444 What are you hiding!
As the player acting as lookout spoke, he also began to exert his strength.
He wasn't as strong as Xiong Chi, so he struggled a lot when pushing the escape pod.
With a few creaking sounds of metal rubbing against each other, the escape pod carrying the players shifted forward, slowly at first and then faster.
In the final moment, the player who had been pushing the escape pod leaped onto it, his last bit of strength becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.
Amidst the relaxed gasps of the players inside the cabin, this massive steel behemoth plummeted into the sea from a height of tens of meters.
Due to the immense impact, the escape pod sank underwater for a moment! But it quickly broke through the water again due to its own buoyancy!
But this also allowed players to see a large group of sea monsters gathered in the ocean through the reflective water!
The sheer number is terrifying!
"Beware of attacks from sea monsters and zombie beasts! Guard the hatches!"
Going into the sea is not the end; the real test is to drive the escape pod a kilometer away amidst a host of monsters also infected with the zombie virus.
Normally, metal-type escape pods should be fully enclosed and have their own power system.
Even after the cabin doors are closed, it still has some diving capabilities to ensure the survival of passengers to the greatest extent possible.
But why would 'Red Eye' be so cheap for players?
Therefore, it had already removed the power system, forcing players to forcibly dismantle parts of the cabin.
The perfectly good, fully enclosed cabin was transformed into an open-air ship.
Although the defensive capabilities have plummeted, at least the oar-like stick can be extended to row the boat, providing at least one source of power.
Moreover, 'Red Eye' also left many little surprises.
"Water! The cabin is flooding! Stop hiding! Does anyone have the right equipment?! Quickly plug the leak! If the ship sinks, we're all doomed!"
The removed pedals and indicator area left large holes, and the gaps were covered with oil paper.
While on the boat, nothing was noticeable, but once it was in the water and washed by the sea, all the defects became apparent.
The nineteen people looked at each other, and after a long while, no one answered.
"Just use any clothes to plug it up."
"Yes, we've already paddled over a hundred meters. Just keep going a little longer. I think we can leave it at that."
"I also think that if we make do, we can get out."
...
Nobody thought there was anything wrong with it, since the ship wouldn't sink anytime soon anyway.
With their combined efforts, they could quickly paddle over a kilometer.
Until a group of sea serpent-like monsters, following the scent of humans, tore through tattered clothes and slipped in through the holes in the hull, biting multiple players in one go.
This poisoning caused many people to suffer from paralysis throughout their bodies, and their skin turned bluish-purple.
Then another group of sea monsters with huge mouths and sharp teeth attacked, easily biting through the hull!
They created numerous leaks on the ship, greatly increasing the speed at which it sank. Only then did someone, looking terrified and pained, pull out a large wad of cotton candy-like material.
The marshmallow turned into a sticky mass of glue the moment it hit the water, effectively sealing off all the gaps that could let in seawater, and also giving the ship a major boost in its structural integrity.
Even if sea monsters tried to attack the ship, their teeth were powerless against the open escape pods covered in this layer of sticky mucus.
"It's actually the silk that tide-eating tarantulas use to build their nests? Isn't that a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"
"We have to be careful. If we try to block the gap with ordinary clothing, it will be easily torn open by intelligent sea creatures. And haven't you noticed that there are more and more sea creatures around us?"
"That makes sense. Indeed, when it's time to bleed, you have to bleed."
"Blood!?"
"Do you think the sea monsters are gathering because of the blood from someone injured on board? Like sharks?"
"..."
"..."
The boat, which had been bustling with people shouting rowing chants, suddenly fell silent.
Several injured players quietly covered their wounds with their clothes.
But someone with sharp eyes still spotted it and reported it: "You! You! And you! What are you hiding?!"
Xiong Chi stepped forward, his face stern, and lifted a player with wounds as if he were a rag doll.
The player's expression changed drastically: "Leader...Leader! I'm a third-tier player! I'm an elite main force member of the guild! I'm still useful! I'm still useful!"
But Xiong Chi didn't care what he said. The pressure of a high-level player poured down, and then he took out a prop dagger and, without saying a word, opened two more cross-shaped cuts on the already injured player.
Blood gushed out like it was free! It flowed into the sea with a splash!
"Aaaaaah—!! Help! Someone save me!!" The fear of bleeding filled his mind!
He tried to escape using the props! But the oppressive aura emanating from Xiong Chi had the same effect as a monster! It caused his mental state to plummet, leaving his mind blank!
Ignoring the player's struggles, Xiong Chi used his strength to throw the person far away!
As the source of the strongest stench of blood moved, some of the sea monsters that had been circling the ship were indeed lured away!
Seeing that this method worked, Xiong Chi then turned his attention to the other people on the ship.
The injured player immediately panicked!
"I only have minor injuries! No, just small scrapes! I didn't even bleed!"
"Team leader! I was injured while saving people! You shouldn't abandon me!"
"I already used the medicine! It's already scabbed over! It definitely won't smell! Please trust me!"
"Team leader, I...I...I found the triggers for two side quests on the ship! I'm still useful! Please let me get back alive!"
"Don't come any closer! One more step and I'll detonate the bomb! I'll sink this ship! No one will survive!!!"
"Xiaoyue's bomb! Everyone knows how powerful it is, right!?"
...
Some begged for mercy, some appealed to emotions, some tried to prove their usefulness, and some threatened to kill everyone on board.
But every single one of them was overwhelmed by Xiong Chi's overwhelming strength, and in the end, their blood vessels were cut open to lure away the sea monsters.
The player who abandoned the bleeding wounds was probably to avoid being chased by the sea monsters.
But for those who don't have any bleeding wounds, or whose wounds have already healed, there's absolutely no reason to give up.
In the end, they discovered that Xiong Chi wasn't afraid of the smell of blood attracting sea monsters at all; he simply wanted to satisfy his bloodlust!
He was obsessed with the wonderful sensation of a sharp blade cutting into flesh.
I enjoy listening to the sounds of my prey struggling and begging for mercy.
Enjoy the feeling of being feared by everyone.
The so-called elimination of injured players to prevent the sea monsters from chasing them.
It just happened to provide him with a suitable reason for his murderous thoughts.
After a thorough cleaning, only twelve people remained on the boat. However, because most of the sea monsters had been lured away by the players' corpses, their rowing speed actually increased significantly.
Soon, the goal of 1,000 meters was already halfway achieved.
Perhaps the opportunity to escape the instance is just around the corner, or perhaps everyone has become too cold-blooded.
Even though they had just experienced the massacre of their comrades, everyone's nerves were unconsciously relaxed, and they began to chat casually:
"Actually, I have a pair of water-skimming boots, but the floating time is limited, otherwise I could have dragged the boat ahead."
"Hey, do you guys think Xiaoyue's idiot has been caught yet?"
"Haha! I bet they're still watching from the side of the ship."
"They contributed both resources and effort, and in the end, we're the ones who benefited! Once we get out, I'm going to publicize this story! Let everyone laugh at us!"
This remark caused a burst of laughter, and no one even felt anything when they were splashed with water by the sea monster's tail.
...
What they thought were Xiaoyue and her companions, who were just standing there dumbfounded by the boat, had already successfully slipped out of the monsters' search area under the guidance of Modou and 'Baimi'.
Finally, I settled into a 'white rice' room on the tenth floor.