【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Chapter 325 [Empire] Don’t stop! Swim faster!

Just when I thought the stalemate would continue, a very subtle "crack" sound suddenly filled the air. It was like the sound of ice crystals cracking, but with a hidden pulse.

The transparent vine's tentacles suddenly contracted slightly, and the stagnant chill instantly intensified, as if responding to some silent provocation. The seedling in the backpack seemed completely enraged—it trembled violently, its leaves unfolding like lightning. The cyan light ceased to be sporadic embellishments and transformed into a curtain of light, spreading in the direction of the vine.

The light curtain and the coldness collided in the air. There was no sound, but it produced an extremely oppressive vibration, as if the whole room trembled for a moment.

"It's quite lively." Nightingale stood not far away, still looking like he was watching a show, but the lightness in his eyes had been replaced by a hint of seriousness. His gaze was fixed on the intersection of the two forces, and a faint smile played at the corner of his mouth. "I knew your team members were not simple."

I ignored his teasing, my gaze fixed on the vine. Instead of retreating, it unfurled more tentacles, as if responding to the seedling's provocation. These tentacles were nimble and graceful, tracing intricate paths through the air as they waved. Ice crystals formed as they moved, as if the entire room were engulfed in frost.

"Enough!" I growled, trying to interrupt the confrontation with my voice.

The seedling paused slightly, as if it had heard my voice. Its leaves contracted slightly, but the green light still shone brightly, as if announcing its presence to its opponent.

“Don’t forget, we’re not here to cause trouble,” I said in a low voice, patting my backpack to try to calm it down.

The seedling seemed to understand what I meant, and the green light gradually dimmed, but it still remained alert.

Elsewhere, the vines didn't move. Its tentacles slowly retracted, the ice crystals forming at a slower rate. The biting cold seemed to be drained from the air, and the room returned to its previous dead silence.

"Looks like they've evened it." Nightingale approached, a hint of mockery in his tone. His gaze swept across the backpack on my back, then fell on the vines. "Hopefully the journey ahead will be smoother."

"Are you sure this thing won't suddenly turn hostile?" I glared at him and pointed at the vines in the cage. "It doesn't look like a compliant target."

Nightingale chuckled and said lightly, "This thing is very smart. It knows when to act and when to hold back. Now, it knows very well that it needs us to take it out."

"Are you betting that it won't make a move?" I frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction in my tone.

"Of course it's not a bet." Nightingale touched her nose with her hand, a smug smile on her lips, "I'm sure."

His confidence left me speechless, but the uneasiness in my heart lingered. I took a deep breath, turned my gaze away from the vines, and turned to look at the nightingale, who had begun to unlock the cage.

"Done?" I asked.

"Almost." He nodded, his hands moving rapidly on the control panel. The purple metal cage vibrated slightly. A moment later, a crisp "click" sounded, and the metal door of the cage slowly slid open.

The transparent vine didn't move immediately. As if confirming something, its tentacles waved gently, sensing its surroundings. Then, it suddenly extended a main vine forward, its movements gentle yet powerful.

"Okay, now it's up to your team members." Nightingale turned to look at me and raised her eyebrows.

I frowned and glanced at the seedlings in my backpack, then whispered, "Don't mess around, cooperate."

The seedling seemed to understand my words, and the green light flickered again. Then, it slowly extended more leaves from its backpack, each one carefully unfolding. The green light and the chill of the transparent vines briefly intersected in the air, but this time, no conflict ensued.

There seems to be a delicate balance between them.

“Alright,” I sighed, adjusting my backpack to a more stable position. “You’re right, my team members do have some skills.”

Nightingale smiled and patted my shoulder: "Don't worry, they will cooperate happily."

However, my intuition tells me that this mission is probably far from as simple as it seems.

As we stood at the lab's exit, facing the shimmering blue water, I paused unconsciously. A chill crept up my calves through the floorboards, through the soles of my boots, and spread to my chest.

"Why?" Nightingale turned her head to look at me with a hint of inquiry in her eyes. "Are you afraid of water? Or are you afraid of 'them'?"

His tone was frivolous, with his usual nonchalance, but I could detect a hint of nervousness. The "they" he mentioned were clearly not just potential threats to the underwater environment.

My gaze swept over the faintly gleaming instrument in my hand and the restless seedlings in my backpack, then settled on the surface of the water again. The water wasn't deep, yet it possessed an eerie calm—no ripples, no sound of currents, even the reflections of light seemed too regular, like a mirror shimmering with light.

The vine still coiled around me, its tentacles swaying faintly. It seemed to no longer resist contact with the seedling, but I knew that didn't mean it was completely "tamed." Every movement reminded me that it had strength and will.

"I just feel..." I hesitated and spoke in a low voice as if I was afraid to disturb something, "There's something wrong with this water."

"You just discovered it?" Nightingale shrugged and pointed to the faintly visible deep blue light band in the water. "Don't forget, this place is not an ordinary laboratory. There's no telling what's hidden underwater."

"So you're still so relaxed?" I glared at him, a hint of sarcasm in my tone, "Are you sure you can swim across alive?"

"With you here, what's there to be afraid of?" Nightingale smiled nonchalantly, but his movement towards his waist betrayed his vigilance. He pulled out a small concussion bullet, twirled it between his fingers, and then handed it to me. "If you're worried, take it."

I took the concussion bomb, applying a slight pressure with my fingers, but not pressing the activation button. My eyes scanned the small yet dangerous device in my hand, then glanced at the calm water and took a deep breath.

"Okay." I whispered, with a hint of determination in my tone.

Nightingale grinned and jumped into the water first. The moment the water splashed, ripples appeared on the calm surface, and the blue lights seemed to be stimulated and flickered slightly.

"Hurry up, don't dawdle." His voice came from underwater, sounding a little vague, but still carrying his usual teasing tone.

I gritted my teeth, patted the slightly shaking leaves of the seedlings in my backpack, and whispered, "Don't mess around. I don't want to overturn here."

The light in the backpack flickered slightly, as if in response.

I bent my knees, leaped, and plunged into the water. A biting cold enveloped me, but the underwater world was unexpectedly bright, a faint blue light radiating from all directions, as if shrouded in a dream. But the more beautiful it was, the more uneasy I felt.

"Follow me!" Nightingale's voice came from the front. I squinted my eyes and saw his figure swimming towards the exit with agile and skillful movements.

However, after I had swum just a few meters, the water temperature around me suddenly began to drop sharply, as if the entire space had frozen. The biting cold made my whole body stiffen, and my movements slowed down.

"Hurry up, don't fall behind!" Nightingale's voice came again, this time with a hint of anxiety. He had obviously noticed something unusual.

At that moment, the blue light beneath the water began to shift. It was no longer a static band of light, but a slowly flowing stream, like a swarm of gigantic creatures swimming through the water. I instinctively tightened my grip on the concussion grenade, my gaze fixed on the bands of light. Their movement grew faster and faster, finally surging towards Nightingale and me.

"Don't stop! Swim faster!" Nightingale's voice was like a roar, snapping me out of my paralysis. I swung my arms with all my might, dashing towards the exit. The seedlings in my backpack once again glowed a cyan light, as if fighting the chill.

The blue lights were getting closer and closer, and I could almost feel the immense pressure they brought, as if an entire body of water was squeezing us. Just when I thought I was about to be swallowed, Nightingale suddenly turned and threw the concussion bomb in his hand with all his strength.

"boom--"

The explosion of the concussion bomb set off a violent energy wave underwater, which instantly dispersed the blue light. I took the opportunity to rush forward several meters and almost hit the edge of the exit.

"Go!" Nightingale grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the water.

We fell to the shore, gasping for breath. The seedling in my backpack poked out its leaves and shook, seemingly unfazed by what had just happened, while the vine huddled quietly beside me, as if nothing had happened to it.

Nightingale patted my shoulder and laughed breathlessly, "See, you made it out alive, didn't you?"

I glared at him and said tiredly, "Next time if there is a mission like this, you will swim by yourself."