Chapter 29: The Ancient City Stele

Lin Qiu’s mind raced, already plotting his escape. The image of the old turtle utterly shattered everything he’d ever known about turtles. Even if it had mutated, could any turtle possibly grow to such a colossal size? The shell stretched so far he couldn’t see its edges. By his understanding of space, this ancient turtle was at least a kilometer long. Its immense body, in motion, sent out waves that crashed like mountains collapsing into the sea. The sudden pressure and surging waters could shatter lesser aquatic beings in an instant.

“What rotten luck—how did I run into this old thing?” Lin Qiu sighed inwardly. “System, I’m doomed here!”

“Don’t panic, Host,” the system replied. “That is the Chancellor Turtle of the Ancient City—generation after generation, the most loyal steward of this place. The old turtle is gentle by nature and unfailingly loyal. As long as you become the Lord of the Ancient City, it will serve you for life.”

The system’s words jolted Lin Qiu from his despair. “System, these aquatic tribes aren’t so easily cowed. They won’t start obeying just because I say a few words.”

His gaze flickered, glancing from the ancient turtle hovering above to the gradually calming crowds below. He saw hostility in their eyes. Just as he feared, killing the Petrified Fish and the Widow Fish would not make these creatures surrender peacefully.

“Ding. Ancient City Lord quest commencing…” The system’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Within the City Lord’s Manor lies the Ancient City Stele.”

“Ding. Quest activated: Subdue the Ancient City Stele and become the Lord of the Ancient City.”

“You have one hour.”

“Ding. Countdown commencing!”

The system’s mechanical announcements left Lin Qiu no room to interject. Only after the last note faded did clarity return to his previously dazed eyes.

“System, what is this Ancient City Stele?”

“To answer your question: the Ancient City Stele is the central core of the entire city, controlling all defensive, offensive, and ecological systems. Only by gaining its recognition will you become the true master of the Ancient City. Within its bounds, no creature is a threat to you.”

Lin Qiu’s eyes lit up, and he asked urgently, “Where is the City Lord’s Manor?!”

“At the highest point of the city,” the system responded.

His gaze instinctively landed on the tallest structure in the ancient city. That must be the City Lord’s Manor.

Instantly, his body shot forward, a blur that vanished from where he stood.

In his vision, a panel appeared, displaying the ticking countdown timer. The system had told him: if he failed to complete the Ancient City Stele quest within one hour, the first mission—becoming the Lord of the Ancient City—would end in failure. Lin Qiu’s heart tightened with anxiety.

This damned triggered quest. He’d originally had a month, but now it had been slashed to a single hour. If he failed, he’d lose his upgrade points. If he reverted to a level one sea beast—or even just a common one—wouldn’t these monsters torment him to death?

He had no choice but to seize the initiative with all haste.

“You intend to seize the Ancient City Stele?” A venerable voice sounded, rousing countless aquatic beings whose eyes lit up in unison. At the mention of the stele, ancestral memories surged forth—they now understood exactly what it represented.

Their breathing grew heavy, and predatory light began to gleam in their eyes.

“Stop him!” a roar erupted. A massive figure with an inverted triangle of scales on its forehead moved, making the ground tremble with every step.

“Quick, don’t let him succeed!”

Cries of alarm echoed as countless aquatic beings swarmed after Lin Qiu like a cloud of hornets.

“That damn old turtle!” Lin Qiu’s face darkened. He’d hoped to act quietly, but the ancient turtle had seen right through him and alerted the others.

“Just wait—when I become master of this city, I’ll make you scrub toilets every day,” Lin Qiu vowed through gritted teeth, pushing his speed to the limit.

With the straight-line acceleration skill active, his body flickered and disappeared from sight. Several seconds later, a belated sonic boom echoed through the air.

“So fast?!” Countless aquatic creatures stared, wide-eyed. Lin Qiu’s speed astounded them. Some among them were quick, but out of the water, forced to walk upright, they couldn’t draw upon their innate swiftness. Especially those newly transformed—how could they compare to someone like Lin Qiu, who’d lived two decades as a human?

A piercing roar sounded. The pursuing aquatic beings, caught off guard, were thrown back by the force of the shockwave, crashing into the ground with grunts of pain.

“What kind of monster is he? Even killer whales can’t make a sound like that!” Amid the chaos, the aquatic tribes were left in disbelief.

The sonic roar, in water, was an invisible but deadly force, capable of killing with a whisper. In air, it traveled even faster and struck with piercing sharpness, shattering eardrums and even tearing bodies apart with high-frequency vibrations.

Those with weaker constitutions already lay on the ground, vomiting blood. Blood streamed from their orifices, and their skin bore bloody streaks as if slashed by invisible blades. Most were already clinging to life by a thread.

Every few steps, Lin Qiu would turn and roar again.

“Yah!”

“Yah!”

“Yah!”

The sound was almost comical, but its lethality was undeniable. Soon, many of the aquatic pursuers gave up. The survivors pressed on, eyes gleaming with bloodthirsty malice, unfazed by sonic attacks.

These were the fiercest of their kind, all vying to become the master of the Ancient City. How could they stand by and let him seize the stele?

“Our goals align—let’s take down that bastard first, then settle things between ourselves.”

“Agreed!”

“Good idea!”

In a few exchanges, the mermen pursuing Lin Qiu reached a consensus: eliminate him first.

His endless howling and shouting had infuriated them.

“Little one, good luck. To become Lord of the Ancient City, you must withstand its trials. All who earn this title will one day become overlords of their own domains,” came the old turtle’s weary, fragmented voice from the waters above the city.

“Damn turtle!” Lin Qiu glared upward, rage in his eyes. He understood perfectly why the old turtle dared not descend.