In the dilapidated wooden house in Teardrop Bay, Fa and her group concluded the judgment on O'Hara. The wind blade condensed at Celestia's fingertip silently ended the life of this sinful woman, leaving only dead silence and a faint bloody scent in the room. O'Hara's ledger was carefully stored away—that record of countless innocent lives being sent to the Doomsday Rebirth organization's demonic lair became the only clue in their hands. Although the name "Dark Tide Island" emerged from her memories, its specific location and internal situation remained shrouded in fog.
"We can't stay here long." Fa scanned the room, speaking in a low voice. Her right eye's star pupil flickered slightly, as if searching for hidden dangers in the darkness. "Killing O'Hara, the Doomsday Rebirth people might notice soon. We need to leave, find a place to rest for the night, and plan tomorrow."
Thus, the group quickly cleaned the scene, taking the ledger stained with sin and the sole clue of "Dark Tide Island," and silently left this sinful fishing village. They took temporary shelter in a hidden cave on the coastal cliffs, where the cold rock walls and the roaring sound of sea waves became the elegy for O'Hara's crimes.
The atmosphere in the cave was heavy. Celestia leaned against the cold rock wall, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing her wrist— the shackles that once bound her had disappeared, but the line in O'Hara's ledger, "Avian, young male, severely injured, comatose, top-grade, price 5,000 gold coins," weighed on her heart like a new chain. Kayla irritably ground her thunder claw arm armor; the fact that her beastman kin were sold as "merchandise" left her rage with nowhere to vent. TISK buried himself in inspecting his lava hammer, the ice-fire patterns flickering uncertainly in the dim light; the shame of the dwarven race's honor being defiled brewed a storm in his silence.
Fa broke the silence, her right eye's star pupil flowing with ethereal blue light in the darkness, like guiding stars. She turned to the group, "As soon as dawn breaks tomorrow, we'll return to Teardrop Bay, split up, gather intelligence and supplies. The goal is one: 'Dark Tide Island.'"
Split Actions and the Shipbuilding Miracle
The faint morning light entered the cave. Fa opened her eyes, her right eye's star pupil flowing with profound blue glow in the dim light. She surveyed her companions' weary yet resolute faces and said gravely: "We can't delay. Before heading to 'Dark Tide Island,' we need more intelligence and supplies. Let's move out."
The objective was clear. The group packed up and set off under the cover of dawn. Kayla and TISK led the way, relying on the beastman's keen sense of smell and the dwarf's natural perception of terrain to avoid potential spies. Arya's wind magic gently brushed over everyone's footprints, erasing traces. Rex's armor ran discreetly in anti-detection mode. Celestia used the spatial perception skills taught by Villanette, her figure occasionally blurring and flickering like a ghost around the team, alerting for potential dangers. Her "Shadow Flicker," though limited in range, had precision and pre-warning ability for spatial disturbances far surpassing before.
After 2 hours of trekking, the outline of Teardrop Bay appeared again. The morning port was busier than yesterday, with massive steam and wind-sail hybrid ships loading and unloading cargo, various races shuttling on the docks, the air mixed with the complex smells of sea salt, machine oil, spices, and sweat. However, this bustle was shrouded in shadow in Fa and her group's eyes. Who knew how many "guides" like O'Hara were hidden in this bustling crowd? How many pairs of Doomsday Rebirth eyes were peeking in the dark?
Salsa stood in the center of the team, her mechanical cat shell trembling slightly, four shadow falcons flying out from the shadows behind her, circling in the air. They flickered with ethereal blue light, their eyes showing spiritual glow. Salsa's electronic voice sounded: "I'll divide the falcons into four groups, transmitting messages at any time."
First group (Salsa, Rex): Responsible for monitoring the port authority, large guilds, and the "Rusty Nail Tavern" frequented by black market brokers. Salsa's soul perception and Rex's data analysis were sharp tools for digging potential clues. Rex secretly hacked into the port's public information network, searching for any records related to "Dark Tide Island" or abnormal ship activities.
Second group (Kayla, TISK): Headed to the dock area and artisan district. Kayla relied on her beastman intuition for strength and danger, observing dock workers' conversations and unloaded special cargo (especially sealed containers). TISK used his identity as a dwarven master craftsman to blend into blacksmith shops and mechanical repair stations, inquiring about ships customized with special defenses, deep-diving equipment, or modified cabins for transporting "special cargo." At the same time, they procured high-quality weapon maintenance oil, spare parts, and portable supplies like smoked jerky and hard bread.
Third group (Fa, Arya, Celestia): Delved into the market district and the "Teardrop Corridor" where intelligence peddlers gathered. Fa used her star pupil to see through disguises and lies, Arya's elven aura and gentle speech easily gained ordinary vendors' trust, Celestia alerted in the shadows, using her speed and mental perception to watch for suspicious trackers or mental probes. They procured potions, high-energy compressed rations, and special materials.
Fourth group (Yuyuer, Lin Ya, Zhamisi): Responsible for the most critical task—finding a suitable location, Yuyuer communicating with the ocean, Lin Ya preparing maritime transport. Zhamisi's venomous fang curved blade and adaptability to damp environments would be their safeguard in the remote coastline activities.
The Fishman's Whisper and Lin Ya's Creation
Yuyuer, Lin Ya, and Zhamisi advanced along the rugged coastline toward a treacherous bay south of Teardrop Bay, filled with black reefs and surging waves. This place was rarely visited, only with seabirds' calls and the roar of waves crashing against rocks.
"The currents here are chaotic, dense underwater reefs; ordinary ships wouldn't approach—perfect spot." Zhamisi hissed with her snake tongue, her scarlet eyes vigilantly scanning around, her venomous fang curved blade flashing eerie light in the dim.
Lin Ya's emerald body emitted a warm life glow. He squatted down, pressing his hands on the damp black gravel, emerald mycelia drilling into the sand like living things, spreading downward, sensing the earth veins and surrounding plants' aura. "Hmm, the rocks here are sturdy, and there's a small relatively calm water area in the lee. Enough." He nodded, beginning to chant ancient incantations in a low voice. As he chanted, the sparse salt-tolerant shrubs and vines around began to grow and intertwine at visible speed, tough roots deeply embedding into rock crevices. Lin Ya guided these plants, combining wood magic drawn from the earth, to construct a ship's framework—not a traditional wooden ship, but a peculiar vessel woven from living wood and reinforced vines, sleek in lines, resembling a giant shuttle fish. The hull surface was covered with a slippery waterproof moss layer, the internal structure filled and reinforced by flexible mycelial networks. This was Lin Ya's "Living Wood Submerger," not large, barely accommodating ten people, but excelling in concealment, toughness, and resonance with Lin Ya's life magic, possessing certain self-repair and camouflage abilities (able to mimic reefs or seaweed clusters).
At the same time, Yuyuer walked to the edge of the reef battered by waves. He raised his dragon bone staff high, the crystal ball at the top blooming with soft blue light. He closed his eyes, mixing mental power with water magic, turning into invisible ripples, like the most intimate call, merging into the rolling waves. He chanted in ancient and melodious fishman language, a greeting and plea to the ocean's children.
"Brothers and sisters of the ocean... heed my call... I am Yuyuer, favored by the raging tides... seeking wisdom and guidance..."
The blue light seeped into the seawater with the chant. At first, only a few timid small fish approached curiously, then quickly swam away. But gradually, more marine creatures were attracted by this pure water affinity. Colorful tropical fish schools swirled like flowing ribbons around the waters at Yuyuer's feet; a few clever dolphins leaped out, emitting crisp calls in response; several aged sea turtles slowly surfaced, their murky eyes gazing at Yuyuer; even a few ferocious-eyed sharks patrolling in deep waters slowed down, quietly hovering not far away.
Yuyuer's mental power established faint links with these marine creatures. He inquired about the island's location, surrounding environment, underwater conditions, and any related clues (dangers, fog, reefs, shipwrecks, etc.).
Time passed bit by bit. The information returned by the marine creatures was like fragmented puzzles: the fish schools streamed their consciousness fragments like trickling flows into Yuyuer's perception: the island was perennially enveloped in eerie gray-white thick fog, the mist itself seeming to carry direction-confusing magic; the surrounding waters were filled with ferocious black reef clusters, like natural death traps, countless shipwrecks piled among the reefs, forming a chilling "ship graveyard"; more heart-stopping, the fish schools instinctively feared approaching the island, because the waters there emitted an unnatural cold, deathly stillness aura, occasionally with powerful, twisted predators appearing, devouring nearby fish. About the island's interior, the fish schools knew nothing, only that it was a forbidden zone for life.
Intelligence Compilation and Decision
At noon, under the guidance of Salsa's falcons, the group rendezvoused with Yuyuer and the others. Yuyuer shared the intelligence from the fish schools: "Dark Tide Island is southeast, about a hundred nautical miles away, perennially shrouded in fog, with many reefs and maritime defenses, like a fortress. The fish schools don't know the island's situation."
After listening, Fa pondered for a moment, her gaze firm: "Since we have a direction, we can't wait anymore. Elios might be there; every delay adds a bit more danger. Depart immediately."
The group nodded, boarding the wooden ship built by Lin Ya. Yuyuer manipulated the currents to accelerate, the vessel sailing away from Wing Shadow Port like an arrow, heading southeast. As they distanced from the coast, the fog on the sea surface gradually thickened, visibility obstructed, forcing them to slow down and proceed cautiously.
About 6 hours later, nearing dusk, the ship reached the outer seas of the fog. Dense mist blocked the view, the sea wind carrying an eerie chill. Fa stood at the bow, her right eye's star pupil scanning ahead, yet unable to fully penetrate the scenes in the fog. "This place is too eerie; we can't rush in, or we might be discovered by enemies." She turned to the group, "Stop here first, scout clearly before acting."
Yuyuer nodded, diving into the sea, his figure quickly submerging into the waves. He cast water magic, turning into a stream of water, sneaking underwater to scout. At the same time, Salsa summoned five shadow falcons, commanding them to fly toward the skies above Dark Tide Island for reconnaissance.
The first report was from Salsa: "Aerial reconnaissance, failed." Salsa's mechanical cat shell lay on the wooden ship's edge, amber electronic eyes flickering with cold light. Two shadow falcons with only half wings remaining, forms illusory, struggled back from the fog, merging into her shell. "Three-kilometer radius, dense anti-air energy arrays. Any flying object approaching will be instantly locked and destroyed." She pulled up two blurry image fragments: from the falcons' perspective, several blazing white energy beams shot silently from the island's dense forests, precisely turning three falcons to ash.
After half an hour, Yuyuer emerged silently from the surging ink-green seawater, wiping water from his face, the crystal ball on his dragon bone staff flowing with deep blue ethereal light. "Underwater situation is bad." His voice was grave, "Near the island three kilometers, the seabed is covered with active 'steel anemones'—mechanical tentacle traps, tops with rotating alloy drills and high-voltage shockers. Reefs embedded with sonar probes and bio-sensors, weaving an almost no-blind-spot defense net." He paused, pointing to a dark corner of the island's underwater cliff, "The only vulnerability, at the bottom of that vertical cliff wall. There's a huge circular metal sewage outlet, sealed by heavy alloy grating. The water flow is turbulent, carrying pungent medicinal smell and... the bloody scent of flesh."
All eyes instantly focused on Rex.
"High-temperature melt-cut, feasible." Rex's armor emitted a steady hum, the micro-reactor indicator lights on his back turning from blue to red, emanating scorching aura. "Grating material analysis: high-strength titanium-chromium alloy, melting point about 1670°C. My plasma cutting arms can reach over 3000°C peak. But need precise energy output control to avoid triggering internal pressure or temperature alarms. Estimated cutting time: 90 seconds. During that, I can't move or defend."
"90 seconds is enough." Fa's right eye's ethereal light flowed, penetrating the fog to lock on that underwater entrance, "Yuyuer, handle underwater concealment and propulsion. When Rex melt-cuts, Kayla, TISK, Celestia triangular alert, guard against possible patrols or auto-defenses. Others adapt as needed."
Deep Sea Dive, the Steel Gate
Yuyuer raised his dragon bone staff high, chanting fishman water magic in his mouth. The crystal ball's blue light shone brightly, the surrounding seawater stirred as if by invisible hands, quickly gathering, compressing, shaping. In an instant, nine streamlined oval water spheres enveloped everyone. The sac walls were made of high-speed flowing living water, not only providing oxygen for breathing but also granting wearers flagfish-like agility and speed in water. The outer sac was covered with a constantly changing color optical camouflage film, effectively evading sonar and optical detection.
Splash! Splash!
The group submerged silently like shadows merging into the sea. Yuyuer led ahead, currents propelling the water sacs, avoiding those slowly dancing, red-flashing mechanical anemone tentacles. The deep sea's pressure and darkness brought instinctive fear, but after the baptism of the eternal storm, the team's will was like steel.
Soon, the huge circular sewage outlet appeared below. Ink-green polluted water flow wrapped broken tissues and pungent chemicals, surging out from the grating gaps. Rex activated underwater thrusters, steadily hovering before the grating. He extended both arms, mechanical structures deforming and reassembling, revealing two arms flickering with dangerous blue light plasma cutters.
Buzz—!
The low startup sound was absorbed by the seawater. Two condensed to the extreme ethereal blue beams shot out, like death's brush, silently landing on the cold alloy grating. Contact points instantly turned into blazing white molten metal droplets, washed away by the turbulent flow, emitting hissing sounds. The blinding light was exceptionally conspicuous in the dim deep sea.
"Alert!" Kayla's voice transmitted through the mental link inside the water sacs. Her thunder claw gripped tight, chilling frost power permeating the surrounding water, ready to freeze assailants. TISK's stout body blocked like a reef at Rex's side rear, lava hammer poised. Celestia hovered in the upper shadows, four wings slightly spread, mental perception scanning the surrounding darkness like invisible radar, tiny arcs jumping at her fingertips. Time passed second by second in tension.
78 seconds... 85 seconds...
The cutting line in the grating's center was about to close!
Suddenly, three steel shark-like auto-patrol machines, backs flashing scanning red lights, silently slid out from the side upper reef shadows! Their head multi-band sensors instantly locked the cutting point's erupting energy source and abnormal water disturbances!
"Enemy attack! Underwater sentries!" Celestia's warning rang sharply in the mental link!
"Leave it to me!" TISK roared, lava hammer swinging fiercely! "Furnace Shock · Vortex!" The hammer head smashed heavily on the seabed before him, violent shockwave mixed with scorching lava fragments exploding a circle of fiercely rolling hot vortex in the seawater! Strong currents and debris slammed into the leading steel shark, smashing its scanner with sparks flying, movements stalling.
Almost simultaneously, Kayla shot out like a cannonball! "Thunder Fang Assault!" Thunder claw wrapped in glaring blue-white lightning, ruthlessly piercing another steel shark's vulnerable abdominal joint! High-voltage current instantly paralyzed its power core!
The last steel shark's laser cannon muzzle already lit up! Celestia's figure suddenly blurred! "Shadow Leap!" She instantly appeared above the shark, her fingertip condensing the prototype of "Spear of Delusion-Breaking"—a highly condensed invisible mental spike—ruthlessly piercing its crude processor core! The shark body trembled violently, laser cannon light extinguishing, stiffly sinking to the seabed.
"Complete!" Rex's electronic voice came. The last strand of molten metal broke, the several-ton heavy alloy grating thundering inward, rushed into the bottomless dark channel by the surging polluted flow. An entrance emanating ominous aura opened.
"Go!" Fa ordered, nine figures wrapped in water spheres, like a school of fish thrown into a giant beast's throat, entered the steel belly of Dark Tide Island along the polluted flow.
Sewage Corridor and Life Factory
After entering, it was a dark, damp passage, wider than imagined, like a massive steel intestine. The group advanced slowly in the foul-smelling wastewater. Yuyuer manipulated the water sacs to cling to the passage ceiling, avoiding the rolling polluted flow below. The walls were covered with slippery moss and rust, the air's fishy-sweet mixed with chemical agents smell even more intense and nauseating.
After advancing hundreds of meters, the passage began sloping upward. The water flow sound weakened, ahead faintly came dull mechanical rumbling and a... extremely unsettling, rhythmic pulsing sound.
"There's light!" Arya reminded in a low voice. The group immediately alerted.
The passage end connected to an immensely huge space! The water sacs silently surfaced, the scene before them making everyone instantly suffocate, a chill rushing from soles to scalp!
This was a mountain-belly-sized giant artificial cavern, or rather, a bone-chilling "flesh factory" hidden deep under the island!
The cavern top was filled with thick pipes and cold-glowing lamps. Most horrifying, surrounding the central huge sewage treatment pool (their outlet connected here), stood densely packed, endless transparent cylindrical culture tanks! Thousands of culture tanks neatly arranged! Like a cold forest!
The tanks were filled with pale blue nutrient solution, soaking indescribable "creatures":
- Cell bodies: Some tanks held only wriggling masses of vascular and neural net flesh, like the most primitive embryos, yet proliferating and differentiating at visible speed.
- Semi-cell bodies: Some flesh masses had initially formed twisted limb prototypes or organ outlines, like nightmare-pieced toys.
- Embryo bodies: Further along, humanoid or beast-shaped embryos, but grotesquely shaped, some multi-limbed, some with fins or shells, some with deformed heads.
- Semi-complete bodies: Near-formed monsters, muscles knotted yet disproportionate, covered in scales or armor, unconsciously twitching and scratching the tank walls in the nutrient solution.
- Complete bodies: A few tanks held "mature," quietly suspended terrifying creations! They combined multiple biological features: wolf-headed human bodies covered in bone armor, snake-shaped monsters with sharp claws and fish fins, insect-winged humanoid creatures... emanating cold and violent aura, like sleeping killing weapons.
The air permeated with nutrient solution's sweet fishiness, preservatives' pungency, and faint ozone from bio-electrolytes. The mechanical rumbling came from circulating pumps, filters, and monitoring equipment everywhere. And that rhythmic, giant heart-like pulsing sound originated from a core area deep in the cavern, surrounded by more pipes and instruments, emanating dark red light!
"Heavens... this is the Doomsday Rebirth organization's... factory?" Arya's voice trembled, the scene surpassing any imagination of evil.
"These monsters... are all made from those captured people..." Kayla gnashed her teeth, lightning crackling on her thunder claw.
Rex's electronic eyes scanned the entire space rapidly, armor emitting faint data flow sounds: "Preliminary scan... culture tanks number: about five thousand five hundred. Life signals varying strengths... from weak to extreme... detected high-energy reaction source... location: depths. Monitoring probes densely distributed, patrol routes... analyzing."
"Calm! Patrol team!" Celestia warned in a low voice, her wind perception catching movement.
A patrol squad of about ten people was walking along the narrow passages between culture tanks. They wore tight gray-black uniforms, heads in fully face-covering respirators, eyes a single red sensor. Their steps were uniform, holding oddly shaped, energy-glowing long-tube rifles, muzzles equipped with sharp alloy bayonets. These soldiers moved stiffly yet with cold efficiency, obviously highly trained (or modified).
Fa immediately signaled Yuyuer to press the water sacs against a shadow piled with discarded pipes at the sewage pool's edge. The group held breath, converging aura, like stones blending into the background.
The patrol's infrared sensors swept their hiding area, seeming to pause. The leading squad leader raised a hand, making gestures. Two members immediately detached, rifles raised, cautiously approaching the pipe pile!
The atmosphere tensed to the extreme! Kayla's muscles bulged, Celestia's fingertip arcs flashed, Zhamisi's curved blade poised... At this critical moment, the core area's dark red light in the cavern depths flickered sharply, accompanied by a low alarm buzz!
The two approaching patrol members immediately stopped, quickly checking devices on their arms. The squad leader issued an urgent command, the entire patrol abandoning the search, running faster toward the alarm's direction!
The group exhaled in relief, cold sweat soaking their backs.
"That was close..." TISK cursed lowly.
"Looks like something in the depths drew them." Rex analyzed.
"Split up!" Fa decided decisively, "Time is tight; we must find clues before they react! Celestia, Kayla, TISK, Zhamisi, you're with me—use speed advantage, quick search possible detention areas for Elios, focus on medical monitoring or special isolation places! Arya, Yuyuer, Lin Ya, Rex, Salsa—you're a group, led by Salsa and Rex, search lab databases, core area, find Doomsday Rebirth's plans, 'Holy North Nest' location, and other clues! Keep Salsa's falcon contact, retreat or call for help immediately on danger!"
"Understood!" The group responded lowly.
The two teams slipped out from hiding like ghosts, using shadows of huge culture tanks and various pipes, quickly merging into this massive factory filled with death and aberration aura.