[Vol. 7] Chapter 38: Attack! The Rescue Operation!
[Ghost Sea], Inside the Blue Sea Giant Whale.
"Everyone, we’ve now reached the island directly below us. This area is unlike the usual ones, so Ahei will drop us onto the island in a special way. But before we proceed, there are a few key points you must remember."
In front of the hundreds of elite merfolk warriors who were ready and checking their equipment, the only one who knew the details of the situation, the Pirate King Rashid Bachiri, gave his final briefing.
"The dangers of the [Ghost Sea] need no further explanation. I know that everyone here is prepared to risk your lives to save Princess Nitila, but unnecessary sacrifices are something both Princess Nitila and Queen did not want. To reduce casualties and improve the efficiency of the rescue, I ask that you put aside any personal biases you may have towards me, and from now on, follow orders."
Rashid, with a calm but serious gaze, swept his eyes across the entire group. When he saw no signs of opposition from the merfolk, he nodded in satisfaction and continued.
"Thank you for your trust. To keep things short, I have a few ‘ironclad rules’ to lay out. These rules must be followed without exception and are to be prioritized above all else."
He raised three fingers.
"First, no matter what, make sure your protective gear is functioning properly. If you see any illusions that don’t make sense, hear incomprehensible whispers, notice any part of your body moving against your will, or feel strange itching or pain, you must report it immediately!"
"Second, in the [Ghost Sea], apart from our team and the target we’re rescuing, anything else we encounter is an enemy. No matter what you see or face, you must not hesitate or doubt. As I said before, listen less, look less, think less. Always follow the orders first!"
"Third..."
At this point, Rashid paused for a moment, hesitated slightly, and then made up his mind. He slowly spoke again.
"Third, always believe... that you are still alive."
Before anyone could react with surprise, Rashid clapped his hands firmly.
"Remember these three points! Now, let's get ready to depart!"
"Whooo~~!!!"
As soon as his words finished, a powerful whirlwind-like gust of wind suddenly surged from inside the giant whale, following its loud, piercing cry. The force was so strong that it sent everyone, including Rashid himself, soaring upwards into the sky!
Just as they were about to collide with the iron-gray "ceiling" above them, a massive round gap opened just in time, and a surge of rushing, deep blue water poured through, shooting them towards the sky!
"Whooo~~!!!!"
The giant whale’s long whistle echoed through the sea and sky. The forceful blue surge of water, like a fountain, exploded outward, carrying over a hundred figures into the dark, turbulent sea below. They arced beautifully through the air, descending towards the distant shore.
"Boom!"
With a burst of white wings, Violet floated up and immediately landed on the shore. The others followed suit, each adjusting their bodies mid-air to slow their descent. Of course... they couldn't fly.
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!!"
"Ouch! My butt!!"
The sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground and the constant cries of pain filled the air. However, those chosen by Queen Anies for this mission were all elite warriors. The water flow acted as a cushion, reducing the impact. So despite the loud and chaotic landing, there were few serious injuries.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch... What was that smelly fish doing, suddenly spitting us out like that? Couldn't they have given us a heads-up?! My butt’s about to be broken..."
A certain thief girl, holding her sore rear, gritted her teeth as she got up from the ground. She immediately looked around, trying to find the culprit who had caused her embarrassing fall. However, the giant whale was already gone from the sea, having dived into the water, leaving no trace.
Meanwhile, the more composed and reserved Hongyan glanced around, assessing the situation.
"This place... wait, this seems like the scene I saw during my meditation? Another group of islands from the [Eastern Sea Pearl], submerged deep in the sea, it’s almost as if it rose from the ocean. Does this really exist? But what’s going on here, that whispering..."
"Alright, Hongyan, stop thinking about it."
Hearing the priestess' timely reminder, the swordswoman's expression changed, and she quickly gave up on further thoughts. The protective necklace around her neck, which had been vibrating slightly, gradually calmed down, though her face still looked troubled.
"Such terrifying mental contamination... So this is the [Ghost Sea]? Compared to the Emerald Sea, its influence is at least ten times stronger... If it feels this intense on the shore, I can’t imagine what it’s like in the deep sea."
"After all, it's something left by the [God]~"
The black-haired girl shrugged casually, then looked around as well.
According to Rashid, while the [Ghost Sea] is a forbidden zone where the living can never return, the danger it presents varies depending on the environment.
If one had to categorize it, the deep sea would naturally be the most dangerous place, the true source of all the "ghosts."
Then, floating on the surface of the sea, ships might offer some resistance to the intangible whispers, but the effect would still be minimal. Anyone who dares to venture into the [Ghost Sea] would inevitably face the same fate.
As for the relatively safest area in this strange sea, it would be the islands. The larger the island, the weaker the strange force surrounding it. This is why only the mentally resilient can act on these islands, provided they have proper protection.
From what he said, it seems Rashid wasn't wrong.
However, for ordinary people, knowing this difference is useless. Without the "Sea Sovereign Ship" protecting them, they could never make it across the sea to the islands. Even during their recent departure from the giant whale, it had deliberately used its own energy to shield them.
It was truly a difficult journey.
It seems that crossing the [Ghost Sea] is no easy feat. Given the current opportunity, this could be a good time to conduct some experiments...
"Clap... clap..."
At this moment, a strange sound of footsteps grew closer, interrupting the priestess's thoughts.
It was the island's "natives." They had discovered the group of uninvited guests, and they didn’t appear to be friendly.
"They're [Deep Sea Ghosts], prepare for battle!"
The experienced Alex was the first to raise his trident. At his shout, the merfolk who had landed quickly took up defensive positions, protecting the queen at the center. Rashid, Le Qiaoqiao, Hongyan, and the others also drew their weapons.
Soon, more and more figures began to appear, closing in on the group from the sea in a semi-circle, surrounding them near the shore.
"Ugh, what is this...?"
It was the first time Violet had seen a so-called [Deep Sea Ghost] up close. She frowned and took a step back, clearly unsettled.
These creatures, their very existence was a form of mental contamination. Their grotesque appearance reminded her of the "blasphemers" in the past.
Based on the information they had, the "ghosts" on this island were likely once merfolk. But now, their bodies had completely lost their original form. Their skin, muscles, and even bones had rotted away from years of exposure to seawater, replaced by countless tiny, writhing tentacles.
These tentacle-like appendages, much like octopus arms, filled in the gaps left by decaying bodies. In fact, they made up more than 70% of the "ghosts’" body structure, transforming them into something entirely unnatural.
An existence pieced together from a lot of strange and disparate things, it was almost impossible to be called a living creature.