Chapter 39: What a Huge Mantis Shrimp!

Chapter 39: What a Huge Mantis Shrimp!

"They are all having a party in the hall. Let’s secure everyone first, then proceed according to the plan!" Hanover led his men, marching toward the hall with an aggressive air.

"Okay! The uninvited guests to the party have arrived!"

"Oh! A party! But I don't hear any of the sounds that a party should have."

A group of mercenaries laughed crudely, completely unaware of what they were about to face.

The protagonist, Finnegan, and his assistant, Joey, exchanged glances. They were empty-handed, while the mercenaries before and behind them were heavily armed; resistance was impossible. Ever since they discovered the torpedoes these mercenaries had brought onto their ship, they had realized they had brought a pack of vicious beasts into their home. Now, they were being coerced into finding spare parts to repair their damaged vessel. During the journey, the ship had collided with an unmanned speedboat, damaging much of their equipment.

Hanover kicked the hall door open, and the group rushed in, brandishing their weapons. However, what awaited them was a scene of utter chaos, with large patches of blood splattered everywhere. The massive, multi-level hall was completely deserted, permeated by an oppressive atmosphere of dread. They looked at each other, their faces filled with bewilderment.

"What is going on?" Hanover asked in a deep voice, then tapped his headset. "Viver? Viver? Where did you run off to? Respond!"

He frowned, sensing that the cruise ship was somewhat eerie. "You, go take a look."

The only Black man in the group nodded. He strode out of the hall, turned the corner, and just as he poked his head out to take a look—

*Shhh—*

A three-meter-long bone blade swung through the air, showering the floor in gore. A severed head tumbled away like a black ball, only for Luo Ke to kick it into a utility closet, tossing the headless corpse in after it. Luo Ke seriously suspected that Hanover had racist tendencies; otherwise, why would he always send the Black guy to do the dirty work?

Inside the hall.

"The elevator is coming down!" a subordinate said nervously.

The numbers on the elevator display counted down, finally stopping at their floor. Under the focus of dozens of eyes and gun barrels, the doors slowly slid open. There was no one inside, no monsters—only pools of dripping blood. The group felt a jolt of terror. Hanover, feeling uneasy, said, "Don't dawdle, let's get to work."

They continued forward until they reached the casino. Luo Ke followed silently, keeping an eye on their surroundings, watching for any slithering tentacles. The casino was no different from the hall; it showed signs of chaos, with gambling chips and dollar bills scattered everywhere, and many shoes left behind on the floor.

The persistent pressure left everyone’s nerves frayed, and they panted, casting anxious glances around. Suddenly, the roulette wheel in the center of the casino began to spin on its own.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The group went mad, pulling their triggers. Bullets poured out as if they were free, tearing the casino into even greater ruin.

"That's enough, that's enough!" Finnegan, exasperated, shouted while covering his ears.

The men stopped, letting out rough, uncouth laughs. No, they were nothing more than a pack of lowlife executioners.

"This gun is so satisfying! I feel like I could blow up Godzilla!" the mercenary Mulligan shouted with satisfaction.

"Haha, feels good!" The men continued to vent their stress.

Hanover grunted, "Split up. You two take Finnegan and the others to find the parts; we’re going to the captain's office."

After the two groups departed, Luo Ke walked into the casino, speechless. What kind of people were these? They claimed to be mercenaries? Knowing the situation here was unknown, they were still reckless enough to fire their weapons like that! They had absolutely no vigilance!

He first swept a suitcase full of cash into his inventory, then chose to follow the direction of the protagonist, Finnegan. He vaguely remembered that they were the first to encounter the tentacle attacks.

"Neither of them has come back, and we can't reach them," one mercenary said worriedly.

"Forget them for now. Everything here is strange; we need to protect ourselves," the voices of Hanover's group faded into the distance.

Maintenance Room.

Finnegan and Joey were led inside under the guard of two mercenaries.

"Move it!" The most hot-tempered mercenary, Terry, had no kind words for Finnegan. The other mercenary, Marmley, wandered around the room on his own.

Suddenly, Terry heard something. He slowly walked out of the room into the corridor. Since the cruise ship was taking on water, he waded through the deep, murky water.

*Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!*

He noticed something churning and bubbling in the water ahead. He shone his flashlight on it. After two seconds of silence, he lowered his guard, assuming it was just water pressure.

*Splash!*

A terrifying tentacle broke through the surface, dragging him into the water. His fragile body was instantly shredded by the sharp teeth within a hidden maw, and his screams echoed through the level.

"Ahhh!"

Luo Ke, hiding in a dark corner, kept his cool. He knew that the tentacle had only revealed a fraction of itself, and he didn't want to startle the nest yet.

But the three people inside were panicked. Marmley insisted that Finnegan and his assistant were responsible for the attack, keeping his gun trained on them aggressively. He didn't realize that a tentacle was slowly creeping up beneath him until it bit down hard on his ankle!

"Ah—" Marmley shrieked, firing his gun wildly. The dense gunfire alerted Hanover and the others on the upper decks.

Just as Finnegan and Joey stood frozen, Luo Ke rushed in. Targeting a thick, muscular tentacle, he lunged like a hungry tiger, grabbing the mid-to-rear section of the appendage.

*Bang!*

A ventilation duct nearby was smashed open, and another tentacle emerged, letting out a hoarse screech as it opened its maw toward Luo Ke. Seeing this, Finnegan and Joey didn't hesitate; they turned and ran.

The panicked Marmley saw Luo Ke, who had come to save him in his moment of crisis, and was moved to tears. He turned his gun and fired, forcing the tentacle on his leg to retreat.

"Bro... thanks! Thank you!" Marmley said in broken Chinese, but he quickly froze in place.

Because suddenly, three more tentacles had appeared in front of them, for a total of five, blocking their escape. However, what made Marmley break down even further was the realization that his savior was slowly transforming into an even more terrifying and hideous monster!

*Plop.*

Luo Ke shifted his body, and his five or six trailing legs accidentally poked the stunned Marmley to death.

Huh?

Sorry about that. It’s a bit cramped in here, but I saved you just now, so let's call it even.

Yes, that logic is perfectly sound!

"Marmley! Terry!" At that moment, the shouts of another mercenary drew near.

See? These mercenaries were truly just fodder. They played the "rescuing the grandfather" game all too well.

Following the shouts came a stream of curses and gunfire, forcing the tentacles at the door to retreat. Mulligan stared in shock at the scene in the room, forgetting even to pull his trigger.

"Shit! Such a thick octopus tentacle!"

"Shit! What a huge mantis shrimp!"

He caught a glimpse of Marmley's corpse under Luo Ke’s feet and was instantly consumed by rage. He fired frantically and messaged Hanover, "Boss, Simon and Atherton weren't lying! There really are monsters on this ship!"

Bullets struck Luo Ke’s hard, chitinous armor with a crisp, metallic clatter. The sensation was no more painful than a light flick of a finger.

Heh! These guns wanted to fight Godzilla? They couldn't even scratch a mantis shrimp!

Mulligan kept his focus on Luo Ke, forgetting about the tentacles. In a moment of distraction, he was seized by two tentacles—one around his neck, the other around his legs—and pulled in opposite directions. A horrific sight ensued.

*Squelch...*

"Me? A mantis shrimp? This damn octopus is actually stealing my kills?"

On the top deck of the cruise ship.

Hanover and his men found their boss, Simon, and the ship's captain, Atherton, hiding in the captain's lounge, along with the protagonist, Tracy, who had been locked up for theft. But taking advantage of the moment everyone was stunned, Tracy slipped away, running until she coincidentally ran into Finnegan and Joey.

(Although it has been many years since graduation, the thought of the college entrance exam happening tomorrow still makes me inexplicably nervous. Good luck to all the test-takers! Remember to bring your admission ticket, leave early, and keep a steady state of mind!)