Chapter 370 - 342: Fishman Migration Plan
A large, steamed fish sat in an iron basin, steam wafting up from it. The Fishmen gathered around, quietly enjoying the cooked food.
Unlike the firm, fresh texture of raw fish, the cooked meat was fall-apart tender, melting in their mouths. For the Fishmen, who were used to eating raw food, this was a new and enticing sensation.
One Fishman sat on the ground, carefully cupping a piece of cooked fish in both hands. He swallowed it in small bites, his eyes revealing his satisfaction.
A few nearby Fishmen conversed in low, gurgling tones. One of them suddenly lifted the half-eaten fish in its hands to its nose and sniffed. After a moment’s hesitation, it quietly slipped the fish into a pouch at its side.
A hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder. Lorne was standing behind him. "Ba Gu, the food is to be eaten here. You can’t take it with you."
Ba Gu was a short Fishman of the Artisan Race. The voice made him jump, and he hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground. "Lord Lorne, I... I’ve never eaten anything so delicious... I just wanted to take a little back for my child to taste. I only ate two fish today; this is one I saved..."
Lorne fell silent for a moment, then reached out to help him up. "Take the fish out and eat it now. I’ll get you another one later."
"Quick, thank Lord Lorne!" a nearby companion whispered.
Ba Gu finally snapped out of it and straightened his posture. "Thank you, Lord Lorne!"
"You don’t have to thank me," Lorne said, shaking his head and glancing behind him. "You should be thanking Lord Qin. He’s the one who gave us this food."
Ba Gu immediately turned toward Qin Ziwen, bending over to kowtow.
"No kowtowing," Qin Ziwen said, helping him up. "Now that you’re on land, that’s a habit you should all start to change."
The Fishman Race lives in the sea, and due to their environment, bending over signifies submission and respect. The deeper the bow, the more sincere the gesture.
It’s not a big deal in the water, as their bodies naturally tilt forward when they move.
On land, however, it evolved into a full-body prostration.
He called Lorne aside and asked in a low voice, "Do many of these Fishmen have families?"
"Most of them do," Lorne answered honestly.
Qin Ziwen nodded thoughtfully. "When we eventually leave this world, they’ll be permanently separated from their families. That doesn’t seem right."
Lorne heard this and ventured, "I agree, that wouldn’t be good at all. How about... I find a way to bring their families over as well?"
"And would that be such a good idea?"
Lorne was dumbfounded. ’So... is it a good thing or a bad thing?’
Seeing the utterly baffled look on Lorne’s face, Qin Ziwen chuckled to himself.
’These Fishmen have spent their whole lives on the seafloor. Their world is small, and they aren’t complicated. It’s better to just be direct.’
So he rephrased the question. "If you were to bring their families over, would your father agree?"
Lorne had a sudden realization; he thought he understood his leader’s intentions.
"I’ll go talk to him!" Lorne declared, thumping his chest.
"You think you can?"
"I can do it! My father will agree!" Ever since coming to the Home and becoming the keeper of the Weather Altar, Lorne felt like he had entered a new world.
Back on the seafloor, every year had been as repetitive as every day.
But here, it was as if he’d glimpsed a sliver of the glorious prosperity of his ancestors.
’This is the kind of place a Fishman Warrior is meant to strive for.’
’Staying in the deep sea would only mean rotting away with the ocean itself.’
"Chief, I want to ask my father to come here too," Lorne said, revealing his own desire.
’What a truly filial son...’
Qin Ziwen’s expression turned subtle. He had a feeling he knew what Lorne was thinking.
’But sometimes one man’s meat is another man’s poison. What Lorne wants isn’t necessarily what everyone else wants.’
Qin Ziwen said, "You can talk to your father about it. If all the Fishmen in our Home are male, it could lead to trouble over time. Bringing over female Fishmen and their young would mean the Fishmen could truly put down roots here."
Lorne grinned. "He’ll agree. In fact, after his last visit, I could tell he was tempted."
’Is that so...’
Qin Ziwen patted his shoulder. "Good. Oh, and when you go, you can take the other Fishmen from our Home with you. They’re all family, after all, and it’s only natural to visit relatives. I’ll leave the matter in your hands.
"Later, come with me to the Weather Altar. I’m going to upgrade it, and you can be the first to test out the new functions."
After their late-night meal, Qin Ziwen took Lorne to the Weather Altar. He took out the Card and used it immediately.
The altar ahead was instantly enveloped in light.
[Level 1 Weather Altar: Level 2 Weather Prediction, Level 1 Temperature Difference Prediction, Level 1 Microclimate Stability] (Special Effect: When on the Weather Altar, Casters using abilities to change the weather or climate will receive a buff corresponding to the altar’s Level) → [Level 2 Weather Altar: Level 3 Weather Prediction, Level 1 Temperature Difference Prediction, Level 2 Microclimate Stability] (Special Effect: Omitted) (Footprint: 10x10 meters → 10x10 meters)
Lorne stepped onto the altar. After familiarizing himself with it for a moment, he had a general grasp of the new effects.
"Chief, the prediction range is longer. It can now forecast the weather for the next three days."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lorne froze, then squatted down in front of the Jade Pendant.
"Chief, there’s going to be a continuous torrential downpour for the next three days."
Hearing this, Qin Ziwen stepped onto the altar. The inside of the central Crystal Pillar was now filled with countless tiny "Water Beads."
On the Jade Pendant at the back, black and gray wisps swirled and converged.
Initially scattered to the four corners, they gradually coalesced toward the center, eventually covering about a third of the Jade Pendant’s central area.
"A storm this big... This is trouble. The ships won’t be able to leave the harbor," Qin Ziwen murmured to himself.
He thought of the few surrounding islands that had just been developed. They were just starting to show promise, and now everything would have to be put on hold.
’The weather out at sea changes so fast.’
’With three straight days of torrential rain, no one can be left on the outer islands. If the water levels surge and the temperature plummets, those islands, lacking sturdy shelters and adequate supplies, will be defenseless.’
’Everyone has to be evacuated to the main island.’
He turned to Lorne. "Have you ever seen a storm last this long?"
Lorne thought for a moment. "It happens sometimes."
For the Fishmen, a downpour was actually a good thing.
Whenever it rained hard, schools of fish would dive deeper, which actually made hunting easier.
After coming down from the altar, Qin Ziwen found Jia Liangcai and told him about the Weather Altar’s forecast. There would be continuous, heavy rain for the next few days. Fishing boats were to halt all excursions, and all residents on the other islands had to be evacuated.
Jia Liangcai’s brow furrowed. He knew the situation was urgent. Some islands were still staffed with residents; they would have to work through the night to bring everyone back.
「The next day, the storm arrived as predicted.」
The sky was a grim, leaden color. On the distant horizon, several clusters of dark gray clouds were slowly closing in.
The sky over there looked as if it had been torn open, and rain poured down in sheets.
...
...