Vol. 2 Chapter 32: The Mermaid King

Chapter 32: The Mermaid King

Before entering the door, Lu Li summoned two shadow assassins, commanding them to sneak into the water and slowly make their way forward. When the Deep Ones came to retrieve the sacrifices, the shadow assassins took the opportunity to cause chaos, allowing Lu Li to blend in with the human sacrifices. Then, he immediately canceled the shadow assassins' summons.

In this way, Lu Li mingled with the human sacrifices, being led to the door by a few Deep Ones. A bubble-like helmet was placed on each of their heads, making Lu Li look like he was cosplaying as a Celestial Dragon.

After the bubble helmets were put on, Lu Li and the others were taken through the door into a small, enclosed room. As they entered, the door behind them was immediately shut, and ice-cold seawater began to fill the room. Soon, the icy water engulfed everyone. With the bubble helmets, Lu Li and the others could breathe freely, but they were unable to move effectively in the water.

The room was opened from the other side, and the Deep Ones dragged Lu Li and the others out. Lu Li could vaguely see some cylindrical structures in the distance, realizing they had emerged from one such structure. This was visible to him due to his dark vision.

This place was the underwater city of the Deep Ones, Ihathiri. Their rituals and breeding mostly took place here, while other times they enjoyed the eternal silence and cold of the ocean depths.

The human sacrifices, upon being brought out, were immediately affected by the water pressure, becoming dizzy and nauseous. Some even vomited into their bubble helmets. Lu Li silently assessed the water pressure; it seemed to have been somehow reduced, as some hybrids were not well-suited to high pressure. However, it was still too strong for human bodies, which would not survive long in this environment. It was clear these humans were soon to be sacrificed.

The Deep Ones escorted the human sacrifices to a nearby altar. Lu Li, however, was intrigued by the societal structure of the Deep Ones. Their buildings were mostly cylindrical, and there were no other creatures on the streets. After observing for a while, Lu Li concluded that the Deep Ones were like recluses, immersed in their own world. They worshipped a certain being, possibly sleeping or sealed, and spent their long lives in a state of idle worship.

Meanwhile, Hu Wenxu and Gao Xiaowen began their infiltration plan on the other side. The captured hybrids had not revealed the tunnel in the village but indicated the location of Ihathiri in the ocean. After extracting this information, they killed the hybrids.

Since swimming to the bottom was not feasible due to breathing and pressure issues, they found a native tribe on a nearby island. Through threats and inducements, they learned that the tribe regularly traded people with the Deep Ones. The tribe's shaman had the ability to descend to Ihathiri.

The shaman, not very powerful and an ardent supporter of the Deep Ones due to lifespan and other factors, was coerced into providing the means to descend. By consuming a fishy seaweed, Hu Wenxu and Gao Xiaowen temporarily grew gills on their faces, enabling underwater breathing. Their bodies also developed a membrane that helped alleviate most of the pressure, allowing them to move freely underwater.

While Lu Li was being taken to the altar for sacrifice, Hu Wenxu and Gao Xiaowen had also infiltrated the edge of Ihathiri. The city's defense was not strong, as few intelligent species lived underwater, with only the mermaids besides the Deep Ones. Although they were hostile towards each other, they maintained a delicate balance of non-interference.

The underwater altar was significantly larger than the one on land, covered in runes. Spears of unknown material surrounded it, and a grotesque mass of flesh occupied the altar, intermittently sprouting human or Deep One heads that roared meaninglessly before withering away.

Below the flesh mass were numerous white bones. A few Deep Ones guarded the altar, but dared not approach it. Upon seeing the new sacrifices, the guards sighed in relief, though they celebrated too soon.

The flesh mass suddenly extended a tentacle, swiftly grabbing a guard and absorbing him. Moments later, a few bones were ejected from the mass, falling onto the altar.

"Hey, your speed is too slow. The sacrifices didn't arrive on time and put us in danger, you idiots," a guard shrieked in a harsh, sharp voice that carried underwater. The other guards hurriedly picked up a spear, impaled a human sacrifice, and offered him to the flesh mass.

"It can't be helped; one of the sacrifices caused trouble," a Deep One replied, stepping forward to assist. The flesh mass's tentacle engulfed the sacrifice, and the guards readied more spears to feed it. Deep Ones were stronger than hybrids, having evolved significantly from prolonged underwater living, enhancing their strength, speed, and various abilities. Some could even cast spells.

As each sacrifice was impaled and presented to the flesh mass, a guard approached Lu Li with a spear. Exhaling slowly, Lu Li prepared to act when a sudden disturbance of currents, bubbles, and debris diverted the guards' attention. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Li swam to the side of a cylindrical building, watching the altar from a distance.

A tall mermaid approached, accompanied by several other mermaids and two figures—Gao Xiaowen and Hu Wenxu. Ihathiri stirred like a disturbed hornet's nest, with many Deep Ones and hybrids quickly converging.

The tall mermaid, with three stripes on each cheek and a blue, scale-less tail, bared sharp fangs in anger. An invisible force carried his majestic, terrifying voice through the water: "So you are summoning Him. You damned creatures dared to plot against my daughter. Are you ready to die?"

End of the chapter