reincarnation npc, but tomorrow's ark

"If you need anything in the future, please let me know in advance. I can go to Rhodes Island's pool for a soak..." Gladys said expressionlessly. Then she went over and started tidying up the room with Bai Ye.

She paused for a moment, her expression shifting slightly:

"You know, the soundproofing in dormitory bathrooms isn't actually that good."

Bai Ye then understood why Goredia's bath time was so precise, arriving just after their battle was over.

It turns out he could hear it from the bathroom; now he's a war correspondent. This was Bai Ye's own oversight…

But did she actually hear the whole thing? Bai Ye was somewhat impressed by Goredia; she could still maintain her poker face after the battle was over.

Bai Ye and Gretia had chatted before, and Bai Ye learned that this older sister had been asked by her birth mother to hide her emotions since she was a child, but she did not expect that she could do it to such an amazing degree.

Grandia, unaware of Bai Ye's thoughts, turned to glance at the two girls on the bed and calmly said:

"They have indeed been too lax. The deep-sea hunters who have come ashore are in such a wretched state."

If the Deepsea Hunter looks like this in the face of the impending battle, things might be a bit dangerous, at least that's how it seems to Goredia. Although it's not the first time she's seen this, Goredia seems unusually angry today.

"I need to give my team some serious training, and their captain needs to teach the orca a lesson..."

Goredia murmured to herself.

Bai Ye remained silent.

Although Goredia didn't outwardly express her emotions, anyone with a brain could see that the captain of the deep-sea hunters was angry. As for the reason for her anger, that remained a mystery.

Bai Ye obviously wouldn't step forward to stop them at this moment... and he felt that this plot was somewhat familiar, as if it had happened sometime before.

……

With Grandia's help, Bai Ye quickly tidied up the room, which mainly involved temporarily clearing out the broken and unusable furniture and putting it in his inventory. He then inspected the dormitory floor and walls, finding that apart from a few unavoidable dents, there was basically no damage. It was much better than simply breaking through the walls before.

Bai Ye breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that his control over his own power had improved to another level.

It seems to really work; it's probably not a joke...

After tidying up the room, Gladys sat down on her bed and scratched her neck.

"Has the situation worsened?" Bai Ye suddenly asked.

Goredia pursed her lips, glanced at the sleeping girls, and nodded gently.

Bai Ye frowned.

Chapter 110 Deterioration

(I've recently been trying to watch Ninja Slayer, and I'm amazed by how amazing this show is. I'm getting hooked. Maybe this is just another side of Magic Cheese...)

-------------------------------------------

Goredia unconsciously stroked her neck with her fingers.

There was an indescribable itching there. But what Goredia found even harder to accept was what this pain represented.

"Let me see." Bai Ye looked at Gretia.

Goredia shook her head. She seemed unwilling to let others see.

Bai Ye was a little confused. Hadn't they met before? Why was he suddenly unwilling now?

Standing up, Bai Ye walked towards Goredia.

Unlike her usual self, Goredia seemed to have lost her composure and began to back away.

"Let me check," Bai Ye said.

"No!" Goddess covered her collar, but Bai Ye continued to press closer until he finally cornered Goddess against the wall.

For once, Goredia showed a vulnerable side, shaking her head at Bai Ye and attempting to use her power to stop him.

"Shh... Titi and Shark are already asleep, you don't want to wake them up, do you?" Bai Ye whispered. "They don't know about the changes in you."

Skadi and Laurentina knew that, like them, the deep-sea hunters who had come ashore, Grandia had some problems caused by the change in environment, such as dehydration and certain signs of marine evolution.

However, they did not know that among the three deep-sea hunters, Greta had the most severe symptoms, and she was slowly changing.

"..." Bai Ye's words made Goredia stop struggling. She finally lowered her hands and acquiesced to Bai Ye's actions.

“Didn’t I see it before…” Bai Ye muttered, then reached out and untied the collar that Gretia habitually kept high.

He had initially thought he would be offended by the sight of the deep-sea hunter's fair skin, but the scene before him shocked Bai Ye, leaving him speechless.

What was revealed to Bai Ye was a large patch of dark scales, the kind that didn't look like they should appear on a human.

Bai Ye even saw the part at the very top that Gretia had been habitually scratching, and saw some of the scales that had been lifted up, as well as blood.

……

"Damn it, I should have noticed sooner..."

Bai Ye moved his hands away and muttered to himself.

It was clear that Goredia's condition had worsened. Perhaps due to the severe dehydration, the monstrous traits on her body were gradually increasing; at least, what used to be just a small patch of scales was now beginning to spread.

"When did it start?" Bai Ye couldn't help but ask.

Goredia turned her collar up again:

“It has never stopped since it was revealed at the beginning.”

Therefore, Goredia never bathed with the other deep-sea hunters, initially assuming that their captain wanted to enjoy this time alone. Now it seems that it was to conceal the changes in her body.

"Actually, I've changed quite a bit. Originally, I wouldn't have cared about this kind of thing. Maybe I would feel resentment, dissatisfaction, or even disgust towards myself, but I would never be afraid. I would complete my mission before becoming a monster, and then end my own life."

"Greteia lowered her head and spoke softly."

After a pause, she continued:

"But now, I'm actually scared... The time I've spent living with you is something I've never experienced before, and that feeling makes me afraid of losing you."

This feeling is called love.

Grandia is a person who lacks love. She has never experienced what is called family and friendship since childhood, and her life is cold and lifeless. Choosing to rebel and join the Deep Sea Hunter Project is only for the sake of gaining sisters and comrades-in-arms who are connected by blood.

Therefore, the more you gain, the more you fear losing it.

"So, I'm afraid of how I am now."

"It seems we can't delay any longer; we need to return to the deep sea as soon as possible." Bai Ye pursed his lips. Originally, he wasn't in a hurry and just wanted to proceed step by step. But now it seems he needs to resolve the problem with Goredia as soon as possible.

He paused, then suddenly spoke again:

"Actually... there is another way."

Why do Skadi and Laurentina never seem to exhibit the tendency to become like the Sea Queen...?

The principle is actually quite simple.

It's just that it's difficult to talk about, or rather, this kind of close contact is only suitable for people in a specific relationship.

As expected, after Bai Ye finished speaking, the expression on Goredia's face became slightly more lively.

"Ahem, never mind." Bai Ye scratched his head, ending the slightly awkward topic.

Goredia breathed a sigh of relief for no apparent reason.

However, a question she had never considered before suddenly popped into her mind:

—If you were about to become a monster, would you ask them to understand your life and die as a human, not a monster, or... choose the White Night's method?

Would Bai Ye agree?

Originally, Goredia would have chosen the former without hesitation, and she would have chosen to do it herself, after all, she had her own dignity.

However, now, Gretia was hesitant, and she was surprised by her own change. When exactly did it begin...?

Strangely enough, although the transformation of her body into a sea creature was intensifying, Goredia was no longer so anxious or afraid.

……

On the contrary, Bai Ye began to get anxious. He even went deep into his own consciousness to find out what was going on with the newborn Isamara.

Unfortunately, the vast amount of knowledge available does not contain a solution to this problem.

Or, to put it another way, for the multitude, Goredia should abandon her identity as a human and accept the fact that she has become a Sea Child.

A large group will certainly not refuse someone who calls themselves a compatriot and becomes a part of the group.

Therefore, the knowledge in Bai Ye's mind was of no use.

"Does this mean we have no choice but to return to the deep sea to search?" Bai Ye sighed, his previously lighthearted mood turning heavy.

……

So, the next morning, Kal'tsit saw White Night adjusting her aircraft on the deck of Rhodes Island.

The massive "Cyclops" also suffered some damage during the natural disaster and needed to be repaired in time. At the same time, Bai Ye was also quite concerned about the large light at the very front of the ship.

It's said to be a valuable item salvaged from Rhodes Island's warehouse, specifically designed for venturing into the deep sea. If the large ship Kal'tsit mentioned hasn't materialized, then an aircraft should be a viable alternative.

Chapter 111 No Mercy

Many Rhodes Island operators were already on the deck early in the morning.

Although they weren't protagonists of any era, or even supporting characters, and Bai Ye barely knew their names, these seemingly insignificant figures were the backbone of Rhodes Island's main fleet, the so-called "cornerstones."

Among them were many young, newly recruited operators, who were undergoing their routine daily training under the guidance of Instructor Dobermann.

There were also some ground crew members who were slightly dissatisfied with Bai Ye, but helpless. Yes, what kind person would park such a large aircraft on Rhodes Island's deck... It took up a huge space, forcing trailers and other things that could normally pass through the deck to go around it.

However, Bai Ye had no other choice but to express his apologies. After all, Rhodes Island's hangar was too small and could only accommodate "small" aircraft like the "Bad Guy". Bai Ye's large toys couldn't be squeezed in.

"I'll move this thing away as soon as possible and head to Iberia quickly," Bai Ye explained when he met Kal'tsit.

"Actually, it's okay. I'll coordinate with the logistics department... By the way, your relationship with their supervisor isn't bad, is it?" Kal'tsit seemed a little puzzled by Bai Ye's change in attitude.

"The relationship between the business department and the general affairs department is just so-so... It's not bad, but there are definitely some conflicts, since we always expect them to meet all sorts of our ideas. But their abilities are indeed limited, so there are sometimes conflicts." Bai Ye recalled some things from his past as the head of the field operations department.

Fortunately, they are not enemies. Even if they have a disagreement, they can resolve it by having a drink together in the evening.

"You really do seem to have matured a lot. If you were to continue as manager now, you would be far more qualified than when you first came here," Kal'tsit remarked.

Bai Ye shook his head:

“I’m not suited for this position. It will always hold me back. I’m very goal-oriented, and I’ve essentially taken advantage of you.”

“But you’ve also brought a lot of changes to Rhodes Island. In Colombian terms, it’s probably a win-win situation,” Kal’tsit said in a standard Colombian accent. That accent would probably sound pretty bad to a Victorian.

"So, didn't you say yesterday that there was no rush?" Kal'tsit was genuinely puzzled. Bai Ye was indeed behaving strangely today, even more anxious than she was, as if she couldn't wait to rush into the deep sea.

“I’m a little worried because of Gretia’s poor condition,” Bai Ye answered truthfully, gently tapping the engine cover of the aircraft. “The questions about the Deep Sea Hunters can only be answered in the deep sea. We must go deeper. The Agorians cannot answer the questions. We must enter the area where the Sealings live and find the origin of this species.”

Kal'tsit suddenly realized that this explained everything. Based on her understanding of the young man before her, she knew very well that he cherished the people around him. No wonder he was so anxious now.

But, I don't know when it started, Bai Ye actually got along so well with that cold-blooded deep-sea hunter? That guy isn't as simple-minded as Skadi, it's not easy to get along with her.

Kal'tsit could only attribute it to White Night's gradually improving social skills; at least he wasn't as socially awkward or as infuriating as he had been at the beginning.

……

Bai Ye was unaware of Kal'tsit's thoughts. Looking at the "Cyclops" spaceship before him, he suddenly asked:

"Can't we just pilot the aircraft into the deep sea... Once we get there, we can jump down and dive. Anyway, this aircraft has an autopilot function and can wait for us to return."

"The Cyclops's massive size is designed to carry more fuel, so its range should not be a problem. The last resupply from the coastline should be enough."

Bai Ye truly wanted to go directly into the deep sea without wasting a moment.

However, Kal'tsit shook her head:

"Don't rush. You possess a wealth of knowledge, and we should all be more familiar with the current situation in the deep sea. Without guidance, no one dares to venture out to sea directly."

The Great Tranquility was a catastrophe that occurred decades ago. Its manifestation was similar to a massive EMP attack, which directly destroyed all equipment in Iberia that relied on Agorian technology.

All the lighthouses that were originally used to guide the way went out, and the ships lost their way and became lost in the depths of the sea.

“If you could find a water vein meter that could monitor the real-time direction of ocean currents, you could probably go directly into the ocean. But there’s no need for that, since you’re connected to the swarm, entering the ocean would be like a fish in water for you.” Kal’tsit frowned, feeling that White Night’s situation was rather special.

“The Sea Instinct will still hinder me. Like other deep-sea hunters, I cannot cross the Sea Instinct’s blockade of the ocean without using force. Therefore, I cannot enter the sea directly, otherwise I will be dragged to exhaustion by the Sea Instinct sooner or later. If I fly directly there, I will lose my way above the surface.” Bai Ye also said helplessly.

Although he possesses the power of the atmosphere, Bai Ye cannot conquer the sea. Perhaps it would have been better if his power had been changed to water. However, even Luna cannot control this, so being picky is definitely not going to work.

"Let's just proceed step by step according to the plan; it won't take too long," Kal'tsit advised.