Chapter 801 - 161: Excessive Rewards
Endless Sea Surface, "Gray Sparrow".
After a brief rest, the "Gray Sparrow" has set sail again, heading towards the next target area.
Their target area is a Level 4 Sea Area on the map.
Completing the exploration can increase Reputation Value, which is the current priority for the "Gray Sparrow".
"Isn’t there such a thing as ’leveling up by fighting stronger monsters’?"
"If a low-level sea adventurer enters a higher level sea area, shouldn’t they receive richer rewards?"
Li Lingzhen looked at the vast and deep sea surface, with the never-ending drizzling rain, and asked somewhat irritably.
"In theory, no." Shang Siteng, who currently holds the most authority in researching the rules of Water Planet, replied.
She paused and then continued, "But in reality, there are indeed possibilities of exploring beyond one’s level."
"I found related accounts in Jian Beifang’s navigation diaries, but such events are too coincidental and not highly repeatable."
Hearing Shang Siteng say this, Li Lingzhen’s eyes lit up immediately.
"Tell us, Siteng, come on, tell us!"
Sea navigation is a tedious affair, and listening to stories to relieve boredom is also good.
Han Zhan, who had been silent, also spoke up, "Siteng, do tell, I’m also very curious."
"Alright." Shang Siteng nodded, then continued, "Due to the rules of Water Planet, sea adventurers without enough Reputation Value cannot enter higher level sea areas, which is a known fact."
"However, there are always exceptions, and there’s a possibility of low-level sea adventurers appearing in higher-level areas."
"This brings us to a special term, which is ’rule binding force’."
The so-called rule binding force refers to the issue of which entities in the virtual game world of Water Planet are subject to its rules.
In Jian Beifang’s navigation diaries, there are studies and records on this aspect.
"Rule binding force only affects adventurers entering Water Planet, but is ineffective for creatures originally living on Water Planet."
"Therefore, when a monster with a power level of a Level 5 Adventuring Sea Area enters a Level 1 Sea Area, the rules will automatically elevate the Level 1 Sea Area’s level."
"Similarly, Level 1 Sea Area monsters can also enter Level 5 Sea Areas without being restricted by Reputation Value."
Li Lingzhen, hearing this, still frowned slightly and asked, "But that only proves that Water Planet’s rules don’t bind the monsters of Water Planet, it doesn’t change anything for adventurers, does it?"
"Correct, but you have to consider a scenario."
Shang Siteng gave an example here, "For instance, if a monster exceeding Level 5 Adventuring Sea Area swallows a warship and then enters a Level 5 Adventuring Sea Area."
"Then, did that swallowed warship also successfully enter the Level 5 Adventuring Sea Area?"
Shang Siteng’s example made the others pause.
"Thinking about it that way, it does seem like... there’s no problem?"
"But that’s too risky, isn’t it? If swallowed by a monster, is there even a chance of survival?" Li Lingzhen clicked his tongue.
Seeing her expression, Shang Siteng smiled and shook her head.
"Opportunities always come with risks."
"If you want to take shortcuts, you have to be willing to take corresponding risks, which is an eternal truth."
Han Zhan listened and nodded slightly, Siteng was indeed correct in saying so.
"By the way, did the navigation diaries mention any monsters that might fit the scenario you described?" Han Zhan curiously followed up with a question.
"Yes."
Shang Siteng closed her eyes, recalled for a moment, then spoke:
"Its name is ’Swallowing Whale’."
...
"The Swallowing Whale is a huge monster fixed at the center of the seabed."
"A gigantic Black Hole spanning hundreds of miles is its mouth, ruthlessly devouring any creature that approaches."
"Every few hundred years, the Swallowing Whale will engage in a spitting behavior lasting several days, polluting the sea area within a thousand miles."
"However, the debris it spits out often contains various treasures and refined rare minerals."
Jian Beifang looked at the huge vortex forming in front of him, muttering to himself.
He had seen it once before and recorded it in his navigation diary.
Upon careful reflection, it was indeed hundreds of years since he last saw it.
But now was clearly not a time for reminiscing.
"Retreat!"
Watching as the ice surface he formed shattered inch by inch, then got swallowed by the abyssal mouth of the Swallowing Whale, forming a huge vortex on the sea surface,
Jian Beifang didn’t hesitate to say.
Bai Wuheng’s reaction was swift as well.
Almost the moment Jian Beifang gave the command, the "Nightwalker" began retreating backward.
Because if they hesitated any longer, they risked being drawn into and devoured by the vortex created by the Swallowing Whale, becoming its meal!
As the first officer of the "Nightwalker", David’s response was equally quick.
He immediately used the "Night Travel" ability, rendering the "Nightwalker" transparent while increasing its navigation speed by forty percent.
The "Nightwalker", now in stealth mode, swiftly distanced itself from the vortex center.
Jian Beifang watched as the captured bird in the distance gradually got swallowed by the Swallowing Whale, his lips twitching slightly.
The bird in hand flew away, no, not flew, but got swallowed.
The likelihood of this happening was almost unbelievably low.
Who could have thought that beneath an unremarkable Level 5 Anomaly Sea Area lay a sleeping Swallowing Whale, just waking up at this precise moment?
"The interior of the Swallowing Whale is said to be linked to another Swallowing Whale."
"While one Swallowing Whale engulfs, another expels. One swallow, one expulsion, concludes the cycle, causing both Swallowing Whales to fall into a temporary dormant state until a few days have passed, after which they completely hibernate."
This was why Jian Beifang hadn’t gone berserk just yet.
As long as they held on, waiting for the Swallowing Whale to "expel" the bird back out.
At that time, they could still proceed with their plan without much impact.
Meanwhile, in another sea area.
Just as Han Zhan and the others mentioned the Swallowing Whale, suddenly, massive bubbles began emerging beneath the sea surface near the "Gray Sparrow".
Along with the bubbles came deep-sea minerals of various colors.
And, a gigantic bird, seemingly boundless, with numerous wounds on its body, as if severely injured.
Its appearance almost flipped the "Gray Sparrow" over.
Onboard the "Gray Sparrow", as the gunners, Feng Xiaozao, Nuannuan, and Jiang Lingling also reacted swiftly.
Boom boom boom!
Three SSS Level Special Shells hit the bird accurately, becoming the final three super straws that broke its back.
"You leveled up by killing a Level 5 Adventuring Sea Area monster, the bird!"
"Reputation Value of ’Gray Sparrow’ +50,000 points (excess reward)."
"Your Sea Adventurer Level has increased to Level 6!"