Leviathans

"Brother Mu Nan, head to Australia. Thanks!"

Ethan's casual order made the pilot stiffen.

Mu Nan: ???

His head whipped around, eyes wide. How does he know my name?!

"Do what he says," Murong Xiner said coldly.

Swallowing hard, Mu Nan returned to the controls. The helicopter's floodlights cut through the heavy rain, lighting up sheets of water slamming against the windshield.

"When was the last time Jiangcheng had rain like this?" Wang Zi Chen muttered, staring out.

"Stick around, and you'll see worse," Ethan replied dryly. "In five days, you'll get a front-row seat to a giant squid, too."

"…I'll stay with the group, thanks." Wang shrank into his seat.

As the chopper surged forward, John handed Mu Nan a printed flight path—a red line winding toward the Solomon Islands.

"This route's safe. Follow it."

Mu Nan glanced at Murong for confirmation. Only after her subtle nod did he take the map.

Ethan observed the exchange, then leaned back and shut his eyes. The next stretch was uncharted territory. He needed rest.

At their speed, the trip would take over twenty hours. By then, his [Eyes of the Doomed] would be ready again.

Silence settled over the cabin. Only the constant drumming of rain against the hull filled the air.

Lin Yiwan sat primly, hands folded. John obsessively checked his trajectory charts. Sparky pretended to scroll through his phone, though his eyes kept darting to Murong. Wang, true to form, slumped against Ethan, snoring.

Murong, however, never relaxed. Her gaze kept drifting to Ethan—calculating, assessing. Mostly, though, she watched the storm.

Hours crawled by.

When mealtime arrived, Murong produced seven steaming lunchboxes from her spatial bracelet.

Wang shot upright, nostrils flaring at the scent. Ethan stirred, blinking as warmth pressed into his hands.

Hot food? He eyed Murong's bracelet. Higher-tier than my ring, huh?

After they ate, they pressed on.

Eventually, land disappeared. Only an endless abyss of black ocean stretched beneath them. The mood soured.

Somewhere in those depths… something waited.

Against that vastness, their helicopter felt small. Fragile.

Then—

THUD.

THUD.

A deep, rhythmic pulse vibrated through the cabin. Ethan's heart raced.

"What was that?!" Wang jolted awake, crumbs flying.

"Listen closely," Ethan murmured, recalling Elder Chang's prophecy. "Hear their heartbeat."

"Leviathans," John said grimly.

Silence.

Ethan's fingers tightened around the [Terminus Shard] at his neck.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The beats grew louder.

Then—

"There!" Sparky suddenly pointed.

Outside, a tiny glowing speck appeared on the horizon.

John adjusted his glasses. "Human visual range caps at 20 kilometers. That's at least 30. And it's higher than us."

Ethan squinted. Why does that light seem… familiar?

"It's a giant turtle!" Sparky exclaimed. "[Far-Sight] skill. It's glowing—and heading straight for us."

A turtle?! Ethan stared. First to spot it, first to identify it—Sparky's observational skills were sharper than he expected.

Murong Xiner stood up abruptly. "I'll eliminate it."

"Sit. Down."

Ethan grabbed her wrist. She froze.

"Giant sea turtles aren't aggressive. Ignore it." His tone allowed no debate.

(In his death replay, researchers had confirmed: that species was friendly. Provoking it? Suicide.)

Murong yanked her arm free, eyes blazing.

"Don't. Touch. Me." Each word was like ice. "I have androphobia. Do it again, and your safety isn't guaranteed."

Ethan met her glare, unflinching. "And you agreed to follow my orders. No solo heroics. That's the deal."

Androphobia? Nonsense. Real androphobia didn't look like this.

Murong's lips pressed into a thin line. The tension between them crackled.

Wang watched, caught between awe and fear. No one in the Bureau dares confront her like this… Ethan's either fearless or suicidal.

The standoff lasted a full minute before Murong finally looked away, slumping back into her seat with a huff.

"Keep flying," Ethan ordered Mu Nan.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

The pilot gulped, mind reeling. This guy just scolded Director Murong like a disobedient cadet… What kind of madman did I let onboard?!