r18novel Chapter 1456 - 735: Pseudo-Humans and the Sea_3
Chapter 1456 - 735: Pseudo-Humans and the Sea_3
This world turns the same with or without anyone.
Without Ji Jue, the world is still the world. Without Fernan, the Seven Cities are still the Seven Cities.
But without certain bugs...
The world could definitely become a better place!
"I'll wipe all you worthless people out sooner or later."
Ji Jue smiled and waved goodbye to the other attendees in the distance.
"Huh?"
Minkler, who was following beside him, turned around in confusion, having not heard clearly.
"I said, if there's a similar meeting next time, you can attend it for me." Ji Jue waved his hand and said, "It's a waste of time."
He turned and left.
He didn't care how others did it, but Xiang State and Luo Island were his; there was no room for others to interfere.
Whether it's wasted effort or undue worry,
he wasn't planning to entrust the safety of his factories to the whims of the Mischief Wind, especially since there might be a You Sui secretly causing trouble...
Others hadn't seen the worms, but he had firsthand experience.
How vast and magnificent the Nether Sea is, beyond what the human eye can see to its end?
If that Disaster Beast in the Dust Workshop were to complete without restrictions, it could send defenseless Luo Island sky-high in less than half a day...
A frog in a well, never seeing the outside world, would mistake the flicker at the well's mouth for the sun.
No matter how others comforted the city's residents, boosted morale, increased rewards, or raised salaries, the disaster preparedness for Luo Island and Xiang State under Ji Jue's control was thoroughly based on the Federation's disaster prevention measures.
After Ji Jue signed and confirmed, a large amount of supplies began to be continuously mobilized from Hai Province, ignoring the skyrocketing prices at that time, preparing based on a benchmark that would suffice the consumption of the entire Luo Island and Xiang State for half a year.
And besides, the impact of the Mischief Wind is all-encompassing.
The simplest and most direct impact was the plummeting number of tourists.
Especially after Luo Island announced the gradual implementation of martial law and the upgrade of security levels, tourists intending to enjoy themselves at will in the Thousand Islands immediately changed their plans and went to other city-states.
As the tourism industry within the city quickly declined, complaints were incessant.
Being able to earn money easily, now they have to go into factories to turn screws just to barely make ends meet. Even if there isn't any trouble, aren't they allowed to resent a little?
Those who complained that the new manager was too harsh and cruel never considered that if Ji Jue were truly so cruel and tyrannical, they wouldn't even have the chance to enter a factory to turn screws, let alone have the spare time to complain on the internet... As for those daring to stir up trouble, they might as well go join the Sujano Family as colleagues.
At least they were quite happy at work, and they were grateful.
The recession in the service industry did not spare the dominant transportation industry either.
During the Mischief Wind period, the Federation and Empire's critical maritime transport could deploy warships for escort, or at worst use Flying Airship transport. Although affected, it wasn't too severely so; the efficiency was just lower, and the costs higher.
But for the scattered city-states of the Thousand Islands, they could only pay protection fees to participate in the monopolized routes, and profits declined dramatically, only getting whatever was left after the Federation and Empire had their share.
If not using the protected routes, then it would be relying on experience or inheritance, even risking their lives on it.
To the point that, as the omens emerged, everyone had already entered the final frenzy, overloading and overstaffing to make the most of the time to work, to cope with the bleak operations in the coming months.
Meanwhile, even more frantic was the fishing industry.
Deep-sea fishing!
The omen of the Mischief Wind is an explosive growth in marine biological populations. At this time, in some resource-rich sea areas, casting a net casually could lead to a bumper harvest.
But once the Mischief Wind really starts, the growth explosion would only become more exaggerated. However, by then the fish would have no value. Under mutation, the fish would carry some toxins in their tissues, consuming too much could cause problems. Moreover... you might not even get a chance to eat them, as it would be the Disaster Beasts' hunting carnival.
After the Mischief Wind, the sea would become utterly desolate, akin to withering in winter.
If they don't hurry and fish now, there won't be another chance for the next half year!
Numerous fishing companies rushed to make the most of the remaining time before the omen ended. Countless densely packed boats departed in uniform to partake in this final frenzy before the storm's arrival.
In Luo Island, there was a company whose boss went all in, mortgaging loans, gathering a large number of ships to form a fleet, intending to gamble, heading to the northern sea, to catch the king crabs hastened to mature by the Mischief Wind!
A week's time, if all went well, they would return loaded.
Regrettably, the champagne was popped too early.
They left with spirits high and a mighty crowd, returning with cries of despair and a sparse few.
Less than two of the departing ships made it back.
The rest, all sank!
"Fish, all fish, too many fish!"
The dispirited captain, reeking of alcohol, would convulse uncontrollably when recalling what he saw, his expression twitching as if his soul had been left in that night of despair.
"Fish were everywhere... everywhere..."
On the stormy night crossed by thunder, with winds howling, the ocean boiled, the flashes of lightning illuminated countless shimmering scales surging beneath the sea's surface.
Even, the menacing silhouettes...
Mermaids!
The Disaster Beast's companion species, the most common mutant species in the ocean, starting at six meters long when hatched, fifteen to twenty meters as adults, weighed in tons, whose diet could encompass every living creature—Mermaids!
Right on the way back loaded with catch, on the supposedly still safe and stable route, the fishing fleet was entirely wiped out.
And in Ji Jue's investigations, more bad news was continuously coming from afar.
The omen originally meant to last for over half a month had seen only a week's time and already, numerous mermaid sightings and attacks in the eastern Endless Sea had occurred.
With the bountiful fishing season's irrigation and nature's feeding, masses of larvae began hatching, rapidly growing, and in their hunger, pursued the fish schools, promptly expanding their numbers.
Several groups had already followed the ocean currents, eating all along the way...
An unexpected elbow shatters the illusion of revelry, heading right for the face of the Seven Cities!