Chapter 22: The Chimes Beneath the Sea

After succeeding, he gained the ability to part water.

This ability was described in detail on the panel. Its power was determined by its level. With his level-two ability, if he acquired the power to part water, he could control the pressure of twenty thousand pounds of seawater in the deep ocean. He could part twenty thousand pounds of water, creating a zone of true vacuum without a trace of oxygen.

Whether in the ocean or other bodies of water, any aquatic creature—unless it was amphibious—would be doomed without oxygen in the water. This skill wasn’t just limited to that; he could also wield the force of parted water in combat. The destructive power of twenty thousand pounds of seawater was beyond his imagination. To be struck by such an attack, especially in the deep sea, would be no less devastating than a nuclear bomb.

Moreover, the description stated that if the host reached a certain level, he could even control all the water in every body of water on land.

Lin Qiu was stunned once more.

All the water bodies?!

On Azure Blue Star, the geography was distributed as three mountains, six waters, and one field. Water was the essence of this world. If he could control those six waters...

Lin Qiu shivered, not daring to imagine further.

“Let’s go all out!”

The little dolphin’s mouth split open, revealing delicate shark teeth that glinted with a cold, white light.

“Brother, what are you doing?”

Lin Lin’s voice reached him, tinged with fear. In that instant, her dolphin brother exuded an aura that made her afraid, as if she were facing an orca about to devour her.

The murderous air around Lin Qiu faded, and he laughed heartily, “It’s nothing. Let’s catch up with the main group!”

He didn’t explain further, swaying his tail to pick up speed, following the dolphin tribe as they swam toward the depths of the ancient city.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Deep, resonant sounds emanated from the center of the ancient city, radiating in all directions. It was the first time Lin Qiu had seen sound transmitted underwater. Even his sonic howl, when released in the water, operated at a frequency beyond the threshold of the human ear.

Sound was mostly filtered out in water, but his sonic howl could use water as a medium to transmit harm directly into the minds of living creatures. This was the resonance of sound waves.

Once above the surface, without water to break down the frequency, the sonic howl would become a piercing wave capable of shattering objects.

The sound reverberating through the water piqued his curiosity, but he found himself swimming uncontrollably toward its source. As he swam, he saw countless sea beasts heading in the same direction, and a chill ran through his heart.

“System, why can’t I control my body?”

His voice was fraught with anxiety.

“This is the sound of bells, enhanced by advanced technology. It can numb the nervous system of living creatures, compelling them to swim toward the source of the bell’s frequency.”

The system explained.

The explanation made Lin Qiu once again feel awe toward the civilization’s technology. Not only could they send the bell’s sound beneath the sea, but they could also control minds.

He sensed a force beyond his comprehension, manipulating his body into actions that went against his will.

Now unable to control himself, he could only experience his body swimming toward the bells.

“Brother, I’m scared!”

Lin Lin’s frantic mental waves resonated, trembling with terror.

“It’s alright, I’m right beside you.”

Lin Qiu comforted her, rapidly thinking of a solution.

The underwater bells must be controlled by some fish; otherwise, they wouldn’t ring for no reason. But what was this creature trying to accomplish? Why sound the bells?

He couldn’t figure it out, and could only take things one step at a time.

The system, meanwhile, fell silent.

The ancient city beneath the sea was enormous, majestic. With their one-meter bodies, they swam for two days and nights before finally reaching the locus of the bell’s sound.

But in those two days and nights, who knew how many fish starved to death. When the bells rang, they lost control of their bodies, unable to venture out for food, doomed to perish from hunger.

“Brother, I can’t go on—I’m starving!”

Lin Lin’s weak voice echoed, making Lin Qiu anxious and uneasy.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Qiu saw that among the dolphin tribe, after two days and nights of relentless swimming, hundreds had sunk helplessly to the depths.

Dolphins were a highly centralized species.

Within this tribe, there were thousands of dolphins.

He observed many dolphins barely hanging on, breathless and on the verge of death. Even he, starved, felt as if the water around him was swirling.

“System, I don’t want to starve to death. Use my upgrade points to exchange for food.”

Lin Qiu gritted his teeth and issued the command.

“Please place your order, Host.”

The system’s voice sounded, and a system panel appeared before Lin Qiu’s eyes.

On it were countless sea beasts.

Like a supermarket in the human world, each item was clearly priced.

When Lin Qiu’s gaze fell upon the panel, he couldn’t help but gasp.

“System, this is highway robbery!”

“Host, every item in the system shop is meticulously cataloged and listed.”

“Each product here offers honest value for its price.”

“But isn’t this too expensive?”

Lin Qiu was conflicted.

Dolphins ate creatures like octopuses.

On this menu, a single upgrade point could only exchange for one hundred octopuses.

One upgrade point—he didn’t know how many sea beasts he had to devour to earn just one.

Those little creatures he used to disdain as beneath his taste!

But now, he had to give in.

“Exchange!”

He gritted his teeth and issued the command.

“Transaction successful. Octopuses have entered your backpack. Host, please collect them.”

As the system voice faded, Lin Qiu saw a backpack icon appear on the panel, emblazoned with an octopus and the number one hundred.

His heart bled.

Outside the ancient city, even if he devoured ten thousand upgrade points, he couldn’t increase by a single point.

The sea beasts that could grant him upgrade points were the ancient ancestors, the noblest of fish.

But faced with starvation, he could only endure with tears.

His few level-two upgrade points became all the more precious.

“Eat!”

He gritted his teeth, and with a mental command, an octopus appeared out of thin air.

He opened his mouth and swallowed it whole.

In that instant, tears streamed down his face.

“So delicious!”

A roar of happiness sounded in his heart.

He had never imagined that an octopus could move him so deeply.

Suppressing his excitement, Lin Qiu whispered to Lin Lin, “Sister, open your mouth!”