But it was just a big fish, Ning Beichen didn't pay it any mind. Not to mention a fish, even a great white shark wouldn't scare him.
Ning Beichen threw a few punches at the big fish.
The immense power created towering waves in the water. The big fish was killed by Ning Beichen's first two punches, and with one more, its head was completely crushed, turning the clear lake water nearby red.
"Careless!"
Ning Beichen murmured in his heart.
He had been too focused on the exhilarating fight and accidentally shattered the fish's head. Its blood poured out, clouding the water and potentially attracting more predatory fish.
However, Ning Beichen wasn't too concerned. With his current strength, he could be considered the strongest in this realm. What was a mere big fish?
Even if a whale appeared before him, Ning Beichen was confident he could turn it into whale slices.
Moreover, the ancient bronze sword was strapped to his back, ready to be drawn at any moment.
Although the pressure and resistance of the water could weaken his attacks, there was a limit to that.
When one reached the pinnacle of power in this realm, such obstacles were minor inconveniences that wouldn't hinder his attacks.
However, with the water murky with blood, Ning Beichen didn't want to linger. He pushed off with his feet, like a rocket blasting fire from its tail, and surged forward.
After an unknown period, Ning Beichen arrived at a place overgrown with aquatic plants. He discovered an abandoned oxygen tank, which looked like it might belong to Old Bei and his team.
Even underwater, Ning Beichen could see in all directions. The surroundings and the path ahead entered his vision, and his mind rapidly analyzed the situation Old Bei and his team had encountered and their escape route.
Soon, Ning Beichen had a plan. Without hesitation, he squeezed through a small opening nearby.
Based on the discarded oxygen tank, he assumed Old Bei and his men had reached this point but encountered the big fish. With their abilities, they wouldn't stand a chance against it, so they must have fled.
And to escape underwater, they couldn't outpace a fish, so they could only seek places the big fish couldn't enter.
At this moment, Old Bei and his subordinates were swimming through a narrow passage.
"Captain, my oxygen is running low."
"Mine too."
"I have one spare small oxygen tank."
Old Bei checked his gauge. His oxygen was in the red warning zone, with less than three minutes before it ran out.
Yet, this narrow passage seemed bottomless; they hadn't seen any end to it.
Turning back was impossible. They could only continue forward, searching for a sliver of hope.
"Everyone, keep moving forward. If anyone falls behind, don't stop, and don't try to save them. My final order is to survive."
Old Bei gritted his teeth and said to his subordinates.
The group continued to swim desperately through the passage, looking resigned to their fate. They didn't know where the end was, nor if there was any hope at the end. All they could do was press onward!
But fate doesn't always favor mortals. Old Bei and his team joyfully discovered they had reached an end, only to find a dead end. A massive boulder blocked their path, unmovable no matter how hard Old Bei and his men pushed.
The boulder was like a mountain before them, and they were like insignificant ants trying to move it.
"Captain, I can't... I can't breathe."
"Captain, I'm going first. See you in the next life."
"Captain, I'm going too."
One by one, the subordinates gasped for air, their breathing labored, uttering their last words. They could feel their consciousness fading, their respirators empty of oxygen.
Old Bei's situation was similar. Without oxygen, a normal person can only survive for a short time. Life is fleeting.
Scenes from his life, from childhood to his days as a swimmer and then a frogman, flashed through Old Bei's mind. One scene was of him laughing and chatting with his subordinates in a small tavern.
Gradually, Old Bei lost the ability to think and felt immensely tired, longing to sleep.
Just as Old Bei and the others were about to die there, they suddenly saw a figure rush in like a bomber, creating huge splashes.
In his daze, Old Bei saw the figure reach the boulder and smash it with a single punch. Then, an immense force slammed into him, and Old Bei fainted.
However, before he lost consciousness, the image of the figure smashing the boulder was etched into his memory.
The one who smashed the boulder was Ning Beichen. His guess was correct: Old Bei and his men had indeed fled into this narrow passage to escape the big fish.
What Ning Beichen hadn't expected was how long the passage was, and that it was blocked by a boulder at the end.
So, upon reaching the end, Ning Beichen immediately blasted the boulder to pieces.
Behind the boulder was an underwater waterfall, but below it was a dry land area.
Ning Beichen carried Old Bei and the others one by one to the dry land and checked their condition. Fortunately, his timely rescue meant none of them were in mortal danger; they had only been knocked unconscious by his impact.
When Old Bei opened his eyes and woke up, his first thought was that he wasn't dead. Then, he smelled the aroma of food and saw a man's back.
He had seen this man before, on that platform, with two incredibly beautiful actresses. It seemed everyone on the platform revered him.
Before, Old Bei had assumed he was the son of some wealthy family, but he knew he was wrong. Because before he fainted, he had personally witnessed this man, whom he had called "young master," shatter that boulder with a single punch.
Yes, this young master had smashed the boulder, which had seemed as large as a mountain to them, with one punch.
This... this was not something human strength could accomplish!
"You're awake. I've prepared food, clothes, and oxygen tanks for you."
Ning Beichen didn't turn around. Old Bei's waking up couldn't escape his notice.
"Th-thank you."
Old Bei didn't know Ning Beichen's name. He only knew he was a big shot, that even Zhang Jinhong had to obey his orders.