Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

A pale white flower house stood there. An image of a wine glass was painted on the door. Outside, a large crowd had gathered, watching cautiously while also trying to peek inside. They perfectly embodied a blend of timidity and curiosity. Beside them, many others lay on the ground, moaning in pain. Their bodies already bore numerous wounds that had received only minimal treatment.

Peering inside, the interior was already in ruins, with shattered petals and various branches strewn across the entire room. Several bodies lay on the floor and in the corners—victims of the previous attack who had not yet been removed.

A giant, red, humanoid creature had been captured by Jason and his two companions. It was bound with an Iron Chain and subdued in the center of the building. Even bound by the Iron Chain, the humanoid creature continued to roar incessantly, its mouth attempting to spew out something akin to magma. However, its mouth was muzzled like a dog’s. Hot magma oozed from the gaps at the corners of its mouth, flowing onto the floor. It burned the plant-stem floor, causing it to SIZZLE and smoke.

”So, what exactly is this thing made of?” Simon asked, squatting nearby and curiously examining the creature before him.

”Before its transformation, it must have been purely human. Clearly, it isn’t anymore. I just don’t know if it can change back,” Juanlu remarked after studying it for a moment.

Jason sat on a nearby, still-intact table, looking towards the entrance. He could hear the wails from outside and see some of the braver onlookers occasionally peeking in. Upon seeing the monster they had captured, the terror on their faces subsided somewhat, and they ventured inside more boldly to observe.

It seems this creature is a local specialty; many of those outside appear to recognize it, Jason deduced from their expressions.

As they were speaking, a commotion arose outside. A woman appeared, clad in bright green Armor adorned with carved petals and floral decorations. About a dozen soldiers followed her. From their equipment and the aura they exuded, it was clear they were elite troops.

Upon entering, she immediately spotted the monster captured by the trio and restrained in the center. The young woman leading them frowned and drew her sword. She walked over, observing the creature as it continued its relentless roaring.

”Grant me the thorns of retribution,” she murmured, reciting some kind of prayer. Green vines suddenly appeared and entwined her blade. Then, with a single thrust, she plunged her weapon into the struggling creature’s chest.

Witnessing this, the trio instinctively took a step back.

From the blade embedded in its chest, thorns began to spread out from the wound, sprawling across the monster. They spread like a spiderweb. The sharp points of the green thorns dug deeply into the creature’s skin. It was visibly struggling in a frenzy. But with its mouth still muzzled, it couldn’t howl, only managing to produce muffled grunts. The green thorns continued to constrict tightly.

A blood-red liquid began to seep from the creature’s body, though it clearly wasn’t blood. Its color was more akin to the creature’s skin. The body rapidly began melting, as if the creature’s dense musculature was liquefying. Amidst the melting liquid, the human who had originally transformed into the monster began to emerge. The melting liquid clung to his body, exceedingly viscous. He looked like a test subject freshly retrieved from some kind of laboratory vial. However, the man was now drastically thinner than before, emaciated and frail as if he hadn’t eaten in a very long time. His eyes were completely clouded over. He had long since stopped breathing.

Seeing this, the young woman finally held her sword to her chest and bowed her head slightly.

”Bear the thorns and pray for forgiveness.”

Masses of green thorns erupted from beneath the floor, wrapped around the corpse, and dragged it underground.

Jason and his companions watched the entire process silently, with no intention of intervening.

After finishing all this, the young woman looked at Jason and his companions and nodded.

”Thank you for your help. If not for your intervention, who knows how much more destruction would have occurred.”

Then, glancing around, she waved to the soldiers behind her. The soldiers began to clear away the debris and tend to the other bodies. They wrapped them properly.

She, accompanied by two soldiers, then turned to Jason and his companions, saying, ”This isn’t the place to talk. If you wish to understand more, please follow me.”

The young woman had clearly identified Jason and his companions as outsiders who had arrived in the past few days.

Hearing this, Jason nodded. The three of them followed the young woman.

As they walked, the young woman leading them spoke.

”My name is Jilenna, and I am a Flower Knight.”

”I’m Jason, a member of the Compass Eye Treasure Hunting Team, and also a devotee of the Holy Mother.”

”...”

The group briefly introduced themselves.

The young woman nodded in acknowledgment.

”Since you are outsiders, devotees of the Holy Mother, and have come to this place,” she asked, ”how much do you know about it?”

Jason glanced at his two companions. After a moment of thought, he replied, ”We have some understanding. We’ve read the accounts of our predecessors’ explorations here.”

Hearing this, the young woman nodded in understanding.

”Due to certain circumstances, even the Land of Spirits, which was stable for a very long time, has been forced into chaos over these past few decades.”