Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1839: Tilted Light Fish

"Is... is this actually possible?"

Watching the marine creatures ahead flip belly-up one after another, Shi Kangbu felt as though every bit of common sense he had gathered over his long life was being systematically demolished.

The hunting ground selected by Ye Zhongming, Jie Kui, and himself was a peculiar stretch of ocean. It was encircled by four small islands. Had the water been drained, one would see that these islands were actually the four peaks of a submerged, dormant volcano. They were interconnected, with only a few rock tunnels—roughly a meter wide and ten meters deep—linking the interior to the open sea.

This location functioned like a world apart, serving as a secluded sanctuary for various small forms of marine life.

Over time, a specific type of mutated life had flourished here. They possessed high-level energy but lacked significant offensive capabilities. Feeding on mutated sea plants, they weren't as formidable as predators that hunted large prey, yet they excelled due to their compact size and low energy needs. Consequently, their evolutionary progress was remarkably fast.

Naturally, as top-tier beings lacking raw power, they possessed other survival advantages. For these creatures, their primary strength was speed—not merely fast, but blindingly so.

Their name was derived from this very trait.

The Tilted Light Fish.

Ye Zhongming had stumbled upon this location by pure chance. During his previous healing period, when Hawkins and the others were struggling to track him through the waves, he had cautiously searched for a hiding spot. He had wandered into this area and found these high-level, lightning-fast creatures living in schools.

Occasionally, Ye Zhongming wondered how a planet with so little life remaining could sustain so many top-level beings. The events of the Blue Secret Realm were still vivid in his mind. Surely, the energy ripples from so many powerful entities would eventually damage the planet's very core?

Perhaps this world was already destined for abandonment, so such consequences no longer mattered.

As for Earth, it was likely still in its "prime," meaning it could withstand the presence of many top-level lives as long as they didn't all exert their full power simultaneously.

Regarding the Tilted Light Fish, Ye Zhongming had spent time observing them during his last recovery cycle. Because their environment was so safe, the fish within the four islands were incredibly lethargic. They spent their time gathered in clusters, suspended in the water, looking as though they were either napping or pondering the meaning of existence.

If they sensed an intruder, they would bolt. Only when cornered would they strike—using their incredible velocity to ram their foe.

Given the sturdy body of a top-level life combined with that terrifying speed, being hit by one was excruciating. If Ye Zhongming, Jie Kui, and Shi Kangbu tried to fight them traditionally, they would first have to trap them in a confined space. Otherwise, they would be left chasing shadows. Furthermore, if the school attacked in unison, they could potentially kill the three men.

There was no avoiding the danger; there were over fifty of them. In under thirty seconds, they could reduce the trio to a pulp through sheer momentum.

This lethality was why these high-level lives had survived for so long.

However, once Ye Zhongming set his sights on a target, escape was nearly impossible. He had gathered specific materials and made these fish his primary objective for the first day of the hunt.

His strategy was quite basic: poison.

He utilized the toxin he practiced for his Double Poison Shadow technique. While not instantly fatal to top-level beings, it was highly transmissible and acted with great speed.

Of course, the poison couldn't be deployed haphazardly. At most, it would only daze these creatures for a second. Furthermore, mental energy attacks were less effective underwater. Even if the trio managed to kill a few during that brief window of disorientation, the remaining Tilted Light Fish would have retaliated by smashing them to bits.

He employed the same "framing" tactic he had once used against the Cloud Hoof on Earth.

This time, however, the execution was far more sophisticated.

First, Ye Zhongming gathered the specific vegetation these fish craved. Discovering that his Gardener job could accelerate its growth, he infused the plants with toxin and replanted them, creating a lush, poisoned patch. He then meticulously removed all the natural, non-toxic plants from the vicinity.

The preparation alone was time-consuming. He also had to stay alert in case the fish decided to feed early. Even though they were herbivores, they would fight to the death if they caught him "tampering" with their food source.

Luckily, fortune favored him. By the time he finished, the school was still resting lazily in their "home."

Then, they waited.

Their luck held out. About an hour later, the school began its foraging run.

Seeing these creatures for the first time, Jie Kui and Shi Kangbu were stunned by their velocity. It didn't look like swimming; it looked like they were teleporting through the water.

Top-level lives weren't easily tricked. Even though Ye Zhongming had made the poisoned patch look as natural as possible, the fish sensed something was off.

They couldn't identify the threat, but they were instinctively cautious. Instead of eating immediately, they circled the area. After finding no hidden enemies, they began to nibble. Even then, they remained wary and only consumed a small amount before retreating.

The trio followed them back to the volcanic basin. Ten minutes later, they witnessed the scene described before: the Tilted Light Fish began flipping over one by one. They weren't dead, but they were completely incapacitated by the poison.

Knowing this window of opportunity was brief, the three rushed in. They moved with lethal efficiency, harvesting the level-nine lives. The distribution was lopsided: Ye Zhongming took the majority, followed by Jie Kui, while Shi Kangbu claimed only five.

Shi Kangbu wasn't complaining, though. Gaining over twenty points for almost no effort felt like picking up money off the street.

Jie Kui took ten fish, earning over fifty points. The remaining forty-odd fish belonged to Ye Zhongming, causing his score to skyrocket by nearly two hundred points instantly.

This single haul almost matched his total score from the previous cycle.

The entire process had taken seven or eight hours, but the rewards were immense. Beyond the points, Ye Zhongming claimed all the level-nine demon crystals and materials. They also processed the fish meat into stew and jerky, securing rations for nearly a week.

“What’s the plan now?” Jie Kui asked, his hunger for hunting fully awakened. At this rate, he could net three hundred points in three days and potentially break into the top thousand rankings.

“We rest.”

Both Jie Kui and Shi Kangbu were baffled. They glanced at the sky; the sun was still high.

“We will rest for one hour to recover our strength. Tonight’s target will require a full-scale assault!”