Apocalypse: I Build A Doomsday Train Chapter 1178 - 454: Super Whirlpool (Part 2)

"Descend, accelerate and drop 200 meters."

"Understood." Upon hearing Monica’s instruction, Lin Xian entrusted Viola with some fine-tuned piloting. Viola began maneuvering the Infinity to plunge deeper into the abyss.

Vroom vroom.

The moment their descent concluded, the ocean ahead churned violently. A ferocious undercurrent ripped the water asunder, and Lin Xian only registered a deafening roar before a cylindrical ‘mountain’, hundreds of meters tall, swept over them from above, as shown on the terrain scanner.

A tentacle belonging to the Giant Ocean God!

Instantly, a suffocating pressure seized everyone. Chen Sixuan’s nails dug into her palms as her face drained of color, her breath catching in her throat.

Within the cockpit, Ding Junyu was the only one whose expression remained relatively composed, though the tension was evident in her focus on the instruments.

Beyond the silent, deep-diving stardust crystal porthole, the ink-black seawater was an impenetrable, thick mass.

The Infinity continued its descent into the trench abyss, reaching six thousand meters. Its twelve propellers spun silently at the lowest frequency, crushing and dispersing bubbles formed by the intense deep-sea pressure without a sound.

The chaotic currents generated by the Giant Ocean God’s colossal limbs tossed the Infinity about like a feather in turbulence. It was only through the powerful telekinetic abilities of KIKI and Ryuji, stabilizing the vessel, and Ryan’s expert management of Beifeng 09, that they maintained control.

"Friction detected on the port side, seven o’clock."

Monica’s voice cut through the tension once more.

Lin Xian shifted his gaze leftward. In the dim beam of the searchlight, a colossal wall, encased in a grey, keratinous layer, was slowly sinking. Luminescent bacterial colonies, embedded within the wrinkles of the Giant Ocean God’s immense body, flickered like a slow, rhythmic breath.

Lin Xian clenched his jaw, guiding the Infinity to hover as the massive wall descended, before cautiously maneuvering into another patch of murky, deep water.

The vehicle glided stealthily, like a falling leaf caught by the ocean current, drifting into the mountain’s shadow.

"There’s an upward vortex detected!"

Swish swish swish!

In the following instant, jagged bone spurs slashed through the murky sludge, scraping against the vehicle’s pressure-resistant hull. A faint metallic screech echoed, immediately sending chills of fear down their spines. A breach in the pressure shell would mean instant obliteration, crushed into mist by the sheer water pressure.

Mere minutes had elapsed, yet for Lin Xian, it felt like hours. He had never before witnessed such a heart-stopping spectacle. Confronting the colossal Giant Ocean God, their superpowers and all other means seemed utterly insignificant; a cautious escape was their only viable recourse.

At this moment, the two deep-diving vessels continued to navigate the abyss, akin to drifting at the very threshold of hell’s gate—a truly terrifying ordeal.

Splash~

[Current depth: 1790 meters.]

Viola’s calm voice reported.

Ten minutes later, the Infinity and Beifeng 09 emerged from the vast, murky ocean into clearer deep waters. As the Infinity’s searchlight finally illuminated a fissure at the base of the cliff, Lin Xian, his throat dry, instructed Viola:

"Rescan the terrain."

[Sonar detected Galan Island Trench, consistent with hydrological intelligence. Our current depth is 1790 meters, linear distance to the cliff is 4782 meters. Scan results indicate we have exited the Giant Ocean God’s operational range.]

Beep.

In the profound darkness of the abyss, the searchlights of the Infinity and Beifeng 09 were like minuscule fireflies against a starry canvas, small and silent.

Realizing they had successfully descended into the abyss beneath the Giant Ocean God’s dominion and escaped its immediate vicinity, the crew members aboard both vessels let out profound sighs of relief. They had likely expended a lifetime’s worth of nervous energy during those harrowing few tens of minutes.

"My goodness, did we really escape right under that monstrosity’s nose?"

"This is simply unbelievable."

"Let’s not celebrate just yet," Lin Xian cautioned, his voice cutting through the initial wave of relief. Though he felt a slight easing of tension, his vigilance remained paramount.

"Everyone, we may soon encounter the super vortex array situated below this trench. This is hardly a leisurely tourist route. You’ve experienced how perilous it is. Prepare for steady operations in each compartment!"

Lin Xian’s words instantly re-instilled a sense of urgency in the hundreds aboard, prompting swift action following the recent turmoil near the sea ridge.

The term ‘super vortex array’ itself seemed to carry an ominous weight, striking fear into all who heard it.

"We’ve come this deep… fear seems rather meaningless now."

Chen Sixuan’s complexion had noticeably improved. She sighed, looking towards Lin Xian, and added, "Our only option is to press onward with courage."

"It’s alright; those who endure great calamities often find great blessings await them. We’ve passed the most perilous phase," KIKI reassured, tapping the sonar detector with her finger. "As long as that colossal beast doesn’t suddenly decide to pursue us, we should be relatively safe."

Lin Xian offered a nod, acknowledging that his initial strategy was indeed to leverage the island's explosion as a diversion, hoping to bypass the formidable Giant Ocean God without direct confrontation.

However, the monstrous entity now loomed directly before them, and escaping its grasp while beneath its very notice meant they could, theoretically, enter the Jingyuan Vortex Channel without the immediate threat of facing the colossal creature head-on.

With this critical understanding solidifying, Lin Xian swiftly instructed Ryan to increase their speed, guiding both deep-diving vessels into the crushing depths.

The submersible descended, reaching a staggering 2200 meters below the surface. Even Infinity’s powerful lights struggled to penetrate the profound darkness, leaving the abyss's floor and edges shrouded in obscurity.

"According to the coordinates, we should be right by the Jingyuan Vortex Channel, but there's no signal?" KIKI inquired, diligently cross-referencing Viola’s data on her console.

[Sensors are now registering ocean current speeds of 8 to 9 meters per second. Based on thermocline variations and prevailing environmental conditions, the presence of a significant submarine current is highly probable.]

Viola’s analysis, delivered with her characteristic composure, continued, [I recommend deploying a small, unmanned deep-dive drone for a multi-directional survey.]

"A detector? Do we really need to search?" KIKI questioned.

"There's no need."

Lin Xian's voice interjected, his attention fixed on the deep sea visible through the viewport. He spoke, his gaze piercing the darkness,

"It's right in front of us."

His declaration drew everyone’s eyes to the porthole. Ding Junyi wore a perplexed expression, especially considering their current depth of two kilometers underwater, where absolute darkness reigned. More critically, how could one possibly 'see' a submarine current?

Nevertheless, trusting Lin Xian's pronouncements, Ding Junyi promptly set aside his doubts and joined him at the viewport. In the very next second, the usually stoic scientist's pupils contracted, betraying an expression of profound astonishment.

Simultaneously, KIKI, Ryan, Erica, and Azir, along with Gedi aboard the Beifeng 09, found themselves drawn to their own portholes, gazing outward with evident surprise.

The searchlights from both the Infinity and the Beifeng-09 were swallowed by the immense blackness. Yet, further ahead, a faint luminescence began to emerge from the abyssal void, gradually expanding in scope and intensity, transforming into what appeared to be an endless, bioluminescent expanse.

What lay beyond the portholes was not an empty void, but a living galaxy composed of innumerable geothermal microorganisms, stretching for hundreds of kilometers. It was as if a fragmented cosmos had been poured into the oceanic trench.

These luminous organisms, swept along by the currents, coalesced into dense, glowing tendrils. This natural phenomenon illuminated the previously invisible underwater super-vortex, revealing it as a colossal abyssal galaxy, resembling a massive eye gazing from the ocean's depths. From a distance, one could intuitively grasp the terrifying velocity of the vortex's flow.

A hush fell over the crew as they silently observed this spectacle, feeling as though they were witnessing a celestial panorama. None had anticipated encountering such a breathtaking sight in the extreme deep. The radiant microorganisms clearly delineated a vast, underwater super-vortex, extending into the distance like an immense, submerged rainbow bridge!

"Should I call it beautiful, or terrifying?" Monica murmured, her gaze fixed on the scene from the nuclear power compartment, her eyes reflecting a subtle unease. The majestic galactic vortex exuded a splendor akin to death, embodying nature's awesome and formidable power. Coupled with the looming threat of catastrophic, world-class creatures behind them, the sight evoked a complex mixture of emotions in many.

"A visible deep-sea undercurrent," KIKI remarked, glancing at Lin Xian. "Lin Xian, doesn't it look like a rainbow bridge extending to guide us?"

Boom boom boom!

Violent tectonic spasms sent dense clusters of bubbles surging from the trench floor, a clear indication that the Galan Volcano had begun its ferocious eruption. The ocean churned, and molten mantle lava, resembling a colossal, golden-red serpent, breached the seabed's rocky layers. Supercritical steam, mingled with noxious sulfurous fumes, erupted skyward, forming a kilometer-high, circular wall of tsunami waves!

Feeling the immense undulation of the water, Lin Xian promptly issued his command:

"Viola, enter the vortex. Everyone, brace for impact!"