Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

”How did you pull off that move just now? You managed to alter someone’s memory; I’ve never seen you do that before,” Jason leaned in beside Alka and asked quietly.

At this moment, they still maintained their previous formation, only now the one leading the way was the elderly man in the small boat.

Hearing this, Alka softly said, ”It’s a technique using the Dream Clouds, and you’re exaggerating; it can’t achieve such an effect. The reason it worked just now was a coincidence—the conditions just happened to be met.”

What Alka used was merely a simple Deep Sleep ability, coupled with some hypnotic techniques.

To say it was memory alteration would be quite an exaggeration. In this world where souls possess Magic Power, memories and souls are highly bound. Being able to alter memories meant one could influence the soul—the very essence of life. This was no trivial ability, which explained Jason’s and the others’ surprise.

From the moment that old man saw Julia’s fishtail, the fear and anger in his expression revealed his utter disbelief. His trembling, a clear sign of such fear, couldn’t be faked. This clearly met the conditions for a Nightmare, which is a fundamental human defense mechanism. Things that are excessively frightening or unbelievable often make people feel as if they aren’t real.

Alka immediately induced Deep Sleep in him, then used a very simple hypnotic technique. The memory still existed in his mind, but just by looking at his appearance, it was obvious the elderly man was quite old, and his strength was negligible compared to Alka’s. Given Alka’s current strength and his increasingly precise control over the Dream Clouds, it was easy for him to subtly alter the old man’s experience of the event. During his Deep Sleep, Alka used hypnosis to make him believe the recent memory was indeed a Nightmare, because the circumstances met the necessary conditions.

Moreover, it all happened in an instant, concerning an event that had just transpired. It was the combination of all these factors that achieved the effect they had just witnessed.

So, this wasn’t memory modification at all, but rather an adaptive ability, executed through precise control of the Dream Clouds.

After roughly understanding Alka’s point, Jason nodded. In that case, there’s nothing more to find intriguing.

The elderly man’s skill in controlling fish also left everyone somewhat amazed. He sat in the small boat, waving his fishing rod, surrounded by a large school of sea fish following along. These were a type of fish about two palms in size on average, with dark gray scales, looking plump and round. They looked like a species that would yield a lot of meat.

Looking around, at least a few thousand of them swam all around, passing by the sides of their boat, underneath it, and even near their feet, completely unafraid. They seemed thoroughly accustomed to this. Even near the elderly man’s boat, Vibrating Stone Cannon could see a few massive fish of the same species. They were as long as an entire human leg, propelling the boat forward.

No wonder they hadn’t noticed any Spells on this boat or seen the elderly man rowing. Yet the boat still moved slowly onward. This old man was just as they had first surmised; he was a herder. Only, he herded fish.

For those seeing it for the first time, it was quite a novel sight.

”Alright, it’s your turn to play a role now,” Alka said to Jason.

Jason nodded, slightly rolled up his trouser legs, and jumped off the boat. However, his feet didn’t directly touch the water; a crystal platform materialized beneath them, holding him above the water as he moved forward. He quickly arrived beside the elderly man’s boat.

Before long, everyone could see Jason and the old man having a pleasant conversation. Communication was his forte, which was why he was the crew’s primary intelligence gatherer.

Alka sat on the boat, staring ahead blankly, lost in thought.

”Why is he so afraid of Julia?” Chadite, who was steering the ship, asked softly. This was a crucial question to answer.

Alka shook his head, also pondering this question. The old man’s earlier reaction couldn’t have been faked; his expression upon seeing Julia was like he’d seen a ghost. This clearly didn’t align with their prior expectations. They had originally assumed this area was connected to Life, especially given how similar it looked.

But his fear upon seeing Julia’s fishtail—that distinct dread when faced with Merfolk—and even the anger that followed... The relationship between the locals and Merfolk might not be as harmonious as they had imagined...

Julia seemed to have sensed this herself.

As for what kind of relationship it was, it remained unknown. Even though they knew of so many research reports, these reports only detailed the general situation in this region, not the historical ties between its inhabitants and Life, let alone information regarding cultural conflicts or religious disputes.

Led by the elderly man ahead, they soon saw in front of them... A village? If it could be called a village.

The settlement’s appearance was unlike any village they knew; the structures looked odd. No, they were utterly strange and startling.

Ahead was still sea, with no mud, rocks, or small islands. Instead, a residential area constructed from wooden planks, vines, and various plants floated on the sea’s surface.