Chapter 575: Clean out
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
(v9ch99)
After hesitating briefly, Sheyan finally slowly stretched his hand into the mysterious cursed chest of Cortéz….
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A minute later, prepared to react anytime while waiting nervously outside, Brother Black and Reef simultaneously received a notification.
[ Hidden main mission: ‘Curse’ officially activated ]
[ Mission description: You have acquired the mysteriously cursed Aztec Gold. Barbossa and his savage crew have already caught wind of this. At anytime, they can lock onto your position ]
[ Details: From now onwards, you must possess the Aztec Gold for three days. Each additional day after three days will enhance your mission evaluation, for a limit of one week ]
[ Details: Each one of your member must carry at least one Aztec Gold. That Aztec Gold cannot leave your body perimeter of 30 centimetres. Otherwise, mission will be deemed as failure ]
[ Mission completion deadline: Currently left with 81 hours 9 minutes and 7 seconds. Upon mission deadline, you can extend mission deadline by 10,000 utility points per day. Maximum prolonging deadline of 7 days, after 7 days, the mission will be announced as failed ]
[ Mission failure penalty: You will be pursued by the Black Pearl pirates for one week, and your benefits gained in this world will be deducted ]
[ Warning: There is a possibility for this mission to conflict with the missions of other contestants ]
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Amidst the tranquility of the cave, only the swishing of seawater and a fishy smell remained.
Sheyan was currently pulling through the seawater.
The image of him advancing with a neutral pace, appeared with an unprecedented carefreeness. It was as if he was a hundred year old fish that would live on for another century.
He stuck his tongue out abruptly as his tastebuds rapidly feedbacked a clear message. Excluding the usual fishiness of the sea, there was an added unriped taste analogous to rust.
That was the taste of blood.
A distance away, the seawater appeared muddy; rolling with seabed sediments that was endlessly churning.
Accompanied by the swishing of the vast ocean, not too far ahead, Sheyan could feel a vast and mighty force accumulating within the currents.
That force was invisible and hidden amidst the water, ushering a sensation of being impossible to defy it.
In the face of such a force, Sheyan felt as though he was an archaic lone boat, floating and drifting through the boundless sea. A danger of being capsized by anything and anytime!
Many black shadows lurked at the end of the flooding channel, staring towards his direction with ill intent.
In the midst of those black shadows, three mutilated human remains lingered around; brains and limbs torn asunder, while wounds paled by the cleansing seawater.
A depiction of ghastly bitterness. Their clothes were a shredded mess, leaving behind few strands of cloth.
As those black shadows wafted around, they would occasionally chew from the dilapidated mangled remains. This scene resembled bandits of the present world who were sharing a big bowl of wine. The big bowl would be shared around amongst the different members. Such was this frenzied activity, radiating out with bromance!
As those black shadows shuttled speedily through the water, they quickly gathered towards those weird stone sculptures. As it turns out, those were the stone jars that were placed within the cavern halls. Those black shadows continued to sniff about unceasingly.
The contents of those stone jars were fatty oil extracted and boiled from mermaids. When the seawater flooded through, the embers within were naturally extinguished. Instead, those fatty oil had dissolved into the seawater, floating quickly from the seawater’s volatility as it attracted those black shadows.
These were the chain reactions that Sheyan spoke about previously. In order to safeguard their wealth, the Black Pearl pirates naturally displayed utmost wisdom as they employed whatever means available to them.
As for the current Sheyan, he was already in possession of the Aztec gold of the Black Pearl crew. In his perspective, a single second wasted in escaping could very well influence the mission; be it success or failure.
As such, Sheyan obstinately showed himself plainly even when those peculiar black shadows hadn’t discovered him. Laboriously hauling along the entire stone chest of Aztec gold, he swam towards the exit to the sea.
Only after those shadows approached, did he discover that those black shadows resembled dugongs of the sea.
The dugongs’ physique had some areas that resembled a woman. They had atrophied forelimbs, while a pair of ample breasts grew beside these pectoral fins; looking rather similarly to a human. Therefore, whenever it occasionally flipped upwards and revealed its bare body out of the sea surface, it appeared really like a woman from afar. Hence, it was also frequently mistaken to be mermaids.
However, when Sheyan observed these dugongs, he noticed their backs were covered with a black shimmering shell. Moreover, their limbs were host to rather sharp claws, and appeared extremely menacing.
Those three pirates beforehand had been devoured cruelly by these dugongs, even their corpses weren’t spared.
Nevertheless, their only consolation was that they managed to inflict some hurt to these dugongs while struggling against them. Sparkling and twinkling indigo fluids could be seen streaming out of the gashes and cracks of their shells, densely diffusing into the seawater.
Nevertheless, Sheyan didn’t have the luxury of time to deal with these savage beasts. Hence, he directly pulled out ‘Ambition’.
Instantly, the inky aura of Kraken Octopus Paul shrouded around his body. The aura of the sea hegemon revolved around Sheyan’s perimeter, projecting a domineering illusion of a translucent but colossal octopus making threatening gestures.
Still, these dugongs were similarly highly intelligent creatures. Moreover, their strength was multiplied through their community.
Although they could sense the domineering Paul, they merely cowered bake in fear; releasing vicious squeaks from their mouths. They swam boldly in teams of 3-5 as they circled around Sheyan, exhibiting that they weren’t like Chupacabras that would flee at the mere sight of danger.
Such a situation was actually rather common in the present world, like leopards making strategic withdrawals against tigers. Or when a pack of wolves gather, the one fleeing would often be the lion.
As it turns out, Sheyan had scarcely foresaw such a scenario unfolding. However previously, he had reckoned the creatures attracted would be the mermaids and not dugongs. Therefore, he didn’t want anyone to remain for the fear of needless casualties.
After all, even though Kraken Paul was a first-rate hegemony of the caribbean sea, frightening off all creatures would probably still be beyond reach. Nevertheless, it should suffice to protect a single individual like Sheyan.
In the face of the encircling dugongs, Sheyan himself displayed a vicious expression. He clutched his weapon and strained his features; revealing his teeth as a demonstration. All the while carrying the stone chest of Aztec gold as he swam out. Still, those dugongs were unwilling to see prey escaping, as they continued gathering; obviously still deterred by Paul’s aura. Despite so, their eyes shone with a clear deadliness.
While carrying Cortéz’s stone chest with one hand, he pulled out his saber with the other! A deep-blue blade ray sliced through the seawater, carrying an profound craftiness as it slashed against a dugong who had encroached in!
Probably enhanced by the impression of Paul in the water, the blade had surged out without without a sound nor aura. Only after leaving a mournful and deep laceration did it utterly disappear.
That probing dugong extended its mouth widely, releasing a line of bubbles as it appeared in extreme pain. Waving its tail with all its might, it quickly retreated away!
A mild spurting sound had emitted out from its shell, while its left arm hung down powerlessly. Then, one could observe a distinct crack on its shell, before indigo blood came streaming out.
This blade of ‘killing the chicken to scare the monkeys’ instantly intimidated the other eager dugongs.
Sheyan maintained a thick-skinned demeanor as he raised his long saber to guard his front. With him as the nucleus, a translucent colossal octopus guided him through the water while bearing threatening gestures. He then toiled with his might as he continued swimming towards the exit.
Truthfully speaking, this stone chest wasn’t light at all. If not for Sheyan’s above 40 points strength as a contestant, it would be impossible to tug along such a stupendous burden.
The dugongs spectated as Sheyan swam away, their eyes beaming with an ominous glint as they drew in from the distance again.
At present, the corpses of the three pirates had been devoured cleanly by those savage beasts, while the reeking blood had fully aroused their murderous nature; intending to satisfy it with a mouth of Sheyan.
Instead, Sheyan couldn’t be compared to those humans they just encountered. How could they lust for such a person? He maintained exceptional composure without revealing any flaws.
After finally swimming out of the flooded cave, the Dingyuan had long been awaiting him ahead. Instantly, the ‘Greenland Lethal weapon’ provided a glimpse to those greedy dugongs, the consequence of being overly avaricious and insatiable.
Brother Black gripped Sheyan’s drenched hand and pulled him up a jollyboat. Reef then strenuously pulled the stone chest of Aztec gold up, causing the jollyboat to sink 2-3 inches down.
Then, Reef casually opened the delicately engraved stone chest, causing his face to glitter with a captivating glorious shine.
“Hoh, boss, you actually cleaned out their entire lifeline?”
Presently, for some unknown reason, Sheyan appeared rather stiff and stupefied as he replied.
“Plundering a single gold coin or the entire chest of gold has the same meaning. Anyway, both will be equal to an unquenchable grievance to the Black Pearl pirates, sending them stamping in fury in hopes of dismembering our bodies into a thousand pieces. Have you prepared the things I asked of you guys?”
