Chapter 79: Guarding Pastor
Once Pastor saw that the poisonous gas had dissipated, he slowly opened the door and walked out. He saw the four people with complicated expressions on their faces, but chose not to comment on it. “Let’s go. Board the ship.”
Ye Cang’s group of 4 followed him onto the ship and entered the control cabin. FrozenCloud peered at the surrounding equipment. It was really a product of engineering. The monster cores he mentioned should be some sort of renewable energy similar to the light prisms powering the colleges. They only needed to take in some sunlight and they could turn it into electricity. It was said that the federal government invented this technology, but the patent belonged to the Chrysanthemum Emperor - Lin Lin. Even now, it remained unchanged. Just depending on that patent, his later generations became some of the richest people in the world. However, after he disappeared, most of his things disappeared with him. The few things he left behind all contributed to the people’s current convenient lifestyle. It could be said he was the 23rd century’s greatest innovator, inventor, politician, thinker, martial artist, and virtual reality gamer. She shook her head, better to stop thinking about it. Just thinking of the Chrysanthemum Emperor made her rear feel chilly1.
The ship slowly sailed. Lin Le was learning how to operate a boat under Pastor’s instructions. The others also learned some knowledge about ships.
“The luminous fish are nocturnal. Their bodies are also small. They are very cowardly, and very fast. Not many people have seen them up close. I’ve already determined their habitat, it’s in the southwest direction, in the lake’s deepest area. It’s also a place filled with aquatic life. I’ll be using a fluorescent shrimp as bait. It’s one of the few foods that can make a luminous fish bold enough to go after it. Although the luminous shrimp isn’t something other fish like to eat, it will still alarm them, causing them to attack me and the ship. Therefore, you have to push them back, so that they don’t distract me. Got it?” Pastor faced the southwest and explained as he sailed.
“Understood.” Ye Cang said with a nod, then took out his bow. He looked at the three others: “I’ll be in charge of detection and ranged support. Lil’Dino, you stay near uncle Pastor. Lele and A’Xiong, you two are in charge of intercepting the attacks. Clear them up as fast as possible.”
The three people nodded. “Got it.”
FrozenCloud also understood, the moment the bait was cast, the mission would start. Zhang ZhengXiong and Lin Le both took a side.
Under the moonlight which created a halfmoon reflection on the lake, the boat stopped and dropped anchor. Pastor looked back at them. “Everyone ready?”
Lin Le pulled out his large blade and rested it on his shoulder. Zhang ZhengXiong also took out his shield and hammer, and stood at the left side of the boat. FrozenCloud stood beside pastor.
As for Ye Cang, he took out an arrow and readied his bow. His eye’s flashed with a faint light as he took note of the surroundings. “Start.”
Pastor faintly smiled then he took out a sparkling and translucent shrimp faintly glowing with fluorescent light. He processed it a bit then put it on his silver hook. At this time, everyone noticed that the structure of his fishing rod was rather complicated. The material seemed to be neither wood nor metal. With a swish, the fluorescent shrimp fell into the water.
A few minutes pa.s.sed. Ye Cang sensed some movement under the lake’s surface and saw a shadow. “Over there!”
Zhang ZhengXiong and Lin Le quickly jogged over. FrozenCloud took a defensive stance, ready to strike.
Many 2 meter large piranhas opened their jaws, revealing sharp teeth, and started jumping out of the water. Ye Cang raised his bow and an arrow shot forth, knocking one back. FrozenCloud sent an elbow strike behind her hitting a piranha that had tried to jump at Pastor. Lin Le brandished his large blade, looked at the piranhas that were jumping towards him, and smashed two of them back. Zhang ZhengXiong was stunned, such strength!? FrozenCloud also felt a burst of fright. It turned out that 20 damage was so oppressive against these normal mobs!?
Another 10 jumped out from the water. While frozen cloud defended, she saw that there were quite a few over by Ye Cang. 5 fish, could he deal with them? A red light flashed and dispersed into four lights which struck simultaneously. Finally, one last red light flashed. The moment he drew his sword, 5 large piranhas were immediately knocked back into the water. Although they hadn’t died, they wouldn’t be making any big splashes anytime soon.
Such accurate technique. Such a fast sword. His chain of thrusts were practically instantaneous yet it accurately took out 4 different targets. That last flash was his original skill. A series of 5 sword strikes, in just a split second. She had to admit that although their team captain’s morality was questionable, but those 5 sword strikes, unless she was really lucky and used a skill in time, she wouldn’t be able to dodge a single one.
Zhang ZhengXiong saw the few fish coming towards him. He slammed his shield blocking two of them, and swung his hammer knocking away one more. He looked at the last one that was biting his chest, and reached out to fling it back into the water. He then cast a healing light on himself. There was no pressure at all, it was like he was impregnable.
As for Lin Le’s side, there was even less pressure. His heavy weapon was too oppressive. One swing would kill several of fish.
“Lele, save your rage and skills. There will probably be a boss.” Ye Cang said as he sheathed his two handed sword back on his back, and took out his bow to continue his ranged attacks. He saw that there were more and more fish, they were so densely packed in the water they looked like a single shadow, and all coming in his direction. Some water blossomed in his hand as he chanted: “Mmmm mrrrggk Mrgllll glrrm gl!”.
Dozens of fish jumped out of the water towards him. FrozenCloud hurriedly vaulted over the head of Pastor, who looked like he was meditating, and rushed over to provide a.s.sistance. Ye Cang indifferently smiled and pushed out with his hand. Tidal Wave! A huge tidal wave rolled out, heavily smashing into the dozens of fish and knocking them back into the lake.
FrozenCloud suddenly remembered. She had forgotten that he was a knight that had aoe magic. This water knockback spell was further enhanced by the terrain, moreover his intelligence was especially high - at least 30. His spell power was also higher than most mages at this stage of the game, this she inferred from the amount of healing his healing stream provided. She quickly returned to continue guarding.
After this big wave of piranhas was repelled by Ye Cang, their numbers became much fewer. There were still the odd few who jumped out but were easily taken care of. Moreover, Zhang ZhengXiong and Ye Cang barely had to use their healing abilities.
Ye Cang eye’s flashed over to a distant black shadow and estimated that it was at least 5 meters long. He immediately roared: “Everyone come! The boss is here! Lil’Dino, you make sure the little fish don’t get to Uncle Pastor! Provide a.s.sistance when you see fit!”
Ye Cang finished speaking and drew his bow with all his strength, pulling the bowstring taut, and prepared to use precise shot. Zhang ZhengXiong arrived in a few steps and stood at the side of the boat ready to intercept. He held his warhammer tightly, prepared to use his skills. They definitely couldn’t let it crash into the boat.
FrozenCloud nodded. In their group, it was only Ye Cang that could see far, all she could see was darkness. She had to take care of the small fish as quickly as possible in order to lend them a hand. She relaxed her body, took a deep breath, and hopped in place like a boxer, ready to act at any time.
Lin Le thought that it should be soon. He lowered his stance. Using his full rage he activated berserk causing his two eyes to emit a faint red light and he began to pant roughly. He looked like an angry little bull. His two hands gripped his black-iron large blade tightly and he stared in the direction Ye Cang was aiming.
1: Chrysanthemum is slang for a.s.s as a commenter had noted in a previous chapter.