Chapter 2: The Protagonist Team Succeeds, And Then, It's Time for the Protagonist Team to Question Their Existence.
There were indigenous people on the Unknown Continent. Their purpose for abducting the mermaid was unclear for now. At this stage, there was no need to invest energy in this aspect. If things went smoothly, Su Xiao would have little to no contact with those indigenous people.
Having confirmed these matters, Su Xiao returned to the top cabin and watched the projection on the wall. At this point in the script, it was time for the protagonist team to improvise.
Just as Su Xiao sat down on the sofa, the protagonist team gave him a pleasant surprise: they had already found the mermaid.
The projection showed a loose cluster of buildings, mostly crude and primitive stone and wooden huts. The five members of the protagonist team were crouched in a thicket, watching what was happening ahead.
"Du gu a shu... (Unknown Primitive Language)."
A primitive man with his hair tied up like a broom, his entire body covered in red and white paint, raised his arms high. Wooden spikes pierced his nose bridge and ears, and an eye-shaped tattoo was on his forehead.
Behind this primitive chieftain knelt hundreds of other primitives, also covered in red and white paint. Some of them had strong auras, indicating they were warriors of the tribe, while others were skin and bones, appearing weak and near death.
Among these primitives, two figures stood out. They wore formal suits, with only their faces painted.
Su Xiao's first thought was that these two were contractors. But upon closer observation, he realized they weren't. The details of their clothing and their accessories all originated from the Southern Alliance. These two were natives of the Southern Continent. The slight arrogance in their eyes indicated they weren't ordinary citizens. A person's temperament was easy to spot at a glance.
Why would two officials or wealthy merchants from the Southern Alliance be on the Unknown Continent? Su Xiao leaned towards them being officials of the Southern Alliance.
Thinking this far, Su Xiao guessed this was another one of the Alliance Council's bizarre moves.
Su Xiao's speculation wasn't baseless. Excluding the protagonist team, there were three parties vying for the mermaid: Su Xiao, Kingsley, and the Alliance Council.
Su Xiao's advantage was that he held the little boy with the blood of the heir. Kingsley knew how to use the blood of the heir. The Alliance Council knew the previous location of the mermaid.
The Alliance Council had hit dead ends everywhere, so they pulled out another bizarre move: they hired outside help, allied with a primitive tribe on the Unknown Continent, and cooperated with this force to seize the mermaid.
What didn't add up was the distance between the Southern Continent and the Unknown Continent. How did the Alliance Council contact this primitive tribe so quickly? It seemed the two sides had been cooperating for a long time, just keeping it hidden.
This bizarre move truly impressed Su Xiao, and it probably impressed Kingsley too. The reason was that, just 10 seconds ago, those two low-level Alliance officials had been killed by the primitives as a sacrifice.
That's right. Just now, Su Xiao clearly saw through the wall projection that after the primitives shouted something in high-pitched voices, they dragged out the two shouting low-level Alliance officials, slit their throats, and drained their blood. They were very skilled.
The Alliance Council's move was truly baffling. As members of a civilized society's council, they had been fooled by a group of primitives. Those primitives probably also thought the Alliance Council was unreliable.
Su Xiao looked at the mermaid in the projection. The mermaid was trapped inside a crystal coffin. The coffin wasn't large, so the mermaid couldn't even move her arms. It was filled with seawater.
This crystal coffin was erected on a stone altar. Looking at the primitives who were worshipping, they clearly weren't planning to kill the mermaid. Instead, through their worship, they were gathering some kind of energy onto the crystal coffin containing the mermaid, intending to offer her to the being they revered.
The primitives' worship of the mermaid lasted for an entire day. At first, Su Xiao observed carefully, but later he realized it was just gathering energy, and it made him drowsy.
Compared to Su Xiao, who was enjoying this from his sofa like watching a movie, the protagonist team had it rough. Five people crouched in the thicket, watching the primitives' worship from afar. If they weren't transcendent beings, they would have been drained dry by the quail-egg-sized mosquitoes.
The protagonist team didn't choose to charge in recklessly, and for good reason. Before finding this cluster of buildings, they had encountered a primitive covered entirely in black charcoal ash. Just one primitive warrior had beaten the protagonist team half to death, and Ai Qi's head was almost stomped flat.
It was just their bad luck to encounter an elite individual. This Unknown Continent was extremely dangerous. Judging by the average combat power of these primitive warriors, if their numbers exceeded ten thousand, all the transcendent beings from the Organization would need to be mobilized to have a chance of attacking this Unknown Continent.
These primitives had a very special energy within them. Su Xiao had never seen the characteristics of this energy before. It could transform into extreme darkness, as well as into light and scorching heat characteristics.
Night fell, and the primitive tribe's cluster of buildings quieted down. At the central altar, layers of light membranes enveloped the area.
Bubu Wang crouched beside the outermost light membrane. He had tried to penetrate it and succeeded. But the moment he passed through the light membrane, Bubu Wang's dog life was nearly lost. His health value plummeted by 80%, and a certain energy invaded his body. Drinking potions was like drinking water; it had no effect.
After resting for a while, Bubu Wang's potions finally started to work. And this was Bubu Wang. If it were anyone else, the light membrane would have sensed them, alerting the primitives in the tribe. That would have been a terrifying consequence. Bubu hadn't been idle all day. In the surrounding area, there were 36 such primitive tribes, and that was just in this region. There were more elsewhere.
In front of the outermost light membrane, Bubu Wang was very curious. How would the five members of the protagonist team manage to pass through these nearly hundred layers of light membranes and take the mermaid from the center?
This treacherous light membrane not only stripped life force but also suppressed healing effects for a certain period. It was also very tough and had an alert function.
The primitives in the tribe were very confident in the light membrane. Only two primitive guards were stationed inside the membrane, standing on either side of the crystal coffin.
It could be said that attacking this tribe head-on would be like poking a hornet's nest. The primitives from the surrounding tribes would swarm in, forming an incredibly powerful force.
Under Bubu Wang's watchful gaze, a sneaky figure approached. It was the white-haired youth. He stopped in front of the light membrane, put a bone-tooth necklace around his neck, and walked towards the membrane.
Every time he passed through a layer of light membrane, the white-haired youth's expression showed great pain. But he continuously passed through ten layers, not only surviving but also speeding up.
Bubu Wang carefully observed the bone-tooth necklace around the white-haired youth's neck. The problem lay with that. Bubu wanted to know how the white-haired youth had obtained such an important item.
The answer was that the white-haired youth and his four companions had accidentally obtained this bone-tooth necklace after defeating the primitive covered in black charcoal. They didn't know its function until they saw the primitive chieftain wearing a similar bone-tooth necklace pass through the life-force-draining light membrane.
A night breeze blew, and Bubu Wang's dog mouth gaped slightly. He was a bit stunned. What kind of luck was this? It was like finding a pillow just when you felt sleepy. Was this what it meant to be a World Child blessed by World Force? With fortune gathered upon him, everything went smoothly. Even in dangerous situations, he wouldn't die easily.
After the white-haired youth penetrated the layers of light membranes, he reached the back of the crystal coffin. He suddenly attacked, stabbing one hand into the back of a primitive guard's neck.
The primitive fell to the ground with a thud. He wasn't dead, just snoring deeply. Just as the white-haired youth's hand reached for the other primitive, this guard turned his head with all his might, the muscles in his right arm bulging.
Just as this primitive guard was about to shout and kill the white-haired youth, the mermaid inside the crystal coffin opened her eyes. They were eyes like amber.
Bang.
The primitive guard exploded, sending large chunks of flesh and blood splattering everywhere.
The white-haired youth stumbled back a few steps. The mermaid inside the crystal coffin slowly closed her eyes again.
Having witnessed all this, Bubu Wang held his dog head in his hands. He was shocked and a bit doubtful about his dog life. What kind of operation was this? A situation that would require over a thousand transcendent beings to handle, and the white-haired youth had solved it alone? He just happened to get that bone-tooth necklace? Why did the mermaid help him? That light membrane that had nearly cost Bubu his life was broken through just like that? Wasn't that too casual?
At that moment, Bubu Wang understood what a World Child was, and why his master and Kingsley had set up those plans.
The white-haired youth hoisted the crystal coffin onto his shoulder. Just as he was about to step out of the light membrane, all the surrounding light membranes suddenly disappeared. The tribe was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The white-haired youth didn't hesitate. He turned and fled. After running a hundred meters, a stone wall rose up.
The five members of the protagonist team successfully regrouped. It was time to start their escape.
Boom!
A large hole was smashed through the stone wall. The seemingly old but powerfully auraed primitive chieftain stared at the five members of the protagonist team. In his pale white pupils, a thin worm seemed to be swimming. His body visibly swelled, transforming in an instant into a monster with exposed flesh and blood, and two powerful front claws.
"Roar!!"
The flesh-and-blood monster roared, breaking through the afterimage, and charged straight at the five members of the protagonist team.
"See ya."
Nainini raised her hand and flexed her fingers. The ground beneath their five feet shattered, revealing a bottomless pit. This was created by Daoer Mu using his own ability.
The protagonist team split into two groups of two, each grabbing the same spiral spike. The mature woman, Manli, stood alone on a spiral spike, descending into the pit.
The flesh-and-blood monster charged into the pit, which was about ten meters in diameter. It ran vertically down the wall.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Don't let this monster catch us!"
Nainini shouted anxiously. The mature woman, Manli, closed her eyes and focused all her energy on controlling the three spiral spikes. The flesh-and-blood monster was something they couldn't fight. Whoever it caught would die.
Meanwhile, at sea.
The sea surface was frozen. Su Xiao jumped down from the steel warship. Members of the Organization rushed past him on both sides.
A few kilometers away on the coast, Kingsley put on a pair of black gloves. This was Dangerous Object 003 (Black Emperor). Near him stood many members of the Eclipse Organization.
...
Above the tribe, Baha soared high in the sky. He released an Apollo from his claws.
"Eat a big pineapple, natives."
Baha pulled up to a high altitude. A few seconds later.
Boom!
The Apollo exploded below.
This explosion signaled the official start of the fight for the mermaid. Figures sprinted across the sandy beach, followed by the sharp clang of weapons clashing and the roar of short-barreled shotguns firing. The Organization members Su Xiao brought and the Eclipse Organization members Kingsley brought clashed head-on. The goal was simple: not to kill many people, but to hold the opposing side back.
Thud~
Within the crowd, Su Xiao felt the ground beneath his feet tremble. A giant centipede-like segmented insect burst out of the ground in the distance. This was a trap Kingsley had set, with the same purpose as dropping the Apollo: to attract the attention of the primitives.
The moonlight tonight wasn't bright. Blades clashed sharply. Blood and severed limbs splattered everywhere. Su Xiao was bare-chested, his long leather coat hanging from his waist, secured by a belt, draping down like a skirt covering his lower body. For this level of combat, he could just tank the attacks with his body. [Wild Hunt Night] was really troublesome to repair.
Blood dripped from the long blade in Su Xiao's hand. His upper body and face were splattered with specks of blood. Around him lay over a dozen dead or dying Eclipse members, clutching their throats.
A hundred meters away, Kingsley was holding the head of an Organization member in one hand. By the moonlight, Su Xiao could see Kingsley. His slightly dark blonde hair was combed back. He wore a pair of black gloves, and a gold button was on the right side of his collar.
Su Xiao stared at Kingsley for a moment, then pushed off the ground, crushing the head of an Eclipse member who had tried to ambush him but failed.
Kingsley tightened his grip. The head of the Organization member he was holding was crushed to pieces.
"..."
Su Xiao left a trail of blood-red afterimages and vanished from the spot. Now was not the time to fight Kingsley. The mermaid was more important.
Seven kilometers east of the primitive tribe's gathering place, a building ruin was located. Most of the buildings were still relatively intact.
Inside a straight, long corridor, the five members of the protagonist team were running for their lives. The flesh-and-blood monster was still chasing them. It had withstood all the traps they had set. The gap in strength was too great.
Ai Qi, running at the back, was clutching his severed arm. He wasn't afraid of losing an arm. As long as he devoured enough enemies, the severed arm could regenerate. What he feared now was that if the flesh-and-blood monster caught up, they would all die.
"I can't go on. We ran at full speed underground for so long. My lungs are about to explode."
Nainini was covered in sweat, her hair sticking to her cheeks. She wasn't an endurance type to begin with, and now, being chased by a powerful enemy, her legs had gone weak.
"I'll carry you."
The white-haired youth said urgently while running. Hearing his words, Nainini felt a surge of emotion, almost blurting out, "You're so kind."
Just as the white-haired youth was about to carry Nainini and continue running, a loud crash came from behind. Something fell from above, landing behind them. Golden-red energy flashed, followed by a miserable scream.
Pfft!
Blood and flesh splattered everywhere. Half a massive head flew over and rolled to the white-haired youth's feet. He looked closely and saw it was half the head of the flesh-and-blood monster. An even more terrifying enemy had arrived.
Tap, tap, tap...
Footsteps came from the back of the corridor. Ai Qi, the white-haired youth, Nainini, and the other two swallowed their saliva. In the darkness behind them, they saw a pair of golden pupils. Kingsley had arrived.
Seeing Kingsley's eyes, Ai Qi, the white-haired youth, and Nainini felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar. They had never felt this way before, as if the whole world had abandoned them.
"This enemy... I don't think we can handle it."
Nainini staggered back. Ai Qi lowered his head. The white-haired youth clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly. The mature woman, Manli, looked ashen.
Boom!
A dull thud came from the front of the corridor. The wall shattered, and rubble flew everywhere. A twisted corpse slammed against the wall on the right side of the corridor with a wet splat, leaving a large spray of blood. The corpse was covered in slash marks. It was a dying primitive.
Ai Qi, the white-haired youth, and Nainini stared at this primitive. In the eyes of this ferocious primitive, they saw fear, a fear from the depths of his heart.
"Another one."
Nainini groaned, her pupils trembling. She was starting to feel hopeless.
Boom.
Blood energy surged. A figure holding a blade, with blue light shining from his eyes, walked out of the hole in the corridor wall. His bare upper body was stained with specks of blood. His blood-soaked long leather coat hung down, covering his lower body. As he walked, he left a trail of blood behind him.
Inside the corridor, blood energy raged. The walls around cracked and split. Ai Qi, the white-haired youth, and Nainini, caught in the blood energy, all felt their strength drain away. Nainini simply knelt on the ground.
Daoer Mu, who was carrying the crystal coffin on his shoulder, lowered his head. The crystal coffin fell to the ground. The mermaid inside had her eyes closed.
At that moment, Ai Qi, the white-haired youth, and the other four all felt that compared to the oppressive Kingsley, the person who came later was even more terrifying. The blood energy rushing towards them sent a chill and a sense of dread from the depths of their hearts.
"Ai Qi, White Hair, you must have a way, right? Or is it... that there's no hope anymore."
Nainini hugged her shoulders with trembling hands. This time, she was completely hopeless.
PS: (Two chapters today, but both are quite long. One chapter is 4000 words, the other is nearly 6000 words. The update is late, sorry. The chapters are long, so it took a while to write.)