"The scenery is so beautiful on a sunny day—red flowers, green grass!"
Vane walked ahead humming an off-key tune, while Irene followed behind carrying the unconscious teacher.
"Mr. Vane, are you singing a folk song from Yan?"
Vane stopped humming and turned around in surprise:
"Wow, you can understand Yan?"
"The Yan is also part of the Inquisitor' training course,"
Irene adjusted the position of the teacher on her shoulder, her petite figure showing no signs of strain.
"Although I don't know much, I still know some simple words and common formats."
"Oh right, I almost forgot that your Inquisition is also a state organ," Vane said, suddenly realizing.
After the demise of the monarchy, the Inquisition took over the responsibility of governing the country and maintaining social order.
Inquisitor also simultaneously assume responsibilities as judges, enforcers, spiritual leaders, and military commanders.
As administrators of a nation's government, exchanges with other countries are indispensable.
But...
"Iberia and Yan both span half a continent, is it really necessary to control them separately? Surely the caravans from Yan wouldn't be completely ignorant of the common language?"
When this was mentioned, Irene sighed helplessly.
"There's no other way; Iberia has too little arable land, and we have to import a large amount of grain every year."
Irene's tone became somewhat downcast:
"After all the calculations, even considering the cost of long-distance transportation, importing grain from Yan is the most cost-effective option among all choices."
"Their production volume is large enough, the price is relatively stable, and... they are willing to do this business long-term."
"I guess a turning point is coming?"
Vane raised an eyebrow, and Irene nodded:
"Most of our predecessors were skilled in combat, but not proficient in the paperwork and details of international trade."
"Merchants and officials in Yan are very adept at manipulating the wording of contracts, to the point that... our predecessors suffered many losses in the first few procurement contracts."
"So later,"
Dario slipped off her shoulder, and Irene quickly steadied herself.
"The Inquisition has stipulated that Inquisitor must possess a certain level of Yan, at least to the point of being able to communicate."
Vane whistled, his expression mocking.
"You Inquisitor are truly multi-talented!"
Irene remained noncommittal, then gently lifted her teacher's body again to prevent Dario's toes from hitting the stones on the ground.
"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Vane asked with a grin.
"I can carry it or drag it, as long as it's efficient."
"No need!" Irene glared at him immediately. "No matter what, dragging the teacher along the ground is going too far!"
"But he himself doesn't have any objections~"
As he spoke, Vane reached out and touched Dario's earlobe, which swayed slightly with the bumps.
Irene dodged Vane's clutches with a sidestep, her eyes filled with the determination to "defend the teacher's dignity to the death."
"Tch, boring."
Vane pursed his lips, his gaze fixed on the unchanging coastline before him.
"I said, is this really the road to Gran Faro?"
Irene looked at the sun to confirm her direction:
"Just keep following this coastline, you won't go wrong. Gran Faro is built right on the beach. But Mr. Vane, you..."
She turned her head to look at the sea not far away, where several Bloodline Heir of various shapes were following them in the shallow waters.
"Can't you control your retinue? If they keep following us to the vicinity of Gran Faro, it'll definitely cause panic!"
"Relax, relax~"
Vane waved his hand dismissively, making a few gestures to shoo away the Bloodline Heir.
"Once they get there, they'll scatter on their own. They're not stupid; they know the city doesn't welcome their appearance."
These Bloodline Heir, transformed by Vane's blood, underwent drastic physical changes, but still retained a portion of human memories and cognition.
They felt an almost blind gratitude and loyalty to Vane, who had freed them from endless suffering and given them new life.
After a brief exchange within the "The We Many's " consciousness, they spontaneously decided to escort "Ishar-mla" to her destination.
Where... will they go next?
Irene's gaze followed the silent, loyal shadows in the sea, lost in thought.
"Having become like this, and having to leave their long-time home, will the sea accept them...?"
(The waters between Iberia and Aegir are teeming with Seaborn and Dreadfish, which have almost completely taken over the habitat and blocked Iberia's exploration of marine resources.)
"Survival... On land, during human times, they couldn't even manage to 'live,' but in the sea, no one can harm them."
Vane narrowed his blood-red eyes, gazing at the vast expanse of deep blue.
"The ocean is very inclusive and doesn't have the same prejudices as the land."
Before Irene could sigh, Vane added:
"There's no need to be too pessimistic. The Bloodline Heir is now a 'big family,' who knows, maybe one day they'll develop their own civilization?"
"Civilization?" Irene tried to imagine a group of sea monsters of various shapes establishing a civilized society, but ultimately shook her head.
"I really can't imagine... Could there be other Bloodline Heir besides these?"
Her knowledge of Bloodline Heir came entirely from Vane —a special clan formed from his blood.
"Um..."
Vane stroked his chin and calculated the time.
"I reckon it won't be long before you see it every day, and you might even find it annoying."
Given the evolutionary efficiency and resource mobilization capabilities of the Seaborn, the first batch of new-generation Bloodline Heir should have already been conceived.
Ignoring the bird's confused look, Vane focused his mind and reconnected to the We Many network.
[Vane (Consciousness Broadcast): Hey hey! Children! Your wise, mighty, and handsome king has returned!]
[The We Many consciousness (a mixture of massive amounts of noise): Hi hi! xN]
Sensing that the Firstborn, which had been submerged, had become active again, the We Many instantly erupted in a frenzy, with countless tentacles of consciousness surging toward him.
[Seaborn A: Ishar-mla... Evolution complete. Attempting to prey... Efficiency decreased, puzzling.]
[Vane: Efficiency decreased? That shouldn't be the case! Let me see how you've evolved...]
A message and a blurred visual perception arrived--
In order to maximize the achievement of his proposed functional goal of "absorbing damage and converting it into energy," these newborn Seaborn went to the other extreme—they frantically weakened themselves.
The result is... they look like... slimes?
Slow-moving and lacking offensive capabilities, they drift with the ocean currents.
[Vane: (After a moment of silence)... Alright, forget about hunting.]
[So, you guys figure out how to make yourselves look incredibly delicious and alluring, then just find a dangerous trench and lie down.]
[Seaborn A: Okay~ Stop ineffective predation, let's research how to become more "appetizing"]
[Seaborn B: Ishar-mla... New brethren, no need to hunt. What about us, the old brethren? Do we need to change?]
[Vane: The old ones? The old ones are put on the recycling loop... Bah! Let the old ones return to the We Many for modification.]
[Seaborn Individual C: Ishar-mla... The sleeping Ishar-mla needs a lot of energy. We want to increase efficiency.]
Upon seeing this message, Vane remembered the top spender who had fallen into a deep sleep from overspending on his donations.
Wanting to speed up energy supply efficiency... isn't that just asking to be beaten up?
Vane had an idea and couldn't help but grin mischievously.
[Vane: Good question! Remember those giant, glowing, shelled lairs on the seabed? (Aegir cities)]
[Surround them over there, don't attack, do the actions I'll teach you... (Mischievous thoughts being typed)]
[Zhong Seaborn: Receiving...]
After the connection was broken, Irene watched Vane's changing expressions with curiosity:
"Mr. Vane? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing~"
Vane stretched, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his face.
"I just suddenly feel that the sunshine today is exceptionally bright!"
Meanwhile, beneath the deep sea—
"Ah~ It's been too peaceful lately, not a single Seaborn can be seen."
The young Aegir soldier gazed at the deep blue sea beyond the dome and sighed, his comrade immediately casting a disapproving look at him:
"This is a good thing! Did you really expect those monsters to come knocking on your door?"
"It's not that I'm hoping for it..." the young soldier scratched his head.
"I'm just a little bored... and even if they did come, it wouldn't be our turn to fight."
His tone was dejected, and his companion fell silent as well.
In Aegir's near-perfect social order, the presence of the defense forces was indeed minimal.
However, when faced with the real threat from the deep sea— the Seaborn — the Abyssal Hunters serve as the sharpest weapon.
These ordinary soldiers were more of a symbolic presence.
"Let's not talk about that," his companion tried to change the subject. "How about going to the theater after get off work? Today's show..."
"Going to the theater again? Don't you get tired of seeing me every day?" the young soldier scoffed.
"If you ask me, we should go to the sculpture museum; those biomimetic art pieces are truly..."
His words trailed off, his eyes fixed intently on the dome behind his companion.
Why aren't you saying anything?
His companion turned around in confusion, following his gaze, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
The once calm sea has been filled with countless translucent objects, which are slowly moving with the ocean currents toward the city's massive energy shield dome.
They have a soft shape, with edges that undulate like an umbrella, and look like...
"That's... a swarm of jellyfish?" the young soldier murmured uncertainly.
"[Aegir curses]! How could there possibly be a natural jellyfish swarm at this depth?!"
"That's a new type of Seaborn! Sound the alarm!"
The piercing alarm instantly resounded throughout the outpost and traveled to the city at the speed of light.
The Abyssal Hunters, who were enjoying a short vacation, suddenly received a top-level emergency mobilization order.
"Damn it! I just bought front-row tickets for the opera tonight!"
The tall hunter cursed and grabbed his serrated two-handed greatsword.
"I knew it was unusually quiet," the more composed hunter said, checking his weapons. "Turns out he was brewing something big."
"Quiet."
A cool, clear female voice rang out, and all the complaints and gossip vanished instantly.
The woman who spoke was tall and slender, and the long spear in her hand gleamed coldly.
She is the captain of the second team of this Abyssal Hunters, Gladiia.
"Ready to harvest."
The order was given, and the hunters launched from various attack ports throughout the city, leaving clear trails of water behind them as they charged toward the approaching "Red Tide".
However, the ensuing engagements took an unexpected turn.
"What's going on? The slash isn't working!"
A hunter wielded a giant blade, but the expected scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere did not occur; the supple body did not even deform.
"Me too! The impact was absorbed!"
"Watch out! They're attaching themselves!"
Attacks powerful enough to tear through alloys are utterly useless against these seemingly fragile "jellyfish".
What's even stranger to the hunters is that, so far, not a single "jellyfish" has launched an attack on them; they've simply been steadily approaching them.
With her long spear stirring the water, Gladiia pushed away several "jellyfish" that tried to approach.
His gaze swept over these new Seaborn, his mind recalling a briefing from the technical department not long ago—
A variant of the Seaborn with kinetic energy absorption capabilities.
It appears to be not a random mutation, but rather a widespread evolutionary phenomenon.
"All hunters, disengage and retreat to the city."
"Team leader?!"
"Retreat."
Gladiia repeated herself, and the questioning hunter shuddered, retreating towards the city with his companions.
Gladiia did not leave immediately; instead, she used her extremely high speed to stir up the water, providing cover for the retreating team members.
But her gaze quickly locked onto the other side of the battlefield—where a hunter wielding a huge circular saw remained stationary.
"Laurentina, what are you doing?"
The hunter, known as Laurentina, was tilting her head, curiously poking at a "jellyfish," even holding it up to her eyes for a closer look.
"As you can see, Captain~"
Laurentina's voice has a unique sweetness.
"I'm 'investigating' them! Up close, aren't these soft little things quite cute?"
Gladiia paused for a moment:
"... Your aesthetic standards need a complete overhaul. Until then, obey orders."
"Alright, alright~ You're the captain, you're in charge."
Laurentina sighed dramatically and gently pushed the "jellyfish" away.
However, the "jellyfish" she pushed away, along with several others that had also been "closely touched" by her circular saw and had absorbed even more energy, were not happy that their "high-energy food" had left them so easily.
Ishar-mla said... at this time...
Laurentina, who was about to leave, suddenly saw the expression on Gladiia's perpetually icy face shatter—
It was a strange expression that mixed surprise, absurdity... indescribable.
"Oh my? What an interesting expression!"
Laurentina's smile widened, but the circular saw in her hand spun even faster, stirring up a dangerous whirlpool in the water.
What 'surprise' awaits me behind me?
She whistled as she turned around, the circular saw whistling as it swept across her back.
The attack has stalled.
In front of me, several "jellyfish" gathered together, their translucent bodies twisting and combining to form a clear human face.
A face exactly like her own.
The facial features are exquisitely detailed and perfectly accurate; although only the head is shown, the details are eerily realistic.
There is only one difference.
Laurentina - Seaborn version: [laughing] jpg
Laurentina: "..."
Shark was shocked.
Shark is puzzled.
Shark Shame
Shark Fury
Buzz--!
The circular saw emitted a loud buzzing sound, and the water flow generated by the high-speed rotation of the saw teeth even formed small whirlpools.
"Ara~"
Laurentina's temple throbbed, and her sweet voice carried a chilling undertone.
"To use a lady's face... to make such... such a vulgar expression..."
She slowly raised the rapidly spinning circular saw and aimed it at the "face" of herself, simulated by the Seaborn cluster, which still maintained its comical smile.
"Really..."
"Not cute at all--!"
With a deafening roar, Laurentina charged towards the group of Seaborn monsters who dared to desecrate her "beauty" and "elegance".
Gladiia couldn't help but put one hand to her forehead.
"... It seems she needs to retake her emotional management course."
Gladiia suppressed her inner turmoil and prepared to forcibly take the irrational Laurentina away.
However--
Several jellyfish, which had been planning this all along, quietly drifted by.
Gladiia - Seaborn version: [funny face]jpg
Gladiia: "..."
This Abyssal Hunters captain, known for his calm and elegance, felt a string in his mind called reason groan under unbearable pressure.
The Gladiia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Calm down... The most important thing right now is to get Laurentina back...
I opened my eyes, and there were more funny faces than before!
Gladiia:...
[Aegir curses] Laurentina, you're right! These kinds of things should all be wiped off the face of the earth!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Gladiia's face remained expressionless, but her arm moved like a blur as her spear pierced the nearest few "comical faces" in an instant.
Physical attacks are ineffective, but provocation is extremely effective.
Gladiia no longer wasted her energy. She stirred the currents at an astonishing speed, pushing the annoying jellyfish as far as possible.
She then rushed towards Lauren, grabbed her, and headed into the city.
The Seaborn watched them leave in silence, and after this ordeal, they were once again convinced of the correctness of Vane's words.
And so, the faces of Abyssal Hunters began to appear around the city.
The other hunters had already retreated, and the city's defense system was fully activated, temporarily blocking the strange Seaborn from the outside.
The hunters, their initial shock subsiding, gathered at the observation platform or beneath the dome. As they looked up at the dome, trying to confirm the movements of the Seaborn...
All the hunters were instantly petrified.
Every Abyssal Hunters present could find at least a few of their own "selfies".
And every single face, without exception, bore that power of spiritual pollution—
Abyssal Hunters Cluster - Funny Smiley Face Limited Edition x N
Click--
The crowd slowly turned towards the source of the sound.
The tall hunter silently spat out a small white fragment from his mouth, his face expressionless as he faced the focused gazes of the crowd.
"... fine."
He paused, then added:
"It's just a broken tooth from a cavity."
Everyone: "..."
The atmosphere was heavy, and many hunters covered their faces and squatted down.
The dome is there, visible to all the Aegir.
One can imagine how many eyes are watching this scene from within the city at this moment.
This is practically a public execution, a level of social death.
[Aegir... it seems like I can't stay here any longer...] Similar thoughts swirled in the minds of many hunters.
Some people despaired, but others discovered a blind spot and found a strange sense of comfort in it.
Even though I'm dead myself, look! So many people are dead with me!
Even Captain Gladiia, the daughter of the governor and known for her perfect composure, has it hanging on it!
And it looks like there are quite a few! Thinking about it this way, my embarrassment doesn't seem so unacceptable after all?
A hunter had just comforted himself with this "we'll die together" optimism when suddenly he remembered something and looked up abruptly.
"Wait! Where's Captain Ulpianus?!" he shouted.
"Has anyone seen the captain up there?"
These words, like a stone thrown into stagnant water, immediately created ripples.
The hunters, especially those belonging to the third team, instantly snapped out of their dejection and began to scan the dome with wide eyes.
No.
Not a single one.
Ulpianus's tough-guy face was nowhere to be seen in this farcical "art exhibition".
Only then did everyone belatedly realize that from the moment the alarm sounded to the moment they launched their attack, and then to their hasty retreat just now, they didn't seem to have seen their captain at all.
"Damn it--!"
A member of the third team suddenly knelt down, slamming his fist into the metal floor, his face filled with the pain of betrayal.
"The captain... he betrayed us!! He must have known this would happen, so he went into hiding!!"
The members of the other three teams also covered their chests.
How could this be?! What happened to the Abyssal Hunters being bound by blood? What happened to us being one?!
Just then, another voice weakly sounded:
"Um... has anyone seen the newcomers?"
Everyone turned their heads again, their eyes scanning the crowd and every corner like searchlights.
Sure enough, the girl who always stayed alone was nowhere to be found.
The hunters' expressions became even more distorted, evolving from awkward embarrassment to the grief and indignation of being abandoned.
Traitor! x 2
So, what exactly are these two "traitors" who are currently on everyone's minds?
"Team leader..."
Skadi drew her sword from behind her back and warily surveyed the "people" around her.
Are these new hunters?
"Don't ask such stupid questions."
Ulpianus raised the anchor, assuming a defensive stance, his gaze sweeping over the encirclement of the Bloodline Heirs.
"This quantity... it seems like it was premeditated."
Skadi looked at the container in her hand, then turned her gaze to Bloodline Heir.
"Do these also need to be captured?"
"Hmph... recognize the situation."
Ulpianus grabbed the container, spun it around, and slammed it into a person with a huge surge of water.
"We are the ones being captured."
The impact dissipated, the water flow subsided, and Bloodline Heir inserted his hands into the gaps in the container.
With a piercing, twisting metallic sound, their comrades inside the container were rescued.
Seeing this, Skadi looked at Ulpianus with a puzzled expression.
"Are they really not other hunters?"
The Bloodline Heir before them were the Seaborn had been directly modified from Vane's bloodline, and were currently the only ones with complete human forms.
Ulpianus's face darkened further as he recalled the Seaborn he had seen in the laboratory.
"Skadi, break out to the rear. I'll buy you some time."
Skadi did as she was told, Ulpianus charged forward.
Seeing Ulpianus charging straight at them, the Bloodline Heirs all turned their gaze to the weapon in his hand.
Yes, its weapon is bigger than the one behind it, and it's also stronger.
[Found]
The Bloodline Heirs ignored Skadi's escape behind them and charged past her towards the figure in front of them.
[Gift]