Chapter 448 - 447: Injured

Yu Zhizhi was on edge the entire journey. She had no idea what state the Little Octopus was in, or if something terrible had happened...

At the gloomy Sun Ridge, the wind howled like a tortured spirit. They occasionally passed Beastmen bundled in heavy robes, who would hurry away the moment they saw the mask worn by the young man from the Cat Clan.

As they neared the waters of Sun Ridge, they could see burning warships in the distance.

It appeared two factions were locked in a chaotic battle. The deep blue sea was nearly stained red with blood. Now, the two sides had begun to negotiate. An eerie sea breeze blew, carrying a chilly, blood-tinged mist through the air.

The moment she reached the waters, Yu Zhizhi began desperately searching for any sign of the Little Octopus. The wind grew fiercer, and the young Cat Clan man before her suddenly grasped her wrist. He raised his other hand, and a white barrier materialized in front of them, shielding her from being swept away by the gale.

Realizing the Beastmen here were a more motley and dangerous crowd than expected, Zero turned and placed a brand-new white mask on the little rabbit’s face.

Ever since the fierce battle had broken out, no other Beastmen had dared to approach these waters, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

To those on the warships, the duo’s appearance was jarringly sudden.

A soldier in black armor approached. Seeing the white mask on the young Cat Clan man’s face, he asked uncertainly, "You are... from the Divine Hall?"

Zero dispelled the barrier.

He nodded. "I am."

The soldier glanced at the Rabbit Clan female by his side, noting she wore the same Divine Hall emblem. On the Beast World Planet, no faction would dare offend a mysterious and neutral organization like the Divine Hall Alliance without good reason.

After all, they were perhaps the only organization with any connection to the Gods.

"And what brings you two here...?" Despite them being from the Divine Hall, the soldier had to remain vigilant. ’They aren’t backup that pack of hyenas called in, are they?’

Although it was impossible to gauge the Strength of the Cat Clan youth before him, as a temple messenger, his power was surely not to be underestimated.

The soldier dared not let his guard down.

Zero’s tone was gentle, with a hint of a smile. "We’ve come looking for a mutated octopus. Might I ask if you’ve seen it?"

’Si Hao’s location is in these waters.’

’The two warring factions have most likely seen him.’

’Though there’s no sign of him on the water’s surface now.’

’It’s possible he’s already swum off into deeper, more distant waters.’

The soldier’s expression visibly stiffened. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Please wait here. I’ll go back and make some inquiries."

With that, he ran back toward the warship.

A short while later, he ran back.

"I’ve made my inquiries. We did indeed see a mutated octopus today. It claimed to be from the Beast God’s Homeland."

Hearing this, Yu Zhizhi’s eyes lit up. She said hurriedly, "That’s him, that’s him! Where is he now?"

The soldier answered truthfully, "He’s on the ship. Our leader invited him aboard. The leader says if you two wish to see him, please follow me onto the ship."

Zero spoke slowly. "Circumstances are unusual today; it is inconvenient for us to board. Go back and tell him that the Divine Hall has come for him. He will naturally come down."

The soldier was slightly taken aback.

’That mutated Octopus Beast... he’s also from the Divine Hall?’

He looked troubled. "I’m afraid that’s not possible."

’The moment our leader saw the octopus, he had it tied up. I don’t know what for, but he definitely has no intention of letting him go. He’s even surrounded by guards.’

’And now the Divine Hall is looking for this octopus, too?’

"Not possible?" Zero’s voice was still soft, but in the blink of an eye, his entire aura underwent a seismic shift. "Detaining a member of the Divine Hall without authorization... have you considered the consequences?"

The wind whipped up the brown cloak of the young Cat Clan man, and for a moment, the white mask on his face seemed to twist into an eerie smile.

The soldier’s breath caught in his throat, and he instinctively took a step back.

"Th-the leader said no, and that means no!"

Though terrified, he gritted his teeth, his hand moving to the hilt of his blade.

The aura emanating from Zero grew even more menacing.

Yu Zhizhi looked at him in surprise. ’This is the first time I’ve ever seen this side of Zero...’

’In her mind, Zero had always been in a non-combat role at the Divine Hall.’

’The kind who never resorted to force.’

The situation looked grim.

Other soldiers from the warship began to close in.

Yu Zhizhi’s rabbit ears twitched, and she cautiously hid behind the young man from the Cat Clan.

Just then, a sudden cough came from outside the crowd. The soldiers turned to see a figure striding toward them. "Alright, alright, the leader said they’re honored guests. Don’t be disrespectful."

"Understood." The soldiers sheathed their blades.

The newcomer wore a long white robe. He stopped in front of the Cat Clan man and looked at the Rabbit Clan Lady hiding behind him. "...Ah, Miss Rabbit, that octopus is injured. You should go take a look."

Huh?

’Why does that voice sound so familiar?’

Yu Zhizhi peeked out from behind Zero. When she got a clear look at the newcomer, her eyes widened in astonishment. Before she could call out his name, he raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

"You know him?" Zero tilted his head, looking at the young female behind him.

Yu Zhizhi nodded lightly. "Mhm~"

’She wasn’t mistaken, it was Buli from the Deep Sea Empire!’

’What was Buli doing here? He sometimes went on secret missions... so was he here at Sun Ridge for one?’

’There were quite a few mutated types among these Beastman soldiers.’

’They didn’t seem to know Buli’s real identity.’

Yu Zhizhi was still basking in the joy of her reunion with Buli when she suddenly recalled his words. "He’s injured?"

Buli nodded. "Yes, it’s rather serious."

Yu Zhizhi looked to Zero, unable to stop herself from clutching his cloak.

Zero understood her meaning in an instant.

"Please lead the way."

’Zhi Zhi and Si Hao were always inseparable.’

’She must be incredibly worried about that octopus right now.’

’Since someone she knew was here, he would go aboard with her. Even if something happened, Zero was confident he could get himself and the little rabbit away safely.’

Buli led the way.

The soldiers, taking the hint, all moved aside.

The wind grew stronger the closer they got to the sea. Yu Zhizhi couldn’t help but quicken her pace to catch up with Buli. "Why did they capture him?"

A wry smile touched Buli’s face. "Well..."

’How could he explain it?’

’They were surrounded by Sun Ridge soldiers; there was so much he couldn’t say.’

Yu Zhizhi saw his predicament and didn’t press the matter.

’So Buli really is on a mission.’

’Oh well, as long as the Little Octopus is still alive, that’s all that matters!’

The thought of seeing the Little Octopus made Yu Zhizhi grow increasingly anxious. They boarded the ship together. Just like on the shore, there were many mutated Beastmen on board. Most were clad in black armor that covered them completely, revealing only pairs of glowing eyes.

Buli led Yu Zhizhi to the ship’s brig.

The soldiers standing guard outside the door all saluted him.