Chapter 23: Qin Chuan is a Monster

The water is the domain of fish-like monsters. For humans to remain active underwater for any length of time, they must rely on auxiliary equipment; otherwise, they face death by suffocation.

The longest duration a human is known to have held their breath is under half an hour, and that is only while remaining perfectly still. If one were to swim while holding their breath, the time would be significantly shorter. Although the Dean had cautioned everyone not to view Qin Chuan through the lens of common logic, deep down, everyone found it fundamentally impossible to believe.

Consequently, someone began timing Qin Chuan the moment he dived into the water, curious to see how long he could remain submerged while in motion. Seconds ticked by, and the danger lurking in the distance drew ever closer to him. Everyone’s heart was gripped with tension—everyone, that is, except for Qin Chuan himself. He seemed entirely unaware of the danger lurking behind him, swimming through the water with carefree ease.

He spotted a fish. It moved with such incredible speed, darting about like a flash of lightning, that it immediately captured his full attention.

"It’s over, it’s over, it’s all over! There’s a monster closing in behind him, but our Qin Chuan has actually taken an interest in that strange fish."

"Does anyone know what that fish is? It’s so fast!"

"It zipped away in a blink. What species is that? I’ve never seen it before."

Bingbing turned to Yu Nan, who had traveled to countless places and possessed more knowledge than many experts in flora and fauna. She asked, "I don’t know what kind of fish that is. It looks quite strange, though, and rather beautiful."

Regrettably, Yu Nan shook his head. "I am sorry to say that I have never seen this type of fish before."

Bingbing didn't mind; Yu Nan was not omniscient, after all. However, Yu Nan then added, "Although I haven't seen this specific one, I have encountered many similar species. There is a fish called the Lightning Fish that bears a striking resemblance to the one in the broadcast. However, the largest Lightning Fish is only about the size of a human palm, but as you can see, the fish in the broadcast is as thick as an adult's thigh. Moreover, its speed is many times faster than that of a Lightning Fish. I must say, this is a new species. I just don't know if such a fish exists on the planet of Kyushu."

Since it was a fish from the Forbidden Zone, it was normal for them not to have seen it. In their view, the Forbidden Zone was akin to an alien planet, far removed from their own world. Bingbing refocused her attention on Qin Chuan. After all, compared to a new species, they were far more concerned about his safety.

"Has everyone noticed? Qin Chuan is swimming so fast underwater—he’s actually no slower than the fish."

When Bingbing saw the swimming speed Qin Chuan displayed while chasing the fish, it exceeded everyone's expectations. He was only a human, after all.

Can a human truly be faster than a fish? Yet, Qin Chuan’s speed was clearly absurd, making them doubt their own eyes.

"Damn, how is Qin Chuan reaching such speeds underwater?"

"Is he even human? Could he be a mermaid in disguise?"

"My god, Qin Chuan is accelerating again! He’s getting closer and closer to that fish. What kind of monster is he?"

"This... this swimming speed is terrifying. How could a normal human swim this fast? It's simply unscientific."

"How is Qin Chuan doing this? Could it be, as the Dean suggested, that he really possesses superpowers?"

Qin Chuan accelerated in the water, quickly closing in on the fish. With a swift grab of his small hand, he held the creature firmly in his grasp, leaving it unable to break free. Fish scales are incredibly slippery, even more so underwater, yet Qin Chuan held the fish as if his hand were a pair of iron pliers, locking it in place. This was even more baffling; the fish was as thick as an adult's thigh, while Qin Chuan's hand was so small. The proportions didn't match, yet the reality unfolded before their eyes, forcing them to believe it.

Everyone watched, dumbfounded and bewildered. This had completely upended their understanding of reality. They found Qin Chuan becoming increasingly mysterious, like an inexhaustible treasure waiting to be explored.

"Oh no, the monster behind him is closing in!"

Bingbing looked behind Qin Chuan. The black shadow had arrived within striking distance, as terrifying as a gargantuan beast of the deep.

"What kind of monster is that?" Bingbing shrieked. Previously, when the monster was in the distance and obscured by the currents, they hadn't seen it clearly. Now that it had approached, they could finally witness its true form. Their eyes widened in shock—the creature was unmistakably a shark.

"It looks like a shark, but then again, it doesn't. What on earth is this monster?"

"This creature is simply too huge—it’s not much smaller than that Azure Dragon Lizard from before."

"It's massive! Its mouth is big enough to swallow Qin Chuan in one bite."

"Haha, this brat is finally going to die!"

"So what if he can swim fast? He’s still just a little kid. Once he’s swallowed by that monster, even with his supposed superpowers, he’s a dead man walking."

"Qin Chuan, look out!"

The monster had opened its gaping maw and lunged at Qin Chuan. This scene made countless hearts skip a beat. If Qin Chuan were to be swallowed, he would lose one of his chances at resurrection. The monster's mouth was enormous, and its speed was immense. Since Qin Chuan had his back to the beast, everyone assumed he was surely doomed.

However, just as the monster was about to swallow him, Qin Chuan accelerated and dodged the attack. With a sudden burst of movement, he glided away, leaving a trail of bubbles in his wake, and turned to fix a cold, steady gaze upon the creature that had suddenly appeared.

This turn of events left the entire live broadcast room stunned.

"Does Qin Chuan have eyes in the back of his head? How could he have dodged that?"

"Holy cow, that scared the life out of me! I thought for sure he was going to be eaten, but he actually evaded it."

"Did he know it was coming, or was it just pure luck?"

"Is anyone ignoring the fact that Qin Chuan has now been holding his breath underwater for over five minutes while in motion?"

"Damn, you're right. Is this kid a human or a monster? He's only four years old!"

"Even the best free-divers in the world couldn't do what he's doing. Swimming consumes a huge amount of energy, yet looking at him, he doesn't seem exhausted at all."

They couldn't fathom how such a small body could swim for so long underwater. Did he not need to breathe? Apart from fish, which can breathe underwater, it was fundamentally impossible for a human to survive without air.