Free Web NovelChapter 1898: Chapter 1896: Raising Hell (Beef Stew as Breakfast Side Dish)
Just as mentioned before, Fang Zheng doesn’t need Valentine to investigate what those cultists are trying to do. In fact, he can more or less guess. March, earthquakes, storms, frequent riots everywhere are all signs of Cthulhu awakening.
When the stars align, R’lyeh will rise from the sea, and the great Cthulhu will awaken.
In the original work, Cthulhu didn’t fully awaken. Strictly speaking, what collided at that time was merely a projection of Cthulhu. Originally, a mysterious ritual should have been conducted to fully awaken, but because the ritual was interrupted, it reverted to its form.
If you use the Main World to describe it, it’s like a third-rate mage trying to summon the Demon King of Hell using a summoning technique, but getting interrupted just as he starts, causing the Demon King to not be able to show his power in the Main Dimension.
Rather than the heroes being exceptionally powerful, who broke the magic circle and defeated the summoner.
Otherwise, how could Cthulhu be beaten by a fishing boat?
But this time is different.
Fang Zheng doesn’t plan to directly interfere with the projection as in the original because that didn’t completely solve the problem. For the Elder Ones, they have enough time. The star alignment can occur every few hundred or thousand years, and for Cthulhu, it’s just a matter of taking a nap.
So, this time Fang Zheng’s plan is to let the ritual succeed. When Cthulhu and R’lyeh rise to the surface together... it’s time for a seafood barbecue PARTY!
I’m joyfully grilling, I’m joyfully grilling...
Indeed, no matter what, Cthulhu is the most famous figure in Cthulhu mythos. Just a fight with him can also reveal the level of this world’s ancient gods and Elder Ones.
But before that, we still need to get rid of some interfering people.
"Master, there’s a ship over there."
At this moment, Ryoko Asakura standing at the bow curiously extended her hand to wave. With her movements, Fang Zheng saw a sailboat drifting towards them from afar. Fang Zheng also waved to signal their ship to approach.
"Hey, do you have any business?"
As Fang Zheng’s party approached, the crew over there seemed a bit nervous, but not too much. After all, Nymph and Ryoko Asakura standing on the deck looked like wealthy young ladies on a sea trip, and this ship was a yacht specifically rented by Fang Zheng, combining speed and comfort, resembling a merchant’s vessel.
"I’m here to warn you, the weather ahead isn’t great, there might be a storm, you’d better turn back."
Facing their inquiry, Fang Zheng smiled and spoke. Hearing his words, the first mate was slightly stunned and then looked towards the distant sea horizon.
Clear and cloudless skies.
"The weather today is wonderful, isn’t it?"
"No, it’s not."
Fang Zheng shook his head, then made a gesture. The next moment, everyone saw a blue-haired girl behind Fang Zheng gently wave her hand. A shadow flashed before the first mate, followed by a loud "bang" that startled everyone. Upon close inspection, it was a suitcase. The first mate cautiously stepped back and opened the suitcase – only to immediately close it.
"This is..."
"I told you, the weather ahead isn’t great, you better turn back."
Fang Zheng, while stroking Nymph’s little head, smiled at the first mate, who blinked and then took the suitcase inside the cabin. Moments later, he came back out – without the suitcase.
"I just consulted with the captain, um, indeed, it seems the weather there isn’t great. Thank you for the reminder, we’ll head back now."
After saying this, the first mate gestured to the other crew members. Despite their inner doubts, they followed the first mate’s order and soon, the sailboat turned around and left.
"Is this really okay, Master?"
Nymph enjoyed Fang Zheng’s stroking while asking, and in response, Fang Zheng shrugged.
"I’ve done my due diligence, right? If they still don’t listen, it’s another matter."
After all, a whole suitcase of Franklin wasn’t given for free.
Looking at the departing sailboat, Fang Zheng squinted. The reason he intercepted this ship here is because it’s an indispensable character in the story. If Fang Zheng hadn’t intercepted it here, the Emma Ship would encounter those Cthulhu fanatics, defeat them, and take their ship, thus disrupting Cthulhu’s summoning plan.
But Fang Zheng doesn’t intend to do so, therefore if the Emma Ship still disrupts the ritual as in the novel, that would be really bad. That’s why he came to the Emma Ship’s route in advance to block their way.
As for those cultists, Nymph is responsible for scouting, so Fang Zheng needn’t worry too much.
"How’s the situation now?"
"Those cultists are approaching the destination, Master, do we need to set off now?"
"No, wait a while."
While stroking Nymph’s little head, Fang Zheng shook his head.
"Let’s wait until their ritual is successfully summoned."
In the original work, the crew of the Emma Ship landing on the island was an accident. It was supposed to be those cultists who opened the seal, but at that time the crew of the Emma Ship got lost due to a storm and inadvertently entered that sea area, causing the cultists to launch ships to stop them. However, the crew of the Emma Ship naturally wouldn’t listen to their nonsensical ramblings, resulting in the cultists attacking the Emma Crew.
Up to this point, it still follows normal operations for novel antagonists, but what follows is quite ridiculous.
Because they lost!
That’s right, those cultists, intending to eliminate the troublesome Emma Ship Crew, ended up sinking their own ship, only to have their own ship seized and all the cultists killed — MMP, such incompetent antagonist minions are truly rare throughout history.
And precisely because these cultists appear mentally unstable and intellectually deficient, Fang Zheng is as considerate as a babysitter, removing obstacles for them. He now only hopes that these idiots, possibly akin to four-year-old children in terms of IQ, can perform their duty as cultists... just summon Cthulhu properly according to the ritual, please, don’t mess it up!
With your intellect, I’m not hoping for you to score a hundred, but at least pass with sixty points!
I beg you all, the being sealed here is the Evil God you worship. For the sake of Cthulhu’s spirit, please at least pretend to complete the ritual for me!
Fang Zheng never thought he would one day be begging cultists to complete a ritual. The reason being that these cultists are too weak and too unintelligent...
Ah, in the end, the reason why the Evil God from the Cthulhu world poses a threat to this world is because the humans of this world are too weak.
Fang Zheng’s thought process had entirely slipped toward the negative. After all, such stupid cultists would never survive in the Main Dimension!
Surely Cthulhu isn’t just an exaggeration from novels, weaker than even an Infernal Demon in reality.
No... surely not... the Star’s Retinue we roasted earlier still had some semblance of form.
At this point, Fang Zheng could only comfort himself. After all, in the novels, he didn’t know how strong Cthulhu truly was; the only time he had a record was when mortals drove him back with a fishing boat. Thinking about it this way...
It still felt quite unsettling...
"Splish-splash..."
Just as Fang Zheng felt uneasy, suddenly, the water surface began to tremble. The yacht rocked back and forth under the pounding waves, and at this time, Valentine and Francis hurriedly ran out of the cabin.
"What is happening, Mr. Van Helsing?"
"What exactly is going on?"
These two had also ventured out to sea with Fang Zheng. Francis, needless to say, was quite knowledgeable about these matters and came here specifically to witness it first-hand. Valentine’s presence was driven by his detective’s pride. Although Fang Zheng said there was no need for him to tag along, Valentine came anyway.
Curiosity is indeed a trait of detectives, perhaps.
"Splash — Splash — !"
At this moment, the waves grew more and more ferocious, and the ship rocked violently like a leaf in a storm. Aside from Fang Zheng, Ryoko Asakura, and the Nymph, everyone else couldn’t help but grab hold of the nearby fixtures. Meanwhile, the sky, once clear, grew dim. Pitch-black clouds spread across from the horizon at an unimaginable speed, covering the entire sea in the blink of an eye.
"We have to leave here!"
At this time, the captain came out of the cabin, clutching a pipe in his mouth, shouting loudly.
"Hey, did you hear that? We must leave here immediately, a storm is coming!!"
"Rumble..."
Thunder rumbled in agreement with the old captain’s words. Bolts of lightning sliced down from the clouds, and simultaneously, rain poured down accompanied by a gale. Raindrops as big as beans pelted down, making it difficult to keep one’s eyes open.
"Mr. Van Helsing!"
"Leave immediately!!"
Valentine clung tightly to the mast, issuing the order, yet at that moment, an unimaginable scene unfolded.
"Splash... Splash...!"
At that moment, the roaring sea began to shake violently, and everyone saw that the ocean in front of them gradually darkened and deepened, then suddenly...
"Boom!!"
A massive city emerged from the sea.
"..."
Seeing this, whether it was Valentine, Francis, the old captain, or the sailors, they were all dumbfounded, having no idea what to do.
"Rumble!!"
The rain poured down so heavily that objects ten meters away were obscured. However, amidst the lightning flashes, people could vaguely make out a giant figure rising above the city, illuminated by the lightning’s glow. It was a terrifying form that seemed to support the sky and the earth. Even merely seeing its shadow filled one with such fear that even a few weak-willed sailors fainted without a word at the sight.
"What, what is that! Hey, Van He..."
Valentine’s eyes widened instinctively as he looked toward the deck, but was surprised to find that Fang Zheng, who should have been standing there, had vanished without a trace. Only the Nymph and Ryoko Asakura remained in place.
Could he have been swept away by the waves? But why are they not worried at all?
"Where is Mr. Van Helsing?!"
Then Francis snapped back, quickly inquiring, to which Ryoko Asakura responded with a slight smile.
"No need for concern; our master’s return is imminent. All of you need only leave this sea and wait safely."
Meanwhile, amidst the tumultuous thunder, a pitch-black dragon soared through the air. Below the dragon, the enormous, terrifying city, appearing crafted from entirely illogical geometric forms, clattered and erupted. Countless Deep Divers raised their arms in screams, their sounds drowned in the roaring storm. Yet, Fang Zheng paid these creatures no attention, instead flying straight toward the colossal figure in the distance.
Thank heaven, a truly awakening Cthulhu still seemed substantial!
Gazing upon this giant silhouette, Fang Zheng took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"I am the lucid dream, the nightmare demon of your monsters, the thousand-faced demon. Tremble at my true form, and bow before the Wings of Death!"
With these words, the pitch-black dragon spread its wings, flames roiling along the edges, and then forcefully flapped them.
"Sealing!"
The next moment, an all-encompassing blaze erupted, enveloping everything.
