Tomb raider: You're going to extract my alien bloodline?

Chapter 22 Alienation

As soon as Qin Yuan stepped onto the slippery, decaying deck of the ghost ship, he saw Wu Xie and A Ning struggling to climb out of the water. However, the weathered wooden plank beneath them, after bearing the weight of the two of them and years of seawater corrosion, finally gave way and cracked with a crisp sound.

"ah--!"

"ah--!"

Two exclamations rang out almost simultaneously as Wu Xie and A Ning instantly fell through the hole and disappeared below the deck.

Qin Yuan's heart tightened, and he was about to rush over to help when an extremely strong throbbing sensation from the depths of his blood suddenly came from the depths of the cabin on his left side!

It was an indescribable attraction, as if something was calling to him, resonating strongly with the alien blood within him! This feeling was so clear and urgent that it even overwhelmed his worries about Wu Xie and Aning's safety.

At the same time, he felt a tingling and swelling in his fingertips. Looking down, he was shocked to find that his fingernails were uncontrollably growing longer and sharper, with the tips gleaming with a cold, obsidian-like metallic luster! A more primal and violent power was stirring in his veins.

"What's going on?!" Qin Yuan was shocked. This was clearly an unexpected turn of events not mentioned in the original story! What on this dilapidated ship was attracting him?

He quickly weighed the options in his mind. While the sea monkeys were dangerous, the current sense of crisis he felt wasn't too strong, and they wouldn't appear here immediately. Wu Xie and A Ning should be out of immediate danger, at most a little frightened, but this force drawing him in… this chance might only come once!

"Damn it!" Qin Yuan gritted his teeth and made a decision. He glanced deeply at the direction where Wu Xie and A Ning had fallen, and whispered, "Hold on, I'll be right back!"

Having said that, he no longer hesitated and, following that strong bloodline connection, sprinted towards the depths of the cabin! He was extremely fast, his footsteps landing lightly on the rotten wooden planks. His enhanced body and nascent combat instincts allowed him to move freely even in this harsh environment.

The deeper he went into the ship's cabin, the stronger the attraction became, and the more pronounced the restlessness in his blood became. He could even feel his pupils slightly contracting and deforming, and a cold, metallic luster beginning to appear at the edges of his vision. The surrounding darkness no longer seemed so intense to him—a sign of his vision transforming into that of an alien!

Finally, he stopped in front of a half-open hatch with a rusted lock. The source of that surging passion was inside!

"Squeak—" He pushed open the dilapidated wooden door.

The cabin was a mess, littered with broken furniture and miscellaneous items, and filled with a strong smell of mildew and the sea. In the corner of the room, beneath a pile of tattered canvas, a dark, neither gold nor stone gleamed faintly.

Qin Yuan's heart raced uncontrollably as he walked over and lifted the canvas.

Beneath it lay a roughly palm-sized, irregularly shaped metal fragment, its surface a dull bronze color, yet faintly shimmering with some eerie aura of energy. It lay there silently, seemingly the very core of the ghost ship's chilling energy!

[Ding! High-purity extraterrestrial energy source detected—a fragment of meteorite copper! This energy has a high compatibility with the host's alien bloodline!]

[System prompt: Absorb this energy immediately to strengthen bloodline control and unlock initial mutation abilities?]

The system notification sounded promptly, confirming Qin Yuan's guess.

"Absorb!" Qin Yuan gave the order without hesitation.

In an instant, the fragment of meteorite copper seemed to come alive, transforming into a dark stream of energy that surged into Qin Yuan's body as if it were alive!

This energy was cold and pure, carrying a sense of desolation and antiquity from the deep universe, and it merged perfectly with the alien bloodline originating from outer space within his body!

"Ugh..." Qin Yuan couldn't help but let out a low growl, feeling every cell in his body cheering and transforming! That previously restless and uncontrollable corrosive energy now seemed to be reined in, becoming docile and obedient. At the same time, his control over his body reached a new level!

[Energy absorption complete! Host's control over alien bloodline greatly enhanced!]

[Unlock Ability: Basic Alienation!]

[Effects: Allows for controlled localized body mutation on a small scale. In this mutated state, the eyes gain excellent night vision, enabling vision in complete darkness; fingernails can mutate into sharp blades, harder than steel, and can selectively acquire corrosive properties; hands and feet generate special adhesive forces, ignoring gravity and allowing climbing of most terrains; the body's regenerative abilities are slightly enhanced.]

Feeling the surging new life force within him and the clear, controllable sensation of transformation, Qin Yuan was overjoyed. With a slight thought, his pupils returned to normal, then contracted again, transforming back into vertical pupils like those of a cold-blooded animal.

The unusual changes that had just been triggered could now be controlled at will. After the transformation, the previously dimly lit cabin suddenly became crystal clear, with every detail visible in the smallest detail!

With another wave of his hand, his ten fingers extended, revealing sharp claws that gleamed with a cold metallic light. They lightly sliced ​​across the bulkhead beside him, leaving several deep marks as easily as cutting tofu, accompanied by a hissing sound of corrosion at the edges.

Just then—

"Help!!!"

Wu Xie's terrified screams faintly came from below the cabin, mixed with a chilling roar like the cry of a night owl!

Sea monkeys have emerged!

Qin Yuan's eyes narrowed, and he instantly reverted to his mutated state, his figure flashing like lightning as he shot off in the direction from which the sound came!

Following the sound, he quickly found a hole leading to the lower deck and jumped down without hesitation.

The lower deck was even darker and damper, with water up to ankle-deep. Wu Xie was clinging to a broken mast in a disheveled state, his face as pale as paper. Not far in front of him, a hideous monster, resembling both human and ape, covered in slippery scales, with sharp claws and a mouthful of fangs, was approaching step by step, emitting threatening growls!

Behind Wu Xie, A Ning lay in the floodwater, seemingly unconscious.

Seeing another living person appear, the sea monkey roared, abandoned Wuxie, and pounced on Qin Yuan! Its speed was so great that it created a stench!

In the past, Qin Yuan might have had to go through some trouble, but now...

Qin Yuan's eyes were icy cold. He neither flinched nor dodged. Just as the sea monkey's sharp claws were about to grab his face, his right hand suddenly shot out! His five fingers transformed in an instant, long and sharp nails popped out, and a faint layer of blood lingered around the fingertips!

"Whoosh!"

A flash of cold light!

With a heart-wrenching scream from the sea monkey, its thick, scaly forelimb was severed at the elbow by Qin Yuan as easily as slicing a cucumber, blood spurting out and landing on the puddles and wooden planks.

The pain of losing its arm drove the sea monkey completely mad. Its scarlet eyes glared venomously at Qin Yuan, then it suddenly turned around and slammed its massive body into the already fragile bulkhead next to it!

With a deafening crash, the wooden planks shattered, leaving a gaping hole. Without hesitation, the sea monkey leaped into the turbulent, dark ocean outside and vanished from sight.

Having dealt with the sea monkeys, Qin Yuan immediately checked on Wu Xie and A Ning. Wu Xie was simply too frightened and somewhat exhausted, while A Ning had been knocked unconscious from a head injury, but her breathing was steady.

Just then, the cabin was ripped open by the sea monkey, and seawater began to rush in violently. The ship groaned unsettlingly and tilted more and more.

"The ship is sinking! Run!" Qin Yuan shouted to Wu Xie, while simultaneously hoisting the unconscious A Ning onto his shoulder.

He was the first to leap out of the hole, using both hands and feet. Although his mutated abilities weren't fully displayed, his enhanced climbing power allowed him to scale the sloping deck like a nimble cat in just a few moments. Then he lowered the rope, secured Wu Xie to himself, and pulled him up.

The wind and rain continued to rage, but on the opposite fishing boat, Zhang the Bald held the captain firmly, ensuring the ropes were secure. Seeing Qin Yuan safely return to the deck with the two men, his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, flickered slightly.

Qin Yuan didn't delay any longer. He tied A Ning up with a rope, signaled the other side to pull her over, and then together with Wu Xie, they struggled back to the fishing boat along the rope that was swaying in the wind and waves.

As soon as he stepped onto the deck, Wu Xie collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his eyes filled with lingering fear and gratitude as he looked at Qin Yuan.

Baldy Zhang released the boat captain, resuming his terrified state, muttering, "Too dangerous! Too dangerous!"

Qin Yuan silently felt the new power settling within his body, watching the ghost ship gradually sinking in the storm in the distance. He felt a surge of excitement; this gain far exceeded his expectations.