Chapter 244: Fishing.
Between the barren and lush landscapes, a mountain range divides them.
Jié Jié descends from the sky, crashing into this verdant area, listening to the complex sounds of the forest.
The chirping of insects and rustling leaves interweave, behind layers of foliage are dappled yet warm sunbeams.
After a grand journey back, he feels this is the most comfortable place in the New Continent.
Dappled light and shadows fall upon his body; curious gazes peer from within the woods.
The Thief Dragons do nothing more than spy.
As they anticipate, he finally meets the territory’s ruler.
A Black Wolf Bird perches on a massive branch, letting out a startled cry upon seeing Jie Jie, then without hesitation dives at him using its height advantage.
“Grunt!”
A fireball spits out, directly knocking the airborne Black Wolf Bird down before him.
With winged monsters like these, Jie Jie knows their moves just by their positions.
A stomp pins the rising Black Wolf Bird underfoot as he leans close to its pointed ears—
“Roarrrr!!!”
The Black Wolf Bird screams in pain but cannot drown out Jie Jie’s roar amplified with sound waves.
All he needs to do is release his grip, and the Black Wolf Bird flaps away.
Flocks of birds are startled into flight, nearby bushes rustle chaotically.
Ignoring the Thief Dragons, Jie Jie roars to satisfaction and flies off toward the coastline, diving straight into the sea.
The Abyssal Wave Dragon flaps its broad wings; glowing organs all over its body illuminate the shallow reefs with dazzling colors.
Its stubby arms are somewhat chubby, webbed fingers perfect for doggy-paddling, but true propulsion comes from those wide wings, each flap propelling it great distances.
But the coastline is long, and only when the sunlight piercing the water dims then brightens again does he reach the peak where the survey team’s base lies.
Among the lively fish schools, a little frog jumps around.
Jie Jie ponders for a moment, his perception through the water catching an energy source sitting by the shore.
Without doubt, it’s the silhouette of someone fishing.
But that lively frog is so tempting—could he possibly reel himself ashore?
On the shore, the Master Swordsman stares at the suddenly glowing sea surface, lost in thought, considering whether he should pull his rod.
It seems something big might be caught—colorful things are usually poisonous and inedible.
The water gently ripples, a shadow rises, and the underwater creature has already bitten the line!
In such a situation, no angler would let go of their rod. They’d strain every ounce of strength just to glimpse the aquatic beast.
The Master Swordsman stands up, gripping the rod tightly and exerting force. He isn’t worried about the rod or line breaking—he once caught a Water Dragon with this very rod.
The Master Swordsman remains steadfast, but the rod begins to bend.
The power of the underwater monster exceeds that of a Water Dragon, making the Master Swordsman sweat profusely.
Realizing he might lose his footing, he chooses to ease his strength and slowly reel in the line, lowering his expectations, merely hoping to see the face of the mysterious underwater creature.
His body tilts backward, teeth clenched tightly.
Until—
Boom!
The massive creature breaks the water surface, leaping along the tension of the fishing line, revealing its abdomen and inner wings shimmering with various lights.
Angler and fish lock eyes, their roles ready to reverse at any moment.
Bang!
The creature leaps and crashes back into the water, the force snapping the fishing line and splashing the Master Swordsman into a soggy mess.
“Hah, hahaha!”
Panting and laughing, the Master Swordsman pours half of all his bait into the water, trying to keep the mysterious creature lingering longer.
He calls for the nearest Hunter’s help, threading hooks through rocks to secure one end while binding himself to the other, carrying his Great Sword carefully entering the water near the coast.
Squinting, even underwater, the Hunter can still see clearly. The Master Swordsman swims toward the spot where he had previously cast his bait.
Meanwhile, Jie Jie feasts on the lively frogs among the bait, noticing the bold Hunter approaching but not particularly caring.
The Master Swordsman observes the underwater monster; the four-legged, two-winged structure of an Ancient Dragon is no illusion. He doesn’t dare approach further, observing from a relatively safe distance.
After some thought, he identifies it as the Water Ancient Dragon encountered eight years ago upon first arriving at the New Continent.
Recording more physical features, the Master Swordsman begins to retreat.
At this time, Jie Jie finishes devouring the lively frogs, submerging deeper into the ocean, pressing the radiant colors beneath his wings.
When the Master Swordsman returns to shore, many people are already guarding and waiting, the glowing sea and dark underwater shadows far too intriguing.
“Come, let’s discuss this inside.”
The Commander, arms crossed, nods and leads them back onto the Starship.
“If I’m not mistaken, the target is likely the Water Ancient Dragon we encountered when we first arrived at the New Continent.”
Most of the water has been wiped off his body. The Master Swordsman looks at the newly gathered group around the table and begins explaining the details of the sighting.
“Fond of frogs?”
The greedy Compiler raises an eyebrow, and the Master Swordsman immediately understands what he’s thinking:
“Hmm, but it’s much stronger than a Water Dragon, the back of its wings is pure black, but the insides and main body are covered in glowing organs.”
“…Aside from the wings, the outline somewhat resembles a Crimson Dragon.”
Seeing the scholar present a rough sketch for verification, the Master Swordsman pauses for a moment, offering the most vivid description, adding details upon inquiry.
The image of the Water Ancient Dragon is now seventy percent complete; after all, visibility underwater is extremely low, and the hunter has already witnessed more than enough.
“In that case, I’ll remind non-combatants to stay away from the beach during this period. Remember to report the bait and location used for fishing. Better safe than sorry.”
After giving instructions, the Commander continues studying the Guide Insect lanterns placed at the corner of the table, teasing the tiny glowing specks inside.
They seemed to turn blue when taken below earlier. Is that a special reaction to the presence of an Ancient Dragon?
In the sea, Jie Jie lands on a secluded spot, hiding his luggage, waiting to gradually bring it to the research team later.
Let him take a good look—what’s the current state of the research team?
Chapter 245
