Chapter 252. Drowning
Clang!
Charles forcefully plunged his Dark Blade into the wall. But before he could pull it out, a sharp hiss sounded, and a white stream of water hit his body.
Under the immense water pressure, the water jet was like a sharp knife as it pierced through Charles' clothes and skin, burrowing into his body.
With a low growl, Charles sidestepped to avoid the water's path of attack. He had only been subjected to the water jet for a mere second, but it had already left a gash on his left shoulder that was bleeding profusely.
Unfortunately, time was a luxury Charles couldn't afford. Seeing that the gap was still spewing water jets, he hurriedly donned his diving suit. If there was seawater coming out from within, it meant that Door 7 was connected to the outside world. He needed to be ready before the water level rose in this place.
The white water column sprayed fiercely; it didn't take long before the space they were in was rapidly filled with seawater. When the pressure in the confined space was equivalent to that outside, water finally ceased spraying from the crack.
Charles brandished his Dark Blade and flesh revolver once again and started to pry open the door. By now, he had become adept at dealing with these metallic doors.
He accurately located the latch and swiftly dislodged it. However, the moment the door swung open, the sight that greeted him left him momentarily stunned.
The space behind the door was not a room but a giant hole. He swam through the passageway and looked up. He could vaguely make out the blurry outlines of decayed skyscrapers. They were out of the building.
It seemed as though something had carved out a massive tunnel, and its edges encompassed the hidden Door 7, hence tearing it apart in the process.
So, in that case, 319 should be... Charles slowly lowered his gaze toward the pitch-black abyss below.
With his night vision, he could faintly see something gigantic moving underneath.
As Charles fell into hesitation if he should descend into the massive void, a sudden "bang!" in the dark waters sent a tremble through him.
Drip!
A droplet of water through the glass crack of his visor and onto his face.
"The suit can't hold up any longer! I must get up now!" Charles gestured to Feuerbach in a wild frenzy.
Feuerbach had also noticed the crack in Charles' visor and knew he had to respond with utmost urgency. He acted swiftly to direct his sharks to carry Charles upward.
But Charles had barely started to ascend when he felt an intense, burning pain coursing through his entire body as though he was engulfed in flames.
A thought crossed his mind, and his gaze darted to the wall to see the Wailing Graffiti standing there with its sewn-shut, sunken eyes fixed on him.
A black marker pen floated toward Charles as though it was trying to hint at something.
Staring at the branching of the cracks in his visor, Charles hurriedly grabbed the pen and scribbled on the wall.
Attach to me! I'll bring you up!
Charles then turned his gaze onto where the graffiti was and found that it had vanished. He didn't dare to delay further and kicked his legs vigorously to propel himself upward.
With Charles on its back, a red shark swiftly darted toward the surface. At this point, Charles couldn't care less about some decompression sickness; he had to survive.
Bang!
A sharp pain hit Charles in his face, and his heart instantly clenched together in terror. The visor had shattered, and water was flooding in.
The pressurized seawater poured through the breach and rapidly filled Charles' headgear. It didn't take long for water to fill up the headgear, but the resulting consequences were much worse. The converging pressure from all directions forced water relentlessly into his every orifice.
Even when Charles tried to hold his breath, the water's pressure easily breached his defenses to flow into his nostrils. Soon, Charles' stomach and lungs were filled with seawater. He felt his consciousness started to fade out. Beside him, Feuerbach was desperately shaking him, but to no avail.
Seeing that his captain had turned motionless, a mix of anxiety and panic painted Feuerbach's countenance. He urged his sharks to move even faster.
The pressure gradually decreased, and they finally reached the water's surface.
Holding the ashen-faced Charles, Feuerbach rushed onto the deck.
"Doctor! Crew, hurry!" The captain's inhaled too much water!"
The Narwhale crew swarmed onto the deck in response to Feuerbach's urgent cries.
A heavy anxiety weighed down in the air as they watched Laesto pressing on their captain's chest.
Yet, even after several minutes, Charles' lips were still a purplish hue, and he remained responsive on the ground like a lifeless corpse. Nearby, Lily was already in tears.
"Stop crying for fucking sake! He won't die under my watch!"
Laesto then injected a bottle of yellow liquid into Charles's body. His next action startled every onlooker.
Charles' Dark Blade had appeared in Laesto's hand. He plunged it directly into Charles' chest, twisted it and pried out a rib bone.
Before blood could spray out, Laesto plunged his prosthetic limb through the incision and grabbed Charles' heart, squeezing it with a set rhythm.
One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Finally, with a cough, Charles turned to his side and regurgitated mouthful after mouthful of seawater.
At this sight, a faint smile appeared on Laesto's hideous face. "Quick, carry him to my medical room. I need to put his rib back."
In the medical room filled with various strange odors, Laesto slumped into a chair. He panted heavily from the exhaustion of completing an intense surgery. This kind of rigorous operation was taxing for someone of his age.
"This heart resuscitation method should only be used in extreme cases. Treating the infections later on would be very tricky," Laesto said slowly while Linda took notes beside him.
"Thank you," Charles said in a weak voice as he placed a hand over his wound. "I wouldn't have made it through without you."
Laesto couldn't even be bothered to spare Charles a glance. He knew well enough that nothing good ever came from the young lad's adventures.
Charles wanted to put on a grateful smile, but the tugging of his skin induced a sharp pain in his chest, and he winced instead.
"Enough. Just keep quiet. Lie down and rest."
Charles gestured with a wave of his hand. "No, I wanted to say that I found what you need down there."
Soon after, Feuerbach entered the medical room with the three tablets in his hands.
Laesto's hands trembled as they reached out to touch the cold steel. His facial scars quivered, seemingly unsure of how to react.
"Doctor, some of my sharks are also seriously injured. Since you have finished treating the captain, I'll bring them over for you to have a look," Feuerbach said and headed toward the door.
But just as Feuerbach's fingers landed on the door handle, Charles' eyes suddenly widened in shock. He didn't know when it had happened, but a red glow had appeared above the door.
"Stop! Don't move!" Charles called out abruptly and startled Feuerbach.
"Huh?" Feuerbach turned around in confusion. His hand followed his inertia, and the door behind him swung open.
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