Chen Ci didn't know when he fell asleep.
He woke up in a daze, only to find that the video call with Fu Tianhe was still going on, but the Alpha on the other end of the line was no longer silent, and his steady breathing came into his ears through the speaker, again and again.
It was as if Fu Tianhe was still sleeping beside him.
Chen Ci narrowed his eyes, briefly adjusting to the light coming from the terminal. The time in the upper right corner showed that it was already two o'clock in the morning.
Chen Ci was not sure who fell asleep first between him and Fu Tianhe, but in his memory, he could still hear Fu Tianhe's soft voice in his drowsy consciousness. What was he saying at the end?
It was hard to imagine that three months ago, he was a person who would suffer from insomnia if there was any sound or light around him, but now he fell asleep unconsciously while listening to the voice of another person on the other end of the phone.
The video was still on, and Chen Ci could see Fu Tianhe sleeping with his arms and legs spread out. The Alpha had apparently fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation, with his mouth slightly open, looking a little silly.
The terminal is running low on power.
Chen Ci did not wake Fu Tianhe up and pressed the end button of the video call. The pop-up window in the dialogue box showed that the video call lasted for more than six hours.
Chen Ci charged the terminal and lay down again.
He began to become different from his past self. The change was not sudden, but compared with the eighteen years he had experienced before, it was still a little too fast.
There is no need to panic.
Chen Ci closed his eyes. The room was very quiet. The anti-disturbance system would always keep the environment at the most suitable level for sleeping until eight o'clock the next morning.
The earplugs and eye mask that Fu Tianhe gave him were originally placed in his backpack, but were lost in the cave on the island. However, perhaps after some time, he would no longer need to wear them.
This night is destined to be a restless night.
Chen Nian and Shafley returned to the bedroom and closed the door.
Shaflay planned to take a shower first so that they could rest directly after playing the game.
"Can you wash it yourself?" Chen Nian asked him deliberately.
Shafley: "Of course, the leg is almost healed."
Chen Nian: "Don't you want me to help?"
Shafla didn't know how to answer. He found that since the two of them had made things clear, Chen Nian started to be open about her feelings. The Omega exuded charm without any psychological burden, and was extremely seductive with words or actions, even more so than before.
Although he had tried his best to prepare, he still found it difficult to cope with it many times.
Chen Nian was amused by his expression of opening his mouth but not being able to speak. He gently pushed Alpha's shoulder and said, "Go take a shower. I'll wait for you in bed."
...seems even more fascinating.
Shafulai walked into the bathroom, and Chen Nian did as he said, lying on the bed waiting for Alpha to finish showering. Knowing that Shafulai would be back tonight, he had already washed himself thoroughly, from inside to outside.
Although Chen Nian felt that given Shafley's personality, he might have to proceed step by step for a while, but what if?
His fever period has been over for nearly a week. During this week, he has not used any auxiliary props. The only relief he got was in Alpha's arms last night.
But the way Omega seeks happiness is ultimately different from that of Alpha, and it cannot be completely solved by just relying on the former.
Chen Nian was humming a song softly and browsing the forum. Soon, he heard the sound of water stopping in the bathroom separated by a door, and then the door was opened.
He turned around and saw Shaffley with a bath towel wrapped around his waist and a towel draped over his wet blond hair. Transparent water droplets slid along the muscle texture across his muscular chest and waist, and slipped silently into the gaps in the bath towel.
Chen Nian narrowed his eyes.
The look in those amber eyes made Shaflay want to raise his hands to cover his chest. Damn it, he was actually shy.
Shafley's Adam's apple moved up and down, pretending that he saw nothing, and walked to the bed with forced calmness.
Chen Nian got up, knelt on the bed, and naturally pressed the towel on Shaffley's head to wipe Alpha's wet hair.
No one spoke for a while. Chen Nian stopped only after all the water droplets were wiped dry. He took the hair dryer, pulled the wet towel off Shaffley's head, put it on his shoulders, and blew the Alpha dry.
The fair and slender fingers passed through the platinum-blond short hair, and the rawness of the water slightly pulled the hair roots. The back of the hand could feel the heat first, preventing the shavley from being burned.
Although Chen Nian often seems to be a bit unimpressive, he can do everything well when he is serious. After all, he has been taking care of himself and Jiang Dai since they were young, so his abilities must be good.
"alright."
Chen Nian turned off the hair dryer, pulled Shafulai's shoulders, leaned over to take a look from the front. Alpha's hair was all hanging softly on his eyebrows. He didn't look like the calm and composed eldest prince at all. Instead, he looked a little obedient.
Shafley was about to put on his pajamas, and now he only had a bath towel around his waist. If he wanted to put on his pants, he had to take the bath towel off first.
Shafulai turned his back to Chen Nian, and hesitated for a moment. Then he remembered that Chen Nian had seen him naked yesterday, so there was no need to be shy anymore.
He tore off his towel and changed into his pajamas, but the speed at which he changed betrayed his inner nervousness.
Shafley took a deep breath, turned around, and found that Chen Nian was concentrating on looking at the terminal.
A wave of inexplicable disappointment suddenly filled his heart. To Chen Nian, was he actually not as attractive as the terminal?
Shafley calmed himself down, sat down next to Chen Nian, and picked up the neural adapter. Today he also brought Chen Nian's adapter with him.
They called out "Bai Ge Yingtao" in the group chat, then lay down on the bed and put on their neural adapters.
Re-entering the electric fantasy kingdom, Shaflay could no longer remember when he last logged in. Was it three days ago or four days ago?
At that time, he was still angry with Chen Nian, but soon after he came online, he was bombarded by Baifu Yingtao and Caigeou one after another. Hearing their requests on behalf of Chen Nian, he hurriedly logged off in frustration and found that Chen Nian had a fever.
You know, before, he had to play games for a while every day even if he stayed up late. He even had the experience of being so sleepy that he kowtowed and dozed off during a royal parade. At that time, Chen Nian seemed to have misunderstood him as having a late-night tryst with some little goblin and that was why he was so listless.
Because of the time difference, it was still early morning at the restaurant, so he was not online. Chen Nian found Bai Ge Yingtao in the friend list and added him to the team.
Shiro Cherry appears in front of the two, wearing a shit-yellow bodysuit and having painted himself into a giant gingerbread man with red, white, and green spray paint.
The moment Shafulai saw him, he couldn't help but whispered "Oh my God". It was obvious that after not seeing him for a few days, the president had reached a new level in his eye-catching journey.
Chen Nian: “Wow, so cool!”
"Cool, right? I put on the new clothes as soon as they were put in stock in the store." Bai Ge Sakura opened his arms and turned around on the spot to show Chen Nian the whole picture.
Just as Shafulai was about to stop him, he heard Chen Nian say the words he feared the most: "I want one of these, too!"
Shafulai: “…………”
Shaflay was silent, expressing what it meant to be speechless at the sight of two strong men exchanging their bizarre aesthetics.
The expedition to Bran Castle was a collective effort of Athanasius.
Baige Cherry issued an order in the guild channel, and then they headed to the area where Brown Castle was located. Afanasy, one of the largest guilds ranked first or second in the entire Electric Fantasy Kingdom, was about to be dispatched!
The castle is still submerged in the sea. Many people have explored it in the water, but only a few have actually reached it.
Players constantly post the latest information on the forum for more people to refer to. Under the calm sea surface, undercurrents are surging, and countless primitive creatures are wandering nearby, guarding loyally. Any player who dares to approach the sea area where the castle is located will be torn to pieces.
"There won't be a sea king in there." Chen Nian said casually.
Baigei Sakura stroked his chin and said, "...It's possible. Otherwise, how can we explain the behavior of the original creatures?"
"I don't want to see any more sea kings anymore."
Chen Nian's voice became weak, and the countless silver fish that Gale transformed into tore off his skin and flesh one by one. He died in the pain of his body being eaten, and his entire head appeared in Shira's mouth, which bit off his neck and separated his head and body. He died miserably every time.
Even though it's in the game, it will cause indelible damage to his mind, okay!
About three or four hundred people gathered on the shallow beach near the water, each wearing diving equipment and doing final adjustments. Many small and medium-sized ships floated on the water, ready to provide rescue or supplies at any time.
Everyone has been playing this game for several years and is very familiar with each other. They have already formed a complete cooperation model through many missions. There is no need for too much talk and they are preparing intensively.
Players from other guilds or individuals who have not joined a guild gathered around to watch, and many players decided to follow Athanasius's army, hoping they could get some bargains!
The 364 people were divided into 85 teams, each consisting of four to five people, each with their own duties, to ensure complete combat operations.
Baifu Yingtao had originally reserved a seat for Caigeou, but unfortunately, Caigeou was still resting, so the team only had him, Bengshemailiu and Mono.
However, with two veterans, Baige Yingtao and Bengcha Mailiu, the three-person team will not be a big problem.
[Guild] Free Cherry [lv.200]: Let’s go!
Following the president's order, everyone jumped into the sea. Although wearing oxygen equipment, Chen Nian still instinctively took a deep breath and jumped in while holding his breath.
The deep blue water enveloped him.
In real life, Chen Nian has only just learned the basics of swimming, let alone diving.
Fortunately, although the main focus of the fantasy kingdom is realism, it is not so hardcore as to be no different from reality. Players do not need to make an effort to maintain their balance, and are not subject to physical restrictions. As long as they kick their legs, they can swim out smoothly.
The memories that the ocean left for Chen Nian were not really good. After all, the last time he fell into the sea from a helicopter, he was swallowed alive by the silver fish that Gale had transformed into.
Chen Nian tried hard to overcome his fear of the deep sea and followed Shafulai closely.
The instrument on my wrist showed that the depth had reached twenty-three meters. The sunlight could no longer penetrate the sea water and the surroundings sank into darkness. The temperature control system of the diving suit blocked out the cold sea water and the oxygen was sufficient. However, the mere thought of being swallowed by the endless sea and not being able to stir up the slightest wave no matter how hard I tried made me feel suffocated.
Perhaps this is the majesty of the ocean.
The large number of players entering the water quickly attracted the attention of the nearby primitive creatures, and a signal that could not be perceived by the players was sent out, calling on more companions to gather here quickly.
Guard. Guard the deeper castle.
Fighting was inevitable, and the guild's teams quickly formed a wedge shape, with the outer members moving inwards while reloading ammunition and exchanging positions with the other team to ensure constant fire suppression.
The bullets poured out, bringing with them streams of water that hit the continuously pouring in primitive creatures. Their blood was quickly diluted by the sea water, and the injured primitive creatures had no time to escape and were eaten by their companions who rushed up.
Many players are like a sharp thorn, slowly but firmly piercing into the deep sea.
The three-person team acted as the spearhead, leading the main force to swim in the right direction. More than a dozen submarines escorted them around to ensure that if any large primitive creatures came, they could launch a sufficient attack in the first time to drive them away.
Even though he had seen the power of unity when dealing with Poseidon Sheila, Chen Nian still felt a strange feeling of being in the middle of it. He was tightly wrapped up and became a part of the powerful force.
If superheroes really exist in the world, then he is one of the cells, no different from other people, but also contributes his own strength.
There were so many primitive creatures that the closer they got to the castle, the denser they became, like sardines in a can.
The resistance of the sea water eventually reduced the power of some weapons, and players began to be injured sporadically. They were quickly protected inside the team and took blood-replenishing items.
The three leaders naturally suffered more attacks.
Fortunately, Shafulai is wealthy and powerful, and they are equipped with the most advanced weapons and equipment. The small shoulder-fired cannon can actually have the effect of a torpedo, and they even have sonar turned on to interfere with the primitive creatures' sense of direction and communication.
While Bai was giving Sakura a change of bullets, Shafulai and Chen Nian jointly played the role of output.
Another shoulder-fired cannon was fired, and its speed in the water seemed to be multiplied by an invisible hand, and it finally hit the school of fish, causing a mess of blood and flesh and shattered parts.
Diving to 114 meters, Chen Nian finally caught a glimpse of the blurry scene below in the constantly shaking light of the powerful searchlight.
The old castle was located in the valley. Its dark shadow was like a beast lurking in the valley, bringing a strong sense of oppression. The spire that once reached into the sky became a trap below, entangled with some soft water plants, floating like wet and cold clumps of hair.
This famous Dracula Castle is backed by a natural mountain and is surrounded by dangerous terrain. The gate has been converted into a city wall and can only be reached by climbing up the ramparts along the rope ladder on the south side of the castle. The former Hungarian king used this to resist the attacking Turks.
The four pointed corner towers once witnessed the war with cold eyes, but now they have been silent at the bottom of the sea for too long.
Perhaps when the vampire lord finally ends his sleep and opens his coffin, he will be drowned by the cold sea water that penetrates every pore.
【Guild】Mono[lv.143]: I see! Castle!
All of a sudden, everyone was given a shot of adrenaline and became excited, but Shaflay, as the leader, did not change his pace because of the excitement. He maintained his original pace and led the main force to approach.
According to the original plan, most players need to stay outside the castle to guard against primitive creatures from pouring in. Only a few of the most elite teams can enter the castle to explore.
The plan was made with reference to the previous failed experiences of the Abandoned Gods. Yes, Athanasius's people were certainly not the first group of people to try to explore the castle.
After all, more than ten hours had passed since the news was analyzed, and many guilds had tried to enter the castle before, and they had indeed succeeded.
It's just that there were too many people entering, which caused some unexpected commotion. As for what the commotion was about, no one involved was willing to reveal it.
Since it is a pitfall that others have fallen into, they should not be foolish enough to repeat it.
The natural defenses that once existed no longer have any effect at the bottom of the sea, and players can easily swim into the castle and enter through broken doors and windows.
The teams dispersed according to the original plan, with each team guarding a place to cover the elite troops who were about to enter the castle.
However, the originally crazy primitive creatures seemed to be timidly afraid of something and did not dare to approach again. They just swam around the castle from a distance.
For a moment, there seemed to be an invisible wall between the players and the primitive creatures, and the two sides were in a stalemate, maintaining a delicate balance.
The elite team did not enter the castle directly, but searched outside first to avoid missing any important information.
Chen Nian wandered to the so-called main gate. The once impenetrable wall later had a passage opened up. After entering modern society, for a long time this castle, famous for the vampire Count Dracula, was used as a tourist attraction and museum.
Chen Nian found a crooked copper plate. The patterns on it had long been severely corroded, and there were also some pits and marks caused by impact. He tried hard to recognize the words on it.
【No nighttime visits】
【Violators will bear the consequences】
Wow, is it because a night visit would lead to the encounter of the vampire Count Dracula coming out of his coffin for some fresh air? Unfortunately, the Count is likely to have drowned.
Besides, Chen Nian didn't think his fangs could bite through the sturdy diving suit.
After searching for a while, Shafley sent a message in the team chat, and the three of them reunited and entered the castle through the broken and dark window.
For Chen Nian, who had explored the Royal Palace in detail, this castle could no longer surprise him too much. Before it was flooded by the sea, it was Romania's History and Art Museum.
Some of the collections that were not moved in time are still on display, but they have long been corroded by sea water and are even difficult to recognize their original appearance.
Several teams searched everywhere quickly and efficiently. Chen Nian focused on checking the southeast corner tower. The four corner towers of the castle were connected by corridors. They were initially used as watchtowers and shooting points, capable of spraying hot oil or setting traps with movable floors.
Of course, these institutions have long since ceased to function.
Thirty minutes later, each team reported their search results on the channel. In short, they found nothing. Not to mention the source of the strange sound, they didn't even see any living creatures other than the players.
【Guild】Bengshemai Liu [lv.200]: Maybe we should go down and take a look.
The castle also has an underground part.
This is not surprising news. It is normal for large castles to have dungeons and the like.
Everyone echoed in the guild channel, and Bai Zui Cherry fired a cannonball directly, breaking open the door to the dungeon.
Calling it a dungeon may not be quite accurate; perhaps it was used for this purpose a long, long time ago, but later on it was apparently used to store some things, such as sundries and wine.
The passage leading to the underground was rather narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. To be on the safe side, they lined up in a vertical row and swam slowly downwards.
The brave President Bai gave Cherry the lead, and Shafulai was also in front of Chen Nian.
Chen Ci looked at the wall beside him. The traces left by some large creature forcing its way through were clearly visible, intertwined in a chaotic manner, like overly heavy wheel wheels, emitting a blue glow in the darkness.
Apparently there had been some slime stuck to it that not even the sea could remove.
Shafley collected some samples of the shiny substance with test paper and put them into the analytical instrument he carried with him. Half a minute later, the result appeared on the screen. It was the secretion of some unknown organism.
You can guess it.
Baigei Sakura was the first to swim out of the downward passage, and was surprised to find that the underground part was larger than they had imagined. Even the light from the powerful searchlight could not reach its end.
[Guild] Mono[lv.143]: So big!
Countless creatures clung to the walls, ceilings and load-bearing columns, floating gently in the sea water with a sticky substance, a strange substance formed by the secretions of countless plants and animals.
No one dared to get close and touch it. The seaweed swaying in the water was like some kind of living tentacles, and who knew if it was poisonous or would suddenly attack.
Chen Nian only felt his 3 points dropping rapidly. He approached Shafulai silently. They had been swimming in the deep sea for nearly two hours. The pervasive sense of oppression in the darkness would also affect their psychological and mental state.
[Guild] Collapse and Slip [lv.200]: Be sure to pay more attention to the people around you and be careful not to fall behind.
The entire dungeon has been transformed into a nest-like existence. Except for the main building that cannot be destroyed, all objects left by humans have disappeared without a trace.
The ground was soft and sticky. If you touched it, you would sink deeply into it, splashing out disgusting juices, just like the fungal mat cultivated by the Zerg in the StarCraft. It seemed to be some kind of living being, even rising and falling slightly like breathing.
【Guild】Big Dick[lv.200]: Damn, I'm already feeling a little uncomfortable.
[Guild] Collapse and Sell [lv.200]: Hold on a little longer.
They continued to go deeper and deeper, and Chen Nian always felt that the underground part seemed to be larger than the main part above. Was there a connection somewhere?
Suddenly, the pointer of the sonic detector he was carrying turned sharply to the far right, directly exceeding the position of the instrument dial and exceeding the limit on the spot.
not good!
Sound travels four times faster in water than in air, so it is difficult for people underwater to identify the exact location of the sound's source.
To Chen Nian, the whispering noises seemed to be coming from all directions, surrounding them all like the sea, making it impossible to avoid and escape.
This is exactly the same situation as at the beginning of the audio file. Amidst the crackling and clacking noises of electronic equipment being interfered with, there is a kind of shrill scream hidden in it.
Everyone had heard the audio beforehand, sometimes more than once, but even though they were well prepared, they were still overwhelmed when they were actually there.