Chapter 443 - 9: Riverbed Water Monster
The hull was initially immobile, then suddenly began to spin.
When everyone looked down at the hull, they saw a large number of milky white water-like tentacles emerging from the underside of the boat, each with the thickness of a thumb, their surfaces covered with a large amount of viscous liquid.
There were many tentacles, each filled with numerous suction cups that firmly clung to the wooden hull.
The tentacles kept climbing, and the small boat of seven or eight meters in length was tightly enveloped by them.
"It’s a jellyfish. It must be a giant monster jellyfish that has rushed from the open sea to the inland rivers. These jellyfish have massive bodies, the tallest as high as several floors, and they specifically attack passing boats, dragging both the boat and its people to the seabed to consume," realizing that the Mercenary Team was having an unsuccessful outing as they encountered the giant monster jellyfish known as the Cloud River’s killer, Chi Xi’s face turned pale.
Even a Mercenary Group with many of the most experienced mercenaries would suffer heavy casualties against such a powerful jellyfish with countless tentacles, and here they were, merely a trio.
And Weiwei’s face was also filled with solemnity, her clenched fists covered with cold sweat.
"Take control of the steering wheel, break through," an exceedingly calm voice penetrated their ears, snapping Chi Xi and Weiwei, whose minds had been overtaken by panic, back to their senses. "Before we set off, I distributed black crystals to you both. Take them out immediately, aim for the weak spots, and blast it to smithereens."
In the setting sun, a pair of eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty crimson light like those of a wild beast. Yue Jinghua licked her lips, dried by the sea breeze, tasting the flavor of blood.
On the seemingly fragile boat, three figures nimbly separated from each other.
One figure leaped high over the side of the boat, and between the fingers, there flashed five or six Black Death Crystals, containing the terrifying power of explosion.
The giant monster jellyfish that had already enveloped most of the boat only felt a few small stones hitting its tentacles and thought disdainfully, what fools dare to use these tickling trinkets to repel enemies?
It remained unconcerned, its tentacles coiling and scooping up the "small stones."
"!" Just as the giant monster jellyfish realized what was happening, several strands of exceptionally sharp and powerful Dark Power exploded almost simultaneously.
"Boom-- Boom-- Boom---"
As dusk approached, the river surface, caught between the high tide and the low tide, was meant to be the quietest moment of the day.
But at that moment, thick smoke billowed.
The people on the boat only felt the hull violently shaking, the simultaneous explosions of the Black Death Crystals provoked powerful fluctuations of Dark Power, causing the boat to jolt fiercely.
Fortunately, the Dark Array that had been reinforced earlier took effect, and the crew only felt the hull shaking intensely, the structure nearly shattering, but ultimately withstanding the impact.
The giant monster jellyfish let out an agonizing, dolphin-like screeching sound, as many of its tentacles were blown off by the Black Death Crystals.
The severed tentacles either fell onto the deck or plunged into the water, and the frightened jellyfish immediately disappeared into the depths.
On the boat, people were still unsettled.
"It’s gone, it’s gone, the giant monster jellyfish has sunk to the bottom of the river," Weiwei exclaimed with joy, shouting on the deck.
Below the boat, the tentacles of the giant monster jellyfish had completely disappeared, leaving the boat free again, floating downstream with the current.
Chi Xi meanwhile picked up a few pieces of the jellyfish’s tentacles, which were precious and hard-to-find delicacies, though nobody was in the mood to eat at the moment, it was still good to keep as a precaution.
Yue Jinghua didn’t show much happiness; they had just entered the Cloud River Sea Road and already encountered such a giant monster jellyfish. They didn’t know what kind of Water Element Dark Beast they would run into as they ventured deeper into the Cloud River.
What’s worse, after the previous barrage of explosions, she realized she didn’t have many Black Death Crystals left.
These Black Crystals were always produced by Qing Pu; the last batch she had gotten from Qing Pu had been used up over time.
With Qing Pu and Cannibal Little Pu’s fate uncertain and no notion of when they might recover, the remaining stock of Black Death Crystals she relied on for survival was dwindling; the road ahead required utmost caution.
After distributing the few Black Death Crystals they had to Chi Xi for self-defense, Yue Jinghua decided to anchor in place for the night to prevent another ambush by creatures like the Water Element Dark Beast jellyfish.
At sea, a bright moon slowly rose.
Compared to the earlier, heart-stopping battle, the night on the Cloud River Sea Road was peaceful and beautiful.
By midnight, when peace had been restored on board.
Outside the cabin, a "pat pat pat" sound emerged.
At one corner of the ship, the jellyfish tentacles that Chi Xi had collected to dry and preserve began to slowly move.
On the sea’s surface, those scattered jellyfish tentacles also came to life.
The tentacles twisted, and the wounds that had been blasted open by the Black Death Crystals healed rapidly.
On the milky tentacles, numerous ring-like patterns appeared, and eventually, the jellyfish tentacles transformed into earthworm-sized worms.
Chi Xi recognized the first transformation but did not recognize the second one.
This giant monster jellyfish from the outer sea wasn’t just any ordinary jellyfish.
It had a name that would strike terror even into the hearts of the strongest Continent Mercenaries: the Earthworm Jellyfish.
The Earthworm Jellyfish is an ancient creature, possessing both water and earth attributes.
In its normal state, it’s a jellyfish with enormous strength and size.
When attacked, especially when many of its tentacles are severed, these severed tentacles transform into an entirely new organism called the Antenna Worm.
The biggest characteristic of the Antenna Worm is its fearlessness against any weapon and physical attack; no matter how potent the Dark Power attack, the more times it is chopped up, the faster it reproduces.
Because of this terrifying feature, the Earthworm Jellyfish is also known as the Immortal Monster of the Sea, and even stronger Dark Beasts would flee immediately upon encountering it.
The Earthworm Jellyfish that attacked the July Mercenary Team was the tyrant of this stretch of water.
On the water’s surface, on the deck, a large number of tentacles transformed into Antenna Worms, and a swarm of Antenna Worms leaped over the railing and climbed onto the ship, soon covering the entire boat.
"Pat pat pat---" The injured Earthworm Jellyfish surfaced.
It waved its severed tentacles, eyeing the motionless small boat on the water surface with a venomous gaze.
What use is an explosion, to the indestructible Antenna Worms?
This time, it wanted those annoying mercenaries to be wiped out completely, just like that squad of the Dragon Battle Navy decades ago.
"Squeak---" Like a sharp blade, the Earthworm Jellyfish emitted a piercing cry.
All the Antenna Worms launched their attack.
The small boat remained motionless, and as the jellyfish swooped in for the kill and the Antenna Worms attacked simultaneously, a burst of azure light exploded from the cabin.
"Crackling," just as the jellyfish launched its all-out attack, a strange sound akin to sparks flying from burning kindling emerged from the ship.
Accompanying that sound was a sheet of azure light.
It was a faint azure light, but on the dark, barely illuminated river surface, that azure glow was especially striking.