Volume 3: Deep Blue Sea
The tentacles entwined by the intense sunlight unfolded under Shu Xun’s explanation. Finally, they stood upright with boiling hot blood. Since entering the “Deep Blue Sea”, those situations that had puzzled them and the scattered clues, clouded in mystery, one by one connected under Shu Xun’s guidance. These clues seemed unrelated, even contradictory at times, but miraculously, under Shu Xun’s continuous explanation, they became clear and rational. The blood even ignited, and in a brief moment of explanation, it encompassed the struggles of this world over the centuries. The heroic and even tragic history unfolded before their eyes.
“We should be able to reach the center of the continent soon. Will we then discover the Earth Clan? Does it mean we are about to unveil all the answers and complete the game?”
Shu Xun nodded slightly. “Yes, and there’s no time to spare. In a short while, the second heavy rain is imminent, possibly submerging the world. The final outcome, whether victory or defeat, is inexorably approaching.”
Ling Yang looked up at the clear night sky but did not refute Shu Xun’s words. Clearly, Shu Xun’s description was accurate. Ling Yang suddenly thought of the metallic sphere discovered above Xuanqiu City. “What exactly is that metallic sphere above Xuanqiu City? Are there no clues?”
“There are clues, but they don’t have any substantial effect. My speculation is that the metallic sphere is a high-purity earth-element conglomeration formed by the Earth Clan. The Earth Clan represents the Mother Earth, and among the five elements, earth corresponds to yellow. Perhaps it emits a metallic luster due to the dense concentration of earth elements. The growth of three-leaf grass relies on sunlight, water, and soil. While sunlight is abundant in this world, water is also plentiful. The scarcity lies in the continent. Therefore, the Earth Clan left behind the metallic sphere, hoping that even if the three-leaf grass is submerged in seawater, it can still continue to grow. Perhaps the Earth Clan foresaw the inevitable fate of this last continent being submerged.”
Ling Yang bowed in silence for a moment, then raised his head again. “I have another question. Is the world you mentioned, ‘Winter’s End’, also invaded by the same invaders? Are there no clues there either? When did the end come for that world? If that world has already met its end, does it mean that my world hasn’t completely confined the invaders to this planet?”
The group exchanged glances and eventually nodded. Despite their efforts to exhaust all life on this planet, they hadn’t completely trapped the invaders here. In the end, the invaders who had been confined for hundreds of years also had the possibility of escaping.
Meng Muyu looked at the dejected Ling Yang and spoke, “Actually, there’s another possibility. Although the invaders form a collective, they might be operating separately. Otherwise, why hasn’t there been any rescue for this invading force trapped for so long?”
Shu Xun glanced at Meng Muyu upon hearing this. “He makes sense, and the possibility is quite high. The lack of rescue might be due to the blockade of mental signals. Nuan Dong has been saying that there’s a mental force in this world even higher than the Phantom Clan, right? Perhaps this mental force is blocking the invaders’ distress signals.”
Ling Yang sighed slightly, his mood not brightening despite this revelation. As they approached the center of the continent, it not only meant getting closer to the truth but also foretold the revelation of the fate of all races, including the conclusion of this world. However, from the moment they entered this world, it seemed that they had yet to discover a way to save it.
Ling Yang, sitting with his head bowed beside the campfire, suddenly blinked his eyes. After rubbing them, he confirmed that in front of him, a procession of tiny ants was carrying small grass fruits. Ling Yang was momentarily stunned, his despondency swept away, and he almost wanted to lie on the ground, curiously watching the ants approaching.
Due to Ling Yang’s movements, the others also noticed the presence of the ants. Soon, not only ants but various other insects carrying various items approached. Their small sizes naturally meant their carried items were not massive, but they were incessant. In a short moment, a small mountain had piled up in front of them, consisting of a variety of fruits, petals, green stems of plants, and other curious items, all evidently edible. There was even a small moth wobblingly holding a leaf, specifically offering it to Gray. Gray was taken aback, opening his palm to accept the moth’s offering.
After delivering the food, the insects in the Flower Valley once again disappeared into the sea of flowers, leaving no trace. The group stared at the pile of food by the campfire for a long time before coming back to their senses. Perhaps in this world, the most straightforward, gentle, and pure beings were the insects. They adhered to their beliefs with simplicity, never abandoning the untouched tenderness in their hearts. At that moment, the group understood why insects, with lower mental abilities, retained a last trace of consciousness under the control of highly mental invaders. Besides the possible assistance from Xuanqiu and Earth, their pure nature was even more crucial.
After dinner, the group sat around the campfire for a while, ultimately deciding to continue their journey through the night. Since they confirmed the valley was safe and the colorful light illuminated their path, it was better to traverse the Flower Valley early and head towards the center of the continent. So, the team quickly packed their belongings, extinguished the campfire, and continued their journey into the depths of the continent.
Simultaneously, numerous gamers were also heading toward the center of the continent from different directions. The ocean was perilous, and there were no clues there, prompting gamers to focus on the last continent in this world.
The group treaded through the colorful light, traversing the Flower Valley. The flowers and grasses in the valley seemed to possess sentience, bending their branches to create a path. Occasionally, lively insects would fly ahead, as if understanding hosts, leading the way. With no hindrance and clear visibility, the group’s speed was even faster than when they rode the bamboo raft. After over four hours, it was already deep into the night, and Shu Xun’s party finally reached the border of the Flower Sea.
As they approached the edge of the Flower Sea, the terrain became noticeably undulating. The angle of the rising land behind the flower sea seemed more pronounced, and the topography of being high in the middle and low on the periphery became clearer. Unexpectedly, when the group stepped out of the Flower Sea, the myriad of colorful light orbs floating in the air also drifted out of the valley. Some small insects followed suit, flying out of the valley as well. These gently glowing orbs surrounded the group, illuminating the path they were about to take.
With the presence of these colorful light orbs, the group encountered no attacks from giant insects throughout the journey. They proceeded smoothly for quite a while. As dawn broke behind them, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, and the colorful orbs and various insects finally stopped. A few daring insects flew to the faces of Shu Xun’s group, touching their antennae against the antennae of Lie Yang and others or lightly tapping their foreheads if there were no antennae. Displaying an intimate gesture, after a brief pause, the colorful orbs and insects returned to the Flower Valley in the direction they came from.
Watching the receding colorful light, the group couldn’t help but feel sentimental. If gentleness is inherent, regardless of external changes or the storms one goes through, the tenderness engraved in the soul can never be erased.
The morning chill condensed into transparent dewdrops on the green grass, hanging low on the tips of the grass blades. As the group passed by, they dripped to the ground with a soft sound. Although the continent beyond the Flower Valley remained gray and black, signs of life were not absent. Occasionally, vibrant green adorned the continent, offering moments of visual delight.
The slightly cool morning breeze, accompanied by the rising sun, gradually warmed up the surroundings. The cloudless sky allowed the direct sunlight to scorch the dark-colored land. Being far from the sea and without rivers flowing through, the daytime temperature inland was significantly higher than that of the ocean. Suddenly, the undulations of the continent intensified, and the group felt like they were climbing a mountain, making their movements more time-consuming and strenuous.
This situation persisted for two days without improvement. Instead, the slope of the continent became even more pronounced, reaching a point where it was almost a right angle. Under such circumstances, those with the ability to fly naturally chose flight. Fortunately, most of the group possessed flight capabilities. Nuan Dong from the Phantom Clan floated using his psychic form, Lie Yang and Gray had butterfly wings, Shu Xun rode his sword with Ye Qian, Big Bliss carried Meng Muyu, and Ling Yang still sat on Meng Muyu’s shoulder.
Flying in a world with extremely high gravity proved more energy-consuming. Moreover, the towering continent, almost reaching the clouds, seemed like an insurmountable barrier.
Beneath this colossal cliff, the group appeared minuscule, evoking a sense of grandeur. Raising his head to look at the summit, Lie Yang observed the high peak and then gazed at the azure sky, expressing an infinite sense of emotion. “Do you guys feel like the sky is getting lower? We’ll soon climb to the clouds, stand at the pinnacle of the world. This should be the highest point in altitude on this continent. We haven’t seen any clues from the Earth Clan along the way, so they must be on this plateau, am I right?”
Shu Xun, riding his sword, responded indifferently, “Let’s hope your speculation is correct.”
Immediately, Lie Yang flew to Shu Xun’s side, bringing his head close. “Why does it sound so forced? Is there another situation? Come clean, did you figure out something again?”
Before Lie Yang could get an answer, he received a slap on the face from Ye Qian, and Shu Xun accelerated, heading upward. Shu Xun looked up at the azure sky, his eyes expressing a calm and profound indifference.
Hearing the conversation between Lie Yang and Shu Xun, Meng Muyu subconsciously tilted his head to look up at the sky. His brows furrowed instantly. Ling Yang sat silently on Meng Muyu’s shoulder, his little head tilted upward. He had maintained this posture for some time now. Meng Muyu’s heart skipped a beat, and he turned abruptly to Shu Xun. “Isn’t the lowering sky just an illusion caused by us ascending higher?”
Lie Yang, who was initially displeased with Ye Qian’s actions, suddenly froze. “What did you say?”
Meng Muyu looked up at the immaculate azure sky, seemingly within arm’s reach. “Lie Yang, have you ever heard the saying ‘the sky is falling’? The world’s apocalyptic scenario is not drowning in water. The expression of the end has been ongoing, and there have always been hints. We just didn’t think of it.”
Lie Yang finally understood what Meng Muyu was talking about and involuntarily gazed at the sky. “Sky collapsing? The atmospheric layer falling, the planet collapsing due to extreme gravity, forming a black hole inside, the planet disintegrating, the world collapsing. Is this the ultimate way to deal with the invaders in this world? Mutual destruction, everything falls apart…”
