Chapter 341: Sinking into the Depths, the Mermaid Clan Appears

Chapter 341: Sinking into the Depths, the Mermaid Clan Appears

"Where is that deep sea giant beast?"

Lu Heng learned that the ship had been capsized by a giant beast, and he immediately became alert.

A beast capable of flipping over a thousand-ton ship was undoubtedly dangerous.

Frigus, brimming with anger, replied, "We've already driven it away. We must rescue the Frigates before that thing returns."

At that moment, the Lionheart Empire's recruitment team entered, and the Chief Judicator Knight, Gilbert Okham, once again voiced his idea, "Captain, we can try to lift the ship back to the surface, and once we're there, we can repair the damaged parts of the hull and save the ship."

"That's wonderful, let's get moving then." Frigus was delighted to hear that someone was willing to help him save the ship.

Taking the opportunity, Gilbert Okham turned to look at Lu Heng's group of four and said provocatively, "However, these people don't seem too keen on helping."

Frigus's face turned red with anger as he glared at Lu Heng's group, asking, "You don't want to help?"

Lu Heng was speechless. He hadn't expected this Round Table Knight of the Lionheart Empire to be so good at stirring up trouble.

In truth, if there was a way to lift the ship back to the surface, Lu Heng would be more than happy to assist. So, he shrugged and replied, "Of course we'll help if it's possible."

"Then follow my orders. Go outside the ship and push it towards the surface." Gilbert Okham spoke with a commanding tone, his eyes filled with challenge.

Lin Zeyu felt a bit annoyed and asked, "Do we really have to help them lift the ship?"

"Let's give it a try. If we succeed, we'll have completed the main mission." Lu Heng didn't think they had much chance of success, but it was best not to anger the ship's captain, Frigus, at this moment.

Gilbert Okham led his team out of the ship, shouldering the hull and pushing upwards.

Frigus also immediately ordered the Black Iron Dwarves on the ship to dive into the water and push the ship upwards.

The idea of saving a sinking ship, in a world without supernatural powers, would be laughable. But in the Abyssal World, there was a chance of success.

Lu Heng's group of four also jumped into the water to help lift the sinking ship.

Upon contact with the seawater, the first sensation was that it wasn't as cold as they had imagined.

If this were on Bluesphere, the water in the deep sea would be extremely cold, and the deeper the water, the colder it would be.

In the depths of a trench, the temperature could even reach 2 degrees Celsius.

Such temperatures were unbearable for ordinary humans.

Many who fell into the sea without rescue often froze to death.

Empowered individuals could withstand lower temperatures, but even they would find it uncomfortable if the temperature dropped too low.

However, the seawater here was warmer than expected, feeling like it was in the twenties, and they didn't feel uncomfortable upon contact.

A group of Empowered individuals and Black Iron Dwarves began to lift the sinking ship upwards.

Although it was called a sinking ship, the vessel hadn't completely submerged yet, as there was still air inside, causing it to float and sink. But it was close to complete submersion.

Lu Heng pushed hard against the water, trying to lift the ship, but being in the water limited his strength.

Looking around, there was nowhere to gain leverage.

He might only be able to use a fraction of his strength.

The ship, at this stage of sinking, was in a state of relative balance between gravity and buoyancy, with gravity being the dominant force, causing it to sink.

At this stage, the ship would indeed be influenced by external forces.

Despite the combined efforts of so many, they couldn't lift the ship upwards, but they did manage to slow its descent.

However, the gap between pushing the ship back to the surface was enormous.

Seeing this, the Round Table Knight, Gilbert Okham, who had been issuing commands, came up with another idea.

He used a peculiar method to transmit his voice underwater, ordering, "Turn the ship upright!"

Lu Heng's eyes widened upon hearing this command, wanting to stop him, but he couldn't.

Because they were underwater, even if they could speak, the Black Iron Dwarves likely wouldn't listen.

As expected, the other Empowered individuals and Black Iron Dwarves followed Gilbert Okham's orders and began to right the ship.

The ship had initially been capsized by the deep sea giant beast, with the bottom facing upwards, trapping air inside, which was why it had stayed afloat for so long.

Following Gilbert Okham's orders, the ship was turned upright, causing the air to escape from the bottom and into the cabins and decks, leaking out through doors and windows.

The air inside the ship rapidly decreased, and seawater flooded the cabins, causing the ship, which had been floating and sinking, to sink straight down. In no time, it sank to the seabed, creating a whirlpool that sucked in the Black Iron Dwarves trying to escape.

Lu Heng and Su Muyu exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions of disbelief.

This Chief Knight of the Lionheart Empire was so foolish that it was hard to tell if he was genuinely stupid or a traitor.

The Black Iron Dwarves were not a race naturally adept at swimming, but being assigned to the ship meant they could swim. However, their racial traits dictated that they couldn't last long in the water.

The Black Iron Dwarves were struggling, flailing their arms and legs as the vortex's swirling waters threatened to drown them. Seawater rushed into their mouths and noses, and they were on the verge of perishing.

Lu Heng signaled to his team of three, indicating they should quickly rescue the drowning dwarves.

The main mission was to protect these Black Iron Dwarves, and as they were of the same race as Master Gu, they had to be saved.

The four of them split up to rescue the drowning dwarves and bring them to the surface.

Lin Zeyu released an inflatable lifeboat, and the four of them placed the drowning Black Iron Dwarves into it. After catching their breath on the surface, they dove back into the sea to continue the rescue.

The depth of the sea was not too extreme, only three hundred meters, but for non-Oceanic Ability Users, rescuing at this depth was still a challenging task.

Xie Shien utilized his spatial movement ability, making the rescue process slightly faster.

Soon, the lifeboat was filled with Black Iron Dwarves, and those rescued later could only cling to broken wooden planks to stay afloat.

Apart from the drowning dwarves, some were trapped inside the sinking ship.

The ship had indeed sunk to the bottom, most of its compartments flooded, but there were still pockets of air.

Additionally, the Black Iron Dwarf Wizards had cast a magic bubble, preventing seawater from flooding in and preserving most of the bridge.

The Black Iron Dwarves were also helping each other, and those who couldn't swim to the surface were pulled into the ship's bridge.

After most of the drowning dwarves were rescued, Lu Heng swam to the ship's bridge, knocked lightly on the magic bubble twice, and stepped into the bridge.

Frigus, upon seeing Lu Heng, erupted in anger, "What are you doing? Do you think my ship isn't sinking fast enough?"

Lu Heng reminded him, "Look closely. It wasn't me who suggested flipping the ship. The person you trusted is long gone."

When the ship flipped and began its descent, Gilbert Okham's group realized something was wrong.

Though foolish, they weren't entirely stupid. Upon realizing the situation, they immediately fled, fearing the dwarves' wrath.

Gilbert Okham's group didn't even attempt to rescue the drowning dwarves; they just left.

Frigus was furious, but he knew Lu Heng was right.

His anger was so intense that he couldn't help but lash out at the sight of humans.

During the rescue, Frigus had witnessed Lu Heng's team of four helping to save his crew.

So, after calming down, he exhaled and said, "I'm sorry. I was too angry. I know you're here to help, and I'm grateful for saving my crew."

Lu Heng waved his hand, "No need for thanks. This is our mission. The ship has sunk to the bottom, and it's too dangerous to stay here. We must leave immediately."

Frigus initially didn't want to involve other ships, but now he had no choice. He had to accept this reality, "We'll swim to the surface in batches and find an island to await rescue. The Wizards will lead the way."

The Black Iron Dwarf Wizards joined forces, creating a magic bubble filled with air, and then they led groups of Black Iron Dwarves to the surface.

There were over a hundred Black Iron Dwarves on this ship, so it would take several trips to escort them all to safety.

On the third trip, the seawater suddenly began to churn violently.

Something was clearly amiss.

Frigus shouted, "Not good! The Sea Demons are here!"

He raised his war hammer, ready to lead the Black Iron Dwarves in a fight against the Sea Demons.

Su Muyu, using the Bright Sunbird, observed the surroundings and quickly informed Lu Heng, "It's the Sea Demons, a large number of them, over two to three hundred. We can't hold them off in the sea."

On land, they might have a chance, but engaging such a massive number of Sea Demons in the sea was not a wise choice.

Moreover, one of the main missions in this Abyssal Battlefield was to establish diplomatic relations with the Sea Demon Clan.

In other words, according to the Summoning Will's guidance, they were meant to coexist peacefully with the Sea Demon Clan.

If they were to engage in battle with the Sea Demons at this time, it would significantly complicate any future attempts at reconciliation.

Lu Heng made a swift decision, "Let's return to the surface first."

The four of them immediately swam upwards, rising to the surface, where they covered their feet with Origin Energy and stood on the water.

Once an Ability User's Origin Energy level reached Level 30, they gradually gained the ability to walk on water.

At Level 30, some technique was still required, but upon reaching Level 40, they could stand on the surface solely through the strength of their Origin Energy.

Underwater.

Three Black Iron Dwarf Wizards created a magic bubble, enveloping over a dozen Black Iron Dwarves as they ascended.

At that moment.

A Sea Demon Berserker swung its powerful tail, charging at a speed of 20 meters per second. It raised the spear in its hand and pierced the magic bubble, popping it like a balloon.

The bubble burst, and seawater rushed in. Several Black Iron Dwarves, caught off guard, choked on the seawater, flailing their limbs. They tried to cry out, but as they opened their mouths, more seawater poured in.

The Black Iron Dwarf warriors and mages raised their weapons to resist, but in the sea, they were no match for the Sea Demons. They were quickly subdued with little resistance.

...

Lu Heng and the three others surfaced, only to witness a massive wave rising from the ocean.

A Sea Demon General, clad in battle armor, rode the wave, targeting the Black Iron Dwarves on the inflatable lifeboat.

Lu Heng rushed forward to intercept the Sea Demon General, shouting, "Wait! I'm a Summoner, and I wish to negotiate for peaceful coexistence with the Mermaid Clan."

Having learned the common language of this world during the teleportation, Lu Heng's words were clearly understood by the Sea Demon General.

The Sea Demon General scoffed, "Get out of my way, or I'll take you all with them!"

Lu Heng continued, "Don't kill them. I want to talk to your chieftain."

The Sea Demon General brandished his spear and roared, "You have no right!"

Among the many intelligent races, the Mermaid Clan was known for their ferocity.

When encountering unfamiliar races, the Mermaids would often display extreme aggression and dominance.

Lu Heng, understanding the nature of the Mermaid Clan, knew that to negotiate on equal terms, he must first demonstrate his qualification for such a dialogue.

Without hesitation, Lu Heng drew his sword and unleashed a Sonic Strike, slicing the spear in half. As the Sea Demon General attempted to counter with a punch, Lu Heng caught his fist with an iron grip, then raised his sword to the General's tail, repeating, "I don't wish to be enemies with the Mermaid Clan. I only want to talk to your chieftain."

The previous sword strike was swift and precise, leaving the Sea Demon General no time to react.

Moreover, Lu Heng's sword on the General's tail posed a greater threat than if it were on his neck.

The Mermaid Clan's tails were incredibly powerful, capable of delivering several times the force of their arms when they swung them.

For the Mermaids, their tails were crucial to their survival.

The reason they could swim swiftly in the ocean was due to the power generated by their tail movements. If their tails were severed, they would lose the ability to navigate the sea and, consequently, their means of survival.

Thus, placing the sword on their tails was more effective than on their necks.

Indeed, the Mermaid Clan was inherently fierce, but they retained the instincts of beasts in perceiving danger.

As such, the General became aware of Lu Heng's strength.

When faced with a powerful opponent, the Mermaids would acknowledge their qualification for equal dialogue, and their attitude would shift accordingly.

"Agreed! As long as you dare to come with me," the Sea Demon General said.

"Order your subordinates to release these Black Iron Dwarves first," Lu Heng requested.

"I can't release them all. I must take that cursed Captain Frigus back to answer for his crimes," the Sea Demon General replied, not fully agreeing to Lu Heng's demand, even with the sword at his neck.

At that moment,

Frigus burst out of the sea, engaging in a fierce battle with another Sea Demon General on the surface.

The fact that the sunken ship was named after him was a testament to his capabilities.

Indeed, Frigus was a formidable fighter, and after emerging from the sea, he fought the Sea Demon General blow for blow, showing no signs of weakness.

However, this was the vast ocean, the Mermaids' home turf.

With over two hundred Mermaid warriors beneath the waves, no matter how strong Frigus was, he couldn't hold out for long.

Eventually, when he exhausted his strength, he would succumb.

At that point, his Black Iron Dwarf crew would also suffer.

After a quick deliberation, Lu Heng shouted, "Captain Frigus, the Mermaid Clan has agreed. If you go with them, they will release the other Black Iron Dwarves!"

Upon hearing this proposal, Frigus's heart raced.

His only thought now was to save his crew, but they were in the open ocean, and he knew they were no match for the Mermaids.

If sacrificing himself could save the others, he would agree without hesitation.

Frigus asked resolutely, "Are you sure?"

The Sea Demon General shouted in response, "Yes! If you dare to come with us, we will release the other Black Iron Dwarves!"

Hearing this promise, Frigus exhaled in relief, lowered his war hammer, and agreed, "Alright! I'll go with you, but my crew must be set free!"

"Captain, no! We'll fight these damned Sea Demons!" the Black Iron Dwarves floating on the surface cried out in anger upon hearing that their captain was sacrificing himself to save them.

"Listen to me! Let's go back. That's an order," Frigus said, putting down his weapon as two Sea Demon warriors stepped forward to escort him into the sea.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end