Will I be a burden to Zhou Lin again later?
"The eyeball was just a seal. This catfish willingly allowed itself to be sealed within. Now that the seal has been broken, the catfish should awaken."
"Also, you shouldn't have come out now. If you're seen, you won't be able to escape."
Zhou Lin frowned slightly, as if thinking of something, and quickly said.
"When you say 'seen,' do you mean this look?"
Captain Bai's eyes were fixed on the giant catfish. Just a moment ago, he hadn't seen the catfish move. But as soon as he looked at Zhou Lin, and then looked back, the catfish was staring at them.
And this gaze, why did it feel so strange? It seemed filled with resentment.
Had they offended it?
Upon hearing Captain Bai's voice, everyone else also looked towards the catfish.
The moment they did, they all stumbled back a step and gasped.
This gaze…
It looked so terrifying, like a death stare.
"Zhou Lin… is this the look you were talking about?"
The metaphysics professor felt that this gaze was not right. It looked like the gaze one would give a sworn enemy.
"It's over. You've been seen. It's too late to escape now."
Zhou Lin said these lighthearted words amidst the solemn atmosphere.
"Why? It was just a glance."
Guo Liang was puzzled.
"Don't you see the fluctuations on the catfish's body… and in the water?"
Prompted by Zhou Lin, they looked into the water. It had been calm before, but now it was rippling, like a tide, surging back and forth.
And on the catfish's skin, there were waves of movement, as if something was writhing beneath the surface, about to break through at any moment.
Seeing the smooth skin they had observed earlier now rippling, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
In the live stream.
"I finally get it. This is truly disgusting and unforgivable. What in the world is this?"
"The species in your Great Xia are beyond our visual comprehension. They're just so revolting to look at. Were your ancient people insane?"
"Exactly. It's disgusting that they could even research such things. It must have been very difficult for your historical figures to discover this."
"Of course. No matter what it is, we can research it and control it. Unlike you, who research a bunch of messy things and can't control them. It not only harms yourselves but others, and it's utterly immoral."
"I agree with that point. Your Eagle Country always causes trouble and the whole world suffers. That's your noble tradition."
…
In the dean's conference room.
"Looking at this, it seems the archaeological team is in trouble. That gaze is definitely not right."
Professor Hu shivered involuntarily after speaking.
This thing looked large, but it was as elusive as a ghost, changing its appearance. One moment it was listless, but now what was this?
It had become like a phantom, a harbinger of death.
"I'm more curious about what the skin on these fish is made of. Could it be many catfish?"
Professor Wen felt that the books he had read were all trash. This was completely different from what he had studied. His new world had been completely opened.
"I don't know, but I don't think this is good. Zhou Lin himself might be okay, but what about the students he brought with him? Are they in danger?"
The dean's primary concern was not Zhou Lin, but the students and professors.
"They'll be fine. Zhou Lin doesn't look like he's in trouble. He probably has a plan."
Professor Hu quickly reassured the dean, seeing his worried expression.
The dean listened, then glanced at Professor Hu, and finally looked at Zhou Lin on the big screen, feeling somewhat at ease.
Inside the tomb.
Zhou Lin saw that the giant catfish's previously indifferent gaze had turned blood-red, then purple. The ripples in the water had subsided, revealing a star-like pattern.
Specks of light were emerging from the water, and at first glance, they resembled plankton.
Pairs of purple eyes were watching them.
This caused considerable shock to the mercenaries and professors.
"What is this?"
Captain Bai's weapon was already drawn, ready to fire.
"These are plankton produced by the catfish's toxins. They are used to nourish the carp in the water, otherwise, wouldn't these carp starve?"
Zhou Lin's eyes remained fixed on the catfish opposite them, without turning back.
"Is it too late for us to leave now?"
The metaphysics professor, hearing about toxins, felt his heart sink. Would they be poisoned?
"It's not too late, but leaving won't help. They're following."
Zhou Lin found the metaphysics professor's words amusing. Thinking of leaving now.
It was probably too late.
"Ah?"
"Oh no, the giant catfish is moving."
One of the students noticed the catfish moving its body.
As the giant catfish swayed, the plankton in the water began to move with it.
Splash…
The giant catfish's tail lifted slightly, then slammed heavily onto the water's surface.
Bang—
The water surged towards the mercenaries' position.
"Run."
Seeing the situation was dire, the metaphysics professor led everyone towards the exit, but it was already too late.
Whoosh—
The water splashed onto the mercenaries and students. Small purple dots appeared on them. The plankton were all purple.
At first glance, they resembled tadpoles, but these tadpoles had tiny teeth, and their teeth were red.
The students watched as the tadpole-like creatures on their bodies began to crawl towards their collars. Realizing these things were poisonous, they frantically tried to brush them off.
They abandoned all other concerns, reaching out to pull the creatures off themselves.
They wished they could shed their clothes.
Netizens watching the live stream felt a tingling sensation all over their bodies.
"Oh my god, will they be okay with this on them? These densely packed things are truly…"
"Don't even talk about it. I'm already feeling itchy all over. What are these things?"
"What they are doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that these are plankton, and they are highly poisonous."
"Holy crap, if that's the case, will they be poisoned?"
"What do you think? They'll definitely be poisoned. Wait, where's the big shot?"