Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

The flesh walls were as transparent as thin gauze, and Su Zhisu could clearly see the dramatic changes on the surface of the island.

All the [Weeping Bone Vine] fell like withered grass, and the distorted human face revealed a relieved smile before disappearing. The pale tree trunk quickly turned gray and peeled away, revealing the healthy dark brown wood underneath.

[Network Notification]: You have received [Gratitude for Liberation] ×1

[Gratitude for Liberation] ×1

[Quality]: Purple Epic

[Information]: A milky white crystal formed from the gratitude of countless puppets on the living "island" Agasa before their deaths. It can be used as a medium for curses, fuel, or alchemical materials.

[WARNING]: Direct contact will lead to serious mental pollution.

The wails of the human face relief on the tree bark smoothed out into ordinary textures, and the finger bones scattered after the vesicles burst turned into ashes.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the withered purple leaves covering the island. The manipulated puppets knelt down, their phosphorescent light extinguished, and their bodies disintegrated into dust that drifted away in the wind.

The white sand coast has regained its pristine state, coconut trees sway in the breeze, and the parasitic infection by the "Weeping Bone King" has been resolved.

After Su Zhisu carefully put away the "gratitude for liberation," Agasa's thoughts gently resonated.

"Your Excellency, these purified woods are a gift of gratitude to you."

As the fleshy walls opened and closed, hundreds of dark brown logs floated in and were neatly stacked on the deck.

Su Zhisu's eyes flashed with surprise after taking inventory.

There are 1000 units of wood. After the cost of repairing and upgrading the Redemption, there will be 50 units left.

He walked toward the [Spirit Offering Altar], which, along with the [Seed of Mist], simultaneously became hot.

Place the seed in the center of the altar, and the [Spirit Offering Altar] glows intensely.

[Network Notification]: Sacrifice 950 units of wood for the epic item [Seed of Mist]. Confirm?

"confirm."

The wood transformed into streams of light that flowed into the ship's hull, while the seeds of mist shattered into dust.

The wood grain of the Redemption ship shimmers with silver light, and the gaps in the deck give off a mother-of-pearl-like luster.

The system panel unfolded before Su Zhisu's eyes:

Name: Redemption

[Level: lv2]

[Sailing speed: 30 knots (auto-navigation) / 60 knots (with resource sacrifice)]

[Talent]: Favor of the White Mist: Gain the favor of the white mist, allowing you to summon it and move freely within it. Also gains the talent skill: [White Mist Navigation].

[Talent Skill]: Navigation in the White Mist: You can travel to any place shrouded in white mist.

【Durability: 1100/1100】

[Warehouse Capacity: 100/800] (Supplies: Omitted)

[Special Structures: Bizarre Fishing Rod, Spirit Offering Altar, Night Watch Lamp, Eerie Bone Arm]

[Remaining Upgrade Requirements]: 200 Iron Units

"Just one last step."

Su Zhisu stroked the newly built deck, where white mist could be faintly seen flowing through the wood grain.

"The tide has come."

Agasa's amber eyes opened on the fleshy walls.

"Please secure the ship, Your Excellency."

The entire "island" trembled violently, the sandy shore cracked, and the giant tortoise Agassiz emerged from the sea.

It raised its head and let out a long cry, the sound waves penetrating thousands of meters of seawater and creating whirlpools in the waters ahead.

The vortex accelerated its rotation, forming a tidal spiral several hundred meters in diameter, with the water inside as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the dark red glow of the deep sea.

"My lord, please look at the center of that whirlpool!"

Agasa's thoughts were filled with awe.

"That is the manifestation of the authority of the great being—the Deep Sea Titan—the Tidal Realm!"

"Atlantis, as a neutral city for the deep-sea aliens, is jointly protected by many great beings."

"Each being wields different powers: the deep-sea tides of the Titans, the deep-sea currents of Leviathan, the deep-sea whispers of Dagon, the deep-sea stirrings of the Hydra, and the great Cthulhu..."

Agasa didn't explain much; in fact, Su Zhisu almost suffered mental pollution whenever Agasa mentioned these words.

As the Redemption slowly approached the vortex with the giant tortoise, Su Zhisu felt the gray-blue mark on the back of his hand resonate with the vortex.

Agasa continued, "When any intelligent being ascends, their ascension ceremony must be directed toward a great being."

"They bear the pollution of the overflowing strange power for us, allowing us to control the strange power within a limited range of our capacity."

The giant eye blinked, "The stronger the power of control, the deeper the influence of strange forces, and the more they have to bear for us."

"But similarly, the more you advance, the stronger the influence of them becomes. To break through a rank, you must find a new direction—this is the price of advancement, and also the law of balance."

"So what happens next? Do we continue searching for new great beings?" Su Zhisu asked.

Agasa didn't explain much, only saying, "Advancing from the third to the fourth rank means entering the realm of great beings..."

Su Zhisu's pupils contracted slightly.

No wonder Nautilus once said that his watchman's heart was "burning pollution."

Despite not undergoing an ascension ceremony, he was able to withstand the overflow of strange power within his body without being contaminated.

This part must be the fuel that was burned by the Night Watch's Heart Flame.

This is both a blessing and a curse.

Once the delicate balance is broken, even if he has his own talent to resist pollution, who can guarantee that the judgment will be successful?

"It seems we need to find a way to strengthen the Night Watch's flame while maintaining a good balance," Su Zhisu muttered to himself.

"We must hurry, Your Excellency!"

Agassiz suddenly accelerated.

The Redemption followed the giant tortoise Agasa into the spiral, but the water flowed like a solid, supporting the entire "island".

The inner wall of the spiral is covered with deep, dark reddish-purple patterns that resemble starlight, and every hundred meters a gray-blue Titan anchor-shaped rune flashes.

During the descent, Agasa's voice echoed in the deep-sea language.

"You are very special, Your Excellency."

"The deep-sea Titans are watching you closely. Atlantis welcomes you. Perhaps... you are destined to become a bridge."

"But please note that the deep-sea creatures of Atlantis are not always friendly to visitors from the land."

The descent lasted a full hour and a half.

When the purple light at the end of the spiral pierced the darkness, Su Zhisu's breath hitched.

In the deep sea, from dark red to pitch black, lies the Echoing Rift, spanning thousands of meters, standing and floating like a tilted black glass curtain wall.

On the surface of the fissure, a strange, purplish-black power, shimmering with fluorescent light, moved like a living thing, reflecting an upside-down city of crystal:

The tower spirals upwards, the streets sway like seaweed, and countless giant, glowing jellyfish weave between the buildings.

At the top of the giant pillar in the center of the city, three star-like points of light floated silently—those were the temples of Atlantis.

"This is the reflection of Atlantis," Agassiz whispered.

"The real city lies beyond the rift, accessible only through the 'Pearl Gate'."

The giant tortoise stopped in front of the crevice, its carapace slowly unfolding into a platform.

"My mission ends here. Next, you need to pass through the Pearl Gate—you, who bear the mark of the Titan, should be granted passage."

As the Redemption sailed off the turtleback platform, the rift suddenly trembled.

The purplish-black fluorescence condensed into three lines of text using the language of the deep sea:

The tide brings visitors.

[Anchor Marks for Guiding the Way]

[The flame of the heart bears witness]

The gray-blue brand on the back of Su Zhisu's hand became intensely hot, and the white mist that naturally emerged from the Redemption condensed into an arrow pointing towards the center of the Echo Rift.

Just as he was about to give the order to advance, Agasa's thoughts suddenly became urgent!

"Watch out! The rift is responding to your flames... and white mist! It's mistaking you for..."