Chapter 16: To Hong Kong (2)

Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast – 16

EP.16 To Hong Kong (2)

– Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!! –

“Hmm, that’s a bit disgusting.”

Unlike with Force, subduing Makula was surprisingly simple. Parang threw a water bubble into its mouth, and Makula swallowed it, causing its insides to burst and die.

In fact, if hunting was the only goal, she could have just thrown bubbles into every hole inside the object.

Both Parang and the viewers knew why she didn’t do that, and so did the now-dead Makula.

Parang retrieved the teeth from Makula’s mashed-up corpse.

─Why didn’t she just use Shururu?

─Right? Didn’t it come out of the gate?

─Oh, no way.

It was true.

“Makula was actually a creature that existed on Earth. It mutated due to the influence of the gate.”

Parang said nonchalantly. It wasn’t that she was disinterested in the broadcast.

It was just that the dream she had last night was terrible. Normally, she would have been fine, but since she started, her head had been throbbing, and now it was almost unbearable.

Even Parang would get very tired if she swam non-stop for 24 hours under this level of stress without transforming.

“Hmm, everyone. I think I’m more tired than I thought. I’ll start the next broadcast when I reach the next object. Goodbye for now.”

─Teacher, are you leaving so suddenly again?

─You said you wouldn’t end the broadcast abruptly this time!!

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just want to take a nap. What would you gain from watching me sleep?”

─A lot, actually.

─Please do a sleep stream.

─Host!!! I need you!!!

“No.”

– Click. –

The broadcast ended.

Honestly, she wanted to keep it on until the end, but sleeping in front of others was a bit too much.

Parang swam smoothly through the water. Her head was still throbbing.

Fortunately, there was a place nearby where she liked to rest during times like this.

#

Pitch black, darkness, the abyss.

Parang arrived in a space that could be called by any of these names.

It was an underwater cave.

Currently, the depth was 3 kilometers. Not exactly the perfect depth for sleeping… but still.

This was Parang’s favorite resting place. Whenever she swam to Hong Kong, she always used this spot.

This area was devoid of carnivorous monsters. Not even the common Bellua could be found here.

Because another monster tightly controlled this cave.

– Boooong— Boooong. –

Parang lay down on the cap of a giant jellyfish.

It was a monster called Aurita. The species, known as the moon jellyfish, had mutated under the influence of the gate.

They lived in groups in dark sections at depths greater than 2.5 kilometers.

They weren’t particularly carnivorous, and lying on them felt soft and bouncy.

Moreover, they glowed in the pitch-black water.

As Parang lay down, it felt like the universe was unfolding before her eyes.

Countless jellyfish sparkled like stars, above, below, and all around. The soft, jelly-like stars wobbled gently.

Their temperament was relaxed and docile, moving only about 5 centimeters per hour. This was the same as the original species.

The reason they weren’t eaten by other species was that they emitted a potent toxin from their entire body, coloring the space around them.

Most monsters couldn’t last more than 30 seconds in Aurita’s territory.

[Skill, ‘Clear Mirror Still Water’ is activated.]

This didn’t concern Parang, who swam like a human water purifier.

Lying on the cozy jellyfish, Parang closed her eyes… and then opened them again.

She saw something very out of place floating among the glowing jellyfish.

It was a monster Parang had never seen before.

This wasn’t surprising. New species of monsters were discovered almost daily. A species that could withstand Aurita’s toxin? There could be one.

However, its appearance was too bizarre.

……

Parang stared at it, floating silently in the water.

Its shape was hard to describe. T? No, since the length above and below was almost the same, it would be more accurate to call it a ㅜ shape. At the center of its body, where the horizontal and vertical lines met, was a giant eyeball.

Comparing it to the jellyfish next to it, it was about 10 meters tall and 20 meters wide. Not particularly large for a monster.

Parang approached closer.

This time, she could see the monster’s appearance in more detail. Its body was made of bright red flesh, whether muscle or meat. On closer inspection, it resembled coral or anemone. Parang took a quick photo.

She sent it to Vertea. Whatever it was, she’d figure it out.

– Srrr. –

Parang then got right up close to the unidentified monster. Its eyeball didn’t move, and even when she moved within arm’s reach, it showed no reaction.

It didn’t seem to detect vibrations or heat.

So, Parang reached out and poked it.

– Slur. –

– Whirr. –

The eye moved to look at Parang.

It was surprising, but Parang didn’t flinch. She’d been through too much to be startled by something like this.

More surprising was the texture of this mysterious ㅜ-shaped monster.

It was hard and rough, and red powder stuck to her suit’s glove.

The closest comparison would be… chalk or stone?

Well, she’d find out by killing it. Parang created a bubble, popped it, and quickly moved up to stab a harpoon into its eye.

Since the eyeball was focused solely on Parang, the harpoon hit dead center.

– Splat—!  –

Blood spurted out, almost splashing Parang, but then it vanished.

And the monster sank.

Parang realized three things.

First, if this monster had come from a gate, it should have disappeared in a flash of light, leaving behind a magic stone. But it didn’t.

Second, this meant the creature was already an Earthly life form. But did such a creature exist in the deep sea?

Well, it was probably one of those types. It looked bizarre enough. It felt more awkward to call it a living creature than just disgusting.

Third, what should she eat in Hong Kong? This was just to make it three things. Three is perfect. Heaven, Earth, and Man; Up, Down, and Center; Past, Present, and Future.

There was something unsettling about it, but monsters were inherently collections of unsettling things. Parang didn’t give it much thought.

She grabbed a jellyfish nearby and fell into a deep sleep.

#

Some time later.

[LIVE – Swimming to Hong Kong]

Parang’s broadcast turned on.

─Me

─Me

─Rock

─Me

─Rock

─Rock

“After a good sleep, I feel refreshed. Let’s get going again.”

Underwater, Parang’s mindset was invincible. No one navigated their path better than she did.

She was the embodiment of “my way.”

“The second monster I’m going to catch isn’t that disgusting.”

This was true. The one she was heading to now wasn’t particularly gross.

─Finally

─I don’t believe it

─Does anyone believe this?

─’ㅇㅇ’ donated 1000 won! –

[ I’m not falling for it anymore, teacher. Just tell us when to close our eyes. ]

“Hmm, it’s true. Look.”

With a sound of “eish,” Parang quickly rotated the camera. The screen, which had been dark blue, now showed a massive black shape.

“This is the one I’m going to catch this time.”

─Oh, damn, that scared me

─? What is it?

─Right? What is that?

“Hmm, ah. It’s too close. I’ll back up a bit to show you.”

As she said this, Parang retreated at an incredible speed….

“Ta-da, everyone. It’s a Rassius.”

─Uh…

─Hmm…

─Um…

The chat was conflicted. The reason was simple.

If it was disgusting, they could curse and say, “Teacher, are you crazy again?” If it wasn’t, they could shout, “Damn you, Yu Parang!! I like you!!!” But it was ambiguous.

Should they consider it disgusting or not?

It was… something.

What they saw was the gaping maw of the monster.

Rassius.

Also known to people as the “Balloon Eel,” it was a mutated species.

It was quite famous even in Parang’s previous life.

If there was a YouTube video titled “Top 5 Weird Deep-Sea Fish,” this creature would definitely be included.

Its hunting method, opening its massive mouth that took up nearly a tenth of its body length to scoop up fish, was a rare sight that could only be seen in the deep sea.

It had grown 50 times larger than the original, making it 100 meters in size. When it opened its mouth, the jaw alone was 10 meters long.

─But it looks so different from the balloon eel I know.

─Right? Was its mouth that small?

─Maybe it mutated?

Quite a few people recognized it because it was fairly famous. But Rassius was indeed just a balloon eel that had grown absurdly large.

As with most creatures mutated by the gate, the original form was maintained, but the size became enormous and strange abilities were added. This was just a common misconception.

The generally known “eel with a jaw larger than a third of its body” was actually the pelican eel.

Although they were entirely different species, they were lumped together under the name “big-mouthed deep-sea fish,” leading to confusion.

It was an unfair situation for both the pelican eel and the balloon eel.

Parang shared some knowledge she had picked up from Vertea.

“Both swallow their prey whole and digest it inside, but the balloon eel has a pouch in its body to store food, while the pelican eel just stuffs the food directly into its body.”

Actually, it would be clearer if she showed it directly, Parang added.

─What?

─What?

“Shall we get eaten?”

─What?

In fact, Parang had planned to go inside even before starting the broadcast.

She had something she wanted to try inside.

But that was a surprise, so she made an excuse.

“The object is likely inside Rassius.”

Saying “likely” was an understatement; it was almost certain. From Parang’s perspective, it was easier to kill Rassius and sink the object with its corpse.

─Got it perfectly

─ (Didn’t get it)

─What?

“I think it’s better to explain it from inside.”

With that, Parang slipped into Rassius’s open mouth.

─’ㅇㅇ’ donated 3000 won! –

[ In the end, it’s “Shall we get eaten?” LOL ]

“This time, it’s really not.”

To be honest, it was. Parang felt a bit guilty.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om