The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 197

Han Ning's Star Vision quietly opened, and all the energy flows around him were clearly visible to him.

The team descended several dozen meters further, arriving above a relatively open underwater canyon.

On either side is a relatively steep rock wall, covered with thick silt and unidentified dark moss.

The depths of the canyon were pitch black, as if leading to the earth's core.

Just then, Han Ning frowned sharply and raised his hand to make a "stop" gesture.

The snow cake immediately stopped moving.

"There's something ahead."

Han Ning's mental fluctuations were directly transmitted to everyone's minds.

“The life force is extremely strong, at least five, blocking the only way to the entrance of the canyon.”

Using the mind to transmit information is actually a relatively advanced technique, which requires a high level of mental strength from the awakened one, at least at the Great Black Stone level.

Under the guidance of the will of nature and through long-term communication with non-human creatures like Xiao Ba, Han Ning gradually became familiar with this skill.

When he emitted mental fluctuations, the others showed surprised expressions, clearly astonished by his peculiar methods.

"What should we do then? The merman ruins are inside, and this is the only entrance nearby." Li Qingshui popped out a bubble and spoke in a very low voice.

At this moment, webbed feet grew from the ends of Li Qingshui's limbs, and his head transformed into the shape of a big-headed fish.

His appearance is similar to the way Han Ning scores points when he releases the Fish Gill Technique.

Wang Jianshe, who was at the high ground outpost, was sensing with his eyes closed. Upon hearing this, he opened his eyes and frowned slightly.

"I didn't feel anything, Chief Han, are you too nervous?"

The small boat they were in was amazing; it had plenty of oxygen inside, allowing them to communicate freely.

“Jianshe is a Black Iron-level Perception Awakener, Chief Han, trust his judgment.”

Deputy Leader Qian clearly trusted his own team members' judgment more.

"If you don't believe me, go ahead and try. If the enemy discovers us, we can just stop the exploration. Flying Dragon, we'll figure something out."

Han Ning was equally confident in his Star Vision, and since someone was willing to act as bait, he wouldn't stop them.

Feilong was already convinced of Han Ning's strength, and signaled Chen Hu and Li Qingshui to follow Han Ning's instructions and stop their movements.

The kayak at the high ground outpost paused slightly. Deputy Commander Qian hesitated for a moment, seemingly thinking that Han Ning was being overly cautious, but still gestured to Wang Jianshe: "Investigate more thoroughly."

Wang Jianshe gestured for the kayak to paddle forward a short distance, then closed his eyes again, extending his mental energy forward.

A few seconds later, his expression suddenly changed, he abruptly opened his eyes, and said urgently:

"No, there's something ahead."

Wang Jian quickly gestured backward.

Liang Shu quickly maneuvered the kayak and silently retreated more than a hundred meters until she rejoined the others at a relatively safe distance.

Wang Jianshe glanced at Han Ning with a strange look: "You're right, there is indeed something ahead. The energy reaction is very strong, at least five streams, blocking the narrowest part of the canyon entrance. It's constantly moving, as if it's looking for something."

Feilong exclaimed with admiration, "Chief Han, your perception was correct."

Han Ning ignored the complex emotional changes in these people and analyzed:

"These life fluctuations give me a familiar feeling. They are similar to the water ghouls I have dealt with before, but much more powerful."

"It's very likely a high-level water ghoul."

Deputy Chief Qian's voice came through the kayak, his tone tinged with seriousness.

"If they are entrenched here, forcing our way in will definitely cause a huge commotion and bring more trouble."

"What should we do? The entrance to the ruins is inside." Chen Hu was getting anxious.

"We have no choice but to clean it up." Deputy Leader Qian made the decision decisively.

"Since they're blocking our way, let's sneak over before they notice us, make a quick and decisive move, and get close enough to observe the situation clearly."

"Chief Han, what do you think?"

Han Ning's astonishing perception ability had just been demonstrated, forcing Vice President Qian to seek his opinion.

Han Ning nodded, indicating that he had no objection.

“I’m in charge of covering up everyone’s movements,” Wang Jianshe said.

"Nana, help him."

Yu Na hummed in agreement, her eyes flashing with a faint light.

An invisible wave of spiritual energy emanated and surrounded the group.

It's like an anti-radar coating that can block the mental perception of some living beings.

Almost simultaneously, Wang Jianshe also used his methods. His mental power focused more on disguising energy fluctuations. A very faint light covered everyone's bodies, further isolating their aura from leaking out.

The group moved forward slowly again, at an extremely slow pace.

Chapter 228 Assassination

With the help of Han Ning's water-flowing vines, the relatively large body of the snow cake barely stirred up any water.

As the distance closed, the owners of those powerful life auras finally came into view.

Those were five monsters, far larger than ordinary water ghouls.

They are nearly three meters tall, with bulging muscles and their bodies covered with a layer of bluish-green scales that resemble keratin, with a faint green halo flowing between the gaps.

Five towering water monsters riding sea beasts slowly patrolled the entrance to the canyon. They rode several ferocious sea beasts, some giant fish covered in bone armor, others mutated creatures with many tentacles. Their riding resonated faintly with the eerie green energy emanating from the riders, forming a suppressive energy field.

"We can't get any closer. The entrance to the ruins is just below that rock wall behind them. If we get too close, we'll be discovered and attract even more monsters," Feilong whispered, looking at the water ghosts wandering in the distance.

Deputy Chief Qian asked in confusion:

"Are these guys blocking the entrance also looking for ruins?"

"It's possible that when Qing Shui transforms into a big-headed fish, it becomes particularly sensitive to the aura of fish-men, perhaps possessing an advantage that water ghosts cannot sense," Fei Long explained.

"Sneaking in quietly won't work; we must strike simultaneously and eliminate them instantly, without giving them a chance to react."

Deputy Leader Qian pointed to two water ghouls riding a giant, skeletal sailfish-like creature and a crab-like sea beast covered in a thick shell.

"The two strongest ones are for me and Liang Shu."

Whether to demonstrate his strength or not, Deputy Leader Qian took on two of the most viable water ghosts and sea beasts.

"Give us the one on the left and its direwolf." The invisible force field around the dragon began to accelerate, locking onto its target.

The remaining two water ghosts and the strange fish naturally ended up with Han Ning.

"Chief Han, you are responsible for dealing with the last two. You must finish them quickly," Deputy Chief Qian added.

"it is good."

"Do it!"

Deputy Leader Qian gave a low shout, and a blinding light suddenly shone from the front of the kayak he and Liang Shu were in. A highly condensed energy beam, white with a hint of blue, shot out silently at an astonishing speed, aiming straight for the head of the skeletal sailfish water ghost.

At the same time, Liang Shu leaped out of the boat, her spear bursting with dazzling silver light. Man and spear became one, like lightning tearing through the water, piercing straight for the giant crab water ghost's vital chest cavity.

That kayak was also a special weapon.

Feilong launched his attack simultaneously. Instead of attacking directly, he pressed his hands down, causing the water around the water ghoul and its dire wolf fish to become viscous and heavy, as if they were trapped in an invisible quagmire, and their movements suddenly became sluggish.

Then, he transformed into a cannonball, hurtling straight ahead, his fist condensing a highly compressed air cannon.

Following behind, Chen Hu's body twisted, his muscles bulged, and his body was covered with strange blood vessels. He directly cleaved through the water flow around him and followed closely behind Fei Long.

Li Qingshui maintained his big-headed fish posture, quietly circled around, and used his short blade to create streaks of dark blue water as he attacked the nerve nodes of the tentacle-like sea monster.

As everyone was getting moving, the snow cake beneath Han Ning moved.

"You don't need to do anything, leave it to us," he instructed.

Unlike the others who approached first and then unleashed their power, Xuebing opened its massive maw directly.

Deep in his throat, a dark red light suddenly flared up, the surrounding water temperature soared, and countless tiny bubbles surged out as if boiling.

The next moment, a black and red lava fire pillar with a diameter of nearly one meter, carrying destructive energy, evaporated the surrounding water flow, covering the water ghoul that Han Ning was in charge of, the bone spiky fish under its mount, and even slightly affecting the water ghoul that Feilong was dealing with next to it!

Wherever the pillar of lava passed, the lake water vaporized, hissing and boiling, and the powerful shockwave even momentarily halted the movements of others.

"??!"

The bone-spiky fish and the water ghost were the first to be hit, unable to even put up a symbolic resistance. The eerie green energy scales on their bodies melted and vaporized the moment they came into contact with the fish, just like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun. Then came their flesh and bones.

Almost at the same moment the lava breath was released, Snowcake's thick front paws pressed down sharply.

hum!

A terrifying gravitational field descended, not only pressing the water ghoul and the strange fish shrouded in lava breath firmly to the bottom of the lake, but also causing the other two affected water ghouls and sea beasts to suddenly sink and lose control of their movements.

Han Ning remained standing on the snow cake's back, without even changing his posture.

He simply raised his right hand, his fingertips intertwined with emerald starlight and blazing gold flames, and gently grasped the water ghoul that was immobilized by gravity and being baptized by the breath of lava.

puff!

A vine made entirely of glittering starlight appeared out of thin air, traversed a short distance, pierced the center of the lava pillar, penetrated the water ghoul's vaporizing head, and then exploded.

boom!

The intense light and impact rippled through the water, turning that area into a death zone.

The lava's breath gradually subsided, and the lake water surged back, creating a chaotic scene in that area, with frighteningly high temperatures.

Where the water ghoul and the bone-spiky fish had originally stood, only some slowly sinking debris remained.

Beside them, the two water ghouls and sea beasts, severely affected by the gravitational field of the snow cake and the aftershocks of the lava breath, were distorted in their movements and their energy was disordered, clearly indicating that they were also seriously injured.

Feilong seized the opportunity, crossed his arms, and pointed towards the heavily injured water ghost.

The water flowed violently, forming a huge underwater airflow sphere.

The air cannon smashed the target's head.

Thanks to the help of Snow Cake's breath, Iron Tiger's group also successfully killed their target.