"What do you want?"
Captain Jige asked shakily, knowing they had no way back from the moment his subordinate had held a gun to Chen Qi's head and fired.
"..."
Chen Qi thought it over.
An A-grade investigation team, all professionally trained, often destroyed assets before death.
Even if he defeated them, he might not gain anything, but their disappearance would quickly spread terror in the nearby seas.
Moreover, he wasn't confident he could defeat them.
Chen Qi turned his gaze to the one who had just fired the gun.
At this moment, the young female gunman still appeared unconvinced, her gun still aimed at Chen Qi, her finger itching to pull the trigger.
She still didn't understand why Jige had stopped her.
In the Crack Sea, a ten million bounty was nothing!
To think, the worthless Black-eyed Captain of the Black Whale Group's Sawshark, had a higher bounty than ten million!
Such a resentful look... Chen Qi didn't care much and instead focused on the gun in her hand.
The gun's body was an overall aqua blue, engraved with special spiral runes on the casing.
Third generation Magic Bullet sniper rifle—Giant Killer, a new model sniper rifle!
A sniper that could blow heads with one shot!
Its actual purpose was for hunting giant sea creatures.
According to tests, if using Magic Bullet Company's bullets with a Magic Bullet sniper rifle, even the overlord of the coastal seas' scales could be penetrated.
Of course, as a sniper rifle, it still possessed impressive assassination capabilities.
Ordinary armor couldn't withstand the powerful sniper.
Even for a Third-tier Transcendent, it was quite a suitable weapon.
Chen Qi pointed at the gun in her hand.
As an apology, he wanted that gun!
"What does this mean?"
Captain Jige asked as he lit a cigarette.
Chen Qi was about to speak.
However, unexpectedly,
suddenly, a little green algae swam in front of him.
It's eyes turned blood red, and its green tentacle-like hair formed into two vicious little fists, excitedly declaring in human language:
"Sacrifice, sacrifice!"
The small green algae were no longer terrified, emboldened under Chen Qi's oppressive aura.
It thought that Chen Qi's gesture toward the gunman meant that he wanted to sacrifice the gunman!
"???"
What are you doing?
Chen Qi looked at the small green algae, taken aback.
What was going through this small green algae's mind?
Where had it learned this word?
Chen Qi was somewhat speechless.
Because the small green algae had always been well-behaved while following him,
he almost forgot, it wasn't some caring, gentle sprite, but a highly dangerous sea demon.
But more panicked than Chen Qi was the A-grade team on the research vessel.
The word "sacrifice" alone held magical power over the seas, especially coming from a sea demon with a green algae head, it added an extra layer of terror.
Captain Jige anxiously looked at the person Chen Qi had just pointed at:
Their vessel's well-known young female gunman, Reina!
Her skin was tanned, with brown short hair, her face adorned with freckles and scars, sporting two small canine teeth.
From the outside, she looked like a gang member from rural areas.
But in reality, she was a rich merchant's daughter!
Her uncle was a navy admiral, her aunt the general manager of Magic Bullet Company, her teacher the deputy director of the Meteorological Department, and her family owned ten weapon shops—she was additionally a sophomore at Shell Country Royal University!
In short, she was funded to be part of the team!
In this world, where classes were distinctly separated, nobles and commoners could almost be described as two different species.
Their investigation department in itself was marred with a high death rate.
Not to mention nobles, even commoners short of money wouldn't easily join their investigation department.
Reina joined their team out of a burning passion, eager to test her courage.
That's why Jige always indulged Reina, which fostered her impulsive nature, always eager to charge at anyone she saw.
But Jige never anticipated that Reina would actually fire at Chen Qi.
She was definitely not an opponent Reina should rush at!
If anything happened to Reina, their whole investigation team would have to pay with their lives!
According to the sea demon's intent, this creature apparently wanted Reina's body.
Jige, with a cigarette between his lips, looked at Chen Qi with a terrified gaze.
Sacrifice?
Could it be that this was a monster that ate humans? Or was it connected to some ancient deity?
"..."
Chen Qi had no interest in their bodies.
He was neither a ghoul nor a chef skilled with humans.
The body of a Second-order Transcendent held no interest for him! If it were a Third-order Transcendent's body, perhaps he might be a bit intrigued.
Besides, the term "sacrifice" was related to deities.
The deities in the official records of the New Sun World were quite monotone.
Among them, the most worshiped was the God of the Day, who was seen as the incarnation of the world's sun and the deity governing the order of all things and the survival of humanity.
Beyond that were the endpoints of the Transcendental path, the thirteen origin Hunters who lit the daylight.
According to legend, all thirteen origin Hunters ascended to godhood, becoming the epitome of the Transcendental path.
For instance, the Lantern Death God, who in myth was the original Lamp Hunter.
And the rest were minor deities such as the Fox God, Flower Cultivating God, and little Enchanting Demons who governed specific domains.
Among the famous deities of Witch Sea was the Sea Goddess, who, according to legend, was the embodiment of the ocean. Storms were her anger, seabirds her breath, and sea fish her gifts.
However, most people's reverence for the gods remained merely verbal.
Those who urinated daily into the sea were certainly not in the minority.
Except for the Sea God Pirate Group, they held great respect for the sea.
For someone like Chen Qi to suddenly mention a sacrifice was extremely rare in the entire ocean.
"Sacrifice..."
Reena, selected by the little green algae, held her gun with slightly trembling hands.
She was sweating profusely!
She didn't understand why a Second-order Transcendent would want to sacrifice her?
Sacrifice was uncommon, and in the minds of the people of Witch Sea, besides the God of the Day, the gods cared little for a human's flesh.
Did the monster before her truly want to eat her?
Reena gritted her teeth, trying to retort:
"Two arms at most, plus my hair."
"..."
Chen Qi was dumbfounded.
What on earth?
Who cared about your arms and hair?
He wanted money! Weapons!
Captain Jige gritted his teeth, even losing an arm for Reena was a terrifying thing.
"No," Chen Qi refused softly.
"!!!"
Reena's pupils constricted, her hand on the trigger, ready to resist to the death.
The monstrous man actually wanted her body!
Fight it! If she had to die, so be it!
The others also reloaded their guns, pointing them once again at Chen Qi.
"He's just a ten million Transcendent, we can win..." Reena deceived herself.
And just as they were reloading, emitting a murderous intent.
Boom!
A huge wave suddenly surged on the sea above!
As if to return their murderous intent!
Under the raging waves, the survey ship rocked in the storm, as if unleashing endless fury.
Boom!
A tentacle fiercely struck their vessel, and the ship made of steel instantly cracked extensively.
Captain Jige felt his heart might explode.
He could clearly feel that the turmoil of the sea had been because someone in their survey team bore hostility toward the creature before them!
Could it be that this monster had caused the wave?
Reina clenched her teeth, she could sense this as well.
The creature before them could actually stir the tides!
Chen Qi said nothing, the situation just then was likely caused by the Deep Sea Titan.
Jige was panicked now, standing up, showing his rugged hands:
"Monster, if you truly want a body or material for the Evil God, I think I'm suitable, my body can withstand a guillotine."
To prevent Reena from dying, everyone started arguing.
"No, I taste sweet, sacrifice me!"
"No, I'm good-looking and have a nice body, I'll go."
"I'll do it, the Divination Master said my soul has the bearing of a great emperor!"
"No, I'm more fragrant than a Witch, take me!"
What are you stirring up?
Chen Qi looked at the scene, extremely speechless.
He simply wanted a bit of money.
Why had things turned out this way?
All because the little green algae had spoken carelessly.
At this moment, the little green algae had no inkling of its mistake, even acting like one of its dependents, it even started making choices.
Once back, he'd have to properly school the little green algae!
Chen Qi, sitting on a dead tree, spoke again:
"If you don't want to offer up your soul, then sacrifice something of equivalent value."
"..."
Above the dark sea, a slight wind brushed through.
At this moment, the stubborn and reckless Reena, having seen the recent waves, dared not take the initiative anymore.
They hesitated for a long time before beginning to remove their equipment.