Are You Sure? (Chapter 5)
Originally, the smooth journey without any setbacks seemed like a good omen to Ye Sheng, indicating that this exploration mission would go smoothly. Of course, the truth might be that Gu Luoyu's psychic deterrence scared away all the polluted creatures along the way...
But now, as if mocking Ye Sheng's naivety, danger arrived without warning.
As the collapsed area grew larger, the ground finally couldn't withstand the pressure and instantly split open with a massive fissure. The trembling caused people to sway and stagger, immediately letting out shrill screams as they desperately fled for their lives.
They were feared of being swallowed by the widening fissure.
At the moment of danger, Gu Luoyu immediately lifted Ye Sheng into her arms. With a swift movement, she seemed to teleport, evading the encroaching fissure.
She didn't go far, however, stopping instead at the edge of the fissure.
She moved leisurely as the fissure expanded... This behavior leaves the fleeing crowd speechless, thinking, “The boss is indeed the boss, her mindset is entirely different from us ordinary folks.”
At a time like this, when everyone was scrambling to escape, who would dare to get closer for a look?!
Behind Gu Luoyu and Ye Sheng, the Ye Heiya squawked “Gugu,” running desperately with its two claws. Yet the fissure seemed to chase after it. Although it knew Gu Luoyu wouldn't let it die, fear overwhelmed it, and the Ye Heiya ended up flapping its wings and flying into the sky.
Cradled in Gu Luoyu's arms, Ye Sheng looked up, her adorable little face filled with astonishment.
She had no idea how Ye Heiya's massive body managed to take flight... Maybe its round, sturdy appearance during its juvenile stage made it seem bulkier, especially after its recent growth spurt, which made it look even clumsier.
But now, watching the Ye Heiya soar and circle in the sky, it was surprisingly agile!
Fortunately, flying kept Ye Heiya safe from danger. When Ye Sheng snapped out of her daze, she reached out to pet the little white companion in her arms, then turned her head to frown at the enormous fissure. It was pitch-black, with no bottom in sight.
Moreover, there seemed to be a foul-smelling wind blowing from within.
What was inside the fissure?
Just as Ye Sheng curiously leaned forward for a closer look, Gu Luoyu mercilessly pressed her back into her embrace, whispering in her ear, “Don't be too curious!”
No sooner had she spoken than a louder “boom” echoed. The fissure stopped expanding, but hundreds of gray tentacles emerged from within.
One after another, the tentacles act like radar probes, scanning the surroundings for prey. Within just a dozen seconds, as if the search was completed, the gray tentacles quickly retracted.
“What... was that just now?!”
“Polluted creatures? Underground ones are especially troublesome to deal with. They could pop up anywhere. We need to keep moving to avoid sudden attacks.”
“Moving won't help. Those gray things looked like tentacles. They might've already locked onto us and could attack at any moment.”
“I don't want to die!!!”
Although Ye Sheng hadn't seen anything, the panicked discussions around her made her feel the danger. Curiosity drove her to struggle desperately, trying to break free from Gu Luoyu's arms to see for herself what was happening.
However, Gu Luoyu's arms felt like they weighed a thousand tons, Ye Sheng couldn't break free no matter how hard she tried.
After exhausting herself, she finally slumped over Gu Luoyu's shoulders, panting heavily. Closing her eyes, she couldn't accept how weak she was!!!
Even if Gu Luoyu was exceptionally strong among psychic ability users, Ye Sheng had the lottery space as her golden finger.
The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Ye Sheng pinched Gu Luoyu's cheek and grumbled, “Ah Yu, I want to see too. If I don't see it today, I won't even be able to sleep tonight.”
“Are you sure? These things are ugly and terrifying.”
“Sure, sure, I'm not scared~”
As the two spokes, the fissure stirred again. This time, what emerged weren't gray tentacles but enormous worms covered in turbid mucus. Their reddish-brown skin resembled plucked chickens, stretching and contracting with each movement.
Their heads deprived eyes, having degenerated long ago, leaving only gaping mouths that couldn't close.
Inside, rows upon rows of sharp teeth oozed mucus incessantly.
Well... it was nightmare fuel. Gu Luoyu, fully aware of Ye Sheng's timidity, hadn't planned to let her see these worms initially. But she hadn't accounted for Ye Sheng's overwhelming curiosity.
She had to see.
So, when Ye Sheng eagerly turned her head for a look, she took one glance and immediately buried her face back into Gu Luoyu's chest, clinging tightly.
Good heavens, what were those things? They were utterly disgusting!!!
Like evil worms that had escaped from a lab.
As the “evil worms” (as Ye Sheng dubbed them) fully emerged from the fissure, not only did their stench spread, but foul-smelling seawater also gushed out.
This fissure was connected to the ocean!
Watching this, Gu Luoyu raised an eyebrow. After her psychic powers strengthened, she had detected traces of these creatures early on. She assumed they'd remain underground, separate from the group, and wouldn't cause much trouble.
But she hadn't expected these polluted creatures to be so bold, they'd burst through the ground to attack...
With just a few days left until they reached the coast, Gu Luoyu didn't want chaos now. Before anyone else could devise a solution, she raised a hand, black psychic energy condensing in her palm.
It morphed into a massive black spiral spike.
Once fully formed, the spike shot out, guided by Gu Luoyu's control, piercing the hearts of the polluted creatures one by one. They died instantly, never getting the chance to attack.
A dozen or so giant worm-like creatures weren't difficult for Gu Luoyu to handle. Her display of power naturally drew everyone's attention, eliciting gasps and admiration.
However, in an unnoticed corner, a black figure sneakily picked something...
After exterminating the obstructing worms, Gu Luoyu sensed something and changed to the front-left. There, the Ye Heiya was happily pecking at worm flesh, even picking out the most energy-rich pieces.
Ye Heiya's stomach seemed bottomless, and its eating speed was astonishing, like it had entered an all-you-can-eat buffet. Watching this, Gu Luoyu frowned, a glint of wariness flashing in her crimson eyes.
The reason? As the Ye Heiya ate, its body was visibly growing larger!