Witch, I'm really not an ancient god of the deep sea!

Chapter 262 An: I'm so sorry
boom!
In that instant, Chen Qi felt his consciousness blur, as if time had frozen around him, and everything around him lost its sound, leaving only the whistling sound of the spiritual energy fist wind in his ears.

In his eyes, all that remained was that pair of cold, azure eyes, like those of a hunter looking down from above on the ship, beneath the blood-stained white hair.

boom!
boom!
At dawn, rising from the sea, it is like a small stone skipping across the water, creating ten consecutive towering waves on the dark gray surface.

Although it was hit on the sea surface, each impact felt like hitting solid concrete, causing a pain akin to having one's bones shattered.

It looks so painful... Melanie smacked her lips, memories flooding back like a tide.

Ann is her junior at the White Tower Academy in the White Tower Federation. Although Ann is usually serious and polite, she is a ruthless madwoman when she fights.

During the college competition, she, as a senior student, was mercilessly struck in the chest by the same move.

Melanie, who had the potential to reach the quarterfinals, suffered a humiliating defeat in the preliminary rounds.

Moreover, unlike typical battle maniacs, Ann is more like a cold, ruthless fighting machine that executes orders during combat.

Melanie felt a sharp pain in her chest, frowned, and murmured:

"That An, she's stronger than before. It seems like it's not impossible for her to advance to Legendary, then become a Edge Hunter, or even become someone above Saint..."

The bespectacled hunter, Errol, adjusted his glasses:

"Is this guy really a mage? Fortunately, that sudden punch was enough to make the Serpent Father..."

“Snake Father…”

and many more!

At this moment, everyone discovered the blind spot!

The person who was smashed into stones at sea did not appear to be the Snake Father, but rather the Lamplighter, the person they were trying to rescue!

The soldiers being attacked were friendly forces! They were prisoners of war!
And, most importantly—

Despite the lack of defense, the opponent did not fall.

call!
Walking on the sea—

Chen Qi gasped for breath, then suddenly vomited a mixture of blood and seawater. He struggled to his feet and emerged from the seabed.

During the battle with the Serpent Father, he took a hit from the Cup of Destruction, leaving him in extremely poor physical condition.

My internal organs are burning, but the burning sensation is gradually disappearing, and the pain is fading away.

"Cough cough cough-"

Chen Qi coughed up blood repeatedly, struggling to operate 'Sea Walking', and looked up at the end of his vision, where the cold fighting machine was safely on the Snake Father.

At the edge of his vision, Ann's blood-stained white short hair fluttered gently in the wind, as if he were in a machine testing his life or death.

Chen Qi vaguely remembered the first time he met An. At that time, he was just an ordinary person with talent, while An was as terrifying as a huge white tiger in front of him.

But now, after so long, seeing each other again, this feeling of weakness has only lessened a little.

An remained like an unreachable white tiger, looking down upon him.

"install……"

Chen Qi gritted his teeth, bleeding, and took a step forward. However, the bone-piercing pain returned, making his consciousness even more blurred.

Vague--

Snapped!
With a thud, Chen Qi fell into the sea. He vaguely sensed two round, plump water sprites rushing past him through the current.

On the hole in the Serpent Father's ship, Ann, dressed in a navy-style white hunter's uniform, blinked, his ears constantly echoing Chen Qi's last words to him:
"install……"

Why? How did the other person know her name?
An blinked, a fleeting look of confusion crossing her cold eyes as she gradually detached herself from the state of mind she had been in during the battle.

The person just now, could it be—

An's expression froze for a moment, and her hands trembled slightly.

She was a talented student who went astray and chose to become a chef.
She went to sea for two reasons: first, to hone herself, and second, to find enlightenment.

However, the once-popular Water Sprite Restaurant suddenly disappeared on the sea.

On the Witch's Sea, disappearance often means annihilation.

Along the way, Ann passed through Moonstone City, crossed the Rift Sea, arrived at Black Mine City, inquired at the Hunter's Guild, and then went to the Seal III Mobile Dock near the Sea of ​​Calamity to inquire with the medicine-selling apothecary—

She walked along, asking for information about the Water Sprite Restaurant, but each time she asked, she received no answer.

An Wanwan never expected that the third-tier transcendent being she had just attacked was actually Chen Qi.

Then, when we met again, I almost killed him... Anton felt a sharp pain in his heart.

We met again! And she had made such a serious mistake!

As expected, Chen Qi had just advanced to the third tier of transcendent, and her sudden punch had most likely crippled him, or even killed him permanently.

"No!"

Ann's pupils dilated sharply. She immediately leaped off the Serpent Father, then jumped into the sea, freezing the surface, and ran towards where Chen Qi had fallen into the water—

……

……

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Chen Qi gasped for breath. He had a nightmare in which he was defeated by a deep-sea hunter on a stormy, gray sea. In the end, the deep-sea hunter's face gradually transformed into the likeness of An—

A crushing defeat, a utter and utter defeat.

"install……"

"Chen Qi said, then slowly opened his blood-stained eyes."

The moment he opened his eyes, through his blurry vision, he saw six people dressed in white.

One of them was holding a scalpel.

They said:

"you're awake?"

"I must still be dreaming..."

The weak Chen Qi closed his eyes again until something soft gently pressed on his chest.

A mournful cry rang out again:

"Waaaaah (Master! Don't die! How can I live without you!)"

Forced to open his blurry eyes again, Chen Qi was greeted by a soft yet slightly glaring light, like the gentle warmth of dawn breaking through the darkness.

He was on an operating table, surrounded by pristine white walls and ceiling.

The six figures around him were the five hunters of the White Tower Hunters, and his novice mentor, Anne.

And, on his chest, the water sprite number one, and number three, crying their eyes out.

"pain--"

Chen Qi looked at the two water sprites bouncing around on his chest.

Don't move the patient... An reached out and picked up Water Sprite No. 1 and No. 3.

Then, An gently placed her hands on Chen Qi's chest and used a healing spell:
"Don't move, take a deep breath, stay calm, relax—"

An's voice trembled slightly, extremely flustered, a stark contrast to her previous calm and composed tone.

An gently pressed down.

On Yu Chenqi's chest, green ripples slowly expanded, and then a warm feeling spread throughout his body.

Melanie twirled the scalpel in her hand and said with a smile:

"My junior, don't worry, you didn't kill him. I checked him, and this guy has an extremely strong physique. Among third-tier lamp-stage extraordinary beings, he is considered one of the best!"

This guy still has a lot of health left! Melanie even felt that Chen Qi could withstand five or even ten more punches. The reason he fainted was partly due to his own exhaustion, and partly because Chen Qi was certain that the battle was over.

Upon hearing this, An removed her hands from Chenqi's abdomen.

"Right, little brother! Are you alright?"

Melanie punched Chenqi in the stomach with her little fist.

"Cough cough..."

pain!
This guy… Chen Qi couldn’t help but sit up from the operating table, look down at his abdomen wrapped in bandages.

His abdomen was wrapped with a healing bandage specifically designed for White Tower hunters.

and many more……

Chen Qi suddenly realized.

Where did my clothes go? Why is my upper body exposed?
Chen Qi blinked, then was startled to find that his hunter's coat and shirt had been pulled off, and some unidentified green liquid remained at the corner of his mouth.

Fortunately, his pants were still intact, and the most important backpack card was also in his pants pocket.

"call……"

After a moment of careful recollection, Chen Qi's memory gradually became clearer.

After he was knocked unconscious by that punch, he seemed to have passed out, and then the water spirit found him...

Finally, Ann ran over, hugged him tightly, and carried him back to the White Tower's infirmary in a princess carry.

What a disgrace... Chen Qi shook his head as he recalled this scene.

Ann's appearance in this battle was completely beyond his expectations.

The subsequent attacks plunged him into even greater peril, leaving him no time to react. If it weren't for An's attack, this battle could have been described as a life-or-death struggle.

"What happened next? Did nothing else go wrong?"

Chen Qi asked curiously.

Melanie explained:

"The Serpent Father was defeated by you, and the other two Tier 3s were defeated by us. Taking over the Serpent Father will be a piece of cake!"

At this point, Melanie paused for a moment. The fact that the old monster, Snake Father, had actually been defeated by Chen Qi was completely beyond her expectations!
Did the Snake Father neglect his physical health?
In Melanie's eyes, Chen Qi had become even more mysterious and powerful.

At this moment, the glasses hunter Errol adjusted his glasses again and explained on behalf of the captain:
"Currently, the Serpent Father is under our complete control. For resupply and treatment, we are now at the Seal III Mobile Dock, a super-large dock built near the Sea of ​​Calamity specifically for adventurers."

"Lamplighter, we are safe now."

"Seal III..."

Chen Qi's tension gradually dissipated. Fortunately, the one who defeated him was his novice mentor, An, and the White Tower Hunter was also his partner.

The defeat in this battle did not have any major consequences.

No near misses.

Melanie put away the bloodstained scalpel:

"I performed the surgery, Elor administered the medication, we didn't touch your things, and by the way, the one who took off your clothes—"

Let me introduce you. The girl who just punched you is my junior, my new mentor An. Um... although her punch was hard, she didn't do it on purpose."

At that moment, An lowered her head and asked timidly:

"I'm so sorry, Qi. Have you developed any strange aftereffects?"

"Teacher An, it's been a long time..." Chen Qi was filled with emotion. He never expected that his reunion with Teacher An would be in this way.

"No."

Chen Qi stretched his muscles and bones; after all, he was someone with moderate healing abilities.

The burning sensation in my internal organs!

Minor injuries! They're all minor injuries!
Then he joked:
"Teacher An, you have no sportsmanship!"

If it weren't for the sneak attack, even if Chen Qi was seriously injured, he should have been able to exchange a few blows with An and have a passionate physical confrontation with him.

However, An's strength at this moment far exceeded Chen Qi's expectations.

Because they set sail earlier, An's strength had increased significantly.

The sneak attack just now completely concealed the user's spiritual energy aura when the attack was launched, requiring extremely strong spiritual energy control.

An frowned:
"I'm sorry, Qi, I heard from Melanie that there are three Tier 3 Transcendent beings on the Serpent Father, and I'm thinking of defeating them as soon as possible..."

"It's alright! I'm fine. I can handle a mere punch. Teacher An, I won't give you that chance next time."

Chen Qi said readily, not caring at all.

"Am I being a little stubborn...?" Chen Qi said with a wry smile.

On the open sea, life and death can be decided in an instant.

In battle, there are no excuses for defeat. If it were anyone else, he would either be tied up or sunk into the sea.

In fact, if An were to be even more ruthless, he would have to do whatever An wanted him to do, without any power to resist.

Hmm? Teacher An? Calling her by her first name directly? Melanie sensed something was off and questioned:
"You two monsters... no, you two know each other?"

Melanie and the other White Tower hunters looked puzzled.

Melanie had assumed that after waking up, Chen Qi would either extort money from An or become afraid of An and submit to An's power.

Could it be that Chen Qi isn't from the White Dove newspaper?
"Yes, we know each other. It's been a long time, An."

Chen Qi replied that he was from Maro Town and the Sawshark.

Melanie exclaimed in surprise:

"Wait a minute, you know her? And that lamplighter, are you someone the Navy sent to Poseidon Island?"

Chen Qi replied:

"No, I'm just an ordinary adventurer."

An said with a hint of pride:

“Yes, he’s not from the White Dove Newspaper, nor from Poseidon Island, nor from the Navy. He’s from Maro Town! Before the Rift Tide, he wasn’t even a superhuman.”

Before the rift tide, there was no one beyond the ordinary… Melanie's eyes widened in shock:
"How is this possible?! Even nobles couldn't possibly advance so quickly!"

An smiled gently and said with considerable pride:
"Really! I watched it grow up with my own eyes!"

"Watching them grow up with my own eyes," Chen Qi thought, "that sounds a bit strange..." He unconsciously stroked his chin.

Why did he always feel that, besides guilt, the way An looked at him also carried a mother's relief at seeing her child become stronger after going to sea?

Ann continued gently:

"Not long ago, he was threatened by gangs in Moonstone City and suffered terribly from sea monster disease..."

"..."

Melanie's mind went blank for a moment.

What kind of place is this Maro Town? Is it a breeding ground for geniuses?

At this moment, An turned her head to look at Chen Qi, hesitated for a long time, and said with great apology:

"I'm so sorry, Qi, I really didn't expect it to be you. This was my mistake, a failure of my duty! I'm willing to make amends, whatever the compensation, you can name it—"

An was filled with guilt. She could not be called kind during the battle, but she almost accidentally crippled Chen Qi.

This filled An with a heart-wrenching sense of guilt, and an indescribable feeling...

As she spoke, to sincerely apologize, Ann took out her backpack card:

"Check your backpack cards to see if they contain what you want. If they don't, you can ask me to do anything for you, and I'm happy to help you without expecting anything in return..."

This… Chen Qi was startled.

Although Anne is ruthless in battle, in other aspects, especially when facing allies, she can be considered an angel of order.

Of course, An had already helped him enough, and he couldn't possibly ask for more. Even if there were good things in his backpack card, he would still have to buy them.

"I can't keep living off a woman..." Chen Qi glanced at An's backpack card, but there was nothing he wanted to buy in it.

"No, Teacher An, I don't need it."

Chen Qi replied.

"Is this so..."

An remained silent for a moment before putting the backpack card away.

As she spoke, Melanie crossed her arms:

"Alright, Lightkeeper, our operation this time has been a great success. After we finish counting, the money for the Serpent Father will be yours!"

At that moment, Ann spoke to Melanie in an extremely cold tone:
"Melani."

Melanie raised an eyebrow and said:

"What's wrong, An?"

An turned his head to the side, his eyes cold:
“Melanie, have you gone mad? You actually attacked a transport ship of the Sea God Pirates on your own. If it weren’t for my infiltration and prevention of them from sending the information back to headquarters, your ship would most likely have been completely surrounded by the Sea God Pirates.”

The Serpent Father was an important ship of the Sea God Pirates. For the White Tower Hunter, a mere seven-man ship, to dare to rob the Serpent Father was an absolutely insane act.

There was a hint of reproach in Ann's eyes:
"Furthermore, you forced a newly promoted Lamp Phase transcendent to join your team and do the most dangerous and dirty work for you!"

An Weichen spoke up in defense of the White Tower Hunters, saying she knew their methods all too well.

Once they've set their sights on someone, the White Tower hunters will try every means to seduce them, and then, once the seduction is successful, force them to do things.

Ann could already imagine the scene on a dark and stormy night when Melanie, along with six subordinates, would break into Chen Qi's house, pin him against the wall, and force him to join their White Tower Hunter Group's plan!

Chen Qi was also forced to board the Snake Father and become bait.

Moreover, given Melanie's personality, it's highly likely she did many horrific things to Chen Qi.

An became increasingly angry as she spoke, and a hint of fury even flashed in her eyes.

Do I look like the kind of person who forces others to do something…? Melanie’s lips twitched as she said:

“First of all, we did not force him; it was his own choice.”

"Voluntary..." An frowned slightly, hesitating.

Did Chen Qi really accept Melanie's request willingly?

Immediately afterwards, Melanie puffed out her chest and emphasized her words:

"Secondly, strictly speaking, the lampkeeper is the mastermind! He's our boss!"

Melanie crossed her arms, extremely annoyed that Ann had actually twisted the truth!
It should be noted that the entire plan to rob the Snake Father was proposed by Chen Qi.

In a sense, the White Tower Hunters were the ones who were tempted and forced to join the robbery.

"???"

The mastermind? The boss? An turned his head to look at Chen Qi, who looked completely innocent, and his brain went blank for a moment.

Thank you everyone for your monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, subscriptions, and especially for the bug-checking experts! I was writing this in a bit of a rush, so I'll correct any typos right away.
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(End of this chapter)