Chapter 324: Chapter 290 Rescue_1
The clues were too scarce, and Chui Chui could only deduce so much, with questionable accuracy. For now, the priority was to get Tong Yitong under control and figure out what had happened to her.
But just then, a series of explosive sounds echoed through the corridor as vast amounts of seawater began to seep in through cracks in the walls. Only then did Yan Xing remember that this secret base was built below sea level. It would have been a miracle if the walls hadn’t cracked under the water pressure after being subjected to freezing and scorching.
Tong Yitong stopped using her freezing ability and began to control the seawater instead. Her ability was similar to Water Magic; the aquatic environment was her home turf. The incoming water rapidly damaged the power supply system, and Yan Xing’s environmental advantage gradually diminished.
The lights in the corridor went out.
The crimson glow erupting from Yan Xing clashed with the pure white light radiating from Tong Yitong.
Under Tong Yitong’s control, the seawater began to spin rapidly in the narrow corridor, creating the sensation of being inside a tumbling washing machine.
Yan Xing stopped releasing Fire Magic and switched to Air Magic, which he was more proficient in. The airflow in the corridor, driven by his Magic Power, began to rotate in the opposite direction. The friction between the air and water currents created a sound like jet engines.
How could the concrete-poured corridor withstand such a forceful impact? The walls were stripped away layer by layer by the force of the air and water currents, then collapsed. Stones and steel bars were crushed and twisted in the turmoil as the underwater base was breached from below. A large hole burst open in the top of the base, five meters underwater. More seawater gushed in.
The power source was submerged, and all power to the base was cut off.
Yan Xing gathered all available air around himself and continued to release Magic to counter Tong Yitong. Between them raged a turbulent maelstrom of debris, stirred up by the air and water currents, like two high-speed grinding mills pulverizing everything caught within into powder. At their contact surface, the friction-generated heat erupted in a spray of dazzling, blinding sparks.
The surrounding seawater was also churned up by these two opposing vortexes. Yan Xing controlled the airflow to compress the seawater above, parting the surface and allowing outside air to rush in. His Air Magic grew even more powerful, resisting the crushing pressure of the seawater.
Beyond using the airflow for defense, Yan Xing did nothing else.
With his and Chui Chui’s capabilities, they shouldn’t have needed to expend so much effort against a newly transformed Tong Yitong. Yan Xing was very curious about Tong Yitong in this state. He wanted to test her limits and, at the same time, have Chui Chui collect as much data as possible.
Having lost her senses, Tong Yitong didn’t employ any other tactics. Under Yan Xing’s pressure, she didn’t dare divert her energy from the water vortex she maintained to do anything else. She was forced into a battle of attrition against Yan Xing.
With Chui Chui assisting in calculations, Yan Xing could exert one hundred percent of his Magic Power. His energy efficiency far surpassed that of Tong Yitong, who still relied solely on brute force.
After about ten minutes of struggle, the force of the water driven by Tong Yitong visibly weakened. Yan Xing correspondingly reduced the power of the cyclone he was releasing.
The churning sea surface gradually calmed. Finally, an exhausted Tong Yitong fainted. Yan Xing caught her with Mage Hand and flew her out of the water.
He landed on the beach, the unconscious Tong Yitong limp in his embrace, her clothes soaked and dripping. Yet, not a drop of seawater had touched Yan Xing.
A quick check revealed that Tong Yitong had no serious injuries; the abnormal physical changes had reverted as her powers dissipated.
Just then, a helicopter approached from the distance. After Yan Xing’s disappearance, everyone on Gryphon Island had been searching for him. The recent anomaly in this sea area had been captured by a passing drone, prompting a fully armed security team to arrive by helicopter.
The guards in the helicopter recognized Yan Xing and Tong Yitong on the beach. They fired a signal flare into the sky and then descended to the ground using ropes. The guards, guns ready, cautiously surveyed the surroundings as they quickly approached Yan Xing.
The helicopter executed a low-altitude hovering maneuver, its door gunners monitoring the sea and the shoreline. The guards who reached Yan Xing established a security cordon.
Soon, a large backup force arrived in three more helicopters.
Tong Yitong was lifted onto a helicopter and taken to the hospital on the island for treatment.
Small boats approached from the open sea. Divers from the boats, along with the guards on shore, began a thorough search of the area.
Yan Xing stood on the beach, lit a cigarette, and gazed at the murky sea, taking a deep drag.
Feng Tingyue walked over, her long hair whipped about by the downdraft from the helicopter’s rotor blades. When she drew near, she asked Yan Xing, "Mr. Yan, are you alright?"
"Alright? I’m fine. But we have a problem..." Yan Xing gestured towards the sea before them. "There’s a secret base down there, filled with a squad of well-trained armed personnel."
Hearing that a large group of armed personnel was nearby, Feng Tingyue reached for her walkie-talkie to warn her subordinates.
Yan Xing added, "Their base collapsed. Seawater flooded in. I doubt anyone inside is still alive. Don’t make too much of a commotion; just be careful."
"Okay, Mr. Yan." Feng Tingyue relayed the underwater situation to the relevant personnel via her walkie-talkie, then said to Yan Xing, "I wonder if the Zhao Family is connected to this underwater base."
With the base submerged, gathering evidence from inside would be extremely difficult. However, since someone had managed to construct an underwater base here, the likelihood of the Zhao Family’s involvement was very high. But it couldn’t be ruled out that they were unaware. After all, Gryphon Island was so large; the Zhao Family might not have been able to monitor every part of it in the past.
Yan Xing walked toward one of the helicopters. "This is your concern now," he said to Feng Tingyue. "I don’t want anything like this happening again. The wind’s picking up as evening sets in. I’m going back to get some sleep. By the way, Sir Lei Ming has commissioned me to sell another three tons of Gold. Is Renlun Investment Bank still interested?"
Hearing that another three tons of Gold were for sale, Feng Tingyue immediately replied, "Interested! We’ll take it all!"
Yan Xing was already seated inside the helicopter, a guard strapping him in. He flicked his cigarette butt out and said to Feng Tingyue with a smile, "Good, it’s all yours. Keep up the good work; there’s plenty more Gold where that came from..."
The helicopter took off, carrying Yan Xing toward the island’s residential area.
A guard approached Feng Tingyue with a tablet. "Sister Yue, take a look at this..."
The tablet displayed footage from a drone. The sea churned violently, and a fissure appeared, looking as if it had split the water in two...
Feng Tingyue watched the departing helicopter, then took the tablet and put it away carefully. "Don’t tell anyone about this," she instructed the guard. "Increase manpower to search this area. Secure any suspicious items found."
「Meanwhile」
A miniature underwater escape craft stealthily made its way towards the open sea, away from Gryphon Island.
"Boss, our base on Bolorobin Island has been destroyed. Apart from the three of us, all other personnel are dead."
...
"Yes, it was Tong Yitong. We couldn’t contend with that kind of power. She’s too strong!"
...
"I’ve brought out blood and tissue samples from Tong Yitong... and the surveillance data."
...
"I’m sorry, we couldn’t get any information about Sir Lei Ming from Yan Xing. But we believe Tong Yitong’s transformation must be related to Sir Lei Ming. Sir Lei Ming entrusted Yan Xing to research and breed Griffons here. Perhaps it’s not just about breeding Griffons."
...
"Yes, I understand."
Two gunshots immediately rang out from within the submarine.