53: Chapter 53 Infinite Shield! Hold on!

The moment the energy shield shattered, an aura of despair instantly engulfed the entire cockpit.

"We're done for..."

Yun Jinxin, watching the invisible shockwave surge towards them again, closed her eyes in terror, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

Without the shield, if that strike hit the ship, even if the hull didn't shatter, the crew would likely be reduced to idiots by the terrifying mental impact!

However, at this critical juncture.

"Huumm——!"

A brand new energy shield materialized out of thin air, once again enveloping the Many Children, Many Blessings.

It was Su Mei!

Though the mental contamination was splitting her head with pain, her will to survive allowed her to maintain a sliver of clarity at the most crucial moment.

Enduring the agony, the instant the shield shattered, she unhesitatingly pressed the activation button again!

"Boom!"

The shockwave slammed heavily into the new shield, successfully blocked once more.

"Well done!"

Seeing this, Li Taiping's spirits lifted, and he shouted towards Su Mei:

"Su Mei! Don't stop! Open a new shield the moment it shatters! We have plenty of energy stones! Hold the line!"

"I... I know!"

Su Mei gritted her teeth, her face deathly pale as she responded.

Although this double-layered shield boasted astonishing defensive power, each activation and maintenance consumed energy stones.

For other Survivor, this was an absolutely, extravagantly luxurious defensive measure; using it even once would make their hearts ache for ages.

But for Su Mei, who possessed unlimited energy stones, she could activate this thing as many times as she wanted!

"Boom!"

"Crash!"

"Crack—Huumm—"

Next, a battle of offense and defense that could only be described as luxurious unfolded on the frigid sea surface.

That indescribable shadow continuously unleashed mental impacts.

Meanwhile, the Many Children, Many Blessings' energy shield stubbornly resisted each attack in a cycle of shattering and rebirth.

Each time the shield shattered, the ship would shake violently from the residual impact, and its durability would drop a corresponding notch.

[Third-rank Many Children, Many Blessings Durability: 7600/10000]

[Third-rank Many Children, Many Blessings Durability: 6100/10000]

...

The ship's durability plummeted at an alarming rate under the combined assault of collisions with ice floes and the monster's attacks.

Li Taiping's heart was in his throat.

He knew this couldn't go on.

Su Mei's energy stones might be unlimited, but the ship's durability was finite!

Once the durability hit zero, this ship would truly be finished!

His sanity value had also dropped to an extremely dangerous brink.

[Sanity: 44]

An intense urge to vomit made him feel as if his internal organs were churning violently.

He could only grit his teeth desperately, relying on his last shred of willpower to control the ship and flee madly.

He had to think of a way!

He had to find a way to shake off this monster!

But what could he do?

Fight? Couldn't win.

Run? Couldn't escape.

He didn't even know if that bottle of potent curse potion (excellent grade) was effective; the monster was still alive and kicking.

Could it be... they were really going to meet their end here today?

For the first time, a sense of powerlessness sprouted in Li Taiping's heart.

Just as he was nearing despair.

Xia Zhi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

"Captain, let me try!"

Her voice was as cool and detached as ever, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Li Taiping, his mind hazy, turned his head and saw Xia Zhi's face, equally pale from the mental contamination, but her eyes were shining with an astonishing intensity.

It was a kind of resolve that disregarded life and death!

"You..."

Li Taiping was about to ask what she intended to do.

But he saw Xia Zhi had already turned and rushed out of the cockpit, onto the violently pitching deck.

Facing the biting cold wind, her petite figure appeared so minuscule and fragile beneath the enormous shadow of the monster.

Yet her gaze was like an unsheathed sword, sharp and brilliant!

In her hand, she held that utterly unremarkable normal fishing rod.

[Talent: Swordsmanship Mastery (good)] Activated!

At this moment, the fishing rod in her hand was no longer a fishing rod.

It was a peerless, indestructible sword!

She took a deep breath, channeling all the meager sword-intent energy within her body into the 'sword' in her hand.

Then, in the brief gap as the shield shattered once more, she mustered all her strength and flung the fishing rod in her hand like a javelin, hurling it with all her might!

"Swoosh——!"

The fishing rod traced a straight black line through the air, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the atmosphere, and shot towards the massive shadow composed of black mist with a speed beyond imagination, striking with pinpoint accuracy!

This strike concentrated all of Xia Zhi's essence, energy, and spirit!

It was the strongest blow of her life as a 'swordsman'!

In the cockpit, Li Taiping watched this scene with a dazed mind, feeling as if his brain had truly malfunctioned, conjuring hallucinations.

Sword flight?

No, fishing rod flight?

Xia Zhi, whose life level was still 'normal,' using a broken fishing rod to attack an Excellent Grade terrifying monster?

Was that reasonable?

What was the difference between that and poking an elephant with a toothpick?

However, the next second.

Something happened that nearly made his eyeballs pop out.

That seemingly fragile fishing rod, the moment it made contact with the dense black mist,

Actually pierced straight through without encountering any resistance!

Where the fishing rod pierced the massive body of black mist, the fog violently dispersed to both sides,

Although it quickly coalesced again, there had indeed been a clearly visible hole!

Effective!

Xia Zhi's attack had actually dealt damage to that monster!

"How is that possible?!"

Li Taiping's brain completely short-circuited.

He couldn't comprehend it.

This completely exceeded the scope of his understanding.

[normal fishing rod]

[Quality: Normal]

[Trait: Indestructible]

...

Li Taiping only knew that he was about to collapse.

He was even hallucinating now, imagining that Xia Zhi, a Normal Grade, could harm this Excellent Grade monster.

That strike from Xia Zhi seemed to have thoroughly enraged the monster.

It let out a silent roar, causing the entire sea surface to boil!

A mental shockwave more powerful and terrifying than any before instantly coalesced, surging towards the Many Children, Many Blessings!

It was over.

Li Taiping's eyelids grew heavier.

He knew they absolutely could not withstand this strike.

His sanity value finally, at this moment, breached the last line of defense, stopping at 35.

The world plunged into darkness.

...