"Roar!!!"
A terrifying scream echoed along the coast.
Chu Meizi stood up straight out of the water!
Mist rose from the bottom of the water, swirling around her body, as black as ink.
Everyone saw it clearly!
Her body was swollen and rotting, and her face was covered with lividity.
Weird.
She's a monster!
The soldiers' faces turned deathly pale.
Those who were just sulking now felt a chill run down their spines.
Turn out to be...
They're all wrong!
San Duo loosened the hem of Jiangnan's clothes and swallowed.
The hand that had brought him Fortune slapped itself again, this time on the other side.
Chu Meizi spread her rotting arms and lunged at Jiangnan.
I'm going to kill you!!!
Jiangnan looked at her expressionlessly.
Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Memo Pad.
Turn to a new page.
I wrote one character.
Lift it up.
[Come.]
"Roar!!!"
Chu Meizi roared.
The sound waves spread out towards everyone.
"Ahh!"
On the shore, some soldiers collapsed, clutching their ears and screaming in agony.
But San Duo and Fortune, who were close to Jiangnan, and the soldiers who were near him, were all unharmed.
The Silence Domain still exists.
Within a radius of thirty meters, all sound was silenced.
Chu Meizi's roar couldn't get through.
Chu Meizi stood on the water, her decaying body swaying precariously.
She stared intently at Jiangnan, her resentment palpable.
That's him!
This is the man!
He ruined his plans!
He must be killed!
Today, Chu Meizi's intelligence is comparable to that of a fully grown Hakimi.
After becoming bizarre, all she had left was instinctive killing intent and the object of her hatred.
"Ha ha!"
She breathed heavily as she waded through the water towards the Jiangnan.
Water splashed everywhere, and Black Qi filled the air.
Jiangnan stood still, motionless.
Hands in pockets, expressionless.
I just watched her rush towards me.
San Duo got anxious.
He instinctively reached for the gun, but stopped just as his hand touched the butt.
The Chief's order was to prohibit approaching the Prayer Deep Pool, but it didn't say anything about not firing...
But the Chief himself hasn't made a move; is he confident in his abilities?
In the instant that San Duo hesitated...
"Call out!"
A streak of cold light pierced through the air.
"Pfft!"
A Butcher Knife plunged into Chu Meizi's chest.
Chu Meizi's body stiffened, and the momentum propelled her forward two more steps before she fell onto the shore.
She struggled to get up.
But a layer of Black Qi swirled around the Butcher Knife, like an invisible chain, pinning her to the ground.
She can't move.
It can't move an inch.
Jiangnan snapped his fingers when he saw the Butcher Knife.
"Snap."
The Silence Domain has been lifted.
The sound returned.
The sounds of wind and water, along with the groans of the soldiers and Chu Meizi's screams, all rushed in at once.
You're back?
Jiangnan asked the question without turning his head.
"You're back, boss."
"I've obtained the early warning you requested."
Guo Shuai's voice came from behind.
Jiangnan turned around.
Guo Shuai was walking out of the woods, carrying a person in his right hand.
The man had a large hole cut in his chest.
It was Gangban Richuan.
Previously, when the meteorite fell, this guy used his S-class Supernatural Ability to warn others and hide in advance, thus evading capture.
However, Guo Shuai possesses D-class Supernatural Ability Danger Sense, a lower-spec version of the same type, but it's sufficient.
Finding someone doesn't require high qualifications.
Because the other party's murderous intent would give away their own identity.
Guo Shuai walked to the shore, looked at Chu Meizi lying on the ground, and then looked at Jiangnan.
"Boss, what's going on here? Why is there a ghost?"
As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed the handle of the Butcher Knife, pulling Chu Meizi out of the water.
Yohohoho!
Chu Meizi screamed in agony as her rotting body writhed on the ground, desperately trying to grab the hilt of the knife with both hands.
But the Black Qi emanating from the Butcher Knife was even stronger than her own Suppression, locking her in place.
She couldn't pull it out at all.
Jiangnan did not answer Guo Shuai immediately.
He turned around to face Chu Meizi.
Raise your right hand, palm facing her head.
"In the name of the king..."
"I give you the power to Ten Thousand Swords Shatter the Body."
The words had barely left his mouth.
"Buzz!"
Countless invisible flying swords condensed from the void.
The next second.
"Boom boom boom boom boom!"
Ten Thousand Swords were unleashed simultaneously.
Chu Meizi was pierced and torn apart by countless flying swords.
One second.
It only took a second.
She left not even a trace.
Only that Butcher Knife lay forlornly on the ground.
Jiangnan casually kicked the ball to Guo Shuai.
"Boss, what are your instructions?"
Guo Shuai caught it and tucked it into his belt.
Jiangnan took out Memo Pad from his pocket, quickly wrote a few lines, tore it off, and handed it to him.
Guo Shuai took it and looked at it.
[Ask the San Duo questions in detail, and submit a compiled report to the military.]
[Also, don't go into the water before I get back; there's something in it.]
After reading it, Guo Shuai nodded vigorously. "Understood, boss!"
Jiangnan remained silent.
He turned around, walked to the shore, and looked down at the Black Qi underwater.
The Black Qi seemed to be alive, churning and surging at the bottom of the water.
The Eye of Mobius shimmered with golden light between his brows.
"Near Yet Far, yet worlds apart."
Jiangnan's figure vanished from the spot in an instant.
There was no splash, no sound of wind.
It just vanished into thin air.
Guo Shuai stared at the spot where Jiangnan had disappeared for two seconds, then turned his head away.
"That..."
He scratched his head.
Who is named San Duo?
San Duo stood at attention and saluted. "Reporting! I am San Duo!"
Guo Shuai looked him up and down, then nodded. "Okay. The boss wants us to coordinate."
He threw Gangban Richuan on the ground, squatted down, and began to question him.
Deep Pool Fortress.
This is the only route to the Dragon Xia Imperial City.
It is also the territory of [Duanlang], Quasi-God powerhouse and the lord of the fortress.
Today, the fortress hall is brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Guests from all sides filled the entire hall.
There were water ghost pirates, soaking wet and smelling of seawater.
High-ranking officials and nobles, dressed in brocade robes, exchanged pleasantries while holding wine cups.
There were also two from the Desolate God Society...
In the corner.
A small table.
Several plates of snacks and drinks were laid out on the table.
Two people were sitting at the table.
Nightmare.
Clown.
Neither of them looked too good.
Or rather, it's quite ugly.
Today is the second day of the Pirate Amnesty Conference, and the banquet is in full swing.
But these two, special envoys of the Desolate God Society, were deliberately arranged to be here.
Children's table.
The person sitting next to them wasn't a child, but rather a pet dog brought by wealthy merchants from the capital...
"Lord Nightmare..."
The Clown lowered his voice, his tone clearly annoyed.
Why do I feel like we've been humiliated again?
Nightmare grabbed a box of [Chicago] ice cream from the table and ate it in three bites.
Then he picked up a bottle of [Thunder Sprite], tilted his head back, and took a big gulp.
When he put the bottle down, his eyes looked like he was drinking alone in silence.
Be more confident.
Nightmare wiped his mouth.
"Remove the [feeling]."
"We were humiliated."
Then, he clenched his fist and growled in a low voice.
"When the tiger's away, the monkeys are king!"
"The fortress lord is in seclusion. That Gao Nantong deliberately arranged for us to be here!"
"He's just Gao Qiu's nephew! What's so special about him!"
"One day, I'll make him pay!"
The Clown nodded, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes:
"Lord Nightmare is right!"
We will take back everything that is rightfully ours sooner or later!
Nightmare felt a little better seeing the Clown regain his composure.
That's right, that's how it should be!
That's the feeling of being fired up!
However!
"Oh my goodness~"
"You two must be the second and sixth seats of the Desolate God Society, right?"
Nightmare and the Clown turned their heads at the same time.
A man dressed in bright red makeup was walking towards them.
She wore a bright red robe, her face was powdered, and she walked with a swaying gait.
He held his fingers in a delicate, orchid-like gesture, smiling as he looked at the Nightmare.
Gao Nantong.
Gao Qiu's nephew.
The host of this banquet.
The Clown's face darkened.
He whispered to Nightmare, "Lord Nightmare, should I teach him a lesson now?"
But...
But no one answered.
"Lord Nightmare?"
The Clown turned his head.
The Nightmare... is gone.
Then he heard a fawning voice coming from ahead.
"Oh dear, my dear nephew!"
The Clown suddenly turned around.
Nightmare had somehow appeared in front of Gao Nantong, bowing obsequiously.
"What's your decision, Lord Gao?"
Are you willing to participate in this defensive battle?
The Clown's brain immediately shut down.
No...
Wasn't the agreement that he would pay the price?
Why did he go up and lick it?!
Gao Nantong pinched his pinky finger and covered his mouth to laugh.
"You must be Mr. Nightmare ~ Nice to meet you~"
"My uncle heard about the destruction of headquarters and instructed that you be treated well."
He gestured towards the table in the corner.
"So we seated you at the children's table~ that way no one will be fighting with you for food~"
Despite the barbed sarcasm, Nightmare maintained a smile that looked more like a grimace, nodding repeatedly in thanks.
"So thoughtful, my dear nephew Gao is so considerate..."
However, in his heart, Nightmare had already cursed Gao Nantong's ancestors for eighteen generations!
The table was surrounded by dogs!
Of course no one's going to steal it!
But for the sake of the bigger picture, Nightmare endured it.
He continued with a smile, "Then... when will Lord Gao Qiu arrive?"
Gao Nantong's smile faded slightly, and his tone became somewhat impatient.
My uncle isn't coming.
"After all... you didn't take the treasure vault, did you?"
Nightmare quickly explained, "The treasure vault was robbed, we can explain that..."
"Oh, I know!"
Gao Nantong interrupted him, his voice high-pitched and thin.
"But... it has nothing to do with us~"
He looked down at his fingers, which were painted with red nail polish, and said casually:
"As Merchant, we only care about profits and leverage."
"And what about you? You didn't~"
"We're not philanthropists~"
He raised his eyelids, glanced at Nightmare, and smiled.
Goodbye~
He turned to leave, then remembered something and turned back to add a sentence.
"By the way, Lord Duanlang mentioned this when I arrived."
"Once he emerges from seclusion, he will personally deal with the Dragon God."
"Besides that, there's also the Deep Pool Behemoth."
"The Dragon God can't possibly enter the sea anytime soon~"
After saying that, she walked away with a swaying gait.
Nightmare stood there, the smile on her face slowly fading away.
He turned and walked back to the corner.
He plopped down in the chair, slumping down as if all his energy had been depleted.
The Clown looked at him, his eyes reddening.
"Lord Nightmare..."
He gritted his teeth.
"Let's forget about Gao Qiu..."
Why treat his nephew like that too?
"What is this idiot of his?!"
The Clown's voice trembled, not from fear, but from anger.
Nightmare didn't look at him, but calmly said:
"This is all for the greater good."
Compared to that, personal dignity... is nothing.
"I don't care."
He took a breath and said again:
"At least we've got intelligence. Both the Deep Pool Behemoth and Duanlang will make a move."
That's enough.
"Enough?!"
The Clown stood up, his voice almost a shout.
"I care!"
He punched himself in the chest.
"I care!!!"
People at the surrounding tables all turned to look.
Nightmare closed his eyes, his tone still flat. "Clown, listen to me, sit down."
"Just bear with it, it will pass."
"I can't take it anymore!! I can't take it for even a second longer!!"
"Whoosh!"
The Clown flipped over the plates in front of him, startling the expensive pet dogs into barking wildly.
He looked at the spineless man before him with despair, then resolutely turned around and strode out of the hall.
"Where are you... going?"
Nightmare opened her eyes and looked at his back.
The Clown didn't turn around, but simply uttered a single sentence.
"Where am I going? I'm going to reclaim my own dignity!"
"Anyway... we won't need me here as a dog, right?"
Nightmare opened her mouth, wanting to persuade him to stay, but a thousand words stuck in her throat, ultimately turning into only two words.
"Careful."
The Clown paused for a second at the gate.
Then, he pushed open the door and disappeared into the torrential rain outside.
The noisy hall remained filled with singing and dancing.
Nightmare was left alone, slumped in a chair surrounded by his pet dogs.
He held the bitter glass of Thunder Sprite, head bowed, silently grieving in a corner where no one could see him...