The Panhua Reef case caused a sensation in 1906; at that time, everyone in the South Seas was aware of it. Throughout the year 1906, there were a total of 27 incidents of ships disappearing along the route from Xiamen to Malacca, among which 12 were passenger ships with over a hundred people on board. All the missing vessels had passed near Panhua Reef. There were no signs before their disappearance; the weather at sea was fine, and there was no wreckage, no bodies, and no cargo. Moreover, there were no pirate ransom demands afterward; everything was silent, as if these ships had never existed at all. People said that there were sea monsters lurking in the sands near Panhua Reef, swallowing ships and people, causing the waters to become murky, so fleets avoided the area.

In November of that year, fog covered the sea, and most ships on the Malacca route had already rerouted to Pulau. Only a few cargo ships still passed through Panhua Reef, carrying offerings for the Dragon Mother. During this time, several crew members witnessed strange phenomena. In the thick fog, some saw countless shadows standing on Panhua Reef, all with their heads bowed, numbering in the thousands, resembling water ghosts longing for home, sending chills down people’s spines.

To uncover the truth, the South Seas Maritime Bureau established the South Seas Archives, dedicated to investigating strange occurrences in the region, compiling them into volumes known as the South Seas Scrolls. They recruited sailors and merchants from various places to gather intelligence. The first major case opened was the Panhua Reef case.

Zhang Haiyan, originally named Zhang Hailou, was one of the first agents to enter the South Seas Archives. He was trained at sixteen, expecting to work in maritime inspection and serve foreigners in the concessions. However, at the last moment, he was assigned to Perak as an external agent. In Perak, the pronunciation of the character “楼” (lou) became “盐” (yan), making his name sound unappealing. His nickname changed from “Lou Gui” (possibly due to his preference for nocturnal activities) to “A Bin.” He was tall and imposing; in Xiamen, he would have been seen as a figure of distinction, but here he was regarded as oddly dressed, like a madman in the marketplace.

Alongside him in Malacca was Zhang Haixia, who was stationed there at the same time. To ensure that Zhang Haixia’s name matched his own, he gave Zhang Haixia the nickname “Zhang Haixia” (which sounds similar). The two were of similar age and acted together, their names evoking a strong sense of camaraderie.

When the two arrived at Panhua Reef, it was already 1916, and the sea wind was very strong. Zhang Haiyan adjusted his military cap and lit a cigarette as he jumped onto the reef. The powerful sea wind blew the smoke he exhaled into a thin line, tracing across the corner of his mouth. Zhang Haixia followed behind, dragging a fisherman and throwing him onto the rocks.

After spending two weeks at sea, Zhang Haixia’s skin showed no signs of wear; instead, he appeared even younger and more handsome, causing Zhang Haiyan to feel a twinge of envy. At that moment, his companion was looking at the cigarette in his mouth with evident annoyance, clearly disapproving of the habit of smoking while investigating a case.

“Don’t worry, it’s been ten years since that incident. What kind of clue could remain here for ten years that a single cigarette could ruin?”

“Your cigarette,” Zhang Haixia continued to stare at the smoke in his mouth, “I recommended some tobacco to you before; those wouldn’t annoy me so much. This smell is distracting.”

Zhang Haiyan sighed and had no choice but to toss the cigarette onto the rocks.

The fishermen were clearly bound and trembling as they looked at the reef. This man, Chen Libiao, was one of the crew members who witnessed the water ghosts longing for their hometown on this reef ten years ago. He was brought back to the reef because, at that time, Chen Libiao was drunk and, together with another fellow fisherman, dared to approach the reef to see what was happening when they saw hundreds of ghosts. Chen Libiao, having drunk less, sobered up as he got closer, while his companion climbed onto the reef. After the thick fog lifted, both the ghosts and his companion disappeared, and that fellow fisherman was never seen again.

According to him, when approaching the reef, one could see those water ghosts standing by the water, their bodies covered in salt crust, their faces a deathly blue. These water ghosts were already dead and wrapped in salt flowers. However, once the fog cleared, these ghostly figures completely vanished.

After returning to his country, Chen Libiao reported to the Nanyang Archives. He was the only person who had been to the Panhua Sea Reef at the time of the incident. Ten years later, Zhang Haiyan and his team could only find him as a lead.

Zhang Haiyan looked at Chen Libiao and asked, “Where are the ghosts?”

“It’s been ten years; they might have gotten tired of standing and left,” Chen Libiao replied.

“Stop talking nonsense. I suspected back then that you killed your companion at sea and tossed him overboard, then lied that he was taken by ghosts. Your current demeanor is increasingly resembling that of a murderer. How about we just shoot you here, and I’ll go back and close the case?”

Chen Libiao looked at Zhang Haiyan, fear creeping into his heart, and immediately shook his head.

“If you don’t want to die, then summon the ghosts!” Zhang Haiyan scolded.

Although it was nearing dusk, visibility on the reef was still very high. Not only were there no water ghosts, but it could be said that there was nothing at all.

Chen Libiao trembled all over, clearly terrified of this reef. He looked around repeatedly and said softly, “The last time I came, I saw them in the thick fog; when the fog lifted, there was nothing left.”

“Fog? When does the fog roll in?” Zhang Haiyan asked.

“Before sunset, the wind stops, then thick fog rolls in. Around midnight, the wind picks up again, and the fog is blown away. We saw the water ghosts at that time.”

Zhang Haiyan took out his watch and checked the time. There was about half an hour until sunset. This watch was standard issue from the Nanyang Archives, given to maritime personnel. It featured a pattern of a hermit crab, and in this era, it was worth a fortune. However, his was blue, while Zhang Haixia’s was white.

Zhang Haiyan glanced at Zhang Haixia, who was carefully inspecting the crevices of the reef and didn’t pay attention to them.

Chen Libiao looked at Zhang Haiyan, drenched in cold sweat and visibly anxious. He glanced at the setting sun and then at the surrounding sea, clearly very frightened.

After looking back and forth for more than ten times, Zhang Haiyan grew impatient. He waved his hand, and Chen Libiao fled back to the maritime barge that had brought them, exclaiming, “Thank you, officer, for sparing my life!”

As Chen Libiao jumped onto the boat, the captain was still scolding him. Then the captain shouted to Zhang Haiyan, “Officer, how long do you plan to stay on the reef?”

“What’s wrong? Are you scared too, captain?” Zhang Haiyan asked.

“Officer, we’re more afraid of you. If you could be kind enough to let our boat move out three hundred steps, when you’re ready to return, just call us back. If you refuse, we’ll stay here, but we absolutely won’t go onto that reef.”

Zhang Haiyan chuckled. Since the establishment of the Nanyang Archives, he had encountered countless unbelievable events, such as black magic and spirits; there were at least eight hundred of them, if not a thousand. Most were merely human tricks, and all kinds of strange emotions and mysteries could be attributed to human nature. He did not believe that the events occurring on the coral reef could escape this pattern.

“You throw the wine up here, and after that, it’s up to you. But if I light up and you can’t make it within half a stick of incense, then you can forget about Malacca,” Zhang Haiyan said. Before he finished speaking, the captain of the boat had already thrown the wine and food bags onto the rocks. By the time Zhang Haiyan went over to pick them up, they had quickly left the reef.

Without a boat, he suddenly found himself cut off from the land, trapped on an island surrounded by the sea. The vast ocean stretched out before him, and being on this isolated island made him feel utterly insignificant against nature, regardless of any skills he possessed.

As the waves crashed in, Zhang Haiyan suddenly felt unsteady. He quickly shifted his gaze and realized that his feet were still steady; it was just the movement of the waves that gave him the illusion that the rocks were spinning.

He opened the wine and took a sip when he heard Zhang Haixia’s voice calling from a distance, “Can you move to the downwind side?”

Zhang Haiyan cursed inwardly and moved to sit behind a rock, waiting for the fog to come in. He had been working with Zhang Haixia for a long time and knew his temperament well. Zhang Haixia had a very sensitive nose, while Zhang Haiyan indulged in both smoke and alcohol, which was a torment for Zhang Haixia. Often, Zhang Haixia wished he could wash him clean of the hundred different smells on him. Usually, if he just sat in the downwind position, the two of them could coexist peacefully.

Sure enough, Zhang Haixia stopped bothering him. He watched as the sun slowly sank below the horizon, the thick clouds gathering near the sea level gradually obscuring the sun’s rays, transforming it into a red orb. After disappearing behind the clouds, it created a fiery sunset. The sea breeze also gradually calmed down.

He still missed the little things about Xiamen. It had been many years since he had returned. He recalled the time before he left the mainland for Malacca, when his master, the woman he called “Gan Niang,” had asked him if he could live alone in Malacca for thirty years. He had carelessly replied in the affirmative. Looking back now, he realized how naive he had been. Thirty years; he was too young at the time to understand what thirty years meant for a person.

Drifting alone in a foreign land, even after receiving sufficient training and managing to get along reasonably well with the locals, he could never fully settle down. There was always a strange sentiment, a feeling that he did not belong here. If it weren’t for Zhang Haixia accompanying him, he probably would have fled back long ago.

He had almost forgotten what Gan Niang had said back then; he only remembered that Zhang Haixia had insisted he should not agree. At that time, all he knew was that Gan Niang had treated him with great kindness, and whatever she asked him to do, he would do. After he nodded, she handed him a piece of paper, and he drew a circle on it. After that, she seemed relieved, patted his head, and went off to listen to the opera.

The next day, he was sent aboard a ship to the South Seas, enduring a bumpy journey to Perak. After boarding, he discovered that Zhang Haixia was also on the ship. Upon inquiring, he learned that Zhang Haixia had known he had made a pact and was so anxious that he lost a handful of hair. Zhang Haixia had a peculiar personality and lacked friends; Zhang Haiyan was his only companion. After being separated from his good friend for thirty years, he couldn’t accept it, and ultimately, he had no choice but to make a pact and follow along. At the time, he felt quite happy, thinking that Zhang Haixia was loyal. Now, he understood that this was no longer about loyalty; it was akin to accompanying someone to hell.

On the ship to Malacca, Zhang Haixia was sulking and had not spoken to Zhang Haiyan at all. This conflict had persisted until now, and back then, they were too young to care. As they grew older, they began to comprehend what thirty years meant, and only then did they understand why Zhang Haixia had refused to let him agree to the pact.

That damned piece of white paper was a contract of servitude! If violated, he would end up in prison upon returning to Xiamen.

As he was lost in thought, the sea in front of him gradually became blurry. Zhang Haiyan took a deep breath; the air was thick and salty, indicating that fog was rising. He stood up, took a sip of liquor, adjusted his military cap, and noticed that it was getting late. The sun on the horizon was just a thin line. He lit the wind lantern, and when he turned around, he saw a large fog bank drifting over from the sea, instantly enveloping the coral reef.

Zhang Haixia was suddenly shrouded in thick fog, making him hard to see. Zhang Haiyan walked towards him, raising the lantern high and saying, “Don’t search anymore; the fog has rolled in, and we need to stay together.” Just as he was speaking, he suddenly noticed that in the fog ahead, there was originally only one shadow of Zhang Haixia, but now dozens of shadows had appeared, all standing with their heads down, resembling ghosts.

Zhang Haiyan squinted, momentarily stunned, as the shadows in the fog multiplied, quickly surrounding him. In the thick fog, he couldn’t see clearly, only the dense figures encircling him.