Following their decision to venture into the depths of the reef cave to resolve the crisis, Zhang Hailou and Zhang Haixia made their way inside despite the desperate warnings of onlookers to stay away. Inside, they discovered a calcified Ming Dynasty shipwreck that had merged completely with the surrounding reef, filling the damp air with a heavy stench of rotting flesh. Deep within the ship's hold, they found decayed corpses suspended in bags.
