Although the tsunami had passed, the wind and waves did not immediately stop.
Even with the warning given, the losses were still significant, and some villagers in the fishing villages failed to escape in time, swept away by the tsunami, their fate unknown.
This tsunami was not particularly strong, and the losses were not among the worst. But as the saying goes, if it doesn't happen to you, it's a one in a million chance; if it does, it's certain.
The lives of those swept away cannot be lived again; the destroyed houses and boats can only be rebuilt or repurchased.
Chen Ying chose to follow the rescue team to the fishing village for rescue, after all, with three sea seals and a group of dolphins ready to assist, his advantage in marine rescue was unmatched.
Luck was on their side this time, as soon as they arrived near the fishing village, they encountered Uncle's children, a few young people were busy helping transport supplies and tending to the injured. Grandma Pegado's grandson had even joined the local temporary rescue team, responsible for diving and searching for victims.
After staying here for three days, the mission was finally completed.
Chen Ying, along with the three seals, made great contributions. The dolphins even learned to cooperate in net pulling to reduce the impact of the waves on the rescuers on the shore.
After the storm subsided, everyone and the animals were utterly exhausted. Hai Bo, with his two brothers, completed the search for those who fell into the sea, lying on the beach, too worn out to move, barely having enough energy to eat.
At this moment, several fishermen whose homes were affected brought small buckets to feed the three sea seals, and the dolphins patrolling the nearby waters also received food.
After packing up, Chen Ying urged the three seals to hurry and eat; once done, they could board the ship. They needed to rush back, as his family was urging him.
The rescue team was in no hurry to return, as they had to stay and handle the remaining matters. There were still a few missing people yet to be found, and although the chances were slim, another search was necessary.
Several hours later, as dusk began to fall, Chen Ying took a ride on Uncle Chris's fishing boat to return home.
Their area was relatively far from the epicenter, although affected, the losses were minimal, except for Hai Bo's pool needing cleaning and refilling.
Additionally, many plants in the garden were destroyed. The elderly neighbor said she'd take care of it, promising that by the time Chen Ying returned, he'd see a brand new garden.
The tsunami's reach was not extensive, by the time it got to their northernmost point, it was already at its weakest.
The life of the seals was not much affected; in fact, there was an increase in the number of fish driven to this area, which led to a bout of binge eating.
Returning to the familiar bay, Hai Bo greeted Chen Ying and, along with his two seal brothers, started flaunting everywhere, undeterred even by Chen Ying's departure.
In this operation, Chen Ying managed to stay under the radar, but the three seal rescuers and the dolphins became widely known.
Local environmental groups seized the opportunity to start protection work for the ringed seals.
The most eye-catching little whale dolphin beast also gained its own fan base and personal website. Numerous photography enthusiasts and influencers flocked to the regions where its family frequently appeared, hoping for a romantic encounter with this unique little elf.
Back at the research institute, Chen Ying was pressed by classmates and teachers for details about the rescue mission. Except for the parts he couldn't disclose, he recounted everything, even a new student lamented missing out on such an event, else they might have made the news themselves.
The post-tsunami rebuilding was naturally not something Chen Ying had to worry about. His teacher called him back to send him on a business trip to the Alana Mountains to observe the Iberian lynx, Matil, which had been reintroduced earlier this year.
"Matil's tracking collar unexpectedly fell off, and while the observers have found the collar, Matil's whereabouts remain unknown."
The professor took off his glasses and pinched his nose bridge, "Matil has a good relationship with you, try to see if you can have a chance encounter with it. We need to know at least its range of activity, and if there's a chance, put another collar on it."
Matil is an adult female Iberian lynx, fully capable of surviving in the wild after two years of feral training.
The professor was concerned if it would successfully get pregnant this year, and whether as a first-time mother, it could give birth and raise cubs in the wild.
No time to lose, Chen Ying packed his things and, after barely three days at the research institute, set out again for the Alana Mountains.
The research institute chose to establish the observation station in the Pyrenees Region, an area rich in biodiversity and featuring a typical ecosystem of Europe's southwest.
Apart from the endangered Iberian lynx, there are also Pyrenean rock antelope and the Imperial Spanish Eagle.
Their last chosen location was at the end of the mountain range, an area with complex terrain and dense forests that could provide a hidden habitat for lynxes. Nearby is the world heritage site Pyrenees Mountains - Pardido Mountain, where ecological protection is very strict, thus minimizing human disturbance to the Iberian lynx.
The elevation gradient here is significant, ranging from one thousand to three thousand meters, allowing for monitoring of the Iberian lynx's adaptability to different climate zones.
In summary, it is a carefully selected living area for Matil, but for some reason, Matil does not appear to be fond of it.
The location where its collar was found last time was on the edge of the West Pyrenees, an area with a temperate oceanic climate, abundant prey, and a mix of low-altitude forests and mountain environments, which are preferred living environments for lynxes.
In previous years, they had released two male lynxes there. Unfortunately, one died of illness within half a year after release, and the other was injured during fights with other animals and its collar fell off as well, leading to speculation that it likely did not survive.
The monitoring point in the Pyrenees is situated near the transition zone between high mountain meadows and forests within a national park, a breathtakingly beautiful environment. It might be quite a nice place to retire, with the caveat one shouldn't stay here long-term.
Chen Ying was not alone this time; he was accompanied by a three-person team.
The small wooden house at the monitoring point was the typical log style, the most common two-story loft type in Europe.
The attic had two separate bedrooms; Chen Ying and a senior Ph.D. team member occupied one each, while the female Ph.D. in zoology stayed in a small room on the west side of the ground floor, boasting an en suite bathroom. Although small, having one in this setting was a big plus.
The slightly larger room was divided into two parts with movable furniture, serving as the original observer's bedroom. There was also a shared bathroom on the east side used and cleaned in rotation by the four men.
"This is where we discovered the collar; there are no signs of fighting or other predatory cats." The original monitor wiped his face, "The two of us have surveyed a twelve kilometer radius, finding only a few Imperial Spanish Eagles and a brown bear living here. Other common animals are also plentiful, and protection in this mountain range is quite strict."
Chen Ying carefully looked over the map and decided it was best to see it in person.
Unfamiliar with the mountain conditions, he was accompanied by an old monitor, while the other two men needed to check the area where Matil had been previously released, hoping it had returned there.
At this point, the female doctoral candidate Anna suddenly spoke up, "Closer to the West Pyrenees there's a sparse population of Eurasian lynxes. Be wary of their sudden attacks when you head there."
Chen Ying gestured to indicate he understood and then, along with the old monitor, shouldered their equipment and headed to the parking area five kilometers away, from where they would drive to the West Pyrenees and then trek in.
At that time, others would be responsible for driving the car back to the monitoring station, while the two of them would have to walk back, hoping to find signs of Matil along their return journey.
The car was parked at the forest's edge, where there was also a monitoring station primarily tasked with observing environmental changes.
After spending the night squeezed in here, the next morning, Chen Ying and the old monitor entered the forest in search of lynx tracks.
What they didn't notice was a lynx, its fur color blending with the rock, watchfully eyeing them from a bare rock cliff behind them.
("Haven't seen such a handsome eagle?")
("And the 'blurriness is my camouflage' large lynx")