Chapter 417 Two Types of Corpses

"Splash..."

The surging ocean tide churned and rolled, shattering into countless tiny waves against the dark brown reef.

Unobstructed by rocky peaks or buildings, the sea breeze swirled and howled, recklessly unleashing a furious wrath from the depths of the ocean.

Colin's breathing was ragged, his heart pounding violently. A smear of scarlet blood remained on his cheek, not yet wiped away.

"Why..."

"Why did things have to turn out like this?"

He had never wanted to offend anyone, and he had maintained the utmost respect for the adventurers in the fleet.

Even though he had received preferential treatment among the crew because of Mr. Xia Nan, he knew his place and still considered himself an "apprentice sailor." He had never used this connection to actively seek benefits or bully the other crew members.

But ultimately, he was just a young boy from a remote village. Limited by his age and experience, he only realized one thing after experiencing it firsthand—all gifts from fate came with a hidden price.

It was like when he had become an apprentice to the village hunter. He had much less daily farm work to do and didn't have to work as hard, but it also exposed him to the danger of ferocious beasts.

Even though Colin hadn't actually exploited his relationship with Xia Nan, it had invisibly spared him from cleaning the toilets like the other new sailors, or sleeping in cramped spaces between luggage and cargo where he couldn't even stretch his legs.

By the same token, the half-orc Guka, wanting to ease his own relationship with Xia Nan, had sought Colin out during the banquet, ultimately half-forcing the boy to the cabin at the edge of the village.

And then, it had led to this.

Right now, Colin was on the rocky beach in the northern part of Cliff Rock Island.

The half-orc Guka beside him had disappeared. In his place were the two remaining members of the Silver Claw Osprey Squad, along with that short Halfling who played the Lute.

Having just woken up from a faint, his memory of what exactly had happened was already blurry.

All he could recall was the terrifying sound of chewing from inside the room, the half-orc's hair standing on end, the wooden wall blasting apart, and a massive, burly silhouette looming in the thick dust just before he was knocked unconscious.

Colin only gradually pieced together what happened next when questioned by the villagers and adventurers who rushed over later.

What he and Guka had encountered was likely the ferocious monster rumored to be prowling around the village.

Originally, it had only attacked lone villagers outside and domestic livestock; there had never been a case of it entering a human settlement.

Unexpectedly, perhaps because the arrival of the Black Gull had drawn the attention of most of the villagers and the young guards normally responsible for patrols, the monster had taken the opportunity to sneak in. It attacked a household on the outskirts of the village and was stumbled upon by Guka, who had slipped out of the banquet looking for fun.

Judging by the traces left at the scene, after Colin fainted, the half-orc had engaged in a fierce battle with the monster and fallen at a disadvantage.

When the villagers and the members of the Silver Claw Osprey Squad rushed over, the bloodstains on the ground suggested that Guka was already severely injured.

The monster itself seemed to possess high intelligence. It did not drag out the fight, nor did it let its ferocity overtake its reason.

Upon sensing the commotion of the villagers rushing over, it directly snatched the heavily injured half-orc and fled.

It left behind a mutilated corpse in the ruins of the wooden cabin, as well as Colin, who had passed out on the ground.

Having fought side by side for years to build a tacit understanding, a team member they could trust their backs to had been snatched away. Naturally, the Silver Claw Osprey Squad was not going to let this go.

An adventurer responsible for escorting cargo had been attacked in the village. Even knowing the danger, Steven, the village chief of Cliff Rock Village, acted with utmost responsibility, immediately leading the villagers out to search.

Fortunately, Leda, the archer of the Silver Claw Osprey Squad, was a half-elf Ranger. Among her abilities was a Feat called [Bloodhound Scent]. Even though the monster had vanished without a trace, she could still track it through its lingering scent.

Of course, this Feat was not entirely without limits. It required a medium connected to the monster to take effect, and it could only pick up trails left by the target within the last half hour.

This was exactly why the three adventurers had gone out of their way to bring the "dead weight," Colin, along. He had experienced close contact with the monster that attacked the two of them, fulfilling the condition for the [Bloodhound Scent] medium.

Behind them, the figures of Village Chief Steven and the villagers standing in place grew farther away. The clamor in the air gradually dissipated, leaving only the hiss of ocean waves interwoven with the howling wind in their ears.

Time was limited. The requirements of [Bloodhound Scent] and the uncertain fate of the half-orc Guka made the adventurers unconsciously quicken their pace.

Tracking all the way, the group arrived at a seaside filled with sharp reefs and surging undercurrents.

Only adventurers could move forward safely while maintaining their speed; even the most experienced fishermen would struggle to keep up. And if a battle truly broke out, ordinary villagers wouldn't be able to help at all in such a harsh environment.

Thus, after a hasty discussion midway, Steven led the villagers to temporarily halt their pursuit, moving around to block the gap on the other side of the northern cliffs, while the adventurers continued deeper.

"How much further?"

Tucking Colin under one arm like luggage, Nick, the squad leader, stepped over a rocky reef and frowned as he asked the half-elf leading the way.

"I'm not sure. The sea moisture has diluted the lingering scent in the air." Leda looked focused. She reached out and rubbed a fingertip against the residual blood on Colin's chest, then held it just above her lips, her nostrils flaring.

"But this direction is definitely right. It ran toward the sea."

Nick's expression grew gloomier.

As Class Holders with years of adventuring experience, the group had quickly made a preliminary judgment on the monster's approximate size and classification based on the traces left at the scene.

Judging by the size and depth of the footprints left in the ground, the thick fishy stench in the air, and a serrated fish tooth embedded in the corpse, they could make a solid guess.

The creature that attacked Colin and Guka was an aquatic—or at least amphibious—large monster from the sea.

And now, it had fled to the seaside.

If this monster threw caution to the wind and jumped straight into the water with Guka, they truly wouldn't have a single chance left.

With human bodies, leaving land to fight a monster in the ocean—where less than a tenth of their strength would remain—was undoubtedly suicidal.

All they could do right now was track it as quickly as possible, praying that the monster hadn't dragged Guka beneath the surface.

Captain Nick was instrumental in allowing the Silver Claw Osprey Squad to survive to this day in an environment like the Southern Archipelagos.

Like the vast majority of squad leaders on this continent with an adventuring career of over five years, he was mature and slick, steady with a touch of caution. Even if he occasionally lost control under the temptation of profit, he could quickly adjust his mindset, commanding high prestige among his teammates.

Even as things stood, despite guessing that the half-orc was already buried in the sea, Nick still had no intention of giving up.

On one hand, a teammate he had synergized with for so long was truly hard to come by. Even if there was only a sliver of a chance he survived, it was worth searching the entire coast.

On the other hand, he also had to consider Leda's perspective.

As a fellow squad member, if he gave up on Guka so easily when the half-orc's life and death were unknown, how would the half-elf view her captain in the future? How could the squad be maintained?

However...

He glanced down at the pale Colin tucked under his arm.

Nick felt regret in his heart.

Ironically, when this kid and Guka had left the banquet, Nick and Steven, the chief of Cliff Rock Village, were on the second floor discussing a hunting commission for the monster attacking the villagers.

Nick had wanted to take the opportunity to glean more mission-related intel from him. If it was within their capabilities, he would report the intel back to the Association in Barracuda Bay, and once the commission was posted again, their squad could snap it up immediately.

When that time came, they would make ample preparations in Barracuda Bay. Since they had already visited Cliff Rock Island once, the environment wouldn't be completely unfamiliar, and they'd have an understanding of the terrain. Carrying out the mission would yield twice the results with half the effort.

But to his surprise, in just those ten-odd minutes, the half-orc had already vanished from the hall by the time he went back downstairs.

And then came that loud bang from afar, along with the ensuing commotion.

At this thought, the gloom on Nick's face deepened.

What unsettled him even more was the black-haired young man in the fleet named Xia Nan.

He had heard from the village chief that Xia Nan had left the village even earlier, heading for the cliffs to find some old acquaintance's cabin.

If that man was with them right now, given the strength Xia Nan had displayed earlier, it would have massively guaranteed their safety.

Yet Xia Nan still hadn't returned, causing the squad's combat power to plummet.

To a certain extent, this was also one of the reasons he brought Colin along deep into the pursuit.

Given this kid's relationship with Xia Nan, once the man returned and noticed Colin missing, he might chase after them to provide support. It was a layer of insurance.

At this thought, Nick paused his footsteps slightly, glancing back out of the corner of his eye.

Fortunately, that short Halfling, who seemed to be of the Bard class, was quite warmhearted. He had followed along all the way without Nick even having to ask.

Right now, he was carrying his delicate Lute on his back, following lightly behind them.

With these two connections, if Xia Nan returned in time to discover the situation, he should catch up immediately.

Encountering such a sudden incident midway through a mission made Nick feel like his thoughts were tangled into a ball of yarn. He had to worry about potential danger while also considering his teammates' feelings, leaving him immensely frustrated amid the tension.

And right at that moment, a low shout suddenly rang out from ahead, interrupting all his thoughts.

"On guard!"

His body tensed unconsciously as his mind snapped back to reality.

He relaxed his arm, dropping Colin to the ground.

The two short swords at his waist were already unsheathed.

He didn't need the half-elf Leda—who was deliberately crouching low in a combat stance—to warn him again. He could already smell the thick stench of blood drifting over from ahead.

The formation, originally focused on tracking, silently shifted. With just a few steps, Nick, the squad's only vanguard, had pushed to the very front.

At the half-elf's gesture, Colin covered his mouth and knelt trembling on the reef, trying his best not to make a sound.

Motioning for the others to follow, Nick kept his steps light and carefully moved forward.

Leaving Colin behind, the group of three advanced.

In just a few minutes, as they rounded the corner of a rocky outcrop ahead, the source of the bloody stench came into view.

It was a full dozen fragmented, broken fishman corpses, almost completely covering a large reef.

Their deaths had been extremely gruesome.

Some had their heads cleanly sliced off, glowing blue blood oozing from the severed necks; others were missing all four limbs, leaving only a bare chunk of torso.

Severed limbs and shattered, crude weapons were scattered everywhere.

The bloody, horrific scene made even the highly experienced Nick frown unconsciously. Behind him, the half-elf's lips turned pale.

"Did... that monster do all this?"

Nick whispered to his teammate, whose Perception was much stronger.

The half-elf was just about to nod when Alton's voice suddenly rang out from the side.

"No, besides these guys, there are two other things in there!"

The Halfling pushed past the two and hurried forward.

Hearing this, Nick and Leda followed behind.

They picked their way through the perimeter of the strewn bodies and finally saw the sight at the very center.

There lay the corpses of two monsters that were distinctly different from the outer fishmen. Their bodies were dark green, and their builds were much sturdier.

Unlike the fishmen on the periphery, they hadn't been torn to pieces. Instead, both had been struck down by a highly violent attack that punched straight through their eye sockets or jaws, killing them in a single blow.

"A deep-dive crab... and a terror-claw fishman." Nick stepped up and used his short sword to flip them over for a look, swallowing hard as his Adam's apple bobbed.

"Are these the monsters that attacked the village?" the half-elf behind him asked.

Nick shook his head. "These two monsters aren't large enough, and they don't even have legs. Even if they had the ability to move ashore, the tracks they'd leave on land wouldn't look like that. There must be something else."

The half-elf fell silent, her nostrils flaring slightly.

"True. Also, the scent left by the monster that dragged Guka away didn't end here. It continued extending toward the sea."

"In other words, that thing was just passing through... and conveniently slaughtered these monsters?" Nick's voice trembled uncontrollably, a chill running through his heart.

A deep-dive crab and a terror-claw fishman, combined with this large surrounding ring of ordinary fishman mobs acting as fodder.

If the Silver Claw Osprey Squad had run into them at their peak, they would have found it exceptionally tricky to handle. Had they been ambushed by this group by the sea, there might even have been casualties.

But now, they had all been slaughtered like a few casually crushed bugs just as that unknown monster passed by.

Was such an entity really something they could deal with?

"Should we... head back?"

This time, the first one to back out wasn't the Halfling, but the Ranger responsible for scouting and tracking.

"The monster's scent followed the reef straight into the sea. There's no way to track it any further, and Guka is most likely..."

Leda looked at the violently pierced eye sockets and jaws of the two medium-sized amphibious monsters in the corpse pile. She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was self-evident.

Nick sighed as well. He knew this wasn't his teammate being cowardly. In a situation that meant certain death, no one would choose to stubbornly press on.

"Let's go. We'll head back and inform the villagers that they don't need to flank it."

"Wait!" Just as the two turned around, the Halfling Alton spoke up abruptly, halting their movements.

He stepped past the two corpses, treading through the blood covering the ground, and crouched before two other half-mutilated fishmen a bit further away.

"Alton, what's wrong?"

The two turned back in confusion, only to see the Halfling frowning, carefully examining the broken chunks of corpse on the ground with a grave expression.

"Look at the cross-sections of the wounds on these corpses."

Cross-sections?

Nick and Leda exchanged a glance, feeling even more bewildered, but still walked over to observe as told.

These ordinary fishman mobs were shattered and ruined, their causes of death bizarre and varied. Some had half their bodies crushed, while others were decapitated by a sharp weapon.

Although gruesome, there was nothing particularly special about it.

However, under Alton's guidance, when the two carefully examined the corpses where the wounds displayed the cross-sections of being severed by a sharp weapon, their pupils shrank abruptly.

The cross-sections of those severed bones and flesh were not as smooth as a normal sharp weapon's cut. Instead, it looked as if some high-speed rotating grinding tool had sliced through, with the edges of the wounds presenting fine, evenly distributed, serrated tear marks.

What made their scalps tingle even more was that, embedded in the flesh at the edges of the wounds, there were faint traces of charred residue resembling wood fibers.

"This..." Nick gasped, his voice shaking. "What kind of weapon leaves marks like this?"

"And take a closer look at the fatal wounds on those two medium-sized monsters."

The Halfling didn't answer the captain's question, but instead pointed to the deep-dive crab and terror-claw fishman they had examined earlier.

Nick and Leda immediately turned back, suppressing their nausea and fear, and carefully investigated the wounds on the two corpses.

The deep-dive crab had its eye socket pierced in a single blow, while the terror-claw fishman was impaled straight through the jaw to the top of its skull.

Previously, intimidated by the bloody, terrifying sight, and with their minds preoccupied by fear of the unknown monster, they had merely assumed this was caused by the puncture of some extremely violent blunt weapon.

But now, with Alton's reminder, the two looked closely again and discovered a completely different picture.

The edge of the washbasin-sized hole in the deep-dive crab's eye socket didn't have extensive shattering or spiderweb cracks from being bombarded by tremendous force. Instead, it was as if a chunk had been precisely "gouged" out. The edge of the wound even displayed eerie traces of charred melting, emitting a strange smell that mixed a faint aroma of roasted meat with a burnt stench.

The terror-claw fishman's death state was similar. The wound at its jaw was too smooth to be the work of a blunt weapon. It looked more like a thick, red-hot iron pillar had stabbed straight through its tough bone and flesh with an incomprehensible heat and speed.

"This wasn't done by some passing monster at all!"

Leda stood up abruptly. The keen perception granted by her Elf bloodline made her voice uncontrollably shrill at this moment.

"The first type of wound, with charred wooden residue and a tear resembling a high-speed saw—I've seen similar descriptions in a catalog of precious magical items provided by the Guild. That seems to be... an alchemical construct weapon called a chainsaw?"

"And the latter type of fatal wound, with high-temperature burning that directly melted through bone and flesh... this could only be done by a high-tier evocation spell, or a powerful weapon enhanced with an extreme heat enchantment!"

Nick opened his mouth, feeling his throat too dry to make a sound.

If all these judgments were true, what did it mean?

It meant that what slaughtered this group of monsters wasn't a ferocious, passing unknown sea beast, but... a human?

Or at least, an intelligent creature armed with exceptional gear and wielding utterly terrifying power!

"And have you considered a possibility..." Alton's voice drifted over faintly. He gazed toward the dark, deep ocean, his fingers unconsciously tightening on the strings of his Lute.

"The monster that attacked the village and took Guka, and the entity that slaughtered these sea monsters... actually aren't the same?"

As soon as these words came out, the sea breeze around them seemed to drop a few degrees.

Nick and Leda felt a chill run down their spines. If the Halfling's deduction was correct, then just how many incomprehensible, terrifying entities were currently hiding on this coastline under the dark night?

The fear of the unknown, like a churning undercurrent in the deep sea, silently and thoroughly drowned this squad, which was considered an elite adventuring team even in the Southern Archipelagos.