Chapter 107: The Sea Tribe's Trap

In the deep blue waters, at the silent city’s central square beneath the sea, everything seemed perfectly normal. The sudden appearance of the native inhabitants in this city, which had remained quiet for twelve thousand years, was the only anomaly.

Although the purpose of these beings was still unclear, Huafeng generally trusted what this group of sea people said. There might be some falsehoods, but the current stalemate served no purpose. Since they did not want the team to touch the Meo Stone, and with no way to leave the camp, any effort would likely be futile. So, while buying time, Huafeng sent a telepathic message to the logistics base, instructing Lin Chong to search for information on this race and, if necessary, prepare for a fight.

“First, thank you for your care during our expedition. But at this point, what’s the use of pleasantries? Our mission is to retrieve samples of the Meo Stone, which we must succeed in. Since you are no longer the Atlanteans of old, you have no territorial rights over this sea or the sunken continent beneath. Whatever we search for here is beyond your jurisdiction, isn’t it?” Huafeng knew conflict was unlikely for now, and his actions differed from those of the other group the sea people mentioned.

“What if we insist on intervening?” the sea leader’s tone hardened.

“That depends on whether you have the strength to back it up!” Li Long replied sharply. In this world, all negotiations were founded on power; politeness had its limits.

At that moment, the strength of Li Long, Wang Yue, Shuang Ning, and the Yuan Queen stage warriors became apparent. Their formidable auras radiated through the light barrier, yet the sea people remained unmoved. Their deep blue hair flowed freely, and in their eyes lay a hint of disdain.

Huafeng, Yun Meng, and Bai Feng were the only ones in the team with Yuan Emperor-level cultivation. They held back their own auras, waiting for the perfect moment to strike decisively. Huafeng did not wish to provoke conflict unless absolutely necessary—these sea people’s strength was clearly more complex than it appeared, possibly with hidden reserves.

Just then, Lin Chong’s data transmission arrived. Though delayed slightly, it was still timely.

“Huafeng, take a close look. While there are many records of underwater peoples, there have been no documented cases of ‘sea people’ like these appearing before.” The data was sent covertly, so Huafeng listened through the communicator, while the sea people outside showed no reaction, seemingly waiting for something. They paid no mind to the team’s sudden pause to review information.

Lin Chong’s voice continued, “In 1938, on Estonia’s Juminda Beach, fishermen discovered a strange human-like creature: a flat, duck-bill-like mouth and a chest resembling a toad’s. People later called it the ‘Toad.’ When the ‘Toad’ saw a crowd chasing it, it fled swiftly into the Baltic Sea. Witnesses said it ran so fast they couldn’t see its feet, but its footprints on the sand resembled enormous webbed toad feet.”

“In 1968, underwater photographer Mooney in Miami claimed to have seen a strange being: a face like a monkey’s, gill sacs, large human-like eyes without eyelashes, and two front limbs like a monkey’s but covered in shiny scales. Its webbed feet resembled those of a duck. The creature stared at him but did not attack, then suddenly activated foot propulsion and sped away.”

“In the late 1980s, rumors spread in Beaufort, South Carolina, of a ‘Lizardman’—half human, half beast—standing nearly two meters tall, with large eyes and thick green scales covering its body. Each hand had only three fingers. It walked upright and was incredibly strong, able to flip cars effortlessly. It could move swiftly through swamps, evading capture. Many speculate these creatures are sea people who have come ashore.”

“Whether these monsters belong to another human species or genuinely come from the ocean floor remains uncertain. What’s astonishing is that mysterious advanced submarines frequently appear in the sea—elusive and highly sophisticated.”

“The earliest report was in 1902. The British cargo ship Volt Sulreby, sailing in the Gulf of Guinea off the West African coast, spotted a massive half-submerged metallic object. Under searchlights, it appeared circular, about 30 meters wide and 200 meters long, resembling today’s space shuttles. It silently submerged without a trace.”

“In the late 1950s, ‘ghost submarines’ were reportedly seen off the coasts of Argentina and the United States. In Argentina’s Nueva Strait, a large cigar-shaped metallic object was spotted underwater. Two weeks later, the Argentine Navy detected and attacked the unknown submarine, but the results remain unknown. After the bay was sealed off, the submarine disappeared.”

“In 1963, during exercises southeast of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Navy encountered an unknown submarine with a single propeller, capable of speeds up to 280 kilometers per hour at depths of 9,000 meters. U.S. ships and submarines tried to pursue it but failed. This ‘ghost submarine’s’ performance was staggering—modern submarines can only dive to about 6,000 meters and reach speeds under 95 kilometers per hour underwater.”

“Sightings of unknown underwater vehicles span global seas, attracting researchers’ attention. Some believe these vehicles belong to the sea people, and even more sensationally, people claim to have found various mysterious underwater structures.”

Lin Chong’s voice faded before Huafeng interrupted, “Brother Lin, we’re familiar with most of that. Our situation here is complicated. The sea people have been trying to force us out. We suspect they hold some advantage over our current strength and seem to be waiting for something.”

Huafeng reported honestly, aware that the rear command could hear him. Speaking to Lin Chong was effectively communicating with headquarters.

Lin Chong was about to respond when he suddenly lost contact with Huafeng. Even his telepathic connection failed. Alarmed, Lin Chong thought, This is bad. Huafeng’s instincts were right. The communication devices used were among the world’s best, and their telepathy should reach thousands of meters. Yet now, aside from a few stable life signs on the screen, it was as if these people had never been here. Lin Chong understood immediately: they had fallen into a trap or encountered an unexpected crisis.