Who told you I am an NPC

Chapter : 4

"Stop channeling the magic!" Lilian reminded me. "Then hide!"

I was panicking.

I also wanted to know how to stop channeling the magic!

No one told me the spell would be this big! Didn't you say it was just an ordinary lighting spell?

Does this look ordinary to you? Is this even reasonable?

Lilian was also very innocent. To her, it was just an ordinary lighting spell.

Who knew the little kitten would go all out and pour all his magic into it from the start.

However, the little kitten's magical talent was indeed very strong.

For someone with mediocre magical talent, trying to create such a grand spectacle with an ordinary spell was simply a fool's dream.

Fortunately, my mana capacity was only a pitiful one hundred.

Such a large-scale lighting spell had drained my mana almost instantly.

The warehouse, which had been lit for only a few seconds, plunged back into darkness, and I felt an indescribable sense of being drained.

I glanced at the panel and confirmed that my mana had returned to zero.

Yan Yunqing: …

Listening to the approaching footsteps, beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

I blinked rapidly a few times to adjust to the returning darkness, scanned my surroundings, and threw the cage that had previously held me into a corner, simultaneously darting behind the water tank that held the mermaid.

Only this water tank in the entire warehouse was large enough to hide my body.

Plus, this mermaid had lost her voice, making it difficult for her to tell the patrol team that I was hiding behind the tank.

It wasn't that I thought others were too sinister, but in such an environment, anything could happen.

The momentary blinding light had dazzled the eyes of most of the creatures in the warehouse.

Before they could adjust, it was dark again.

Except for my preternaturally gifted eyes, most creatures couldn't immediately readjust to the darkness and looked around in a daze.

Only the mermaid closest to me had taken everything in.

She silently watched me hide behind her, the wariness in her eyes still present.

I met the mermaid's beautiful, emerald-green eyes, pursed my lips, and lowered my gaze to feign a pitiful look.

The mermaid was taken aback, her tail swished, and I didn't know what she was thinking.

Crash— The warehouse door was violently pushed open, and the patrol team entered cautiously in single file, one hand holding a weapon across their chest, the other carrying a lantern, observing the cargo around them.

I held my breath, afraid that a heavy breath would draw everyone's attention to me.

The mermaid, who had been somewhat restless and agitated in the water tank, also stopped slapping the glass wall with her tail after the patrol team entered, and instead stared at the patrolmen.

Using the mermaid's tail as cover, I peeked out through the gap: 1, 2, 3...

Listening to the footsteps and counting surreptitiously, a patrol team consisted of about twelve people.

Seeing that they were all carrying weapons, they were probably melee fighters like warriors, but I had just heard someone say that the mana fluctuation in this warehouse was abnormal, which meant there were at least two or more people in the patrol team who could use magic.

It would be very difficult to escape.

This wasn't a game where I could go on a rampage and start over by loading a save file if I died.

I had no save file to load, and the stats on my game panel didn't support me going on a killing spree.

Thinking about it made me want to cry. Was there anyone more miserable than me?

"Captain, do you feel anything?"

One of the patrolmen recited an incantation, and a small fireball gathered in his palm, slightly brighter than the lantern he was carrying, illuminating a sea of terrified faces.

"The light element in this warehouse seems a bit high, but upon closer inspection, it seems there's no problem."

The leader surveyed the surroundings. Wherever his gaze fell, all the creatures flinched.

The few Leopard-man cubs who had been sobbing and calling for their mothers also stopped crying, trembling under the patrol team's watch.

It seemed there was nothing unusual.

"Check all the cargo. If there's nothing abnormal, withdraw.

Leave two to guard the warehouse entrance," the leader's deep voice echoed in the warehouse.

I cursed inwardly: Why is this leader so cautious?

This wasn't like the usual game tropes.

Weren't they going to give the player a chance to escape?

Fortunately, there were no lights in the warehouse.

The patrol team used alchemical lanterns for their inspection, and the illumination range was not large, casting a hazy light that made it hard to see clearly.

I hid deeper.

The patrol team's boots clattered on the floor, like danger approaching step by step, making one's nerves tense. I felt my heartbeat gradually merge with the sound of the footsteps.

Thump-thump—thump—thump—

Clack— A member of the patrol team felt like he kicked something and raised his lantern to look at his feet.

An alarm went off in my head.

The sound was familiar.

Looking at the direction, it should be the bar I had just hacked off the iron cage that had held me. At first glance, one might not be able to tell what it was, but a closer look would definitely reveal that it was from the iron cage.

The discarded iron cage was still in the corner, very casually covered by a piece of cloth.

If the entire patrol team searched, I would definitely not be able to hide.

My scalp tingled.

I gripped the dagger tightly in my hand, while my other hand reached into my clothes and grasped the [Merlin's Pocket Watch], ready to use the 30s speed boost to escape the moment I was discovered.

I just didn't know if, based on my original speed, a 300% boost would be enough to outrun this well-trained patrol team.

My heart beat faster and faster.

My blood seemed to surge, making my eardrums throb with a sharp pain.

Although it was only an instant, it felt like a century had passed.

"Captain—" the patrolman called out, but before he could finish his sentence, the water tank in front of me started to make a thumping sound.

Instantly, all the patrolmen looked warily towards the water tank.

The little mermaid's silvery-white tail was frantically smashing against the glass wall.

"What's going on?" someone frowned.

"What's wrong with this mermaid?"

The next second, the mermaid opened her mouth wide and tilted her head back as if letting out a piercing scream, but not a single sound could be heard.

At the same time, my head buzzed as if a thousand mosquitoes were buzzing inside it at once.

I swayed, stumbled, and grabbed onto the water tank for support, making a slight noise.

The ears on my head twitched frantically.

I couldn't help but cover my ears, and I inwardly cursed the slight noise I had made.

However, the patrol team had no time to spare for this sound.

They were all stunned by this silent sonic attack.

Several members grunted, retreated several steps, dropped their weapons, and clutched their heads, crying out in pain.

The wails and groans perfectly covered up the little noise I had made.

Amidst this silent sonic attack, only the patrol captain could barely remain standing, his hand holding his sword trembling slightly, clearly having suffered significant internal injuries.

I took a few deep breaths to suppress the buzzing in my head.

When I looked at the patrol team outside again, several of them were already scattered on the ground.

"Damn it, this mermaid's talent skill is related to sonic waves."

The patrol captain looked at the fallen team members and cursed under his breath.

"To not take proper precautions with such dangerous cargo, what are the people upstairs thinking!"

"This damned mermaid is on a rampage." He commanded loudly, "Go! Call the guard team for help!"

Hearing the command, a few patrol members who were still wailing on the ground were pulled up by those who could still move.

With the captain covering their retreat, they limped away quickly, leaving only two who had a low defense against sonic attacks, who had fainted and were still lying on the ground.

The patrol team's weapons and equipment were scattered all over the floor.

The 'cargo' in the cages were also hit by this indiscriminate sonic attack, and many had collapsed. The entire warehouse looked like a complete mess.

After it became completely quiet, I walked out from behind the water tank.

I silently looked at the mess, reached out to check, and confirmed that the two fainted patrol members were unconscious before turning back to meet the mermaid's gaze.

The mermaid, who had seemed so 'energetic' before, with her tail slapping the tank with a thwack thwack sound, now had a pale face and floated quietly in the water.

Her tail hung down naturally, unable to even straighten out due to the cramped space, forced to bend and rest against the bottom of the tank.

It gave one the feeling that she was about to float up, belly-first.

I was startled and took two steps forward, placing my palm on the glass wall of the tank. "Are you okay?"

The mermaid blinked slowly, her reaction very sluggish, just staring at me indifferently.

"She's in a weakened state after forcibly breaking through the anti-magic circle to use her talent skill."

Lilian, looking a little lethargic, held her forehead and explained to me.

"Tsk, to be able to forcibly use a talent skill, and a sonic talent of such strong offensive power at that, while being under a magic suppression... this little mermaid's status in the Sea Tribe is not simple."

Lilian, who had also been hit by the sonic attack, sighed.

"It seems the cargo in this warehouse are all of extraordinary origins."

"A beastman kitty who can pull out a dagger that obviously wouldn't pass inspection and also possesses super strong magical talent."

"A Sea Tribe mermaid with a sonic-related talent skill who can forcibly break through an anti-magic circle."

"By the great Elf King, I wouldn't be surprised if a trafficked little dragon whelp popped out now."

"Is she going to be okay in this state?"

I was a little worried.

Just from what Lilian said, I knew that the sonic attack the mermaid had unleashed was not simple.

It was very likely that she had overdrawn something to be able to use that talent skill within the anti-magic circle.

And the reason the mermaid suddenly attacked, I felt, was most likely because of me…

The patrolman had discovered the traces I left behind when I escaped the iron cage.

Just as he called out to the captain, he was directly knocked unconscious by the mermaid's attack and was now lying on the ground, unconscious.

Whether the mermaid wanted to help me or hated all the humans who had captured her, I had to accept this favor.

"Mermaids have very strong life force.

If she could receive the blessing of the sea in the ocean, she would recover quickly, but now..." Lilian shook her head.

She had already been captured and brought ashore by humans. It would be a bit difficult to receive the blessing of the sea.

"But are you still going to waste time here?"

Lilian tapped the glass to remind me.

"That group of patrolmen will be back soon, you know?"

I gritted my teeth, stood on my tiptoes, and quickly took down the glass bottle containing Lilian.

I used the tattered cloth on my body to tie it securely to my chest and said to the little mermaid still in the water tank, "Thank you."

"After I escape, I will find a chance to come back and save you."

The mermaid blinked slowly again, seemingly without any reaction to my words.

"Her mind isn't clear right now. She can't understand what you're saying to her at the moment."

Lilian poked her head out.

"This position feels a bit strange. Can you carry me in a different spot?"

"Be quiet. If you make any more noise, I won't take you."

I lowered my head and threatened her, one hand holding the dagger across my chest, the other protecting the glass bottle on my chest while also pinching the pocket watch.

I stepped over the two bodies lying on the ground and ran towards the warehouse entrance.

Lilian puffed up her little cheeks and whispered, "So fierce, I'm still a cub!"

I nearly stumbled.

This was just as ridiculous as a child, after doing something bad, telling the scolding adult, 'I'm still just a child'.

"But it's quite interesting."

"A cat in danger was saved by a fish."

Lilian commented thus: "From this, it can be seen that cats and fish are not natural enemies."

Yan Yunqing: ...