Chapter Eighty: The Underwater Pearl Cavern

The Leedsichthys in the Ark seldom initiates attacks against humans.

After smashing Qin Fei’s stone boat, the Leedsichthys ignored both Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai, plunging back into the depths of the sea. Without the protection of their stone vessel, four giant megalodon sharks immediately swam toward them, each approaching from a different direction. There was no way to escape; Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai were surrounded, and whichever way they swam, they could not evade the sharks.

Qin Fei pondered for a few seconds, then seized Xie Nai Nai’s hand and dove beneath the surface. His goal was to approach the Leedsichthys they had just encountered. Because of the vast difference in size, sharks generally avoid attacking massive ocean creatures like blue whales. If they encounter such beings, they tend to steer clear. Thus, Qin Fei intended to dive toward the Leedsichthys, hoping its presence might deter the megalodons from pursuing them. He didn’t know if this tactic would actually work, but at this moment, there was no other option.

The sea in the Ark world was crystal clear, yet even so, visibility underwater was nowhere near as good as on land. Qin Fei searched for some time below the surface, but did not spot the Leedsichthys. Instead, one of the megalodon sharks behind him was fast approaching. Even with swim fins, humans simply could not match the speed of fish in the sea; the shark was upon Qin Fei in moments.

There was no other way—he would have to fight.

Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai exchanged a glance, then each drew a weapon from their backpack. After drinking the LS Stew, they could move underwater with reduced oxygen consumption, and swimming no longer drained their stamina. Thus, both Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai still retained plenty of strength.

Underwater, the resistance severely diminished the force of bullets, especially for shotguns, whose wide spread and short range were even more hindered by the water. There was also a high risk of gun barrels bursting when fired underwater. So, firearms were essentially useless in these conditions. For Qin Fei, whose physique had been enhanced, melee weapons were far more practical.

Qin Fei wielded an iron spear he had used to defend against zombie hordes in the Seven Days to Die world. Xie Nai Nai slipped on a pair of massive gauntlets, each at least four or five times larger than her fists. They were called “Fists of Fury.”

Her previous world had been “Fallout 4.”

These gauntlets were a reward for slaying a giant in Boston Park during her adventures in “Fallout 4.” Their power in close combat was formidable.

Just as Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai, fully armed, prepared to confront the megalodon, two enormous black tentacles suddenly stretched out from the deeper water. Each tentacle was thick, studded with countless suction cups the size of washbasins; merely glimpsing them inspired terror deep in the heart.

Perhaps due to their overwhelming size, the tentacles ignored Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai, wrapping directly around the body of the megalodon shark. Within a few breaths, the shark was dragged down into the depths and vanished entirely.

Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai stared at each other, shaken by this sudden turn of events. If Qin Fei guessed correctly, those tentacles likely belonged to the oceanic tyrant of the Ark: the Tusoteuthis giant squid.

In reality, the Tusoteuthis wasn’t even half the size of a megalodon. But the game was different; these squids were genetically modified, growing to lengths of twenty or thirty meters in the Ark world. Their combat prowess, along with their size, had reached unimaginable levels. Even the mighty Mosasaurus, capable of killing a Tyrannosaurus with ease, was no match for them.

After the megalodon was dragged away by the giant squid, three more megalodon sharks appeared overhead. With sharks above, Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai naturally dove deeper toward the ocean floor.

After nearly half a minute of swimming, Qin Fei spotted a cave emitting bubbles near the bottom. Could this be… the Pearl Cavern beneath Devil’s Island?

In the Ark world, underwater caves often contained land spaces inside, along with oxygen. Though this defied scientific explanation, nature was full of mysteries science could not yet unravel.

The LS Stew allowed them to greatly reduce their oxygen consumption, but did not eliminate the need entirely. Eventually, their oxygen would be depleted. So, upon seeing the cave, Qin Fei immediately grabbed Xie Nai Nai’s hand and rushed inside.

They entered the underwater cavern, and as expected, there was land within. After entering, Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai scrambled onto dry ground.

Outside, the three megalodon sharks, seeing their prey escape onto the cave’s shore, dispersed and swam away. With the danger gone, Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai finally relaxed, lying on the ground and gasping for air. After so long underwater, they had nearly suffocated.

Inside the cave, pearls were scattered everywhere, and occasionally, solidified petroleum deposits could be seen. These resources were exceedingly rare on land.

Qin Fei’s backpack, upgraded by the system, now had a carrying capacity of sixty kilograms, providing ample space. Naturally, he began to gather these rare resources.

[Silicon Pearl: Made almost entirely of silicon, can be refined into silicon plates.]

[Submarine Oil Deposit: A dense, unrefined oil bubble; after high-temperature processing, it can be turned into gasoline.]

After collecting some of the cave’s resources, Qin Fei suddenly heard a clattering sound nearby—very much like the sound of a giant scorpion walking.

He pulled out his flashlight and shone it toward the source of the noise…

Not far away, a creature over two meters long was crawling across the ground—a giant crayfish!

To be precise, it wasn’t a crayfish at all—its scientific name was “Broadfin Horseshoe Crab.” The Broadfin Horseshoe Crab was amphibious, moving slowly both on land and in water.

Upon spotting it, Qin Fei and Xie Nai Nai immediately pulled out their shotguns and quickly dispatched it.

After its death, Qin Fei found his mouth watering uncontrollably. He was torn—should such a huge lobster be grilled over a fire, or steamed in an iron pot with a slab of wood?