novelODS Chapter 133 Greed! Greed to the extreme!
Chapter 133 Greed! Greed to the extreme!
Chapter 133 Greed! Greed to the extreme! (1.5 update, 5000 words)
The three exchanged a glance and tacitly stopped their descent, hovering in the dark, cold seawater.
Yu Wang glanced at the depth displayed on the diving watch:
Current water depth: 158 meters.
The definition of the "deep dark zone" starts at a depth of 150 meters.
They didn't move around randomly, but stayed where they were. After about fifteen minutes, Zhang Xinlan spoke first: "It seems to have stabilized? Apart from the initial 5 points deducted, it's now decreasing by about 0.5 to 1 point per minute."
Yu Wang still didn't feel anything; his sanity value on the panel remained as stable as Mount Tai, seemingly unaffected by "Pale Whispers".
"Is it that convenient?"
Yu Wang was somewhat incredulous and vaguely uneasy.
At 158 meters, the three spent some time comparing and contrasting, and Zhang Xinlan figured out a pattern.
"Pale Whispers" will only deduct 5 sanity points at once when the water depth exceeds 150.
After that, 0.5-1 points will be deducted every five minutes. In addition, based on 150 meters, for every 10 meters of descent, the sanity deducted every five minutes will increase by 0.5 points.
For example, at 160 meters, the speed drops by 1-1.5 every five minutes, and at 170 meters, it drops by 1.5-2 every five minutes. Although this speed is still not slow, it can be quite alarming if accumulated over a long period of time.
Even at the edge of the dark zone, one can only move around for a maximum of one hour while remaining conscious, after which they will be forced to surface.
The efficiency is predictable.
Fortunately, this effect can be mitigated to some extent by the items.
Old Wang has a "Tranquil Scale" item that can reduce the impact of pollution.
After carrying it, the frequency of deducting sanity points decreases to 10 minutes, which means that compared to Zhang Xinlan, he can stay in the Dark Zone for twice as long.
Given the current situation, the three decided to temporarily stay in the relatively "shallow" dark zone between 150 and 170 meters.
Yu Wang controlled the Sea Helmet Worm, guided by the "Wealth Perception," and traversed and searched the crevices of this underwater stone forest composed of countless huge pale coral skeletons.
In this region where pearls are scarce, the guidance of talent becomes clearer than in the middle levels.
Before long, the light from the "bio-energy headlamp" swept across a smooth, reflective object stuck in a gap.
Considering the game's rules, Wang was responsible for touching it this time.
The pearl lay quietly among a pile of tiny coral fragments. It was slightly smaller than an iridescent pearl, grayish-black in color, with a glossy surface and occasional glimpses of dark red fine lines inside.
As soon as Yu Wang got close, he could feel a cold and chaotic aura coming towards him.
【Abyss Pearl】
[Description: A pearl tainted by darkness, yet its value is a hundred times greater than its predecessor, the Moon Pearl! (Handle with caution!)]
Yu Wang was well prepared, holding "rationality beans" in his hand, ready to replenish them at any time.
[Received: 1 Abyss Pearl]
[Points +100! Total points: 180!]
[Warning: Touching contaminated material activates Talent: If you can't beat them, join them! You have resisted part of the impact! This time, your sanity loss is halved! Sanity -5]
It seems that touching the Abyss Pearl normally will deduct 10 sanity points.
Instantly, the ID "You're going to hit the jackpot" surged to the top of the leaderboard, firmly surpassing "Shenghui·Donglai Feng".
The top spot has always been "Holy Radiance from the East," but now it's "You're going to hit the jackpot." Survivors in the dungeon don't feel out of place at all; instead, they feel a sense of "this is how it should be."
That's more like it.
Having made a good start in the deep, dark zone, the three continued their search.
First, Wang used his ability to delineate an area using triangulation. The three people and the duck then slowly searched within this area. Afterward, Wang was responsible for collecting the pearl.
Occasionally, they may encounter native species such as giant krill or bulbous jellyfish blocking their way, in which case they work together to resolve the situation.
Use sanity beans occasionally to replenish your sanity and extend your stay in the Dark Zone.
Time passed slowly, and the three people and the duck became increasingly coordinated. Their score steadily climbed, reaching a height of 1380 points that left others far behind!
As for the second place, Yu Wang would occasionally glance at the real-time updated leaderboard.
You can see that the second-place team is trying hard to catch up, but as for the results...
[Second place ID: Shenghui·Donglaifeng, Points: 275, Faction: Region 13, Division 233]
They didn't even catch up to a fraction of the first place.
Bang!
A dull thud echoed from inside a strangely shaped ship above the core area of the Coral Maze.
The ship is pure white, without conventional masts or sails. The hull is carved with intricate sacred patterns and angel reliefs, and the prow is shaped like a praying angel with outstretched wings.
It's less of a ship and more of a small, mobile church floating on the sea.
Inside the cabin of this "church", in the most prominent position, stands a six-winged angel statue that is as tall as three people.
The statue is carved from pure white stone, with a compassionate yet indistinct face and six slightly folded wings, emitting a soft but not intense milky-white halo.
At the foot of the statue, gold and silver utensils, fresh fruits, and exquisite pastries were neatly arranged as offerings.
Inside the cabin sat only one man and two women, all dressed in clothing with matching patterns, a stark contrast to the ordinary survivors outside, who were covered in dust and had haphazard equipment.
The muffled thud was from the young man sitting in one of the main seats, who slammed his fist on the small table in front of him.
He was handsome and looked to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, but at this moment his brows were furrowed and his eyes were full of irritation.
"How on earth did they find the pearl?!" The young man, whose ID was "Holy Radiance - Eastward Wind," continued to roar in a low voice, his voice echoing in the empty cabin. "We have divine guidance, we have a compass to sense the pearl! How could we be inferior to those heretics who don't even have a faith? What kind of evil god do they worship?! Or did they use some kind of cheating method?!"
The glaring difference in points was like a resounding slap in the face!
I can't even imagine what other people will think after seeing the rankings!
Who knows how much they might laugh at themselves in their hearts!
The atmosphere inside the cabin was heavy.
Another woman, sitting in the main seat and with a more composed demeanor, slowly spoke up: "I've been observing the teams that are trying their luck."
Except for the rainbow fluctuations at 9 AM, the team that relied on luck consistently gained points by the hundred, one at a time. This can only mean that they were searching for Abyssal Pearls deep within the Underdark. Each pearl is worth 100 points.
point."
"East Wind" immediately said, "Then why don't we go to the Underdark too?! I refuse to believe that the Pearl Compass's efficiency in the Underdark, with three hundred followers, is inferior to someone else searching blindly with their naked eyes!"
"Didn't the angel clearly warn us before we entered the instance? Deep within the Underdark, there is a guardian that has survived since the time of the God Wars."
It is dying, and therefore all the more unpredictable. No one knows what crazy things it might do in its final moments.
These are the angel's exact words; you should remember them clearly.
Furthermore, the protection currently provided by our faith level and the angel statues is insufficient to support us in conducting prolonged exploration in an environment of that intensity of pollution.
A maximum stay of one hour is allowed; entering rashly could result in losses far outweighing any gains.
Another silent woman chimed in: "Fu Hua is right, the Underdark is too polluted. You can check the chat channels; hundreds of people have already disappeared there."
Sending believers to the Dark Zone now, whether they obey or not is secondary; what's more likely is that it will cause those who were already indifferent to the church to develop aversion to the Church of Holy Light Angels.
One hundred believers sounds impressive, but all of them have been members for less than a week.
They haven't developed a sense of belonging yet, and are still in the stage of wanting to gain benefits from the church.
The fact that we are now willing to hand over the pearls we have found to the three of them is already out of consideration for the fact that they provide food and water on a regular basis and also offer buffs.
Using gimmicks like "no eggs," "checking homework," and "free food" to see if believers will still pay attention to you.
"What do we do?!" "East Wind" scratched his head anxiously. "Are we just going to watch them get first place? This dungeon is our Holy Radiance's first large-scale appearance. If we get crushed, how will we attract more people to convert in the future? Will my resume be affected? Will it affect my future upgrades to a lower-level believer, or even higher levels?"
"Fleeting World" and "Gentleman" exchanged a glance, neither speaking, simply watching "East Wind" in silence.
Going crazy and complaining on the spot.
Choosing him as the vanguard and a target to draw fire was indeed the right decision.
The pressure and embarrassment now mainly fall on him.
However, they are all in the same boat; their fates are intertwined.
"Floating World" clasped his hands together, interlaced his fingertips, closed his eyes, and quietly sensed for a moment in front of the angel statue.
When she opened her eyes again, a glimmer of light flashed in them: "However, judging from the progress of the offering, as long as we recruit another fifty believers and hold another collective ceremony tonight, at the latest tonight, this initial-level guardian statue will accumulate enough faith power to complete a small-scale advancement."
At that time, the area and strength of the shelter it provides will be increased, greatly increasing the time our people can safely remain in the Dark Zone—conservatively estimated, up to two hours.
"East Wind" was overjoyed upon hearing this, as if grasping at a lifeline: "Great! Let them run wild for a while! Once the statue advances tonight, we'll sweep through the Underdark and reclaim all the points!"
After saying that, he noticed the two women staring at him with the same kind of pity one would give a mentally challenged child. Donglaifeng realized he had said something inappropriate: "Ahem, of course we can't go into the sea tonight. I just misspoke. Let them run around all night, and tomorrow morning, we'll sweep through the Underdark! We'll take back all the points!"
"In ancient times, eight hundred men fought fiercely at Xuanwu Gate. My hundred followers might just be able to snatch first place!"
For Yu Wang's team, the high-intensity exploration also came at a price.
They had almost no "rational beans" left, and their mental beans had also been significantly depleted.
When Zhang Xinlan had only ten "rationality beans" left, she was reluctant to use them anymore.
After several battles with aquatic creatures and a long period of fighting against water pressure and darkness, Lao Wang did feel somewhat physically exhausted, and his movements were not as agile as they had been at the beginning.
More importantly, spending a long time underwater in darkness can have a subtle but profound impact on a person's mental health.
This effect cannot be completely cured simply by replenishing sanity.
Zhang Xinlan began to become somewhat anxious, frequently checking her oxygen levels and diving watch, and overreacting to any slight water flow or sound.
Every now and then she would tell the other two about the works of the blogger "Secret Garden" that she had come across. And you have to admit, she described them so vividly that Yu Wang got goosebumps.
It has practically become a swimming generator of negative emotions.
Old Wang fell silent for a long time, his eyes sometimes unfocused, sometimes staring at a dark spot, as if he could see something that others couldn't. He even tried to swim in a completely wrong direction once, but Yu Wang pulled him back in time.
Yu Wang knew that the team was nearing its limit.
He glanced at the time: "It's almost midnight. We have a good enough lead in points, so we can call it a day."
"It's rising now, so it can still catch the wave of 'rainbow pearls' around 12 o'clock. Chef Duck should have already prepared lunch; I saw it soaked clams this morning, so maybe it'll have clam chowder for lunch."
"Yay!" Upon hearing that there was hot clam soup, Zhang Xinlan seemed to be instantly revitalized, her eyes lighting up.
They were preparing to return along the fluorescent cloth strips they had deliberately left on the coral when they came down, when Yu Wang suddenly stopped.
He turned his head sharply, looking down into the deeper darkness.
Just now, "Wealth Perception" detected a strong and concentrated aura of "wealth"!
The sheer amount of that aura felt to him to be equivalent to at least seven or eight Abyss Pearls gathered together!
Yu Wang made a decisive decision: "You guys take the sea helmet worms to the surface and return to the mid-level fluorescent zone. Duck B and I will go to a deeper area and take a look. We'll be back soon."
"Can't we come back this afternoon? It's too dangerous for you to go alone," Zhang Xinlan immediately expressed her concern.
Yu Wang shook his head: "We might not be able to find this place next time. I can sense that there are at least seven or eight Abyss Pearls there. It would be a shame not to get them."
Even with fluorescent banners as markers, the probability of repeatedly locating a specific spot in the deep, dark areas of this highly similar coral maze is pitifully small.
Even if we could barely find one, the time and effort required would probably be enough to find many more newly discovered pearls.
Zhang Xinlan was persuaded, and Old Wang nodded in agreement. He knew that his current condition was indeed not suitable for continuing the exploration, and forcing him to stay would only hold them back.
Zhang Xinlan and Lao Wang left Yu Wang extra oxygen cylinders, enough to support him for about two more hours of exploration.
In addition, Old Wang took out a scale-like ornament from his pocket and handed it to Yu Wang: "Young Yu, take this. It might come in handy in a critical moment."
【Tranquil Scales】
【Type: Jewelry】
[Quality: Green]
[Passive: Slightly increases sanity resistance]
[Description: The scales of the wave-chasing arowana are the price it paid for losing a three-hour battle with the old man.]
"Thank you." Yu Wang did not refuse and hung it on his waist.
The sea helmet worm wiggled its limbs, carrying them, and quickly swam upwards, soon disappearing into the dark curtain of water.
Now, only Gan Wang and the duck B guarding him remain in the deep sea.
Yu Wang checked his status: the effect of the sanity bean he had just taken was still working, and his sanity value was stable at 72 points, which was relatively healthy.
There was plenty of oxygen, and with the oxygen cylinder left by Zhang Xinlan, it was enough for three hours of worry-free use. The man and the duck continued to explore in a stronger direction guided by "wealth perception".
This time, without the constraints of teammates or the worry of declining performance, Yu Wang was even bolder in his dive.
The numbers on the dive watch kept jumping, 170m—
180m——
The water pressure becomes increasingly heavy with depth.
At first, it was just a slight feeling of pressure, but it gradually evolved into a suffocating feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing my chest. Every breath required fighting against that all-encompassing squeezing force from all directions.
The oxygen cylinders carried on his back made a slight "creaking" sound, as if protesting against this extreme environment.
The coolness provided by the dried evening primrose leaves in his mouth had long been exhausted, so Yu Wang quickly replaced them with new ones.
As for the oxygen cylinder, he wasn't too worried, as the current depth hadn't reached its limit.
Yu Wang had to stop and catch his breath at a depth of 240 meters.
The pressure here was terrifying for humans; he felt as if he were being stuffed into a shrinking tin can, and every breath was extremely difficult.
Duck B seems to be doing a little better, with no discomfort.
After a brief pause, Yu Wang continued to dive towards the "treasure" spot that he sensed was so close at hand.
They circled around a coral archway that resembled the ribs of a giant, and suddenly the view opened up before them. If Yu Wang hadn't known that he could never swim out of the "coral maze," he would have almost thought he had arrived in the open sea.
Not long after swimming forward, the silhouette of a huge shadow suddenly entered the range of the headlamp beam!
When the beam of light shone, the first thing that caught the eye was a section of the massive mast that was tilted and would require at least five or six people to encircle!
The mast's surface is completely covered by grayish-white coral skeletons, thick marine sediments, and countless tiny fluorescent organisms, as if it were draped in a grayish-white armor!
The light shines down along this rotten section of the mast—
You can still vaguely see the huge shipwreck covered by broken coral and sediment!
If other survivors were here, their minds would probably be bombarded with the mental corruption message of "Pale Whispers" and warnings of their sanity being depleted at an alarming rate.
The game's warning window will fill the entire field of vision, so survivors are advised to immediately move away from the area.
But unfortunately, his delusions negated all of this, causing him to unknowingly approach a dangerous entity.
"The fluctuations in wealth originate from inside the ship."
Yu Wang had already realized that what he sensed might not be the "Abyss Pearl," but rather other valuable items in the cabin.