Lin Xiao led his subordinates on a circuit around the great river's estuary before finally deciding to establish their new home on the beach roughly a mile beyond the river's northern bank, facing Blackwater Swamp across the river on its southern bank.
According to the shared map on the Artifact Platform, more than forty kilometers east of the river mouth lay a large merfolk city, the core region from which the Merfolk Empire ruled the surrounding waters.
As for Blackwater Swamp, it contained Frogmen, Snake-Men, and Murlocs, along with countless swamp creatures, including fierce predators such as Ferocious Crocodiles. It was a chaotic mix of all sorts, and he did not dare make his home there.
Compared to his last mission, the situation around Blackwater Swamp was far more complicated. Even though he had more cannon fodder at his disposal now, he did not dare act rashly. He merely had the Murloc servants he had brought chop down trees and carry stones to build nests while he took several dozen Naga out to scout the area.
He first went to the vicinity of the alluvial islands near the river mouth. What a sight—just as they approached, a plump Bluefin Shark opened its huge mouth and charged at them.
The thing was so fat its entire body was round and pudgy. Yet as it opened its mouth, swayed its body, and charged over, Lin Xiao was somehow reminded of a certain meme. There was an inexplicable comedy to it.
Funny or not, he showed no mercy.
With a wave of his hand, dozens of Naga swarmed forward and stabbed it to death with a flurry of spears. Naturally, they immediately divided up the corpse as a snack.
When they left behind only the scraps they would not eat, a large school