Volume 3: Deep Blue Sea
The fluffy ball in the dirt pit seemed to catch a hint of the fishy smell of small dried fish. Slowly waking up, the first thing that emerged was his tiny ears trembling. Then, he raised his head from the pile of fur, moved his long whiskers, and turned his sharp gaze towards the pile of small dried fish on the smooth blue stone.
Impatient, Little Bliss had already rushed up as soon as Shu Xun woke up. Due to its rapid speed, it bumped directly into the fluffy face of the ball. The furball used his two front paws to remove the butterfly from his face, then agilely jumped out of the warm little pit, shaking his fur and puffing up into a round shape.
Little Bliss had already handed the small dried fish to Shu Xun’s mouth. Shu Xun looked at it with his shiny black eyes, sniffed it, and then grabbed the fish’s head with a bite. He stood by the little pit, nibbling on it, and his fluffy tail swayed from time to time. It was evident that the furball was quite satisfied with the meal.
Ye Qian slightly sighed in relief, thinking that at least the supplies he had collected could be put to good use. He quickly packed up the sleeping bags, walked over to Shu Xun, and squatted down. Meanwhile, Little Bliss had once again picked up another small dried fish, apparently waiting for Shu Xun to finish so it could offer a new one. Ye Qian flicked his fingers, and Little Bliss somersaulted and flew far away before stabilizing its form. Uncharacteristically, Little Bliss, usually timid, angrily flapped its wings and charged again, only to be predictably flicked away by Ye Qian once more.
Little Bliss’s feelers stood erect with satisfaction, displaying a combative posture as if ready to charge at Ye Qian for a fierce battle. Shu Xun had already finished nibbling on one small dried fish, and immediately, Ye Qian reached out to hand over another. Witnessing this, Little Bliss’s feelers suddenly drooped in disappointment. Just as it was feeling down, it suddenly heard a familiar call beside its ear.
“Fish…”
Little Bliss turned its attention to the sound and discovered that it was Big Bliss, still wrapped in a small blanket, talking in his sleep and licking his lips afterward. Little Bliss rolled its feelers happily and, with a beat of its wings, flew to the side of Big Bliss’s small blanket, holding a small dried fish and silently waiting for Big Bliss to wake up so it could offer the treat.
This morning, when Meng Muyu woke up, he witnessed such a scene: Ye Qian crouching by the campfire feeding the little creature, and a butterfly beside a sleeping bag being fed by a butterfly. Meng Muyu looked around and quietly ate the dry rations he had prepared.
After breakfast, Shu Xun combed his whiskers, washed his face with his paws, and transformed into human form. Caught off guard, Ye Qian was still holding a small dried fish, preparing to feed him, but the little dumpling instantly transformed into a tall young man. The refined youth licked his lips. “The taste is good, just a bit small. Thanks.”
Ye Qian nodded expressionlessly, about to speak, when Big Bliss, who had already finished eating, flew over. Its large wings almost entirely covered Ye Qian’s face. With a shy and blushing expression due to the praise, Little Bliss flew in a circle on the spot when Shu Xun touched its feelers.
Ye Qian: “…” The always preemptive General was quite distressed.
After everyone finished breakfast, they packed their bags, extinguished the campfire, and headed toward the interior of the continent. Upon landing, Ye Qian already knew that this continent was vast. Even Meng Muyu mentioned that it was the largest landmass on this planet, explaining why players were concentrated on this half of the planet.
Though, up to now, they had not discovered any traces of advanced intelligent life on the land, and at present, continuing further inland seemed to be their only option to understand this world better. At this thought, everyone felt a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if, just like how Qu Yan erased his traces at the Micro Lake Villa, the same thing had happened here, but on a planetary scale. Whether it was the ocean or the continent, everything was in a primitive, undeveloped state. Moreover, due to the unique environment, the vegetation was so lush that it surpassed typical habitable planets. On this continent, finding open ground was rare, and everywhere they stepped, plants were growing abundantly.
Due to the extremely high gravity on the planet and the complex terrain, walking was more exhausting, and speed was severely affected. The group led by Shu Xun did not move quickly. By midday, the vast ocean behind them was no longer visible, but the inland of the continent still seemed quite distant. Using a lush tree as a reference point, the group took a brief pause to rest. The damp air, mixed with the earthy scent, lingered around them. Above, the rich canopy of trees intertwined, blocking out the sunlight, and on the ground, it was almost impossible to see the scattered rays. The entire jungle was shrouded in a cool, shadowy ambiance. However, due to the towering trees, the space did not feel oppressive; instead, it exuded a sense of openness and tranquility.
However, this sense of tranquility was nothing but an illusion. In the jungle, the struggle for survival was unfolding everywhere. Just after a brief rest, the ground suddenly transmitted more pronounced vibrations. Shu Xun and the others immediately became alert. The three exchanged glances, then agilely climbed up a sturdy giant tree. After a short while, they were already positioned more than ten meters above the ground. At the same time, they identified the cause of the ground vibrations.
It was a massive mammal resembling a tiger. When viewed from above, excluding its tail, its body length exceeded five meters. It strode proudly, resembling a monarch surveying its territory. The three held their breath, silently waiting for the beast to depart. Clearly, avoiding conflict was essential until they adapted well to the unique environment of this planet.
However, what surprised them was that this unusually sized creature seemed to have evolved its senses simultaneously. As it approached the giant tree, the creature suddenly halted its steps, then abruptly lifted its head, glaring fiercely at the three figures on the tree.
The hearts of the three skipped a beat, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, especially Shu Xun. Having cultivated to this level, he had mastered complete control over his restrained aura. Both Ye Qian and Meng Muyu were seasoned survivors in the game, minimizing their exposure in the wilderness. Not to mention, even the flapping of wings was avoided by the obedient Big Bliss and Little Bliss, who perched on the branches. How did this beast discover them?
However, Shu Xun soon didn’t have time to ponder this question because the beast below suddenly took a few steps back, opened its mouth wide, revealing sharp teeth, and emitted a low roar, seemingly issuing a warning. It was at this moment that Shu Xun suddenly realized something was amiss. The creature’s gaze was clearly directed slightly above them, where the three of them were positioned!
Almost as soon as Shu Xun realized this problem, a chilling hissing sound echoed from above, accompanied by a creepy rustling of countless feet climbing and crawling. Ye Qian and Meng Muyu’s reactions were swift. Upon noticing the unusual activity above, they immediately leaped away from their original spots, jumping onto nearby branches and looking up to assess the situation.
As for Shu Xun, he needed no prompting and swiftly evaded the danger. Channeling the spiritual power within him, his body became as light as a feather, effortlessly standing on a thin branch near the edge of the giant tree. He also quickly looked up and, in an instant, Shu Xun’s expression completely shattered. On the giant tree, there lurked a colossal multi-legged creature that resembled a centipede. Its appearance was remarkably similar to a centipede, with its shell changing colors constantly as it crawled. This gigantic centipede could camouflage its shell color, and quite perfectly at that. At least, until this moment, Shu Xun and the others, including Big Bliss and Little Bliss, hadn’t noticed it.
Seemingly aware that it had been exposed, the giant centipede no longer disguised its appearance. The dark green shell gradually turned black. At this moment, the myriad of legs and distinct body segments became clear in front of everyone. Shu Xun felt his hair stand on end because the space above his head had almost become a black sky. The massive canopy, spanning hundreds of square meters, was almost entwined with the black body of the colossal centipede. The rough estimate of the centipede’s size was definitely not less than a hundred meters.
The head of the giant centipede hung directly above the previous position where Shu Xun and the others had stayed. Its intentions were evident, and Shu Xun realized what it was about to do. Unexpectedly, the colossal beast below, which had passed under the tree, detected something unusual, inadvertently saving the three of them.
The giant beast on the tree, faced with the seemingly non-threatening humans above, seemed more concerned about the creature under the tree. The enormous mouth was wide open, dripping a few drops of saliva, and simultaneously emitted threatening hissing sounds. It confronted the giant tiger below the tree.
As for the three individuals who went unnoticed, they were silently contemplating their escape plan. Both the colossal centipede and the tiger below were formidable opponents. Direct confrontation would be too risky. Even if Shu Xun had the intention to attempt it, doing so in the presence of these two powerful beings would be extremely perilous. Moreover, tigers couldn’t climb trees, but the giant centipede might soon redirect its attention to the three of them. Shu Xun stealthily summoned his spiritual sword. The spiritual sword could carry one person, and after Big Bliss’s evolution, it could also grow larger, carrying one person. With the right opportunity, the three of them could escape from their current predicament. Although flying in a space with extremely high gravity consumed a significant amount of spiritual power, it should be enough to help them evade the colossal centipede.
However, the development of events took everyone by surprise. The colossal centipede, seemingly in an absolutely safe position, unexpectedly leaped down in an instant, heading straight for the ground below the tree. The speed was so incredible that Shu Xun only felt a gust of wind passing by, lifting a chaotic swirl of leaves in its wake.
In the blink of an eye, there was a thunderous crash under the tree. The colossal centipede had reached the ground and was entangled in a fierce battle with the beast. The centipede’s tough shell and sharp mouthparts made it difficult to find an opening, but the tiger, seasoned from numerous battles, handled the situation with ease. It showed no signs of being at a disadvantage. The massive body was exceptionally agile, and its attacks against the colossal centipede seemed well-prepared.
Under the tree, a flurry of fallen leaves tumbled as the roars of the beast and the hissing of the colossal centipede echoed incessantly. The trembling of the earth transmitted through the giant tree. Even Shu Xun, perched on the outermost branches, could sense it.
This unexpected turn of events puzzled everyone. Why did the colossal centipede and the tiger seem like archenemies, engaging in fierce combat whenever they crossed paths? It appeared to be an unrelenting struggle, and the battle under the tree continued. The colossal centipede seemed persistent in trying to bite into the tiger’s body to inject venom, while the tiger seized opportunities to attack the centipede’s vulnerable spots. This entanglement persisted for more than ten minutes, and the trio in the tree dared not divert their attention. It was the most direct way for them to understand the combat capabilities of the creatures in this world.
In the end, the tiger sank its sharp teeth into the centipede’s body, pursuing it and eventually biting it in half. The hissing of the colossal centipede gradually faded as its body writhed on the ground, slowly stiffening.
The victorious tiger seemed uninterested in the centipede’s carcass. After briefly licking its wounds from the battle, it looked up at the three figures in the tree. Surprisingly, it adopted an indifferent demeanor, turned around, and walked away with a feline grace, continuing its regal patrol as if nothing had happened.
Having waited in the tree for a moment to ensure that the tiger had not returned and no other colossal beasts had arrived, Shu Xun and the others leaped down from the giant tree. As they looked at the enormous centipede carcass below the tree, the three fell into a momentary silence. It was evident that Ye Qian and Meng Muyu were assessing the danger of the recent battle and trying to understand the food competition dynamics on this planet.
Shu Xun, on the other hand, stiffly moved away, taking cautious steps. When passing by a corpse, either due to the corpse’s nervous reaction or for some other reason, the centipede’s legs trembled slightly.
Suddenly, two screams erupted, and the refined young man disappeared from his original position. A fluffy ball plummeted from mid-air, rapidly digging a hole upon landing, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished into the ground. Big Bliss quickly followed suit, folding its wings and diving into the hole, disappearing from sight.
Ye Qian: “…”
Upon recovering from the shock caused by the screams, Meng Muyu failed to witness what happened next.
The live chat room, which had been on edge since the battle began: “So, where is the little furball? Is anyone broadcasting with Shu Xun? Report the location.”
“I found Shu Xun currently around 800 meters underground. Hi hi hi! Ye Qian and Little Bliss seem utterly baffled.”
“Damn! 800 meters, what kind of speed is that?”
“I found that they stopped, and Big Bliss is hanging on. Both are still anxiously looking back, probably afraid of the centipede catching up…”
Beneath the giant tree, Meng Muyu looked around in confusion. “Where are Shu Xun and Big Bliss? They’re not in the tree! They didn’t enter a glitch again, did they?”
Ye Qian remained poker-faced, offering no response. Little Bliss flapped its wings, flew to the entrance of the hole, and then perched on the edge, peering inside. Meng Muyu caught on, walked to the hole, and pointed at the entrance. “Little Bliss, are you messing with me?”
Little Bliss turned its body in a proud and aloof manner, indicating its unwillingness to engage. Meng Muyu scratched his head, also looking down and peering into the hole. Just then, about ten meters behind Meng Muyu, a small mound of soil suddenly bulged, and a fluffy ball emerged from it. The furball, after confirming its location with a cautious glance, crawled out of the soil. Big Bliss followed suit. After a bit of patting off the dirt, Shu Xun calmly spoke, “After such a long break, it’s time for us to continue our journey!”
Meng Muyu: “…” This topic shift deserved a hundred points.
Author’s note:
Old Xuan will probably update tomorrow night… got something to do during the day. Also, I passed the driving theory test~ Hi hi hi~
Shu Xun: “This topic shift deserved a hundred points.”
Old Xuan: “…” “Look, a bug!”
Shu Xun disappeared, leaving behind a hole in the ground.
Old Xuan sneakily (How could I throw a bug? I dare not catch bugs!)
