Chapter 218 The Plate Rays and Spider Crabs
Something was happening while they were taking a rest. Everybody couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Really? Again?
Han Fei said, “Wait, it’s not right. The smoke only covers dozens of square meters. It can’t be caused by sandworms.” Xia Xiaochan waved her fishing pole and darted the hook over. “Whatever it is, we can take a look at it.”
It was much more convenient for them to observe remotely now that they had all picked up spiritual senses.
Xia Xiaochan suddenly asked weirdly, “It’s a fish that looks like a pot cover. What’s that?”
Picturing a pot cover in his head, Han Fei asked, “Is it a ray?”
Luo Xiaobai said, “Huh? A ray? How can there be rays in a level-two fishery?”
Xia Xiaochan said, “There are lots of spider crabs besides the pot cover…”
Zhang Xuanyu was relieved. “They’re easier to deal with than the sandworms are. Chances are that we can get some Blood Spider silk and sell it in the town. Blood Spider silk isn’t cheap.”
Xia Xiaochan said, “Why don’t you take a look yourself?”
Confused, Zhang Xuanyu threw his fishing pole, only to be shocked. He shook his head quickly. “Forget it. I think we’re making enough money with the Fish Dragon Hot Pot Restaurants. We don’t have to sell Blood Spider Silk!”
Han Fei asked, “So, where should we go now?”
Xia Xiaochan said, “Where else? Up, of course!” Everybody swam upward, but they found a layer of spotted algae after only fifty meters. On the spotted algae were little bugs that looked like long sticks.
Luo Xiaobai’s face changed greatly. “Not good. Spirit Devouring Bugs. Let’s retreat…”
Han Fei looked awful when he saw the data of the tiny Spirit Devouring Bugs.
<Name> Spirit Devouring Bug
<Introduction> This is a low-level spiritual bug that lives on spotted algae. When it’s touched, it will melt and nest in the human body.
<Level> 3
<Quality> Rare
<Spiritual Energy> 15 Points
<Effect> Inedible
<Absorbable>
Han Fei’s blood was almost freezing. The bug was not of a high level, but it could melt and nest inside the body of a human. He found it creepy. Earlier, Han Fei had seen reports on a spider that laid eggs on a human and turned the human into a spider nest. He still remembered the horror. Le Renkuang was the fastest. While running, he said, “I would rather fight the spider crabs than to get close to these things.”
So, everybody went back as fast as they had gone up.
But their situation wasn’t any better after they retreated.
Le Renkuang was twenty meters away from the bottom of the ocean. Below him were spider crabs which were so dense that their legs almost formed a ladder.
In places where the spider crabs were fewer, some rays were indeed poking through. They were no regular rays, but rays more than ten meters long with their tails.
Han Fei glanced at them.
<Name> Plate Ray
<Introduction> This creature has a highly-attractive mouth. It likes to prey on spider crabs. It’s territorial and has a venomous thorn in its tail.
<Level> 29
<Quality> Rare
<Spiritual Energy> 808 Points
<Collectible> Tail thorn
<Absorbable>
Han Fei said in a hurry, “Don’t be stung by the rays’ tails. They’re lethal.”
Zhang Xuanyu said, “Who cares about the rays? Just look at the spider crabs. Why are there so many of them here?”
Xia Xiaochan said, “Some of the spider crabs are soft. Look, the rays can eat half of them after a single bite.” Luo Xiaobai explained, “Those spider crabs are only molting. The spider crabs have to molt in order to grow bigger. It’s said that they will molt nine times in their lifetime, and they will be stronger after each molting. However, they’re weakest when they’ve just molted. Let’s go past them while their new shells are not hardened yet.”
Han Fei was slightly surprised. He knew a thing or two about spider crabs, but the spider crabs before his eyes were more than two meters long and covered in thorns. Also, he was under the impression that there were more spider crabs that were not molting than those which were molting.
They swam quickly and saw nothing but spider crabs on their way. Some of the spider crabs had been piled dozens of meters high. Those at the bottom were probably already dead. Han Fei said, “We can only go from below. Just pay attention to the rays.”
It was impossible for Han Fei’s team to bypass the hills of spider crabs, and they could only go through the places where the spider crabs were fewer. But rays were busy hunting the spider crabs in those places.
Zhang Xuanyu patted Han Fei and Le Renkuang. “You can walk in the front since you’re sturdier than me. I definitely have to build up my body after we return.”
Le Renkuang said, “I’m not resistant to poison. Han Fei, you stay on the outside.”
Han Fei: “???!”
He was lost for words. What’s your problem? You’re talking as if I’m strongly resistant to poison.
But Han Fei was not really bothered. He nodded back at everybody, only to see that Xia Xiaochan and Luo Xiaobai were already gone.
Zhang Xuanyu said, “Stop looking. Both of them are in stealth mode. Have you forgotten that Xiaobao’s contractual spiritual beast is a stealthy jellyfish?”
Han Fei nodded after the initial surprise.
Then, he glanced around. Although he didn’t see anyone, he detected that Luo Xiaobai was three meters on his left with his spiritual senses.
Han Fei was rather surprised that his spiritual senses could detect those who were in stealth mode. He immediately looked for Xia Xiaochan, but he could only vaguely see her shadow.
Han Fei wondered whether Xia Xiaochan was better at stealth, or Luo Xiaobai’s stealthy jellyfish was simply too weak.
Having no time to care about that, Han Fei swam over quickly, and when he approached the bottom of the ocean, those rays hopped and charged at Han Fei.
Ignoring them, Han Fei said to Le Renkuang, “Give me a rod.”
The weapon box flashed and darted at Han Fei, and Han Fei unleashed a Spiritual Energy Explosion after accepting the rod. The powerful explosion knocked away the rays’ long tails and made them spin in water
But it was not over. One of the rays sat straight and opened its big mouth, attracting both the water around as well as Han Fei and his companions.
Han Fei’s face slightly changed. He was about to break the mouth with the Million Knife Art, when a spider crab was grabbed by vines and stuffed into the ray’s big mouth, stopping the attraction force. Han Fei almost laughed aloud.
Han Fei said in amusement, “Xiaobai, your hands are truly useful!”
Luo Xiaobai said, “Hurry up! There are more rays here.”
Han Fei said, “Got it. Le Renkuang, hurry up. You’re the slowest.”
Le Renkuang was lost for words. I don’t have Zhang Xuanyu’s Gold Water Silkworm. My spiritual beast is a clam and my contractual spiritual beast is a tortoise. How can I possibly be fast?
At this point, Luo Xiaobai gave him a hand. She bound her vines to Le Renkuang and gave him a boost.
Han Fei was responsible for dealing with the rays together with Luo Xiaobai. The battle was easier than the one against the sandworms earlier.
However, before they were in the clear, they had seen hundreds of rays gathered before them.
Then, Zhang Xuanyu shouted, his voice shivering. “Look… A big ray!”
Han Fei swam forward and his heart was palpitating, as he had seen an enormous Plate Ray more than thirty meters long. It was as huge as a spaceship. Han Fei’s eyes were almost popping out.
It was impossible to figure it out now. Behind them were hills of spider crabs, before them was the enormous Plate Ray, and there were also Spirit Devouring Bugs above them. They had to fight one of them! They definitely couldn’t go back now. They would be exhausted if they were to pass the sandworms’ territory again, and they certainly didn’t want to conclude the adventure empty-handed.
When they were wondering which to choose, an enormous leg almost twenty meters long suddenly extended from the spider crabs and grabbed the gigantic Plate Ray.
