After a short rest for a night, Ino said goodbye to Sazo who was hesitant to say anything, left the Broken Ice Port, and continued northward along the coastline.
We have entered the core area of the Avarosa tribe, and the distance between the various strongholds is no longer that far. If the conversation goes smoothly, the intelligence team can reach the next stop before dark the next day: the freezing tide.
port.
The name of Frozen Tide Harbor comes from the unique freezing tide phenomenon nearby.
This is the end of the remaining veins of the Feilong Mountains. The remaining veins extending into the sea hinder the circulation of ocean currents, making the waves here all year round.
Once winter arrives, Anivia blows along the Feilong Mountains, and the roaring waves will freeze in a short time, eventually forming layers of frozen giant waves - the name of Frozen Tide Harbor is derived from these cliffs.
The freezing tide came in huge waves.
Here, Ino doesn't have to bother looking for the coastline, he just needs to follow the freezing tide.
It was originally a very peaceful journey. The intelligence team had sufficient supplies and everyone was obviously in good spirits. However, it seemed that due to the excessive supplies, the intelligence team walking not far from the freezing tide quickly attracted the attention of some predators.
……………………
Seaworms are the top predators in the Freljordian oceans.
They have bloated worm-like bodies, keen touch receptors, compound eyes that can open and close underwater, and ring-shaped mouthparts full of sharp teeth. Any prey they are eyeing, as long as it is bitten, will
It’s not just as simple as peeling off a layer of skin.
At least half of your body will be lost!
The ice sea worms that live in cold shallow waters are the smallest members of the sea worm family of predators.
Although compared to the body of the Soul-eating Sea Worm, which can easily reach hundreds of feet, the Ice Sea Worm's body is only thirty or fifty feet, and can perhaps only be described as mini.
However, even so, ice sea worms are still one of the most dangerous sea worms, because they are the smartest among all sea worms.
Unlike other sea worms that rely on the instinct of beasts to wait and wait in the tunnels dug by their ring-shaped mouthparts, ice sea worms not only ambush, but also track, intimidate and even lay traps.
These cunning guys will forage alone when there is plenty of food, but they will move in groups after winter. Under the ice caps near the coast, they will stick their fat bodies tightly to the ice.
Use sensitive tentacles to sense the smallest vibrations on the ice.
In order to capture prey, these swarms of ice worms will gnaw at the ice under the ice sheet, deliberately creating weak spots in the ice. Once prey walks onto the trap, they will suddenly break through the ice and devour the prey.
.
Although looking at the entire Freljord, most of the ice sea worm's food is large animals such as wild Ernuk and Yukar. Humans are not its main prey, but the traps of these hunters and their terrifying mouthparts,
When the Freljordians still mentioned the Ice Sea Worm, their voices were full of fear and even awe.
Even if not as many Freljordians died in the mouth of the Ice Sea Worm as those who were gored to death by Ernuk, anyone who sees this terrifying animal can't help but feel terrified.
This winter, the ice worms in the West Freljord Sea are having a particularly hard time.
The war between Avarosa and Winter's Claw not only affected the human situation in Freljord, but also affected the natural environment near Frostport.
Avarosa, with its strong walls and clear wilderness, drove all the wild Yukal and Ernuk elsewhere, away from the coast, to prevent them from becoming prey supplies for Winter's Claws.
As a result, Winter's Claw ran out of food, and the Ice Sea Worms began to starve.
Without these large prey, the ice sea worms lurking under the ice have become hungry.
Although there are still prey such as walruses, seals, and wild boars, the shortfall caused by the sharp decline in the numbers of Yukar and Enuk cannot be made up for by other foods.
Even ice sea worms can fish, but their body structure destined these predators to be better at ambushing enemies on the ice and on the water. The efficiency of fishing is too low to provide them with sufficient food.
of energy.
Under this situation, the ice sea worms gathered together could only control the thickness of the ice layer while relying on fish to maintain their lives, waiting for a group of destined people - it was at this time that the group led by Ino
The intelligence team left the Broken Ice Port and meandered towards the Frozen Tide Port.
Coincidentally, in recent days, the situation has been extremely dramatic. In order to avoid the direct cold wind, the intelligence team chose to move close to the freezing tide that surged like a cliff.
More than forty people pulled sleds on the snow-covered ice. Under the ice, the hungry ice worms finally found their new prey.
Very light footsteps, not the most familiar large prey, probably a two-legged beast.
The cunning ice sea worms don't like two-legged beasts. They may be difficult to deal with, or they may be weak, but no matter whether they are strong or weak, they don't have much meat.
Normally, large-scale swarms of ice sea worms would not choose to hunt the same swarm of two-legged beasts.
But now, the ice sea worms are starving.
They have no choice.
Although they were extremely hungry, the ice sea worms lurking under the ice still maintained their patience. They twisted their round and fat bodies and patiently followed the intelligence team along the weak spots in the ice that they had chewed out.
.
Although there is no sunlight underwater, the ice sea worms have the ability to judge time freely. For two-legged beasts, they usually choose to attack at sunrise and sunset - this is when the two-legged beasts eat.
And just as it had happened countless times in the past, at sunset, the Twolegs stopped.
Under the white ice, ice sea worms stand upright like hairtail fish. They use the most sensitive tentacles around their ring-shaped mouthparts to sense the activities on the ice. They do not need any communication or communication. They quickly judge.
Out of range of prey.
As if someone had issued an order silently, these ice sea insects suddenly shrank their necks, and then all raised their heads.
The ice that had been chewed was broken by this concerted attack. The moment their heads surfaced, the ice sea worms opened their eyes covered with transparent eyelids and opened the ring-shaped eyes.
The mouthparts are opened to the maximum, intending to swallow all the prey in one bite.
Then, they nibbled on a mouthful of ice.
Where they judged there was "prey", there was actually no prey at all. What was sliding and rubbing on the ground was just a pile of temporarily shaped ice cubes, while their real prey had long since been quietly moved.
They arrived at the place where they were now standing on a thick layer of ice, ready for battle.
The ice sea worms that had taken a bite of the ice were already starving. They had little patience. At this time, they finally could no longer suppress their hungry biological instincts. This time, they did not cautiously retract underwater and wait for opportunities.
, but chose to twist his huge and fat body, opened his mouth again condescendingly, and bit the two-legged beasts gathered together.
Unfortunately, the two-legged beast they chose this time was not an ordinary two-legged beast.
Although they did not carry heavy weapons, the ice elements had already begun to gather when the ice sea worms probed.
The ice elemental mages in Group 11 have not received professional combat training and have some good magic control, but they cannot be of much help in real tight battles.
But it doesn't matter. As early as when he arrived at the Port of Boreal and encountered a group of ice trolls, Ino had already found a way to cooperate with them - just like the rookie mages in Zaun.
Not enough, but at least it has magic!
The ice elemental mages build an ice wall to protect themselves, and at the same time create an ice puppet and give it to Ino to use. This is the greatest help they provide in the battle!
It was through this method that Ino successfully eliminated a small group of ice troll marauding troops and saved a batch of ice troll teeth that were used to buy pickled fish meat.
But now, facing the ice sea worms, this trick is still useful.
Thick ice walls rose from the ground, and although the ice sea worms that moved suddenly were powerful, they were unable to break through the defense with one blow.
At the same time, a twenty-foot-tall ice statue quickly took shape. This statue, made by ice element magic, is naturally active with ice elements and is the most primitive puppet. Under the control of Ino, this statue
Zunbing Puppet grabbed a long sword and cut off the head of an ice sea worm in front of him while it was lowering its head to bite it.
The insect body that had lost its head twisted and fell into the sea water, dyeing the sea water that had just been frozen with a thin layer of ice red. The ice sea insect's head fell on the ice, and its ring-shaped mouthparts opened again.
, as if there is something to chew on.
Then, it was pierced by an ice thorn growing from the ice, and finally it became motionless again.
Seeing this situation, several other ice sea worms dived into the water without hesitation. The next moment, a thick red color surged up from the water. Only then did Ino realize that those ice sea worms that suddenly dived might not be feeling...
In danger, they are cannibalizing themselves.
This discovery made Ino almost want to shudder.
It was obvious that when they came out together, they were quite cooperative in hunting. Why did they start fighting among themselves and eat the corpses of the same kind after cutting off one of their heads?
Behind Ino, although the group of warriors did not see the full picture of the battle just now, after seeing the color of the water, their expressions were a little subtle.
What happened is not difficult to guess.
"Let's go, let's choose a place with thicker ice. We've had a hard time today." Seeing that the ice cave opened by the ice sea worms was unresponsive, Ino simply canceled his rest plan for tonight, "Freir
The wilderness of Zhuode is too dangerous, we should reach Ningshuang Port as quickly as possible!"
The greatly stimulated mages quickly packed their bags and sleds, and started moving at full speed at a place far away from the freezing tide, striving to reach Ningshuang Port tomorrow!
Then, before the sky had completely darkened, Ino and his party, who were traveling along the coast, encountered another group of people holding torches and weapons, facing the Archon's team, coming from the north.
"Who?" At the front of the team, a woman holding a bow and arrow asked loudly, "This coast is very dangerous, get out of here quickly!"
"Who are you?" Ino also stood in front of the team, "I want to go to Ningshuang Port to visit Ai Xi, so of course I have to go along the coast!"
"Visiting Ai Xi?" After receiving Ino's answer, the other party was obviously stunned, "You are looking for me?"