Chapter 44: Magic Cultivation Method

Leaving the courier station, Mo Yu walked back to his car and eagerly opened the box to inspect the contents. Inside lay two antique-looking books alongside a cluster of hermetically sealed metal canisters.

He picked up the envelope and read the message:

"Boss, we have successfully completed the mission. Everything you requested has been secured. Enclosed are two manuals on magic cultivation."

"The first was used by the Gothic Dynasty to train its royal scions. Practicing this method carries extreme risks, with less than one in ten surviving the ordeal—most end up bursting apart from the sheer internal pressure. However, for those who succeed, it paves an invincible path."

"The second is a comprehensive cultivation method promoted internally by the Cleaving Moon. It is a scientifically refined version iterated by generations of powerful figures within the organization after studying hundreds of different techniques. Even those with mediocre talent can achieve decent results, though standing out brilliantly is difficult."

"The other items in the box are the necessary materials required for both cultivation methods, all prepared for you, Boss. We await your good news."

Mo Yu was quite satisfied.

The trio certainly knew how to get things done properly.

After casually flipping through the cultivation manuals and opening the canisters for a quick inspection, he rewound time to the moment before he had unpacked the parcel, placed the unopened package on the passenger seat, and drove away.

The trunk was packed to the brim with supplies.

He had been continuously purchasing provisions and hiding them in an abandoned lighthouse situated thirty kilometers away from the town.

Driving along the coastline, he turned off the highway, his off-road vehicle barrelling across the sandy beach. Passing by a rocky reef area, Mo Yu stopped the car, reversed a few dozen yards, and fixed his gaze on a cave opening.

He was certain his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

A flash of crimson text had just appeared.

This was the very first time he had spotted red text near the town.

He got out of the car and entered the cave.

"Gribble-grabble-gribble-grib."

"Blah-blah."

"Gula-gula-wax."

A stream of unintelligible language echoed from the depths. He also caught a strong stench of fish permeating the air, while puddles of water and strange footprints marked the ground.

As he drew closer, the scene inside came clearly into view.

A breach in the cave roof allowed a shaft of sunlight to pour down, making the interior quite bright rather than dark.

Fishmen.

At least a dozen of them, possessing fish heads and human bodies, stood around a meter and five centimeters tall, their backs hunched and iron spears clutched in their hands.

These creatures had surrounded a group of humans.

Finding them vaguely familiar, Mo Yu looked closer and recognized the young men from the town whom he had chased away yesterday.

The two sides were communicating, chattering away animatedly while gesticulating wildly. One of the youths made a throat-slitting motion, which the lead fishman imitated in return. Everyone then erupted into excited cheers, waving their weapons in the air.

Mo Yu understood that gesture entirely.

He stepped out from around the corner and asked aloud,

"Whose throat are you planning to slit?"

***

The fishmen and humans present were all startled.

The young men turned their heads. Initially tense, upon seeing it was Mo Yu, they pointed at him with arrogant smirks and shouted,

"It's him! Googoo-gribble-gaga!"

As he finished his sentence, all the fishmen turned their heads, a dozen pairs of dead, fishy eyes locking onto Mo Yu.

"Gah!"

The leading fishman let out a sharp cry and raised its iron spear high. The surrounding creatures surged into motion, closing in to form a tight encirclement.

One fishman launched the first attack. Tossing its head back and pressing its body forward, it leveled its spear, its webbed feet kicking rapidly as it charged forward, leaving a blur of afterimages in its wake.

Slap!

The charging fishman was sent hurtling backward through the air, spinning rapidly and knocking away all of its trailing companions.

Mo Yu took off his coat, stretching his limbs as he muttered, "I haven't moved around in days. This is a great way to warm up."

He batted down an lunging fishman, grabbed it by the tail, and used it as a heavy club, whirling it through the air with a whistling gale to smash into the other creatures.

Cries of agony echoed endlessly.

Three minutes later, the cave plunged back into silence.

Fragments of exploded fishmen were scattered everywhere, while blue blood pooled and left speckled stains across the surroundings.

The two surviving youths dropped to their knees, their faces twisted in despair as they sobbed, "We were wrong! We're sorry! We really were wrong!"

"No, you aren't wrong. You're just about to die," Mo Yu replied. Without a moment's hesitation, he swung the now-misshapen dried-fish club down upon the two of them.

The ground shook violently.

Under the weight of his formidable strength, the three figures were mashed together into a uniform pulp, where blue and red intertwined to form a bizarre purple fluid.

He walked out of the cave.

Striking the roof of the cave a few times with heavy blows, he collapsed the entrance completely.

Mo Yu walked toward the shoreline.

Gazing once more at the vast blue ocean, he no longer held his previous peace of mind. Who knew how many monsters lurked beneath the deep sea?

The ocean occupied far more surface area than the land.

Rewind.

He reversed time back to before entering the cave, deploying a mirror image to take care of these small fries instead. Meanwhile, he drove himself to the abandoned lighthouse, stashed the supplies in the basement, and took a detour to conceal his vehicle outside the town.

This minor episode did not disrupt his routine.

Even though a few people had gone missing, the town residents seemed utterly indifferent. Recalling how those individuals could speak the fishman language, Mo Yu instantly felt that something was unclean about this town.

Two days remained until the countdown to his return.

Mo Yu traveled to a city a hundred miles away, purchased a new phone, registered a new SIM card, and dialed Alice's number.

He had acquired the phone number from Elise.

The call connected almost immediately.

"Who are you? Why do you have this number?" Alice's dark, hoarse voice came through the receiver. It was evident she had not been having an easy time lately.

"Good morning, Alice. Long time no see. How have you been holding up these past few days?" Mo Yu offered a cheerful greeting.

Alice's enraged roar blasted through the phone: "Where are you?! Where did you take my treasure?! Get out here, you bastard!..."

Mo Yu held the phone away from his ear. Once Alice had finished screaming herself hoarse and her voice quieted down, he brought the phone closer and spoke.

"If you keep cursing, I'll force her to drink a few more rounds tonight."

"What do you mean? Drink what?! Make yourself clear!"

"Naturally, I mean that stuff—the kind that corrupts people."

"You, you, you..."

"Alright, let's get down to business. Do you want to save your treasure or not?"

The person on the other end of the line finally calmed down.

Alice stated, "Name your terms."

"Come on, add me on the messenger app first, and I'll send you the address," Mo Yu replied.

He hung up the phone.

Mo Yu registered a new messaging account. When pondering over a display name, he thought for a moment before typing in 'Minotaur Berserker' and completing the registration.

He searched for the phone number and added Alice as a contact.

The request was accepted in a split second.

Alice sent a message: Address.

Mo Yu sent the city's address over. He would first lure Alice into the vicinity so she wouldn't fail to arrive in time when the moment came.

The city was a hundred miles away from the town. Even once Alice reached the area, it would be impossible for her to locate his hiding spot within two days.

He returned to the town.

Feigning that he had simply been out for a stroll, Mo Yu entered the inn and ran right into the maid. She had just returned from a shopping trip, carrying fresh ingredients in one hand and a case of beer in the other.

The maid remarked, "You're back just in time. Go get the charcoal ready; we're having a barbecue again tonight."

"You got it. I'll make sure to drink a few extra bottles tonight," Mo Yu replied.

The maid observed him closely before asking, "You seem to be in a pretty good mood?"

"Is that so? Must be because I ran into something pleasant. I'm planning to make the young lady drink a few extra bottles tonight," Mo Yu answered.

They had been having barbecues for the past few days. Elise had never experienced meals like this before, but once she tried it, she became completely hooked, continually demanding barbecues and beer for dinner.