Apocalyptic Flood: Sexy Beauty Neighbor's Midnight Plea for Food Chapter 1173 - 514: Underwater Shelter

Liang Yuan chuckled, "Is this an ability exclusive to Merfolk Transformation Superpower Users like you?"

"Uh, I suppose. I haven’t encountered any other Merfolk Superpower User with this talent."

"Merfolk-type Superpower Users follow an evolutionary path somewhat akin to Strength-type Superpower Users; their bodies possess tremendous strength."

"We Merfolk Superpower Users tilt slightly toward Spirit Ability Users. As stages advance, superpower energy usage grows more intricate and diverse."

"Generally speaking, Merfolk evolution runs wild and rugged, often coming off as awkward, haha."

Ji Xiaoyu burst into hearty laughter herself.

Her adorable giggles caught Liang Yuan, prompting him to chuckle too, "So you have a secret ranking of superiority inside?"

"Uh, no, just messing around."

"You still haven’t shared your own deal. Are you a Merfolk Superpower User or Merfolk type?"

Liang Yuan grinned and replied, "That’s confidential; no can do."

"Tch, like I care." Ji Xiaoyu scoffed, then surged forward in the water, aiming to ditch Liang Yuan and exhaust him, flaunting her power a touch.

Yet no matter her acceleration, Liang Yuan matched her effortlessly.

After traveling a stretch, Ji Xiaoyu grew utterly spent.

Her core attribute hovered in the low thirties, after all—mere child's play against Liang Yuan.

Noticing her pace falter, she suddenly spotted a submerged structure ahead, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"We’ve arrived; time to halt."

She braked sharply and yelled back at Liang Yuan.

Though feigning composure, the fierce exertion hammered her heart, spewing extra bubbles.

Liang Yuan let it slide, simply smiling as he eyed the building forward.

A colossal shopping mall lay drowned before them; roads vanished under thick silt, streetlights eaten by rust.

The flooded structure oozed gloom, shattered windows gaping like vicious jaws, razor glass teeth jutting from frames.

Endless hallways protruded like sunken eyes glaring forth.

The underwater realm brooded in darkness and spookiness, forever radiating eerie chills.

But that giant mall ahead diverged sharply from nearby ruins.

Thick seaweed hordes swathed the mall.

The growth looked cultivated, not feral—someone had planted it vast and deliberate.

Seaweed blades soared sky-high, seven or eight stories up, draping most of the behemoth mall.

Its packed density awed; afar, it mimicked surging wheat seas.

Plus, coral piled thick atop the mall’s roof.

One glance missed the enormous shopping mall lurking below.

Liang Yuan queried, "Did your group plant these seaweeds?"

Ji Xiaoyu nodded, "Yep, underwater crawls with mutants, loads at Genetic Species beast tier."

"These seaweeds block big Genetic Species mutants as barriers while hiding us too."

"How exactly do they block?" Liang Yuan asked, intrigued.

Ji Xiaoyu explained, "The seaweeds pack super tight and boast insane toughness; plunge in, and entanglement hits quick."

"Caught in them, every thrash wraps you tighter, dooming you to total immobilization."

"Naturally for bulky mutants. Tiny ones weave through like folks in woods; come, I’ll guide you through to feel it."

She darted toward the seaweed jungle, Liang Yuan tailing close, both plunging into the verdant maze.

Inside felt precisely like breaching a colossal thicket forest.

Giant seaweeds crammed every sight.

Dark green hues coated them, surfaces slick and gooey, drifting lazily in currents.

Liang Yuan eased a frond aside, its slimy touch evident.

Squeezing hard proved her right—it resisted fiercely; only brute force snapped it.

"These seaweeds make good eats; we grow them for rations," Ji Xiaoyu remarked, snapping a soft leaf off a shorter stalk.

"For tasting, grab tender shoots like these, give it a go," she urged, offering the fresh seaweed tip to Liang Yuan.

He accepted, popping it between teeth that cracked it easily, evoking kelp’s chew instantly.

Masticating yielded leather-like toughness, utterly bland.

Liang Yuan scowled, "You subsist on this?"

Ji Xiaoyu beamed with giggles, "Taste any good?"

"Hardly any flavor," Liang Yuan answered.

Ji Xiaoyu chuckled, "Now you know why I still want to live on land, right?"

"Hehe, our generation remains fond of land-grown vegetables. Despite awakening superpowers and adjusting to underwater life, our food preferences stay unchanged."

"We only resort to raw mutant fish and these algae plants when absolutely necessary."

"Who would choose this over fried chicken, roast duck, or steaming hotpot if they were available?"

At that thought, Ji Xiaoyu appeared somewhat downcast.

"Forget fried chicken or roast duck; even on land, such luxuries are gone now."

"Since the great flood hit, humanity's material comforts have taken a severe dive."

Liang Yuan let out a sigh too. Truly, in this post-apocalyptic flood era, mere survival is a battle for humans, so being adequately fed under decent conditions is already a blessing—what more could anyone demand?

The pair chatted while swimming ahead.

All of a sudden, a face popped out from behind a wide seaweed leaf in the seaweed forest.

"Xiao Yu?! Why... why did you bring an outsider here!"

This face was that of a woman around thirty, featuring blue scales on her forehead and arms.

Her legs were likewise transformed into fish tails enveloped by superpower energy membranes.

She qualified as a Merfolk-type Superpower User.

Spotting her, Ji Xiaoyu grinned right away and remarked, "Sister Yue! It's you."

Next, she tugged Liang Yuan closer and introduced, "Sister Yue, he's a Merfolk-type Superpower User too, and incredibly strong. He demolished Wu Yaobang's Eden, claiming Little Straw Mountain for himself."

Guan Yue stared in astonishment, scanning Liang Yuan thoroughly. Noticing his Merfolk-type Superpower User features, she felt a surge of friendliness.

Still, doubt lingered as she questioned: "For real? Eden's Angel Corps is no pushover—they boast numerous Genetic Species-level powerhouses."

Before Liang Yuan could respond, Ji Xiaoyu burst out enthusiastically, "Absolutely true; you haven't witnessed Mr. Liang's might."

"Do you realize why Wu Yaobang commanded so many Genetic Species followers?"

"Haha, no way you'd guess it—his superpower wasn't immortality, but duplication!"

"We all got fooled earlier; he leveraged his ability to pose as an immortal and duped everyone."

"Those fools onshore swallowed his tales and flocked to his Eden, leaving them all stunned now."

Ji Xiaoyu spilled a barrage of jaw-dropping revelations, leaving Guan Yue utterly shocked.

Her thoughts struggled to catch up for the moment.

"What? Wu Yaobang is dead? That's... impossible."

"His power wasn't immortality? It was duplication?"

"What happened exactly? Tell me everything!"

Guan Yue pressed urgently.

Ji Xiaoyu gave a quick recap of the incidents at Little Straw Mountain.

Even after listening, Guan Yue found it hard to accept and glanced toward Liang Yuan.

It was tough to fathom such formidable Merfolk-type Superpower Users among their kind.

Liang Yuan stayed silent the whole time, merely nodding and smiling alongside Ji Xiaoyu.

At his power level, having Xiao Yu vouch for him was only natural.

Offering a smile, Liang Yuan said, "You're Sister Yue, correct? Mind if I check out your shelter?"

"Xiao Yu struck a deal with me, so rest assured, I won't upend your way of life."

"What deal?" Guan Yue tensed up instantly and shot a glance at Ji Xiaoyu.

Ji Xiaoyu leaned in and murmured something into her ear.

Guan Yue's face softened somewhat; after a pause, she spoke, "Xiao Yu's too naive, Mr. Liang, let me clarify upfront."

"That Genetic Mutation Beast she referenced is no ordinary foe—immensely powerful; even our alliance of Genetic Species experts failed to slay it before."

"Sister Yue! I didn't fib; he just wanted the location of a Physical Class Genetic Mutation Beast, no mention of its power level." Ji Xiaoyu protested swiftly.

At the same time, she faced Liang Yuan and queried, "Mr. Liang, you're so mighty; you won't renege on the promise, will you?"

"Yes, the Sword-tailed Sea Snake is indeed a Physical Mutation Beast; I'm telling the truth."

"However, it's outrageously strong; if you fail to take it down, that's on you."

Hearing this, Liang Yuan inquired with interest, "Sword-tailed Sea Snake? Care to share more about this Mutant Beast?"

Ji Xiaoyu queried eagerly, "Does our agreement hold?"

Liang Yuan grinned: "For the deal, allow me to see your shelter first."

"Truth be told, if your group isn't huge, handing over half of Little Straw Mountain's land—doesn't that seem excessive?"

"Little Straw Mountain isn't particularly tall or vast; I must post guards here and construct a shelter soon."

"Splitting half with you just isn't feasible."

Ji Xiaoyu promptly responded: "Then what portion of land can you spare for us?"

Liang Yuan grinned and asked, "First, tell me how many people you have?"

Ji Xiaoyu hesitated before glancing at Guan Yue.

Guan Yue replied: "Mr. Liang is a guest; let’s invite him to our base first."

With those words, she stepped ahead to guide the way, motioning for Liang Yuan to follow.

Liang Yuan nodded with a smile and trailed her further into the seaweed forest.

Along the path, Liang Yuan inquired: "What was Sister Yue up to in the seaweed forest earlier?"

"Just call me Guan Yue, Mr. Liang; Sister Yue is what Xiao Yu and the kids call me."

"Our only food sources are fish, shrimp, and these seaweeds; the shore supplies were guarded by Wu Yaobang before, so we never dared venture onshore."

Upon hearing this, Liang Yuan quickly grasped that their food stocks were running low.

Brushing aside the final seaweed strands, a massive shopping mall emerged clearly ahead.

Ropes woven into a tight net encircled the mall, anchored firmly to stop Mutant Fish from smashing through the seaweed barrier and invading inside.

The mall's interior glowed with plenty of green and yellow lights, far from pitch black.

Numerous Merfolk-type Superpower Users and Merfolk Ability Users swam busily throughout.

From a distance, it resembled a bustling mall thriving deep underwater.