29: In the city

The Tide-Calling Mermaid's eyes were filled with contempt, looking at the Beast Masters and their beasts blocking the waterspout as if they were mere insects. At its current size, humans truly were the size of bugs in its eyes.

Its lips parted slightly, and a soft, ethereal singing rose over the eastern city gate, like a mother's gentle call or a lover's warmest caress.

Feng Qingyang, who had been keeping part of his attention on the Tide-Calling Mermaid's movements, urgently spoke out, "Don't listen to its voice." Somehow, his voice reached the Beast Masters' ears even before the Tide-Calling Mermaid's.

The voice, sharp as a thunderclap, made all the Beast Masters' minds go blank for a moment before they recognized it as their City Lord's and immediately complied.

But was this countermeasure truly effective?

In the next moment, even after sealing their hearing, the Beast Masters and their beasts at various points along the wall inevitably heard that soft, ethereal sound.

Although the medium was sound, in essence, [Illusory Sound] was a mental attack launched by the Tide-Calling Mermaid.

Even a deaf person, as long as their mind still produced fluctuations, could hear this shadow-like sound.

Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded on the wall: all the human Beast Masters and their beasts suddenly stopped attacking the sea beasts near the ramparts.

But those sea beasts were unaffected, launching fierce attacks from beneath the waist-deep water towards the Beast Masters and their beasts.

In that single moment of control, blood sprayed everywhere as many lower-ranked Beast Masters lost their lives.

A breach immediately appeared in the wall's defenses, and numerous sea beasts used that opening to slip into the city.

Also because of that momentary control, the several King-Rank Beast Masters who had been blocking the waterspout were caught off guard and slammed aside by it.

If not for their quick reactions, they would have likely been pulled in and torn to shreds.

Unimpeded, the waterspout crashed heavily into the now unprotected city wall.

The thick-looking wall, constructed from special materials, proved as fragile as paper under the waterspout's power. Fragments of buildings were swept up and flung high into the air.

Instantly, three more large gaps appeared on that side of the wall. Countless sea beasts from underwater seized the opportunity, bypassing the still-destructive waterspout, and surged madly through the breaches into the city.

Feng Qingyang, lying prone on the back of a giant black-bodied bird with white wings, spat out a mouthful of congealed blood and looked towards Qin Zhou.

"When will the reinforcements from your three families arrive? If they don't come soon, we'll all die here together."

Qin Zhou's condition wasn't much better than Feng Qingyang's; blood was seeping from various wounds all over his body, but he still forced himself to stand.

"They should be here soon. We... we just need to hold on for another twenty minutes."

"Should we abandon the city? With several dozen King-Rank Beast Masters, holding out until reinforcements arrive would be easy."

An untimely voice suddenly interjected. Looking over, it was a relatively unfamiliar King-Rank Beast Master. His attire was embroidered with a large 'He' character, likely a member of the He family.

Feng Qingyang's face darkened, and he laughed in extreme anger. "Are the lives of the noble families of Liuguang City more precious than us commoners from the Lower City? What, now you want to use the lives of my Qingyang City's people to buy you time?"

"Liangshu, shut up!" The young man wanted to say more, but He Liangyu, who had always presented a gentle demeanor, snapped at him before turning to Feng Qingyang.

"Liangshu speaks recklessly. City Lord Feng, please don't take it to heart. I will immediately arrange for the He family Beast Masters to clear out the sea beasts that have entered the city. We will definitely ensure the safety of the citizens."

Feng Qingyang gave He Liangyu a deep look and uttered four words at him: "Jin Yu qi wai." (All that glitters is not gold.)

Ignoring He Liangyu's livid expression upon hearing his words, he directed the giant bird beneath him to fly towards the largest breach in the city wall.

Simultaneously, his voice, as if amplified by some means, rang in the ears of all the Beast Masters near the wall.

"All Beast Masters of Qingyang City, listen to my command. City Guard and law enforcement personnel are to guard those three breaches immediately. Beast Masters recruited from within the city, you are to return to the city and clear out the sea beasts that have entered.

I know there are too many sea beasts, but reinforcements are almost here. Behind us are our families. We must hold the line.

Everyone, I beg of you."

Hearing Feng Qingyang's voice, there were no cheers of agreement. Yet, the Beast Masters on the wall and in the city streets, braving the torrential rain from above, surged towards the breaches.

Various defensive Skills began to activate at the breaches. Many beasts with earth-type Skills struggled to construct walls within the flowing water, while the rest released Skills to block the sea beasts trying to enter through the gaps.

For a time, the sea beasts' advance into the city was halted.

Feng Qingyang looked worriedly at the Tide-Calling Mermaid a hundred meters away. He didn't know why it wasn't releasing any more Skills for now, but it was temporarily a good thing for them.

Qin Zhou looked at He Liangyu. "Since the He family wishes to clear the city of sea beasts, you'd best set off quickly. My Qin Family is more accustomed to such thankless tasks as defending the wall."

After saying this, Qin Zhou waved to the several Beast Masters in Qin Family robes behind him and headed for one of the wall breaches.

Feng Lixiao let out a light snort of disdain, as if looking down on the He family, and also led the group behind him towards another breach.

He Liangyu stared darkly in the direction the Qin and Feng families had gone, muttering under his breath as if cursing, "You like playing the hero. Let's see how many of your two families survive in the end."

He turned towards the city's interior, summoned a turtle-like beast, and stepped onto it first. "Follow me."

This command to the few He family members behind him was spoken a bit louder. They glanced at each other and then successively stood on the giant turtle's back.

...

"Some sea beasts have breached the city wall's defenses and entered the city. Residents are advised to close doors and windows tightly, stay away from bodies of water, and await the cleanup of the wild beasts within the city by high-ranking Beast Masters."

The broadcaster's voice trembled slightly, but the citizens hearing this broadcast fell into even greater panic.

Ever since the protective membrane guarding the city shattered, the citizens inside had their suspicions. Combined with witnessing the power of the Tide-Calling Mermaid's Skills, they could imagine just how brutal the battle was.

Upon hearing the broadcast, they immediately took active self-preservation measures, braving the heavy rain to rush towards the top floors of buildings.

Even though it was still raining heavily outside, they dared not stay in their seemingly safe homes on lower floors, close to the water's surface.

Under the gloomy, oppressive curtain of rain, the rooftops of four- or five-story buildings were crowded with shadowy figures.

Inside their shop, the brothers Luo Chen and Luo Yang also heard the broadcast. They couldn't help but feel deep worry for their parents, who had gone out to defend the wall.

Luo Chen opened the shop door. Seeing the water level before him had nearly reached his chest, his expression turned grim.

However, the pet shop remained completely unaffected, as if an invisible barrier kept the floodwaters outside the door.

"Brother, there seems to be something in the water," Luo Yang beside Luo Chen said sharply, having spotted something, and warned his brother.

"What?" Luo Chen was slow to react.

Just as Luo Yang was about to speak again, a three- to four-meter-long beast covered in bone spines on its sides suddenly burst from the murky water below. With a Pounce, it was right in front of Luo Chen.

Its speed was simply too fast. Luo Chen, still a rookie, couldn't react at all.

Just as its jaws were about to snap off Luo Chen's head, a streak of red light shot out from behind Luo Chen, piercing straight through the mouth of this bone-spined fish beast.

Luo Chen could even smell the foul stench from its mouth. Its eyes still held a look of terror before it went limp and sank into the water.

"Daring to strike in front of this young master? Should've gone out and asked around who's the boss on this street."

An arrogant (and punchable) voice came from behind Luo Chen. Luo Chen, his heart still racing, patted his chest.

Luo Yang, even more belatedly, pulled Luo Chen back inside the shop.

Only then did the two have time to look at the Colorful Sound Spirit Finch that had just acted. It stood cockily on the counter, puffing out its chest and glaring defiantly out the shop door.

"Well done." Having been saved by the Colorful Sound Spirit Finch, Luo Chen rarely offered a word of praise, having almost forgotten this guy was also a beast sealed down to the Spirit Rank.