Chapter 73: Arrival in New York
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“Good news: The Nabrarl Island Dinosaur Park is about to open.”
“Mysterious giant beast appears in the Pacific: unknown new species or an unidentified monster?”
“Urban legend comes true: giant humanoid shadow terrifies city dwellers.”
“Horrors of the deep sea: submarine team encounters unknown Leviathan.”
“Inexplicable phenomena: massive footprints found in remote mountains.”
“Nightmare on the lake: local fishermen report meeting a serpentine giant beast.”
“Mystery of the skies: huge winged creature soars above the clouds.”
“Polar terror: expedition discovers prehistoric behemoth beneath Arctic ice.”
“Fear in the night: desert giant threatens nomads in the Sahara.”
“Deadly detour: tourists vanish in a mysterious mountain village.”
“Confirmed sighting: gigantic insect-like creature emerges from underground nest.”
“Fantastical beings: citizens witness a three-hundred-round battle between werewolves and vampires late at night.”
...
“Changsheng, look, these are the urban legends I’ve collected.”
When Susan learned that Li Changsheng was also Chinese—and not just any Chinese, but an impressive one—she immediately felt an affinity for him. Once she began talking, she couldn’t stop.
Li Changsheng also found out the current year was 2008.
At this time, Chinese people abroad still stuck together. There were few fools who would hurt their own countrymen overseas.
“Quite... interesting...” Li Changsheng stared at the words on the laptop, his head aching.
He suspected these rumors might be true.
But as for which movie or show these monsters might be from, he’d have to see them with his own eyes to tell. Just piecing things together from these snippets would fry his brain.
“By the way, Shan, why are you on this cargo ship?” Li Changsheng asked.
He wasn’t just curious about why Susan and her group were on the ship; he wanted to know if they’d already discovered Skull Island.
If they had, he’d need to beat them to the island’s location. If he couldn’t control it, he’d have to turn it over to his country; otherwise, if the Americans got there first, the island would fall into their hands for nothing.
“We’re on a geological survey in the South Pacific, but we hit a typhoon on the way, so we had to turn back early and hitched a ride on this cargo ship,” Susan replied.
Li Changsheng looked up. “Did you notice anything strange?”
“No,” Susan was taken aback. “It’s just that Landa seemed really interested in a Navy shipwreck in the South Pacific, but that’s just a rumor!”
A Navy ship?
That must be the battleship destroyed by a giant beast in the opening of the film “Kong: Skull Island.”
“Oh? Did he find out anything? I’m really interested in these rumors too,” Li Changsheng asked with curiosity.
Susan paused, then shook her head.
If her reaction was genuine, it meant Landa’s investigation hadn’t yielded results yet.
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The location of Skull Island probably wouldn’t be found until the Americans’ satellites picked it up.
And Susan likely had no idea about Landa’s real motive—the Monarch Project.
This was a plan ordered by the President himself, but the current turmoil and severe budget cuts had forced even Landa to run around personally.
Li Changsheng pondered in silence.
Suddenly Susan spoke, “Changsheng, you still haven’t told me who you are. You’re so amazing, taking out those pirates in a flash. If it weren’t for you, I’d be in serious trouble...”
Remembering the earlier ordeal, she shuddered slightly.
“I’m a zoologist. Like you, I’m fascinated by strange stories and travel the world. As for my skills... Well, these days, if you don’t know a bit of American-style quick draw, you can’t get by in the States.”
Li Changsheng made something up.
Susan found his words amusing and couldn’t help but laugh.
“Still laughing!” Li Changsheng glared at her, half-joking. “I have to admit, you’re brave, following that obviously unreliable Landa all over the place. Aren’t you afraid of running into danger?”
“This time was just an accident. Everything’s always been fine before!” Susan grinned playfully.
Li Changsheng shook his head.
Technology in 2008 wasn’t that advanced, and surveillance wasn’t as widespread. In this kind of environment, if someone went missing, there was no way to find them.
“Ah, by the way, I don’t have your contact info yet. If I run into trouble, can I reach you?” Susan asked.
Exploring mysterious men was as interesting as chasing legends.
“Contact info?” Li Changsheng paused. He’d just arrived here and didn’t even have an identity, let alone a way to stay in touch.
He did have a phone, but it was only for internal use on a closed network.
Li Changsheng thought and asked, “No, my phone fell into the sea. Shan, do you have a spare?”
Susan was surprised, then nodded. “I do have another phone, but it’s for...”
Before she could finish, Li Changsheng reached out his hand. “Then let me have it. If you run into any trouble, give me a call!”
It wasn’t easy to meet a fellow countryman; he couldn’t let her be led astray by foreigners.
Besides, if Landa made any moves, he could call Susan to check in. He remembered in the movie Landa brought Susan with him to Skull Island.
Susan hesitated, took out a small pink phone from her pocket, and stammered, “Isn’t this color a bit...”
“I don’t mind.”
Li Changsheng waved it off and took the phone. It was seven inches, with a touch screen, though the quality was much worse than the ones he’d used in his previous life.
He called Susan with it, found the signal decent, and noted her number with satisfaction.
“This must be expensive. Since you’re working and studying part-time, here, take this as payment.” Li Changsheng handed Susan a stack of US dollars.
It was thick, probably about ten thousand.
Susan hurriedly refused. “No! It’s fine! The phone is a gift...”
“You’re not related to me, so why would you give me something for nothing?” Li Changsheng arched an eyebrow, then took her soft hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Take it. Money’s like scrap paper to me. And remember, if anything strange happens, let me know right away!”
Given how many monsters there were in this world, he and Li Xiao G...
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...the two G creatures would certainly have to make good use of them to evolve to a higher level.
As her hand was squeezed, a blush crept onto Susan’s cheeks. After Li Changsheng left with her phone, she smacked her forehead.
Oh no! That phone was for taking photos—there are tons of my selfies in it!
Should I ask for it back?
But since it’s a gift, forget it...
...
Susan’s group disembarked first. After a brief farewell, Li Changsheng stayed on the ship until he reached London.
As for his identity, no one asked, and he didn’t offer. The ship’s captain, well aware that Li Changsheng had probably snuck aboard, kept silent.
The captain was actually grateful to Li Changsheng—after all, a million dollars was at stake. If the pirates had taken it, his career would have been over.
After a bumpy journey, he finally disembarked.
This world was in 2008.
On the surface, the economy was booming, but undercurrents of crisis and instability ran deep.
Unlike his previous life, in this world, America was in a special period—financial crisis, economic recession, and a growing wealth gap.
Besides banks and companies collapsing, masses of ordinary people were unemployed.
On the streets, lines of Americans queued for relief food; many were homeless, living on park benches.
Yet some were still wealthy, living in luxury and excess.
It was the very picture of the saying: “Behind the feasting and wine, bones lie frozen by the roadside.”
In such an environment, ordinary people’s lives and property weren’t protected at all.
But Li Changsheng actually liked it here.
He was no longer just an ordinary person.
Stepping off the ship into the bustling port, watching the endless stream of cars and the crowds, Li Changsheng exhaled slowly, raised his hand, and hailed a cab.
“To the London Shipping Company.”
He needed to confirm as soon as possible whether the plot of “King Kong 2005” was still in play.
He vaguely recalled that in “King Kong,” the protagonists traveled on a ship called the Venture—Surabaya.
The ship’s captain was well acquainted with the filmmaker Carl from the movie; they’d worked together often.
So, by finding the Venture, he could find Carl.
And Carl had something crucial.
A map to Skull Island.