Chapter 192 - Tentacles... (1/2)

Hao Xuan stood in front of the forcefields blocking the entry to the two hallways, deep in thought.

”Do that one again,” he ordered Ensis who was standing behind him with his sword out.

Ensis followed his order and attacked again, but like the last thirty times, the result was the same.

There were no panels to unlock the forcefields nor any other ways to stop them. They had tried everything, using every type of energy to attack, but it wasn't effective.

”Goddamnit, What the hell am I supposed to do now? I thought one of these was the way out!” he yelled and kicked the forcefield once again. It was like hitting a wall made of water and he was just pushed back.

Ensis stood beside Hao Xuan silently, contemplating ways to bypass or destroy the forcefields when he had an epiphany.

”Master, how about you try to capture the creature that's inside the glass tank? It might have something to do with this and might be able to help,” he suggested.

Hao Xuan looked at him as if he had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. He looked at Ensis right in the eyes and spoke each word seriously.

”I would rather scoop out my own eyeballs with a rusted spoon and then eat them, than jump in that f*king tank. We don't even know what's in there, and I hate large bodies of water,” he got goosebumps just thinking about it, ”I always feel like there's something in there. And in this case, I know for damn sure there is.”

”....yes...” Ensis replied lightly, somewhat disappointed by his master's cowardice.

”Ahh, whatever. I'm gonna go to sleep and think about this tomorrow,” Hao Xuan shrugged and threw out the portable camp right in front of the forcefields before entering it.

Ensis stared speechlessly at his masters back and then stood guard, keeping an eye on the surroundings.

Time passed slowly and Hao Xuan woke up several hours later. He cleaned himself up and changed into new clothes since the last ones were bloodied when Ensis cut off his arm. He fried some eggs and toasted a few pieces of bread before slowly eating them in front of the campfire.

Since he only had his right hand now, the whole process took three times as long. Finally finishing up he stepped out and recalled the camp.

”Phew, it feels good to be on a full stomach,” he sighed while rubbing his belly.

”Do you want to eat something? Actually, do gods even eat? Or poop? How does that work?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. But there was no response. He turned around and there was nobody there.

”Oi! Where are you? It's not funny, man, come out!” he shouted, but there was only silence.

”...”

Hao Xuan looked around but found no signs of a struggle. He looked around the room and even went back into the rightmost hallway, hoping that Ensis had gone to check out the glass tank, but there was nobody there.

”Damnit, what the f*ck is this now,” he muttered under his breath in frustration.

Closing his eyes Hao Xuan tried to find him through their connection, but the more he tried, the more confused he got. He could feel that Ensis was alive, but couldn't tell WHERE he was. Only that he was very close.

”Wait, the creature! Did it eat him whole?!” he shouted and ran back to the laboratory and took another look at the tank. There was nothing moving inside it nor were there any signs of anything coming out.

”Surely he wouldn't just jump into it himself right?” Hao Xuan murmured to himself in disbelief.

”I guess it's possible if he was trying to prove there wasn't anything dangerous in there..”