With seamless coordination, Li Zhui and She Yaoyao moved as one—he restrained the thrashing tentacles while she brought her hammer down in brutal arcs, severing all eight limbs in a single unrelenting assault. Only the primary tentacle was hewn off at the base; the rest were left with stumps of about a meter long.
Thus maimed, the octopus creature could still move, but no longer posed a threat. Even so, Li Zhui remained cautious—he wanted a final safeguard.
He fastened a steel chain to the embedded arrowhead and began to pull, inch by inch, until the shaft had passed entirely through. Then he removed the arrow and locked the chain with a secure steel clasp.
Throughout the dismemberment, the beast flailed with desperate fury, hurling them away again and again—yet never inflicting true harm. And with each severed limb, the pair would press to the fresh wound and draw greedily from the gushing blood.
Though the battle had been savage and he himself bore no small number of wounds, Li Zhui felt no trace of exhaustion. On the contrary, a torrent of raw energy surged within him—untamed and potent. The power of octopus blood coursed through his veins, its effect on him tenfold stronger than on any other.
Here's the improved and literary English version of your text:
There was a small secret—one that would surely make Li Zhui retch uncontrollably if he ever learned the truth: the segment of human DNA embedded within the octopus creature's genome came from none other than himself.
The monster's blood was not only rich in nutrients but also brimming with potent vitality factors. Once his belly was filled to the brim, Li Zhui called out to Suaner, instructing her to fetch a kettle.
Clamping both hands around the severed tentacle, he began to squeeze—like milking a beast—until the vessel was brimming with the creature's essence.
Though its life force was extraordinarily tenacious, the brutal assault had left the octopus creature on the brink of collapse. When the steel chain pierced its skull, it no longer resisted—it had become utterly submissive.
Since Li Zhui intended to keep it as a pet, he naturally couldn't allow it to die. So he began to feed it. One by one, he stripped the thick hide from the eight severed limbs using his diving knife, then pressed the exposed flesh to the creature's gaping mouth.
There was no resistance. The octopus willingly devoured the offered flesh—without this replenishment, it would likely have perished.
Upon swallowing its own muscle, the creature immediately secreted powerful digestive enzymes, breaking the tissue down into usable nutrients and triggering rapid regeneration.
As if sharing a telepathic bond, the octopus focused its healing on its head and torso. Its limbs, however, were merely cauterized and left to scar over. It seemed to understand that any regrown arms would simply be lopped off again.
With the octopus problem resolved, attention turned to the wounded.
After consuming the creature's blood, Huzi was able to walk with difficulty. But Yongzi's condition had worsened—in moving him into the narrow alcove earlier, they had inadvertently aggravated his injury.
A fractured rib had punctured internal organs, causing severe hemorrhaging. Surgery was his only hope.
Suaner proposed she leave first to contact allies in the Green League—without outside help, the three of them couldn't hope to escort the wounded to safety.
Li Zhui nodded at once. "Good. I'll get Little Eight out first."
He crawled out through the passage, then slowly tugged the steel chain. The octopus creature's response surpassed all expectations—it reached forward, pried aside the boulders, and squeezed itself through the gap with surprising ease.
Then, as Suaner and Yaoyao hoisted Yongzi between them, another unexpected scene unfolded: the giant salamander, unbidden, crawled beneath him, offering its broad back as a living stretcher.
Suaner returned to the water chamber to retrieve the diving gear—untouched and intact. Evidently, the octopus had no interest in anything it couldn't consume.
She swam out through the submerged tunnel, and within fifty meters emerged at the sinkhole. The rope they had tied earlier still held firm. David and his companion had met their end less than five meters from that spot, devoured by the creature. Fate is a cruel and curious thing.
The sinkhole plunged nearly vertically for over twenty meters before giving way to an underground river. Following its winding course for some two li to the south, a southeastern fork appeared. After diving another hundred meters, one emerged into a labyrinthine cave system known as the Western Caverns of the Muen Grand Gorge.
As expected, the reinforcements had arrived, and among them was her godmother, Linghu Min. Leading the team was none other than Feng Suan'er's master, Ling Jun—one of the nine senior members of the Green League.
Their apparent delay in rendering aid was not due to callousness; in fact, the moment the first team failed to return within the expected timeframe, Ling Jun had already dispatched a second unit.
Tragically, as the second group surfaced from the subterranean pool, it coincided precisely with the moment the octopus creature—its rear maw torn to shreds by an explosion—was retreating from the dry chamber.
The team immediately opened fire with spearguns, but such weapons were laughably insufficient against the creature. In the blink of an eye, three men were ensnared by its writhing limbs and crushed to death.
The others fled into the water in a panic. Fortunately, the beast was too preoccupied with nursing its wounds to give chase, allowing the survivors to narrowly escape with their lives.
Though a master archer, Ling Jun was only a mediocre swimmer, and even a skilled diver would have stood little chance against such a monstrous foe. He had no choice but to hold position and send word for further reinforcements.
By the following day, several waves of allied forces had arrived, bringing with them a cache of underwater weapons—spearguns, harpoons, and fishing nets. Just as preparations to dive were underway, Suan'er returned.
Keeping to the agreement made with Li Zhui, Suan'er wove a tale close to the truth. She claimed they had encountered another group within the cave, and together they had fought off the octopus monster when it appeared.
As for the details of the battle, she deliberately omitted the roles of Li Zhui and Yao Yao. The hero of the story became Ma Yongxian, who, lying in ambush within a crevice, had fired a rock-piercing bolt from a climbing crossbow, dealing the beast a grievous blow and forcing its retreat.
"Master Ling! Let's go in now—maybe we can still catch it!" someone cried, prompting a chorus of agreement.
"We go in to rescue the injured first. Whether we pursue the creature will depend on the situation," Ling Jun replied.
Even before he finished speaking, several had already plunged into the water. Suan'er could only shake her head with a wry smile—had the creature not already been subdued, these men would be marching to their deaths.
The current was against them, making the dive all the more arduous. It took two full hours before the main force reached the battleground.
On the small stone platform, only Huzi remained, standing guard over the wounded Yongzi. Li Zhui, Yao Yao, the octopus creature, and the humanoid salamander were nowhere to be seen.
Linghu Min conducted a quick examination before decisively announcing that emergency surgery must be performed on-site. The group sprang into action, clearing the platform, constructing a stone bed from nearby rocks, and covering it with tent fabric and blankets—a makeshift operating table.
Ling Jun, flashlight in hand, carefully inspected the battlefield, tracing the aftermath of the fight. After a while, he no longer believed Suan'er's story—but chose not to expose her publicly.
At that moment, Suan'er's greatest fear materialized: someone insisted the creature must be hunted down. Leading the charge was Mi Dasong—a local ruffian and petty thug. His association with the Green League was purely opportunistic.
Now, he saw a lucrative opportunity. This monster, without question, was worth a fortune.
Despite his numbers, few among his men could dive, and they were sorely lacking in equipment. He had no choice but to seek cooperation from Ling Jun. When Ling Jun consulted Liu Fushui, the dive team leader, the response was immediate and unequivocal.
"Absolutely not! We just scouted the pool. There's a massive underwater cavity below, complete with whirlpools. If Boss Mi insists on going, he can borrow our gear—but not a single one of my men will go with him," Liu Fushui declared.
"Hah! What a goddamn joke!" Mi Dasong sneered. "This whole operation was your idea, and now when it matters, you all turn into cowards. Bah! The Green League is a bunch of d*mn fools!"
"You—what did you say?!" Liu Fushui was about to explode, but Ling Jun stepped in and stopped him.
Pulling him aside, Ling Jun whispered a few words. Liu Fushui, visibly frustrated, could only nod in reluctant agreement.
After rounds of negotiation, Ling Jun and Mi Dasong struck a deal—Mi would assemble a thirty-man hunting party, each to be paid ten thousand yuan, plus an additional thirty thousand as a recruitment bonus. The catch, however, must be taken alive; if the creature died by accident, the payment would be halved.
Liu Fushui, along with five divers, was assigned solely as guide and support.
Preparations were made in haste, and the hunting team was about to dive when Feng Suan'er arrived to intervene.
"Forty-millimeter grenades, hand grenades, stun bombs, and tear gas had no effect on that monster! And you think a few spearguns, harpoons, and ragged nets will be enough to catch it?"
"Suan'er! Watch your words!" Ling Jun quickly barked in a stern voice.
"Ah, come now, Master Ling! Is this what you call camaraderie? Isn't this a bit too underhanded?" Mi Dasong shouted.
"Fine! Double it!" Ling Jun hissed through clenched teeth.
"You mean... all the rewards will be doubled?" Mi Dasong asked, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Yes. But as I said—life and death are your own responsibility," Ling Jun replied coldly.
"Splendid! Master Ling, you're a man of honor! From this moment on, my life is yours!" Mi Dasong declared with theatrical bravado.
"Master! You're sending them to their deaths!" Suan'er cried out, her voice trembling with outrage.
Ling Jun grabbed her wrist and dragged her into a secluded corner. "Suan'er, tell me—what would you have me do? Send in our own men again? We've already lost eight brothers. Do you not grieve for them?"
"Of course I grieve! But that doesn't mean you should send others to die in their place! I believe the best course now is to call off this operation entirely!"
"No! Absolutely not!" Ling Jun's rejection was resolute. But then his tone softened slightly. "Suan'er, you're aware of the biochemical experiments the He-tribe demons have long been conducting against the Huaren."
He let out a heavy sigh. "But there's something you don't know. According to years of classified intelligence from headquarters, corroborated by our allies abroad, it is now certain—the He-tribe is orchestrating a genocidal conspiracy to wipe out the Huaren people."
Suan'er gasped, visibly shaken, but still hesitant. "But... ninety percent of laborers in the Eastern Pacific colonies are Huaren. If we are wiped out, where would they find labor?"
"Genetic hybrids. Combining human DNA with that of animals to create humanoid beasts or beast-like humans. Creatures with certain human faculties, but without the full range of human intelligence. Easily controlled, and far more versatile than any robot."
Suan'er revered Ling Jun like a father, and so she did not doubt him. She immediately volunteered to scout ahead underwater. Ling Jun refused her request outright, unaware that her true intent was to secretly meet with Li Zhui and persuade him to relinquish the octopus creature.
Meanwhile, the hunting party could hardly wait. For these mountain folk, whose annual household income rarely exceeded five thousand yuan, the promise of eight thousand for a single catch—after Mi Dasong's 20% cut—was simply irresistible.
At that moment, Li Zhui was riding on the back of "Little Eight," the newly christened name for the creature, casually drifting through the deepwater currents at the bottom of the underwater cavern.
At first, Little Eight had tried to flee—and even attempted to strangle him with its tentacles—but Li Zhui was quicker, twisting the steel chain and nearly bursting its skull. From then on, the beast was tamed.
Just as Li Zhui began to savor the role of sovereign in his aquatic domain, uninvited guests arrived.
First came a few divers, but they only reached fifty meters deep, flashed their underwater lights around aimlessly, and soon resurfaced.
Then came a noisy horde—armed with spearguns, harpoons, and fishing nets. One look at their gear, and Li Zhui's anger flared.
From the surface of the pool to the deepest point of the cave exceeded a hundred meters, with most areas around eighty meters deep. Normally, even with full gear, few could reach such depths. But these villagers—astonishingly—seemed to manage it with ease.
Li Zhui had promised Suan'er that when her companions entered the cave, he would remain hidden and keep out of sight. So despite his rising fury, he resolved to retreat through the waterway. But just as he urged Little Eight toward the northwest passage, a sudden upheaval occurred.
A violent current burst from the mouth of the channel, forcing them to veer sharply backward. Seizing the momentum, Little Eight propelled itself forward, jets of water shooting from its vent as all seven tentacles whipped into a synchronized thrust—surging straight toward the hunting party.
Li Zhui, never particularly adept in water, was caught off guard by the turbulence and found himself unable to intervene in time. By the time he realized the danger, Little Eight had already broken through and launched itself into the midst of the hunters.
At long last, the creature, brimming with pent-up resentment, had found its moment of vengeance. With terrifying speed, it flipped its body, vent-first, and collided with a hunter. In a blink, its beak snapped—cleanly biting off the man's head.
With a fierce tug on the steel chain, Li Zhui yanked the beast skyward, forcing it to surface. He twisted his wrist, tightening the chain. "Up!"
The creature dared not defy him. Obediently, it clambered onto the rocky ledge. Li Zhui drew his nail-puller and drove it deep into the creature's skull. "Beast! You dare defy me?"
Its limbs instantly slackened, slumping to the ground, nostrils wheezing out pitiful whimpers. A pang of guilt pricked Li Zhui's heart, and his hand instinctively softened.
By now, chaos reigned on the stone platform. Some scrambled toward the dry cave, others leapt into the water, while a few raised their bows and drew arrows.
"Stop! Brothers, hold your fire!" Suan'er cried out, soaring through the air toward Li Zhui. She twisted gracefully mid-leap, spreading her arms wide to shield him with her body.
"Stand down," Ling Jun said calmly, as though nothing had happened. In truth, he had been the first to consider loosing an arrow.
"I am Ling Jun," he announced, stepping forward with a cupped-fist salute. "May I ask the gentleman's esteemed name?"
"Master Ling, were it not for Suan'er and Huzi's assistance earlier, I would not have been able to subdue this creature. By rights, they deserve a share of the prize. But if you intend to gut it open, would that not be a shameful waste?"
Ling Jun was momentarily taken aback. He had not expected the man to lay bare his intentions so directly and found himself at a rare loss for words.
"Let me propose this," Li Zhui continued. "I'll trade weapons and intelligence for the beast's reprieve."
"And may I ask," Ling Jun replied, recovering, "what kind of intelligence do you offer?"
"I hear you're quite interested in Jigung Ridge. I happen to be someone who escaped from there."
Ling Jun's eyes gleamed. He turned to his disciples. "Dapeng, Xiaofei—escort Boss Mi outside for a rest. Suan'er, assist your godmother."
Among all those present, Ling Jun held absolute authority. With just a few casually spoken commands, his will was swiftly obeyed. As for the hunting party, they had already vanished—rushing back toward the waterway without a trace.