Ram Scott's countenance shifted imperceptibly, his dissatisfaction apparent as he slammed in a reprimanding tone, "Pray to tell, what ails you that you failed to even grace the door with a knock?"
Odeen, devoid of any inclination to announce his presence, promptly relayed his report with palpable anxiety, "Boss, there exists an overt irregularity within the data transmitted back on the 2nd. I implore you to peruse it with utmost urgency."
What!
Could it indeed be so??
Ram Scott's visage underwent a slight transformation, hastening him to power on the computer that adorned his desk. Engaging in a flurry of keystrokes, he swiftly beheld the data received from the colossal No. 2 crocodile.
Suddenly, a flicker of concern danced across his countenance.
Undoubtedly, these data exhibited aberrations. What could have precipitated such a turn of events? Could it be that No. 2 had sustained injuries, prompting the data to fluctuate, or was there a malfunction in the biochip embedded within its cranium?
Whichever the case, it was no trifling matter.
Fast Company had expended over 10 billion US dollars and dedicated more than five years to this endeavour. Their investment aimed to realize the audacious dream of cultivating two marine behemoths, enabling them to reign supreme over the vast expanse of the ocean and ultimately bestow unimaginable wealth and prosperity upon Fast Company.
There could be no room for error!
Such ruminations dominated Ram Scott's thoughts as he swiftly issued directives to No. 2, commanding its immediate return to the secret base.
Before long, Ram Scott orchestrated a meeting with the base's middle and senior managers alongside the principal scientists, and together they embarked upon a flurry of activity.
Meanwhile, Bawang, having ventured further afield, approached the vicinity of the fabled Tonga Trench, a chasm renowned as the abyss that caresses the horizon.
The Tonga Trench lay a mere tens of nautical miles ahead.
Should it satiate its curiosity and explore its mysterious depths?
Bawang could not suppress the inquisitiveness that stirred within it.
Initially, it had skimmed the ocean's surface, submerged to a few meters. However, now it propelled itself toward the unfathomable abyss of the seabed.
With each increment in-depth, luminosity progressively waned.
Beyond the threshold of 150 meters, illumination dwindled to a mere vestige.
From 1 to 3 meters beneath the water's surface, ordinary individuals partake in recreational swimming.
Diving coral reefs thrive between depths of 20 to 30 meters.
Scuba divers training diligently immerse themselves at 40 meters.
The formidable apex predators, killer whales, roam at a depth of 60 meters.
Whale sharks, the colossal gentle giants of the sea, prefer depths of 70 meters.
In the North Pacific, giant octopuses venture forth at 100 meters.
When the current depth reaches 150 meters, a mere trace of visible light remains, amounting to a paltry one per cent of the ambient luminescence.
Oarfish gracefully glide at a depth of 200 meters.
Giant crabs scuttle along the seabed at 300 meters.
At 500 meters, blue whales, unparalleled in their enormity, plunge to the utmost depths.
Down at 828 meters lies the submerged pinnacle, the Burj Khalifa, the epitome of architectural grandeur and the tallest artificial structure on Earth.
King squids claim dominion at 900 meters.
Reaching the threshold of 1000 meters, great white sharks attain their most profound realm of activity.
Deep-sea black dragonfish claim the darkened domain at 2000 meters.
Abyssal coral reefs flourish at the profundity of 3000 meters.
The watery tomb of the Titanic descends into oblivion at 3800 meters.
The intrepid viperfish reach their maximum depth of 4000 meters, beyond which lies an uncharted world. Humankind's understanding of the depths surpassing this threshold parallels the knowledge of the moon.
The number of individuals who have plumbed these depths is fewer than those who have graced the lunar surface, rendering this realm an enigmatic abyss.
The Overlord, harbouring an ardent desire, yearned to explore this uncharted expanse.
Bawang, now weighing nearly 300 tons, contemplated the depths to which it could plunge.
What would be the limits of its submersion?
Bawang yearned to push the boundaries. The opportunity presented itself as it drew ever closer to the Tonga Trench, also known as the "Abyss of the Horizon."
Ba Dynasty pressed onward, descending into the labyrinthine seabed. Gradually, the surroundings morphed into an inky blackness devoid of any trace of light.
Within a radius of 500 meters, Overlord's perception discerned many captivating marine creatures, some of which displayed peculiar and disgusting forms.
At depths exceeding 2000 meters, Bawang reached the seabed and continued its trajectory toward the nearby Tonga Trench.
Subtly, the underwater topography inclined downward.
After traversing a considerable number of nautical miles, the decline in the gradient became more pronounced, shrinking to a mere two or three nautical miles before plunging vertically into an unfathomable abyss—a colossal trench of profound magnitude stood before Bawang.
This was the Tonga Trench.
A fathomless, benighted realm!
Would it venture forth and unravel its secrets? Indeed, Overlord harboured an indomitable spirit. Without uttering a single word, it resolutely embarked upon a leisurely sojourn into the trench, its colossal trident firmly in hand.
Upon ingress, it sensed an overwhelming immersion in an entirely new world. Within Overlord's perceptual domain, vitality gradually infused every corner, teeming with diverse marine creatures.
Among them, some stood out, boasting peculiar visages never before witnessed.
"Master, I have penetrated the Tonga Trench," Bawang reported with unbridled delight as if it had accomplished a remarkable feat.
Liu Yong promptly activated third-party vision, beholding Bawang and gaining unimpeded visual access to everything within a 1000-meter radius of the colossal creature.
The sight that met his eyes was a vast, bottomless abyss stretching boundlessly in every direction.
The unfamiliar wonders within Liu Yong's line of sight were a revelation.
"Proceed with caution, for formidable creatures may lurk here," Liu Yong cautioned.
In a prior encounter at an unnamed trench in the Indian Ocean, Bawang encountered a giant white monster fish and a colossal fish endowed with immense claws weighing 300 tons.
This was the renowned Tonga Trench, aptly dubbed the "Horizon Abyss," boasting depths surpassing 10,000 meters—an order of magnitude greater than the previously unnamed trench.
Overlord reassured, "Master, I shall exercise due diligence. I will proceed deeper to explore."
"Very well, continue your exploration," Liu Yong concurred.
Bawang persisted in its descent, and at a depth of 3000 meters, an assortment of strange marine creatures of varying sizes greeted its perceptive senses.
Within Overlord's purview, several formidable entities emerged—ghost-haired jellyfish. These behemoths boasted umbrella-like structures measuring up to 15 meters in diameter, with tentacles extending nearly 200 meters.
They were colossal creatures, yet they posed no threat to the indomitable Overlord.
The present-day Bawang had evolved significantly since its initial encounter with the ghost jellyfish, having grown to a prodigious mass approaching 300 tons.
Of course, Overlord had no intention of provoking these creatures, opting to traverse the depths leisurely.
4000 meters!
Bawang reached a depth of 4000 meters, beginning to feel the mounting pressure exerted by the seawater.
Nonetheless, it believed it could descend a few hundred meters further, perhaps even pushing the boundary by a thousand meters.
Descending into the Tonga Trench, one of Bawang's objectives was to ascertain its limits of submersion.
It pressed onward.
Slowly but surely, Bawang's depth surpassed 4500 meters, persisting deeper. As it neared the 5000-meter mark, it halted abruptly, compelled by an overwhelming pressure that made further descent untenable.
At this depth, Overlord could no longer withstand the immense pressure. Simultaneously, it stumbled upon an unprecedentedly colossal marine creature—an unseen enigma.
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