The Record of Unusual Creatures

The sirens must have had superb technology for Nasaton to remain in good condition after 10,000 years, and its database to be readable despite the lack of maintenance for such a long time. Their technology seemed much more advanced than the Tannaeans'. The MDT activated the spacecraft database by applying stimuli to the cables and scanning the wave feeds. It then finally found the storage location of the navigation logs. On an ancient star map, a planet named Io was marked in the most striking place; there were six type Ia supernovae around it to pinpoint its location.     

Undoubtedly, this was the planet everyone was looking for.     

"Do you have any impression of this name?" Hao Ren looked at the holographic star chart projected by the MDT, and asked the siren queen casually.     

"I wish I could remember even the slightest thing…"—the siren queen shook her head in regret—"but we know nothing about our homeworld."     

Hao Ren knocked the MDT on its shell. "Copy the star map and duplicate the navigation log of the spacecraft. It may come in handy later. Lily, go and find out where Rollie has gone, we're ready to go."     

Shaqira swam up and asked, "You're going to leave?"     

"There is one last thing to do before we leave." Hao Ren looked up above the city; the maelstrom was still running quietly. The center of the maelstrom was brewing with a hazy light. "Let's prepare the explosives on this side. Katreina, you'd better bring some people and come with me. There are some things I want to explain to you."     

The siren queen immediately reacted by calling her people. "Vanaessa! Sorma! Go and gather the elite soldiers and engineers, we're going to the maelstrom!"     

When Hasse saw where everyone was going, he could not help but ask, "May I observe on the side?"     

Vivian glanced at Hasse and said, "Come if your worldview is strong enough."     

Hundreds of siren soldiers and engineers quickly gathered. They were all elites who had just been released from the brain monster's control. They were eager to find something to divert their attention away from their upsetting feelings. Hao Ren led them near the maelstrom cautiously. As they drew closer, they could feel the pressure that the massive portal was releasing.     

The ubiquitous maelstrom occupied their entire field of vision as if the only thing left on the heavens and the earth was this body of water, which was capable of devouring all things. It looked like the entire sky was distorting itself and converging into a broad passageway. Nangong Wuyue looked straight up at the center of the maelstrom, and subconsciously rolled her tail into the same shape of a maelstrom. "This thing is... so massive..."     

"To tell you the truth, watching the World Gate is less intense." Hao Ren shook his head, trying to shake off the dizziness brought about by the maelstrom. "The scale of this thing is enough to make people giddy. Well, everyone stop here. It's time to witness a miracle."     

Everyone stopped. Hao Ren moved forward and opened up his Dimensional Pocket.     

A light blue spatial rift appeared mid-air and quickly expanded as much as 100-m across. Within the spatial rift, there was a silver-white metallic glow. It was a cube, which was tens of meters wide, and its surface had blue lines as well as a series of bright red spots. The cube looked simple and unpretentious, but people with a certain level of strength could immediately feel the enormous energy contained within it.     

Hao Ren approached the control panel on the side of the cube and carried out a few actions. The latter immediately emitted a soft sound, followed by a circle of thrusting light at the bottom. This pushed the huge metal cube to the center of the maelstrom until it finally remained steady there.     

The covers around the cube opened, exposing a group of crystallized cylinders that glowed with blue light. The cold sensation was especially daunting.     

"The Petrachelys has a full range of functions. It does not only have a cannon, but also an armory and munitions manufactory. This thing just rolled out from the factory." Hao Ren cheerfully observed the cube, which was suspended quietly in the middle of the maelstrom. Lights started to flash in a regular pattern, signaling the completion of the deployment process. "In the manual, this thing is called the Housekeeping Cleaning Assistant. It can effectively clean a large area, and its power is highly controllable. Each charge tube can be intelligently and individually triggered. This should be enough."     

The MDT whistled loudly. "No matter what the problem is, a bomb can always solve it—if one doesn't work, then use two. If you can't solve the problem, that means you don't have enough bombs; it's a universal truth."     

In an exaggerated motion, Lily kept her distance from Hao Ren. "Mr. Landlord, I find that you feel particularly dangerous right after you touch these munitions."     

Hasse pointed at the cube. "I'd like to ask—do you know for sure whether this thing is made by... alien or human?"     

"Look under your feet," said Vivian. Holding her hands in her arms, she gestured with her head at the city of Nasaton below them. "An alien spaceship with a history of at least 15,000 years is lying here and you never thought that the sirens were different from other aliens. The world is big place. You still don't know many things. Is it so strange for us to yank out some alien munitions?"     

Hasse found something amiss in what Vivian had just said, but he did not know how to put forward his argument, so he could only respond with, "Surely, my elder is very knowledgeable."     

"This thing will hover on this side of the maelstrom. Once we've set up another bomb on the other side, they will pull towards each other and then boom! If the model put forward by the MDT is correct, the energy of the explosion will be completely absorbed by the maelstrom. So, Nasaton and the entire world will be safe." Hao Ren looked at the siren queen. "Success is guaranteed, however your soldiers should guard this place before I issue a detonation warning. Make sure you don't let anything fall into the maelstrom. Also, monitor the energy readings around the maelstrom. If there's an abnormal surge, let me know immediately. I have a Plan B."     

Lily was as blunt as usual. "Why don't I know about Plan B?"     

Hao Ren grinned. "We're going to seek Raven 12345 for a 'blessing'..."     

When the siren queen heard Hao Ren's instructions, she nodded solemnly. Nevertheless, she appeared to be a bit worried. "I don't find it safe putting an explosive over our heads..."     

Y'zaks faintly said, "Relax, the maelstrom you've got for yourself is no less powerful than the bomb, and mind you, it has been hanging over your head for months."     

The siren queen was speechless.     

After setting up the bomb on this side of the maelstrom, Hao Ren was ready to lead the rest to leave Nasaton.     

The spatial layer and the invisible labyrinths that used to shelter the entire city had been temporarily disabled. They rose up unimpeded from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to the Shrouded Isle located diagonally just above the city. Now that the enchantment around the island had also been shut down, the sea and the sky around the island had returned to normal.     

The water wavy and foaming with bubbles as groups of people began to resurface—it was not only Hao Ren and his entourage, but also all the otherworldlings who had just gained their freedom.     

"From now on, no one's going to believe in the Day of Return sh*t," said Shaqira, looking at the unusual creatures who left the waters under the protection of other sirens. She then breathed a sigh of relief. "A hundred years of chaos has finally ended."     

Hao Ren shook his head and sighed. "But it's going to take a long time for the aftermath to settle."     

Groups of unusual creatures who were prisoners in Nasaton left the Shrouded Isle in batches as they were escorted by the sirens who used to escort him. When all of them finally left, Hao Ren and the rest began to depart. However, the siren queen suddenly emerged from the water. "Wait a minute, I will go with you."     

"You?" Y'zaks' eyebrows twitched. "Don't you need to take care of the city?"     

"I've arranged all the follow-up works. Sirens are a much disciplined species. As long as the work instructions are clear, there will be no supervision needed." The siren queen looked determined. "It's not that I can go back to my homeworld everyday—I know that you have the ability to enter the Plane of Dreams. I won't ask too many questions. I only hope that you can take me along. At least I can tell everyone how our homeworld looks like when I'm back."     

Hao Ren thought about it with his brows pulled together. He finally nodded. "Well, the trip shouldn't take too long. What about the both of you—Shaqira and Sorma?"     

Shaqira and Sorma looked at each other and nodded in unison. "We'll tag along."     

"Okay, well, the ship is big enough," Hao Ren said.     

Hasse looked at them, and he finally squeezed a little smile out of his stiff expression. "Can I hitch a ride home in your ship too?"     

Lily's ears stood up in an instant when she heard the word "ship". "Oh, right! Why don't you transform into the Lexington, Nangong Wuyue?"     

Wuyue was startled. "You haven't forgotten!"