I created a foundation

A steel forest that towers into the sky, a huge nest called "City".

In those nests live billions of bipedal creatures called "humans."

They built tools, harnessed fire, and were even able to create giant iron birds that could fly and giant iron beasts that stalked the seas.

They claim to be the masters of this planet.

The Deep Sea King's crimson eyes slowly opened, flashing with a strange light that was a mixture of curiosity, greed, and a hint of... contempt.

"So... above the sea, there is such a vast land..."

There was a hint of barely perceptible excitement in its deep voice.

"And... so much... food..."

In the Deep Sea King's cognition, these fragile bipedal creatures are no different in essence from the lower fish and shrimp in its kingdom. They are just part of the food chain.

And now, it has discovered a new and more fertile "pasture".

A crazy and bold idea quickly took shape and expanded in its mind.

It wants to conquer this land.

It wants to turn these creatures who call themselves "masters" into its slaves and food.

It wants to bring the horror of the deep sea to this world under the sun.

The Deep Sea King lowered his head, looking at the cold corpses at his feet, and a cruel and ferocious grin appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Before launching a full-scale invasion..."

Its voice, like the devil's whisper, echoed along the silent shore.

"Let me first use these... relatively fresh materials of yours to create the first batch of people belonging to the deep sea."

Before he could finish his words, the Deep Sea King suddenly opened its huge mouth full of sharp teeth.

Several fist-sized, egg-sac-like mucus balls that shone with a faint green light were spat out from the depths of its throat.

These slime balls emit a strong fishy smell, and their surface is still wriggling slightly, as if they have life.

They landed precisely on the bodies of the fishermen and quickly, like living creatures, began to drill into the orifices and wounds of the bodies.

"Zizi-"

A tooth-piercing sound of corrosion was heard.

The moment the fishermen's bodies came into contact with the slime balls, they began to undergo horrific changes at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The skin quickly turned pale and swollen, and then began to grow fine, shimmering scales.

The fingers and toes began to fuse and elongate, becoming structures resembling webbed claws.

The facial muscles were distorted, the eyes bulged, and the mouth was split open, revealing new, sharp teeth.

The bones made a creepy "crackling" sound of breaking and reassembling.

The original human form is being replaced by a more primitive and brutal form.

The whole process was bloody and weird, full of a sense of desecration of the sanctity of life.

But in just a few minutes, the bodies of the fishermen had completely disappeared.

Instead, there were several humanoid fish monsters that were nearly two meters tall, covered with slippery scales, had fish heads and sharp claws.

A dark green, murderous light flickered in their hollow eye sockets, and low, inhuman roars emanated from their throats.

The Deep Sea King admired his first creation, his scarlet tongue licking across its sharp teeth.

Chapter 53 Holiday at the Yukinoshita Family

Izu, an elegant hot spring hotel, in the top suite.

The air was filled with a mixture of expensive incense and a faint scent of sulfur. Outside the window was a carefully manicured Japanese garden. The drizzle was like silk, wetting the lush green pine needles and blue-gray stone lanterns, adding a touch of tranquility and depth.

Yukinoshita Yukino sat upright beside a pear wood low table as smooth as a mirror, holding a thick hardcover book in her hand. The pages were slightly yellowed, and the text on it was the philosophical work "The World as Will and Representation" in the original German.

Her expression was as calm as ever, with her long eyelashes drooping, as if all the noise and chaos in the outside world were isolated from her. Only the speculative world in the book could give her a moment of peace.

Not far away, her father, Congressman Yukinoshita, was discussing an important business banquet next month with her mother. The topic revolved around the list of guests to be invited, the specifications of the banquet, and how to further expand the family's influence in both the political and business circles through this banquet.

Those words were like background noise, vague and distant. Yukino had long been accustomed to not listening carefully, nor to distinguishing how much sincerity there was in them, and how much was a carefully calculated exchange of interests.

In the corner of the suite, a large LCD TV screen hung on the wall, silently lit up, playing the local TV station's midday news. The volume was turned down because of my parents' conversation.

"...According to our latest news, several tourists have gone missing in recent days along the Izu coast. According to incomplete statistics, most of the missing individuals were tourists traveling alone or at night to remote coasts. Police have intervened in the investigation and are reminding the public and tourists to avoid visiting remote coastal areas as much as possible in the near future and to pay attention to their own safety...18"

The female anchor's voice came through in a deliberately low volume, flat and formulaic, as if she was reporting a distant disaster that had nothing to do with her, rather than a potential danger that was close at hand.

This piece of news, which should have aroused vigilance, was quickly overshadowed by the next piece of entertainment gossip about a popular idol's new relationship. The images on the screen switched rapidly, in a colorful, noisy and impetuous manner.

Yukino's gaze slightly lifted from the page of the book for a moment, her clear eyes lingered briefly on the screen, and then fell back on the densely packed German text.

Her brows furrowed slightly, just like a tiny stone thrown into a calm lake, causing a faint ripple, which quickly returned to normal.

Tourists missing on remote coast.

For some reason, these words left a faint, indescribable mark in her heart, but it was soon reoccupied by Schopenhauer's pessimistic and profound philosophical thinking.

She continued to immerse herself in philosophers' analysis of the will to live, trying to seek relief and some form of resonance from their rigorous logic and profound insights.

The sound of footsteps approached softly, accompanied by the slight sound of fabric rubbing against each other.

Yukinoshita Haruno held a cup of rich, steaming black tea and walked towards Yukino with graceful manners.

Today, she wore a light purple kimono for a visit. The delicate patterns faintly appeared on the silk fabric, making her already fair skin even more radiant and smooth like jade. Her face wore her usual flawless, gentle smile, but to Yukino, that smile always carried an inexplicable sense of distance, as if separated by a layer of carefully polished glass.

"Yukino-chan, are you still reading such a difficult book?"

Yang Nai's voice was soft and pleasant, like the breeze blowing through the wind chimes on a spring day, with just the right amount of concern.

She gently placed the bone china teacup with delicate floral and bird patterns on the low table next to Yukino. The sound made when the bottom of the cup touched the table was minimal. Every movement was so graceful as if it had been rehearsed thousands of times, and it was impeccable and perfect.

Yukino didn't raise her head, or even move her eyelids. She just hummed softly through her nose, her gaze still glued to the powerful words on the pages.

She had long been accustomed to her sister's seemingly intimate but actually scrutinizing interruptions, and had learned how to respond in the simplest and least emotionally revealing way.

Haruno didn't seem to mind her indifference, or perhaps she was already accustomed to her sister's aloof attitude. She lifted the hem of her kimono and gracefully sat down on the luxurious cushion across from Yukino. Her eyes casually swept across the gossip on the TV screen, then gently and playfully returned to Yukino's profile, which was still focused on her book.

"Did you hear what was just said on the news, Yukino-chan?"

There was a hint of teasing in her tone, and her beautiful eyes, which were always smiling, were shining with an elusive and complex light.

"It seems like things are getting a bit uneasy here in Izu lately."

Yukino turned a page of the book, and the high-quality paper made a slight and crisp friction sound, which was particularly clear in this overly quiet suite.

"Reminding tourists to be safe is a normal public service announcement."

She responded calmly, her voice as clear and cold as the collision of jade, without the slightest ups and downs.

"Yes, it's normal."

Yang Nai tilted her head slightly, and the curve of her lips deepened a little. Her smile was still sweet, but the sting in her words was even clearer and more discernible.

"So, our lovely Yukino-chan, please don't wander around alone. If, and I'm just saying if, you get kidnapped by some strange person, Mommy will be very, very sad."

She deliberately emphasized the words "strange people" and "very, very", dragging out the ending sound a little, with a unique, chilling tone.

The word "strange person", when spoken by Yang No, always carries a different, uncomfortable meaning, as if silently implying something, or as if it is just a slightly exaggerated joke from an older sister who is overly worried about her younger sister.

The air in the room quietly stagnated because of these seemingly casual words, as if even the flowing wind had stopped.

Not far away, the conversation between my father and mother seemed to pause abruptly. Although they still didn't look in their direction, or even change their posture, the invisible pressure emanating from the pinnacle of family power spread like a tide, making this already luxurious suite even more dreary.

Yukino's slender fingers gripping the book pages unconsciously tightened slightly, and her fingertips turned white due to the force.

She could clearly feel the familiar, unpleasant sense of control in her sister's words, the condescending attitude that always treated her as an ignorant child who needed constant guidance and "protection."

This made her feel inexplicably irritated and indescribably suffocated.

She took a breath slowly and exhaled slowly, trying to calm the negative emotions that were surging uncontrollably in her heart.

She knew her sister too well. Any direct rebuttal or heated argument would only make her sister more "excited," prolonging this invisible and exhausting struggle endlessly until she completely admitted defeat or fell silent.

Silence is her only and most powerless weapon at this moment, a form of passive resistance.

"I understand, onee-sama."

Yukino finally closed the thick philosophical tome and placed it gently, yet with a touch of resoluteness, on the low table. Her voice remained as clear and cold as ever, lacking any hint of emotion. However, beneath that carefully maintained calm, a turbulent undercurrent swirled.

She didn't want to stay in this depressing space for even a minute.

Every conversation with her sister was like a war without gunpowder, which greatly consumed her mind.

She rose from her cushions, her movements smooth and firm.

"I'm going for a walk."

The decision came out almost instantly, with an urgency to escape from this place.

Yang No looked at her, the smile on her face still perfect and impeccable.

"Oh, Yukino-chan has really grown up. She now knows to go out and relax and calm down."

Her words were light and languid, making it hard to tell whether they were sincere praise or just another round of subtle sarcasm.

"Alright."

Yang Nai elegantly picked up the cup of black tea in front of her, gently wiped off the foam with the cup lid, and took a shallow sip. Her movements were still as elegant as before, as if the 963th conversation with hidden meanings had never happened.

"Go ahead. But be sure to come back before dinner. Mom will be worried."

This seemingly considerate advice sounded to Yukino like an invisible shackle that she had long been accustomed to, reminding her all the time that no matter where she went or how much she longed for independence, she could never escape the heavy and complex bondage called "family."

Yukino didn't answer, nor did she look at anyone else in the room.

She just turned around silently, walked towards the heavy door of the suite leading to the outside world.

At the entrance, she methodically changed into flat shoes for easy walking, the whole process being quiet and quick. Then, she reached out and pushed open the door without hesitation.

The corridor outside the door was covered with soft carpet, the lighting was soft, and the air seemed fresher and freer than in the room.

She took a deep breath, as if to expel all the depression accumulated in her chest.