Lake Bottom Depths

A few kilometers away, on a mountain peak.

The gentlemen watched the town descending into full-scale chaos.

The [Clothing] they wore seemed to catch the scent of blood wafting from the town, stirring restlessly.

Teacher Sman, his large belly protruding, squeezed the features of his face together.

"If this large-scale forced infection erupts tonight, it'll be hard for anyone to hold out until tomorrow afternoon... I suggest moving the assessment's end time up to dawn."

This proposal earned nods from many gentlemen.

Even the usually strict, white-haired Professor Chamberson silently acquiesced.

As most of the gentlemen's attention focused on the town center and the areas around it where fierce battles raged, Hoo~

The owl perched on Chamberson's shoulder let out a cry, drawing his gaze toward the [Green Shade Inn] at the edge of town.

Two "Sick Ones" with independent consciousness, not participating in the town's riot, slipped out through the back door.

One in front, one behind, they pushed a wooden cart together.

Piled on it were six "corpses," their bodies wrapped in a kind of [Fish Egg Membrane], filled with a large amount of mucus.

And one of the corpses, crushed at the very bottom, was the young man who had slightly piqued white-haired Chamberson's interest earlier.

Chamberson just watched silently, offering no comment.

The wooden cart was pushed to the lakeshore.

The cart tilted.

Splash—water sprayed as all six corpses tumbled in.

The brother and sister responsible for the delivery also leaped into the lake.

Using their bodies to stick together, they carried the six corpses, heading for the deepest part of the lake.

"This is..."

White-haired Chamberson's pupils changed at that moment—the first time he had used his ability during this invigilation.

The whites of his eyes were replaced by blood-red.

His round pupils were completely dyed black.

His vision multiplied in power, easily penetrating Green Lake, focusing on Yi Chen, who was wrapped in the membrane, pretending to be unconscious.

"This guy actually went this far..."

Chamberson raised a finger.

The owl on his shoulder immediately spread its wings and flew out, a white streak flashing across the night sky, heading toward Green Lake.

[Under the Lake]

What the brother and sister carried were not corpses.

They were perfectly cultivated infected bodies suitable for "Fish Transformation"... all currently used as distractions to hide Yi Chen, the "sixth man."

These [Fish Egg Membranes] wrapped around their bodies.

Effectively isolated the lake water's influence.

And preserved a certain amount of air, enough to last until the lake bottom.

Additionally, Yi Chen had taken some extra precautions himself.

"Mask Insert"

His throat, nasal cavity, and ear canals were all fitted with an 'Inner Net' woven from roots... Even if exposed to the lake water, it would prevent the water from entering his body, effectively filtering out the [Pathogen].

Eyes tightly shut, Feigning unconsciousness, But at the back of his head, a mouth had quietly opened, containing an eye, secretly spying on the underwater situation.

Based on his observations of Green Lake.

[Upper Lake Section]:

Floating, crowded with dense, green-glowing parasite eggs and fish eggs.

[Lower Lake Section]:

The tiny eggs were gone, replaced by a terrifying kind of "Human Egg."

Those [Fish Scale Infected] who had successfully passed [Phase One] were curled up inside the eggs.

A fleshy cord, like an umbilical cord, connected one end to their navels and the other to the lake bottom.

Through this method, they underwent "Fish Transformation."

Once the body grew enough fish scales, the internal organs completed their transformation, and a perfect gill structure formed, it could break out of the egg and transform into a mermaid.

Of course, some already-formed fishmen were also swimming here, inspecting the human eggs and keeping watch for intruders.

Slowly, under the siblings' guidance, they gradually approached the deepest part of Green Lake.

That hair-raising sensation of being watched came again, clearly something deep within was observing them.

'That is!'

After weaving past rows of human eggs and patrolling mermaids, an impossibly huge [Giant Eye] was discovered, embedded in the depths of the lake... an oversized green eyeball constantly shifting, monitoring everything in the lake and Green Lake Town.

'Super Big Green Grape!'

Little Grape became unusually excited at this moment.

At this point, Yi Chen understood why Little Grape had been so eager—maybe it had known all along.

But one thing puzzled him:

'Why is the source a giant eye instead of a mother entity?'

In Yi Chen's imagination, the one spreading Fish Scale Disease and causing the town's mermaid transformation should have been a parasitic mother... its form a massive, crazily egg-laying insectoid monster.

But this giant eye before him seemed completely unrelated to "egg-laying" or "parasites."

Just as Yi Chen was feeling confused, Little Grape's voice came:

'What is a disease? Where does sickness come from? Hardly anyone truly understands these questions, and even less is known about their diversity and variability.

Maybe there never was a parasitic mother.

This giant eye is just a [Watcher].

It might have been instructed, carrying a 'parasite swarm' to this town, to watch and witness the town's pathological transformation... later, it might take away some quality Sick Ones.

Its gaze alone can mentally control the parasites through staring.

Regardless, this Super Big Grape is the source... it's our target.

Later, there's only one thing William needs to do—[make physical contact with this eyeball].

As long as you touch the eyeball's surface, I can directly transfer inside it and suck the grape juice.'

Hearing Little Grape's battle plan, Yi Chen replied:

'You knew from the start that this giant eye was at the bottom of the lake, didn't you, Little Grape?'

'Not from the very start, but during the lake swim, when I stared at the lake, I sensed it... same type, after all~ naturally there's some subtle resonance.'

Yi Chen said nothing more, focusing on the present.

After the siblings delivered the 'goods,'

the innkeeper Boss used telepathic communication to convey the batch's information to the Lake Bottom Giant Eye.

Once the transmission was complete, she immediately surfaced.

Any extra behavior could arouse suspicion.

Yi Chen and the other 'goods' floated about four meters above the giant eye, currently in the deep-water zone—such a distance wasn't easy to close, and they had to wait for an opportunity.

Immediately after, a rather eerie scene came into view.

At the center of the giant eye's pupil, a small circular opening expanded.

Gah-ji gah-ji~ from within emerged a fleshy strip creature resembling an eel, simply called a Flesh Eel.

Its mouth was circular, lined with dense sharp teeth, and it spat out blood-red threads swaying in the water.

'This is... something like an umbilical cord, connecting to the navel!'

The next second, the Flesh Eel plunged into one of the 'goods' beside Yi Chen, its mouthparts perfectly connecting to the navel, dragging the goods to an empty spot at the lake bottom, rooting it, and incubating.

Transformation, Orderly and methodical, Another flesh eel is born, connecting to another piece of cargo in front of Yi Chen.

Watching the 'corpses' beside him being dragged away one by one, packaged... This suffocating sense of oppression feels like a hand gripping his heart, forcing his pulse to race.

'Steady!'

Yi Chen suppresses his nervousness with all his might, waiting for the perfect moment to arrive.

Perhaps due to luck, Perhaps this giant eye sensed Yi Chen's uniqueness, Or perhaps the innkeeper said something to the giant eye, Yi Chen happened to be the last one... Here in the depths of the lake, only he and the giant eye remained.

Gah-ji gah-ji~

From the small hole in the eye's pupil, the last flesh eel—the one paired with Yi Chen—emerged, Wriggling, Rising, Piercing the membrane, Hah... Yi Chen took a deep breath, still making no move, still waiting for the moment to come.

The flesh eel pressed against his waist and abdomen, wriggling toward his navel, One by one, the mouth silk threads used for neural connection scraped across Yi Chen's body, unbearably itchy.

It circled to the front, The flesh eel's mouth bloomed open like a flower petal, revealing an inner wall full of sharp teeth, and bit down toward his navel.

Just as its mouth touched his navel, Yi Chen's eyes snapped open.

The silver axe, already prepared, was drawn from his clothes... Shhh!

The flesh eel's strip-like body and the white egg membrane on Yi Chen were slashed apart together.

His other hand grabbed the upper body of the flesh eel still attached to his abdomen, and with a splat—crushed it with force!

The next moment, Yi Chen took the opportunity to raise his free arm, Fingers gripping his face, Gah-ji gah-ji~

Tender plant root tendrils quickly wove together, Perhaps due to the stimulation of danger, the weaving speed was faster than before, and a bark structure even appeared on the surface of the tendrils.

In the blink of an eye, A filtering mask had formed on his face, further isolating the lake water.

The entire process was completed almost in an instant, Before the giant eye could fully react, Yi Chen swam at full speed toward the deepest part...

Four meters, Three meters, Two meters, With just over a meter left, a change occurred!

The lake bottom giant eye's originally dilated pupil instantly contracted and focused... turning into a [dot] the size of a ping-pong ball.

"Damn it!"

Even though Yi Chen closed his eyes at the first moment, Still, An invisible spiritual ripple had already pierced through, Penetrating the mask and eyelids, Through the pupils, Traveling along the optic nerves straight to the brain, Buzz!

A sharp ringing in the ears, It was as if some mischievous child had stuffed an entire box of firecrackers into his head and then slapped them all off at once.

William! Hold on!

I can't reveal myself until I touch the Big Grape!

Just then, the Little Grape's voice rang out between their consciousnesses, offering encouragement and providing mental support.

Under the infiltration of Mental Power, Yi Chen felt as though the surface of his brain was covered in tiny eyeballs.

Any single gap in his awareness would be breached by those eyes.

I have to hold on... this is a hard-won chance at rebirth...

[Willpower]

A spiritual product forged with "life experience" as the hammer.

Though Yi Chen was only in his twenties, the first half of his "life experience" was like a giant hammer studded with spikes, ceaselessly pounding away at him.

He had barely escaped, barely obtained the chance to cross over into such an interesting world, he wanted to survive... to truly live for once.

At this moment!

Blood seeped from the corners of his eyes, staining even the plant mask red.

His desperate roar turned into a stream of rising bubbles in the lake.

Forcing through the last meter of distance, he turned sideways, extended his arm, made contact, his palm pressed firmly against the damp, smooth surface of the eyeball... and right at the center, at the gap where the Flesh Eel had emerged.

The instant of contact, the Black Flesh Ball instantly detached from his palm, slid along the gap, and burrowed into the Giant Eye.

The moment he succeeded, Yi Chen could no longer hold on, and his slackened awareness was instantly breached!

However, the mental erosion from the Giant Eye did not destroy his brain.

Instead, it packaged Yi Chen's Consciousness Body and sent it to a completely unknown realm.

Hum!

His consciousness trembled, Yi Chen's Consciousness Body seemed to be delivered to a deep, mysterious cavern, as if at the bottom of an abyss.

Hexagonal black fish scales, like wall tiles, covered the cave walls, a layer of clear water covered the floor, deep enough to submerge a Normal Human's knees, flesh-colored pipes connected various Experimental Tanks, and embedded or suspended between the walls were chambers of varying sizes used to nurture life.

This place resembled an [Abyss Laboratory].

At the center of the laboratory, an individual whose form transcended concepts was recording data, its back turned to Yi Chen's Consciousness Body.

It wore a nearly perfect Dark Gold Cylindrical Robe with its own force field, revealing a tail covered in black scales.

More like a dragon's tail than a fish tail.

For some reason, when Yi Chen gazed at the back of this being, thump thump thump

an epic, layered musical score inexplicably rang out within his consciousness, the fading sound of a cello, accompanied by the crashing of ocean waves.

As if informing the audience, this music came from the depths of the sea, heralding the imminent arrival of some terrifying entity.

As the music sounded, a [frame] appeared above the opponent's head—gilded in gold, with a fish-head relief at its starting end, shaped like a health bar from a game.

The frame was filled with a dark fish oil, or rather, an Ancient Fish Essence, surging, churning, roaring.

Above the frame were also attached a title and a name.

§Fish Source - Nashatar (The Primitive Arowana)§