I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Deep in the misty sea, on the deck of the Black Pearl.

"BOOM—!!!"

With a deafening roar, the creature, the Father of the Deep, which was over fifty meters tall and could be called a mobile calamity, slammed heavily onto the deck.

The entire ship suddenly sank downwards, seawater flooded the deck, and was quickly emptied. The hull made a teeth-grinding creaking sound, as if it was about to disintegrate at any moment, but supported by the powerful, beating black heart (power source), it withstood the impact of thousands of tons.

"roar……"

Dagon let out a weak but furious growl. Its jaw was completely torn apart by the large, S-shaped fleshy hook, and blood gushed out like a waterfall, while its indestructible chitinous carapace was also covered with cracks.

It doesn't understand.

It is a servant of the Old Ones! It is the uncrowned king of this sea!

Why would a group of ants pull it down?

Especially that human who was leading the charge...

Dagon's huge yellow eyes were fixed on Jiang Li, burning with a tangible spiritual rage.

"Mortal...you will suffer the eternal curse of the abyss..."

An invisible mental storm instantly enveloped Jiang Li.

This is Dagon's dying desperate act—[Old Daydreams]!

When an ordinary person hears just one syllable, their brain instantly turns into a mess, and their soul is dragged into an endless abyss of illusion to be tormented.

however.

"It's so noisy!"

Jiang Li frowned, picked at his ear, and said, "Why does this shrimp have an electric microphone? Its voice is so loud, isn't it afraid of losing its voice?"

He was completely unaffected, grabbed the steel pipe that had just performed its great service, and began to whack Dagong on the head.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

"Behave yourself! If you keep yelling, I'll turn you into sashimi!"

Each strike carries an irresistible force of rules.

Dagon felt his head buzzing; the mental storm that was powerful enough to tear his soul apart was actually shattered by those few blows!

"This...this is impossible..."

Dagon was utterly desperate.

This human has no soul at all! Or rather... his soul is even more terrifyingly hardened than that of an ancient god!

"Ergou! Bring some men over here quickly! Let's deal with this while it's still hot!"

Jiang Li threw down the steel pipe and directed the believers who were already dumbfounded.

"These mantis shrimp shells are too hard to cut with a regular knife. Go get that acetylene cutting machine we use for ship repairs! We're having a real feast today!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Wang Ergou snapped out of his shock, his eyes filled with fervor.

Even A-grade mythical creatures were dealt with by the captain like mantis shrimps. What in this world can stop Deep Blue Aquatic's progress?

"Brothers! Get the tools! Cut the shrimp legs!"

Dozens of believers rushed forward, howling.

Although their strength was insignificant compared to Dagon, Dagon had now been knocked unconscious by Jiang Li and was now a lamb to the slaughter.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

Blue, cutting flames shot out, beginning to slice through Dagon's thick carapace.

It must be said that while these cultists are incapable of doing evil, they possess an astonishing talent for "dismemberment."

In less than half an hour, this enormous abyssal overlord was dismantled into pieces.

The pair of huge, excavator-like pincers were completely removed, revealing tender, translucent flesh inside that gleamed with an alluring luster.

"This is good stuff!"

Jiang Li patted the claw-like flesh, which was bigger than a millstone, and his mouth was practically watering.

"Such good meat deserves salt and pepper! Er Gou, set up that big iron pot we brought! Pour in the oil!"

"Okay!"

On the deck, a large iron pot with a diameter of two meters was placed on the [Nine Nether Soul Refining Furnace].

This pot was originally used to cook "human flesh soup" for large-scale sacrificial rites, but now it has been washed clean and half a bucket of cooking oil has been poured in.

The fire in the furnace rose, and the oil gradually heated up.

Jiang Li personally took charge and cut the huge pincer meat into fist-sized cubes.

"Coat it in egg wash, then dip it in breadcrumbs..."

Jiang Li hummed a little tune, her movements fluid and graceful.

"Sizzle—"

The meat chunks were put into the pot and instantly burst into golden-yellow oil bubbles.

That unique aroma, a blend of the deliciousness of deep-sea seafood and the smoky fragrance of oil, instantly filled the entire ship and even drifted several miles away on the sea breeze.

The low-level sea monsters that had been spying in the surrounding waters were terrified by the smell and dived into the deep sea, trembling with fear.

That flavor contained the aura of a fallen ruler! The fear of a tyrant being cooked!

"Out of the pot!"

Jiang Li used a large strainer to scoop up the golden and crispy fried meat pieces and sprinkled them with his homemade salt and pepper powder (mixed with some psionic powder).

"Come on, everyone, try this! This is genuine deep-sea mantis shrimp! You won't find this again!"

Jiang Li picked up a piece, ignoring the heat, and stuffed it directly into her mouth.

"Snap!"

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with juice.

The fresh and sweet taste was so intense it went straight to the top of my head, a whole level better than the electric eel meat I had before!

More importantly, the massive energy surged into his limbs and bones in an instant, making Jiang Li feel as if every cell in his body was cheering with joy.

[Ding! Consumed A-grade Abyss Overlord flesh and blood. Constitution +10, gained temporary skill: Deep Sea Breathing (allows free breathing underwater for 3 hours).]

"Wow! This meat even has special effects?"

Jiang Li glanced at the attribute panel (a non-existent system) with surprise.

"You can breathe underwater? Wouldn't that make fishing in the sea much easier?"

He turned to look at Wang Ergou and the others who were wolfing down their food.

The believers ate even more frantically, their eyes turning red.

This is almost Grade A divine meat!

With each bite, their strength increased rapidly.

Wang Ergou felt that the bottleneck in his body had loosened again, and there was a faint trend of breaking through to B-level (peak of bishop level).

"Long live the captain! Long live Deep Blue Aquatic Products!"

He shouted with tears in his eyes.

With a boss like that, how could you not become a god?!

Big Yellow wasn't idle either; it was frantically gnawing on the other huge pincer, not even spitting out the shell.

For a being of this kind, existing within spacetime, this high-level substance was practically a powerful tonic. A faint silver glow began to appear on its body surface, a sign that the laws of time were manifesting.

The feast lasted until late into the night.

That huge mantis shrimp was eaten by these starving ghosts until only a pile of shells and skeletons remained.

Jiang Li threw the remaining scraps into the meat pit in the power room.

The ghost ship let out a satisfied sigh, and its hull underwent another transformation. The black wooden planks became even harder, and some fine scales even grew on them, greatly increasing its defensive capabilities.

……

After eating and drinking his fill, Jiang Li lay on a deck chair at the bow of the boat, looking at the persistent mist above his head.

"These mantis shrimp are delicious, but they can get a bit greasy if you eat too many."

He picked his teeth, somewhat greedy, "Besides, this place is just like that, nothing but shipwrecks and rocks, I haven't seen any valuable treasures."

"Captain, are you looking for treasure?"

Wang Ergou approached, his face full of flattery, "I read in the ancient books of the sect that there seems to be a legendary 'Dragon Palace' beneath Shipwreck Bay."

"Dragon Palace?"

Jiang Li perked up. "You mean... the Dragon Palace of the East Sea? The one with the Golden Cudgel?"

"Uh...it's not that Dragon Palace."

Wang Ergou wiped his sweat. "It is said to be a relic left by a deep-sea civilization from the last era. It contains countless gold and silver treasures, as well as artifacts that can control the sea."

"However, that place is very eerie. It is said to be located in a deep sea trench with extremely high water pressure and is guarded by countless sea monsters. No one has ever been able to enter it alive."

"The depths of the ocean? The deep trench?"

Jiang Li stroked his chin, remembering the [Deep Sea Breathing] skill he had gained from eating meat earlier.

Isn't this a coincidence?

I just learned how to dive, and then an underwater dungeon appeared.

"Where is that ruin? Do you know its location?"

"I know the general location. It's right below our ship, in that trench called the 'Abyss Rift,'" Wang Ergou pointed to the seawater outside the ship's side.

Jiang Li walked to the side of the boat and looked down.

The seawater was unfathomably deep, dark and murky, like a gaping maw ready to devour its prey.

But he wasn't afraid; on the contrary, he was a little excited.

"Since we're already here, it would be a shame not to go and see it!"

"Besides, I just learned how to scuba dive, and I haven't tried it yet."

He turned around and waved to Big Yellow.

"Big Yellow, stop gnawing on the bone! Grab that waterproof flashlight, let's go fishing in the sea!"

"Woof?" (Going into the water again? I'm not going! My fur will get all wet!)

Big Yellow shook its head frantically.

Although it is not afraid of water, as a noble hunting dog, it hates the feeling of being wet.

"Not going? Then this bone is confiscated!"

Jiang Li pretended to snatch the bone from its mouth.

"Woof!" (Go away! I'll go, okay?!)

Big Yellow immediately gave in.

"Ergou, keep an eye on the boat. We'll be right back. If anyone tries to steal it, just blast them with the cannon!"

Jiang Li pointed to the psionic main cannon that had just been removed from the "Explorer" at the bow of the ship (he thought it looked like a large firework tube, quite festive).

"Yes, Captain! Don't worry! As long as we're alive, the ship is safe!"

After giving his instructions, Jiang Li took a deep breath and plunged into the dark sea.

"thump!"

Water splashed everywhere.

……

The icy seawater instantly enveloped my entire body.

Surprisingly, Jiang Li did not feel suffocated; instead, she felt as comfortable as if she had returned to her mother's embrace.

A thin film appeared on his skin, keeping the seawater out while automatically drawing oxygen from the water.

"Is this what deep-sea breathing is like? It's so convenient!"

Jiang Li tried swimming and found that he was extremely fast underwater, almost like a fish that had become a spirit.

He turned on his waterproof flashlight, and a beam of light pierced the darkness of the deep sea.

Da Huang followed behind him, looking reluctant, but its movements in the water were more agile than Jiang Li's, like a hairy sea snake.

The two people and the dog continued to descend.

One hundred meters, two hundred meters, five hundred meters...

The surrounding light grew dimmer and the water pressure increased.

If it were a regular submarine, it would have been crushed at this depth.

But Jiang Li felt good, and even wanted to hum a song.

"Huh? What's that?"

The beam of the flashlight swept across a huge shadow.

It was a sunken ancient sailing ship, its hull decayed and covered with glowing coral.

Through the hole in the ship's cabin, some glittering objects could be vaguely seen.

"gold?!"

Jiang Li's eyes lit up, and he immediately swam over.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a box of gold coins! Although they had turned slightly black from seawater corrosion, their golden luster was undeniable.

"We're rich! We're rich! This box must weigh dozens of kilograms!"

Jiang Li was about to reach out and take it.

Suddenly, the box slammed shut with a "click".

Immediately afterwards, two legs sprouted from the bottom of the box, and a huge single eye opened on the lid, its mouth full of sharp teeth snapping open as it lunged at Jiang Li's hand!

【Treasure Chest Monster】(Class C Mimicry Creature)!

"Holy crap! Has this box come to life?!"

Jiang Li was startled and instinctively threw a punch.

"Bang!"

Despite the resistance of the water, the punch still carried great force.

The treasure chest monster was smashed to pieces by this punch; the wooden planks shattered, and the gold coins inside scattered all over the ground.

"What kind of broken box is this? It even bites?"

Jiang Li rubbed his fist, then happily picked up the gold coins from the ground and stuffed them into his pocket.

"Hey Big Yellow, don't just stand there, help me pick up the money!"

After collecting the gold coins, Jiang Li continued his descent.

Finally, when they descended to about a thousand meters, a huge crack appeared below.

That is the "Abyss Rift".

Deep within the crack, a strange green light faintly emanates, and the outlines of some magnificent buildings can be seen.

That was a city that sank to the bottom of the sea!

The massive stone pillars, the bizarre statues, and the inhuman-style spires appeared mysterious and terrifying under the eerie green light.

[The Ruins of R'lyeh (False)]!

This place was once the settlement of the Ancients or Deep Ones civilization. Although it is now abandoned, it still retains its former glory and... danger.

"Is this the Dragon Palace?"

Jiang Li looked at the magnificent underwater city and was filled with awe.

"This is much bigger than the Royal Dragon Bay villa area! If this could be developed into a tourist attraction, the ticket sales would be insane!"

Just as he was about to get a closer look...

Suddenly, a group of patrolling shadows appeared on the city streets.

They have fish heads and human bodies, hold harpoons, and ride mounts that look like seahorses.

The Deep Diver Guard!

They spotted the intruders and immediately sounded a sharp alarm.

"Gagaga!!!"

The sound traveled extremely fast in the water, instantly spreading throughout the entire ruins.

Countless eyes opened in the darkness.

"Oh, there are security guards patrolling too?"

Jiang Li was not flustered at all, and even straightened his clothes (although it was not visible in the water).

"Perfect timing. I'll ask around and see if there's any scrap metal like the Sea-Stabilizing Needle in this Dragon Palace. I want to buy some and sell it for money."

He swam confidently toward the group of deep-sea divers, carrying Big Yellow.

"Hey! Security guard! Can I ask you for directions?"

The Deep Divers: "???"

Does this human... have a brain bubble?

This is forbidden territory!

"Kill him!"

The leader of the Deep Ones raised his harpoon and charged forward with a roar.

An underwater "friendly exchange" (a one-sided beating) is about to begin.