Endless Ocean: Survival Begins with a Dugout Canoe-Chapter 103 - 100: "Digging" for Ocean Treasure

The last time he used his Awakening Power to search for S-rank sea beasts was three days ago.

At that time, Shi Ming had only found two black dots representing S-rank sea beasts in this European Sea Region. One was located in the Olympus Ruins, and the other was near Greenland Island. Judging by the darkness of the dots, both were deep in the ocean.

So, what about this time?

He infused the Map of the Endless Sea with his Awakening Power, and it once again turned a deep azure. Under the sunlight, Shi Ming’s eyes could clearly see all the details on the sea chart, even without a magnifying glass.

’The one at Mount Olympus is still there. Its position hasn’t changed at all.’

’But the one near Greenland Island... has its position shifted?’

It was perfectly normal for sea beasts to move. The ones that didn’t were the strange ones.

Shi Ming had an excellent memory.

After making a comparison, he discovered that the beast originally in the Greenland region had moved about one millimeter on the map.

This was a quad-folio world map with a scale of 1:30,000,000. Every centimeter on the map represented 300 kilometers in the real world, or 162 nautical miles. The sea beast had moved one millimeter, which was about 16 nautical miles.

’The impact is minimal.’

That being said, Shi Ming planned to monitor this sea beast’s position periodically for the time being.

After all, Iceland and Greenland Island weren’t far apart.

The straight-line distance was only about 200 nautical miles.

After mooring the Da Yun Ding Lan, the regular crew members returned to their posts. They began to efficiently "mine" the ocean for High-Level Sea Crystal Stones, Dome Crystals, and the "Ice Jade Marrow" mentioned in the intel. Only four Awakened, including Shi Ming, remained on deck to patrol the sea.

Special areas naturally required special treatment.

The sudden formation of the Eye of Extreme Cold here was likely linked to some kind of mutation on the seafloor. Moreover, the intel stated that the Eye of Extreme Cold attracted powerful sea beasts, so Shi Ming couldn’t relax for a single moment.

He prepared to upgrade the Sea Patrol Radar again.

This Sea Patrol Radar had also been upgraded by one level when the Da Yun Ding Lan reached Gold-grade. It was now level 5.

[Sea Patrol Radar]

[Level: 5]

[Always worried about sneak attacks? Don’t be! It can help you constantly detect biological fluctuations within a 5-nautical-mile radius and 500 meters underwater. Based on the fluctuation frequency, it can assess the threat level of the corresponding creature, helping you better slay your enemies, or flee.]

[Upgrade Requirements: Sky Net Intelligence Chip x1, High-Level Sea Crystal Stone x100]

For someone like him who often dealt with sea beasts, the importance of the Sea Patrol Radar was self-evident. Since there were currently no "urgent and important" items on the ship needing an upgrade, Shi Ming used two of his three daily upgrade chances on the Sea Patrol Radar.

As was his habit, he saved the last one for late at night, just in case.

[Sea Patrol Radar]

[Level: 7] 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

[Its detection range has been increased to a 10-nautical-mile radius and 1000 meters underwater! Based on the fluctuation frequency, it can assess the threat level of the corresponding creature, helping you better slay your enemies, or flee.]

[Furthermore, it has gained anti-jamming and anti-stealth functions, capable of breaking through Gold-grade and lower jamming signals, leaving sneak attacks with nowhere to hide!]

[Upgrade Requirements: Sky Net Intelligence Chip x1, High-Level Sea Crystal Stone x500]

A ten-nautical-mile range was more than enough.

Unfortunately, it hadn’t evolved an active alert or early warning function, so someone still needed to monitor it constantly. However, the new anti-jamming function was extremely practical, allowing for precise detection during an enemy attack and enabling them to seize the initiative.

...

At noon, the chilly sea breeze, paired with the heatless sunlight, created a surprisingly surreal atmosphere.

The Dome Crystal and Sea Crystal Stone extraction equipment were both highly efficient here. After an hour of operation, they hadn’t produced a single piece of the "Ice Jade Marrow" mentioned in the intel. The Sea Patrol Radar, on the other hand, had already detected a sea beast probing frantically at the edge of this sea region’s shallows.

It swam back and forth.

It seemed to want to come here but was also afraid, or perhaps worried it couldn’t defend this territory.

But in the end, it made up its mind. Cautiously, and at a less-than-rapid pace, it swam toward the "Eye of Extreme Cold."

A C-rank sea beast.

Come to think of it, Shi Ming had never killed a C-rank sea beast before.

Even now, he still lacked the catalyst that would allow the Map of the Endless Sea to detect C-rank sea beasts.

"Here it comes!"

Shi Ming ordered the ship’s close-in weapon systems and all other firepower to stand down for now. He hadn’t seen any action in over ten hours and his hands were itching. He needed to stretch his muscles, and C-rank and B-rank sea beasts were excellent warm-up opponents.

Soon, he could faintly see a strange fish swimming over in the shallows beneath the water’s surface. It was covered in ice scales, arcs of electricity crackling around its body.

The strange fish seemed to notice the moored ship, and its speed only grew more ferocious.

’It couldn’t believe it. How dare these timid humans occupy this treasured land for themselves?’

’The audacity!’

’It’s time to teach them a lesson!’

Sizzling, it charged straight forward, wreathed in sparks of electricity and shards of ice.

Shi Ming pulled on electricity-resistant rubber gloves. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he unsheathed King Slayer.

Amidst the clear ring of metal, the dormant Right Arm Red Pattern suddenly awakened, spreading over every inch of King Slayer’s metal. At this moment, the ancient blade felt like an extension of Shi Ming’s right hand, emitting a low thrum.

Just as the beast, wreathed in electricity and ice, charged within thirty meters, Shi Ming moved.

He leaped up, launching himself from the ordinary deck plating that cracked under the force of his push-off. The thrumming King Slayer in his hand was like a red bolt of lightning striking against the wind, aimed straight for the sea beast’s oncoming head.

He was so fast!

CRACK!

The blade bit into its skull!

HISS—

The sea beast shrieked in agony. The surrounding arcs of electricity let out a piercing screech, mixed with flashes of white cold, striking Shi Ming’s skin but failing to affect him in the slightest.

Shi Ming tightened his grip on the hilt, the muscles in his arm tensing. He viciously drove King Slayer deeper into the strange fish’s head, then yanked it free.

Icy blood gushed out, spraying across his face, his left arm, and his clothes, where it actually froze into crimson shards of ice.

’Pretty chilly.’

Its brain was torn to paste. A C-rank sea beast had fallen completely.

As always, it was another gluttonous feast for the Right Arm Red Pattern and the Black Tortoise Shield.

[Congratulations. You have slain the Ice-Thunder Strange Fish. By bathing in its blood, you have obtained the C-rank skill: Electric Ice Fist.]

[The Electric Ice Fist skill is too low-level and has been devoured by the Black Tortoise Shield. Attack Power gained: 4 points.]

[Attack Power: 64]

’Excellent, more Attack Power!’

Shi Ming felt that his development as an all-around warrior was already taking shape.

He stood atop the strange fish’s corpse.

"Haul in the nets. Retrieve the carcass."

"Yes, sir!"