Elf: Who told him to be an investigator!

Chapter 207 Ancient Jade Fish

"Now that we've roughly determined who the culprit is, then..."

"What should we do?"

Xiao Lan was a little troubled.

Even if they knew who the "culprit" was, based on the known intelligence, it was extremely vigilant. It would disappear as soon as there were people on the land above, and it had an extremely strong digging ability, making it very good at escaping. They could not easily chase it to its home ground "underground".

"The enemy is still lurking in the shadows, making them difficult to capture."

Higana blinked, bewildered, and asked, "Can we lure it out?"

Xiao Lan said, "Then what should we use to lure them? We don't really know what Pokémon they have or what they like."

"The other party..." Ze Shu suddenly spoke, drawing their attention, "I think I roughly know who the other party is, as for what the other party likes... I have something that it will most likely like."

"Moreover."

"Even if we can't lure them out, we still have a way to 'save ourselves.'"

He showed off the newly received message in his hand and smiled:

"Reho has sent some new information."

"I didn't expect her to be so efficient."

Inside Dongdong Mountain, the sealed door of the Fire Shrine still radiates heat. Even from this distance, one can still feel the scorching heat, suggesting that the lava inside is abundant.

"Legend has it that the ancient jade fish could control flames of 3,000 degrees Celsius and use such flames to turn rocks, gravel, steel and so on into magma, and could swim freely in this extremely hot magma water."

"It seems that inside has already been turned into an 'ocean' where this ancient jade fish can swim freely!"

"If we humans were to touch it, we might all... well, it's definitely too dangerous!"

Leihe's voice came through the phone, sounding tired.

"You decide."

"Seven have already been removed. Now, I have reached the location of the last sealing stake of the Shrine of Fire, and all preparations are complete."

"If you say so, I'll pull it out."

Ze Shu hummed in agreement.

The ethereal call of the ancient jade fish still lingered in her ears. Leihe still had one last sealing stake left to remove. If she removed it, the ancient jade fish would be released—this was the "self-rescue" method that Zeshu had mentioned.

The ancient jade fish is now confined within a seal, forcing it to passively seek help from the outside world.

Once the ancient jade fish is released, no matter how much others dig up the Fire Shrine, they won't be able to target it anymore.

But Ze Shu did not take any action for a long time.

After all, as "treasures of calamity," even if they are not inherently evil and have no intention of doing bad things or destroying the world, their own abilities are enough to cause "calamity" and wreak havoc on the region.

Even the noisy Ancient Sword Leopard beside Ze Shu, this "Sword of Calamity," if it were to playfully bring down a heavy snowfall in Tabletop City, the entire city would probably be buried under a thick layer of snow a few days later.

The flames of the ancient jade fish, a "jade of calamity," are clearly more destructive to things.

What if the ethereal voice of this ancient jade fish is a disguise and a seductive trick? What if its true nature is even more wicked?

Leihe had given the Padia Alliance full assurances, which allowed them to intervene in the Treasure of Calamity. Ze Shu certainly wouldn't act rashly and make her write self-criticisms all day.

We must be careful and find a good time to release the ancient jade fish.

For example.

When that "culprit" appeared.

"Are you sure this... sapling of yours can attract that super, super cautious guy?!"

Looking at the 'sapling' that Ze Shu had placed in the pit, Xijiana couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"Why not?" Ze Shu glanced at her. "Are you doubting the quality of the gift Peng gave me?"

"Bonnie!"

Beside him, Ergui swung his thorny vine club in a very serious manner, happily echoing his words.

The "sapling" that Higana mentioned was the secret seasoning that Egui had given to Zeshu, a rare ingredient unique to Padia.

And the "culprit," if Ze Shu's guess is correct, must be that treasure owner.

Qiangangbaozhu: Tuotuoyin.

The treasure master became the treasure master because of the secret seasoning, so how could he resist the temptation of another secret seasoning?

"What? You don't believe it can attract anything?"

"Yes! Of course I don't believe it! How could a mere sapling attract this guy we've been waiting for two days without seeing him!" Higana raised her head and said to Ze Shu, "I think it's not even as attractive as this thing of mine!"

She held something up high.

That's a...

"Rice balls?"

Higana said proudly, "Yes! The rice balls I usually eat!"

Ze Shu: "I think your rice ball isn't as attractive as the super bracelet on your foot. Why don't you... um, tap it?"

"Go! Take off her anklets!"

"Bonnie!"

"?" Higana's eyes widened, and she backed away in a thud. "Absolutely not!"

Although Egui successfully removed Higana's super bracelet, Zeshu didn't actually place it at the luring spot. After all, the bracelet was a parting gift from her deceased sister, and Zeshu wasn't that cruel.

but.

"My anklet!"

Higana covered her bare foot with tears in her eyes. She looked at the little blacksmith playing with her anklet in the distance, feeling like crying but unable to. Although she hadn't used the anklet as a lure, Zeshu had asked the little blacksmith for some forging steel and placed it at the lure's location.

After all, according to the encyclopedia, the race of the Steel Lord, the Trollworm, eats iron.

To compensate the young blacksmith, he was allowed to examine and play with Higana's anklet.

In particular, if the little blacksmith could figure out the structure of the anklet, which is traditionally inlaid with Mega Evolution Stones by the Meteor Clan, then he could make all of Higana's sackful of Mega Evolution Stone equipment.

"Shhh-"

"Shut up, can you feel it?"

As Higana cried, Ze Shu stuffed her mouth with her rice ball, silencing her.

Xiao Lan blinked, looked at the earthquake detection instrument she had made in her hand, and said softly, "The ground is trembling... Level 1 intensity, Level 2... Level 5 intensity... It's already very close."

They can now feel a fairly noticeable tremor, accompanied by the sound of digging in the soil and the faint sound of water.

The sound of water indicates that this deep pit connects to the sea.

Ze Shu had previously used an extra small cookie as bait to lure Dream into exploring this pit. If they hadn't come, and the excavators had kept digging, they would have dug a connection between the land and the sea—the final result would have been that the Shrine of Fire would have sunk deep into the sea, and the Ancient Jade Fish would have been completely submerged by the seawater, since it was sealed and could not get out of the shrine.

This is an extremely malicious act of framing someone.

Even though the Ancient Jade Fish is a "Level Two God" calamity jade, it is still a "fish," and it is powerless against the vast Parthian Sea. The best outcome would be for it to sink deep into the ocean, forgotten and forgotten. Perhaps in the future, it might be completely absorbed into the earth's depths due to tectonic shifts.

"It's coming."

Xiao Lan said softly.

Xijiana nodded blankly while chewing on her rice ball, and took out a few more pieces to share with Zeshu and Xiaolan beside her.

Ze Shu casually stuffed the rice ball into the mouth of the ancient sword leopard beside him, also to prevent it from wreaking havoc.

The vibrations were getting closer.

But then, in the deep pit directly below the shrine of the fire, a bright red steel head emerged.

It first looked around warily, but perhaps the allure of the secret seasoning was too great, and it turned to the secret seasoning eagerly after observing it for less than two or three seconds, carelessly failing to notice the three people, Ze Shu and his companions, who were hiding motionless to its side and above.

Then, it fully emerged from the hole, revealing its enormous body.

As expected, it was the treasure owner's dragging worm, with the treasure owner's uniquely huge body. From the outside, it was a steel worm with red, orange and silver colors.

It slowly burrowed toward the secret seasoning, no longer able to conceal the longing in its eyes. Tentacle-like hairs extended from the holes on both sides of its chest cavity. It first swallowed the steel next to the seasoning whole, and then slowly tried to pick up the secret seasoning with its trembling tentacles.

But just as its hands were holding the secret seasoning, and the excitement in its eyes reached its peak.

But then you hear a mischievous "Miu".

Suddenly, a small, inconspicuous stone beneath the sapling, used for the secret seasoning, sprang up and, to Tuotuo's astonishment, transformed into an adorable pink kitten, and then...

It carried the secret seasoning and ran towards Ze Shu!

Even the worm was stunned.

The stone inexplicably jumped up and then snatched away what it rightfully deserved and most desired?!

This is unforgivable!

The worm's steel eyes glared angrily, its tentacle-like body hair danced wildly, and when it opened its mouth, an extremely dangerous beam of destructive light condensed and shot straight at the thief-like pink cat.

"No! No, no, no!" Dream cried out in a panic.

[Help! Ze Shu, help! Help! Help! You're scaring the kitten to death!]

Ze Shu teased, "Hang in there, you're a dream come true."

Dream: [No, no, no! Dream, don't hold on! Please save Dream!]

Ze Shu laughed and said, "If you can make it, I'll add a box of cookies to our agreed-upon reward of a whole bag of potato chips. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Dream, who was fleeing in a panic, paused for a moment, then turned around resolutely without hesitation, her cat face full of a heroic expression of facing death.

"absurd!"

We'll go all out for these little cookies!

but..

Even Mew was somewhat terrified as it faced the impending destructive beam from the Droopyworm.

【Ze, Zeshu! Tell Meng Huan quickly... how... how can we possibly hold on like this?! It's terrifying! It's so scary!】

Has this dream been spoiled by eating and sleeping all day and become confused?

Ze Shu also reminded him somewhat helplessly:

"Hold on."

Dream suddenly realized, raised its face, and after a long while, its whole body was covered with a transparent round shell of light. Just before the Destructive Death Ray of the Dragging Worm came, it released Guard, which helped it withstand the attack in its panic.

"Mew mew!"

The dreamlike creature, having withstood the destructive ray, was quite pleased with itself, placing its hands on its hips and raising its little face.

[So big! It blocked a whole destructive ray!]

But then the worm condensed another destructive beam of death.

Dream was utterly shocked: "Wrong?!"

Don't be fooled by its eating and sleeping habits; it knows that if it holds on, it's unlikely to be able to release its power a second time in a short period of time.

[Help! Help! Ze Shu, please save Dream's life! Dream's life matters too!]

Ze Shu: "....."

He rubbed his temples and said, "Come back. This is none of your business."

Mew breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing Ze Shu's words, it immediately felt at ease. Ignoring the Hyper Beam still aimed at it, it turned its head away.

They immediately flew wildly towards where Ze Shu was.

But Tuotuo the worm became indignant.

This cat thief who stole its secret seasoning only managed to block its attack by sheer luck. How can it so readily turn its back on its attack? Isn't that disrespecting it?

Tuotuo the worm roared, and the destructive death beam that gathered in its mouth became even more powerful.

If this destructive ray hits, the worm is confident that it can pierce through the despicable cat thief and its companion above, severely injuring them!

but.

The destructive death ray of the worm has not yet fully condensed.

Suddenly, a crackling sound of breaking chains came from the shrine of fire directly above it, causing the worm to look up and freeze in shock.

The sealed door of the Fire Shrine, resembling a pot lid, was seen to have opened, and the viscous magma stored inside slowly flowed down, the heat waves rolling in and turning the face of the worm-like creature into a red glow.

"Gurgle—"

A melodious voice suddenly appeared.

In the lava that flowed down like a river, a goldfish, as red as a flame, swam leisurely, occasionally leaping out of the lava river, displaying a joyful demeanor.

The jade fish's eye sockets, adorned with ring-shaped jade ornaments, occasionally emit a golden glow accompanied by a red light.

Leihe's voice came through the phone: "It seems the Ancient Jade Fish is in a good mood. According to the information I found, this magatama state of the Ancient Jade Fish indicates that it is in a happy mood, just like a cat purring when it is happy."

At this moment, the dreamy creature that was snoring in Ze Shu's hands was startled, quickly stifled its snoring, and blushed, saying, "Nonsense!"

Speechless, Ze Shu glanced at Dreamy and continued to fuss over Dreamy's belly. He then looked at the Ancient Jade Fish, which was fighting against Totoro, and said, "It's time for them to fight it out themselves."

The Hidden Steel Lord of Padia VS. The Cursed Jewel of Padia.

Needless to say, the outcome of this battle is clear; the Ancient Jade Fish is unlikely to lose, especially since its "fire" element counters the "steel" element of the Steel Treasure Master, Tuotuo Earthworm.

"Gurgle—"

The result was as expected.

Less than a minute.

As the handsome oar flowed down, the ancient jade fish, half-drowsing in it, used "jealousy fire" to burn the iron body of the worm, making it red-hot and scalding. Soon, the worm could not withstand it and tried to escape with a cry of pain.

But on its escape route...

"Chirp~ Chirp~"

With its sharp teeth and blades, the ancient sword leopard shattered the escape dream of Tuotuo Yin, who hadn't even slung himself into the cave, with a single "holy sword" strike. Tuotuo Yin let out a "crunch," lost his fighting ability, and fell into a coma next to Shuai Jiang.

After killing the worm, the ancient sword leopard raised its head and smugly began to sing.

But Gu Yuyu just yawned and didn't want to pay attention to the noisy snow leopard.

It looked around, left and right, and then immediately locked onto the dreamy Ze Shu.

"Gurgle—"

"Ze Shu!" Xiao Lan exclaimed anxiously upon seeing him.

After all, they still don't know what the ancient jade fish, which is considered a "treasure of disaster," is really thinking.

But then the ancient jade fish suddenly transformed into a ray of red light, and before anyone present could react, it slashed straight towards Ze Shu, eventually merging into Ze Shu's neck to form a jade pendant.

Little Blue: "Huh?!"