When Charlie wade caught the faint engine noise, the three women were utterly confused.
Beyond the howl of the wind and the soft rustle of snow skittering across the ice, they heard nothing. How could there be a helicopter?
Moreover, when they had first arrived at the research station and met the Nordic team, the Nordics had explained that helicopters were almost never flown during the Antarctic winter. Only a life-threatening emergency would justify the risk. The slightest miscalculation could end in catastrophe.
Yet since Charlie wade said he had heard it, they trusted he was not imagining things.
Lin Wan’er spoke first. “Perhaps another research team has sent a helicopter on a mission.”
Charlie wade replied, “If they have deployed one, it is most likely because someone is injured.”
He frowned. “It sounds as though it is getting closer.”
Several dozen kilometres away, the helicopter from Wu Han Palace was following its planned search route.
An airborne ice radar hung beneath it, running at full power, scanning the ice sheet below.
Their flight path brought them within a few kilometres of the Nordic station at the closest point. To obtain accurate readings, they had to fly low and steady, skimming as close to the surface as possible.
As the helicopter approached, Grace Lowes and Song Rife also began to hear it. Grace Lowes asked Charlie wade, “Mr Wade, shall we head back, or wait here to see?”
“Let us wait a moment,” Charlie wade said. “Flying this far in such conditions does not sound like a rescue. No one would send people out on such a distant task in this weather.”
“Very well.” All four decided to stay put and see which nation’s research helicopter was conducting such an extensive operation at this time of year.
Because the Wu Han Palace helicopter was surveying, it moved slowly. They waited a long while before it finally appeared against the aurora-lit sky.
Even at several thousand metres, Charlie wade immediately spotted the large red circle on the fuselage. He said in surprise, “A Japanese helicopter. What are they doing out here in this season?”
Lin Wan’er recalled something. “While the young master was in seclusion, this servant read some news about Antarctica. It seems the Japanese team has launched their largest winter expedition ever this year. The station is said to be at full capacity, perhaps even over.”
“Oh?” Charlie wade found it strange. “We have been here before, so we know how harsh it is. Even year-round stations reduce staff in winter to conserve supplies. Resupply is difficult, and right now it is impossible. For Japan to run such a large operation, do they truly have enough provisions?”
Lin Wan’er shook her head. “This servant does not know the details, but the young master is right. Even if they delivered huge quantities by ship, the station’s infrastructure has limits. Take our own station. Fuel storage capacity is fixed. Building new tanks is complex. All equipment, stabilising systems, pipelines must be shipped from other continents. Tanks must be unloaded, transported inland, and buried in deep pits. None of that can be done in winter. They have announced no expansion. Suddenly doubling the personnel would surely strain fuel and supplies.”
“And now they are using helicopters on this scale. This servant has studied maps these past days and knows the rough locations of other stations. From the Japanese base it is at least three hundred kilometres. Their helicopter has not turned back but keeps going forward. One trip alone will burn enormous fuel. Are they courting disaster? Dozens of people without fuel for power and heating would mean lives lost, at the very least.”
