Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

The mastermind behind the scenes fell silent. The twisted, filthy entity fluctuated violently a few times before finally emitting a chilling thought:

[...retreat. This matter is not yet over...]

Cthulhu... You will pay the price for your 'willfulness'...

Having said that, the filthy entity swept up the still defiant and roaring Dagon, transforming it into a dark red streak of light that quickly disappeared into the depths of the strange sea.

The suffocating sense of oppression also receded like the tide.

Seeing the formidable enemy retreat, Behemoth Krasin's tense body swayed violently, and he almost fell over.

She forced herself to steady herself, took a deep breath, and the escaping green mist around her slowly gathered, nourishing her body.

This can also be considered as reclaiming some fragments of "dream" power.

Turning around, she looked at Su Zhisu, who was barely maintaining consciousness, and tried to force a familiar, slightly mocking smile, but due to her injuries and excessive exertion, she appeared somewhat weak and... awkward.

"Cough... It's alright, my silly little brother."

She reached out and gently touched him; a soft force lifted Su Zhisu, carrying him toward the barrier below that protected Atlantis.

"elder sister……"

Su Zhisu spoke with difficulty, her voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

He had too many questions: about the contract, about her real name, about why she was like this.

"Shut up, save your energy."

Beamon Krasin interrupted him, her tone leaving no room for argument, but deep in her eyes was a faint hint of softening, one that she herself might not even be aware of.

"We can talk about it when we get back. Atlantis... still needs us."

Crossing the now almost non-existent green barrier and returning to the interior of Atlantis, they were not greeted by the tranquility of surviving the catastrophe, but by an even harsher reality.

The green mist that once enveloped the entire city has become extremely thin, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Dark red, viscous, and eerie seawater surged outside the barrier, emitting an ominous "sizzling" corrosive sound, constantly impacting and eroding Atlantis's last protective membrane.

The "sky" above the city—that barrier that isolates pollution—is riddled with dense cracks, as if it could collapse completely at any moment.

At the altar on the ground floor of the temple, two figures were struggling to hold on.

Hydra knelt on one knee, her nine braids hanging limply on the broken glass floor. Her once pearly skin had lost its luster, and the blood oozing from the corner of her mouth showed that she was nearing her limit.

She pressed her hands to the ground, continuously channeling her power into the Moon Well to keep the barrier intact.

Not far from her, Nautilus's massive steel body knelt on the ground, his huge anchor embedded in the altar floor.

From its core, a ring of gray-blue tidal force field radiates outwards, intertwining with the power of the Hydra to reinforce the crumbling barrier.

But the green scars on its chest were still shocking, and the flame of its soul was even weaker than before.

Seeing Behemoth Krasin and Su Zhisu return safely, Hydra's tense expression visibly relaxed.

Nautilus also straightened up slightly, the soul fire in his eyes flickered, conveying a sense of "reassurance".

"My lord...you're back..."

Hydra's voice was weak, yet filled with a sigh of relief.

"And... Lord Su Zhisu..."

"Barrier...what's going on?"

Beamon Krasin frowned, feeling the lament emanating from the city's foundations.

"It was damaged before we left, but it shouldn't have weakened so quickly."

Hydra gasped for breath, struggling to lift his head, his eyes filled with confusion and anxiety: "We don't understand either..."

"Just now, the barrier's energy seemed to be drained away in an instant, making it extremely unstable."

"If Nautilus and I hadn't noticed in time and held on at all costs, we probably would be..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear—Atlantis may have been completely exposed in the Sea of ​​Strange Things.

Behemoth Krasin remained silent for a moment, a hint of understanding flashing in his green eyes, which then turned into a barely perceptible...pain?

She glanced at Su Zhisu, who was so weak beside her that she needed her strength to support him to stand, and spoke in a somewhat complicated tone:

"It's because of me."

Hydra and Nautilus (thoughts) simultaneously conveyed the question: "What...?"

"To hold off Dagon's attack and buy time to bring my brother back..."

Beamon Krasin pointed at Su Zhisu.

"I detonated a portion of the 'dream' authority of this avatar."

She was concise, but Hydra and Nautilus understood instantly.

Atlantis's protective barrier is closely related to Cthulhu's "dream" realm.

On ordinary days, the residents' dreams and the energy accumulated by the city are among the sources that replenish the barrier.

While Behemoth Krasin's "self-destruction" was primarily aimed outwards, the disappearance of its source inevitably affected this area as well...

Today, the current barriers are like water without a source—they have no origin and could dry up at any time.

"I see……"

Hydra suddenly realized what was happening, and his face turned even paler.

"But my lord... this can't go on. Nautilus is too badly injured, and I'm almost at my last gasp..."

"Atlantis... cannot remain in this state indefinitely..."

She looked at the twisted, writhing shadows beyond the barrier, her voice filled with despair: "Once the barrier shatters completely, the Sea of ​​Strange Things will flood in..."

"Atlantis... R'lyeh... is probably truly finished..."

A moment of silence fell over the scene.

Only the hissing sound of the barrier being corroded and the low rumble of energy flow echoed in the air, making it hard to breathe.

Nautilus conveyed a faint but firm message:

I will... uphold... my duty...

Its massive body swayed slightly, clearly indicating that it had reached its limit.

Behemoth Krasin pursed his lips, his green eyes flashing as he rapidly considered a solution.

Just then, Hydra seemed to remember something, and with great effort, she raised one hand, a faint glimmer of life gathering at her fingertips, and pointed it at Su Zhisu from a distance.

The next moment, a gentle warmth flowed into Su Zhixu's body, quickly soothing the injuries he sustained from his transformation and battle, and rapidly restoring his health.

[Network Notification]: You have been healed by the great being - Hydra, the Weaver of Life, and your health has been restored to 100%. Attribute penalty status cannot be removed.

"I apologize, Your Excellency Su Zhisu..."

After Hydra finished doing all this, his breath became even weaker, and his voice was barely a whisper.

"This is all I can do... Your attribute penalty stems from the backlash of the rules and skills, and I... am powerless to change it."

Su Zhisu felt much lighter. Although her strength was still depleted, at least she no longer experienced the excruciating pain that tore her soul apart.

He nodded slightly to Hydra.

"Hydra, no need... thank you."

His gaze swept over Hydra and Nautilus, who were struggling to hold on, and finally landed on his sister, whose brows were furrowed.

Although the enemy has retreated, the trials for Atlantis have only just begun.

It has reached the brink of life and death...