Bizarre Survival: I Can Devour Thousands of Talents

Chapter 134, Section 133: The Homecoming Call!

[The torrential rain has ended. Congratulations to you, survivors of District 6103!]

【普通称号[水性过人]已发放；[世界魔潮]将于新曆98年12月1日零点开始暴动，持续至新曆99年1月1日零点】

[Due to your outstanding performance in the hidden quest - [The Struggle Before the Descent of the Demonic Tide], the titles [Fortress Guardian] and [Fearless Vanguard] have been awarded to you.]

[Information about the demonic tide has been marked on the map and can be viewed at any time...]

……

Its daybreak.

After many days, the sun finally shone its light on the earth once again.

The umbrellas blocked out the sun completely, forcing survivors to leave the shelter if they wanted to enjoy the long-awaited sunshine.

But the members of [Light of Aoyama] didn't rush outside.

They all turned to look at Ling Xiao, awaiting his instructions.

But suddenly their movements both stopped.

An eerie silence filled the scene.

Only a few LV20 players had their minds unfettered.

A familiar feeling...

The promotion task has arrived...

[Promotion quest activated! Special quest detected! Promotion quest replacement in progress! Qualified candidate being transported! 5, 4, 3...]

The white light that filled the field of vision disappeared.

The first sensation I rediscovered was a vivid, even somewhat nauseating, salty, and fishy smell.

A surge of inner energy instinctively enveloped his entire body, and Ling Xiao suddenly opened his eyes!

One...two...three...four

Including myself, that makes five!

The plan is feasible!

In the dimly lit cabin stood five short-haul passengers: Ling Xiao, Qi Heng, Ye Zhanqing, Su Jinxi, and Tiechui Sister, who had traveled through another world.

The mysterious realm known as the "Mystery of the Unsinkable Homecoming" became the dungeon for them to break through to level 20.

After Qi Heng met the conditions, he tried to unseal the token.

The information indicates that this mission can be undertaken with four other people, turning all LV20 promotion missions into the "Homecoming" mission.

And now, it has indeed succeeded!

Ling Xiao is a native of the inland region.

Although he had been in the water as a child, he knew very well that the salty, fishy smell that filled his nasal cavity was probably due to the proximity to the ocean.

"Check the panel, take the medication, activate the protective measures."

A few brief instructions calmly escaped his lips.

Upon hearing this, Qi Heng and the others did not ask any further questions, and simply began to implement the plan that had been discussed beforehand.

Compared to previous dungeon runs, the [Homecoming Ship] has a much greater degree of initiative.

The terror of the unknown stems from the inability to prepare specifically for it.

As the first LV20 player in the entire region, and most likely the strongest LV20 player, Ling Xiao.

In Little Raccoon City, I slaughtered every filthy creature, from the walkers to the tyrants; in Crazy City, I delivered takeout during the day and fished for strange fish at night.

The former is the "Source of Calamity," where any means are possible, while the latter is the "Mysterious Realm," where even the interface is restricted.

In addition, there is the mysterious and enigmatic dream curse.

Looking across the entire 6103 server, be confident, no one knows dungeons better than him!

Will the LV20 promotion task leave him all alone again?

Three fundamentally different instances. It would be great to get the Source of Calamity, but what if you get another mysterious realm, or even the Rift of the Abyss?

After all, this is based on speculation from his personal experience.

Of the three known copies, the source of the calamity is undoubtedly the "simplest".

Because, judging from the underlying logic, the source of disaster is simply killing!

The battle is over.

The mysterious realm not only involves combat, but also requires strategic thinking, and there is a possibility of encountering an unparalleled being.

That crevice in the abyss is probably even more complex and terrifying!

If the random type of the promotion task cannot be confirmed, the probability of drawing the source of disaster is objectively only one-third.

The remaining two-thirds are all at relatively high risk.

Instead of gambling on luck, why not team up with a few familiar companions to conquer this mysterious realm with a known mission!

"Safety."

"no problem."

"I'm all better now."

"It's safe, Brother Xiao!"

……

His gaze swept over the group of people one by one.

Ling Xiao clearly defined his leadership position, and Qi Heng and the others willingly obeyed him.

One of the basic requirements of the dungeon is "survive for four hours," which means that the Homecoming ship poses a danger that could kill even a level 20 explorer!

When necessary, we must unify the discourse!

After confirming with his own senses that everyone was alright, Ling Xiao said in a deep voice, "One minute to confirm the effects of the new title and your own status."

"When encountering unknown changes, we must speak out; no matter how small, we cannot overlook them!"

"good!"

……

He quickly started reading it himself.

First, there are two new titles of exceptional rank: [Fortress Guardian] and [Fearless Vanguard]!

Their effects are all very powerful, but they are not suitable for one-on-one combat.

Because these two are more like "legion skills," their power can only be unleashed in a group.

In comparison, the ordinary level of "Superb Swimming Skill" is more helpful to them now.

[Exceptional Swimming Skills (Average): Proficient in all swimming styles, reduces fear of water, and minimizes energy expenditure during water activities.]

There don't seem to be any extraordinary factors involved, but that's enough.

Based on the mission description and personal experience, they should now be in a cabin somewhere on the Homecoming.

The Return Home ship, of course, was adrift at sea.

Before long, everyone had finished their self-checks and found nothing unusual.

The panel functions have not been disabled.

This left Ling Xiao with mixed feelings of joy and worry.

Having no restrictions isn't necessarily a good thing.

Perhaps the Homecoming instance isn't too complicated; you just need to clear it...

Perhaps the horrors aboard the Homecoming ship forced the explorers to be in full condition in order to find a way to survive and complete the mission...

But... what's coming must come, and we must face it!

Ling Xiao pushed open the cold, damp door and led the group onto the deck of the Homecoming Ship.

There, four groups of people had already appeared.

With them, that makes a total of five tokens.

"Oh shit...looks like our luck isn't so good..."

As Ling Xiao and his group saw the people on the deck, the eyes of the other four groups, totaling twenty people, also focused on the last new force.

One of the groups' leaders, a white-clad man, muttered a somewhat disgruntled complaint, which was clearly heard by Ling Xiao through the cool sea breeze.

Although the four groups were gathered together, they maintained a distance from each other.

Moreover, they were subtly divided into two opposing sides.

A group of Japanese soldiers, led by a woman with a delicate appearance, joined together with a group of men, led by a white man, and composed of people of different colors, including yellow, white, and black.

The two remaining teams that banded together for mutual support were both compatriots.

With Ling Xiao leading his team, the previously evenly matched contest on the field turned into a "three against two" situation.

The inherent hostility was compounded by the Chinese people's well-known unity against external threats.

This immediately made the two weaker teams look grim.

However, everyone is currently in the instance, and the primary task is to clear the instance and leave.

Only in this way can we barely maintain a semblance of dignity and get together to say something.

Two men and three women.

The unusual team composition also drew more attention from others.

In particular, Ye Zhanqing's aloofness, Su Jinxi's gentleness, and Tiechui's naivety inevitably evoke male-driven jealousy and female-driven competition in some people.

But after Ling Xiao took a step forward, all those gazes were forced to withdraw.

In the eyes of an expert.

The leading man had a cold expression and was enveloped in a scarlet aura.

I've killed someone...

More than one...

The man behind him, with a curious smile on his face, emanated a crimson light so intense it was almost dripping with blood!

"No wonder those two dared to bring three naive and beautiful girls into the library!"

"Damn it! The fists of the strong really are the greatest benefit!"

No one dared to say these words aloud.

Of course, Ling Xiao also vaguely sensed something from their probing gazes.

But he was too lazy, and there was no need for him to explain.

He couldn't very well say that his group of five were the only members of the guild who had reached level 20, could he...?

When you're out and about, you should still try to hide your identity.

The female Japanese soldier and the white man, who were already on guard, became even more tense. The two groups of compatriots also nodded with slightly complicated expressions, sending a friendly signal.

When used on explorers, the Eye of Appraisal can only reveal their level, profession, and nickname.

The captains of the two teams, nicknamed as such, are:

[Hidden Dream] [Ji Henglei]

This is sufficient for addressing people in general.

"Hello, Owl!"

The latest novel is first published here!

"Hello, Yinmeng and Ji Henglei! Without further ado, could you tell me about your findings?"

"Hey! Are you taking us for granted?! We're all human, shouldn't we help each other out in this godforsaken place?!"

The black man in the white-clad group shouted; it was his eye that had been moving the strangest way just now.

Ling Xiao interrupted his questioning of the two and turned to look at the source of the sound.

There are no special effects.

He also did not activate any of his talents, including [Royal Bloodline].

But both teams, including the white-clad leader, tensed up involuntarily as his gaze fell upon them.

LV20

This is just Lingxiao's temporary limit.

When he reaches this shackle, the rain will continue to pour for many days.

From conversations with others on the channel, Ling Xiao learned that some explorers could gain experience from randomly generated tasks.

But he was very unfortunate.

Even if you want to take a shortcut, you won't find one.

His current strength is the result of his hard-fought battles!

The ultimate goal of [Grinding Teeth and Sucking Blood] is to kill targets with thousands of units.

The number of enemies who have died at Ling Xiao's hands is now incalculable, and the layers upon layers of accumulated blood have added an undeniable murderous aura to him.

No special activation is required.

The reactions of Bai Nan and the other ten other LV20 explorers reveal the pressure they will face when confronting Ling Xiao, who is beginning to harbor hostility towards them!

"Do you have something to say?"

The black man's thick, sausage-like lips opened and closed, but as he glanced at the captain's unmoved back, he ultimately refrained from uttering any harsh words.

of course.

Other words.

His little brain couldn't come up with anything.

The black guy, who had always been complacent about his impressive combat power in the guild and team, finally learned to shut up after encountering even stronger violence.

His captain also cursed him out in the channel before responding.

The white-haired man made gestures to enhance the atmosphere of famous speeches, his face beaming with a sunny smile.

"Hey! Owl! You're strong!"

"I am very, very happy to have such a strong person like you join us. Maybe this way we can get away from this damned wrecked ship soon!"

Ling Xiao smirked and steered the conversation back on track.

"So, during the time you arrived first, did you discover anything?"

Before Yinmeng and Ji Henglei could speak.

The female Japanese woman who had been staying by Bai Nan's side, acting like a demure and submissive young lady, spoke softly, "Xiao Sang, we didn't encounter anything special."

"But as you can see, the Homecoming... doesn't seem to be a ship we're familiar with."

Ling Xiao's expression remained calm after hearing this.

But I couldn't help but curse in my heart: Nonsense, I'm not blind!

The wooden cabin door and the wider view from the deck confirmed Lingxiao's true identity as the Homecoming Ship.

An old-fashioned galleon, stranded not far from the shore.

Similar to the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Forgive Ling Xiao's limited knowledge; this is the closest description he could find from his memory.

The sail that had been used for sailing had fallen near the mast, and the hull was rocking back and forth as the waves pushed it.

The wooden structure squeezed and collided, producing sounds of varying sizes, like the painful groans of an old sailor in his sleep.

There seemed to be some other sound hidden inside.

Ocean waves?

Following his own train of thought, Ling Xiao looked out for the first time.

Then he saw the sea.

The bright moonlight seemed so normal, and the boundless dark green ocean rippled with shimmering light.

However, Lingxiao's spirituality alerted him the moment his gaze fell upon the sea.

This metaphysical reaction, which directly generates and acts upon the origin of the soul, is not affected by terms such as "Unwavering Will".

But it made him immediately believe and obey!

If I take a few more glances, maybe nothing bad will happen.

It's just that staring at unnecessary bad things is a sign of a problem with one's brain.

So Ling Xiao obediently took good care of his eyes in time.

"It seems you are also very spiritual. You really can't keep watching the Dark Sea forever."

Yinmeng is a handsome and slender boy, but he is able to become the leader of the other LV20s, which is naturally due to his unique qualities.

Seeing Ling Xiao looking over, he calmly said, "Don't blame me for not warning you beforehand, you acted too quickly."

"We've seen it before; it's just a little uncomfortable, but there haven't been any adverse reactions yet."

Ling Xiao nodded slightly, acknowledging the other party's statement.

However, he sent a message to the five-person group in the private chat on the panel.

"Avoid going to the sea unless absolutely necessary!"

They all replied that they had received the message.

The white man noticed that the main focus of the discussion had been subtly "taken over" by the three groups of Chinese people.

He raised his voice and said, "Owl! You've come at just the right time!"

"The basic information is not just about surviving for four hours; the reason for the crew members' disappearance also needs to be investigated."

"Since we all have teams, let's split up and try to find clues as soon as possible."

As he spoke, the man in white pointed to four specific directions.

"This is ours, this is hers, and that..."

"There are many places to explore on the Homecoming Ship. Besides the four locations we selected earlier, you can find other places to have a good time!"

"You can come back and discuss it after you've explored the designated area. Of course! We'll really appreciate it if you're willing to put in extra effort!"

The rule in horror movies that splitting up will inevitably lead to encountering ghosts, and that someone who gets separated will inevitably die, may not apply to explorers.

Because even when splitting up, the basic unit is a five-person team.

If the five-person team insists on splitting up, then if something happens, there's nothing anyone can do...

Ling Xiao and Yin Meng exchanged a glance.

After receiving a tacit nod, he agreed without objection.

The time on the watch is fixed as a timer.

The group agreed that no matter how much they explored, they would return to this deck to regroup half an hour, or more precisely, twenty-five minutes, after the mission began.

After successfully adding Yinmeng and others as friends.

Ling Xiao watched the other four teams leave, and then discussed the destination of his team with Qi Heng and the others.

First, let me emphasize this again.

He glanced at the group and said in a low voice, "Be careful of everything on the ship, but... be especially careful of the other four groups!"

"Including our compatriots!"

Special Mission – The Mystery of the Unsinkable Homecoming [The Realm of Mysteries]

[Note: Some say that life begins underwater. Thus, the Homecoming yearns to return to that primal embrace, yet is entangled in the world's affairs, destined only for eternal slumber in its daily ebb and flow. Unravel its deepest mysteries! And take away its ever-accumulating treasures! Of course, if you too grow weary, the Homecoming never hesitates to add another crew member…]

[Basic Requirements: Survive for four hours; Investigate the cause of the disappearance of the Homecoming crew (Note: Minimum level required to unlock: lv20; Maximum of four companions in a party; All five token holders must be lv20 to unlock)]

[Additional content: Survived for eight hours; investigated the truth behind the deaths of the captain, first mate, and bosun; investigated ???]

[Rewards: Special title [Trainee Investigator]; Spiritual Fruit [Excellent]*1; Tier 2 Job Change Scroll; Homecoming Ship Random Seal Item ???]

(End of this chapter)