Locke: I rely on intelligence to dominate the world and ensure the survival of my nation.

The stone door slowly closed behind us, and the darkness of the third level of the deep-sea ruins swallowed the last glimmer of blue light.

Lin Chen stood in the darkness and opened the system interface. His intelligence points were running low after several uses, but he had to exchange them for the information on the Water Element Badge.

Purple-quality intelligence, consumes 10 intelligence points.

This was the most expensive intelligence he had ever exchanged, but the content of the intelligence was absolutely worth the price.

"Ding! Exchange successful. Purple Intelligence: Water-type Badge Complete Walkthrough"

A flood of information rushed into Lin Chen's field of vision.

The guardian's name is Lele.

Not a wild pet, but the guardian of this deep-sea relic, possessing independent will and combat intelligence.

Its core pet is a level 30 water spirit, but unlike ordinary water spirits, Lele's water spirit has the passive ability of [Rainy Weather].

Once rain is triggered, the power of all Water-type moves increases by 50%, the power of Fire-type moves decreases by 50%, and the healing effect of Grass-type moves is halved.

Fighting Lele in the rain is tantamount to suicide.

The intelligence provided three key pieces of information.

First, Lele's core weaknesses are Electric-type moves and Grass-type control.

Electric-type skills are not weakened in rainy weather; on the contrary, they have an additional damage bonus because water can conduct electricity.

Grass-type control skills—especially Sleep Powder—can effectively disrupt Lele's skill casting rhythm.

Secondly, [Sunlight Blaze] can counteract rainy weather.

Solar Beam is a powerful Grass-type move that requires one turn to charge before it can be used. However, once successfully used, it creates a brief sunny day effect on the field, directly dispelling rain.

Third, and most importantly, there is a hidden side quest that allows you to skip previous levels and directly face Lele.

The side mission is called "Deep Sea Rescue".

Intelligence indicates that a small aquatic pet is trapped in a crevice in the reef on the southeast side of the third level of the Deep Sea Ruins. If you can rescue it within the time limit, you will gain Lele's trust, skipping the original three-stage preliminary challenge and directly entering the Guardian's room.

Lin Chen closed the intelligence interface and turned to look at Wang Hao and Su Muxue.

"Found it. The shortcut to clearing the level with the Water Badge."

"Start with a rescue mission in the southeast direction."

Without a word, Wang Hao followed. Su Muxue carried Shui Ling, her steps light as if she were walking on clouds.

The three groped around in the dark for about twenty minutes until a faint ray of light appeared ahead.

It was a narrow crevice in the reef, only wide enough for one person to pass sideways. Deep within the crevice, a faint blue light flickered on and off, like some kind of distress signal.

Lin Chen squeezed into the crevice sideways and crawled forward using both hands and feet.

The crevice grew narrower, and the sharp edges of the rock face scraped against his jacket, making a harsh screech. After climbing for about ten meters, the crevice suddenly opened up—a small pool of water, no bigger than a palm, appeared at the end of the crevice.

In the pond, a small pink pet is struggling desperately.

Its body was pinned down by a fallen rock, with only its two front paws flailing about on the water. Fear filled its two bright black eyes, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of its mouth.

"It's Pink Star." Su Muxue peeked out from behind Lin Chen, her voice suddenly tightening. "A rare water-type pet, its evolved form is Star Soda. It's been trapped here for at least two days."

Lin Chen squatted down and reached out to feel the weight of the rock.

It's very heavy. At least 200 pounds.

"Sonic Hound, Flame Assault, carefully control your power."

The Sonic Hound leaped out of the badge, its four paws treading on flames, and gently nudged the bottom of the reef with its head. Lin Chen gave it a look, and the Sonic Hound slowly exerted its strength, keeping the temperature of the flames to a minimum, using only physical force to lift the reef little by little.

Wang Hao and Su Muxue stepped forward at the same time, one on each side, to help push.

The reef moved.

One centimeter. Two centimeters. Five centimeters.

Pink Star pulled its hindquarters out from under the rocks, let out a weak cry, and lay limp in the pool, panting heavily.

Lin Chen took out a bottle of basic HP potion from his backpack and carefully fed it to Pink Star.

Pink Star licked its wounds twice, and they began to heal slowly. It raised its head, looked at Lin Chen with its bright black eyes, and then gently rubbed its fingers against his.

"Ding! Hidden side quest [Deep Sea Rescue] completed. Reward: Lele's keepsake x1. Unlocked access: Direct access to the Guardian's room."

Lin Chen put the token away and stood up.

"Let's go see Lele."

The Guardian's Room is located at the deepest part of the Deep Sea Ruins.

It was a huge coral door, its surface engraved with intricate water magic patterns. Lin Chen placed Lele's keepsake in the center of the door, and the coral door slowly opened with a muffled rumble.

The space behind the door was surprisingly large.

The dome was so high that its top was invisible, and the four walls were covered with glowing coral, illuminating the entire room as if it were daytime. In the very center of the room was a huge circular pool, the water of which was so clear that you could see the white sand and colorful seashells covering the bottom.

In the center of the pool, a water sprite floats quietly on the surface.

It was a size larger than Su Muxue's Water Spirit, and its scales were a deep azure blue, each one shimmering with a watery luster.

The single horn on its head is longer and sharper than that of ordinary water spirits, with a faint golden glow at its tip.

Lele.

Guardians of deep-sea relics.

Lele opened its eyes and looked at Lin Chen. Its gaze wasn't the empty hostility of a wild monster, but rather carried a sense of scrutiny and wisdom.

It saw the token in Lin Chen's hand.

"You saved Pink Planet." Lele's voice rang directly in Lin Chen's mind, not in words, but in some kind of spiritual resonance. "I can give you a chance to challenge me. But you only have one chance."

"Defeat me, and the Water Badge is yours."

"You have failed. You and your teammates will be teleported out of the Deep Sea Ruins and will never be able to challenge the Water Badge again."

Lin Chen nodded.

"Let's begin."

Lele floated to the surface of the water, its tail gently slapping the water's surface, causing the entire pool to swirl. A column of water rose from the pool, supporting Lele's body, looking down at Lin Chen from above.

The battle begins.

Su Muxue was the first to act: "Grand Seeds, Hypnotic Powder!"

The golden powder drifted towards Lele, but Lele was much faster than expected. With a flick of its tail, a curtain of water rose from the pool, blocking all the hypnotic powder.

"Rainy weather," Lele's voice rang out.

The water in the pool began to evaporate, turning into thick steam that filled the entire room. Water droplets began to fall from the dome, like a localized drizzle in the room.

Rainy weather triggered this.

All water-based skills are increased in power by 50%.

"Water Spirit, Water Strike." Lele's command was concise yet deadly.

Lele's water spirit leaped from the water column, its entire body enveloped in blue light, and crashed into Su Muxue's water spirit. The water attack, amplified by the rain, had exceeded one hundred in power.

If hit, Su Muxue's water spirit will lose at least half of its health.

"Wang Hao, Magic Cat, Solar Flare!"

Lin Chen's voice boomed through the rain.

Wang Hao's reaction was a beat slow, but the Magic Cat's reaction was faster. A dazzling emerald green ball of light condensed above the Magic Cat's head, growing larger and brighter, like a small sun rising above the Magic Cat's head.

The sun was blazing.

Gathering strength.

In rainy weather, the charging time of Sunfire is extended, but Magic Cat's level is high enough that it only takes less than two seconds to charge.

The sphere of light transformed into a thick beam of light, shooting towards the dome.

The beam of light pierced through the water vapor and the rain curtain, exploding in the very center of the room.

The emerald green light spread outwards, causing water vapor to evaporate, raindrops to disappear, and the humidity in the air to drop sharply.

The rainy weather was dispelled.

A hint of surprise flashed in Lele's eyes.

Su Muxue seized the opportunity: "Water Spirit, Water Strike, Frontal Attack!"

Shui Ling burst out from the side, her whole body enveloped in blue light, and slammed a water strike hard into Lele's Shui Ling.

Without the added benefit of rainy weather, the power of the water attack returned to normal levels, but Su Muxue's water spirit level had caught up, and this attack took away nearly a quarter of Lele's water spirit's health.

"Sonic Hound, bite! Block the left side!"

"Gran Seeds, Paralysis Powder, Block the Right Side."

"Magic Cat, Flying Leaf Blade, frontal suppression."

Lin Chen fired off one instruction after another, speaking at a speed like a machine gun, but each instruction precisely targeted the weak points in Lele's defenses.

Sonic Hound's frenzied bite blocked the dodging space on the left, Gran Seed's paralyzing powder blocked the movement route on the right, and Magic Cat's flying leaf blades suppressed from the front, forcing Lele's Water Spirit to retreat.

The retreat ended with Su Muxue's second water attack.

The blue light shone again.

hit.

Lele's water spirit was knocked away, crashed into the coral wall, slid down, and lay on the edge of the pool, unable to fight.

The battle is over.

From start to finish, it took less than two minutes.

Lele landed on the water and stood in front of Lin Chen. Its eyes no longer held scrutiny, but rather something akin to approval.

"You're very strong." Lele's voice echoed in Lin Chen's mind. "Not just your pet. It's your judgment, your tactics, and your precise grasp of the abilities of each of your teammates."

"The Water-type Badge is yours."

Lele's body began to glow. Blue light surged from its body, condensing into a small blue badge on its chest. The badge was shaped like a water droplet, its surface shimmering with a water-like luster.

Lin Chen reached out and took the badge.

A system notification sounded: "Gained 1 Water-type Badge. Unlocked entry to the William Castle Purification Battle. Current badge count: 2 (Grass-type, Water-type)."

At the same time, a global announcement rang out, not the private notification sound in Lin Chen's mind, but a cold and mechanical global announcement that exploded directly in the minds of 7.3 billion people on Earth.

"Announcement: Jason, the Lord of the Beautiful Country, has become the first person in the world to clear the Water System Badge. The Beautiful Country's national fortune index has increased by 10 points."

"Announcement: Lord Kenichi Sato of the Sakura Kingdom has become the second person in the world to clear the Water System Badge. The Sakura Kingdom's national fortune index has increased by 5 points."

Lin Chen tightened his grip on the water-element badge slightly.

Number one in the world, the beautiful country.

Second in the world, the land of cherry blossoms.

He had only just received the badge.

The name of China was not mentioned in the announcement.

Wang Hao's face was grim: "Brother Chen, we..."

"I know." Lin Chen put away the water-type badge, turned around and looked towards the exit of the room. "We're too slow."

He didn't explain why things were slow. Zhao Tianyu's blockade, the media storm, the counter-encirclement battle—these things had consumed too much of their time. In the global race against time, time is everything.

But Lin Chen's expression remained calm.

Because he knew that the Water Badge was only the third one.

There are also Fire, Rock, Ice, and Dragon badges.

The race is far from over.

He opened the system interface, and his intelligence points balance had reached zero.

But the daily refresh still takes a few hours.

New intelligence, new opportunities.

Lin Chen closed the interface and stepped out of the Guardian's room.

Behind me, Lele's voice rang out for the last time.

"Lin Chen, William's Castle is not an ordinary instance."

"The enemy there is not a pet."

"What is it?"

Lele did not answer.

The coral door slowly closed behind him, locking all the answers within that deep blue light.