Suo Yu Bay, Blue Clam Shipyard.
The time is early morning, the sun just rising, and the sea is still shrouded in a thin layer of mist, yet this renowned shipyard in Suo Yu Bay has already come to life.
On the slipway, the dragon bone of a large ship under construction lies like the spine of a stranded whale, quietly resting, supported by numerous thick wooden frames, while the shipwrights stand on the scaffolding beside the dragon bone like scavengers enjoying the heritage of a whale fall, holding axes and drills, scattering countless wood shavings.
On the other side, a giant winch creaks slowly turning, with ropes thicker than a child's arm pulled taut, extending all the way to the water surface, tied to the stern of a ship newly formed and ready to be launched, and the craftsmen on both sides watch with eager yet serious expressions, closely observing the wooden boat's entry into the water.
