ctnovel Chapter 137 They all want to harm me!
Chapter 137 They all want to harm me!
Chapter 137 They all want to harm me!
Did their gods know what was inside the sunken ship?
That's why they spared no expense, ordering their followers to abandon the points competition and risk a strong attack on the deep sea.
"Something unusual must be going on."
Yu Wang acted decisively, his mind immediately alarmed.
He made a quick decision and went down to see the situation for himself.
"You take the ducks and sail to the area where the Imperial Tear Pearl appeared. If you have the chance, fight for it; if not, protect yourself. I'll take the Sea Helmet Bug to the core area."
Old Wang nodded: "Be careful."
Although Zhang Xinlan was somewhat worried, she knew that Yu Wang's decisions usually had their reasons, and his newly acquired underwater breathing ability was indeed suitable for this kind of infiltration and reconnaissance.
Besides, as the captain of the "Ghost Pirate," she has to handle the delicate operations herself.
"You—be careful," Zhang Xinlan finally said, offering only this one piece of advice.
After the division of labor was clear, Zhang Xinlan and Lao Wang immediately took Ya Ya and sailed the "Ghost Pirate" towards the area of golden light, blending into the surging flow of ships.
Yu Wang then rode a sea helmet insect and silently went underwater.
He wasn't wearing the spare Blood Coral Suit. This suit was fine for use on land, but it offered no benefit underwater and couldn't help the body resist water pressure. Wearing it in the water would actually hinder his movement.
The "Ocean Blessing" ability activates automatically the moment you enter the water.
A cool sensation enveloped my entire body; the water felt like air I could breathe freely.
Yu Wang tried swinging his legs and found that the resistance in the water was significantly reduced, making his movements smoother and more natural. When he swam at full speed, his speed was probably not much slower than that of the sea helmet worm.
He patted the sea helmet worm's hard, carapace-like head: "Buddy, you'd better step up your game. We've been feeding you plenty of the best scraps and bits of meat, so don't let us down when it matters."
The sea helmet worm seemed to understand, its paddling rhythm noticeably quickened, and its speed increased significantly as it sped towards the core area of the maze.
Before long, they approached the sea area where the white church ship of the "Holy Angels Church" was anchored.
From a distance, the ship still floated quietly, but the surrounding area was noticeably quieter, with only a few low-level vessels remaining.
I wonder if they're waiting for today's free food distribution.
Without further hesitation, Yu Wang put a "evening primrose" leaf in his mouth. A cool and slightly bitter sensation spread in his mouth, and his adaptability to water pressure seemed to have increased.
He took a deep breath of water, adjusted his state, and began to descend straight down.
As you walk through the path formed by layers of living corals, the sunlight in the upper "sunlit zone" is quickly absorbed by the seawater, becoming hazy.
The colorful coral reef receded into the distance.
Soon we entered the "middle fluorescent zone," where the surrounding light mainly came from the bioluminescent corals and creatures, creating a dim and dreamlike atmosphere.
As we continued to descend, the last faint glimmer of light was completely swallowed up by the thick darkness.
We have officially entered the "deep dark zone" where even light cannot penetrate.
Absolute silence and darkness descended, with only the beam of a headlamp illuminating a small area ahead. The water pressure was noticeably increased, and the seawater was icy cold.
However, Yu Wang, whose strength had increased significantly and whose bones and flesh were even stronger, did not feel much discomfort. He opened the "Area Survivor Map".
Sure enough, many glowing dots representing survivors appeared on the map.
Unfortunately, a flat map cannot determine the exact depth of these glowing spots in the water. It's quite possible that his location might overlap with a glowing spot, yet he still wouldn't be found.
Just then, his "wealth perception" talent suddenly showed a slight fluctuation.
There is a source of "wealth" nearby. If it were just an Abyss Pearl, Yu Wang might still think that the overall situation should be taken into consideration. However, the direction of the aura emanating from that pearl almost coincides with the light spot on the area's survivor map.
Therefore, he followed that faint sensory guidance and went there.
Passing through a cluster of coral skeletons that stretched out like menacing claws, the headlamp beam illuminated a clump stuck in a crevice of the coral.
The shadow is struggling in vain.
It was a woman wearing a fish skin swimsuit, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, of medium build, with long black hair that floated in the water like seaweed.
She wasn't carrying any oxygen tanks or similar external oxygen supply equipment! It seemed she was breathing underwater using some special method.
Her legs were firmly stuck by several thick, intertwined coral bones, preventing her from escaping.
Seeing the light approaching, she grasped at it like a lifeline, frantically waving her arms and calling for help.
"You're in the second batch of support personnel, right? Help! My capsule only has twenty minutes of oxygen left!"
Yu Wang immediately realized that the other party had mistaken him for "one of their own".
Was it because he didn't bring an oxygen tank himself?
He wondered to himself, could it be that "Holy Radiance: East Wind" had obtained "internal circulation potion," "oxygen capsule," or advanced equipment inscribed with "underwater breathing" runes so early that they could temporarily get rid of the cumbersome external oxygen supply system?
Suppressing his doubts, he first signaled the other party to calm down, then took out a dagger and pried the coral bone off.
Although he is strong enough to easily break these bones with his bare hands, now is not the time to show off.
If he were to display any special power, he would likely be subjected to constant questioning. At this moment, Yu Wang had a new plan in mind.
Rather than making wild guesses, it's better to blend in and go to the scene with Ji Feng and the others to see for yourself.
The woman, having escaped her predicament, immediately expressed her gratitude. She then picked up the fish-tooth dagger that had fallen to the side. Judging from the nicks in the dagger, she had clearly tried to save herself, but due to insufficient strength, she not only failed to escape but also dropped the weapon.
Having retrieved the fish-tooth dagger she'd traded for a small portion of her fortune, the woman breathed a sigh of relief and pointed urgently into the darkness below: "Come with me quickly! I was in the first group, but I temporarily left to collect Abyss Pearls and ended up trapped here. I need to hurry back to Lord Jifeng for new capsules."
Yu Wang nodded, and at the same time used his mind to command the Sea Helmet Worm to stay away for the time being, and only need to keep a distance and follow.
The surrounding area was pitch black, a true void.
The effective field of vision for ordinary humans is only a few meters within the range illuminated by their headlamps.
Upon receiving the command, the sea helmet worm silently disappeared into the shadows of the coral to its side.
The woman, unsuspecting, immediately perked up when she saw the "reinforcements" following. Based on the coordinates sent by her teammates, she continued to descend in one direction.
Yu Wang followed closely behind, while observing carefully.
He discovered that the woman's swimming skills were quite rusty, her movements were stiff, and she was only holding on by some kind of external force.
The two of them, one in front of the other, descended vertically dozens of meters into the all-consuming darkness. The seawater was icy cold, and the pressure gradually increased.
When the depth reading on the dive watch jumped to 168 meters, several other flickering lights finally appeared ahead.
The woman perked up and immediately changed direction, swimming towards the light, with Yu Wang following closely behind.
Upon getting closer, Yu Wang saw about seven figures gathered together.
They mostly wore simple diving goggles purchased from the fish market, and various diving suits, but mostly made of fish skin.
In this pitch-black environment, it was impossible to see any details of each other's faces, and the sound was also blocked and distorted by the water. Yu Wang blended into this small group without any hindrance.
They were gathered together, seemingly taking a short break. The leader wore the distinctive white robes of the Holy Angels Church. It was Ji Feng. He was scanning the surrounding darkness with his headlamp, his expression serious.
He appeared serious, but was actually masking his inner panic.
It's so cold and dark. Why are there sounds coming from inside my body? Is my breathing so heavy?
"I wish I hadn't played so many deep-sea horror games. What if there's a fish with its mouth wide open waiting for me where the light doesn't reach? What if there's a giant squid?"
The woman who had escaped immediately swam over, quickly explained the situation to Ji Feng, and even took out the "Abyss Pearl" from her small bag to prove that she had not been slacking off.
Ji Feng merely shone his headlamp on the pearls for a quick glance, and after confirming that they were indeed pearls, he waved to the woman to put them away herself, his attention seemingly elsewhere.
He thought to himself, "Heh heh, the feeling of playing dumb to outsmart others is really satisfying. You're about to hit the jackpot!" They're probably still gloating over their small lead in points, right? They have no idea what we're plotting!
Even if my teammates don't get the one and only Royal Tear Pearl, I can still hand over all the Abyss Pearls I've collected at the last moment, instantly boosting my score and catching them off guard!
I must follow the oracle's instructions, and I absolutely cannot fall behind in the game's ranking! Hahaha! This is double the results!
Envisioning a bright future, Ji Feng nodded, took out a capsule emitting a soft white light from his spatial backpack, and handed it to the woman as a supply.
Over the next ten minutes, more people gradually joined the group from the surrounding darkness.
Some were second-tier members who came down from above to reinforce the team, while others, like the woman from before, were returning to the team after searching for "Abyss Pearls" in the outer area.
The team gradually expanded in size.
Ten minutes later, Ji Feng glanced at the time and realized he couldn't wait any longer; he had to reach the target area as soon as possible.
He counted the number of people; there were now 32. He then waved his hand and gave the order to lead the mixed team to continue descending into the deeper darkness.
When the water depth was initially between 160 and 180 meters, the situation was relatively controllable.
This depth is an area where they frequently operate, and the pressure and environment are manageable. Although the team is somewhat loose, it can still maintain a basic formation.
After all, in the mornings, in search of the "Abyss Pearl," worth 100 points, they would occasionally risk a brief dive to nearly 180 meters.
A meter deep.
Now, with the added blessing of the group, there's even less chance of any problems.
But as the depth increased, approaching 200 meters and 230 meters, things began to look wrong.
First, there is the increasingly intense "pale whisper" mental pollution.
Although they are protected by the collective blessing of the statues, and their sanity decreases several times slower than that of ordinary people, the differences in mental resistance between individuals are still huge.
Soon, those in the team with lower average attributes and weaker willpower began to experience auditory hallucinations, feeling countless tiny, malicious voices whispering in their ears, driving them away.
Subsequently, the auditory hallucinations quickly escalated into terrifying visual hallucinations.
In a panic, some people spat out the precious "Holy Light Life Capsule" they were holding in their mouths, while others completely lost control. While swimming around, one of the team members to their left suddenly jumped up without warning!
The man suddenly drew his machete from his waist and began wildly hacking at the surrounding seawater, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Monster! A white monster! It's coming from that direction! Everyone, attack!! Aaaaaah!"
The sharp blade reflected a cold light under the headlamp beam, nearly slicing through the nearby monsoon!
Yu Wang reacted quickly, pulling out his "mammoth ivory gun" to block the man's cleaver.
Although it's uncertain whether others will recognize the "crab claw harpoon", it's safer to play it safe and use a weapon that doesn't appear often.
Noticing the abnormality, the others nearby rushed forward and tried to work together to stop their teammate from going berserk.
However, in the eyes of this survivor who was in a hallucination, the companions who surrounded him also seemed to be twisted and deformed, turning into terrifying monsters, waving weapons to attack him!
Terrified, he let out a muffled scream and frantically turned around, swimming towards the endless darkness to his side. "Liu Hao!"
In the team, some teammates who were on good terms with him tried calling his name, their voices filled with anxiety.
But if a person can be brought back from madness simply by their name, then rationality will not be valued as much.
After trying to chase him for a few meters, he was forced back by the flash of the blade and could only watch as the light from Liu Hao's headlamp slowly faded in the distance and was eventually swallowed up by the darkness.
As a true novice believer, Monsoon receives the strongest group blessing effect, and so far there have been no obvious adverse reactions.
He's just become a bit irritable and doesn't think things through when he speaks.
He tried his best to calm the chaotic crowd.
After a flurry of attempts to calm and count the people, Ji Feng was ashen-faced when he discovered that only twenty-seven people remained in the group!
In just a few dozen meters of depth, five people were inexplicably killed!
"This is nothing!!" Ji Feng was both shocked and furious.
What's more troublesome is that some people have already begun to waver, their eyes darting around, clearly showing signs of wanting to back out.
"Lord Monsoon—it's too dangerous down there, shouldn't we—shouldn't we go back first?" someone suggested, their voice trembling.
"Go back? No way!" Monsoon suppressed his anger: "You can leave! But I'll immediately remove the blessing from you! Without the blessing, do you think you can even make it back to the surface alive in this depth and polluted environment?"
Losing his temper, Ji Feng impulsively spoke his mind.
As soon as he finished speaking, he regretted it, regretting that he hadn't been able to say something gentler.
These words carried a blatant threat, but they also revealed part of the truth.
They rely on blessings to resist pollution and water pressure; if they lose them, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Perhaps in the next moment, I too will be enveloped by hallucinations.
More importantly, a single "Holy Light Life Capsule" only provides oxygen for about an hour, and many people have already used up a significant amount of it, leaving insufficient time to support their safe return to the surface.
Want to leave? Not so easy!
Those who remained looked at each other, filled with unease and regret, but seemed to be temporarily subdued, and no one dared to openly suggest leaving again.
At this moment, Yu Wang, who had been silently following along, suddenly suggested, "Everyone, why don't we chat a little while we dive down? That way we can distract ourselves and spot anyone who seems off sooner."
This suggestion immediately received a lot of support.
Silence and darkness are the easiest breeding grounds for fear and hallucinations; some sound and interaction can indeed relieve stress. More importantly, Yu Wang's last sentence, "Find out who's not quite right as soon as possible," struck a chord with Ji Feng.
Liu Hao had been silent all along, but suddenly he started to erupt.
If it can be detected early, there are at least many ways to save the situation.
"Okay! Let's do it his way!" Ji Feng immediately agreed!
This method actually had some effect.
We discovered a team member who had started talking nonsense and whose logic was incoherent.
After being reminded by others, the team member suddenly realized that his sanity had somehow dropped below 40!
And he was completely unaware!
So they quickly took out the props that had been distributed earlier to replenish their supplies!
Ji Feng gave Yu Wang an approving look: "Well done, very clever. When we get back, I will definitely try my best to help you get a chance to become a 'basic believer'!"
Yu Wang nodded "gratefully" in agreement, but in reality, he just wanted to find out more information.
By extracting keywords unconsciously leaked from the conversations and combining them with previous clues, Yu Wang gradually pieced together the general cause of the incident: "Pale Guardian" should be the source of "Pale Whispers" and "Pale Mark," an ancient and powerful being entrenched deep within the labyrinth.
It was entrusted by Iristiel to guard something.
Now, the high-ranking members of the Holy Angels Church have issued a divine decree, claiming that the "Pale Guardian" is dead and that what he guarded is now ownerless, and ordering Monsoon to lead a team to take it.
The exact nature of the item and its purpose remain unclear, but it is clearly located deeper underwater and is of great importance to the church.
To motivate the believers, Jifeng claimed they were searching for treasure.
"So that's how it is—" After sorting things out, Yu Wang understood and thought to himself that he had made the right decision to take the risk and follow along.
but----
He looked at the "Skeleton Duck" in his summoning interface. He had been suspicious when the "Chef Duck" suddenly appeared in his summoning list last time, and the sudden addition of the "Skeleton Duck" this time only confirmed his guess.
The Pale Guardian seems, probably, possibly not dead yet, or perhaps it lives on in another form.
The mercury counter on the diving watch kept ticking, 250 — 20 —
300!
The terrifying water pressure at a depth of 100 meters was no longer something that Xi Tong, whose average attribute value was probably just over 5, had no pressure-resistant items, and relied solely on blessings and willpower to endure, could easily withstand.
Difficulty breathing, ear pain, dizziness, nausea—a host of negative symptoms begin to appear.
The original team of 100,000 men, after reaching a depth of 300 meters, had less than half of them remaining conscious and capable of movement, aside from those who had gone mad or disappeared.
Morale was low, and everyone was filled with anxiety.
In the end, after a group of people received capsules, some couldn't stand it.