[ " Furious! " ]
After carefully listening to the report, Mulatu forcefully shattered a delicate, exquisite cup into countless shards, his heart boiling angrily. He had never anticipated that a meticulously planned operation would end up in such a disastrous manner.
Four speedboats and over 20 highly skilled individuals—all gone.
-Wiped out!
[ " Can someone explain to me what in the world happened? " ] Mulatu bellowed, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief.
The people surrounding him trembled in fear, avoiding any movement that could potentially attract trouble.
After a moment, one daring leader spoke up, [ " Boss, based on our intelligence, another vessel belonging to the Global Shipping Group is scheduled to pass through the Gulf of Aden in two days. We could seize this opportunity to hijack the ship. " ]
The leader then proposed a plan demanding a ransom of 100 million dollars from the Global Shipping Group. But quickly realizing the gravity of the situation, the leader revised the amount to 200 million dollars.
Mulatu clenched his jaw tightly and declared, [ " No, 200 million dollars is far too meagre. I want 1 billion dollars, and I want to recover every single dollar that the Melka organization intends to leave with. " ]
-One billion dollars!
The other leaders stood there dumbfounded, momentarily shocked by their leader's audacity. But amidst their astonishment, a sense of determination emerged within them. They were prepared to make another attempt, no matter the risks involved.
Two days later, the notorious group hijacked a massive bulk carrier named [[ " Shitai " ]] from the esteemed Global Shipping Group just as it was about to traverse the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden. This colossal vessel, boasting an impressive cargo capacity of 100,000 tons, was navigating the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, set to enter the Gulf of Aden in two days.
[ " Mansour, you're in charge of this operation. Our warship is prepared, and we must ensure that nothing goes awry, " ] the leader declared with authority.
[ " Yes, leader! " ] Mansour responded, his voice resonating with unwavering determination.
Mansour held a significant position within the Al-Shabaab ranks, serving as one of Mulatu's most trusted aides. They had spared no expense regarding seizing control of the "Shitai" belonging to Universal.
Not only had Mansour personally overseen the operation, but they had also dispatched a second-hand warship procured from a specific undisclosed country. Their determination was relentless, and a formidable force prowled beneath the ocean's surface.
In the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean, where the water's depths exceeded 2,000 meters and lay approximately 1,000 nautical miles from the Gulf of Aden, the enigmatic Overlord revelled in his hunting grounds. He had discovered many large fish absent from the Pacific Ocean, making this area his preferred haunt.
Among the deep-sea denizens, there resided a magnificent white fish—an exquisite delicacy. These fish dwelled in the depths beyond 2,000 meters, exhibiting a striking white hue, pitifully small eyes, and an imposingly large head. Each specimen weighed several thousand kilograms, with the largest catch made by the Overlord measuring over ten meters in length and exceeding ten tons in weight. Its sheer size was nearly enough to satiate his voracious appetite. Indeed, this delicacy was the Overlord's personal preference.
The seabed, plunging to depths exceeding 2,000 meters, lay shrouded in an impenetrable darkness. Yet, the Overlord possessed extraordinary sensory capabilities, allowing him to discern every detail within a 500-meter radius.
With a leisurely pace, the Overlord glided through the depths, ever watchful for his next quarry. The underwater terrain was far from flat; it was an uneven expanse adorned with colossal boulders, some reaching tens of meters in height, while others were of a more modest scale, measuring just a few meters.
In the murky depths, darkness prevailed, accompanied by an icy chill. Occasionally, brief lights illuminated the surroundings—a manifestation of luminescent marine organisms. From time to time, the Overlord perceived massive, shadowy figures gracefully traversing the depths—a testament to the existence of colossal deep-sea creatures.
Amidst this ethereal ambience, the Overlord's keen senses detected an intriguing presence lying ahead. His speed decelerated, and a heightened sense of caution enveloped him, for the entity before him not only possessed an imposing size and tonnage but also exuded an eerie otherworldliness.
One might describe it as a fish, but its two colossal claws resembled gigantic pincers capable of crushing anything within their grasp. It could be likened to an enormous crab, yet it bore an uncanny resemblance to a fish—an enigmatic amalgamation of the two.
This was an extraordinarily peculiar creature.
Evidently, it had also detected the presence of the Overlord. With a swift motion, it swam closer, maintaining a vigilant gaze upon the Overlord from approximately a hundred meters away. It seemed to recognize that underestimating the Overlord would be an ill-advised choice.
The Overlord reciprocated by halting his movement and locking his gaze on the mysterious creature. Two formidable entities now faced each other, immersed in depths exceeding 2,000 meters.
Minutes ticked by—one, two, three—until a full seven or eight minutes had elapsed. The Overlord contemplated initiating a swift and forceful assault with his massive spear, testing the might of this peculiar adversary.
However, the creature swiftly swam away before he could move, leaving the Overlord to marvel at its wisdom. Perhaps it had pondered, [ " Where did this formidable presence emerge from? " ]
As the enigmatic creature gradually disappeared into the depths, the Overlord emitted a soft snort, acknowledging the creature's sagacity. He counted himself fortunate that the creature had displayed prudence, for had it not, he would have launched a blistering attack, rendering it either lifeless or gravely wounded.
With the departure of the mysterious creature, the Overlord resumed his slow and deliberate swim across the ocean floor, wielding his colossal spear. His objective remained unchanged—locating a sizable white fish measuring at least ten meters long and weighing over twenty tons.
Satiating his voracious appetite was his ultimate goal.
After all, as a foodie, the Overlord believed that diligently pursuing the finest cuisine was a venture well worth his efforts. And so, with every stroke, he continued his unhurried exploration, fervently scouring the depths in search of his delectable prey.
Overlord commanded attention and respect from all other sea creatures, regardless of their size. The mere presence of the Overlord was enough to deter any potential troublemakers from approaching.
Overlord, an imposing figure of immense size and strength, donned a formidable suit of armour and wielded a colossal spear measuring 50 meters in length. Fully aware of his power, Bawang knew that challenging him would be challenging.
Whenever other sea creatures caught sight of the Overlord, they instinctively steered clear, well aware of the consequences of crossing paths with such a dominant force.
After swimming for another 20 to 30 minutes, covering a distance of roughly a dozen nautical miles, Bawang noticed a significant change in the surrounding terrain. The jagged and peculiar rocks gave way to a more typical submarine plain stretching out ahead.
The terrain, however, was only partially level. It gradually sloped downwards at a discernible angle. With each passing nautical mile, the inclination became more pronounced. Eventually, the front dropped almost vertically, revealing a colossal trench before Bawang.
Coming to a halt, the Overlord pondered to himself, recalling a previous encounter with numerous giant jellyfish in a trench near Guam. He wondered what awaited him in this particular trench. Could it be teeming with an abundance of gigantic ghostly jellyfish or other dangerous sea creatures? Contemplating the risks and rewards, the Overlord weighed the decision.
[ " Should I venture into the treacherous depths of the trench and explore its secrets? " ] the Overlord questioned, torn between curiosity and caution.
To enter or not to enter, the dilemma hung in the air. After a moment of hesitation, the Overlord decided and swam into the trench, plunging further into its mysterious depths. The depth steadily increased from over 2,000 meters to 3,500 meters.
Reaching the four thousand kilometre mark, Bawang decided not to descend further. The water pressure at such depths was overwhelming, causing extreme discomfort. Two or three hundred meters below the current level marked the limits of Bawang's endurance.
The environment grew darker and colder as Bawang continued his descent, flashes of unease flickering in his mind. The chilling seawater, with temperatures hovering just a few degrees above freezing, made him yearn for the relative warmth and comfort of the depths one or two thousand meters above.
Having reached a depth of 4,000 meters without reaching the bottom of the trench, the Overlord decided against further exploration and resolved to swim upward.
However, a few hundred meters above, at a depth ranging from approximately 3,300 to 4,000 meters, Bawang abruptly halted. Something caught his attention—a colossal creature looming before him.
In a curious turn of events, the creature also noticed Bawang's presence and swiftly swam towards him, ready to engage in an encounter that held the promise of intrigue and danger.
................
