Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

The bronze doors slid open, and the crystals embedded in the laboratory dome reflected the dark night sky of the deep sea, with the trajectories of the stars echoing those of the Atlantis temple.

On the central experimental platform, the heavy tomes opened automatically, the parchment pages gleaming faintly, the ink flowing and recombining as if alive.

Lilia's fingertips touched the pages, and the chain brand suddenly lit up. The words were reflected in her pupils:

"My name is Oberon Serafim, the thirty-seventh principal of Atlantis."

"Eight hundred and fifty years ago, strange and bizarre forces twisted and spread, and the tentacles of the Outer Gods quietly infiltrated the world."

"In order to maintain a balance of power, I made contact with the Outer Gods, but I didn't expect to drag myself into an even deeper trap."

As the pages turned, a projection of the starry sky appeared: the city of R'lyeh overlapped with Atlantis, and Cthulhu's tentacles emerged from the cracks, entangling the entire city.

"Outer Gods, like strange and mysterious forces, are a calamity for the world."

"I stripped away my identity as a 'player' and forged the Deep Sea Titan, solely to protect the world."

"However, the power of the Outer Gods is beyond imagination. Each time they are suppressed, R'lyeh and Atlantis overlap by a fraction."

Lilia trembled as she turned to the last page: "To Lilia Nerga: I have lost my status as a 'player,' but Lilia, you will be the new guardian."

The chain brand on the back of her hand shattered instantly, and blue light washed over Lilia's entire body like a tide.

[System Notification]: Lilia Nerga has unlocked the 'Player' identity.

[System Prompt]: The team function is enabled. Since the two players are in the same world, world merging will not be triggered. Would you like to team up?

"Confirmed," Su Zhisu and Lilia said softly at the same time.

[System Notification]: Squad created. Members: Su Zhisu, Lilia Nerga

The lab bench suddenly shook, and a black box popped out a gold alchemy notebook and a crystal bottle.

The notebook cover is engraved with an anchor-shaped coat of arms, and the ink on the inner pages is still wet, as if it had just been written.

Su Zhisu's fingertips traced the paper, the gray-blue mark on the back of his hand resonating with the notes, and alchemical knowledge began to emerge in Su Zhisu's mind.

"This is what the principal has learned throughout his life."

Lilia stared at the golden liquid in the crystal bottle. "This must be the headmaster's backup plan."

Su Zhisu quickly read through the notes, and a special alchemy technique emerged in his mind—Tidal Furnace Reforging.

"Lilia, I understand what to do," Su Zhixu said to Lilia. "Next, we need to find a way to locate the Deep Sea Titan."

Lilia nodded and looked towards the door.

"We should leave."

All that could be heard from the entrance of the seventh drainage ditch was the distinctive buzzing sound of the jellyfish swarm. "Cthulhu's spies have arrived."

The two quickly packed their belongings, and as soon as they stepped out of the laboratory, dozens of points of eerie blue light appeared at the end of the corridor.

The jellyfish swarm resembled human figures, their tentacles draped with star-like threads, scanning every inch of the rock face.

At the heart of the jellyfish swarm at the forefront, a green vertical pupil slowly opened.

Just as the two were about to be discovered, in a critical moment, Su Zhisu thought of the Redemption's innate skill: [White Mist Navigation].

【Navigation in the White Fog】: You can travel to any place shrouded in white fog.

"We have no choice but to try, Lilia, hold on tight to me."

White mist rose and billowed beneath them, like a tide washing over the rock face, enveloping them completely.

As the white mist dissipated, Su Zhisu and Lilia disappeared from sight.

Jellyfish are kept in the dark; when their tentacles brush past, they are completely unaware.

In the white mist, the world was shrouded in a hazy gray.

Su Zhisu felt a strange connection being established in his consciousness—he could vaguely perceive wherever the white mist reached.

Moreover, it seems that I can control the white mist to infect selected targets.

"Don't try it lightly." Lilia pressed down on Su Zhisu's wrist.

Seeing the open green canal, she sensed danger.

"Cthulhu's eyes are watching this place."

The two silently bypassed the jellyfish-shaped figure and quietly left.

When the white mist dissipated, the two were already standing in the back alley of the Life Nest Courtyard.

As the morning light pierces through the deep sea, the fungal carpet undulates beneath our feet as usual, as if the adventure had never happened.

Only the unlocked mark on Lilia's hand and the alchemical notebook in Su Zhisu's arms proved the truth of all this.

"There are only four days left until the Haiyue Festival."

Looking towards the temple, the green mist had condensed into the complete outline of R'lyeh.

"Within four days, we must find a way to awaken the Deep Sea Titan and stop Cthulhu's plot."

Su Zhisu opened her palm, and the branded cracks on the back of her hand gleamed faintly in the morning light.

"Lilia, go find Kyle Crane. He might know something; we need backup."

"If there's no solution within four days, we'll find a way to leave Atlantis."

Before parting, Lilia handed the golden liquid in the crystal bottle to Su Zhixu: "My lord, please keep this liquid safe. It is the key to awakening Lord Titan."

Su Zhisu nodded: "I know."

At noon, Cthulhu's messenger appeared at the entrance to the Institute of Life's laboratory.

The silver-scaled youth held a conch shell horn, his pupils flashing with an unnatural green light: "Lord Cthulhu summons you, Your Excellency, the esteemed messenger."

Su Zhisu followed the messenger through the streets of Atlantis.

The coral structure was found to be covered with dark red patterns, and the residents had blank stares and star threads connecting their heads, making them look like puppets.

Most disturbingly, the deep blue waters emitted a faint sulfurous odor, as if R'lyeh were breathing.

Upon arriving at the Star Dream Academy, which floats directly beneath the three stars of the temple, the moment you push open the door, you see a green-haired girl with hair reaching her waist sitting by the window, her bare feet dangling, her green eyes reflecting the starlight of the deep sea.

She was playing with a piece of amber in her hand, the same as Su Zhisu's, with mist inside forming a small city outline.

"Sit down, my amusing little messenger~".

Her voice was like waves gently lapping against rocks, yet it made the pocket watch on Su Zhisu's wrist vibrate, and the cracks on the gray-blue brand glowed faintly.

"Last night in the East District, there was a slight disturbance. My jellyfish guards told me that there were unusual energy fluctuations near the seventh drain valve."

"You guys didn't do that, did you?"

The green-haired little girl lightly touched her lips with her fingertips, her sweet voice carrying the chill of an abyss.

She tilted her head and gazed at Su Zhisu, her green eyes filled with no doubt, only certainty, as if she had already seen through every step he had left at the seventh drainage valve last night.

Su Zhisu sat down on the stone chair opposite, the golden liquid in his pocket slightly warm: "It's probably the Deep Ones' actions; the ruins of the Eastern District have never been peaceful."

"Is that so?" Cthulhu smiled, lightly tapping his fingertip to project the scene of the jellyfish encounter the previous night.

As the jellyfish-shaped figure passed by, a wisp of white mist happened to dissipate.

"This white mist... is very peculiar. It reminds me of an old friend—Oberon Seraphim, the last headmaster of Atlantis."

"Indeed, my vessel."