NOVEL NEXT Chapter 671: Rejected
"Uncle Wang, have you been well all this time?"
"Just so-so, at least I have enough to eat. At my age, it's not like I can entertain other ideas anymore. Speaking of which, have all the docks been transferred? Otherwise, how about I show you around?"
"No need, Uncle, I've already taken a look around when I came earlier. I really couldn't find any traces of the old days. I even went around to the seaside and looked below. Everything remained unchanged, including the big mountain that was there back then; it's still there now."
"At that time, when the boss wanted to transform the dock, he actually thought about completely piercing through that mountain. But he realized what a huge project that was, and breaking through could potentially create a gap. Then, the seawater would surge in from all directions, and the dock would become a dangerous place again."
"So, you mean the mountain is there for a special reason, and it actually protects the safety of the dock and harbor, right?"
"Exactly, that's why I was so strongly against it at the time. Later on, the boss took my advice, and as it turns out, I was right to oppose it. Over the years, no matter how severe the storms were outside, as long as ships entered the harbor, they were safe and sound."
"Heh, no wonder, Uncle Wang, you were born to be a dockman. Not everything can get past you."
"Did you come here today just to reminisce about the past, or is there something else?"
"Uncle Wang, if that's the case, then I won't beat around the bush. Do you really believe that my dad fell from there back then and was swept away by the sea?"
"What, isn't that what happened? I remember it clearly. I was involved in the search back then. We searched the entire dock, of course not including the sea itself, and sealed off all other areas. We didn't find him at all."
"That means the only place my dad could have gone was there; there were no other possibilities. Could it be possible that he suddenly left that spot during the process?"
"No, it couldn't be. We checked all the surveillance of the exits at the time. He didn't head towards the main gate at all. Despite the strong winds and rain, there were still some people on duty in the yard. They said they saw him one second at the spot, but the next moment, when they looked back, he had disappeared from the railing. So, based on all this, we concluded that he must have fallen from there."
"But I always feel that there's another reason for my dad's disappearance. After so many years, I've been wanting to find the truth behind what happened. How could a grown man just fall into the open sea all of a sudden? It's simply inconceivable to me."
"There's nothing inconceivable about it, Yaru. I know that for all these years, you've never let go of this matter. The reality is that accidents at sea are not unusual, especially for those doing business by the sea. It's a known risk, and such incidents often happen to seamen. So, I advise you, it's better not to pursue it any further."
"It's not about acceptance, it's that the facts don't allow me to accept. So, I just want to find out what exactly happened at the place where my dad disappeared. But I didn't expect things to have changed so much this time."
"Yep, it's no longer the dock of the past. If you want to look for clues here again, I'm afraid it's going to be quite troublesome. By the way, you coming to me must mean you have another request, right?"
Wang Sheng, after all, had worked at the dock for many years and was well aware of its operations. He confirmed that Lin Yaru's visit wasn't without a reason or just to catch up on old times, so he believed she must have other demands.
"Alright then, Uncle Wang, I'll come clean. I want to get my hands on a marine map of this area."
"What? Why do you want a marine map? Don't you know that these are classified documents belonging to the dock, not to be disclosed under normal circumstances?"
"I know, because it involves some of the dock's base arrangements. But I can forgo that part; I just want the part that covers the sea, including all the shipping lanes, ship docking spots, and unloading points, as well as some conditions of the surrounding sea area. I just want to understand this information."
"Yaru, do you really think that by getting this map, you'll be able to find the exact place where your dad's incident happened? I'm telling you, we all searched everywhere back then to no avail, and it included several days of dredging in the sea too, but the hope was slim; we didn't find any clues."
"I know, Uncle Wang. If you don't let me do this, I'm afraid I'll never truly let it go in this lifetime. So please agree to help me. Don't worry, I won't lend the map to anyone else, and I won't touch the part that involves the dock. I just want the part that covers the sea. It definitely won't pose any threat to your dock. Uncle Wang, please?"
"You're really putting me in a difficult position."
After saying this, Wang Sheng could only heave a deep sigh. Truth be told, from a personal standpoint, he was all the more willing to help Lin Yaru.
After all, the incident back then had caused a sensation throughout the whole dock and shocked the entire city. Now, 20 years later, he never imagined that this matter would be brought up once again.