Chapter 1142: Chapter 1140: Encirclement and Interception
In fact, Fu Qian was not certain whether there were Fishmen on the way back.
The Sea of Ashes has an effective perception barrier.
But a true master should be brave enough to make judgments, or even presumptions.
Consider the legendary siren-like Fishmen who neither attack nor leave, singing gently with you here—what could their purpose be?
Is this their paradise? Hence, they were cultivated into ease of mood, shunning strife?
Given the setting of the Sea of Ashes, it’s better to suspect a conspiracy rather than indulge in fairytale fantasies.
The simplest assumption is that they are drawing attention to themselves. So, suspecting an ambush isn’t too far-fetched, right?
And if it’s just malicious speculation, and the Fishmen are indeed warm and hospitable, with their singing meant to welcome?
Well, that makes things even easier. Rush forward to say hello; they might even lead the way!
...
It’s unclear if Captain Lann has thought this through, but his execution is undoubtedly spot-on.
Under the "perception" deterrence of a master like himself, no one on the boat objected, quickly assuming their roles and preparing for battle.
In the next moment, the boat accelerated like never before, transforming into a piercing arrow that shot straight into the limits of the storm.
The world fell silent all at once.
As the distant guests reacted, the Fishmen’s singing came to a stop.
Considering the overly uniform timing and excluding the storm’s noises as white noise, it gave an impression of a sudden hush among tens of thousands.
However, this quiet didn’t last long.
As the crew strained their eyes to the verge of bleeding, desperately searching for the Fishmen, the singing softly resumed.
Only now, it was vastly different.
Still enchanting but now with an intense madness that muddled one’s mind, like a musical rendition of the mantis’s infatuation.
And this transformation from pure allure to extreme grotesqueness was specifically concentrated in the direction of the Floating Island and not just from one source.
Realizing this, the horrified crew simultaneously turned to look back, finally spotting the figures they were searching for.
Slender in form, with seductive faces, they moved across the ashen sea surface, with human torsos and fish tails against the waves.
They were indeed Fishmen...
This graceful scene shattered the last illusions of some crew members, especially against the magnitude of those figures.
At this moment, more than twenty such figures were rapidly approaching with bewitching cries, resembling a bridal chase.
"All the previous distractions were to draw our attention; we’ve actually been surrounded."
Miss Rachel, less affected by the scene due to her gender, analyzed with a pale face.
"If we hadn’t run fast earlier... we might have been trapped on the Floating Island."
Captain Lann, while frantically ordering to speed up, clenched his teeth and said.
"No big deal."
Amid this scenario, Fu Qian, acting as the strategic adviser, expressed his modesty without modesty.
...It really seems to be this guy’s merit!
Though the words felt awkward, Lann was instantly reminded.
Whether the swift departure earlier or the current no-turning-back, it seemed to be this guy’s advocacy.
These Fishmen were nothing benign, and considering their demonstrated coordination, being trapped on the Floating Island would likely mean nothing but rotting there if they couldn’t move, even if the Fishmen didn’t board.
This guy really knows a lot about this place!
"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Fang. How do you see the current situation?"
With a quick mind, Lann immediately showed deference to the wise.
"Now?..."
Fu Qian watched as the Fishmen, who had already entered the storm, continued their relentless pursuit.
Even the singers from before were now gathering as well.
The situation couldn’t be more critical, and the next moment he seemed to be deep in thought.
"Based on my observation, these fishmen sort of resemble each other."
...What?
Now, not only Captain Lann, but also Rachel, who was all ears beside him, was flabbergasted.
Running for your life here, and you’re fixated on the looks of these ferocious creatures?
And with the storm like this, can you really see clearly?
Just when he seemed somewhat reliable, the next moment, one would feel utterly disheartened.
However, even while conflicted upon hearing this, Rachel couldn’t help but take another look.
And sure enough, they did seem to bear a resemblance...
Although visibility was poor, by now, more than one fishman had charged to a relatively close distance.
At a glance, one could see that they were far from the imagined beauty, with various forms of deformities on their limbs.
Strange scales, bifurcated tails, and even extra arms—fitting perfectly with what one knew of Sea of Ashes creatures.
On the contrary, their faces bore a shockingly consistent appearance, as if molded from the same face.
Of course, at this moment without exception, all their faces displayed a sick frenzy.
"Under normal circumstances, the fishmen are considered to be mermaids that have been distorted by the Sea of Ashes. Such a concentrated group might be the result of some special power."
Captain Lann was also grinding his teeth as he listened but decided to explain after contemplation.
"The boat consumes a lot in this speed, and I can’t keep it up for long. Once we slow down, it’s very likely we’ll be caught, so we have not quite escaped danger yet."
As he spoke, Captain Lann skillfully maneuvered the boat in a dashing turn, avoiding an intercepting fishman.
"And the boat is only temporarily repaired; if it gets damaged again, I fear it would be completely unusable. Mr. Fang, do you have any suggestions?"
Although the person in front seemed enigmatic, since he went through the trouble of trying to borrow a boat, he surely wouldn’t want it to be easily destroyed.
Captain Lann used this to get him to stop spectating.
"Don’t easily talk about limits."
Unfortunately, the other party, focused on the oncoming fishmen, naturally shook his head.
"A true warrior always seeks to improve himself, to challenge the impossible."
...
Before Captain Lann could comment and his eyelids could twitch in encouragement, the next moment the boat shook violently, nearly losing its balance.
After immediately stabilizing the boat, Captain Lann seemingly found an opportunity to vent his anger, shouting for a group of people to come and help.
Looking back, a disruptive torrent behind them was slowly subsiding; it was exactly what nearly lifted the boat just now.
And judging by the slightly bizarre actions of one of the fishmen, it was obviously related to her.
In the ocean, it was not strange for a transcendent species to possess such abilities.
"It looks quite severe. How about I dive in and kill one to deter them?"
Faced with this new emergency, Fu Qian thought for a moment and made a suggestion.
"Really? Can you do that?"
Captain Lann, who couldn’t suppress his anger, was taken aback after reacting.
"A piece of cake. Captain Lann, you should have known this all along."
Fu Qian waved his hand dismissively.
"Why would I have known that..."
"Don’t you know?"
Fu Qian looked around in surprise.
"Didn’t you call them over to help me dive in?"
...
Captain Lann’s expression instantly froze.