Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

The surging, bizarre sea roared outside the broken barrier, while a tense atmosphere permeated the lower levels of the temple.

Hydra nearly collapsed to the ground, and each of Nautilus's breaths was accompanied by a grating, metallic sound.

The mist barrier that holds Atlantis together is now as thin as a cicada's wing.

All eyes were focused on the embodiment of that being—Behemoth Krasin.

Beneath her childlike appearance, a cold rationality intertwined with a rare hint of restlessness.

Green pupils swept over the weakened Hydra, the wounded Nautilus, and Su Zhisu, who had just survived a great battle, before finally settling on Lilia beside him.

"There is a way."

Cthulhu's voice broke the suffocating silence, her finger pointing at Lilia.

"The key lies with her."

Lilia instinctively gripped Su Zhixu's arm tightly. A hint of surprise flashed in the girl's eyes, but more than that, there was a resolute determination for the sake of her homeland.

Without beating around the bush, Beamon Krasin spoke quickly and clearly.

"The fragments of 'Dream' power that I retrieved after detonating were incomplete and insufficient to rebuild a complete barrier."

"But if we combine that little girl's talent..."

"Perhaps I can change the state of existence of Atlantis."

"Pull it from reality into the dream world, placing it in the gap between dream and reality, so that..."

"..."

After a brief silence, Su Zhixu understood the danger involved through further inquiry.

"To drag a city into the gap between dreams and reality... this is simply a defying act that challenges the world!"

"The power fragments that my sister just retrieved are not enough, which is why she needs Lilia's talent as an anchor."

"Otherwise, I'm afraid just my sister alone could..."

"Then, sister, what is the price?" Su Zhixu asked, voicing the most crucial question.

Beamon Krasin glanced at him, his tone flat yet unquestionable.

"Until I regain my 'Dream' powers, or until Lilia grows to the fourth tier and is able to independently share the responsibilities of this 'Dream Anchor,' she cannot leave Atlantis. And I..."

She paused, a self-deprecating smile appearing on her face.

"As the initiator and connector of the ritual, this avatar of mine can never truly leave..."

Lilia's body trembled slightly.

Will I stay in Atlantis forever?

This means giving up the outside world and completely binding oneself to Atlantis.

Nautilus struggled to lift his head: "My lord, Lilia is only a first-tier being, this burden..."

"This is the only way to prevent this city from being completely corrupted by strange forces."

Cthulhu interrupted it, turning his gaze back to Lilia, his tone unusually carrying a hint of... negotiation.

"Of course, the choice is yours."

"If you are unwilling, we will have to find another way, but time..."

"It seems that's not enough."

Lilia took a deep breath and straightened her back.

She looked at the residents in the distance, their eyes vacant, moving about solely on instinct and remnants of "homogeneity";

Looking towards the scarred temple;

Finally, he looked towards his father, Nautilus, whose breath was faint, and Hydra;

And the "messenger" beside her who pulled her back from the brink of despair...

"I agree."

The girl's voice was not loud, but it was unusually firm, with almost no hesitation.

"This is my home."

A barely perceptible flicker of emotion flashed in Behemoth Krasin's green pupils, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, or perhaps confirmed some kind of promise.

"it is good."

She turned in the direction of Nautilus.

"As a sign of sincerity, and also to ensure the ceremony goes smoothly..."

She reached out and grasped at the terrible scar on Nautilus's chest, which was still shrouded in green.

Strands of green energy, like drawn threads, emerged from Nautilus's wounds and eventually flowed into Cthulhu's palm.

That was the erosion of the "dream" power she left behind.

As these energies were stripped away, Nautilus let out a deep, muffled growl, not of pain, but of liberation.

Now, although the scars on its chest are still gruesome, as the green that represented the erosion fades, the fluctuations of the soul fire in its eyes have become noticeably more stable.

Behemoth Krasin's aura seemed to solidify a bit, and she didn't linger any longer.

"Let's begin."

She walked to the center of the Moon Altar and stood beside the Moon Well that connected to the city's energy circulation.

Lilia followed closely behind, and as she was directed, stood opposite her.

"Relax, sink your consciousness into the depths of your soul, carefully feel the source of your talents, and recall the dream that brings you the most peace."

Behemoth Krasin's voice carried a peculiar rhythm, guiding Lilia.

Lilia closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembled, and her body began to emit extremely faint, dreamlike light, like fireflies—that was dream dust.

Cthulhu simultaneously raised his hand, his fingertips swirling with the fragments of 'dream' power that he had just reclaimed and were still unstable.

Mixing her own primal power, she used her fingers as a brush to rapidly draw in the void, carving out a complex alchemical array.

Each stroke of the pen caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly, and the energy in the Moon Well emitted a resonant hum.

The moment the array pattern took shape, it suddenly contracted, transforming into three semi-transparent thin lines.

Two thin lines suddenly shot out, like living serpents.

A ribbon was precisely wrapped around Lilia's wrist, turning into a dreamy pinkish-blue.

Another one was attached to Behemoth Krasin's wrist, turning into a deep green that represented the mist.

The last thin line silently disappeared into the depths of the Moon Well, establishing a connection with the energy circulation of the entire Atlantis.

The three thin lines flickered a few times, then disappeared into the air.

But one can clearly sense that an invisible yet solid bond has been established between Cthulhu, Lilia, and Atlantis.

"In this way, we are connected conceptually."

Beamon Krasin explained, his tone tinged with weariness, but more so with a playful wit.

"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them sisters."

"As the 'older sister,' I can naturally borrow the 'younger sister's' talent for the time being."

She looked at Su Zhixu, as if she were teaching him, or stating a fact: "See, little brother?"

"Although I possess the power of 'dreams' and Lilia's talent also touches upon dreams, the two are fundamentally different."

"My 'dream' tends to guide, control, and even erode; while her 'dream,' though still immature, is closer to the transformation between dreams and reality."

"This is the difference in power. After reaching the fourth level, the path of each being is unique."

After saying that, she closed her eyes and, through an invisible bond, began to guide the dream dust emanating from Lilia and mobilize the surrounding fragments of "dream" power.

"In my name, Behemoth Krasin, I weave the anchor of dreams here..."

"With dreams as the guide and power as the proof..."

"To entrust the reality of Atlantis—'R'lyeh'—to the edge of a dream!"