Chapter 48
Li Ren tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
Several hours had passed since he heard the song, and his mind had basically returned to normal. He no longer asked anyone if anyone was singing.
On the one hand, he was glad that his manic state had ended.
On the other hand, he felt an unprecedented sense of loss.
Without being able to hear that song, it felt like a huge hole had been dug out of my soul.
No amount of things can make up for it.
But if someone asked him whether the singer was a man or a woman, or whether the voice was high or low, or asked him to hum a few lines in imitation, he couldn't answer a single question.
If he was lucky enough to glimpse the voice of the gods, how could a mere mortal be able to replicate it?
Li Ren, who used to be an atheist and disdained his wife's superstition, has now become a complete believer - but he still has no idea what exactly he believes in.
Experienced players know that the first appearance of auditory hallucinations means the dungeon has entered its final stage, and they are racing against time to collect clues.
Only Li Ren lay straight on the bed, with no interest in anything except the wonderful melody.
It doesn't matter even if I die.
This thought came to the most greedy person.
If I could just hear it one more time...
He drifted off to sleep.
At midnight, the song once again lingered in my heart.
Beautiful and fascinating, it stretches from the distant waves to the small cabin.
This time it's not just a simple melody, there's also a low hum that's loud enough to make the content clear.
"Come, my child."
“Become my people.”
"Leaving behind the pain, disputes, and worries of this world—"
"……ocean……"
The first time I sang was a temptation.
The second singing is a call.
The Siren opens its throat again, and the ocean will receive its fresh nourishment.
What is the price?
Li Ren didn't know.
What he knew was that he had to get closer quickly, otherwise the song would once again end his life.
Li Ren stumbled out of the room without even wearing shoes, and was completely unaware of the cuts on his feet caused by the rough burrs on the wooden boards.
The corridor was guarded by pirates, but they had witnessed the middle-aged man's previous frenzy and guessed that he would become the first tribute to the Siren King, so no one stepped forward to stop him. They watched as the man walked towards the deck like a zombie, with bloodstains under his feet winding all the way.
That scene was really creepy.
Even the pirates who had used more brutal methods got goose bumps and spontaneously made way for him.
Is this a follower of the evil god?
Regardless of the cost, no reward, like a moth to a flame——
Li Ren walked onto the deck.
As the singing got closer, the boat began to shake violently.
The waves that were raised had a terrifying force that could break the mast of a ship, as if everything that was happening was pushing him towards the empty melody.
If someone could see Li Ren now, they would find that his eyes were no longer normal, with areas of different depths.
The entire eyeball was covered with a seaweed-like color, and the sclera, cornea and pupil were blurred into one.
He should have lost his sight, but he saw clearly.
A corner of a reef suddenly appeared in the vast ocean, and the surrounding sea water was turbulent with waves higher than the other. Even a fish that originally belonged to the water could not stay safely near it.
But there was a person sitting on the reef.
The man sat leisurely with his back to the boat, bathing in the clear yellow moonlight that was unaffected by the wind and waves. He raised his white wrist, holding a Venus murex and admiring it carefully, not caring at all about the roaring waves that could completely swallow him up.
——That is something that no human can do.
He, or she, has seaweed-like long hair that goes down to the waist and covers most of the petite body. Occasionally, the wind lifts up the hair ends, and you can vaguely see how slender and graceful the figure underneath is.
What's strange is that the upper half of this creature is indeed a human body, but the lower half is a fish tail, and green scales are attached all the way to the waist, shining brilliantly in the moonlight.
Mermaid…?
Is it the legendary creature?
The dreamy singing voice like silver bells continues, making people yearn and intoxicated.
The siren's appearance is as beautiful as her singing voice.
However, attractive flowers often contain deadly poisons.
Li Ren's remaining consciousness was not enough to support any evil thoughts towards the beauty's back, and he couldn't even feel surprised.
To him, this is what should exist and is the most normal reality.
The man looked towards the reef, lowered his head reverently, and muttered:
"ocean……"
"Be your..."
"……believer……"
"The sea... is my home..."
Although his mind was completely distracted, his movements were not affected. He was very agile and climbed up the fence that was slippery due to the sea water in no time.
Another shake.
Li Ren slipped and almost fell, but luckily he caught himself in time.
However, the lifebuoy next to it was not so lucky. It rolled along the hull several times and fell into the ocean.
It was too small to create any extra splashes in the waves, not even a splash.
Normally, this sight of being swallowed up by the power of nature in an instant should make people alert and fearful, but it did not stop Li Ren from standing up.
"bring it on."
The voice in the illusion was still calling softly.
"The sea is my final destination."
"Yes..." The human slowly uttered the unfamiliar name, "Your Majesty."
Li Ren did not flinch at all in the face of the approaching storm, just like he had stepped onto the high-rise windowsill in his real home not long ago.
A dreamy smile appeared on his face.
Then, fearlessly, resolutely, and almost happily, he jumped into the deep blue sea.
There was no sound at all.
*
No one saw Li Ren jump into the sea, but there were several witnesses to the whole process of him rushing onto the deck in a mad manner.
Li Ren did not return to the room for a long time, and the deck fence was damaged, so the guard immediately reported it to Mr. Wan.
Mr. Wan certainly knew that this person had been taken away by the sea, but in order to complete his task, he still had to pretend to search the entire ship.
The result was naturally that not a single hair of Li Ren could be found.
There is a vast ocean all around, and someone is missing on a ship in the wind and waves. The meaning of the superposition of these factors is self-evident.
Soon, everyone on the ship knew about Li Ren's death.
The first player to die is like the first domino to fall.
Everyone was worried about who would be hit next and what kind of disasters would be triggered.
Li Ren's death was expected, but still shocking.
"Xiao Yuan, are you in there?" Lu Ying slammed the rickety door hard. "Xiao Yuan, come out quickly, something happened!"
The door was locked.
From the moment Li Ren heard the sirens' song, Mr. Wan's mission was almost completed, so he simply untied the hostages and let them go back to their rooms.
Although it was a bit sloppy, it was definitely not his chance to appear next.
Earlier, when Lu Yingying called out to Yuan Yingying, there was no response. Even when the players gathered for a meeting to discuss Li Ren's situation, she still did not show up.
This is unusual.
Yuan Yingying is an experienced player who knows very well that the death of the first player is of great value. Logically, she should definitely participate in the discussion.
A bad premonition weighed heavily on my heart.
Lu Ying frowned, estimated the load-bearing capacity of the door, picked up the fire extinguisher and smashed it.
The wooden door creaked painfully and fell inwards in a mess.
However, the one who rushed out was not Yuan Yingying, but the female player who lived with her.
The woman tried to flee in panic, but when Lu Ying stopped her, she revealed a terrified expression: "She...you...run—"
Lu Ying let her go, looked inside the door, and his heart skipped a beat.
Yuan Yingying didn't even have the strength to climb onto the bed and could only lie on the cold floor.
She heard the noise of someone breaking into the room and asked very weakly, "...Brother Lu, is that you?"
The bad premonition came true.
Lu Ying opened his mouth: "Xiao Yuan, you..."
"I heard it." The girl answered all his possible questions directly. "I heard singing."
Lu Ying was speechless for a moment.
Yuan Yingying's emotions were relatively stable. She sighed, "How unlucky! I'm the second person."
The mystery remains unsolved, the antidote to the hallucinations is far from half-finished, and nothing can save her.
Now, she is just waiting to die.
However, her tone was so nonchalant, as if this bad luck was just like stepping on a banana peel and falling on the road.
Every player who is drawn into the infinite space will experience a change in mentality from "living in fear of possible death at any time and anywhere" to "becoming numb to everything".
Yuan Yingying could no longer remember how long she had been here or how many copies she had gone through.
She thought about her failure many times, how to face it calmly, and how to wave goodbye gracefully.
However, when it really comes, no amount of mental preparation will be of any use.
Her reaction to hallucinations was different from Li Renzhong's. Her reaction was much stronger, and she had a high fever and was unconscious.
In the previous second, she was so carefree that she comforted Lu Ying, and in the next second, she cried and said that she didn't want to die.
Lu Ying squatted beside her to check and saw that her eyeballs were covered with a layer of seaweed-like color and became very blurry.
If Lu Ying had met Li Ren before his death, he would have known that this was a common sign of being poisoned by the Siren's song.
However, Yuan Yingying's condition was more serious than that. There was a silk thread coming out from each eye socket, and gradually branching out into countless dense threads.
No, it's not a thread, it's a thin plant.
…That’s real seaweed.
It grew longer and thicker, wrapping around the girl's limbs so that she couldn't move, and then wrapped around her neck, almost suffocating her.
Lu Ying carried a dagger with him and tried to cut off the seaweed.
However, he could not keep up with its rapid growth. As soon as he cut off one branch, two more would grow out.
"Don't try." She stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to smile, but the corners of her mouth were too stiff to move. "My roommate tried it just now, and it didn't work. If you do it too much, it might even grow on you."
"Ohara..."
Lu Ying had long been numb to the life and death of other players, but when it was his partner's turn, he still couldn't remain calm.
Yuan Yingying had been calm just now, but now she suddenly sobbed as if she was choking: "Brother Lu, I don't want to die... I... still want... to go home..."
Lu Ying's eyes were red.
He and Yuan Yingying have experienced countless copies together, and he really treats this smart and brave girl as his own sister.
No. We can't just sit there and wait for death.
He stood up suddenly: "I'll go find someone!"
The chaotic sound of footsteps disappeared from the hearing.
All that was left was the siren's enchanting song that continued over and over again without stopping.
Who can I find?
Yuan Yingying closed her eyes.
We know that this process is irreversible, and it is even more impossible to suddenly develop an antidote.
She hated this feeling.
There are thousands of ways to die in the infinite space, but she prefers to die fighting monsters, which can be considered a heroic sacrifice.
Being strangled by seaweed—that sounds a bit ridiculous.
She really wants to go home.
Mom and Dad must have been looking for her for a long time.
Has the police already declared him a missing person?
I don’t know if my parents, who always quarrel, will become more peaceful or more intense because of this incident.
Oh, and her cat...
Does it still spit out hair all the time? Does it still hate drinking water?
Did it notice that I had been away for so long?
When you strut across the table every day, do you remember that it once had an owner who always loved to bury his face in the soft fur on its belly?
I really want to hug it again...
My consciousness was as hazy as if it was soaked in hot water, and the time I was awake was getting shorter and shorter.
She didn't know how much time had passed before the chaotic sound of footsteps once again tore her out of her stupor.
Even opening my eyes takes a lot of strength.
Yuan Yingying struggled to open her eyelids and saw a pair of shoes that were much smaller than an adult's right in front of her.
child.
...Is it Xiaoxi?
Her thoughts paused for a moment.
The suspicions that Li Ren had during his lifetime appeared chaotically in his mind.
Aren't this boy and his little jellyfish, the pirates and the sirens in the same group?
Since he is a villain, why would Lu Ying ask him to save himself?
Will he really save her?
Can he save it?
The boy squatted down and, without touching her directly, placed the little jellyfish in front of her.
At this time, Yuan Yingying had long lost the energy to move.
What was strange was that the seaweeds that were restraining her movements were scrambling to get in touch with the little jellyfish like they were possessed, and they were pulling her hand closer like puppets.
Cool and soft.
Yuan Yingying focused her vision with difficulty, and vaguely saw herself being led by seaweed and touching the water film that wrapped the little guy.
This is what it feels like when bubbles pop.
Yuan Yingying still hasn't forgotten how amazed she was by this magical little life when she lined up with everyone else for the first time to pet the cub.
It happened just a few days ago.
Now that I think about it, it seems like a long time ago...
She could feel how devout the seaweeds were. The little jellyfish was supreme to them, so much so that they could even suppress their instinct to absorb nutrients from any object they could touch.
Just wanting to be close. Respectfully nearby, that's enough.
Why?
She knew the little jellyfish was special.
But what is so special about it?
The little jellyfish opened and closed its umbrella, and the seaweeds that had been pestering humans immediately and obediently retreated from around him.
He turned and looked at Ling Xi: "Bo..."
Lu Ying asked nervously, "What did he say? How is Xiao Yuan?"
Before she spoke, Ling Xi felt the sadness emanating from Zizi's little body.
"Zizi has seen this sister..." Li Jue's voice was choked with sobs, "Zizi doesn't want her to die."
The little cub was thrown into infinite space by the wind and snow. The first copy he entered and the first person he met who was kind to him was Yuan Yingying, who picked up the little kitten.
Young children always have a fledgling complex. At the same time, the first person who treats him gently also lays the foundation for the little one's initial understanding of this strange world - no matter how cold the place is, there is still warmth.
Although I have limited contact with this sister, as a child I still hope that she will be fine.
However, the process of seagrassification is irreversible.
She was chosen by the sirens’ song, chosen by the sea.
Jellyfish don't have tears.
Even if there is, it will dissolve in the water.
Ling Xi did not answer Lu Ying. She opened her arms and let the dazed little jellyfish float back into her arms, and hugged him tightly.
Li Jue is still too young and has not experienced death yet, so he cannot deeply understand that it is an eternal separation.
However, this does not affect the uncontrollable sadness he feels when he knows someone is leaving.
Ayaka knows.
I couldn't hear any sound, but the cub was sobbing.
He felt very sad, but there was nothing he could do.
All permissions in the infinite space are arranged. If you can do it, you can do it. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. No one can overstep the boundaries.
Lu Ying looked at the kids who were almost crying with their heads in their hands, gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
...still not working?
Even these two strange little creatures can't save Yuan Yingying?
The young girl lay there quietly, no longer struggling or panicking, even her breathing became calm and long.
If it weren't for the overgrown seaweed covering her body, she would have looked almost asleep.
Li Jue seemed to have sensed something, and suddenly pushed Ling Xi away. His tentacles paddled the water vigorously, and he floated upwards on his own.
He flapped his bow-tie tentacles, floating higher and higher until he reached the center of the roof.
The jellyfish's translucent little body should appear light blue under the night light, but now it emits a faint golden glow.
The halo surrounding him grew larger and larger, and the originally soft light gold became more and more dazzling, until the entire room was filled with dazzling light.
“Jujue…?”
Ling Xi looked at him in confusion, but did not stop him.
Lu Ying was so blinded that he could hardly open his eyes, but the sense of crisis he had cultivated over the years made him the first to realize that something big was about to happen.
He half covered his eyes and hurried to prop up the broken door, barely put it back together, propped it up with a chair, then pulled the curtains tight and even found a towel to block the gap in the door.
Now is the critical moment to save Yuan Yingying. She cannot be disturbed, and she cannot let others find out that this little jellyfish is going to... uh, is it going to mutate?
The golden light had completely submerged the small jellyfish, and it was growing bigger and bigger from a small ball that could be held in two palms.
Ling Xi finally reacted.
Rather than saying it's going to mutate, well, it's better to say that the cub is going to be transformed.
"Mr. Lu, please close your eyes." Ling Xi kindly reminded, "It may damage your eyesight."
Lu Ying was still immersed in the shock of the holy light and didn't even notice that tears were flowing from his eyes.
Hearing this, he quickly turned his back and closed his eyes tightly.
Ling Xi was very accustomed to this intensity of light. He wanted to find something to cover Yuan Yingying, but found that the seaweed crawling out of the other's eye sockets was so much that it covered her entire face. He couldn't help but sigh.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Ying felt that the bright light on her eyelids had faded, and asked nervously, "Um, can I open my eyes now?"
"Okay~"
It was only after Lu Ying put down his hand that he realized that the voice of agreement just now... why did it sound so unfamiliar?
Although Xiaoxi was also a very young child, the voice sounded even younger and more lively than his; that precocious little guy would never use such a wavy tone.
The man, sensing something, turned around and looked in surprise at the other human cub who was holding hands with Ayaka.
He is half a head shorter than Ling Xi, very small, and looks snow-white and cute.
With big eyes and long eyelashes, she looks like a doll that walked out of a fairy tale book or the most expensive window in a shopping mall.
He had long, creamy blond hair, with curls at the ends that defied gravity and curled upwards, much like the tiny tentacles around a jellyfish's umbrella.
The child was wearing a dress with bell sleeves (I don't know where it came from), and the back of the dress was decorated with a pair of huge translucent bows.
It wasn't a real tentacle, but as he moved it, it really looked a bit like that little jellyfish.
...No, it looks like a little jellyfish transformed!
Can jellyfish turn into humans?
Although I've long felt that the little thing is unusual, perhaps its sudden transformation into a living being is too...
Lu Ying, who was used to seeing all kinds of strange things in the dungeon, felt a little numb.
However, what can be confirmed now is that Xiaoxi and this little kid are definitely not villains.
Who would have the heart to feed such a cute little cub with strange pieces of debris!
Although the cub is young, its outstanding appearance is truly unforgettable.
Lu Ying vaguely felt that he had seen him somewhere.
I thought about it more deeply, but I couldn't remember anything.
At the last moment of the Dragon World, the small system had erased all the memories of him and Yuan Yingying about themselves after they obtained the gem.
After all, that part seemed to indicate that the Golden Tyrant was too passive and lazy, which was not good for the assessment results.
Lu Ying swallowed and asked Ling Xi: "This is..."
"Yes, cub." The boy answered simply and pinched Li Jue's little hand.
The little cub received the signal, smiled, and dutifully acted as a repeater: "It's cub~"
Those dimples contain all the sweetness in the world, and anyone who sees them will feel soft-hearted.
Okay, Lu Ying sighed in his heart.
There are too many NPCs in the infinite space with their own secrets that he, as a player, cannot explore - speaking of which, are these two little guys really just NPCs?
Ling Xi let Lu Ying hesitate and patted Li Jue's hand: "Do you want to go now?"
The cub's smile dimmed a little and he nodded.
Lu Ying almost forgot what the little guy was doing after transforming, and asked quickly: "He... can you do anything about it?"
Li Jue bit his fingers, his big eyes twinkling: "Kid, you'll do your best."
Lu Ying choked.
It's a matter of life and death, can you just cheer me up?
But at this point, there was no better way but to trust this little kid who looked like he was barely out of the toddler stage.
Li Jue let go of Ling Xi's hand and walked to Yuan Yingying.
She could no longer be called a human being, more like a human-shaped petri dish of seaweed.
The seaweed, in shades of white and dark green, was still growing and dancing wildly on her body.
However, the moment they noticed the cubs approaching, they all stopped.
The seaweeds peeked out, and after seeing the cub's appearance, they rustled in a sound that humans could not hear.
'Young Master!'
"It's the little master!"
"This is the first time I've seen the little master. He looks like this."
"Isn't it cute?"
'Woo is a very sweet baby.'
'My dear little master, I kiss you dear!'
Humans certainly can't hear their excited conversations.
But small systems can.
The little cub squatted down, blinked in confusion at the seaweeds that were desperately trying to cling to him, and asked in a baby voice, "Who are you? I don't know you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
