Chapter 218 ·Gurgle

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍wind over the Black Sea howled, making one’s head ache.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sniffed, suddenly feeling her back straighten with renewed confidence.

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍long as they got enough this time, she’d definitely outfit herself with a full set of divine gear when she returned.

“Leader, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍are we done yet?”

Dora ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍squatted nearby, her tail slapping the ground impatiently with loud smacks, smashing several pits into the frozen soil.

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍girl’s mind was filled entirely with the “seafood feast” Siren had painted for her.

“What’s the rush? Haste makes waste.”

Lilia turned back and waved toward the other two “team members” hiding behind the rocks.

“Bulara, stop playing dead and get moving.”

“Let’s go!”

With a grand wave of her hand, Lilia carried the air of someone leading her crew to collect protection fees.

“System, turn on navigation!”

A crisp “ding” sounded in her mind.

A pale blue arrow appeared in her vision, pointing straight toward an unremarkable cluster of reefs below the cliff.

【Route planned. That’s their territory—suggest you keep that dumb dragon on a leash, or she’ll start eating the moment you enter.】

Lilia rolled her eyes.

Leash Dora?

That was harder than soloing Hera.

The four climbed down the steep, slippery cliffside.

The waves were fierce, black seawater crashing against the rocks and sending sprays several meters high.

Fortunately, Dora, the humanoid crane, was reliable.

Whenever the path became difficult, she simply grabbed Lilia with one hand, Bulara with the other, wrapped Xiao Hong with her tail, and climbed the vertical cliff like a gecko.

“We’re here.”

Lilia pointed at a massive black reef ahead.

It looked no different from the others, but in the system’s vision, it emitted a faint blue glow.

Lilia stepped forward, pulled out the warm key from her pocket, and cautiously pressed it against the rock.

Buzz—

Ripples spread across the reef’s surface like water.

Then the solid stone melted apart like wax, revealing a deep, pitch-black entrance.

A cold wind carrying the smell of salt, decay, and age rushed out.

“That’s it?”

Dora stuck her head inside and sniffed. “Smells delicious…”

Lilia yanked her tail and dragged her back.

“That’s the smell of ancient dust! Stop trying to eat everything!”

“Let’s go.”

After fixing her windblown hair, Lilia stepped into the underwater passage first.

It wasn’t as dark as expected.

The walls were embedded with glowing moss, emitting a sickly green light that barely illuminated the path.

The ground was slippery, covered in thick moss and unknown slime.

The deeper they went, the heavier the damp, cold feeling became—like walking into the throat of some giant beast.

“Um… Leader…”

Xiao Hong, who had been trailing behind, finally spoke up.

Clutching her basket tightly, her voice trembled. “Where are we going? This place… doesn’t look like somewhere living people would be.”

As someone from a mass grave, she was naturally sensitive to such eerie environments.

There were no Resentful Spirits here, but the oppressive feeling was a hundred times worse.

As if something extremely terrifying was sleeping deep in the darkness.

“Of course there are no living people.”

Lilia didn’t turn back, focusing on the system map to avoid pits as she walked.

“We’re heading to the treasury.”

“Treasury?!”

That word flipped a switch.

The previously timid Xiao Hong suddenly jumped up, nearly hitting her head on a stalactite.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

“You mean… gold? Gems? Or that kind of meat that grants immortality?”

She rubbed her hands eagerly, her previously gloomy expression turning shamelessly flattering.

“Ahem.”

Noticing Bulara’s cold gaze, Xiao Hong quickly composed herself and laughed awkwardly.

“I mean… just asking. If there’s treasure, I can help carry it! I’m strong—I can carry a lot!”

“Pathetic.”

Lilia snorted.

“As long as you don’t try to keep it for yourself, you’ll get your share. But if you get any funny ideas…”

Lilia stopped and glanced back at Xiao Hong.

Before she even needed to act, Dora—who was busy scraping glowing moss off the wall to taste—snorted, releasing a puff of smoke with sparks.

Xiao Hong immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

“No, no! I’m the leader’s most loyal porter!”

The group continued forward.

As they went deeper, the passage widened.

The rough rock walls began to show signs of artificial carving.

The ground was even paved with broken white jade tiles, and strange statues lined the walls.

Most depicted creatures with human upper bodies and fish or octopus lower halves, holding rusted tridents.

Even as stone, their hollow eyes were unsettling.

The atmosphere grew heavier.

Even Dora fell silent, though she kept chewing moss, her golden pupils narrowed as she occasionally glanced into the darkness.

Lilia felt uneasy too.

Siren had given them the key, but her warning about “escaping from the guardians” was no joke.

The silence here was unnatural.

Only the sound of footsteps splashing through puddles echoed in the corridor.

Drip.

Drip.

As Lilia checked the system map, wondering how far they were from the main chamber—cough, the treasury—

A strange sound suddenly came from ahead.

Gurgle—

Gurgle gurgle—

Like thick liquid flowing through pipes, or massive bubbles bursting underwater.

It wasn’t loud, but in the dead silence, it was crystal clear.

Lilia stopped and raised a hand to signal halt.

“Dora, was that your stomach?”

Lilia whispered.

Dora innocently patted her flat belly and shook her head.

“Not me. When my stomach growls, it goes ‘Awoo.’ This is ‘gurgle.’ It’s different.”

Lilia’s lips twitched.

What kind of logic is that?

“Wait.”

Bulara, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

Her head tilted, but her arm had already begun transforming—complex mechanical structures shifting beneath her skin.

“There is something ahead.”

Bulara spoke calmly.

“Recommend avoiding it.”

Lilia’s heart skipped.

If even Bulara had entered combat mode, then Siren’s so-called “guardian” was waiting ahead.

“Gurgle—”

The sound grew louder.

Then a suffocating stench rushed down the corridor.

The ground began to tremble.

Lilia could feel the white jade tiles beneath her feet shaking.

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