Chapter 388: Gratitude Gift 1 |
To tame by hand a submerged target whose weight exceeded a thousand times your own.
Judging by Yan Da’s weight, it must be at least a hundred tons.
Even on the previous island map, there were few targets that met that standard.
No wonder Yan Da gave up outright.
“Second tier is already great. Du, our instructor, said second tier qualifies as Hero. I’m just a riverside fisherman; becoming a Hero was something I never dared imagine,” Yan Da said with a carefree laugh.
“Haha, big brother, if Mother could see us becoming Heroes in the future, she’d be overjoyed.” Yan San’s words silenced the eldest and the second brother for a moment.
Then Yan Da added, “The buildings here are strange. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll give us a chance to see Mom and Dad again.”
Yan San shook his head. “Forget it. It’s fun here, but it might not be a good place for old people.”
While the men chatted, Luoen, who was following the team, took the initiative to approach Qin Ziwen.
“So you mean—” Qin Ziwen’s gaze settled on the figure behind him.
Behind Luoen stood a hulking figure over five meters tall, broad-faced with a blunt nose, resembling a honeycomb fish. Since arriving, it had silently stayed behind Luoen like a statue.
It was Luohai, the Fish-man Chieftain who had come through the transmigration with the residential complex.
After being singled out, Luohai spoke up, “Chieftain, we all feel the same. We’re fish-men too; let us teach those who live underground what rules are.”
Qin Ziwen said, “They have lived here for so many years, their roots are tangled. Their foundation is different from yours.”
At that, Luohai’s mouth split into a grin, revealing rows of serrated teeth. “What they can do, we can also do. A bunch of losers who only dare hide underground—there’s nothing to fear.”
“I like your confidence. Later I’ll have those two Dark Tide Fish-men sent to you. Ask them for the details yourself.”
Before long, two Dark Tide Fish-men were brought to the Fish-man Burrow.
Upon entering the burrow, the two captives were first startled, then captivated by the surrounding environment.
This place made them feel very comfortable.
Lantu and Lanxie exchanged a glance and simultaneously had the same thought:
This must be the sacred dwelling where their kind live.
As for the space being cramped, they did not mind, because compared to the narrow underground they were used to, this place already felt quite spacious.
But as they dove deeper, they saw a large number of dark figures approaching from all around.
The two fish-men instinctively huddled together.
Then a trace of shock flashed in their eyes.
The surrounding figures looked like fish-men, but they were probably not from the same clan, and these fish-men were larger than them.
To the fish-men who already lived and settled in the Fish-man Burrow, the two newly arrived Dark Tide Fish-men seemed somewhat novel.
Not only were they smaller in build, their skin was pale, giving them an unusual appearance.
“Hey, you’re fish-men too?” one fish-man called out loudly.
Lantu nodded warily.
Being fish-men themselves, they could of course understand the language.
But following the principle that too much talk brings trouble, Lantu kept silent.
“You’re fish-men, so why do you look so ugly?” a half-grown fish-man asked with curiosity.
Lantu was a little annoyed; despite his age, this was the first time someone had called him ugly.
Lanxie looked disdainfully at the speaker and retorted mentally, you’re not much better—your blue-gray hue makes you look like a monster.
Surrounded by the crowd, they were led to the water’s bottom.
Before long, the circle of fish-men opened and two figures, one tall and one short, stepped forward.
Lanxie’s gaze first fell on Luoen, then shifted to Luohai.
“Artisan Clan?” Luohai asked, puzzled.
“No, it’s the Priest Clan.” Luoen opened his eyes. “But the Priest Clan bloodlines are very diluted. Most are Artisan Clan; there should also be Hunter Clan among them... too mixed.”
Hearing the two speak, Lanxie and Lantu were both puzzled.
Seeing their confusion, Luohai laughed. “Bloodlines so mottled that even the inheritance is broken? No wonder you’re so short.”
From the moment they met, the other side only spoke of thin bloodlines and short stature.
Not a single kind word.
Lanxie and Lantu’s expressions gradually darkened. “What do you mean by that?”
Luoen said, “But I can purify your bloodlines, make you grow taller.”
Lantu froze, then cautiously asked, “...Really?!”
Lanxie wanted to scold Lantu for lacking backbone, but when he heard what was said he fell silent. Deep down he still held one puzzling thought.
Why were these fish-men in a human residential area?
Although captured, they retained a sliver of pride.
Since it was the fish-man Mogu who captured them, they believed they had not been defeated by humans, but by other fish-men.
Now, seeing so many fish-men living here, Lanxie’s mind turned, and he could not help but form a bold guess:
Could these fish-men actually be the real powers behind this place?
Perhaps humans are merely the puppets they put forward.
Luoen continued, “But purifying bloodlines requires a lot of raw materials.”
Lantu couldn’t wait. “What materials?”
Luoen’s voice sounded like a demon whisper, “Your kin.”
Lantu froze.
Luoen’s voice echoed in his ears. “Heh heh, of course there are other treasures that can do it, but do you think you’d ever have a chance to access them? Besides your kin, what cheaper and more effective substitute is there? Think carefully: purify your own bloodline so the glory of your ancestors blooms again, reopen a pure-blood line of Dark Tide Fish-men, or cling to this mottled, filthy blood and live on. I don’t think it’s a hard choice. Even your ancestors would support you.”
“You’re truly a devil,” Lanxie ground his teeth. “How many kin do you want?”
“The more kin, the purer the purified blood will be. Honestly, I envy you; you have over ten thousand of your own people, brothers and sisters of one origin.” Luoen sounded regretful.
Luohai looked at his son’s back with suspicion—surely he hadn’t really thought all this through?
When the convoy stopped, Bai Shu lifted the carriage curtain and, through the firelight, saw the tall buildings before him.
“Help me down from the carriage.” Bai Shu reached out his hand. Bai Che took his father’s palm and helped him down from the carriage.
Ri Jing followed behind them.
Although he had been rescued, his face had been almost devoured by giant ants.
Dense wounds had nearly torn his face apart; now his face was wrapped in bandages, with only a pair of eyes exposed.
“Welcome!”
Qin Ziwen personally came out to greet them.
After all, the other party was the leader of the opposing Shedding Abyss.
Letting them enter was one thing, but since the leader came in person, the courtesy had to be returned.
“Honestly, we should be ashamed. We were allies and should have helped each other. After suffering two disasters, we were saved thanks to Lord Qin’s help. This small token is no true gratitude.” Bai Shu took from his bosom two metal cards that glowed faintly blue, and handed them to Qin Ziwen in front of everyone.