard broadside； the research vessel now revealed a United States Coast Guard cutter that it had shielded from view。 Now both vessels were traveling at full speed directly toward the Chinese salvage ship。
QIN SHANG LOOKED LIKE A MAN WHO HAD SEEN THE DEEPEST pit in hell and wanted no part of it。 His face was as white and rigid as hardened putty。 Sweat streamed from his forehead； his eyes glazed with shock。 For a man totally in control of his emotions during his entire life； he was suddenly paralyzed。 He stared awestruck at the face inside the bubble…shaped head of the yellow and black monster as it broke into a ghastly grin。 And then he recognized the familiar features。
〃Pitt！〃 he gasped in a rasping whisper。
〃Yes； it's me；〃 Pitt answered over his underwater munications system inside the Newtsuit。 〃You do hear me； don't you； Qin Shang？〃
The trauma of disbelief； then revulsion at who the apparition was； released a flow of venom in Qin Shang's veins as shock turned into crazed wrath。 〃I hear you；〃 he said slowly； his thoughts ing back under his iron control。 He did not demand to know where Pitt came from or what he was doing here。 There was only one question in Qin Shang's mind。
〃Where is the treasure？〃
〃Treasure；〃 Pitt said； his face taking on a witless expression behind the transparent bubble on the globular helmet of the Newtsuit。 〃I ain't got no treasure。〃
〃What has happened to it？〃 Qin Shang demanded； his eyes sick with the cold realization of defeat。 〃What have you done with the historical masterworks of my country？〃
〃Put it all in a place where it's safe from scum like you who want it all to themselves。〃
〃How？〃 he asked simply。
〃With much luck and many good people；〃 Pitt said impassively。 〃After my researcher discovered a survivor who pointed the way； I put together a salvage project bining NUMA； the U。S。 Navy and the Canadians。 Together； they pleted the salvage in ten days before leaking the Princess Dou Wan's position to your researcher。 I believe his name is Zhu Kwan。 Then it was merely a matter of sitting back and waiting for you to show up。 I knew you were obsessed by the treasure； Qin Shang。 I read you like a book。 Now it's payoff time。 By ing back into the U。S。 you've forfeited any chance you had of a long life。 Unfortunately； because there is a great lack of ethics and morality in the world these days； your money and political influence has undoubtedly kept you out of prison。 But the final entry in your ledger； Qin Shang； is that you are going to die。 You are going to die as retribution for all those innocent people you murdered。〃
〃You create amusing plots； Pitt。〃 There was a sneer in Qin Shang's voice； but it was contradicted by a deep uneasiness in his eyes。 〃And who is going to see that I die？〃
〃I've been waiting for you；〃 Pitt said； hate mirrored in his green eyes。 〃There was never a doubt that you would e and e alone。〃
〃Are you quite finished？ Or do you wish to bore me to death？〃
Qin Shang knew his life was hanging by a thread； but he had yet to figure by what means he was supposed to die。 Although Pitt's casualness made him unfortable； all fear was slowly replaced by an inner self…defense mechanism。 His conspiring mind began to concentrate on a plan to save himself。 His hopes rose when he prehended that Pitt had no support from a surface ship。 A diver inside a Newtsuit did not make descents and ascents without an umbilical cable。 He had to be lowered and raised by winch from a mother ship on the surface。 The cable also served as a munications link。 Pitt was breathing self…contained air that could not last much longer than an hour。
Without life support on the surface； Pitt was on borrowed time and totally defenseless。
〃You're not as clever as you think；〃 Qin Shang said； a faint pallor on his face。 〃From my side of the viewing port； it looks like you are the one who is going to die； Mr。 Pitt。 Your ingenious diving apparatus against my submersible？ You stand about as much chance as a sloth against a bear。〃 〃I'm willing to give it a try。〃 〃Where is your support ship？〃
〃I don't need one；〃 Pitt said with unnerving nonchalance。 〃I walked from shore。〃
〃You are very humorous for a man who will never see the sun again。〃
As Qin Shang spoke； his hands moved furtively toward the controls of the submersible's manipulator arms and their claws。 〃I can either drop my weights and float to the surface； leaving you alone to your fate。 Or； I can call my crew and order them to send down my backup submersible。〃
〃Not fair。 That would make it two bears against one sloth。〃
The man's imperturbable posure is inhuman； thought Qin Shang。 Something is not as it seems。 〃You act sure of yourself；〃 he said； as he measured his options。
Pitt raised one of the Newtsuit's manipulator arms and displayed a small； watertight box with an antenna。 〃In case you're wondering why you haven't heard from your friends topside； this little device scrambles all munications within five hundred feet。〃
That explained why he had received no calls from the Jade Adventurer。 But that piece of news did nothing to deter Qin Shang's determination to wreak punishment on Pitt。
〃You have meddled in my affairs for the last time。〃 Qin Shang's fingers slowly curled around the throttle of the thrust…ers and the manipulator controls。 〃I can not waste another minute with you。 I must seek out where you've hidden the treasure。 Farewell； Mr。 Pitt。 I'm dropping my ballast weights and returning to the surface。〃
Pitt knew full well what was ing。 Even through the murky water that separated them； he detected the sudden shift in Qin Shang's eyes。 He threw up his manipulator arms to protect his vulnerable bubble mask and reversed the two small motors mounted on each side of the Newtsuit's waist。 His reaction came at almost the same instant as the submersible lurched forward。
It was a battle Pitt could not win。 One second the Sea Lotus was hovering level； the next it was relentlessly ing toward him。 His much smaller manipulator pincers were no match for the larger claws on the arms of the submersible。 Qin Shang's vehicle could also move at twice the speed of the Newtsuit。 If the submersible's mechanical claws cut through the Newtsuit； it would be all over。
Pitt could do nothing but helplessly watch as the big ugly manipulator arms spread in preparation of encircling him in a death grip； squeezing until the integrity of the Newtsuit was gashed open to the water waiting to rush inside。 When that happened； Pitt would die an agonizing death。
He had no wish to wait for the water to gush down his open throat into his lungs。 The burst of sudden pressure alone would make his final moments unbearable。 He had e close to drowning on at least two occasions； and he had no desire to repeat the events。 Tormented； struggling and dying with no one near him to see except his most vicious enemy was
