Reincarnated In a Cthulhu World And Everyone Is Obsessed With Me - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Fishing for Fish – The lifelong faith of the former, the unintended act of the latter…

Xia Mingyu had a long and bizarre dream.

In the dream, he clearly realized he was dreaming—because it was impossible for a being to simultaneously possess the consciousness of a human and a fish. It was a lucid dream.

He was in the middle of a vast, tranquil ocean under a bright sun. He wore a blue-and-white striped sailor shirt and a fisherman’s hat, his body soaked in the salty, humid air of the sea. He was fishing. According to the dream’s logic, he was an experienced fisherman. After a patient wait, he hooked a slender sea fish.

As the hook broke the surface, the perspective shifted. Xia Mingyu became the fish.

Xia Ming-Fish’s mouth was pierced. Its gills flapped frantically, struggling against the air. It was a “scientist fish.” To be precise, it was the most successful scientist in this aquatic universe. It was young but had mastered the theory of how a fish could grow plump and beautiful. It was humble, never boastful. However, many other fish doubted its theories because while it provided the logic, the scientist fish itself remained skinny due to overwork.

When it saw the strange object suddenly appear in its universe, its curiosity got the better of it. It swam over, and then—it saw the most terrifying sight of its life.

It was hooked. It bled. It was led by this tiny, unknown thing into a brand-new universe. In this mysterious void, there was no water to sustain it. It was scorched by an intense heat, and its body felt a sensation beyond fish comprehension. Before it stood an unspeakable, colossal entity. And the colors! In the fish’s spectrum, it had never seen hues arranged in such a terrifying way!

In that instant, the scientist fish realized that the science it had studied its whole life was utterly useless in this horrifying universe.

The lucid-dreaming Xia Mingyu could easily describe the fish’s feelings: the heat was the sun, and the lack of water was dry discomfort. The fisherman Xia Mingyu looked at the scrawny fish and was dissatisfied. It was thin and shriveled—didn’t look tasty at all. He unhooked the fish and tossed it back. He decided to call it a day and go home.

Xia Ming-Fish returned to the ocean and became a “mad fish.” It tried to describe the horror to every fish it met, but lacking the vocabulary, it could only repeat words like “spine-chilling,” “eerie,” and “unnamable.” No one believed it. The proof—the hook—had vanished.

The fisherman hummed a tune as he walked home in the sea breeze, completely unaware that a casual movement of his hand had plunged a sentient being into a lifetime of chaos and madness.

…

Xia Mingyu spent a long time reflecting on the dream after he woke up. It was absurd, almost hilariously so. A fish thinking it had grasped the truth, and a bored fisherman. The lifelong faith of the former, the unintended act of the latter.

In the old days, dreams were seen as premonitions. He searched for a hidden meaning but found none. Perhaps he was just nervous about his first mission.

After joining the Spirit Guild, he and Tang Yaopeng picked a D-Class mission. Since they were “inexperienced rookies,” they adjusted two levels down from Xia Mingyu’s fake B-Class status—a safe choice. This D-Class Domain was a byproduct of a central B-Class Domain; its rules were likely derived from the same source. High-level Sentinels didn’t bother with these small “bubbles,” leaving them for rookies to earn a living.

The team was a temporary ten-person squad led by Matt, a C-Class veteran. Among them was Nuowei, a D-Class girl on her first mission, who was nervously trying to bond with the group.

For the week leading up to the mission, Xia Mingyu had undergone a “hellish” training regimen while still working his shifts at Paradise. Tang Yaopeng had tried to keep up but ended up “lying flat” and “fishing” for rest instead.

With his body now at an S-Class standard, Xia Mingyu’s training results were more than double a normal person’s. Clothed, he looked slender and delicate—a “vase” or a “dodder flower.” But shirtless, he possessed lean, fluid muscles that radiated power.

Chesapeak had sighed in the locker room, “If only you were a Sentinel.” Xia Mingyu responded by locking the door the next day.

…

At 9:00 AM, the team gathered at the Sentry Tower. Xia Mingyu and Tang Yaopeng wore Spirit Guild combat uniforms, their silver insignias shining. Everyone was there except for Nuowei.

Matt, the team leader, scrutinized Xia Mingyu. When the Guide wasn’t pretending to be a gentle diplomat, his aura was cold and sharp.

“Why are you so eager to enter a Domain?” Matt asked bluntly.

“I need the money,” Xia Mingyu replied. It was the truth, in a way.

“What’s your preferred weapon?”

“Cold weapons,” Xia Mingyu said after a pause. Swords, knives—primitive tools he had relied on in the ruins.

Matt was surprised. “People rarely rely on pure skill and physical force anymore. Do you know how to use a gun?”

Xia Mingyu shook his head with regret. “I haven’t used them much.”

Matt patted his shoulder. “Once we board the transport, I’ll show you the guild’s armory. It won’t disappoint you.”

Tang Yaopeng finally emerged, looking sleep-deprived and terrified. “Senior, what do I do? I’m so scared.”

Xia Mingyu tied his hair back with his colorful ribbon. “Think of it this way: being afraid is useless, so don’t be.”

Tang Yaopeng stared blankly.

Xia Mingyu laughed softly. “I’m teasing. I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”