Chapter 103
Xing Nuo peered into the dark barrel, his head inside, searching.
“Where is he?”
He was sure he had heard the merman’s voice.
He rubbed his eyes and continued groping inside the barrel.
His fingers touched something cool and smooth, like fish scales!
Although he couldn’t see anything, he was certain the merman was right there!
He continued to feel around and touched a piece of paper. Suddenly, the merman appeared before him.
The merman’s appearance was horrifying. Deep wounds on his chest and tail, the bone visible through the bleeding flesh.
Xing Nuo, startled by the gruesome sight, covered his mouth to stifle a scream.
Fortunately, although weak, the merman was still alive.
Xing Nuo gently touched the merman’s tail, where most of the scales were missing, and looked around for something to help him, but found nothing.
Sounds of running and panicked shouts echoed from the lit areas of the ship.
Xing Nuo, unsure if it was humans or monsters who had injured the merman, his heart pounding with anxiety, jumped down from the crate and pushed the barrel over.
The loud thump echoed through the quiet night.
Not daring to waste any more time, he pulled the injured merman out of the barrel.
He wanted to hide him somewhere else, then escape with the little octopus once it retrieved its treasure.
And, looking towards the lit areas of the ship, his worry for the little octopus intensified.
Although the little octopus always boasted about its strength, it was so small.
Even a takoyaki vendor wouldn’t buy it.
Too small, not enough meat.
Just like his second Big Brother, always confident before exams, but always returning with the lowest score, his face grim.
In some ways, the little octopus’s confidence was just like his brother’s.
Xing Nuo sighed and, with much effort, dragged the merman by his tail to a more secluded corner of the ship.
He hid him behind some crates and a tattered flag, holding his breath, waiting.
Inside the ship’s cabin.
The human players were hiding. One of them, more sensitive to energy fluctuations, felt uneasy.
“I have to go check on the merman. Before that octopus finds us.”
Another player, his face pale, having just narrowly escaped the octopus, was on the verge of a breakdown.
“Don’t! You’ll run into that monster!”
It was only the size of a hand, but its tentacles, floating menacingly, its aura oppressive, like a mountain pressing down on them, had made them unable to breathe.
They hadn’t even been able to fight back, their instincts screaming at them to flee.
And the system notifications, like a death knell, echoing in their ears:
[Warning! Dungeon level upgraded to SS+…upgraded to SSS+…downgraded to S+…Please strive to survive!]
The fluctuating dungeon level made it impossible to determine the octopus’s true power.
An A-rank player, after thinking for a moment, analyzed the situation.
“That octopus is after the treasure. Its power must be limited. I’ve heard rumors of an SSS+ level sea monster. It could be that octopus.”
The player on the floor, his legs weak with fear, his face filled with despair, said:
“What do we do? That monster is so powerful, and it’s hunting us! We’ll never survive!”
The A-rank player took a deep breath, still determined to check on the merman.
“But its power is limited now, only S-level. Together, we might be able to defeat it. And it’s only after the treasure. Once it realizes we don’t have it, it’ll go after the other monsters.”
Hearing this, one of the players’ eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
Just as they were discussing how to get out, the octopus’s tentacle pierced through the cabin door.
A scream echoed through the room as the little octopus entered, hovering in mid-air.
“Where is it?”
The A-rank leader, the calmest among them, his forehead covered in sweat, dodging the tentacle, said:
“Those fish-headed monsters on the ship made us steal it! The treasure is useless to us! And if it weren’t for the sea monster’s help, we wouldn’t have survived down there!”
“Yes! Yes! Go find the fish-headed monsters!” another player chimed in.
The players carried the scent of the treasure, but it was faint.
The octopus’s beady eyes turned blood red, and a tentacle, extending, wrapped around the leader’s neck.
“If you’re lying, I’ll kill you.”
It suspected the humans had stolen its treasure, but the monsters must have been behind it!
Only a monster who lived in the deep sea would know the location of its lair and its hoard of energy crystals.
It threw the player to the floor, then, remembering that his little brother was also human, decided not to kill him.
“Where are those monsters? I’ll deal with them first.”
The player, the tentacle loosening its grip on his neck, coughed and quickly betrayed the monsters.
“They’re on the lower deck!”
The octopus, its red eyes cold and menacing, its tentacles flailing, rushed out.
The players, relieved as the oppressive aura disappeared, scrambled to their feet.
“Quick! Go find the merman!”
He was the key to clearing this dungeon! He had to survive!
Xing Nuo, clinging to the wooden crate, peered into the darkness, towards the ship’s cabin.
Little Octopus, find your tweasure quick…come back safe…
Before he could finish his prayer, several figures emerged from the cabin.
Their faces grim, they rushed towards the barrels.
Seeing the larger barrel on its side, they felt a pang of dread.
“The merman is gone!”
Another player, his face dark, slammed his fist against the barrel.
“We shouldn’t have hidden him! Now we’ve lost him!”
“If we hadn’t hidden him, what if he died during the fight with the octopus? He was already barely alive!”
“You’re so concerned about him, why didn’t you use a high-level healing prop?”
The player, stung by the accusation, his face red with anger, retorted:
“I’m low-level! I don’t have any high-level props!”
And a healing prop, a life-saving item, how could he use it on a merman?!
“You’re higher level! Why didn’t you use one?!”
Just as they were about to start another argument, the other players, annoyed, started searching the deck.
“Enough! The monsters are on the lower deck. There are no other monsters up here. The merman must have woken up and escaped.”
“He’s injured. He can’t have gone far. He must still be on the deck!”
They took out their tracking props and flashlights, quickly focusing on a certain area.
“There!”
Xing Nuo, seeing them pointing in his direction, his heart pounding, looked at the injured merman and then at the cabin where the little octopus had disappeared.
Just as the players were approaching, the injured merman woke up.
Although injured, he was alert and wary.
The moment he opened his eyes, he grabbed Xing Nuo.
“Don’t move!”
Xing Nuo, his watery eyes blinking, looked at the merman, confused.
“You awake?”
The merman, still disoriented, was about to threaten Xing Nuo when he saw his golden tail.
“You’re a merman!”
And so small!
He felt a surge of anger and sadness, blaming those thieving fish-headed monsters.
How dare they capture such a young merman!
Although he was barely an adult himself, he instinctively shielded the little merman.
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you! You must escape and return to your clan!”
Xing Nuo, although not understanding his words, understood his protective gesture.
He shook his head, moving in front of the merman.
“You hurt. And…people coming to catch you!”
The merman, hearing the little merman’s chirping, his face puzzled,
was about to ask what he meant when he sensed the approaching humans, his expression hardening.
“Strangers!”
He vaguely remembered being traded to the humans by the monsters before losing consciousness.
He assumed the little merman had somehow rescued him and hidden him here.
But now the humans were back!
He didn’t trust any strangers, human or monster, having been betrayed too many times.
The players approached, their voices soft and coaxing.
“Come out, Merman. We see you. We’re not like the monsters. We won’t hurt you.”
They reached the pile of crates, holding their breath.
Just as they were about to reach for them, the crates and a tattered flag were thrown at them.
“He’s escaping!”
They quickly pulled the flag off their faces and saw two merpeople, one large, one small, jump into the ocean.
Wait…two merpeople?!
