Exploring the Deep Ocean

We returned to Willie's home and rested for the night. The next day, we discussed going out again. I suggested visiting the seaside because I wanted to see the ocean on Guoker Planet; I had never seen the ocean on Earth and was particularly keen to experience it.[1]

Willie proposed that we explore the ocean's depths, which she promised would be thrilling. But how could we possibly go to the ocean floor? By submarine? Submarines on Guoker Planet must be more advanced than those on Earth. Could Willie manage to borrow one? It was her idea after all, so she would have to handle the logistics. I agreed to her plan.

"Are we going to use a submarine for our ocean floor visit?" I asked.

"Ah, yes," she replied.

"What do your submarines look like? Are they similar to those on Earth?"

"Hmm, you'll see when we get there," she answered cryptically.

We traveled via the GMW and arrived in front of a gigantic building. Willie informed me that this was our departure point to the ocean floor. Contrary to my expectations of seeing an endless ocean with buildings along the shore and many submarines floating, ready to be rented to tourists, this enormous, long building offered no view of the sea. I wondered if we were in the wrong place, but then I thought it might be similar to Earth's train stations, where the trains are found just behind the station buildings. Perhaps the ocean lay just beyond this building.

Inside, Willie assured me we could directly access the ocean floor by collecting a submarine here.

"Does it cost anything to get a submarine?" I inquired.

"Yes, it requires wealth credits," she explained.

"What are wealth credits?"

"Here on Guoker, people earn wealth credits through labor, public service, and helping others, all recorded by the GIW. Even if you do nothing, you still accumulate a certain amount of wealth credits over time. It's somewhat like money on Earth, except it's just a digital number in the network, a form of virtual currency," Willie clarified.[2]

[1] Translator's note: Anhui Province where Zhang Xiangqian lived was quite inland.

[2] Translator's note: It was not before the 2020s when Zhang Xiangqian can receive digital currency on Alipay and WeChat. Normally his income and expenditures were only by cash, because you're not expecting to see Chinese villagers using debit and credit cards. They switch from cash to Alipay directly after 4G network became widespread in China's rural areas.

We entered the imposing and intricately designed building, where many Guoker people bustled about, yet the ocean was still nowhere to be seen. Willie led me to a sophisticated room, pressed her ear to send a message via the GlW, and soon the door swung open.

The room was exquisitely beautiful, featuring a cylindrical stage at the center, made from a material transparent like glass but evidently more refined. The walls shone like polished metal. Upon entering, the door shut automatically and several soft, black tubes descended from above, lifting us gently onto the central stage. With a slight sound, the stage began to rotate and descended into a pit. Suddenly, a misty 3D hologram appeared before Willie, displaying numerous Guoker texts. She deftly manipulated the hologram, which vanished shortly after she announced everything was set.

I was anticipating the appearance of a submarine, or at least a passage to one. Instead, only a black tube extended towards us, its tip holding a small, soap-like red object. Willie took it and handed it to me, instructing me to eat it.

"Why doesn't Willie eat it herself?" I wondered suspiciously. However, I quickly reassured myself, thinking that Willie wouldn't harm me. I began to eat the red substance, which tasted like a bland gummy candy. Once it hit my stomach, it instantly activated, making me feel as if a tremendous force was building inside me, ready to burst out. To my alarm, I saw many soft, red filaments rapidly sprouting all over my body. These filaments grew until they reached the edge of the stage and then stopped. Overwhelmed by fear, I collapsed in the pit.

Willie quickly removed her clothes and straddled me, her face expressing a seductive eagerness as she embraced me tightly. Although I was receptive to her advances, I wondered if we should really be preparing for our journey to the ocean floor instead. When I entered her, a milky, glue-like liquid suddenly flowed into the pit, swirling violently around us. Soon, a shark-shaped entity enveloped us. Inside this shark, I could see through its eyes as if they were mine, and its fins and tail felt like my arms and legs.

I began to understand: this shark was our submarine. On Guoker Planet, submarines are these shark-like artificial creatures—a startling revelation. The pit continued to descend and finally, we plunged into the ocean.

Reaching the seabed, I saw an enormous, dark slab hanging at a 45-degree angle overhead, dotted with round holes from which other shark-shaped submarines rapidly emerged—likely other Guoker tourists exploring the ocean depths.

Suddenly, music played in my ears, sounding like a deep, thumping bass that was quite uncomfortable and made my heart flutter. A voice announced, "Welcome to the GlW. Underwater information processing mode activated." A short while later, another message followed, "Thank you for using the GIW. Underwater safety mode activated—please select your desired oceanic region."

Unsure where to go, Willie suggested, "The Coal-ana Trench."

Muttering "The Coal-ana Trench," our surroundings instantly transformed. After swimming for a while and seeing sunlight filtering through the water above, I realized we were no longer near the bio-submarine rental facility. We must have been transported to the Coal-ana Trench by the Global Mobility Network. We reached the ocean surface, where I struggled upward, feeling the water growing warmer until my head broke through into a calm sea under a clear blue sky.

We began to descend again, initiating our true ocean floor adventure. However, Willie became mischievous, engaging me intensely, which distracted me from concentrating on our path. I was forced to roll with her rhythm in the water. I tried to communicate with her, but she ignored me, so I continued to engage until she finally let me be, allowing us to smoothly cruise along the ocean floor.

We entered a long, artificially carved tunnel circling a mountain on the ocean floor, partially open to the exterior. The tunnel's edge was lined with columns shaped like human heads. The tunnel branched into several smooth paths, allowing us to glide swiftly. Some branches were lined with soft, worm-like tendrils, and others with octopus-like tentacles and snakes that nudged us along. Certain tunnels also released a viscous, silky liquid periodically.

Closely observing the ocean floor, I noticed many signs of massive artificial structures. This made me realize just how advanced Guoker Planet's technology must be; such feats would be impossible for Earthlings beneath the sea.

Exiting the tunnel, we were suddenly bombarded by numerous red, glowing spots that darted towards us, striking our shark-shaped submarine. Upon closer inspection, I realized these were shrimp-like creatures carrying the red dots. I felt a slight pain, and asked Willie if she felt the same. She responded, "No, the thin red filaments on your body act like nerves linked to this bio-submarine. You can feel everything from the outside world through these filaments. I don't have them, so I don't feel anything. However, I can see everything outside."

(Figure: The shrimp-like creature) 

"Why can you see outside?"

"That's due to the GIW. My brain is connected to it, and it gathers all types of data from Guoker Planet—above ground, underground, and underwater—providing me with continuous updates."

As we glided over the seabed, various fish swam above while many strange plants gently swayed below us. The dim light added a dreamlike quality to the scene. Furthermore, being underwater made me feel weightless and completely liberated from societal judgment and physical constraints, which easily amplified my sexual desires. Willie's embrace, combined with her ultra-smooth skin, made it challenging to resist intimacy. I even began to suspect that her invitation to explore the ocean floor was motivated by a desire for novel sexual experiences. Watching through the video feed provided by Kevin, our submarine appeared to sway drunkenly, unlike the smoothly swimming fish around us.

Later, I noticed a small, silver fish perched on a seabed rock. It looked almost artificial, with very sharp teeth. As I approached, Kevin promptly warned, "Danger, javelin fish, possible mechanical injury, non-toxic."

(Figure: The javelin fish) 

Ignoring the warning, I moved closer to the fish. Suddenly, it shot one of its teeth attached to a string towards us, hitting the back of our submarine. The tooth quickly retracted, and I felt a sharp pain in my back where a cloudy white fluid began to seep out.

Concerned about the damage to our submarine, Kevin informed me, "Injury type: mechanical, non-toxic. GMW remote healing mode activated." The submarine soon repaired itself, easing my worries. I did my best to ignore Willie's sensual provocations and focus on controlling the submarine, which gradually returned to stable navigation.

Later we came across greater danger.

I noticed a dark, oval-shaped vertical cave that resembled a woman's vagina, with fish swimming in and out. Curiosity tempted me to explore it, though I hesitated due to potential dangers. Nevertheless, reassured by the protection of the GMW, I decided to venture in. The entrance felt surprisingly soft, much like human skin. As we moved further, I realized we had entered the mouth of a giant fish. The fish clamped its mouth shut, and its massive, sharp teeth loomed towards us. Panic set in as I realized we could be crushed within seconds. Suddenly, a message from GMW announced, "Applying regional enclosure protection." A cylindrical barrier formed around us, clearly visible from the different water flow inside it. Unable to close its mouth, the fish eventually spat us out, and we were safe.

Curious, I asked Willie, "Are there other Guoker people who enjoy underwater adventures like us?"

"Definitely," she replied, "but it's rare to encounter them. Our planet's oceans are much larger than Earth's, and since everyone appears similar in their submarine forms, it's hard to make contact without the Global Information Network. However, there are advanced life forms living at the ocean floor that we can detect through the network. Would you like to see them?"

"Yes, I would."

Guided by Willie, I observed one of these life forms. It was a large, white, flat-bodied fish, extremely streamlined, with eyes that seemed almost sentient. It stared at us briefly before following.

Willie urged me to speed away, "This creature is extremely dangerous. It's a female, possibly tens of thousands of years old, with abilities perhaps superior to those of us Guoker people. She can alter her body, evolve independently, and has unimaginable powers, even capable of breaching GMW's protections. Our consciousness is backed up by the GlW, which continuously tracks us. If she takes and damages my body beyond repair, my consciousness can be installed in a new artificial body, allowing for resurrection. That's not a severe issue for us. However, if she captures you, without a backup for your consciousness, the loss is irreversible—you would truly die."

"Really? What does she want with my body? To consume me? To taste something different?"

"No, they are not short of food. She may appear fish-like, but internally, she harbors a humanoid body similar to mine. If she captures you, she'll pull you into her fish belly to control and entangle you, initiating sexual contact that permanently binds your organs to hers, making you her eternal sex slave."

"Why would she do that?"

"It's rare for her to find a mate. According to Earth years, it might be centuries before she encounters one. They are likely highly sexually driven and wouldn't easily let you escape."

"That sounds rather enjoyable, actually. What's there to be afraid of?"

"It's not simply about sex. She won't treat you gently. She'll brutally modify you, implant various organic tubes into your body, injecting a venom developed over millions of years. This venom is terrifyingly effective, designed to keep you subdued and in a vegetative state, barely alive, and only fully conscious when she desires sexual interaction."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad to me."

"But if she finds another male, she'll swiftly expel you, and you'll die instantly."

"Ah, that is indeed terrifying. Let's hurry away from her."

We quickly swam away, leaving the intelligent life form behind. Later, I spotted numerous snake-like entities swaying on the ocean floor. As I descended for a closer look, I saw creatures that resembled a hybrid of human women and cobras.

(Figure: The snake people undersea)

Willie explained that these were the ocean floor snake people, a type of life form that exists somewhere between animals and plants. They were naked, with soft pink bodies adorned with snake-like patterns, elongated just like snakes, and possessed human-like faces and sensory organs. Their eyes were elongated, while their mouths and noses were tiny. They lacked arms and legs, had pointed small breasts, a vagina, and an extremely slender waist. Their legs seemed to merge into a bizarre, large mass of flesh. Upon noticing us, the snake people began to thrash and dance wildly, assuming various seductive poses that were almost irresistible.

Willie urged me to leave, saying, "These snake people are also incredibly dangerous. They possess a potent toxin. If captured, they will inject you with a venom that induces extreme pleasure. While you're enraptured, they will consume or dissolve parts of your body painlessly, ultimately devouring you completely in a state of bliss."

Feeling the peril of the Guoker Planet's oceans, I longed for home.

"How do we get back, Willie?" I asked.

"Through the GMW." Willie replied, "Had enough of the ocean??"

"Ah yes, I want back home. This place is terrifying to me."

"Alright, I'll request the GMW to take us back."

Soon, we returned to the room with the round stage where we had first entered the ocean. Our shark-shaped submarine slowly dissolved into a sticky white liquid, and the thin red filaments on my body vanished. Willie pressed her temple, and her bare, pinkish-white skin gradually clothed itself in virtual garments—such convenience.

We approached the wall, which automatically opened a door. Hand in hand, Willie and I stepped out, concluding our deep-sea adventure.