**Chapter Twenty-Six: A Journey to Sea Twelve**
As the Killer Whale was lifted into the sky by a hundred-meter water tornado, the moment figures broke through the water flow to board the ship, all the lights on board went out, leaving only the lightning cutting through the clouds above to illuminate the deck.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the surface of the sea, and in the blink of an eye, only a pale whiteness remained; countless thin electric snakes seemed alive, writhing their bodies as they crawled up from the sea surface to the deck.
Just as the intense flickering of the electric light blinded her vision, Miss Rabbit’s upright white ears sharply caught the sound of rushing air; those who had just boarded the Killer Whale were quickly moving toward various corners of the ship.
However, before she could confirm the exact locations of those figures through sound, the rumbling thunder that followed the lightning drowned out all the unsettling, stealthy noises.
“Boom—!”
Losing both sight and hearing, and knowing enemies surrounded her, Miss Rabbit’s heart instantly raced to her throat. With a flick of her hand, she summoned a rusty fire axe, softly chanting a description of authority while pushing her spirit energy to its limits.
“O Emperor of Time, wishing to test the Bodhisattva practitioner… Only the rabbit remains, with nothing given in return, sacrificing oneself to the flame, its traces shall not vanish, entrusted to the lunar wheel…”
A brilliant blue flame sprouted from the blade of the axe, growing grandly as it almost covered the entire bow of the deck, swirling around Miss Rabbit and safeguarding her.
Seconds later, as her eyes recovered from the brief blindness caused by the intense lightning, she looked up and around, her pupils trembling slightly.
In her line of sight, the Mafia gang members who had just moments ago appeared panicked while moving about the ship, seemed to have fallen under some spell of time suspension, halting their movements.
The brilliant blue moon shadow flame still flickered on the deck, while the cold wind continued to whip the waves, creating a “pattering” sound as the sea water crashed against various areas. The surging water rushed onto the deck and swiftly plummeted into the sea through the drainage gaps…
Time had not come to a standstill; rather, they were all dead, their bodies mangled, appearing as if they had been attacked by a pack of ferocious beasts, covered with gruesome wounds visible down to the bone.
Throat, heart, thigh artery… As one who once hunted humans, Miss Rabbit knew all too well that those wounds were located almost precisely where one could strike a fatal blow.
With another jolt hitting the ship, they collapsed to the ground like dry grass blown down by the wind, and vibrant crimson bl**d spread out beneath their bodies, blooming like flowers.
After a brief moment of distraction, a sudden dimness enveloped Miss Rabbit, as if shadowed by darkness, and she instinctively looked up to see the clouds pressing down from above, with raindrops falling swiftly.
Then.
A tentacle, formed from deep blue seawater and exceeding five meters in diameter, abruptly burst into view from the darkness.
The tentacle smashed down violently, causing the deck to sink, the hull to shudder, and the glass of the cabin to shatter completely. In unseen areas, the steel creaked ominously as if it might break at any moment…
——~
While Miss Rabbit was engaged in a fierce battle, in another part of the cockpit.
Fifteen… ten… seven… two.
The moment the first scream pierced the engine compartment, Luxianbei began to silently count in his heart, stopping only when the Black Woman fell beside the cockpit.
When he boarded the Killer Whale, he had confirmed how many spiritual ability users or urban legends were on the ship through the method of presenting valuable small gifts.
If nothing went wrong, there had been fifteen two minutes ago, and now there were two.
Aside from the captain in the cockpit, and the red-haired woman who deliberately concealed her spirit energy fluctuations, everyone else was dead.
Like lamps extinguishing one after another on the Killer Whale, within just two minutes, spiritual energy fluctuations disappeared from detection range.
I knew it! I knew something could happen! Luxianbei thought.
He had felt vaguely that this journey might not be safe, but he didn’t expect something would actually go wrong, and a giant would show up.
Although the route for this journey was arranged by the Wordless Book, it couldn’t possibly handle everything personally.
God knows how many layers of “contracting out” it underwent before it got to the actual situation, how many insiders mingled in, and how much information leaked out?
If it weren’t for his trust in the Wordless Book…
If it weren’t for that urban legend-like Zhipianxian sustaining heavy damage while “acting” and unable to fulfill all the terms of the transaction…
He might not have even boarded this ship!
However, having finally chosen to board, he could only make some preparations under limited circumstances.
Thus, the first thing he did after boarding was confirm whether there were any threats on the ship…
Therefore, he desperately wanted to pilot the Killer Whale and gain the ability to summon an alchemical ship…
But clearly, he hadn’t prepared enough! Luxianbei thought.
At that moment, the nearest land to the Killer Whale was several dozen nautical miles away, with a Cataclysm Grade enemy related to the waves concealed under the sea surface, and his currently strongest ability associated with the North Goddess was suppressed by the marine environment without weakening…
Choosing to abandon ship or fight to the d*ath would inevitably shift the battlefield from the only solid footing—the Killer Whale—to the surface of the sea. Once the battlefield transformed into the ocean, fighting against an enemy with wave-related powers was practically a d*ath sentence.
After analyzing the situation, Luxianbei realized that all the conditions laid out before him were unfavorable.
It was like a fully stacked DEBUFF!
d*mn it! Why not just hide in the God Realm Prototype, let Ling Tai Purification sink to the bottom of the sea, and wait for the enemy to leave before coming out? Luxianbei thought.
At that moment, as if struck by several deep-sea behemoths, the Killer Whale suddenly began to shake violently.
Accompanied by the heavy rocking were a series of explosive sounds from spirit energy collisions and the sharp sounds of metal twisting and deforming coming from outside the cockpit.
Following that, he faintly heard the sound of flowing water, and alarms rang out in the cockpit.
“We’re taking on water!” the captain’s voice quivered, “That giant has damaged the hull; the Killer Whale is going to sink!”
“Is there a way to remedy this?” Luxianbei asked the captain, his expression flat. “Isn’t this a specially modified alchemical ship? It can’t even handle this kind of situation?”
“Yes, yes…” the captain replied.
“Then why aren’t you getting on with it? Are you frozen in fear?” Luxianbei snapped.
After hearing Luxianbei’s urging, the captain finally snapped back to attention, leaning over the control panel to make adjustments.
With a series of knob turns and button presses, two lines of text lit up on the screen in front of the control panel.
[Area Three has completed isolation]
[Area Seven has completed isolation]
[Tide Mode startup progress: 54%]
…
As several lines of text flickered by, the spirit energy circuits and intricate alchemical machinery hidden within the Killer Whale began to operate. In unseen areas, metals clashed, erupting with the rumbling of the tide, while the spirit energy circuits surged, emitting a melodious buzz.
Seconds later, the initially rocking ship rapidly stabilized.
During the brief wait, Luxianbei also calmed down.
Just a moment ago, I was complaining about the captain being frozen in fear, and wasn’t I panicking too?
Although hiding in the God Realm Prototype when absolutely necessary could likely save his life, it was still too passive.
If he was “guarded” by the enemies, wouldn’t he be stuck underwater forever? Who knows, after a few decades, the residents of the God Realm Prototype might be turned into Naga… Luxianbei thought.
Rather than putting himself in a passive position, it would be better to think of a way to escape before being driven into a desperate situation.
For example… to create a scene of chaos?
Having successfully piloted the Killer Whale, he should be able to summon an alchemical ship similar to the Killer Whale using the ability of [Hero Species Spirit Patterns: Roland’s Horn].
Luxianbei thought, quickly formulating a plan for escape in his mind.
First, deal with the enemies who had already boarded the ship, then summon as many alchemical ships like the Killer Whale as possible, allowing all ships to bombard the enemy on the sea while fleeing in different directions, or even charging directly at the enemy to self-destruct…
This would be a feasible escape route!
Just like how sharks, when hunting seals, cannot k*ll off every last one, as long as there are enough alchemical ships fleeing at the same time, surely the enemies on the sea would be unable to pinpoint which ship he was on among the many alchemical vessels and intercept him.
As for how to ensure that his escape wouldn’t lead him directly into the deep sea and inadvertently hand his head to their knives… Luxianbei thought, glancing slyly at the captain, who was holding the helm but appeared dazed.
Under attack from urban legends, and with the air filled with intense spirit energy fluctuations, no humanoid navigator lacking rich sailing experience would be as effective.
Right now, the only one familiar with this bay, possessing abundant sailing experience, and easy to control seemed to be the captain of the Killer Whale.
Bringing his thoughts back, Luxianbei approached the captain, softly calling, “Captain?”
After waiting two seconds for the captain to turn around, he activated the wrist of his alchemical prosthetic, expressionless, he said to the captain, “Captain, it seems there’s a situation outside that I need to handle…”
He deliberately drew the captain’s attention to the alchemical prosthetic, using it as a form of psychological suggestion. Once they escaped from danger, when the captain recalled the events on the ship, he would subconsciously believe that most of his combat strength came from the alchemical prosthetic, thus reducing the risk of exposing his identity.
“Wh-what about me?” the captain stammered.
Having never experienced a Cataclysm Grade battle, he was genuinely terrified, especially after witnessing the Black Woman dying right outside the cockpit, his fear magnified several times over.
The previous gang conflicts were nothing compared to the huge gap between now and then.
In such moments, he just wanted to stay with his companions.
“You?” Luxianbei patted the captain’s shoulder, “Look into my eyes, listen to what I say… just drive the ship, concentrate fully, head full speed toward the nearest land, and leave the rest to me.”
As he spoke, his eyes slowly glinted with a faint crimson hue.
Charm ability activated.
Under the influence of the charm ability, the captain’s eyes, previously blanketed by fear, shifted to excitement, his face slightly flushed, breathing hastened, he nodded vigorously in agreement with Luxianbei’s request, “No problem, I’ll handle this!”
Luxianbei, “…”
Something feels off! Why does he seem like he’s hopped up on some stimulant?
Has the charm ability become this effective even without the urban legend state?
Is it because Lilith’s consciousness awakened from the egg of the witch during the God Realm Yumen?
After a moment of contemplation without finding a reason, Luxianbei shook his head, momentarily setting aside his doubts, then strode toward the cockpit door.
Never mind, it’s not the time to get tangled up in such details.
With that thought, Luxianbei grasped the handle of the cockpit door, infused it with a bit of spirit energy, dispelling the enchantment seal and opened the door.
“Bang—!”
The heavy sound of the door slamming shut echoed.
Seeing Luxianbei still remaining in the cockpit, Xuan Ying Luo Fu’s face flashed with confusion.
Didn’t he say he was going to handle the enemies outside?
What on earth is he doing? Xuan Ying Luo Fu wondered.
Leaning against the door, Luxianbei assessed the captain, who was fully focused on piloting the ship, quietly moving closer, lifting his alchemical prosthetic, with flickering lightning dancing at the tips of his silver-white fingers.
In this way, the captain would think it wasn’t me who electrocuted him, but that he was attacked by enemies, right? Luxianbei thought, covering the captain’s eyes with one hand while the other, like an electric shock baton, silently jabbed into the captain’s waist.
“Crackle!” The light sound of the electric arc reverberated.
The captain twitched a few times before collapsing, then Luxianbei proficiently shoved him into the God Realm Prototype.
Xuan Ying Luo Fu, “…”
For some reason, she suddenly felt a bit sorry for the captain.
——~
The moment the door opened, a strong smell of bl**d rushed in.
In the slightly narrow corridor, the corpse of the Black Woman lay beside the cockpit door, her eyes wide open, unable to close in d*ath; a little further away lay two more bodies dressed in black.
Water had already flooded into the corridor, mixing with the plasma and viscera of the three bodies, forming a pool of scarlet that reached the ankles.
Accompanied by the ferocious rocking of the ship, the lights above flickered uncertainly. Each time the lights dimmed, it felt as if some cold entity, filled with malice, was weaving through the darkness in the corridor, drawing ever closer, and when the lights brightened, they would hide away again.
This feeling reminded Luxianbei of a familiar scent.
Is it the nameless assassin group of the Assassins organization?
Tilting his head slightly, Luxianbei reached out to brush the Black Woman’s face, helping her close her eyes before looking expressionlessly forward.
Just a nameless assassin group, nothing to be afraid of. They wouldn’t dare casually use spirit energy at the Three Gorges Psychiatric Hospital, would they out here on the sea of M Country?
“You guys really don’t know when to stop, do you? This boundaryless behavior is quite annoying, don’t you know?”
As he spoke, he activated the North Spirit Seal and unveiled the special abilities of his eyes.
A flickering flame-like radiance spread in his vision, and four members of the nameless assassin group, cloaked in what appeared to be garments woven from jet-black smoke, masked, and armed, materialized out of thin air in the narrow corridor, watching him intently.
“…” Luxianbei paused for a moment, pretending not to notice the murderous individuals before him, he growled, “Come on! Let’s go! Aren’t you here to k*ll me? Don’t think I can’t see you just because I pretend not to!”
With that, seeing that the members of the nameless assassin group did not act immediately, he raised an eyebrow, striding forward with a swagger.
Luxianbei was not concerned that the members of the nameless assassin group would see through his disguise.
Those who knew he could see through their unique concealment abilities were still feeding at the Siye Society and had no chance to relay the information of “calamity” back to the Assassins organization.
Ten meters, five meters, three meters…
As Luxianbei walked straight up to the nearest assassin, who was less than two meters away, that assassin finally moved.
d*ath approached, the killing intent was sharp.
[A short kn*fe is aimed directly at your chest from the front]
Long since having anticipated the enemy’s actions, Luxianbei slightly sidestepped, dodging a blade that had seemingly sliced through the void toward him, stealing a sideways glance at the figure that brushed past him.
The assassin’s eyes flashed with surprise; although the spirit patterns had warned him, he never imagined that Luxianbei could capture his figure.
Reacting just a fraction too late, Luxianbei had already raised his alchemical prosthetic, pressing it against the top of his head.
His lips quivered, and the incantation was rapidly completed.
Although the enemy could anticipate his preemptive strike, which felt troublesome, as long as the attack’s coverage was wide enough to make it impossible to dodge, wouldn’t that be okay?
Full-map AOE, counteracting invincible sneaky guys, isn’t that common sense?
Doing this was like trapping cockroaches in a small iron box, adding a lit firecracker, then mercilessly closing the lid. It was easy and simple.
“…Red Radiance Fire!”
With a whisper, the surrounding air suddenly vibrated violently, spirit energy surged quickly at Luxianbei’s fingertips, condensing into a point of red light.
After a brief silence, accompanied by the red light expanding, an earth-shattering explosion erupted in the narrow corridor.
“Boom—!”
The amplified 21.247 times [Red Radiance Fire] ignited, unleashing a frighteningly high temperature that swept through the corridor, boiling and evaporating the surrounding seawater, with steam spreading out.
Following that, using the fierce flames and steam from the red radiance fire as cover, the North Spirit Seal began to operate.
Continue to heat up!
In an instant, the corridor in front of the cockpit transformed into a long, narrow incinerator.
[He turned and fled into the distance]
With the thought of prediction flashing through his mind, Luxianbei looked up, locking his gaze at the figure holding the crossbow at the other end of the corridor. He raised his hand, and the alchemical prosthetic shot out, grabbing the back of that person’s neck, forcefully dragging them back into the “abyss.”
Since we’ve come this far, why leave? It’s all difficult, you’ll get used to it!
Thus, agonizing screams erupted.
If it weren’t for the concern of damaging the ship, he could have raised the temperature even higher… Listening to the screams, such thoughts floated through Luxianbei’s mind.
After several breaths, watching the figure that screamed and fell before him, he expressionlessly took out [Xuan Ying Luo Fu] from the God Realm Prototype, poured spirit energy into it to transform it into a giant sword of light, then stepped forward, aiming at those struggling figures…
One sword for each, cutting them in half to finish them off!
