Chapter 128
After Adhai finished her meal, we set off for the island where the research base was located. Despite not having fully recovered from her injuries, Adhai knew there was no time to waste.
It had been 4 days since Adhai had escaped the research facility. Given the considerable length of time, it’s uncertain what hardships Number 26 endured during that period.
‘Since the fishrians are with Number 26, there shouldn’t be any immediate threat to its life.’
However, just because there are no visible threats doesn’t mean everything is fine. Researchers might administer painful substances to Number 26 for experiments.
‘Considering its unpleasant memories of the laboratory.’
The longer Number 26 remains trapped, the worse it’ll be for it. We must rescue it as soon as possible.
“Adhai mentioned that the research base seems to be underwater.”
Though not precise, it appears Adhai escaped using some sort of underwater elevator-like mechanism. The ‘intelligent’ Green Gallagon wouldn’t have operated the elevator alone; it must have been with Number 26’s assistance.
‘We’ll know more when we arrive.’
At present, I am carrying Adhai and the Mother of the Sky on my back, swimming. Despite my considerable weight, I can float with the two beasts on my back thanks to my wing trait. The wing membrane, folded between my six battle arms, prevents me from completely submerging.
The claws between my fingers, the claws attached all over my body, serve as propellers. Adhai is carrying the loot backpack on his chest since I couldn’t attach it to my tail.
I had acquired fin characteristics along with water claw traits in the previous marshlands. Hence, fins similar to wing membranes protruded on both sides of my tail. Although slower than when moving on land, I could swim at speeds surpassing most boats.
Of course, my swimming skills weren’t perfect, so occasionally my body would sink underwater while moving. However, neither Adhai nor the Mother of the Sky had any problems, as they could both fly.
Swimming diligently, I asked Adhai,
‘How much farther do we have to go?’
｢Me｣ ｢Darkness｣ ｢Once｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Speed｣ ｢Similar｣
Adhai had been hiding on one of the many islands scattered around the military island after her escape. She had been hiding until she sensed the psychic breath I emitted and flew over for a whole day.
‘According to Adhai, we should arrive tonight at the earliest, or by tomorrow morning at the latest.’
Thanks to swimming throughout the night, the sun was now rising in the middle of the sky. As I pondered how much longer we had left, Adhai called out to me.
｢Me,｣ ｢Adult,｣ ｢Question.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What is it?)]
Adhai hesitated, finding it difficult to speak up first.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault.)]
Whether she understood and accepted my words or not, she remained silent the whole journey.
To comfort Adhai, I used my absorption tentacles to catch fish and offered them to her. Without refusing and seemingly aware of the need for a quick recovery, she accepted the fish eagerly, munching on them.
I also handed a fish to the Mother of the Sky, our fellow traveler. Before departing, I had explained the rough plan to her. While I descended to the research base in the deep sea, she would oversee the Fishrian village.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (To do that, you need to gather strength.)]
“…”
Despite knowing the plan, it seemed challenging for her to adapt to receiving food from me. Awkwardly, she started eating the fish slowly.
After traveling for a while, we arrived when the sun in the sky had already disappeared below the horizon. On a lone island among many, artificial lights were visible. Water structures extending from the island’s shore to the nearby sea – the village where Fishrians reside.
Next to the water structures, an alloy submarine was floating. Its appearance resembled an escape pod positioned on MegaCorp’s spaceships.
Beside the submarine stood Fishrians with fish heads and spiky fins, alongside humans. After exchanging words with the Fishrians, the humans filled the submarine with what appeared to be fruits.
｢I can’t believe they were actually conducting trades. Unbelievable.｣
[ZZZZ (Indeed)]
After concluding their trade, the humans boarded the submarine and departed from the water structures, heading somewhere.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (We should part ways here)]
Unlike the Mother of the Sky, Adhai is almost incapable of underwater combat. So, it’s better for both of them to take charge of the Fishrian village.
“Yeah, me and the Green Gal… um, Adhai will take care of that village.”
｢Adult,｣ ｢Little Adult,｣ ｢Help｣
[ZZZ (Yes)]
Adhai, on my back, spread his wings wide. Though he slightly flinched, perhaps due to lingering pain, he soon vigorously flapped his wings.
Following him, the Mother of the Sky attempted to lift her body to follow Adhai. Before that happened, I called out to her.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Adhai is still not well, so please take care of her)]
<...Alright.>
She nodded once and controlled the air to follow behind Adhai, flying over the sea.
Having sent them off, I submerged in the direction of the submarine. Since it was nighttime, there was almost nothing visible, but I have auxiliary devices. Four auxiliary organs extending beneath my jaw began sensing underwater vibrations, tracking the submarine’s movement.
\It’s this way.\
Beyond a simple sensory device, I followed the guidance of the transcendental auxiliary organs through the darkness.
While swimming, I noticed a faint light in the distance. Initially thinking it was from the submarine’s lights, it turned out to be different. The orderly arranged light, ascending from below, was the illumination from an underwater elevator.
Approaching the location of the elevator, I confirmed the submarine entering it. Sinking a bit lower, I wanted to explore the size and defensive structures of the research base.
Descending along the long and thin cylindrical underwater elevator, I discovered an underwater canyon leading to a deeper abyss. The research base was not inside the canyon but located on the outer part.
The research base had the appearance of a thin ring, and its length seemed to be roughly around 2km. In the center of the ring, there were corridors connected to the elevator.
‘There’s no detection of external defense systems.’
It’s unlikely that those studying Sea Demons would build a base in a place like this without at least one defense system. I approached the base more closely and soon understood the reason.
‘Insane. This is all Black Silver.’
Surprisingly, the material of this colossal advanced structure was Black Silver alloy. While Black Silver isn’t the most expensive or rare metal, it is by no means a cheap one. Creating a structure of this magnitude would require astronomical investments.
‘So, that’s why Sea Demons couldn’t affect it.’
Sea Demons are powerful psych power creatures. If the structure is coated with Black Silver, suppressing the effects of psych power, it could evade their threat. Additionally, there’s a high probability of various equipment inside to suppress or defend against psych power.
‘Now I understand why Number 26 and Adhai lost.’
Both of them primarily use psychic power. Against someone who has thoroughly prepared for dealing with it, they would be helpless. It’s impressive that Number 26 managed to send Adhai away from such a place.
I swam around the research base, trying to grasp its rough structure. Somewhere, I felt faint vibrations.
‘What’s this?’
The vibrations were so weak that I almost overlooked them, thinking it might be a change in the underwater flow. However, I couldn’t ignore it because the vibrations were very familiar to me.
[ZZZ ZZ (Number 26!)]
｢Big baby…｣
I swiftly moved in the direction where the vibrations were coming from.
Approaching a certain part of the ring, I pressed my head against the outer wall.
[ZZZ ZZ (Number 26?)]
｢Big baby… Little one?｣
[ZZZ ■ ZZZ ■ ZZ ZZ (Yeah.■ I’m here.)]
｢Big baby!｣
Due to the pressure of the deep sea or the Black Silver, the waves sent by the monster’s tentacles were abruptly cut off in the middle.
However, just like I immediately sensed it, Number 26 also recognized me and sent waves.
｢Long time no see!｣
[ZZ ZZZ ■ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ■ ZZZ (I’ll get ■ out soon. Is there ■ inconvenience?)]
When I shot interrupted waves, the monster quickly responded.
｢I’m hungry.｣
Hearing that response, I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. It felt deliberate to reply that way, knowing there must have been many hardships besides hunger.
I had promised Number 26.
[■ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ■ (I’ll rescue ■ soon).]
After tapping my head against the outer wall, I withdrew for a while. Having distanced myself from the base, I vigorously shook my tail and combat arms.
My body quickly leaps forward. The black walls of the research base get closer and closer to my head. And then, the ring-shaped research base, spanning 2km, shook violently.
Chen Hai, a researcher of the Zhao family, opened his eyes in bed. There had been such a significant vibration that he could feel it even while asleep.
\An earthquake?\
There is an underwater canyon near the base. Occasionally, earthquakes like this happened because terrifying predators, including Sea Demons, lived beneath.
This research base is built robustly to withstand even harsh environments, and it remains unshaken by most impacts unless a group of marine predators tastes the base, which is highly unlikely.
\But this one seems stronger?\
He chuckled, shaking his head, and left the room. When he came out into the corridor, the vibrations weren’t the only thing he felt. Several of his fellow researchers were also emerging.
A thunderous noise, similar to the sound of monsters battling outside the base, echoed.
“Hey, Hao. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.”
“If it’s an earthquake, the alarms should be sounding.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the alarms in the corridor blared loudly, as if there was no time to waste, startling everyone in the corridor.
“Let’s evacuate for now.”
“Alright. I’ll wake up the people in the G sector.”
“I’ll go to the F sector.”
Having sent his colleagues on their way, Chen Hai walked down the corridor. On his way to the F sector, the alarms abruptly stopped.
“What’s this? Is it over?”
If it’s over, there should be an announcement. But there was no response from the speakers hanging on the corridor ceiling.
Nevertheless, just in case, Chen Hai kept walking.
While heading to the F sector, he felt the corridor’s temperature drop abruptly.
“Did the temperature regulator break?”
The research base, where they are, has a system to adjust the internal environment to perform research without hindrance even in extreme conditions such as the deep sea, outer space, or volcanic areas. The temperature control device seemed to have malfunctioned, turning the previously warm corridor into a chilling one like a freezer.
Confirming his breath forming in front of his mouth, Chen Hai contemplated whether he should return to his room now. At that moment, the corridor’s power went out all at once.
After a while, emergency power came in, and the entire corridor was bathed in a red light.
“Damn, what’s going on all of a sudden?”
Now that it’s like this, he must find out what happened. He decided to go to the B sector where the situation room is located, instead of the F sector.
Once he passes through this corridor and turns the corner, there’s another corridor leading to the B sector. He walked, embracing both arms in the harsh cold.
The sound of a collision between solid alloy and indoor shoes echoed, making a crisp sound.
“Hmm? Sounds like water?”
Only then did Chen Hai feel something odd and looked down at the floor.
In no time, the corridor floor turned into an underwater sea. It was only recognized belatedly due to the darkness caused by the red light.
“What’s this…?”
Only then did he realize the extremely dangerous situation. The thunderous noise resembling what he thought was thunder outside earlier was not the sound of monsters fighting.
“The base is flooding!”
It was the sound of water seeping into the base. However, his realization came too late. Water was pouring in from the corridor ahead, connected to the situation room.
“Ugh, aaaaah!”
He urgently turned and ran, but he couldn’t possibly outrun the rapidly incoming seawater.
Colder than an ice sheet, the water engulfed Chen Hai’s body.
“Aaargh!”
As he was being swept away by the water, Chen Hai grabbed the doorknob in the corridor. The vigorously pouring water reached up to his shoulders and then briefly eased in a moment of respite.
Perhaps the central computer of the research base automatically sealed off the flooded area.
“Damn! What a disaster!”
Having turned into a drowned rat, Chen Hai moved on to reach the situation room.
“I…I might lose? Damn, I won’t give up just because of this small disaster especially when the Prime Capital is in my grasp!”
He grabbed the documents and laptop that had floated down during the flood. They were materials that could cause a commotion in academia, so he must not lose them.
Only armed with determination, Chen Hai endured the frigid temperature of the cold seawater in the deep sea, moving forward.
How long had he walked? The characters attached to the corridor wall changed to ‘B.’ Thinking that there wasn’t much left, he increased his pace.
After walking like that, he saw the upper body of a person in front of him. Due to the red light, he couldn’t see clearly, but instead of a white gown, the person wore a bluish work suit.
Thinking that the other person belonged to the facilities management team, Chen Hai called out.
“Hey! What’s going on?”
Although he shouted loudly, there was no response. Since there was no sound other than the sound of water, there was no chance that the person hadn’t heard.
“Hey, Middle Capital guy! What’s happening!”
“….”
Chen Hai shouted again as he approached.
As he got closer, he could see the facilities management staff more clearly. Wearing what he thought was a blue work suit, his clothes were now dyed red with blood.
And behind that team member.
Under the red light, a giant creature was devouring a human head with gusto.
“Uh, uh, uh….”
Seeing that sight, Chen Hai felt his spine chill, and his trembling body couldn’t be controlled.
The monster that had swallowed the entire head turned to face Chen Hai. Even in the darkness, its two eyes shone brightly.
“The… number… of… humans… inside… is… approximately… several… hundred.”
“He…hee…haaa!!!!”
A deep male voice flowed from its mouth. Chen Hai screamed and threw away the laptop and documents he was holding.
“It” extended a tentacle-like appendage, capturing Chen Hai trying to escape.
“With… this… much… prey… it… should… be… satisfied… enough.”
Observing Chen Hai trembling in fear, “it” leisurely murmured.
