27: Mermaid's Wrath
With Luo Chen's excellent eyesight, he could even make out the scales on that towering figure.
The upper half was human, the lower half fish. Green scales stretched from the fish tail all the way up to its neck.
Its face seemed forged by gods, every inch of it flawless. Pearls adorned the fins by its ears.
This was a mermaid.
Luo Chen recalled the descriptions from children's books in his previous life. This perfectly matched the description of that strange creature outside the city.
Yesterday, Luo Yuheng had told him this Type of Beast should be called a [Tide-Calling Mermaid].
He took another stealthy glance, quite certain this one was female.
However, the creature outside the city now exuded an overwhelming aura, its gaze fixed intently on Qingyang City. A savage voice echoed throughout the entire city.
"Humans, within one hour, hand over my kin. Otherwise, the sea will drown this city."
The voice was as vast as heavenly might, sounding like a heavy hammer striking the mind.
As if to validate its words, a hundred-meter-high wall of water, condensed from pure water, rose behind it.
The towering water wall stood poised, waiting only for the mermaid's command to transform into a colossal wave and crash against the city's protective membrane.
The rain fell even harder.
Luo Chen initially wanted to use his [Eye of Truth] to check the [Tide-Calling Mermaid]'s information. But whether it was due to the distance being too great or the Rank disparity being too large, he couldn't see anything.
At some point, Luo Yuheng, his wife, and Luo Yang had all arrived at the shop entrance, joining Luo Chen in gazing at the colossal entity outside the city.
"Law Manifestation... a Desolate Beast." Luo Yuheng's face was full of gravity. Qingyang City was truly facing its greatest crisis since its founding.
Fierce Beasts, Spirit Beasts, King Beasts, Desolate Beasts... The most powerful Beast Masters in Qingyang City were only at the King Beast level. How could they possibly withstand the assault of a Desolate Beast, a whole realm above them?
Even the protective energy membrane safeguarding the entire city's populace could probably only withstand a few attacks from a Desolate Beast.
"Woo~ Woo~"
A long, desolate horn blast sounded within the city. This horn's sound dispelled the mental pressure brought by the [Tide-Calling Mermaid]'s earlier voice. Luo Chen clearly felt his mind relax; the palpitations faded considerably.
"You two stay inside the shop properly. Your mother and I need to go out," Luo Yuheng said seriously, looking at the two brothers.
Worry involuntarily arose in Luo Chen's heart. "Are you going to participate in the city defense?"
Su Muqing gently patted both brothers' heads. "This horn only sounds when Qingyang City faces life or death. All Beast Masters above Spirit Rank within the city must join the battle."
Luo Yuheng took out a token from his storage device and handed it to Luo Chen. "If the city falls, both of you, drip your blood onto this token."
Then, he gave the two brothers a deep look before resolutely charging into the curtain of rain with Su Muqing.
"Gurgle."
A Beast Master's beast, covered in bluish-grey scales, six meters long, somewhat resembling a crocodile from his past life, appeared beneath Luo Yuheng's feet. However, unlike a crocodile, its limbs were well-developed, easily over a meter in height.
The pouring rain that others avoided seemed to bring it comfort and enjoyment.
Su Muqing and Luo Yuheng mounted this Beast Master's beast. The ground shook slightly, and both the couple and the beast disappeared down the end of the main road.
Luo Chen tightly clenched the token in his hand. "Stay safe."
...
After the horn sounded, more figures appeared on the streets—some were Beast Masters rushing to the city walls, others were logistical personnel transporting various supplies.
All sorts of strange and wondrous Beast Master's beasts seemed to flood the streets all at once. During wartime preparations, the previous prohibitions against various beasts on the streets were temporarily suspended.
The Desolate Beast's siege, just with its prelude, had already made it difficult for ordinary people to move within the city.
"How many Beast Masters are in position now?" Feng Qingyang, the City Lord of Qingyang City, rubbed his temples and asked his adjutant beside him.
The adjutant adjusted his glasses. A morning glory on his shoulder emitted gentle ripples, seemingly linking with the city wall beneath his feet.
"Seventeen King-Rank Beast Masters. Three thousand, six hundred and seventy-two Spirit Rank Beast Masters."
He didn't mention the Fierce Rank, as the rest were naturally Fierce-Rank Beast Masters.
A bitter smile touched Feng Qingyang's lips. With this level of strength, how could they possibly withstand a Desolate Beast's siege? Not even with the protective energy membrane.
"Have the three families from Middle City left?"
The adjutant shook his head. "No. The Beast Master's beast beside the [Tide-Calling Mermaid] likely possesses a space-Type Skill. The space around Qingyang City has been anchored. All spatial teleportation-Type Skills are now restricted, including the teleportation arrays within the city, which are unusable.
This is the information about the Beast Master's beast outside the city observed by Master Chang."
Saying this, the adjutant handed the tablet in his hand to Feng Qingyang.
[race: Tide-Calling Mermaid
Rank: Desolate Beast Five-Star
Type: Water Type, Spirit Type · Illusion
State: Savage
Aptitude: Excellent
Age: Three hundred and twenty-five years
Skill: 1. Tide Call (Mystic Grade): The Tide-Calling Mermaid summons tidal surges on the sea surface.
2. Rain Call (Earth Grade): The Tide-Calling Mermaid alters the weather phenomena of a target area, summoning rainfall.
3. Illusory Sound (Mystic Grade): The Tide-Calling Mermaid uses its powerful spiritual power to construct illusions through sound, confusing selected targets.
4. Giant Wave (Mystic Grade): The Tide-Calling Mermaid forms colossal waves, imbuing them with spiritual energy to inflict damage.
5. Sea Tomb Trident (Earth Grade): A weapon of rules formed by condensing the power of a sea area. Attacking a target with it is equivalent to the entire sea area attacking the target.
6. Law Manifestation (Earth Grade): Consumes energy to create a Dharmakaya a hundred times the user's size. The Dharmakaya possesses physical strength a hundred times that of the caster.
7. Water Spirit (Earth Grade): Controls the power of water elements to form various shapes, thereby bestowing different characteristics.
8. Waterspout (Mystic Grade): A large amount of water elements whirls into a tornado form, inflicting significant damage to targets in its path.
9. Protective Water Shield (Mystic Grade): Condenses water elements to form a water shield protecting a target.
10. Water Prison (Mystic Grade): Forms a massive water prison in a target area, causing a suffocating and imprisoning effect on the target.]
After reading the [Tide-Calling Mermaid]'s information, Feng Qingyang felt somewhat defeated. How the hell were they supposed to fight this?
"Current Blue Star still has many restrictions on Ranks above Desolate Beast. Presumably, this Tide-Calling Mermaid also paid some price to emerge from the secret realm.
First, find a way to interfere with the Beast Master's beast beside it, so that reinforcements from Middle City can arrive."
The method wasn't wrong, but under the protection of a Desolate Beast, how easy was it to interfere with the beast beside it? They'd likely be torn apart before getting close.
At that moment, a burly man barged in from outside the door. Built like a bear with the back of a tiger, he resembled a humanoid Beast Master's beast, cursing as he entered.
"Damn it all! Why should we Lower City folks clean up the mess caused by those Middle City people?"
He looked at Feng Qingyang, his mouth not stopping. "City Lord, why not just hand over the people from those three families? It only wants its kin. Just give them back, right?"
Feng Qingyang's expression darkened. "Wang Xiaolin, use your brain. Not handing over its kin now can make it hesitate, hold back a bit, not go completely berserk.
If we return its kin, with no worries holding it back, how do you know it won't seek crazy revenge?"
Feng Qingyang paused slightly. "Even if we gamble and succeed, and the Tide-Calling Mermaid returns to the secret realm with its kin, how will you withstand the retaliation from the Middle City aristocratic families?"
Glaring at Wang Xiaolin, the situation was urgent. Feng Qingyang clearly didn't intend to waste more words on him. He turned to his adjutant to give orders.
"Notify the surviving members of the three families within the city to come defend the walls. This city can't be defended by only our Qingyang City people. Also, ask when the reinforcements from Liuyun City will arrive?"
"Yes, sir." The adjutant, having received the order, immediately went to arrange it.
Feng Qingyang walked out the door and onto the city wall. It turned out the room he was just in was a pavilion on the wall itself.
Looking at the over two-hundred-meter-tall figure outside the city, from this distance, he could feel the imposing aura of the [Tide-Calling Mermaid] even more strongly. It was like a thousand-pound burden pressing on his heart, making it impossible to feel at ease.
The torrential rain had already paralyzed the city's drainage system. Accumulated water had reached adult knee height.
Looking down from the city wall, one could see various Water Type Beast Master's beasts beginning to appear in the floodwaters—[Shrimp Soldiers], [Crab Generals], [Ink Serpents], [Spineback Spirit Turtles]...
Densely packed, innumerable.
Feng Qingyang guessed correctly. The [Tide-Calling Mermaid] had never considered a peaceful resolution. Creating such a massive display, it absolutely intended to destroy the entire city.
The reason it set a one-hour limit was probably to create an environment suitable for marine Beast Master's beasts to fight.
However, every minute and second now was equally crucial for the city's hundreds of thousands of civilians. They needed time to wait for reinforcements from Upper City to arrive.
So, for now, they could only watch helplessly as more and more seawater poured from the light gate, and more Fierce Beasts and Spirit Beasts appeared, interspersed with sporadic King Beasts.