Free Web NovelThe submarine's journey to the target location was smoother than expected, with almost no major incidents.
The predicted unpredictable situations, which were supposed to occur as they gradually approached the activity area of that Venerable-level Transcendent creature, simply didn't happen.
It was so smooth that it was unnerving.
And this overly smooth situation, as expected, did not make the big shots in the observation team happy or at ease.
Instead, as they got closer to their destination, the atmosphere inside the submarine became heavier.
Mingxi even felt like she wasn't in a Beast Tamers world, but rather a horror Instances world.
This atmosphere...
Everyone probably felt that this false calm foreshadowed a crisis that was highly likely to exceed their expectations in the future.
It was like praising someone to destroy them.
Some people, to ruin someone, let them live a life of continuous smooth sailing.
It's the same principle.
Of course, the situation the observation team encountered was more complex, and there might be other reasons.
There was a small chance that they were truly super lucky!
But without a doubt, the big shots had raised their vigilance to one hundred percent.
Late at night, Zhou Yaqi was called to a meeting again, and the old man's face became even more solemn when he returned.
This time, he didn't tell Mingxi the content of the meeting, which surely meant he had signed a confidentiality agreement.
Mingxi was tactful and naturally didn't press him for details. freёwebnovel.com
In fact, she could guess a little.
It was probable that more uncontrollable changes had occurred in the North Cold Ocean, and whether the observation team should proceed with the deep-sea observation activities as originally planned had become an unknown.
In other words, let alone her, a small assistant, it was possible that even Zhou Yaqi might not have the opportunity to follow the team into the Mystic Mirage Sea.
Let's wait and see.
Around 4 AM on March 7th, a piercing alarm sounded in the submarine's rest area.
It woke everyone who had been tossing and turning, one by one, with a jolt.
"Don't panic! We haven't hit an iceberg, nor encountered a beast horde. It should be that the submarine is about to reach the black ice area and is preparing to surface. If you're interested, you can go to the observation room to take a look."
Zhou Yaqi must have been awake all night, his face slightly swollen, as he smiled gently at Mingxi.
"Okay."
Mingxi decisively ran to the observation room. There were quite a few people there, but mostly assistants to the experts.
Including Zhang Hui's rude assistant.
The clear large screen displayed the ocean scene.
The submarine was currently at a depth of 1,300 meters, and the early morning sun was still hidden behind thick clouds.
So the seabed was as black as if an inkfish had sprayed ink.
Even so, the high-definition camera still captured that boundless black ice mountain in the waves. fгeewebnovёl.com
It stood like a stabilizing needle, from the seabed to the sea surface, seemingly aiming straight for the sky.
That was the black ice that had sealed off the Mystic Mirage Sea for an unknown number of years.
"Didn't they say there was a crack in the black ice? Where is it?"
Someone peered curiously at the screen.
"The crack must be in the deep sea, otherwise why is this activity called deep-sea observation?"
"I heard my teacher say that the Yushou Center discovered ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) the crack at a depth of about 3,000 meters. Although 3,000 meters is very deep, most Beast Tamers can go down to that depth."
"That's old news."
"How so?"
"I don't know the specifics, my boss won't tell me, but it's certain that the first discovered crack has likely undergone some changes."
"Ah? What should we do then?"
"It's said that the probe also found a crack at the very bottom of the black ice."
"What does that mean? Do we have to go through the bottom of the black ice? I remember the black ice's underwater height is a full 7,624 meters? Can our bodies withstand 7,624 meters deep in the sea?"
"If the crack is really at 7,000 meters or below, then Beast Tamers whose physical fitness has not reached B-rank absolutely cannot go down; they will be crushed into meat paste by the water pressure."
"B-rank physical fitness? Are you kidding? My boss is only a C-rank Beastmaster."
"My teacher's physical fitness is B-rank, but he's old, and I don't think he can handle it either."
"Then did we all come for nothing?"
"..."
Mingxi secretly listened for a while, and through the words of these assistants, she confirmed her previous speculation.
This trip was truly going to have problems!
But B-rank physical fitness?
Then didn't she just meet the conditions?
Twenty minutes later, the submarine broke through the waves and surfaced.
The group left the submarine and boarded the transport ship that came to pick them up and take them ashore.
Due to the Mystic Mirage Sea, the black ice sea area has always been highly valued by the Yushou Center and high-level officials of various countries.
Years ago, a rest area similar to a scientific research station had already been built in the black ice area.
Stepping on the black ice, Mingxi felt very strange.
The biting cold was secondary.
She also felt a bit... dazed?
It was as if for a moment her soul had once again transcended time and space, going to another world and experiencing another life.
"What's wrong?"
Zhou Yaqi noticed her pause and asked with concern.
Mingxi quickly shook her head, not expressing her feelings.
"Nothing, my feet just feel numb from the cold."
"That's natural. The temperature of the black ice is infinitely close to absolute zero. Current insulation materials still can't completely block such low temperatures."
Mingxi nodded.
Absolute zero, which is minus 273 degrees Celsius.
If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be frozen into a magnificent ice sculpture the moment they stepped onto the black ice.
Although her arms and legs were shaking like someone with advanced Parkinson's from the cold, Mingxi did not summon Lan Yue to create a personal mini-sun for herself.
Because in the black ice sea area, Transcendent creatures, even without using skills, would rapidly deplete their energy, like a deflating balloon.
After entering the sea, this situation would not disappear, but it would be alleviated, with water and ice-attribute Transcendent creatures being the least affected.
Therefore, there were quite a few scientists specifically studying black ice.
But after all the research, they still hadn't figured out why.
How black ice formed and what substance it precisely is... remains a mystery.
Or perhaps someone has already determined it, but it hasn't been announced.
At least ordinary people like Mingxi had no way of knowing.
She could ask Guangguang, though.
However, Guangguang might not know either, as it itself said it was not an omniscient and omnipotent god.
...Little friend Mingxi.
Not long after entering the rest area belonging to the International Yushou Center, Zhou Yaqi was once again called to a meeting.
Mingxi really wanted to suggest they just change their name to 'Meeting Match-up'.
However, this meeting was not long; Zhou Yaqi returned shortly after.
From his somewhat unpleasant expression and evasive gaze, Mingxi's heart thumped all the way up to her forehead.
"Elder Zhou, don't worry, just speak your mind."
Zhou Yaqi sighed and concisely explained the main content of this meeting.
After listening, Mingxi was unexpectedly not disappointed; instead, she felt a sense of calm, as if dust had settled.
