Published: February 9, 2025
"Thank you to Jeremy, the red scarf book friend, for the 500, and to the brothers such as the World Tree, Cold Autumn, and Lazy Hamster."
This is the Water Avoidance Pearl.
Unlike the legendary treasures in movies and novels that allow one to dominate with just a single pearl, this item, which occasionally comes from the bodies of mutated marine life, does not have such exaggerated effects.
Its sole function is to form a thin film on the surface of the wearer's body, providing warmth, oxygen, and reducing resistance from water.
Moreover, the Water Avoidance Pearl is not permanent; once removed from its original growth environment, it will gradually deplete its energy with usage time and eventually be destroyed.
It can be said that this is a consumable item.
Since Ye Zhongming had the Sea King Crown but could not apply the Sea King Mark to himself, he decided to keep the Water Avoidance Pearl.
Initially meant as a material to see if its abilities could be transplanted onto equipment, he unexpectedly found it useful here.
After activating the Water Avoidance Pearl, Ye Zhongming indeed felt much warmer, and it seemed as if he had separated from the river water around him, with the resistance greatly reduced to the point of being almost unnoticeable. He could even breathe, but with each breath, the tight feeling from the thin film on his body would increase, reminding him not to breathe too freely.
The surroundings were dark, but Ye Zhongming was not afraid. He had previously equipped a Glow Powder Capsule on his shoulders, which was also made from marine life materials. When it encountered water, it could emit some light on its own. Although, like the Water Avoidance Pearl, it had a usage time limit, this duration was sufficient for Ye Zhongming to stay underwater for a long time.
Remaining vigilant, Ye Zhongming continuously descended while observing the direction of the water flow and the surrounding situation. Although the Glow Powder Capsule provided him visual convenience, it also made him a conspicuous target in the Dark River, making him susceptible to sudden attacks at any moment.
The limitations of sensing in the water made Ye Zhongming wary of being overconfident.
Remembering what Yang Yixi had told him about this place, Ye Zhongming swam against the current.
The underwater world was completely different from that on the surface. Ye Zhongming could faintly sense the presence of many life forms, but he was unsure whether they were plants or animals, as their energy levels were too low.
Perhaps it was because this area had already been hunted by survivors for months, but after almost twenty minutes of diving, Ye Zhongming still had not found any schools of fish.
He couldn't help but feel anxious. If this situation continued for a while longer, he would have to return to the shore. Even with the help of the Water Avoidance Pearl, Ye Zhongming couldn't stay in the water for too long. Considering his evolver physique, he could last at most around an hour.
After more than half an hour, he would have to turn back.
Compared to an ordinary person who could only survive in water for 4 to 7 minutes, an hour of underwater survival was already quite an impressive record.
But for some reason, even after half an hour, Ye Zhongming still couldn't find any star sunfish.
Muttering that he was out of luck, Ye Zhongming began his return.
But just as he turned around, he felt several powerful auras of hostility approaching rapidly from not far away, their speed astonishing, likely reaching him in just a few seconds.
Ye Zhongming quickly turned around, not letting his guard down, and immediately took out the Crystal Energy Magic Bullet Gun, aiming in one direction and firing.
If he were on land, Ye Zhongming wouldn't have done this; he had many ways to deal with the incoming threats. But now he was underwater, in an unknown territory where unexpected events could happen at any moment. Ye Zhongming's resolve was to use the strongest attack for a swift resolution.
The bullets, infused with electric powers, burst into a group of life forms, and Ye Zhongming immediately felt something being torn apart. Without taking a closer look, he fired a second shot, targeting another direction.