Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

In the dead of night, the nest of life was silent, with only the fluorescent spores slowly floating in the water, emitting a faint glow.

Su Zhisu sat cross-legged on the mushroom carpet in his dormitory, his consciousness just exiting the private chat interface with the online forum.

On the back of his hand, the grey-blue mark belonging to Nautilus emitted a gentle and continuous pulse, like the heartbeat of the deep sea.

This is the agreed-upon signal.

His gaze swept over the scale token bestowed upon him by Cthulhu on the table.

The token gleamed with an ominous, eerie green light in the dim light, like a half-asleep, half-awake evil eye.

Taking it to the Nautilus alchemy lab would be tantamount to extinguishing any remaining hope.

[Name]: Cthulhu's Scale Token

[Information]: Scale-like tokens that only "favored" beings can receive; possessing them will grant Cthulhu's protection.

[Hidden Information: The token has an energy connection to the eye above the Temple of Atlantis; this is both protection and surveillance.]

We must find a way to block it.

Su Zhisu immediately opened the comprehensive network panel and found that familiar ID.

[Private Chat Log]

【夙lv.5】: "Urgently need to purchase a high-intensity signal jammer, capable of completely blocking the detection of thoughts from beings of the fourth rank or higher. Price is negotiable."

[Black Market Merchant lv.3]: "...Boss, your request is a bit scary. Something that can completely block fourth-order senses is not easy to come by at this stage. However, there is a secondary option."

[Network Notification]: Player [Black Market Merchant] sent an item link: [Portable Static Field Generator (Damaged)].

Portable Static Force Field Generator (Damaged)

[Quality]: Excellent Blue

[Information]: A product of a certain technologically advanced, disaster-stricken world. Its core is damaged and cannot function fully. However, its basic outer shell is made of a high-density composite alloy, which has excellent absorption and attenuation effects on energy fluctuations.

【Additional 1】: Can block detection of Tier 3 (formerly Tier 4) or lower.

【Additional 2】: Damage occurs after blocking a probe of level 3 (formerly level 4) or higher.

【Additional 3】: There is a small space inside, which can greatly reduce the absorption of energy fluctuations.

[Comprehensive Network Notification]: "This is a great item, sir! It's definitely enough for the current needs, but sir, the price..."

【夙lv.5】: "Okay. 【Mysterious Dust】×30 (click to view description), 【Purified Strange Seawater】×100 (click to view description), shall we exchange?"

[Black Market Merchant lv.3]: "If my item weren't damaged, then you wouldn't have enough, sir. But for now, deal!"

[System Notification]: Transaction complete. You lost 30 [Mysterious Dust] and 100 [Purified Strange Seawater]. You gained a [Portable Static Field Generator (Damaged)].

A palm-sized, dark-colored, and cold-to-the-touch metal box fell into Su Zhisu's hands.

The moment the scale token was placed into the box and the lid was closed, the subtle, piercing sensation from the token became extremely weak and sluggish.

We only have one chance; we must act quickly tonight.

The Redemption's innate skill, "White Mist Navigation," is activated. Dense white mist surges from beneath its feet, enveloping its entire body and minimizing its presence and aura.

As the white mist dissipated, Su Zhisu, like a ghost, silently slipped out of the chamber and merged into the silent night of Atlantis.

The path to the Seventh Drainage Canal was eerily quiet.

The city's glittering lights were no longer bright, and the three stars in the direction of the temple were dim. Only Cthulhu's huge green pupils swept over Atlantis again and again.

The green, tentacle-like mist, like a living thing, slowly crawled through the cracks in the streets.

After a series of close calls, Su Zhisu entered the Seventh Drainage Canal again, where the heavy bronze gate slid open silently.

Inside the laboratory, various instruments emitted a soft, self-regulating glow, a stark contrast to the deathly silence outside.

The alchemy table in the center of the laboratory lit up automatically, the gray-blue brand on the back of his hand lit up, and the phantom of Nautilus, composed of faint light, slowly emerged.

Without exchanging pleasantries, a stream of thoughts containing complex information flowed directly into Su Zhisu's mind through the contract mark.

[Purifying Elixir Recipe] (Requirements: Alchemy lv.3 proficiency, Spirit ≥15)

A drug specifically designed to combat deep pollution and stabilize life.

Core ingredients: extract of *Clerodendrum thomsoniae*, stardust residue, and purified, strange seawater.

Su Zhisu's heart sank. Oberon's Alchemy Notes had already etched theoretical knowledge into his mind, like having a vast library.

But having only theory and no practice, his hands never actually handled these delicate and dangerous alchemical materials.

"Nautilus, my alchemy is still in its infancy."

The purification and extraction of the purifying grass, the energy guidance of the stardust residue, and the configuration of the purified strange seawater as the base—any tiny mistake could lead to refining failure or even an explosion.

Just as he hesitated, Nautilus's thoughts came again, carrying an undeniable composure.

"Relax your body. Through the branding, I will briefly control your body. Let me guide you through this refining process. Carefully feel every step I take."

A cold and immense consciousness flowed into his body through the brand. Su Zhisu did not resist and voluntarily released control of his body.

A strange feeling arose, as if I had become an outsider. My sight, touch, and smell were still clear, but every action of raising my hand and picking up the materials was guided by another will.

[Network Notification]: An external consciousness connection has been detected. The player has accepted it voluntarily, and the initial protection mechanism has not been triggered.

[Strange Power]: 169/170 (-1/min)

Su Zhisu could sense that this control could be interrupted at any time as long as the supply of the strange power of the gray-blue mark was cut off.

"Look closely, the key to purifying and extracting the Corrosive Grass lies in the temperature of the flame and the micro-management of mental power. In this respect, your Night Watch Heart Flame has a natural advantage."

Nautilus controlled Su Zhisu's hands, his movements as fluid as playing a musical instrument.

A ghostly blue flame ignited from his hand, burning the Purifying Grass prepared in the alchemy laboratory.

Using its mental energy, it carefully sensed the temperature and waved its hand to continuously remove the burning impurities, eventually forming a ball of emerald green liquid.

As his fingertips traced the crystal bottle containing the emerald green liquid, a faint but extremely precise wisp of spiritual power, carrying the Night Watch Heart Flame, probed into it. Immediately, fine bubbles appeared on the surface of the liquid, and the impurities from the secondary refining precipitated out at a visible speed.

The entire process demands an extremely high level of mental energy consumption and control, far exceeding Su Zhisu's current level.

Next is the processing of stardust residue.

These are some shimmering powder crystals that Su Zhisu had stockpiled when he was purifying contaminated samples under Hydra's arrangement.

"The energy contained in the stardust residue is too small and unstable; be careful to handle it gently enough."

Guided by intention, the purified, strange seawater was introduced as the carrier base for the elixir, gradually enveloping and neutralizing the energy of the stardust residue. After being precisely heated by the Night Watcher's Heart Flame, it finally transformed into a dazzling blue mist.

Finally, there is the final integration stage.

The two processed materials converged in the base of the elixir. Nautilus controlled Su Zhixu's body, his hands forming complex hand seals, guiding the strange power to merge in, his movements as fluid as weaving silk threads.

Su Zhisu's consciousness was immersed in this mysterious state. The rigid theoretical knowledge in his mind came alive at this moment, corresponding to and integrating with the practice in front of him.