Chapter 1 The Seashore

This was… the seashore.

He barely considered any other possibility. With waves this size, only the sea could produce such a roar, dwarfing even the largest rivers and lakes.

The salty, fishy air confirmed it.

He didn't see his teammates yet.

Nor was he sure if that fatty back home had followed him.

In unfamiliar surroundings, shouting or aimless wandering could be fatal. Even though the mission had just begun, Jiang Cheng kept low, hidden in the darkness.

The building was strange. From his perspective, the dome was high, so high that he couldn't pierce the thin darkness to see its peak. Steep, rock-like walls surrounded him.

It wasn't rock, though, because he could see clear signs of human carving. In places, polished marble blocks were exposed, confirming it.

Collapsed stone pillars littered the area. Some were as thick as a thigh, while others took two people to embrace.

Jiang Cheng's immobility was largely due to these collapsed pillars. Some had fallen from great heights, shattering into pieces.

碎碎的石块布满江城身侧，只要他一动，就会发出“哗啦哗啦”的声音。

Jiang Cheng had a gut feeling that he wasn't alone in this strange building.

Someone else was lurking in the shadows.

Friend or foe, Jiang Cheng intended to be the last to reveal himself.

His gaze slowly swept across the surrounding darkness.

Darkness wasn't entirely accurate. The darkness wasn't pitch black. As his eyes adjusted, he realized it was more like a thin layer of fog.

Because the fog was faintly black, therefore…

He waved his hand slowly. The black mist in front of him strangely dispersed a little, and he saw the stone pillar lying at his feet.

He could see it clearly.

The pillar was densely carved with incomprehensible patterns. The broken top lay beside him. It was a… Jiang Cheng frowned slightly.

Wind and water erosion had obscured the original carvings, leaving only a vague outline.

He could only say that it seemed to be a creature.

At least, the carver had intended to depict a creature.

But Jiang Cheng didn't recognize it.

It had the scales of a fish but also wings, and a sharp, spear-like tail.

What the hell was this thing?

The last time Jiang Cheng had seen something like this was in a so-called mobile game. He'd hatched a strange beast egg, got an abomination, and promptly abandoned it because it was too ugly.

“Creak—”

A sudden sound, so abrupt that it caught Jiang Cheng off guard.

He immediately looked towards the source of the sound. A sliver of light appeared there.

Then, the sliver grew wider.

Jiang Cheng immediately closed one eye, using only the other to look at the light.

He needed to let his eye adjust slowly, to avoid a blind spot from both eyes being dazzled at once.

Soon, he realized that the light was coming from a door.

Someone was pushing it open from the outside.

“This door is so heavy…” a familiar voice said. It sounded strong and even a bit thuggish, but Jiang Cheng knew it was an act.

He was actually a cowardly fatty.

As the door swung open, the building brightened, and the gray mist receded. Jiang Cheng slowly stood up, silhouetted against the light.

“Someone’s here!”

Someone shouted, a sharp but undeniably male voice.

The fatty’s eyes lit up when he saw Jiang Cheng. He opened his mouth, clearly forming the word "Doctor."

But then, as if realizing something, he slowly suppressed his excitement, looking at Jiang Cheng as if he were a stranger.

Fortunately, everyone's attention was focused on Jiang Cheng's appearance, and no one noticed him.

So… these were his teammates for this mission.

Jiang Cheng looked at the group.

Why was he always the last one found by the team?

Like an orphan.

Just as he took a step forward, ready to join the group, he suddenly froze. He heard a sound different from the waves.

Very close! Extremely close!

Right behind him!!

He turned around immediately. Standing by a stone pillar behind him was a handsome young man, about his age, maybe a year or two younger.

The young man nodded at Jiang Cheng when he realized he'd been spotted, then smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

A few wisps of fine hair hung over the young man's forehead. His eyes peered at Jiang Cheng through the gaps, his gentle, jade-like face radiating politeness.

Like a nobleman from centuries ago.

His clothing was similar. He must be a fan of historical costumes. Though the clothes were well-fitted, they gave off an airy, elegant feeling.

“It’s okay,” Jiang Cheng said calmly.

The young nobleman seemed relieved by Jiang Cheng's response. He exhaled a long breath, nodded apologetically again, then looked towards the fatty and the others.

Jiang Cheng glanced at the young nobleman's side, where a huge stone pillar lay.

When he'd first arrived, he'd carefully observed his surroundings, and only after confirming that there were no immediate dangers had he begun to study the pillars and carvings.

At that time, he'd noticed the pillar behind him.

There was no one around then.

So… Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly. This young nobleman had probably sneaked up behind him.

Taking advantage of the sound of the waves.

Creeping up step by step.

The fatty and the others had come over.

Including Jiang Cheng and the young nobleman, there were eight people on this mission.

Perhaps for balance, there were four men and four women, including a man who had to be over two meters tall.

The man stood behind a loli-like girl, who barely reached his waist.

From the fatty and the others, he learned that the ocean was just outside. This strange building stood about 100 meters from the shore.

It was isolated, with no other buildings around.

Steep cliffs rose behind one side of the building, and an endless forest stretched out on the other.

In other words, to leave, they either had to climb the cliffs, cross the forest, or build a boat and try their luck at sea.

Jiang Cheng looked at one of the dark-skinned women and asked, “What happened to you?”

The woman was thin, but she seemed to be in good physical condition. However, she was covered in tiny scratches, and some were bleeding.

“I tried to climb the cliffs to see around,” the woman said frankly.

Clearly, she had failed.

“The cliffs around here are too eroded by the sea wind. A lot of places can’t hold any weight,” the woman said, looking outside the door.