It took the players a while to react.
Mermaids?!!! Were they the kind of mermaids they imagined?
“Are they real mermaids?” Ruan Yuan raised her voice. “Like the ones from fairy tales?”
Her words echoed the thoughts of every player present. Everyone stared intently at the four mermaid dolls, as if hoping to find some kind of revelation.
The mermaid dolls’ previously fierce expressions shifted. Noticing the players’ eager and admiring gazes, they proudly lifted their doll-like faces, exuding arrogance, as if being revered by humans was their rightful due.
Gu Jiu shattered their pride with a single sentence: “Not sure if they’re ‘beautiful’ mermaids. After all, they’re sealed inside doll bodies now. For all we know, they might be fish-headed, human-bodied mermaids.”
Fish-headed, human-bodied?
The players instantly visualized the idea, and collectively shuddered.
If mermaids looked like that, then never mind—maybe they weren’t so keen to see them after all.
The mermaid dolls glared angrily at Gu Jiu again. If not for being subdued, they would have pounced at her with claws bared in a menacing threat.
Gu Jiu nonchalantly added, “Or maybe they’re human-bodied with fish tails… but with fish-like monster faces?” She pointed at a fish-faced human bound tightly nearby.
Everyone’s gaze followed her finger to the fish-faced humanoid hiding behind the Wang-named player, and they couldn’t help but cover their faces.
Still hideous!
The mermaid dolls were so furious they seemed on the verge of exploding. But being unable to speak, they couldn’t defend themselves. They could only swallow the humiliating implication that they were indeed as “ugly” as Gu Jiu described.
Outside, the sky was gradually darkening, and the sound of waves crashing on the shore grew eerily close.
Players turned their eyes toward the villa’s windows, peering at the dark sea blanketed by night. Unease crept into their hearts, uncertain of what dangers the fish-faced monsters might bring tonight.
Seeing Gu Jiu and her group calmly sitting without any apparent action, the others hesitated but temporarily suppressed their nerves.
They harbored doubts: would the “Sea God” really appear tonight?
Time ticked away. Night deepened.
None of the players in the villa dared to sleep. They stayed in the first-floor hall, eyes glued to the villa’s exterior, not wanting to miss a single detail.
As long as they didn’t sleep, they wouldn’t enter the dream realm to encounter the fish-faced monsters. Without their dream-channel, the creatures would have no choice but to appear in reality. This was one of the strategies they had discussed last night on the paper boat—to force the hidden “Sea God” out of hiding.
Suddenly, Gu Jiu lifted her head and looked toward the door.
“What’s wrong?” Ruan Yuan asked warily. She had been on high alert, paying extra attention to Gu Jiu’s movements. Any slight action from her caught her immediate notice.
Because she was too focused, she failed to catch the several glances Lu Ji had cast her way.
Gu Jiu said, “Close all the doors and windows in the hall.”
“What?”
“Hurry up!”
While the other players found her words baffling, Lu Ji had already risen to shut the villa’s doors and windows. Ruan Yuan and Lu Haidi quickly followed her, carrying out Gu Jiu’s command without a hint of doubt.
Ge Guang asked, “What about upstairs?”
The doors and windows on the first floor were now closed, but the second and third floors, as well as the balconies and the rooftop garden, remained potential entry points for anything trying to get into the villa.
Gu Jiu replied, “You should guard the staircase.”
That was a feasible plan.
Ge Guang led two players to the staircase to stand watch. If anything came down from the upper floors, they would be ready to handle it.
The players still felt somewhat confused, unsure of the reasoning behind Gu Jiu’s orders.
Chen Younian dragged over Skinny Monkey they had tied up and asked, “Gu Jiu, did you notice something?”
“I heard the sound of marine creatures coming ashore. They should be here very soon,” Gu Jiu said calmly, her tone so indifferent it seemed out of place. One hand was even leisurely playing with the four mermaid dolls on the table.
The mermaid dolls were seething with anger but had no way to express it. They felt utterly humiliated.
Chen Younian froze for a moment, then asked skeptically, “You heard that?”
The other players clearly shared his doubt.
Outside, the crashing waves thundered relentlessly, drowning out all other sounds. For C-level players, it was impossible to discern anything unusual amidst the roar of the sea.
Gu Jiu chuckled softly. “My eyesight isn’t great, but my hearing is pretty sharp.”
Really?
Chen Younian glanced at the thin-framed, gold-rimmed glasses she wore. The glasses added an air of elegance and intellect to her appearance, lending her an understated warmth. He had assumed they were just an accessory to enhance her charm, but now realized they were indeed for vision, not decoration.
For some reason, he felt a sense of dissonance about Gu Jiu.
But there was no denying her strength. Her sharp perception and confident control over the situation set her apart from the other players.
A thud came from the front door, as if something was slamming into it.
Everyone’s nerves tensed as more thuds followed in rapid succession, the sound of something repeatedly striking the door, confirming that Gu Jiu’s hearing hadn’t deceived her.
Someone approached the window and looked out. With the help of the faint light filtering through the glass, they caught sight of the scene outside and couldn’t help but gasp.
The sharp intake of breath drew the attention of the other players, and several rushed over to see.
In the light, they could see countless marine creatures crowded around the window. In the areas the light didn’t reach, there were likely even more lurking in the darkness.
Ruan Yuan screamed, “Are those marine creatures coming ashore?”
“What’s so strange about that?” Lu Haidi responded. “Didn’t we get attacked by marine creatures the night before? Judging by these creatures, they’re probably of the supernatural variety and not alive. Be careful, everyone!”
He warned the players not to die carelessly here.
Hearing the sound of marine creatures crashing against the doors and walls, the players drew their tools or weapons. Their expressions were tense as they braced for the inevitable battle, fully aware that tonight was going to be another deadly fight.
The thought that the “Sea God” could command marine creatures to attack them filled them with despair.
The worst part was the possibility of dying at the hands of these minions without even catching a glimpse of the boss. That would be the ultimate humiliation.
With a loud crash, a window shattered as marine creatures slammed into it. Several sea snakes fell through the opening, their bodies coiling and springing as they ferociously attacked the players. Other creatures pressed against the window also took advantage of the breach, crawling inside to join the assault.
“Quick, block the window!” someone shouted.
A player hefted a table and shoved it against the opening.
Just then, Ge Guang shouted from his position, “They’re coming down from upstairs!”
Their earlier fears had become reality. The marine creatures had climbed along the walls to the second and third floors, entered through the balconies and the rooftop garden, and were now descending the stairs.
The walls were marked with dry, black streaks, providing the creatures with a smoother path to climb.
Ge Guang and two players stood guard at the staircase, cutting down the incoming creatures. However, their sheer numbers were overwhelming, and it was impossible to hold them off.
“Does anyone have items that can block them? Use something to stop them!” Ge Guang called out desperately.
To make matters worse, the front door was also starting to give way under the relentless assault of the marine creatures. The door creaked and shuddered, clearly about to collapse.
Lu Ji drew a black sword and, with a single slash, cleaved a slithering sea snake in half.
Meanwhile, Gu Jiu and Qi Yuheng remained composed. One directed their puppet companions to slaughter the marine creatures, while the other, holding the Lingyuan Blade, headed toward the door.
Lu Ji quickly followed Gu Jiu.
Seeing the door about to be broken through, Gu Jiu turned to Lu Ji and said, “Ah Ji, do you have any paper constructs that can hold this off?”
Lu Ji pulled out several palm-sized blue sticky notes.
The other players, who had been watching expectantly, were dumbfounded. “Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing with a few sticky notes?”
Gu Jiu, intrigued, asked, “How does it work?”
“Just stick them to the doors or windows,” Lu Ji replied.
Without hesitation, Gu Jiu peeled one off and slapped it onto the door. The small sticky note quickly expanded into a curtain-like sheet of paper that covered the entire door. The precarious door finally stabilized.
It worked!
The players cheered and hurriedly urged Gu Jiu to seal the windows.
The first-floor hall had five windows. Gu Jiu methodically stuck a blue sticky note on each one. The notes expanded to cover the shattered glass, holding firm against the surging tide of marine creatures outside.
“Gu Jiu! The staircase is still open!” Ge Guang shouted.
With all the doors and windows secured, and the other entrances tightly sealed, the staircase remained the only unguarded path.
Gu Jiu glanced at the sticky notes in her hand. “Ah Ji, can these work on the staircase?”
“No,” Lu Ji replied while cutting down more marine creatures. “They need a medium to attach to, like doors or windows.”
Without a proper medium, the sticky notes were useless on the staircase.
Gu Jiu pocketed the remaining sticky notes and ordered the other players to guard the staircase while keeping a close watch on the tied-up fish-faced humanoid and the restrained players. She warned them not to let anyone escape amidst the chaos.
Then, she picked up the four mermaid dolls.
The mermaid dolls’ faces lit up with schadenfreude, as if mocking her for the dire situation. It was as if they were silently asking how she planned to handle this mess.
Gu Jiu sighed and said, “Are you all stupid? If we die, what good does it do you? Do you think you can fight those fish-faced monsters in your current doll bodies?”
The mermaid dolls fell silent: “…”
“So, it’s up to you now,” Gu Jiu said, personally unbinding the mermaid dolls and summoning her paper figures back. “Good luck.”
The newly freed mermaid dolls: “…”
Though furious, the four mermaid dolls had no choice but to comply with the domineering Miss’s orders.
They slid off the table and headed toward the staircase. The players who were struggling to fend off the marine creatures flooding down from upstairs immediately noticed them. Seeing the dolls approach, they couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope.
The mermaid dolls stood at the foot of the staircase, their faces contorted into ferocious expressions. The advancing marine creatures hesitated for a moment, their movements faltering, before suddenly retreating like a receding tide.
That simple?!
Watching this unfold, the players couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. If they had known it would be this easy, they would have unleashed the mermaid dolls earlier and saved themselves the chaos and scrambling.
But the mermaid dolls were far from pleased. Their expressions grew even darker, their glaring eyes fixed on Gu Jiu. Unfortunately, the Miss didn’t spare them a second glance.
She waved them over. “Come back and wait for your true enemy to show up. When the time comes, you better not disappoint me. With all of us helping you, if you still can’t reclaim what’s yours, you might as well just die.”
Her tone was brutally cold, her words striking a raw nerve in the mermaid dolls’ fragile egos.
The mermaid dolls nearly exploded with anger, baring their tiny fangs at Gu Jiu in a show of frustration.
“Hmm?” Gu Jiu cast a frosty glance their way.
Defeated, the dolls begrudgingly climbed back onto the table, their doll-like faces puffed with indignation.
So angry, so frustrated—if their nemesis showed up, they were going to take it all out on them!
Ruan Yuan, having watched the interaction, sidled up to Gu Jiu and asked, “Miss, do you really think they can handle this?”
It wasn’t that she doubted the dolls outright, but looking at their cute, harmless doll bodies, it was hard to imagine them taking on the fish-faced monsters, which had already regained part of their strength.
“Well, they were once Sea Gods, and ferocious mermaid at that. They should be able to manage, right?”
“…”
Their conversation wasn’t exactly discreet. Not only did the players hear it, but so did the mermaid dolls. The dolls’ tiny bodies quivered with anger, swelling slightly as if they might burst.
“Pfft!” Someone couldn’t hold back a laugh.
The mermaid dolls turned their furious gazes toward the players. Immediately, everyone started looking at the ceiling or the floor—anywhere but at the dolls.
With the marine creatures retreating, the scene outside fell silent again, save for the crashing waves. Yet, no one dared relax, remaining on high alert in case danger struck anew.
Then Lu Ji’s voice rang out. “Fall back!”
The sharp command sent a jolt through the players, and they instinctively retreated toward the door.
The moment they moved, a loud explosion echoed from the entrance. The entire door shattered, sending wooden shards flying in every direction. The blue sticky notes covering the door were also torn apart in the blast.
The players closest to the door were struck by the flying debris, letting out muffled cries of pain.
Reacting instantly, Lu Ji tossed a small paper umbrella into the air. It rapidly expanded, shielding Gu Jiu and those nearby—Qi Yuheng, Ruan Yuan, and a few others—from the brunt of the explosion.
As the dust settled, everyone turned their eyes to the door and saw two familiar figures emerge—the two male players who had escaped earlier.
When everyone got a clearer look at the two male players, they couldn’t help but gasp.
Their exposed skin was covered with dense fish scales, their facial features were evolving into fish-like characteristics, and even their eyebrows had disappeared. When they grinned, rows of shark-like, razor-sharp teeth were visible.
Seeing their grotesque transformation, the players instinctively turned to check on the two tied-up individuals. Fortunately, they still looked human, prompting a collective sigh of relief.
The two mutated players stormed in with fierce aggression, directly targeting the three bound individuals.
“Don’t let them get close!” Qi Yuheng shouted.
The players didn’t need to be told twice and desperately moved to block the mutated players. However, the two men’s enhanced strength and speed, bolstered by their transformations, made them nearly unstoppable. Even with several players working together, they were quickly overwhelmed and nearly killed.
“How are these monsters so strong?!” Ge Guang exclaimed, clutching his bloodied arm with a look of horror.
“No surprise,” Lu Haidi replied grimly. “They must’ve gained power from the Sea God. Hurry and stop them!”
Nearly all the players joined the fight.
Suddenly, Qi Yuheng shouted, “Watch out!”
The warning came out of nowhere, and the players couldn’t immediately make sense of it. However, Gu Jiu understood perfectly.
In a flash, Gu Jiu sped toward the three bound individuals. Her Lingyuan Blade slashed at the fish-faced humanoid hiding behind the Wang-named player. The creature turned its head toward her, red light flashing in its eyes. A clawed, monstrous hand lashed out fiercely.
Its face twisted into a sinister, gleeful smile.
It seemed confident that it had her cornered. But to its shock, Gu Jiu suddenly retreated, a mocking smile on her face. At the same time, she hurled the four mermaid dolls straight at it.
The mermaid dolls latched onto the fish-faced humanoid with their tiny claws.
With a furious roar, the creature flung the mermaid dolls off and lunged at Gu Jiu again. Among all the players present, it seemed singularly fixated on her. Not even the deep wounds inflicted by the Lingyuan Blade fazed it.
Ruan Yuan rushed to Gu Jiu’s aid, snapping open her folding fan to deflect one of the creature’s attacks. However, the sheer force sent her flying, crashing into the wall.
She spat out a mouthful of blood. Seeing the fish-faced humanoid still chasing Gu Jiu, she yelled in frustration, “Miss, why does it hate you so much?”
“How should I know?” Gu Jiu protested as she dodged another attack. “Maybe it’s just mad because I humiliated it so many times!”
Ruan Yuan: “…”
She was starting to understand Gu Jiu’s knack for attracting enemies. Not only had she infuriated the mermaid dolls, but she had also thoroughly antagonized the fish-faced humanoid. It wasn’t hard to imagine how mercilessly she had bullied it in the dream world.
The fish-faced humanoid was terrifyingly fierce, but Gu Jiu held her ground. Armed with the Lingyuan Blade and the Banshee’s Armor—both powerful tools for dealing with malevolent entities—she fought it to a standstill.
At last, the creature spoke in a raspy voice: “Give me back the bone!”
Ah, so it was about the bone.
Gu Jiu glanced at Ruan Yuan and said, “See? It’s not just me. It’s here to ask for the bone.”
Ruan Yuan: “.…”