Chapter 446: Tide Capture Net

The spell's effect is powerful.

Severe injuries that would leave ordinary people helpless were rapidly alleviated by the 【Healing Spell】.

When one spell ended, Doctor Danika withdrew her hands and moved to another wooden bed, casting the 【Healing Spell】 again on the wounded man lying there.

The lantern floating beside her shoulder seemed to possess its own life, intelligently following Doctor Danika's movements, always hovering just above her shoulder.

Soon, the four severely wounded paupers from the Marko District had all received treatment.

After finishing her work, Doctor Danika turned to face Gao De, who she had noticed standing at the door, and greeted him: "My lord."

She radiated a gentle and warm aura.

"Doctor Danika, your 【Healing Spell】 has saved these gravely injured people—truly admirable," Gao De said, placing his right hand over his chest and bowing slightly, his gesture elegant yet dignified.

This was a common formal gesture in the Jin Quehua Dynasty to show respect to women, especially a respected physician.

Doctor Danika nodded slightly, a kind smile appearing on her face: "My lord, the Master has granted me knowledge and strength; I merely follow the Master's will, using my abilities to aid those in suffering."

"The Master" is the common term used by sects in this world to refer to their object of faith.

This is also a distinctive feature: in this world, there is no such thing as a "god."

Thus, the religious system here is built upon a godless worldview, where faith is directed toward natural forces like "Nature," "Ocean," or "Sky," or abstract concepts like "Time," "Life," or "Light."

There are, however, a few sects that worship powerful beings.

In the ancient era before human civilization fully emerged, ancient deities were born across the world, their power and achievements sufficient to inspire devotion and reverence.

These so-called ancient deities were in fact powerful non-human entities—possessing strength beyond ordinary mortals, yet falling short of the divine power to control heaven and earth. The term "divine" is Gao De's own internal definition for easier understanding; this world has no such word.

Regardless of what each sect worships, its clergy, like Doctor Danika here, commonly refer to their object of faith as "the Master."

Though the "Master" they worship may differ fundamentally in essence.

Gao De stated his purpose: "Doctor Danika, I am here to purge and eliminate water beasts. I heard someone was attacked by a demon octopus last night, so I came specifically to learn the details."

Doctor Danika looked at the patients on the beds—they had not yet awakened, but the pain on their faces had greatly lessened. "My lord, they should awaken soon. Please wait a moment."

"Understood."

Doctor Danika clasped her hands before her chest and spoke softly: "It is a pity I am not skilled in combat and cannot assist in driving away the water beasts. Thank you for your efforts. If you need anything within my ability, do not hesitate to call me."

"Rest assured, I am especially skilled in combat," Gao De said quietly.

In the infirmary, besides the wounded and Doctor Danika, there was another young woman.

She was Aen, as mentioned by Sha Ma—a native of the Marko District whom Doctor Danika had taught basic medical knowledge, and who now handles minor illnesses among local residents.

"Doctor Danika, may I ask which sect you belong to?" Gao De asked casually, as the wounded still had not awakened.

"The Tide Speakers Sect—tides are the ocean's whisper," Doctor Danika said, placing her hand over her chest.

In Lagos City, most sects are tied to "fishing" or "agriculture," and the Tide Speakers Sect is no exception.

It is a sect that venerates tides, using them to predict storm paths and guide fishermen's departure times, while also blessing them with safe voyages.

Though the object of worship—"tides"—may seem humble compared to grand concepts like "Ocean" or "Sky," for many, a faith that offers practical value is the best faith.

The Tide Speakers Sect's ability to predict storm paths is vital to fishermen, so it has long been established in Lagos City.

"But that was before. Now, the sect's condition grows worse day by day," Doctor Danika sighed deeply, frowning.

Gao De had been about to ask for details, but at that moment, the wounded on the bed stirred.

The first patient treated with the 【Healing Spell】 had opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

He looked around dazedly, then recognized Doctor Danika, struggled to sit up, and tried to thank her: "Doctor Danika—"

Doctor Danika stepped forward and stopped his movement: "Your injuries are still severe. Lie back down."

Then she pointed behind her to Gao De: "This is a Sea Sentinel mage, here to purge the water beasts. He heard you were attacked by a swarm of demon octopuses last night and came specifically to learn the details."

"My lord," the wounded man said respectfully upon seeing Gao De in his Sea Sentinel uniform.

"Do you remember the details of last night's attack? Can you tell me more?" Gao De asked.

At the infirmary entrance.

Sha Ma kept rubbing his hands anxiously while waiting.

To the people of the Marko District, the infirmary was a sacred place; non-patients dared not enter.

They feared offending Doctor Danika or disrupting the healing process.

Finally, after anxious waiting, Gao De emerged.

"Go," he said without delay, stepping with steady strides onto the small boat, as if he had learned something crucial inside the infirmary.

Sha Ma quickly untied the rope from the wooden post and boarded the boat, causing it to sway slightly with his movement.

Then, following Gao De's instructions, he began rowing.

Soon, Gao De, aboard Sha Ma's boat, arrived at the location where the demon octopuses had attacked Marko District residents last night.

The area was in ruins—shacks overturned, now silent, clearly the demon octopuses had long since left.

Purging demon octopuses would not be as easy as yesterday's hunt against the stinking salamanders, where one could simply wait by the shore for the creatures to return.

Demon octopuses move in groups. Though they are classic opportunistic omnivores, feeding on the city's garbage dumped into Marko District's waters, their primary diet is meat.

On one hand, they viciously attack Marko District residents to consume human flesh; on the other, they hunt fish in the water.

To find food, they roam freely across this vast expanse, with no fixed "nest."

This is another difference from the stinking salamanders.

Lastly, demon octopuses are far fewer in number than stinking salamanders, but each individual is significantly stronger.

Their powerful tentacles, once wrapped around prey, make escape nearly impossible.

Thus, finding hidden demon octopuses in the vast and complex waters of Marko District is no easy task.

But most water beast purge missions are like this—much time is spent simply locating the creatures.

Under these circumstances, Gao De no longer "cared" about Tuanzi.

He opened the water otter bag he always carried.

Tuanzi's tiny head poked out, blinking its round, wide eyes.

Having been cooped up in the bag for two days, it was desperate for air, shaking its head and wiggling eagerly at Gao De.

Gao De gently patted Tuanzi's round head, pulled out a torn strip of cloth, held it beneath Tuanzi's nose, then pointed toward the murky green water.

The cloth had been taken from the wounded in the infirmary, stained with the scent of demon octopuses.

Tuanzi sniffed the cloth—its previously lazy eyes instantly brightened with excitement, then it turned its head eagerly.

And there it saw the murky "green water."

The surface floated with unidentifiable debris, emitting a nauseating stench.

Tuanzi's excitement vanished.

It visibly deflated—if it had facial expressions, its brows would now be furrowed.

Its "career" debut was a "hell-level" challenge.

It turned back to look at Gao De.

Gao De raised an eyebrow slightly.

It was incredibly intelligent—he had not used 【Beast Bond+】 to convey his intent, yet Tuanzi understood his gestures completely and even communicated its own feelings.

But aside from intelligence, Tuanzi still had to endure some suffering.

"Finish the mission, and I'll give you extra food," Gao De patted Tuanzi's round head again.

This time, Tuanzi accepted its fate.

It puffed out its cheeks slightly, like a winter swimmer taking a deep breath before diving, then leapt cleanly into the green-bubbled sewage.

Though the drop was high, Tuanzi made almost no splash upon entry—its water-entry skill far surpassed that of any professional athlete from Gao De's past world.

After all, water otters have long been called "spirits of the water."

After entering, Tuanzi dove downward, twisting its body nimbly, using its keen sense of smell to track the demon octopuses.

After a while, Tuanzi's round head surfaced quickly beside the boat, its fin pointing toward the distance.

It meant it had found the demon octopuses' trail.

Gao De's expression brightened.

He had worried the foul odor of Marko District's waters might interfere with Tuanzi's scent-tracking, but Tuanzi's ability proved exceptional.

Also, the demon octopuses' scent was strong enough, and since they moved in groups, their odors lingered longer, mingling together.

"Follow," Gao De ordered Sha Ma.

Sha Ma immediately rowed hard, keeping pace with the water otter Tuanzi.

In the water.

Dozens of black tentacles shot out at high speed, lashing like whips toward Gao De standing at the bow.

Their surfaces were smooth and wet, covered in dense suction cups—once they touched prey, escape was nearly impossible.

But these aggressive tentacles halted abruptly several feet from Gao De, as if striking an impenetrable wall.

A transparent shield surrounded him, blocking every tentacle.

The tentacles pounded against the shield, emitting "thud-thud" sounds, yet could not break through this solid defense.

【Shield+】.

Meanwhile, Tuanzi struck swiftly, seizing the perfect moment to bite down on one of the water beasts.

The bitten beast thrashed wildly, splashing water everywhere, its eight tentacles flailing violently.

But its struggles were useless.

Tuanzi looked docile, but in battle, it was ferociously ruthless.

Its sharp teeth sank deep into the beast's body, while it twisted its own form skillfully to dodge the tentacles' attacks.

Under Tuanzi's tracking, after over an hour, Gao De successfully located the demon octopus swarm that had attacked Marko District residents last night.

The battle erupted immediately.

There were eleven of these devil octopuses, each at the First Ring level.

Not especially hard to handle, but wiping them all out wasn't simple—after all, Gao De truly had no desire to enter the water and chase them.

So, they had to strike with speed, precision, and brutality.

The devil octopus caught by Tuanzi let out a low, guttural roar, filled with rage and fear.

Capture the leader first—this octopus entangled by Tuanzi was the leader of the group.

Seeing this, the other devil octopuses surged toward Tuanzi, attempting to rescue their leader.

This was one of the defining traits of social creatures.

And this was exactly what Gao De wanted.

They rushed at Tuanzi as one, their tentacles whipping through the water, creating swirling eddies.

Dozens of tentacles moved like black pythons through the water, coiling toward Tuanzi, trying to restrain its agility.

But Tuanzi reacted instantly—just as the tentacles surged forward, it loosened its grip with remarkable speed, slipping through the narrow gaps between them, darting through like a spirit and breaking free of the octopuses' encirclement.

"Now!" Gao De, casting 【Detect Magic+】 from the boat, used the magical radiance piercing the water's surface to precisely seize the opening he and Tuanzi had created together.

The next instant, waves surged up from beneath the water.

These waves coalesced into ropes, which wove together into a vast net—a giant sack that instantly trapped the clustered devil octopuses.

【Tidal Net+】 (Evocation, 1st Ring):

You conjure a tidal net composed of water.

Extra: By expending additional mana, you may increase the size of the tidal net to affect Large or larger creatures.

The tidal net glowed a deep blue; as it rose, countless fine streams of water interwove like threads, forming a dense, intricate web.

These threads appeared soft, yet possessed astonishing resilience and strength.

Tiny bubbles continuously rose from the surface of the water net, emitting a "glug-glug" sound.

To ensure complete containment of the devil octopuses, Gao De expended five drops of liquid mana to create a massive tidal net.

The devil octopuses sensed the danger and thrashed wildly, their thick tentacles slamming against the net, trying to break free.

The tidal net rippled under their blows, its surface undulating like waves—but clearly not fragile, quickly returning to its original shape.

Of course, if they continued, the tidal net would eventually unravel as mana drained away.

But Gao De would not give them that chance.

Seeing that Tuanzi had, at his signal, cleverly retreated from the area, he no longer hesitated.

Arcs of electricity erupted from his fingertips, hissing as they plunged into the water.

【Lightning Tether】.

The arcs darted through the water, rapidly expanding into an electric net that engulfed the eleven devil octopuses.

The devil octopuses sensed the overwhelming threat; their eyes flashed with fear as they twisted violently, flailing their thick tentacles in chaotic motions, trying to evade the deadly strike.

But they were trapped within the tidal net—with nowhere to flee.

When the electric net made contact, powerful currents surged through their bodies.

The devil octopuses shrieked in agony, their cries echoing through the water, filled with despair and terror.

Their bodies convulsed violently under the current, tentacles spasming uncontrollably—curling, stretching, turning black, and emitting a pungent stench of burning flesh.

Yet as First Ring creatures, devil octopuses possessed extraordinary vitality—even this hadn't killed them.

No problem.

Gao De cast another 【Lightning Tether】.

After three consecutive 【Lightning Tether】 spells, the devil octopuses finally stopped struggling—they were lifeless, floating atop the water.

Gao De smiled faintly, thoroughly satisfied with the outcome.

Electric fish—always the most efficient way to catch fish.

This has been certified by fishermen.

(End of Chapter)