Chapter Ten: The Merman

The bloated monster carried him deeper into the distance. The light in the deep sea grew increasingly scarce, especially with night having fallen.

The water was no longer as clear as it had been at the surface; visibility was dropping, and being able to see a few meters ahead was already considered good. Yet, at this moment, the sensory input provided by their symbiotic contract began to take effect. This miraculous perception superseded his vision, allowing him to observe his surroundings with absolute clarity.

"Is this some kind of biological sonar radar?"

Dolphins possess the ability of echolocation, emitting two overlapping sound beams—one high and one low—to pinpoint objects with remarkable precision. His current sensation was exactly like that. He could perceive his entire environment centered around himself, even seeing through minor obstructions. For instance, he could clearly "see" a lobster hidden behind a patch of seaweed ahead.

Xius swam in circles, exhilarated. This sensation was too marvelous—an experience he had never before imagined. Closing his eyes, the world became even clearer and brighter. Xius had used similar technology before; vehicle-mounted radar could rapidly scan an environment and construct a 3D map, but it lacked this intuitive, limb-like control.

The bloated monster and this symbiotic contract had brought him too many surprises. Whether these sensory abilities were physical or magical, they had vast potential for application. Even on a planet with more advanced technology like Blue Star, they could trigger a global technological revolution. And here, now...

Let this world feel the shockwave coming from Castle Island!

The corners of Xius's mouth curled upward involuntarily.

After following the strange creature for a long time, the monster gradually slowed its pace, and Xius began to sense something amiss.

The smell of blood.

He had not known what the scent of blood was like underwater before, but now he saw it—it appeared as vivid and unmistakable as a bucket of paint spilled across the ground. In the distance, many sharks were circling, but for some reason, they dared not approach.

"What is happening here?" Xius asked the bloated monster in his mind.

"Mermen."

"Mermen?" Xius was startled. Several images quickly formed in his mind, and soon, he saw them.

Creatures with fish-like heads, wielding various weapons, were swimming over from afar.

Although they were called mermen, they possessed no human characteristics; they were more like large fish with limbs. Their heads were disproportionately large, their mouths filled with sharp, jagged teeth, while their arms and legs appeared thin and spindly. They swam by undulating their bodies, their webbed limbs serving only to maintain balance and change direction.

The mermen did not notice the pair, instead swimming toward a single destination.

"My kin are likely fighting the mermen right now."

Fighting? Should they not be heading into the deep sea? Why was there a battle? Xius looked at the bloated monster with surprise, recalling that it had previously mentioned its kin were "trapped in the shallows." It seemed these mermen were the cause of their entrapment.

Sensing Xius's gaze, the bloated monster nodded. "Your guess is correct. My people have long been enslaved by the mermen." It then puffed out its chest. "But today, we have shattered our chains."

It turned its head to stare fixedly at the mermen. Within its swollen, distorted flesh, its tiny eyes seemed to burn with fire.

Xius remained noncommittal. Although he had been swimming for a long time, his aquatic perception, granted by the symbiosis, told him that they were not far from Castle Island. As the Lord of Castle Island, why did he know nothing of these underwater mermen?

He had arrived representing the will of the Empress. The Empire might not have provided much material aid, but it would never have been stingy with intelligence. This meant the Empire was also completely ignorant of these mermen. Had these creatures lived in seclusion for years, never interacting with the outside world, or was there another reason?

Xius’s eyes narrowed.

"My Lord, please rest assured, Ash will protect you," the bloated monster said, stepping forward as it noticed Xius lost in thought.

Xius looked over. The bloated monster swayed gently with the current. Its body appeared slightly less cumbersome underwater than on land, though it still lacked the agility of the mermen. Could it defeat them? How many—five? Ten? Xius harbored secret doubts.

Yet, the conviction transmitted through the symbiotic contract was firm and confident. It knew the mermen far better than he did; perhaps it was right.

Xius instinctively reached for his waist, only to realize he hadn't brought his pistol. He shook his head with a bitter smile.

Even if he had brought it, what good would it do? Gunpowder soaked in seawater would be useless, and the power of a bullet underwater was pitifully weak. To fight underwater, explosives were better; the energy loss of a shockwave in water was far less than in air...

Shaking off these stray thoughts, Xius turned to the monster. "Ash? Is that your name?"

"Yes, it means... ah, I have found my kin!"

"Look, right there!" Ash’s tone grew excited. It pointed with one arm and surged forward, leading the way.

The water ahead was murky, with blood and severed limbs swirling in the currents, drawing swarms of sharks that circled from a distance. Many bloated monsters, their limbs distorted just like Ash’s, were locked in combat with the mermen.

It seemed this was Ash’s tribe—the bloated monsters who called themselves the Cursed.

Xius observed them closely. At first glance, the Cursed appeared uniquely twisted, but upon closer inspection, one could discern their original anatomy. Perhaps they no longer looked normal, but at least he could distinguish their numbers. They seemed to possess more than one pair of arms and did not look as spindly and deformed as the mermen.

The mermen mostly carried weapons made of coral; a few held rusted metal harpoons. When they opened their mouths, rows upon rows of sharp, jagged teeth like those of a shark were visible.

The bloated monsters fighting them were mostly empty-handed, occasionally wielding simple tools like stones. Though the mermen far outnumbered them, they were being pushed back, step by step. This was because the bloated monsters did not rely solely on physical combat; their distorted limbs performed strange gestures, triggering various miraculous spells.

Black ice shards, massive water spheres, dizzying symbols, or the summoning of swarms of sea snakes that surged toward the mermen—Xius’s eyes lit up. This was genuine extraordinary power. He had not come in vain!