No License Below 100 Meters

"Beneath the currents, every breath he takes is a tide rushing toward me."

-

When reporters surrounded Lin Qianxi, his soaked eyelashes cast shadows beneath his eyes. Their microphones nearly jabbed into his pale lips. "So many people risk their lives and die. What is the point of your extreme sports, anyway?"

His Adam's apple bobbed, but he couldn't make a sound. The warmth of bodies cradled in the deep sea, the strength of a hand gripping a survivor's wrist inside a sunken ship, all of it lodged in his throat. Then a light laugh came from beyond the crowd. "And what is the point of shoving a microphone in someone's face and asking them what the point is?"

Song Yu pushed through the crowd and pulled Lin Qianxi behind him. "Instructor Lin, go get changed."

-

Everyone thought Song Yu had the most reason to hate Lin Qianxi. His cousin's ashes lay in a CCR scrubber canister, buried underground, and Lin Qianxi was the one who had introduced his cousin to diving. But Song Yu's reassurance brushed past his ear. Song Yu said, "It's not your fault."

-

From a shipwreck in the Yangtze River to flood rescues in Z City, Lin Qianxi earnestly did everything within his power.

Song Yu, meanwhile, carried a heart both discerning and passionate. As if he held a secret he couldn't tell anyone, he pursued that figure beneath the water.

-

His best friend asked, "You're learning to dive just to pursue him?"

Song Yu said, "Whether I'm pursuing him or not doesn't matter. I just happen to like diving."

When other people learn to dive, their instructors yell, "Your buoyancy is worse than a plastic bag's."

When Song Yu learns to dive, Lin Qianxi encourages him: "You're doing amazing. I've never seen anyone with talent like yours."

When other people train as rescue divers, their instructors yell, "All my students want to kill me."

When Song Yu trains as a rescue diver, Lin Qianxi shakes his head. "It's not time for rescue breaths yet."

When other people celebrate their hundredth dive, their instructors yell, "A naked dive? That's indecent. Just take a picture in the pool."

When Song Yu celebrates his hundredth dive, Lin Qianxi says, "You have to do a naked dive for your hundredth. It's tradition in the diving community."

-

People say the abyss is forbidden territory, but they don't know it holds love that never had the time to be spoken.

They are travelers in the depths,

venturing beneath the abyss and extending humanity's reach hundreds of meters deeper.

-

Diving certifications of different levels allow you to descend to different depths: 18 meters, 40 meters, 100 meters.

But below 100 meters, no diving organization is qualified to certify you.

Experience, skill, and equipment are all essential to staying alert at great depths. More importantly, you need a dive buddy you can entrust with your life.

"I once lost my dive buddy."

"I'm honored that I met you in my lifetime."

-

◆ Stoic, resilient diver bottom × cool on the outside, gentle forensic doctor top; two powerful leads who save each other

◆ Entrusting each other with their lives / powerful duo / people who go against the tide

◆ I will kiss you in the abyss where the gods sleep, and let every current bear witness to our love

Please note:

* One-on-one, both leads are each other's first and only.

* A slow burn, though not that slow.

* Diving is an extreme sport, especially cave diving. Please do not imitate anything involving diving in this story. All diving activities should be conducted under an instructor's supervision.

* Dive buddies are important. Find a buddy whose soul resonates with yours.

* The characters are not based on or alluding to real people. Some plot elements are adapted from exploration programs and news reports.

* Subscribe to the whole story at your own discretion. It might not be good enough, but I did my best. (๐•̆ ·̭ •̆๐)

* The pirated version differs significantly from the official one. Please support the official release~

Tap [Add to Favorites] ^0^. Doesn't it look like merit +1?

--

Kai's story is in my upcoming novel, "The Nameless One." Visit my profile to check it out~

Theme: A tribute to everyone who has worked hard to push the limits of human exploration.