Chapter 295 - 268: The Snipe and the Clam’s Conflict
At Yan Da’s words, many of the surrounding people froze, looking at him in astonishment.
This was unbelievably bold!
And not just a little bold, either!
They knew the Mosasaurus had been snagged by the hooks beneath the ship, but even a regular fish could break free from a hook, let alone a creature like this.
There was no telling when it might break free. Besides, being hooked didn’t stop its jaws from snapping.
And yet, someone actually dared to go into the water under these circumstances!
Cao Biansheng was stunned. He had always thought of himself as daring, but here was a true master.
"We have something," Du Yu said. "We’ve developed an Underwater One-Handed Crossbow. It’s not as powerful as the Crossbow Wagons, but it’s stronger than standard weapons. The catch is, its effective range underwater is only fifteen meters. I don’t advise going in. It’s extremely dangerous. We only dropped the hooks to warn it away from the hull, giving the Crossbow Wagons a clear shot."
"Boss Du, this is our chance. I’m small, it won’t even notice me. Besides," Yan Da pointed to the coils of dark cable wrapped around the mast, "I see you’ve got some interesting equipment on board."
Just then, the cables stirred despite the lack of wind, their lengths undulating slowly like dormant serpents.
Two of them were coiled around Qin Ziwu, but most were wrapped around the mast.
"You want to use these to lower you into the water," Du Yu mused. ’The idea is as bold as it is insane.’
Just then, a shadow swept across the deck as the Beaked Eagle folded its wings and landed.
Qin Ziwen leaped down and scanned the grim faces of the crew. "What’s going on?"
Du Yu quickly explained Yan Da’s idea, adding at the end, "It’s incredibly risky."
Qin Ziwen glanced up at the mast.
As if sensing his gaze, one section of the cable lazily uncoiled itself.
"These cables are long enough to reach the water, aren’t they?" Qin Ziwen asked.
"They can," Du Yu nodded.
Qin Ziwen then turned to Yan Da. "You’re not afraid?"
"Excited."
"Hahaha!" Qin Ziwen laughed, clapping him firmly on the shoulder. "Then go!"
"Boss, I’m going too," Yan San declared, stepping forward.
Yan Wu said nothing, simply moving to stand silently beside his two brothers.
"Du Yu, go get them the One-Handed Crossbows."
Du Yu gave the three of them a complicated look.
He knew the three brothers had only recently joined and hadn’t yet had a chance to prove themselves. They were eager to perform a great deed.
But this was far too dangerous.
Sighing internally, he knew he couldn’t talk them out of it.
He turned and went back into the cabin, emerging with three One-Handed Crossbows for the Yan Family’s Three Brothers. He then tied a cable around each of their waists.
Qin Ziwen took out three pellets of Deep Sea Oxygen and handed them over. "Eat these."
Though they didn’t know what the items were, they took them and swallowed them down in a single gulp without a moment’s hesitation.
Then, with a single leap, they dove into the sea.
Like three fish, they quickly vanished from sight.
The others gathered at the rail, watching and praying silently for their safety.
Cao Biansheng shook his head. "Madmen."
But his eyes betrayed a hint of admiration.
He could never bring himself to do something like that.
Even with the help of that magical fruit, he wouldn’t dare.
He knew his own limitations. The fruit only allowed him to breathe underwater; it didn’t improve his swimming ability.
With his clumsy swimming, he’d be nothing but Mosasaurus food.
A short while later, a furious roar suddenly erupted from beneath the waves.
Immediately, the cables on the mast snapped taut, reeling backward with a WHIZZ.
Three plumes of spray erupted from the sea as the Yan Family’s Three Brothers were yanked back by the ropes. They flew backward through the air, flipped, and landed smoothly on the deck.
The ship’s hull shook violently.
It wasn’t the shock of an impact, but rather the sensation of something being violently pulled.
Then, the entire vessel bobbed upward as the creature hooked to the hull broke free from the iron barbs.
All eyes turned to the Yan Family’s Three Brothers, filled with questioning looks.
Yan Da grinned. "Shot it in the eye."
"Well done!" Qin Ziwen praised.
’These are true warriors. With the limited power of a One-Handed Crossbow underwater, you’d have to get within ten or so meters of the Mosasaurus to do any real damage.’
’And to hit it in the eye meant getting close to its upper body—practically right next to its head.’
’At that range, most people would be paralyzed with fear.’
"Boss, I lost my grip coming back up. I dropped my One-Handed Crossbow," Yan Wu said, lowering his head and clasping his fists in apology.
𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
"Don’t worry about it. What’s one lost crossbow? Your safe return is worth more than ten of them," Qin Ziwen said, patting his shoulder.
At these words, Yan Wu clasped his fists again and bowed deeply.
Beneath the waves, the wounded Mosasaurus circled nearby.
Its repeated injuries had made the Giant Beast increasingly agitated.
"Turn the rudder! Port-side Crossbow Wagons, fire!" Du Yu commanded.
The Mosasaurus was no longer under the ship, but it hadn’t dived deep either. It was the perfect time to fire.
BOOM!
The water’s surface erupted in six plumes of spray.
The Mosasaurus was hit again.
This time, it made no sound, instead swimming for the deep.
"Is it getting away?" Yuan Ming asked from the starboard side, standing on his tiptoes. It felt like a shame to have spent so much effort only for their prey to escape.
"It’s normal for it to flee. It’s an animal, after all," Wang Yun said with understanding. "Frankly, for it to have fought this long, I’d say this Mosasaurus has a pretty nasty temper."
"It’s fine. It won’t get away," Qin Ziwen said, leading Red Hare out from the cabin.
Even if the Mosasaurus fled, he could ride his horse and give chase.
He wouldn’t get too close, just hang back and wait for an opportunity.
"Alliance Leader, it’s back!" a Qin Alliance member cried out from nearby.
Qin Ziwen walked to the bow and looked out ahead.
The Mosasaurus had surfaced.
It then veered away from the Lost Home, swimming along the surface in another direction.
The reason quickly became clear.
To their left, a massive fin sliced through the waves from below.
It was closing in on the Mosasaurus at a terrifying speed.
The fin was like a sail. In the light reflecting off the water, they could see that its body was a size smaller than the Mosasaurus, its form more streamlined. It had a long, pointed beak, much like a dolphin’s.
"A Fish Dragon!"
Wang Yun recognized the massive creature.
It had been drawn by the wounded Mosasaurus. The two Giant Beasts seemed to have a history.
Taking advantage of its rival’s injuries, the Fish Dragon shot forward like an underwater speedboat, rapidly closing the distance.
Just as the Fish Dragon was about to close in, the Mosasaurus whipped around. Its enormous body leaped from the water and came crashing down behind it!
BOOM!!!
A wave weighing hundreds of tons erupted from the sea.
"Did it get hit?" Everyone crowded the ship’s rail to watch the show.
A fight between the two Giant Beasts was a welcome development for them.
When the snipe and clam grapple, the fisherman profits.
"Looks like it missed. That Fish Dragon is too fast. It’s over there," Du Yu said, pointing behind the Mosasaurus.
Behind the beast, a slender form had latched onto the Mosasaurus’s tail.
ROAR!
The Mosasaurus let out a roar mixed with pain and fury.
It twisted its head around, and the two Giant Beasts began to tear into each other.
The sea began to boil. Churning white-capped waves, sprays of bloody foam, and the dull, heavy thuds of their impacts created a spectacular, brutal scene.
...
...