Shadow of the Beautiful World

The helicopter, covered in water vapor, followed the periphery of the island, circled around, and finally landed at the northernmost tip of Skull Island.

The sprawling mountains of the island end here, and there is also a small sandy beach washed by the sea, much like the scene of some tourist islands. And in the place where the mountains and the beach alternate, in the forest, there is a white building hidden.

It looks like a large villa, with an organic lawn, a garage, and a small pier with two small boats parked in the pier.

When the helicopter landed, a man and a woman were waving at the helicopter by the apron. Although they were wearing t-shirts, shorts and slippers, they looked like backpackers, but they were actually the research of the Emperor Organization on Skull Island. personnel.

This is Mark and Emma.

Dr. Serizawa, who got off the plane, introduced the pair of researchers who looked like a couple to Merlin. He said:

Mark and Emma are both outstanding biologists. Mark himself is also a master photographer. He is responsible for collecting any valuable clues on Skull Island, while Emma is responsible for finding and locating various native species, and Responsible for dealing with local indigenous tribes.

Um?

Merlin supported the pale Hill, and he said doubtfully:

There are still indigenous tribes on this island? You mean, humans?

Of course there is!

Vivian, who helped Dr. Serizawa carry the bag, said:

The reason why the Emperor Organization believes that Kong can become a friend of human civilization is not based on fantasy, but a conclusion drawn from reality.

When we explored Skull Island for the first time in 1973, we knew that there was an indigenous tribe of nearly 3,000 people on this island. They worshiped Kong as a god, and occasionally offered sacrifices to Kong, and Kong also accepted Their pilgrimage, and even conscious shelter for them.

These aborigines and Kong have reached the most elementary relationship of vassal and vassal!

While watching Merlin, Emma helped the seasick Hill up. She explained:

If Kong can accept the existence of these natives, it means it can accept our existence too.

Alien biologist, Merlin Nicholas Grant.

Merlin stretched out his hand towards Dr. Emma in front of him, and he asked softly:

And I'm curious, what you mean by 'acceptance', do you want us to worship Kong like those natives? I think the big shots in Washington and London don't like this way of 'acceptance' too much .”

of course not.

Mark beside Emma stepped forward, he held Merlin's hand, and he said:

What we hope to establish with Kong is an equal relationship between the needs and the needed. After all, we can give Kong more than those natives.

Too idealistic.

Merlin shook his head. He followed Mark and Emma into the villa in front of him. As he walked, he said to Dr. Qin Ze beside him:

Based on the experience and lessons I have learned from studying alien creatures for many years, I have to advise you not to have such idealistic ideas. First of all, what we give may not necessarily be what Kong needs.

Secondly, highly intelligent aliens like Kong, or Titans, must have their own values, and the values ​​of beasts and humans have never been the same.

Oh, what do you say?

Dr. Serizawa seems to be very interested in these, he asked:

Can you give me an example?

The simplest example, the unicorn.

With his hands in his trouser pockets, Merlin talked eloquently to the four biology Ph.Ds around him:

Doris and I once tracked a young unicorn in Wales, and were extremely lucky to have come into contact with it. You know, in the fairy tales heard by ordinary people, unicorns can discern people's hearts. Pure virgins are allowed to ride on it, but what is the real situation?

Merlin smiled and said:

The real situation is that if a unicorn has to carry a person, it will instinctively choose an underage girl, because in all comparisons, an underage girl weighs the lightest, and the unicorn doesn't like to carry a person. Tens of kilograms of extra weight out of thin air. So it stands to reason, it should choose Doris instead of me

But I 'bribed' it with a bag of pine cones, so the young unicorn chose me between Dauris and me, and carried me through a small forest meekly.

What I want to say is, don't use human thoughts to figure out the minds of aliens. It is often easier for them to think about problems. Just like Kong, you hurt it 22 years ago. It has been grudges until now, and it is very May continue to hate outsiders unless you somehow regain its trust.

Merlin turned to look at Dr. Emma, ​​he said:

As for what you said, it is even more nonsense to form a relationship of need and demand with Kong. This island is its home, and it is the king here! It has everything. Then, what should you use to go? Bribes, to please a king who loves freedom? Do you use inexhaustible bananas?

You guys think the problem is too simple.

After Merlin finished speaking, he went to see Hill, who was suffering from seasickness. The young girl probably needs to recuperate in this villa for a few hours after the bad journey just now.

unicorn?

Dr. Emma said to Dr. Serizawa suspiciously:

Doctor, when are you going to start recruiting this kind of citizen scientist? Look at the example he gave, it's really bad.

Yeah, he looks like one of those people in their own fantasy.

Mark also said to his wife in agreement:

I don't think it's a good thing to have him here.

Dr. Merlin is a true heterobiologist!

Dr. Serizawa lowered his voice, winked at his companion a few times, and said:

He successfully helped us solve the problem of not being able to get close to Raton, which gave us hope in our research on Mona Island. I brought him to Skull Island, hoping that with his research results, we could get close to Kong , a way to study these titans up close.

But what he said

Hey guy.

While several people were discussing, Merlin had returned to them at some point, holding a glass of water, and said calmly:

You should know, even if you keep your voice down, I can still hear you, right?

Now, several people became embarrassed.

But Merlin ignored these doubts. He picked up his backpack and said to Dr. Serizawa:

Let Dauris rest here. I'm going to see some ecology on this island. I need to collect some samples of the strange plants and animals you mentioned.

now?

Dr. Serizawa looked up at the sky, and said:

Then I'll go with you.

Arms on! Doctor.

When Serizawa and Merlin were about to leave, Mark came over with a black shotgun, and he said to Dr. Serizawa:

Don't go deep into the island. If you encounter any situation, you should send a signal flare, and we will pick you up immediately. The island has not been peaceful these days.

Um?

Dr. Serizawa's expression immediately became serious. He took the weapon and looked at Mark:

Those underground demons reappeared?

It's hard to say now.

Mark also replied with a serious expression:

In the past two days, we have seen Kong patrolling the island several times, and heard the roar of Kong fighting some kind of creature. It should be that those underground creatures have reappeared, but the time is a bit wrong and it is not yet 10 years. time limit.

Well, it should be Godzilla's sudden appearance that disturbed those monsters.

Dr. Serizawa said softly:

The chain reaction, the revived breath of the king, makes those lower-level monsters feel fear. This is a normal phenomenon. Don't worry, Mark, we will not go near that burial ground.

Merlin listened to Serizawa and Mark's communication, he heard something, but he didn't ask right away. Instead, I got on an off-road vehicle with Serizawa, walked along the coastline, and walked all the way into the nearest mountain.

parking!

Merlin suddenly raised his hand, and Dr. Serizawa stepped on the brakes immediately.

Merlin jumped out of the car and quickly walked to the edge of the swamp-like terrain. He carefully put on his gloves and brushed away the weeds in front of him.

At the water's edge, Merlin used his portable collection instrument to take down a plant with white petals but no leaves, and its branches were covered with rose-like barbs, put it in a wooden box, and put it back. in the backpack.

Beside him, Dr. Serizawa watched Merlin's movements completely. He didn't ask until Merlin finished collecting them:

What's this?

Moonflower, the raw material used to make Chameleon Potion.

Merlin stood up. He looked at the vast grassland and hills in front of him. His eyes were shining with joy. He said to Dr. Serizawa:

Moonflower is on the verge of extinction in the outside world, and can only be found in some inaccessible places. But look here!

Merlin pointed to the swamp ahead. At the edge of the swamp, at a glance, there were at least a dozen of these strange white flowers. He rubbed his hands together and said softly:

You're right, Serizawa, this is a treasure house, a real treasure house!

Dr. Serizawa focused on another point. He asked:

Chameleon potion, what is that?

It's what you need most right now.

Merlin looked back at him, then made a tiptoe movement, and he said:

This potion, like the cooling potion, has a special effect after taking it. It can make ordinary people have the stealth ability like a chameleon for a short time, and it can let your researchers easily go deep into the island. Unless Kong sees it personally I saw you, otherwise it would just take you as some kind of animal in the forest.

Kong's sense of smell is very keen.

Dr. Serizawa reminded:

It doesn't just rely on auditory and visual actions.

The chameleon potion can cover your breath. By adding different raw materials, your breath can be transformed into different beasts.

Merlin stretched his ten fingers, and he said to Serizawa:

That's what I did when I was tracking the dangerous thunderbirds in North America. I even managed to touch the thunderbird's nest. Believe me, as long as Kong doesn't see you with his own eyes, he will never notice anything unusual.

The problem now is, if I'm going to pretend to be the beast on the island, then I have to take some of their blood.

Merlin looked back at the endless hills behind him, and he waved his fingers:

A little bit of blood is fine, and it will definitely not affect their health. It is best to be a common, docile creature that will not arouse suspicion anywhere on the island.

Serizawa, do you have any recommendations?

Merlin looked at Dr. Serizawa, who frowned and thought for a while, then took out an oversized anesthesia gun from the car behind him, threw it to Merlin, and beckoned to him:

Come with me, there is a creature that fits your requirements, and it is in this swamp.

Serizawa led Meilin to follow some kind of mark drawn by the emperor organization on this swamp that was far away from the beach, all the way deep into the green grassy swamp.

A few minutes later, they came to a pool of water.

Merlin noticed that there were some fallen tree trunks on the water, covered with moss and some old fabrics. And in the dark perception that is always on, Merlin can still perceive that there is a giant creature hidden in the water under the pool.

The life activity is obvious, just like a burning flame in the darkness.

Merlin set up the anesthesia gun, while Dr. Serizawa squatted down and patted lightly in the water.

The next moment, the trunk that was stretched across the water was slowly lifted, and the water in the entire small pool was pushed to the sides. Amidst the deep and surging sound of the water, a huge creature nearly 6 meters tall Appeared in front of Merlin and Serizawa.

It was a buffalo about the size of a rock in the sea.

Its body is covered with algae-like things, its black skin has a mane wet with water, and on top of its buffalo-like head, the horns that have grown for an unknown number of years have grown into tree trunks The shape of the tree continuously extends out of slender small corners, intersecting with each other, really like a collapsed tree trunk.

And according to Meilin's visual inspection, the moss-covered horn was nearly 15 meters long.

The creature seemed to have just been awakened from a deep sleep. It moved its two yellow pupils, looking blankly at Dr. Serizawa and Merlin in front of it.

moo

This huge creature doesn't seem to care about the two humans in front of it. It doesn't have much wisdom in its eyes. After looking at each other for a few seconds, it turns around and seems to be planning to sink into the water in another direction and continue to sleep on its own big body. Sleep.

We call it the 'Lone Reef Bull Demon'.

Dr. Serizawa took a step back, looking at the huge monster weighing at least 20 tons, he said softly:

It is a herbivorous creature with great strength, but a gentle personality. On the other side of the island, the local aborigines also domesticated it as a pack animal. This kind of buffalo exists in every place where there is water on Skull Island, but it is almost It's the bottom of the food chain here.

Are you sure it's not in Kong's recipe?

Merlin aimed the tranquilizer gun at the buffalo in front of him, and asked softly:

I don't want you to be hunted down by Kong for dinner.

kong likes to eat aquatic life. It likes things like swamp giant squid and nightmare squid. It doesn't eat buffalo.

Serizawa explained:

Actually, we believe that Kong regards these Lone Reef Bull Demons as his 'subjects'. Mark has captured images of Kong helping these creatures out of trouble.

good!

Merlin nodded, he pulled the trigger, the anesthesia gun in his hand hummed lowly, and three anesthesia needles, enough to anesthetize an adult elephant within a few seconds, precisely pierced the Lone Reef Bull Demon's ass.

The sudden pain caused the docile creature to let out a deep growl, but before it could turn around, the super strong anesthetic had already taken effect.

boom

It fell to the edge of the pool, like a collapsed hill, and its body was still shaking.

Merlin handed the anesthesia gun to Serizawa, he took out a small test tube, walked towards the buffalo, squatted down, and began to take blood in an orderly manner.

And just at the moment when Merlin finished taking the blood and was about to stand up, a strange hiss followed the rapid vibration of the ground on the other side of the swamp, and entered Merlin's perception.

He suddenly raised his head and looked to the other side of the swamp. In the dark perception, there was some kind of huge thing rushing towards the place where Merlin and Serizawa were located along the possible underground passage.

Merlin's hand went deep into his pocket, he turned to Serizawa who was holding a shotgun and said:

Near here, except for Kong

Any other predatory creatures?