When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 206: Neverending Cycle

Chapter 206: Neverending Cycle

The merfolk who witnessed this scene were left dumbfounded, especially the guards in Lily’s team who had their eyes set on the ship. "Why... why would the cursed clan attack them? Aren’t they on the same side?!" The head guard demanded in consternation.

Too shocked by this sudden development of event, he did not even realize that the few people who fell from the ship was none other than the honored guests he had received earlier this morning.

He had wanted to leave as soon as the alarm was issued, but Lily stopped him, reminding him that he should focus on the task to save Princess Ariel. Bound by the King’s order to obey the human’s words, he had no choice but to stay put no matter how much he yearned to join the battle in the sea.

He had thought that they were doomed, besieged on all sides with no hope in sight, but all of a sudden, the cursed clan took the initiative to launch an attack on the Flying Dutchman?! What the hell was going on here?!

Lily threw her head back and laughed out loud, "See? We don’t even have to lift our fingers to bring down the ship! Let’s go!" After saying that, she vanished from her spot, leaving the guards scrambling after her to join the battle scene.

***

A magnificent scream was torn out of Gu Luoxin’s throat when he felt himself falling straight to the sea. Twice! This had already happened twice. Sooner or later, he was going to be traumatized! The cold rain pelted his face, and amidst the free fall, he suddenly caught sight of an azure fishtail nearby. His pupils dilated in shock when he recalled how they had decided to knock out the mermaid earlier. "Ariel... she’s still unconscious!!!"

"Fuck!" Shen Nianzu cursed out loud. "Don’t let the cocoon eat her!" Or else Jin Jiuchi was going to fail his personal task!

In the next second, a transparent blade materialized in Shen Nianzu’s hand, and he tightened his grip around it. Taking a deep breath, he somersaulted in midair and swung the blade with all of his strength, sending a domineering surge of icy purple energy slicing through the air to sever the tentacles reaching for them!

SPLASH!

Shen Nianzu, Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin fell into the sea. Meanwhile, at the last moment, Noir unfolded his bone wings and managed to stop himself in time! Without pausing, he grabbed onto Lucius, who had transformed into a gleaming black spear, raised it high and drove it into the cocoon!

A bone-chilling sizzle echoed from the point of contact as if a rapid corrosion was spreading from within. The cocoon quivered in pain and emitted a high-pitched shriek!

The shock that shriek brought forth was powerful enough to create a massive wave that swept everyone off. The barrier surrounding the city collapsed into pieces, the merfolk lost their sense of direction, and the very foundation of Atlantis shook violently!

However, Noir merely furrowed his brow and bit down on his cheek to suppress the discomfort. He yanked the spear out of the cocoon, but before he could strike again, numerous tendrils rose from the cocoon, reaching to grab him!

Under the sea, Shen Nianzu, Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin quickly popped the breathing pills into their mouths. After that, Shen Nianzu dove in after Ariel, while the other two guarded his back against the cursed creatures’ attack.

Alas, as soon as Ariel plunged into the sea, she was jolted awake, and the first scene she saw was her father besieged by three cursed ones. "Daddy!!" She screamed in fright and swam forward without thinking, not noticing Shen Nianzu nearby who was reaching out to her.

No matter how fast Shen Nianzu was, he was no match against a mermaid, and in a blink of an eye, Ariel slipped away from his grasp! Damn it! Shen Nianzu couldn’t help but curse the core NPC’s naivety and stupidity for throwing herself into the eye of the storm head on. Did she have a death wish or something?!

He couldn’t allow her to die! She had to be alive for Jin Jiuchi to pass his personal task!

Giving an urgent signal for Gu Luoxin and Jin Jiuchi to give chase, the three of them worked together to break through the siege of the cursed ones. Gu Luoxin was more proficient with a dagger and bare fists, Shen Nianzu used his blade to slash their necks off cleanly, while Jin Jiuchi brutally tore their heads apart with brute force, leaving a bloody trail in their wake. Under that cooperation, the three managed to reach Ariel.

However, an unforeseen circumstance occurred.

"Daddy!!" Ariel cried out, her heart breaking into pieces when she witnessed her father wounded by a cursed creature. Within one heartbeat and the next, he convulsed and his body started to undergo transformation. She tried to get close, but the guards held her back. "Daddy, Daddy, it’s me! Please... come back to me!"

The sudden infection of the King took everyone by surprise. The guards’ eyes were red with emotion as they struggled to speak, "Princess, it’s no use..." The merfolk who were infected would turn into a cursed creature and lose their sanity within minutes. Right now, their King’s mouth was already filled with jagged fangs, making his once benevolent and stern expression look ferocious.

While the King was still sober, he roared, "Take her away! Don’t get close to me!!"

"No!" The tears formed from Ariel’s eyes were neverending, they shimmered radiantly amid the despair and grief in her eyes. She desperately struggled against the restraints that held her, pleading, "Let me go! I want to be with Daddy! Please...!!"

The rims of the King’s eyes reddened, and he bellowed again, "Take her away! NOW!"

Her heart-wrenching cries echoed through the ocean as the guards dragged her away from her only remaining family member. "Please... save him! Save him!" She continued to cry out until her voice became hoarse.

Yet, all that awaited her was utter despair. The last scene she saw before everything turned dark was the King pointing his own weapon at himself, then stabbing his chest!

"NO—!!"

The Princess fainted soon after due to the shock. The King’s death was akin to a fuse that ignited the rage of the whole clan. The head guard, who had just arrived in time to witness the King’s valiant demise, turned berserk and launched a furious attack on the cursed ones. The other guards followed suit, driven by their need to avenge their King.

However, the more frantic they were, the more opening they left for the cursed creatures to wound them. Unaware of their injuries, they charged recklessly, only to realize too late that they had become infected. By then, everything was too late and they began attacking their own kind. It was a never-ending cycle of madness and destruction.

If this went on, the whole clan was going to be infected!

Jin Jiuchi furrowed his brows as he gazed at the white chrysalis in the distance. Somehow, he kept hearing pained cries and weak sniffles belonging to the little girl from the depths of the cocoon, which was currently entangled with Noir in a deadly fight. Last time, he wanted to bring her out but failed before he could find her. Who could have guessed that she was still alive?!

He shifted his gaze to Shen Nianzu, intending to discuss their next course of action, but all of a sudden, the hair on the back of his neck stood on its end. ’Danger!’ His instinct clamored. His body reacted before his brain could process it, as he spun around and blocked an incoming attack... from Lily!