Chapter 1006: Big Ole Sea Serpent and Big Ole Ship
[So…what do you guys rate that briefing?,] Spring Brawler asked.
[Meh. Seven out of ten. Could’ve used more visual aides and drama,] Hurricroak answered.
[It…was…sufficient…short…to…the…point,] Frosttusk rumbled.
[I’m honestly just surprised that she managed to deliver all of that information without sounding too casual,] Razorstella admitted. [I sincerely thought she was going to just hand off her duties to her son.]
[To be fair, I think she’s acting like this because this is now her zone,] Screamira pointed out. [We’re gearing for war, and she’s a general. Remember?]
[I guess so…side note, where are the consorts at? I figured this would be their jam, well, for two of them anyways.]
[Last I checked, they’re at home with the rest of the Zhen Clan. Getting ready for that beast tide thing alongside Arachnidame and Lacerage,] Nepherage answered Razorstella. [But they said they’d get ready to make use of the Nowhere Gates when they finished their tasks.]
[Aight… y’all ever get the feeling we’re not making the fullest use of our literal interdimensional door?]
[Nah.]
…
“Looks like we’re on the move,” Zhen Hai pointed out to Zhen Liu and Zhen Feng as soon as Matriarch Zhen Xun Tian walked away from her position in front of the gathered soldiers.
Now that the official briefing had ended, Zhen Xun Po and Zhen Song dismissed the images that they had summoned in regards to the Fallen and Darkshell Citadel. Afterwards, they began to organize the soldiers into two groups, with each of them being in the lead.
Off to the side, the branch clan members were organizing themselves as well. That said, there were only three of them.
“Gotta admit, it’s a little sad that only the three of us could make it for this particular expedition,” Zhen Feng mentioned. “Feels weird without the others being with us.”
“To be fair, the three of us got extraordinary circumstances that made it make more sense for us to go,” Zhen Liu pointed out. “You made it possible for us to go, Zhen Hai here will probably be able to reap a lot of cultivation related benefits down there and I…well, I’m the reason why grandfather was cool with just us going in the first place during an active disaster time.”
“You remember when that beast tide thing is supposed to hit?,” Zhen Hai asked.
“I think next month, but maybe sooner. You know how high tiered beasts can get.”
“True.”*2
Once all the troops were in place and ready to go, Zhen Xun Tian took this opportunity to give the soldiers their only orders for the day.
<
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“Still can’t believe how quickly she managed to tame the damn thing,” Zhen Hai muttered under his breath.
Now facing the water, Zhen Xun Tian released a small pulse of aether that caused the waters to lightly ripple. Moments after, the waters began to churn as the massive armored head of a sea serpent rose from the deep.
In Zhen Liu’s estimation, the head was big as a yacht from his past life.
“I still can’t believe you managed to pull that off, Xiao Feng. Good shit.”
“Much obliged.”
Days prior to this moment, Zhen Feng had managed to successfully produce a single portion of something he called [Carrier Mutations Bouillabaisse], which was a modification of a recipe from a book, mixed with the alchemical know-how of Imperial Alchemist Nun Hua.
With this soup, they managed to fully transform the captured [Luminescent Wolf Eel] into something called a [Shining Ark Serpent].
Ethics of causing another living being to undergo what was essentially a forced evolution aside, the branch clan was just shocked to see how quickly the main clan’s matriarch managed to master the art of beast taming after a few short lessons.
Then again, it probably helped that Zhen Liu also lent her a couple of lost manuals related to the subject.
Knowledge is power, after all.
Back to the serpent though, the exact changes the soup had caused the eel to nearly triple in size, develop a stronger affinity for Luxarii aether and a strong armored shell.
That shell was what made it possible for the Zhen Clan warriors to board the serpent as if it was a seaworthy vessel.
Once the sea serpent had settled it’s head into place, a gangway made from its shell extended down towards the beach.
<
Under orders from their superiors, the Zhen Clan troops boarded the serpent and began to mentally prepare themselves for what could possibly be their last campaign.
…
[Milord? Why are you standing still? Shouldn’t we be joining the other Zhen Clan warriors?]
‘Wait for it.’
…
“Wait…do we board with the rest of these guys now or wait till after everyone has filed in?”
“I think we go in now? So lets-”
“Y’all ain’t joining the soldiers on that sea serpent. Not now at least.”
“Eh??”
“Saw that coming.
Just as Zhen Liu, Zhen Feng and Zhen Hai were about it board the [Shining Ark Serpent], they were physically stopped by Matriarch Zhen Xun Tian.
More specifically, Zhen Hai was about to take the lead and climb aboard until Zhen Xun Tian quite literally grabbed him by the collar like a cat.
…
‘Called it, part one.’
[Part one?]
…
“Wait. If we’re not going with you and the rest of the soldiers, how are we going to get to the [Abyssal Lands]?”
“Xiao Liu?”
…
‘There it is, part two.’
[Ah.]
…
As soon as Zhen Liu’s name was mentioned, both Zhen Feng and Zhen Hai directed their attention towards their fourth cousin.
While he had been a bit of a miracle worker as of late, there was no way he had a ship ready to go at this moment.
Right?
“Real quick… how’d you know I had something for this moment?”
“You actually have something for this?,” Zhen Feng and Zhen Hai asked simultaneously.
Zhen Liu had already come to the conclusion that Zhen Xun Tian had probably sensed the unfamiliar [Chaos] on his person, he just wanted a confirmation.
“I sensed a new type of energy on your person.”
“Of course.”
“She did?”
At this moment, having been already called out, Zhen Liu produced a miniature boat figure from his pockets. While his cousin looked at the shrunken vessel with incredulity, Zhen Xun Tian just smiled.
“You know, you should really invest in getting your hand on one of these,” Zhen Xun Tian said while gesturing to a talisman that was hanging off of her waist. “Spatial treasures like these can help mask aether signatures and even anima marks.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Now then, don’t take too long summoning that thing, and be sure to keep up.”
“Will do.”
Having said her piece, Zhen Xun Tian proceeded to make minimal use of aether in order to fly over to the the top of the [Shining Ark Serpent]’s head, and enter into the protective shell. Once she had entered, the serpent dived into the water and began to swim away. A small fin poking through the surface was the only proof left that this massive creature was still in the area.
While this was happening, Zhen Liu proceeded to produce a small, wheel-shaped key from his pockets in order to activate the miniature boat figure while his cousins watched.
As he locked in the key and began to turn the wheel, the two of them could feel weird waves of aether and some (un)familiar energy wash over them.
“Hey…does that feel familiar or-‘”
SPLASH
“Whoa!”
Seconds later, the miniature ship grew to the size of a full fledged galleon and splashed down on the spot the [Shining Ark Serpent] was mere moments ago.
Zhen Feng and Zhen Hai were understandably shocked at seeing this galleon manifest, all the way up to when the ship’s gangplank formed and landed in front of them.
“Well, are you coming on board or what?,” Zhen Liu asked as he began to walk the gangplank.
“Huh? Oh. Yeah!”
Prompted by their cousin, Zhen Hai and Zhen Feng made their way up the gangplank like rats on a line.
“Hey, does this feel familiar or am I going crazy?”
“Nah.”
Once they got onboard though, they realized something important: there was only three of them and this was a big ass ship.
“So…are we going to pilot this thing ourselves or-‘”
“Give me a minute,” Zhen Liu interjected as he reached into another pouch on his belt and pulled out a handful of wooden marbles. Once they were in-hand, he also took off several accessories from his person.
“Oh right. One man army.”
‘Come on out guys!,’ Zhen Liu mentally shouted as he threw the marbles and accessories into the air.
What followed was an explosion of color, light, sound and the appearance of a whole lot of…”puppets”.
…
[I feel like this ship is missing something…]
[We don’t have a flag yet. I haven’t been able to pin down a design.]
[Ah…why not the seal that the maestro uses to make us?]
[Way too obvious.]
[Fair.]
