Beelzebub raised an eyebrow. “What do you plan to do?”
Ning Busan said, “We will invite the sea monsters who are interested in Atlantis to the deep-sea canyon to discuss opening Atlantis together.”
Lilian asked in confusion, “Why do that?”
“This way, the Deep Sea Queen won't be able to touch the merfolk tribe,” Ning Busan said. “When everyone has a chance to sit down and talk, if she still tries to keep you to herself, it will surely provoke public anger.”
Lilian asked, “How can you be so sure those sea monsters will accept the invitation?”
Ning Busan analyzed the situation. “After your existence was exposed, if they really wanted to open Atlantis, they would have made their move long ago. Why have they dragged it out until now?”
“Because there are too many competitors. Whoever holds the key becomes a target, but at the same time, they also hold the initiative. And right now, the initiative is in our hands.”
“They don't dare to bet that other competitors won't harbor ulterior motives, so they will definitely come.”
Lilian frowned. “Isn't this like negotiating with a tiger for its hide? It's too dangerous.”
“If we find Atlantis and then they all swarm us at once, wouldn't that be even more dangerous?” Ning Busan laughed.
“An unseen enemy is far more terrifying than a visible one. Once they arrive, if we can reach an agreement, we cooperate; if not, we fight.”
Lilian: “...”
She felt it was a bit unreliable, but there didn't seem to be a better way.
Ning Busan raised his eyelids and said, “Sheldon, you and Echidna go together to pass the word to those deep-sea overlords and invite them over.”
Sheldon hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. “...Alright.”
Echidna also said, “No problem.”
Ning Busan smiled as he saw the two of them off.
Sheldon's weakness was the merfolk tribe, making him easy to threaten. And no matter what Sheldon did, Echidna would surely help him.
If he had returned even a little later this time, Lilian might have really been taken away by them.
To be safe, it was better to send the two of them away.
Beelzebub stared at Ning Busan with an inquiring gaze.
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Ning Busan asked, “What are you looking at me for?”
Beelzebub rubbed his chin. “This doesn't seem like your style. I thought you would turn the deep sea upside down.”
“This is called planning before acting,” Ning Busan said. “Do you remember that black hole?”
Beelzebub said, “I remember. That black hole gave me a very bad feeling. If I got too close, I might have been swallowed up as well.”
Ning Busan whispered, “Since we can't deal with it, we might as well let them act as cannon fodder to test the waters.”
Beelzebub: “...”
Was this still the same Satan who would twist someone's head off over the slightest disagreement?
He had actually learned to play mind games now!
Before long, the deep-sea canyon grew lively.
The Deep Sea Queen had arrived as well.
She was a massive jellyfish, with a human upper body and a cluster of translucent, umbrella-like jellyfish bells below her waist.
The insides of these bell-like structures were filled with dense, glowing blue veins, with countless long, slender tentacles dangling below.
When Lilian saw her, her eyes were filled with hostility.
The Deep Sea Queen said with a smile, “There might be some misunderstanding between us.”
“After the Giant-Jawed Shark King died, his remnants wanted to seek revenge on the merfolk tribe. I only sent my subordinates to guard the place to protect your people.”
Lilian was shocked by her shamelessness. “So, you're saying I should thank you?”
The Deep Sea Queen said, “We're all friends, no need to be polite.”
Lilian stared straight at her. “You want to be friends with me?”
The Deep Sea Queen recalled the rumors about Lilian, and her body stiffened.
But she was very confident, believing she wouldn't be easily jinxed to death, so she nodded. “That's right.”
Lilian's eyes lit up. “I'll visit you often in the future.”
The Deep Sea Queen felt a sudden, inexplicable chill run down her spine.
Ning Busan laughed. “Does that mean I'm falling out of favor?”
“Are you the second key?” The Deep Sea Queen curled her lips and reached out a fair finger, attempting to touch his face. “You're quite handsome. Interested in becoming my boy toy?”
Ning Busan slapped her hand away. “Not interested.”
“No thanks, I don't do non-humans!”
“If you change your mind, you can come find me anytime,” the Deep Sea Queen giggled and left.
Lilian whispered to Ning Busan, “Don't be fooled by her appearance. She's a ruthless woman!”
“Her tentacles are highly venomous. Once you mate with her, you'll be under her control and can never leave her.”
Ning Busan said helplessly, “You're really overthinking things.”
Lilian asked, “By the way, where did Beelzebub go?”
Ning Busan said, “He said he has important business to attend to. You probably won't be seeing him for a while.”
Lilian let out a deep sigh.
Ning Busan sighed along with her.
Without a cook, life had truly become tasteless.
Aside from the Deep Sea Queen, three other overlords had come to the deep-sea canyon. Their species were a seahorse, a giant whale, and an eel.
The giant whale said in a deep voice, “Since we are all here for Atlantis, and the keys to the Lock of Causality are right here, why don't we join forces to open Atlantis? Once we're inside, we can rely on our own abilities.”
The seahorse sneered, “That sounds nice, but who knows if you'll play any dirty tricks?”
The Deep Sea Queen raised an eyebrow. “If you're afraid, you can choose not to join us.”
The seahorse's gaze turned fierce. “What, you want to shut me out?”
Ning Busan quietly listened to them spout meaningless nonsense from the side.
These deep-sea overlords didn't take him or Lilian seriously at all. In their eyes, the two keys were completely at their mercy.
Thus, Ning Busan remained silent, only asking when they had finally reached an agreement, “How do you plan to deal with that black hole?”
As soon as he said this, the entire area fell dead silent.
“You actually encountered that thing,” the Deep Sea Queen laughed. “Silly child, there are hundreds of millions of xenos in there. Unless the Sea God reappears, no one can deal with it.”
Ning Busan gasped softly.
“How many?”
“Did you say how many?”
“Hundreds of millions?”
“There are no xenos in the deep sea because the Sea God suppressed them. After the Sea God fell, whenever a xeno army appeared in the deep sea, this black hole would emerge in time to suck them in,” the giant whale explained.
“But the xenos didn't die. The black hole merely imprisoned them. Gradually, the black hole's energy became unstable, and it even began to indiscriminately drain the life force around it.”
“That is how the Realm of Eternal Night was formed.”
Ning Busan said, “Without dealing with the black hole, even if we reach the Realm of Eternal Night, we won't be able to take a single step.”
The seahorse said impatiently, “The Realm of Eternal Night is so huge. We won't be unlucky enough to run into the black hole.”
Lilian vowed confidently, “Trust me! As long as I'm here, you will definitely run into it!”
The fish: “...”
What on earth are you so proud of?
Resting her chin on her hand, the Deep Sea Queen said, “Then it's an impossible puzzle.”
They definitely had to bring Lilian, but bringing Lilian meant they would definitely encounter the black hole.
It was completely unsolvable.
The seahorse said coldly, “If you ask me, since the black hole's energy is already unstable, we might as well find a way to make it disappear completely and release all the xenos inside.”
“Don't you dare try!” The giant whale's voice boomed like thunder. “If the xenos inside are released, the entire deep sea will be thrown into utter chaos. Do you want to destroy the deep sea?”
The eel said in a muffled voice, “Then let's just drag it out!”
In the end, they parted on bad terms.
Ning Busan frowned.
Drag what out?
If they dragged this out any longer, his Siren card would be gone!
Ning Busan whispered a few words to Lilian. Lilian's mouth formed an 'O' shape, and she finally nodded with a complex expression.
Rate on N.U.
