Chapter 203: The Enigmatic Qinghai
They left behind five or six people to guard the house, while the rest hurried to assemble outside the Ming Residence. The streets beyond the Ming Residence were crowded with onlookers. It seemed that everyone within the Bright Wall had come out just to catch a glimpse of their illustrious leader.
Rong Lan and Mr. Sun had been waiting there for a while. They were riding a magnificent white horse, standing over five meters tall. The horse was truly majestic, with glistening pure white fur, as immaculate as the snow itself. Its mane swayed in the wind, and its eyes sparkled with intelligence. They had never seen a horse so noble and beautiful.
Liu Fengyu praised, “This horse is even better than the two I used to own. Hey, how does it compare to the horses of your Tang family?”
Tang Yanqiu’s eyes lit up too. He had loved horses since he was a child, and the Tang family kept dozens of purebred horses year-round. Even so, the horse before him was exceptionally stunning. “When we returned home last year, some of our family’s horses had already started to mutate. This horse is not only beautiful but also robust. If our horses could grow this big, they would undoubtedly be just as stunning.”
Liu Fengyu chuckled, “You only talk a lot when it comes to things that interest you.”
Tang Yanqiu smiled.
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As they gazed at the vast and boundless azure lake in the distance, its beauty remained as enchanting as ever. Only those who had seen it with their own eyes knew that beneath its tranquil surface lurked many fearsome monsters.
Deng Xiao exclaimed, “Wow, this lake is huge, almost like the sea.”
Cong Xia sighed, “It’s over 4,000 square kilometers in size, and it used to be a sea.”
Liu Fengyu remarked, “With a lake this big, I wouldn’t be surprised by any size of water monster.”
Abu caught a whiff of the briny scent of the lake and became excited all over.
They stopped about a hundred meters from the shore. All the mutated animals on land were restlessly shifting their four hooves. When powerful mutated creatures appeared, they were even more sensitive than humans.
Mr. Sun shouted through a megaphone, “All mutated animals stay 100 meters away. Those participating in the battle will proceed on foot. People dragged into the water by water monsters still have a chance, but mutated animals are too heavy to pull up.”
Wu Yu jumped down from Chen Shao and felt the thick, soft fur around his neck. “You stay here and watch these animals. Don’t let them get agitated.”
Chen Shao pushed his hand away with his chin and shook his thick fur. “Do you think I’m willing to go die?”
Wu Yu smiled and patted his chin, then walked away.
One by one, the group dismounted from their steeds. No matter how powerful these land creatures were, they couldn’t contend with those in the water. Mr. Sun was right; there was a chance for people who fell into the water. They were smaller targets and might not be swallowed whole. Moreover, they could be pulled back up. But once mutated animals fell into the water, their fate was sealed.
Chen Shao and the bear-type mutant concentrated all the mutated animals at the rear to prevent them from running to the lake’s edge in an attempt to protect their masters. Abu was also shooed away this time, but it didn’t protest. Instead, it approached the beautiful white horse and lay down beside it. It curiously scratched the horse’s fur with its claws and nudged the horse’s long neck with its nose. The white horse lazily closed its eyes, neither resisting nor paying much attention to Abu.
Cong Xia chuckled, “My lord, this horse not only looks magnificent but also has a gentle temperament.”
Rong Lan turned to look at her. “It’s an old horse with a very mild temperament.” Then he furrowed his brow. “Why hasn’t Song Qi arrived yet?”
Mr. Sun laughed. “He’s a bit unreliable. Let’s wait a bit.”
Rong Lan huffed, “A bit? More like very.”
While waiting for Song Qi, they had a light meal to fill their stomachs and discussed their battle plan. First, Yao Qianjiang would dive underwater to confirm if the Qinghai Dragon was a living creature and assess the underwater environment. If they could obtain information about the Puppet Jade, it would be even better, but this hope seemed faint. The most crucial task was to ensure that the Qinghai Dragon was indeed real. Otherwise, they would have to change their strategy and focus on locating the Puppet Jade first.
After waiting for over an hour, a colorful giant bird suddenly appeared in the sky. While the bird itself wasn’t particularly unusual, it carried something beneath it. From a distance, it looked like a small dot, but as it drew closer, they realized it was a person. What astonished them even more was that the person appeared to be “sitting” in mid-air, as if held up by something invisible, following the bird’s flight towards them.
Rong Lan squinted his eyes and said, “Song Qi is here.”
“Oh, the young lad has arrived,” Mr. Sun attempted to get up from the ground but struggled due to his thick clothing, “Quick, remind him not to get too close to the lake’s surface. He should fly higher.”
Mr. Sun didn’t finish his sentence before the person in the sky stood up and yelled towards them, “Hey, I’m here!” He then exaggeratedly waved his hand.
Mr. Sun’s jaw nearly dropped. “You’re not supposed to shout.”
At this moment, the calm lake’s surface began to ripple slightly, startling Cong Xia. He quickly shouted, “Fly higher!”
Song Qi shouted back with a louder voice, “What did you say?”
Suddenly, a whirlpool appeared on the lake’s surface, followed by a massive black-scaled fish leaping out of Qinghai Lake. It opened its enormous mouth and charged towards Song Qi and the giant bird.
“Oh my god!” Song Qi exclaimed in terror. He vigorously waved his arms, causing the branches not far from them to tremble. Everyone turned to look, and although the silk threads were transparent, the traces of them wrapping around the branches were visible. These threads were much thinner than what they had encountered in the Spider Forest, roughly the thickness of a finger. The fish’s mouth was getting dangerously close when Song Qi, still in mid-air, managed to narrowly escape its jaws. He shot rapidly towards a large tree. Just as he evaded the fish’s mouth, the bird wasn’t as fortunate. It got stuck in the fish’s mouth, which couldn’t accommodate its large size. The fish clamped onto the lower half of the bird’s body and began dragging it into the water. The bird screeched and struggled.
On this side, Song Qi extended the silk threads, entwining the giant bird completely. Then, he used the momentum from his flight to pull the bird back. The bird flapped its wings desperately. Fortunately, the fish didn’t have teeth, and due to its size, it couldn’t bite deeply. Just when the bird was on the brink of being dragged into the water, Song Qi managed to pull it back. Song Qi chuckled triumphantly, but before he could laugh too much, there was a loud thud as he crashed into a large tree. The bird also fell clumsily into the snow.
The scene fell silent.
Song Qi remained in the position of impact, stuck to the tree trunk, motionless for quite some time.
The bird, buried in the snow, took a while to crawl back to its feet. As everyone finally saw it clearly, it turned out to be a brilliantly colored Kong Kong Parrot with a wingspan of at least eight meters. Its feathers were stunningly vibrant, resembling a blossoming flower in the snow, exuding extreme beauty. It shook its neck and suddenly screeched, “I almost died, I almost died!”
Mr. Sun chuckled, “Xiao Wu, how are you?”
The parrot continued to screech, “I almost died! I almost died!” The sound was strange and piercing, far from what a human would produce, even though it spoke fluent Chinese, and there was a hint of a Cantonese accent…
The parrot took a few steps in the snow, then turned to look at the large tree. It flew up and, clutching Song Qi’s collar, brought him down. Song Qi fell into the snow and groaned, “Damn, that hurt.” He got up from the ground and greeted, “Hi, everyone.” He was a quite handsome young man, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Despite his flushed face and scraped nose and forehead, he still wore a bright smile.
Rong Lan wore an expression of exasperation. “Are you an idiot? Not only were you late, but you almost got eaten by a fish.”
Song Qi grinned, “That damn fish wouldn’t have had such a treat. I’ve already thought about it. If there ever comes a day when I have to be eaten by something, I’ve planned it out. Firstly…”
Mr. Sun, with a smile, interrupted him, “Song Xiao, we can discuss that another day. How about introducing yourself first?”
“Oh,” Song Qi turned to the group, “Hello, everyone. I’m Song Qi, the Spider-Man. Hahaha. And this is my pet, Xiao Wu. Although he can speak human language, he’s not human. He’s a parrot that has undergone linguistic evolution.”
Xiao Wu, with rapid squawks, said, “Evolution, evolution.”
Zhuang Yao’s eyes brightened, “Linguistic evolution? Does that mean it can independently think now, as part of cerebral evolution?”
Mr. Sun explained, “I’ve studied Xiao Wu as well. Initially, during the early stages of evolution, it only had clearer pronunciation and an enhanced ability to mimic human speech, almost reaching a level of authenticity. However, in recent months, its cerebral domain has evolved alongside its linguistic abilities. In other words, it’s no longer just ‘parroting’ speech. It can now express simple thoughts in language. If a human has done it before, it can mimic it, especially things with a high repetition frequency.”
*******
Deng Xiao couldn’t help but burst into laughter, “Hahaha, things with a high repetition frequency? Big brother, you must be crashing into trees all day.”
Song Qi blushed a bit, “This thing isn’t that easy to control.”
Xiao Wu walked behind Song Qi and vigorously flapped its wings, delivering a sharp screech, “I almost died!”
Song Qi was knocked to the ground in the snow. He jumped up abruptly, “Say that again, and I’ll stick your beak shut!”
Xiao Wu twisted its neck and moved to the side.
Song Qi rubbed his nose, “Ouch, I hope my nasal bone isn’t broken. By the way, aren’t you guys here to fight the water monster? Let’s go, shall we?”
Shen Changze was curious, “Can you retract the silk threads you release, even if they’ve already stuck to something else?”
“Of course, I can.” Song Qi grinned, “You guys are from the Spider Forest, right? Congratulations to all of you. But it’s such a pity you didn’t turn into spiders. Being a spider is so much fun.”
The others didn’t find anything fun about it. This man appeared eccentric, and it was indeed quite surprising that he had survived until now. Cong Xia briefly introduced their group to Song Qi. The others seemed somewhat distrustful of him, and without the demonstration of his abilities earlier, it was challenging to see any remarkable qualities in this perpetually smiling man.
Rubbing his hands together, Song Qi said, “Come on, I really want to see the water monster too.”
Tang Tingzhi checked the time, “Let’s get moving.”
Since most of Yao Qianjiang’s body remained on the shore to ensure his safety, they decided that Cheng Tianbi and Yao Qianjiang would approach the shore together. If any aquatic creatures attacked them, Cheng Tianbi could quickly take Yao Qianjiang away. Although the two had been at odds, in such a critical situation, they focused on the task at hand.
Cong Xia patted Cheng Tianbi’s shoulder, “Be careful.”
Yao Qianjiang smiled, “Cong Xia, what about me? Aren’t you worried about me at all?”
Cong Xia smiled, “Of course, I’m worried, but I believe the Prince will complete the mission.”
Yao Qianjiang looked at Qinghai Lake and smiled faintly, “Let’s leave it to fate.”
The two of them walked to the shore together, with the others following closely but maintaining a safe distance of over ten meters.
Suddenly, the part of Yao Qianjiang’s body above his nose turned transparent like water. Then, a pool of clear water separated from his body and fell into Qinghai Lake with a “splash.” However, the part of Yao Qianjiang’s body from his nose down remained on the shore. This scene was incredibly eerie. What made it even more bizarre was that he could still speak, opening his mouth to say, “The water is very cold. I see a very large fish, I can’t name these fish, but most of them are dark-colored.”
Mr. Sun asked, “Do you feel any water pressure?”
Yao Qianjiang replied, “I don’t feel anything, but it’s getting darker.”
“When you can’t see, just let us know. Rong Lan will assist you.”
“Alright.”
After a pause, Yao Qianjiang exclaimed, “Huge aquatic creatures… one by one, they’re as big as airplanes; there’s underwater vegetation, and this vegetation is formidable, entangling many large fish.”
“Did you see anything else?”
“…Sunken ships. It seems like there are some sunken ships on the lakebed. Their outlines look like… I’m getting closer to the bottom, and I can’t see clearly anymore.”
Rong Lan’s sleeve suddenly emptied, and a faint light shimmered as it shot towards the lake. Rong Lan shouted, “Close your eyes if you’re on the shore.”
Cheng Tianbi immediately closed his eyes, and those farther away took protective measures as well.
As the faint light reached the lake’s surface, it suddenly grew brighter and brighter until it became blinding. Cheng Tianbi shielded his eyes with his thick sleeve, and those further away followed suit. However, the light was so intense that even with their eyes covered, they could still feel it. If Rong Lan had released this intense light from the beginning, it could have instantly blinded everyone. They had no chance to prepare for it.
Stimulated by the intense light, the fish underwater became agitated, and the lake’s surface became increasingly turbulent. Cheng Tianbi couldn’t open his eyes and could only create a whirlwind around himself and Yao Qianjiang. This way, he could sense if anything approached them.
Mr. Sun, still covering his eyes, shouted, “Did you see it?”
However, Yao Qianjiang didn’t respond.
Mr. Sun shouted again, “Xiao Yao? Did you see anything?”
Yao Qianjiang finally spoke, his voice trembling, “I saw it…”
“What did you see?”
“A… a… I don’t know how to describe it. Its entire body fills the entire lakebed as far as I can see. It must be at least thirty meters in diameter. I can’t find words to describe its size; it’s just too massive. That fish we saw on the surface is nothing compared to it.”
The audience gasped in shock. The Qinghai Dragon did exist, and it was indeed beyond everyone’s imagination in terms of size.
Zhuang Yao sighed, “What else can you see?”
“I can’t see anything else. My elemental range is at its limit.”
“Then come back. You’re running low on energy.”
Rong Lan retracted the light, and at the same time, his empty sleeve returned to its original state. The others opened their eyes after a while and saw Yao Qianjiang’s body returning to normal. He had a pale face as he walked back with Cheng Tianbi.
Cong Xia asked, “Prince, is your energy running out?”
Yao Qianjiang shook his head and said, “It’s alright, it’s just that the underwater world is too oppressive. The pitch-black lake bottom, gigantic fish constantly shuttling back and forth, water plants swaying with the waves, and rusty sunken ships. Honestly, the scene down there is even more terrifying than the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda infested with bugs.”
Cong Xia responded solemnly, “I can imagine.”
Zhuang Yao said, “Since it’s confirmed, we can also confirm that the Puppet Jade is on the Qinghai Dragon. Without the Puppet Jade, such a monstrous creature couldn’t have grown.”
“It should be, but I haven’t sensed the Puppet Jade yet. It might be in another part of its body.”
“Certainly, given its size, from head to tail, it spans several kilometers. However, once it appears, we should be able to sense it.”
Cheng Tianbi glanced at the fighter jets in the distance. “Let’s proceed according to the plan.”
Cong Xia took a deep breath. “Are we really… going for it?” He hesitated for a moment. Challenging such a massive creature made him uneasy. There was a time when they would run from newly evolved dogs, and now they were preparing to steal something from a superlife. When did they become so bold and… powerful?
Cheng Tianbi placed his hand on Cong Xia’s shoulder. “Yes, we are.”
Cong Xia clenched his fist. Yes, they had become strong enough to confront such a creature, and they would continue to grow stronger until nothing in this world could threaten them or the people they cared about.
Mr. Sun and Rong Lan exchanged a glance. Rong Lan nodded, and Mr. Sun called over the two fighter jet pilots. “As I instructed the other day, drop the bombs. At your altitude, most of the fish won’t be able to reach you, and even if they could, their speed wouldn’t surpass that of the fighter jets. However, stay cautious.”
The two pilots nodded and saluted Mr. Sun before heading to their planes.
Mr. Sun sighed, “Our army may have disbanded, but as long as our soldiers are alive, the spirit of the military will live on. Someday, they will be recognized for their contributions to rebuilding humanity.”
Two shadow fighter jets took off and began circling over Qinghai Lake. Upon receiving the command, they started dropping underwater bombs into the lake. The group, watching from a distance, anxiously awaited the explosions.
After a few seconds, they felt the ground shake beneath their feet, and a muffled sound echoed from beneath the water. Qinghai Lake surged with giant waves, and countless large fish were thrown onto the surface. The waves reached over 60 meters high, freezing the water that splashed onto the shore instantly. However, the tremors under their feet continued.
Once the tremors subsided, a pile of dead fish floated on the lake’s surface, turning the once-blue lake into a sea of red. Some of the fish were even thrown onto the shore. Abu cried out loudly, pacing back and forth anxiously, but Chen Shao wouldn’t let it go near them.
The crowd stared intently at the lake’s surface, and the power of that bomb was substantial. Even if the Qinghai Dragon was incredibly resilient, it must have been injured by the explosions, and its hibernation would likely have been prematurely interrupted. They waited for a full five minutes, but apart from the dead fish, there was no other movement on the lake.
Mr. Sun spoke into the radio, “The second one.”
Another fighter jet circled back and dropped the second bomb. A few seconds later, it detonated once more, causing Qinghai Lake to boil again.
This time, before the shockwaves had fully subsided, the lake suddenly formed a violent vortex. The vast Qinghai Lake seemed like a giant plug had been pulled from its bottom, creating a massive whirlpool at its center. Everyone’s hearts raced.
The next moment, a colossal creature of dark blue and black burst out of the water, soaring into the sky, emitting a distant, earth-shattering roar that sent shivers through their eardrums.
*******
Translator’s note: This novel never fails to amaze me. ♥️
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