Global Survival: I Got the D-Rank Personnel Simulator

Deep Inside the Pipeline

The small white wooden boat was pushed by the current deeper into the pipeline, Lin Ye occasionally using the oar to adjust the boat’s direction.

The inner wall of the pipeline emitted a soft white glow, illuminating every corner inside.

After the little boat sailed forward for a while, Lin Ye suddenly heard a faint rumbling sound from the distance.

As the boat moved forward, that sound gradually grew louder.

”Shit, something’s wrong up ahead.”

Lin Ye began inspecting the surroundings, searching for a place they could use to leave the waterway.

”A waterfall up ahead?!”

Colt noticed the noise as well.

”Hmm, if we get swept over, we’re done for.”Lin Ye rowed while maintaining balance, guiding the little boat toward the edge of the channel.

There were some protruding structures of unknown function on the curved wall of the pipeline. Although a bit away from the waterway, they weren’t completely unclimbable.

”There’s a platform over there!”

Colt pointed to the front-left and shouted.

”I see it.”

Lin Ye fashioned a lasso from the rope, then began swinging it.

The small boat quickly drew near the platform. Lin Ye timed it perfectly and threw the lasso at a protruding corner of the platform.

The lasso hooked precisely onto that protrusion, the knot tightened, and it was secured to the protrusion.

The other three helped Lin Ye steady the small boat. Thankfully the current wasn’t too fast, or they might have capsized the little craft.

”You guys climb up first, I’ll hold the boat steady.”

The platform was more than twenty meters above the waterway. Lin Ye could climb up, but the others might have trouble.

”I can carry one person up.”

Colt hoisted Wen Luo onto his back and climbed up to the platform bit by bit.

Seeing the two of them make it up safely, Lin Ye carried Ephesus on his back, released the small boat, and climbed along the rope to the platform.

”What do we do now? Without that boat, we can’t get out.”

Colt watched the small boat being pushed toward the waterfall by the current until it vanished from sight.

”Even if we had that boat, we still couldn’t row back out. Let’s go check ahead first.”

Lin Ye led the way. The platform stretched to the area above the waterfall, with some narrow passages in between.

At the end of the pipeline there appeared to be a larger vertical pipe, into which all the seawater was flowing.

They soon approached the top of the waterfall. This area was filled with mist and the roar of tumbling water.

”...What is that?”

Wen Luo peered below with a bewildered expression.

Seawater flowed into the upright, gray-white giant pipe. Dozens of huge pipes similar to theirs connected into the giant pipe; some were injecting liquids of different colors into it, while others had completely broken down.

Inside the vertical pipe was a pool of pitch-black liquid, and within that liquid there was something... a ”thing.”

Lin Ye pushed the three behind him. He could not observe the appearance of that ”thing” in the water, nor could he comprehend what it was.

Even if he stared at it and even if he could think normally, he couldn’t probe that which exceeded common reason.

”You finally came.”

A young man’s voice sounded behind Lin Ye. He tried to turn and check, but he couldn’t control his body; he was still immersed in that ”thing” and could not return to normal.

”How pathetic. Even someone as naturally gifted as you cannot have even the slightest contact with a true anomaly. That is the limitation of mere mortals.”

The voice moved close behind Lin Ye; he could even hear the other’s breathing.

”I actually don’t have much talent. I’m just better at repetitive tasks. That’s as far as I go.”

Lin Ye plunged the radiation-laced kitchen knife into the man’s body, then turned and drew his pistol, firing a shot that blew the man’s head apart.

”...You adapted so quickly? Remarkable. If this can’t be called talent, then nothing can.”

Flesh reknitted itself. A man wearing a black mask and an entire black suit stood before Lin Ye.

”After all, I’ve been exposed several times. You develop some resistance. Thanks to the deep well substance you provided.

But this is a bit cheating, isn’t it? I can’t use spiritual energy or mental energy here.”

Lin Ye retrieved the sniper rifle from behind the prone Colt.

”I can’t use spiritual energy or mental energy either, otherwise I wouldn’t be waiting here.”

Ebertel glanced at the Little Treant perched on Lin Ye’s shoulder, but didn’t rush to attack.

”Are you a Controller? But I don’t sense the rule power.”

Lin Ye attempted to use rule power, but there wasn’t even spiritual energy here; he didn’t know how to employ rule power.

”According to the system’s evaluation hierarchy, I should be at a near-god rank, the level above Controllers.”

Ebertel answered with a smile.

”You really won’t leave quietly. Last time it was Controllers, this time near-god. Next time are you going to send a deity?”

Lin Ye sighed. The rank jumps were too abrupt—if he had known, he wouldn’t have joined that Fishing Competition.

And it was supposed to be Mia who went to handle the Storage Point, yet it all ended up on his head.

Wasn’t he just doing a simple guide duty?

”Of course not, because you will die here.

If you knew where this place really is, you wouldn’t be so calm.”

Ebertel showed no hurry to act.

”An Unstable Zone, so this place isn’t under system control?”

Lin Ye didn’t move either. He was grateful Ebertel hadn’t sent a deity directly; otherwise this time he might not escape.

”Exactly; I can do whatever I please to you here, and you can’t even use your most basic powers. That is the weakness of system Survivors: without spiritual energy, you can do nothing.”

Ebertel produced a cage from his bosom. Inside the cage were three tiny people.

”Those are the ones you were looking for? The ones you brought in?”

Lin Ye looked at Ebertel calmly and asked.

It was this bastard who had led him into this place. Otherwise he could have resolved this Exploration Mission at the chasm entrance.

”Yes. Information interacts, and by linking information I can lure you here. I planned to try several times, but I succeeded on the first attempt.

You were too arrogant—that’s the common flaw of the strong.”

Ebertel had hunted many strong individuals like Lin Ye, and wasn’t surprised.

”Arrogant? You know, when I was an ordinary person, I encountered fools all the time. I never corrected fools’ behavior because it was none of my business, but I would reflect on whether I might do the same stupid things.

Don’t you think you’re arrogant? How dare you not send a deity to deal with me?

You really underestimated me.”

Lin Ye spoke in a very calm tone.