Sharon and the others on deck seemed to have noticed the situation as well. The ship turned slightly, and the wreckage gradually drifted out of Li Yue’s line of sight. Filled with doubt, she rushed to the deck and sensed the area carefully; those who had died beneath the waves were indeed human.
As for the survivors, Li Yue could feel their life force. This meant they were real humans, which in turn meant that actual petty pirates had appeared in these waters.
Even a dream could not use biological mimicry to deceive Li Yue, who commanded death. The massive whale that had appeared earlier was a genuine living creature, but this second time, she could clearly sense that these were beings born of the dream.
After all, the authority of the God of Death was far more powerful than that of the god presiding over dreams. A mere ownerless illusion was not enough to deceive her.
However, this dream could influence reality. Although those things were not truly living beings, the impact they had on you was irreversible. Thus, dying in this sea meant you were truly dead; after all, they had entered as real people, not as virtual dream entities.
She raised an eyebrow, not understanding why ordinary pirates would come here. Had they been swept in by a storm or something similar?
As their ship drew closer, the wounded pirates clinging to the driftwood began to cry out for help. They shouted at the top of their lungs. There were about three or four survivors, all looking as if they had just survived a terrifying ordeal.
“Should we pull them up and see?” Sharon asked Li Yue in a low voice. As her sense of unease grew, she didn't dare make decisions on her own.
“These people don't seem like anything special,” Li Yue replied with certainty. “Are the sailors on this ship all former pirates?”
“No, they are regular merchant sailors and guards,” Sharon shook her head. “Among those floating out there, I only recognize one: Burning Lundo. He is a mage who specializes in fire magic. His bounty is 100 gold coins.”
A mage... He was likely at the end of his rope, and so weak that she hadn't noticed the difference. She would have to be more careful with her sensing in the future.
“Let’s pull them up and ask some questions first.”
Sharon nodded to the sailors in the distance. They quickly threw down ropes. The pirates clinging to the driftwood used the last of their strength to swim over. With the help of the sailors, the soaked pirates were hauled aboard.
They collapsed onto the deck, vomiting seawater and gasping for air. They lay flat on the ground, seemingly without the will to move another inch.
“What happened to you?” Li Yue leaned down, considering whether she should just kill them all after she finished questioning them.
“Cough... cough... ugh... whale... whale...” Deep terror filled his eyes, and his body shook violently. Li Yue paused, sensing a dark shadow rapidly approaching the ship from beneath the water.
Had their ship been smashed and sunk by that sea monster? No... wait, that creature wasn't a living being from reality.
A whale as large as the ship hull breached high into the air. It sent up a massive spray of water. Everyone froze in place, momentarily stunned by what was happening.
Li Yue raised a hand. A black and red spike shot out from the sea, instantly impaling the whale. It then wrapped around the creature from the inside and tore it to shreds. The resulting spray began to fall like a light rain.
Li Yue let out a breath of relief, but then her pupils suddenly constricted. Her Death Abyss instantly expanded to cover the deck, blocking the intermittent drizzle. Despite her speed, a few drops of seawater still managed to fall through.
A sailor directly below didn't dodge in time. The moment the water hit his shoulder, it pierced straight through his bone. Everyone stood frozen as blood sprayed out.
His blood hovered in the air before slowly flowing back into his body, and his flesh began to rapidly regrow. The sailor didn't even seem to realize what had happened; he only felt a piercing pain before slowly recovering.
“What... what happened?” Sharon stammered. She quickly acted, summoning a gust of wind to blow the remaining seawater away.
“It was likely caused by those dream creatures. As long as they have the intent to kill you, the dream will target you. Even a single drop of water can kill you.” Li Yue thought for a moment, searching for a fitting analogy. “It is like a King of Gods. Nothing can kill Him normally, but when the Twilight of the Gods arrives, He will die. At that time, whether He is swallowed by death or cursed by someone, even a blade of grass can kill Him.”
“Are you saying this dream simulates that effect?”
“The owner of this dream likely died that way, though the effect only lasts for a split second.” Li Yue walked over and inspected the sailor’s wound. He had fully recovered, though the clothing on his shoulder remained torn.
“I cannot fix clothes. You know how to use a needle and thread, right?” Li Yue said calmly. “As you can see, this place is indeed a dream. But do not be afraid. In a dream, whatever you fear most will come for you.”
“Just treat this place like a slightly crazed reality. Do not panic. Reinforcements are on the way.” Mende stabilized the sailors’ morale. As their acknowledged leader, his words made everyone feel a bit more at ease.
With the help of Blan and the ship’s doctor, the pirates seemed much better. Their breathing gradually steadied. They listened to Li Yue and Mende’s explanation in shock, overcome by a sudden, intense fear.
“Do not be scared yet. I do not want to kill you for the time being.” Li Yue crouched down. “My killing methods are very bloody, and it would not be good if everyone got scared.”
“I ask, you answer.”
Li Yue looked at them. The pirates, led by Lundo, immediately became much more cooperative. They nodded their heads like chickens pecking at grain, appearing quite anxious.
“Why did you come here?”
“Kusath, the King of the Four Seas, released a map. Every pirate with any strength wanted to try their luck and find treasure in this mysterious sea.” Lundo shrank back, not daring to meet Li Yue’s eyes. Inexplicably, he could already imagine himself being torn to pieces.
“You are saying that all the powerful pirates from the four seas are heading this way?” Li Yue raised an eyebrow.
“Many are already dead, killed by sea monsters along the way. We are considered the lucky ones... We ran into a massive storm, and by the time we recovered, we were already here.”
What followed was likely the destruction of their ship and the death of the crew, until the survivors encountered Li Yue’s group.
Li Yue did not feel like asking any more for now. The map had begun to spread even before they had lost contact with the outside world. Now, more and more Mages were surely joining the fray...
What exactly... could be more valuable than a nearly complete tomb of God's remains to make the Royal Court act this way?
Rate on N.U.
