Chapter 295: Finding the Third Key

Chapter 295: Finding the Third Key

After finishing the noodles, Wu Yue and Shen Que stepped out of the RV. Mo Ke was waiting by the campfire not far away.

Seeing Mo Ke, Shen Que approached apologetically,

"Mo Ke..."

Mo Ke interrupted him, "Hey Thor, to be honest, I’ve been sitting here thinking for a while.

No matter what your reasons were for hiding your identity this time or before, we’re still brothers-in-arms."

Shen Que smiled, "Yeah, brothers."

Mo Ke got up close, "Since we’re brothers, can you tell me what’s really going on between you and Wu Yue?

Are you two lovers? Don’t tell me you’re married?"

Shen Que shook his head, "I’m trying to win her over, but she hasn’t agreed yet."

Mo Ke’s eyebrows shot up, "You carried her like that, and she still hasn’t agreed?

So you city folks call this... right, I know, it’s called a 'Crush.'"

Shen Que, "...Mo Ke, just stop talking.

Besides, she was very weak at the time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have carried her in front of so many people. Intimacy is a private matter, and he didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention in public."

Mo Ke, "...Love makes you delusional. You call someone who can unleash SSS+ psychic energy 'weak.'

The aura she had when she came ashore—I thought she could turn all of us into paste.

Effortlessly, like squashing us like bugs."

Shen Que looked at Mo Ke with an expression the latter had never seen before,

"Mo Ke, don’t tell anyone about this."

Mo Ke understood and thumped his fist against his chest, "Don’t worry."

Backing up, Mo Ke turned to Wu Yue,

Mo Ke, "By the way, after you left, we used the gear Wu Yue left behind to explore underwater.

We found a vein of ice crystals at the bottom. The detector confirmed they’re all high-grade SS-rank cores. My guess? Those cores mutated the Jellyfish."

Wu Yue recalled, "When I was searching for the first key, the monsters in Frozen Crack Canyon suddenly mutated too, and we found many high-grade cores in their brains."

Shen Que, "Is it possible that the Mutant Jellyfish didn’t occupy the Frostflow Waters because it was physically weak,

but because there was an even stronger mutated beast there that defeated it and drove it out?"

Wu Yue, "If that’s the case, then the beast that drove the Mutant Jellyfish away might be the world Boss I’m looking for."

Shen Que nodded, "Then let’s go!"

Mo Ke quickly interjected, "Wait! What about the cores at the bottom of Frostflow?"

Wuyue replied strangely, "If you find someone to dig, that's fine."

Moke was surprised, "Don't you want them?"

Wuyue shook her head, "No need, I still have over a hundred S-class ones in my backpack..."

Moke impatiently interrupted, "Yes, yes, you don't want them, you don't want them, you have money!!

There's no need to tell me this over and over, thank you!"

Shen Que blinked, "I want them; remember to give me thirty percent if you dig any up."

Wuyue was puzzled, "Do you even need the crystal cores?"

Shen Que probably used less crystal cores than she did.

Shen Que nodded, looking at Wuyue, "Yes, I want to sell them and save up for a wife."

Wuyue stared at Shen Que, who smiled back at her, causing Wuyue to look away.

Tch, what's there to smile about.

Moke was truly speechless, "Sol, I'm at least human, not a dog."

Moke continued, "Let me go with you guys, I also want to see the legendary polar map world boss.

And I want to know if what Wuyue said is true—whether opening the dungeon door can really send the bosses away.

Would that mean the harsh environment of the polar region would improve?"

If that's really the case,

As my home for many years, I want to see it with my own eyes when the time comes, to watch it get better."

Wu Yue nodded readily, "No problem, I'll bring you along to the site when the time comes."

Without waiting for nightfall, they set off immediately.

Wu Yue provided small underwater mining equipment, and most of the Aurora rushed to mine SS-rank crystals at the ore site before the eternal night fell, working around the clock.

To their delight, these crystals could not only replenish psychic energy but also served as a high-energy fuel source, much like methane hydrate.

Even in the extreme cold of the polar region, they could burn continuously for long periods, providing sufficient heat.

It was like a morale boost to the hearts of the Aurora team members. Instantly invigorated, even the impending frigid eternal night couldn’t extinguish their fiery passion for life.

With the Mutant Jellyfish gone, Wu Yue, Shen Que, Mo Ke, and the others successfully crossed the ice flow and arrived at the crystal cave area.

Beyond the crystal cave lay a wide, calm ice flow.

Free from magnetic interference, Wu Yue summoned the Tianshan snow toad using the key.

"G...u...a... *ribbit*~"

"Mmm—"

"*Ribbit*!"

"Mmm—"

"Croak..."

Miss Wu Yue pressed down on the snow toad, her tone ominous, "That's enough. Why are you still chattering nonstop?"

The snow toad replied, "Croak." Understood, mistress.

As soon as it finished speaking, a massive pod of orcas leaped out of the water.

Though slightly different from Wu Yue's earlier speculation, the sight of the enormous pod of orcas made her realize she had finally found the third key.

Orcas, known as the "delinquents of the sea."

With remarkably high intelligence, their cleverness ranks at the top among marine life.

They travel in pods across the world's oceans, and their favorite hunting move involves suddenly raising their massive tails to deliver a powerful slap to passing prey.

Due to the world-ending cataclysm's tectonic upheavals, these evolved orcas became marooned in the frozen wastes, unable to migrate.

Yet,

even as barnacles encrusted their bodies and the polar magnetism scrambled their internal compasses,

the wild joy of their breaching remained heart-stirring.

Claude watched the orcas in awe. "Miss Wu Yue is right—the polar region doesn’t belong to Aurora. Aurora is just visiting the polar realm.

All these years, these orcas have never attacked us.

We’ve shared this frozen expanse without conflict with such mighty leviathans for so long."

Mo Ke recalled, "In fact, during times of food shortage, they even left gifts of food for us.

I used to genuinely believe that fish and beasts would just randomly die and wash ashore. Turns out, they were all tail-whipped to death and tossed onto the shore by them."

Wu Yue reflected gravely, "Perhaps it’s better for them to stay here. Many waters outside have been reduced to toxic wastelands.

Death and plague have completely polluted those areas..."

At this, Wu Yue suddenly remembered—

the River God's decree, the golden river.

She turned to Shen Que. "It appears my work has only begun."

Shen Que nodded. "Indeed."

I'll remain at your side, even unto the world's ending.