C21 It's Just a Normal Operation

The captain of the Octopus Sea Clan was caught off guard by the sudden torpedo.

Yet, he narrowly avoided it.

"Damn it! How dare you mess with the Octopus Sea Clan? You worthless human, you must not want to stick around here anymore!"

Zhang Hai was taken aback. What was that supposed to mean?

"Captain, the Octopus Sea Clan's influence is vast. This area falls within their domain as well. But don't worry, their numbers are few. It's uncertain when we might encounter them again."

Luo's words brought considerable comfort to him.

His retort was venomous.

"You tentacled freak, if you're a real man, face me in a one-on-one duel!"

"Nonsense! If you're so brave, stop chasing me. Watch as my warriors shred you to pieces!"

"Ha, if you're scared, just admit it. Oh, you can swim, big deal. Do you dare to take the fight to the sea's surface? I'll knock you so hard you'll see stars."

Amidst the verbal sparring, the pursuit continued unabated.

Explosions erupted sporadically in the ocean, casting light over the area.

The beauty of this magical weapon was its lack of environmental pollution.

The released magic power even benefited the nearby flora and fauna.

The Octopus Sea Clan captain was now too preoccupied to fuss over the battleship.

Having gathered all the octopus warriors, he was ready to depart.

But just then, a loud boom resounded.

To his astonishment, it seemed he had collided with a deep-sea mine.

The impact altered his course.

Boom after boom, a succession of explosions erupted around him.

He realized, to his horror, that he was encircled by deep-sea mines.

Zhang Hai had previously laid these mines as a trap.

Seeing the captain lose his balance, Zhang Hai charged without hesitation.

With a thud, the Octopus Sea Clan captain felt a sharp pain in his rear, his face contorting in agony.

His complexion shifted dramatically.

"This is bad, the Magic Engine is damaged. Everyone run! Get the message out!"

Upon hearing this, the Octopus Sea Clan Warriors scattered in all directions.

Now, he was the sole captain left aboard the Fishman-class warship.

The process of severing the contract with the warship was rather complex.

In his frantic state, he made several mistakes in quick succession.

The excruciating pain at the rear of the ship caused his vision to darken as he inwardly cursed up a storm.

He had never encountered such a deranged Shuttle Warship, intent on mutual destruction.

Zhang Hai shook his head, still feeling the sting of the recent impact.

But having disabled the enemy's propulsion system, escape was no longer an option for them.

A cruel smile crept across his face.

A surge of power erupted from the rear, and the Octopus Sea Clan Warrior nearly passed out from the agony.

"Damn you! How dare you attack me! You're finished! Even if I perish, my clansmen will seek vengeance!"

"Oh, really? Then I'll show no mercy. We've already crossed swords, after all."

Another wave of power surged, and the Octopus Warship's captain felt as if his legs no longer belonged to him.

"Stop, please stop. I concede, I surrender. Please, no more torture."

Zhang Hai wasn't interested in torture. This was simply exploiting a bug—a standard tactic.

Why not take advantage of it? Eliminating one ship could yield the experience of three.

"I reject your surrender. Savor your final moments."

The Fishman Warship's tail was utterly shredded.

The system had initiated its salvage function upon contact with the enemy.

Everything that could be salvaged, except for the Warship Core, had been reclaimed.

Within five minutes, the system chimed in.

"Captain, the adversary has committed suicide."

"Tch, what a coward. No more games, then."

Having absorbed the enemy's core, Zhang Hai didn't linger.

Soon after, the system's delightful voice announced.

"Ding! Fishman Warship blueprint acquired. Completion: 20%."

"Ding! You have obtained a Swordfish Horn."

"Swordfish Horn?"

"Yes, Captain, exactly what you're thinking of."

"But isn't that an Electric Shocking Horn?"

"Correct. Enhance the Swordfish Horn to +3, and it will emit an electric shock. Nevertheless, the horn will prove quite beneficial to you, Captain. At least you won't feel any discomfort when ramming into enemy warships in the future."

"Alright, go ahead and install it."

The blue particles at the front of the jujube-shaped Shuttle Warship began to coalesce, and the Electric Shocking Horn was swiftly assembled in place.

The warship's design appeared even more streamlined.

This spectacle was also witnessed by everyone aboard the warship. Aside from surprise, their expressions weren't overly excited.

It seemed as though they had grown accustomed to such sights.

Zhang Hai's main consciousness returned to the warrior.

At that moment, the system's irritating voice entered his mind.

"Captain, among the spoils of war this time, there's something peculiar."

"Peculiar?"

He accessed the system list and searched the warehouse inventory. Indeed, he discovered an unusual item.

With a casual stretch and pull, a two-meter-long silver metal box materialized in the Commander Room.

"What's this?"

Wong Jiangxue asked, her curiosity piqued as she gently tapped on the metal.

Dawn's attention, however, was drawn to the top of the metal box.

There was something transparent there, allowing a glimpse of the contents.

Zhang Hai was equally curious, wondering what lay inside. Yet, the box seemed to lack any visible means of opening.

"Captain, where did you find a mermaid?"

Dawn's statement took everyone by surprise.

Mermaids were considered sea royalty, far more noble than the Octopus Sea Clan.

Among humans, some of the ultra-wealthy were particularly fond of these exquisite creatures. Some had even offered astronomical sums of Refinement Crystals to acquire a mermaid.

Zhang Hai was astonished. While the term was familiar, this was his first actual encounter.

Approaching the box, he peered through the glass-like material and saw only a beautiful, delicate face.

Her features were largely human, except for her ears, which resembled colorful fish fins. Yet, this alone wasn't enough to confirm her identity as a mermaid.

"Do you know?"

He turned his gaze to Dawn. If she could identify the creature as a mermaid so confidently, she must have seen one before.

"Yes."

She responded and then touched the side of the metal cabinet.

A clicking sound ensued as a seam opened in the cabinet, and the liquid inside began to drain.

As the cabinet unfolded, a small being with a body shimmering with colorful scales, the Little Dot, was revealed to the group.

Dawn's brow furrowed slightly as she glanced at the others. Noticing that their expressions were merely ones of surprise, she chose to remain silent.

Meanwhile, the Little Mermaid, less than a meter long, nestled within the metal cabinet, gently opened her eyes. Still not fully awake, she began to look around cautiously.

But what she saw were several humans, and an unprecedented fear welled up inside her. Her petite frame curled in on itself, her delicate hands clasping together as she fixed a wary gaze on the humans before her.

From her early education, she had learned that humans were vicious creatures who often captured members of the Mermaid Clan to trade.