Hao Ren and Hasson sat facing each other in the center of the water bubble, the underwater light and shadows flashing around them casting mottled spots of brightness. Hao Ren posed a question to Hasson: "If there's an instinct that, from a biological evolutionary perspective, doesn't help your reproduction or evolution, that isn't related to obtaining food or increasing your chances of survival, but simply makes you inexplicably hostile towards other intelligent beings with whom, theoretically, you could communicate, do you think this 'instinct' is naturally occurring or normal?"
Hasson shook his head and started to stand up, but Hao Ren stopped him: "This is a very serious question, and I hope you can take it seriously."
Hasson snorted coldly: "Perhaps you're serious, but you don't understand how important the hunting instinct is to demon hunters. It's been the key to us gaining the upper hand in the war against the Others for ten thousand years."
"But if there were no hunting instinct, the war against the Others wouldn't exist at all—it's not the key to solving the problem, it is the problem itself," Hao Ren raised his hand and pointed to Bai Huo, "This young demon hunter definitely has a different view from you, because she, like me, can step outside the control of the hunting instinct and think about this calmly. You veteran demon hunters have been controlled by the hunting instinct for too long, even treating it as a matter of course in your lives, to the point where you don't even think about its irrationality."
Hasson's usually stern face finally showed a strange expression: "This is the strangest statement I've ever heard... Do you know you're discussing something that's almost a natural phenomenon? Discussing its rationality is meaningless, because it's existed like this since ancient times."
"Then how do you explain the fact that the instinctive hostility of the new generation of demon hunters towards the Others is weakening?" Hao Ren spread his hands. "You haven't encountered any genetic diseases, and changes in the Earth's environment aren't enough to affect this. If the hunting instinct is truly a matter of course, then isn't its decline also a matter of course? If its decline is also a matter of course, then what was its significance before?"
Tutan silently watched the argument between Hao Ren and Hasson. This silent man didn't express any opinions. He took an ancient prayer book from his pocket and sat at the edge of the water bubble in a strange posture, silently studying it. This was already more than ten meters underwater, and the light was dim, but that didn't affect the eyesight of a master-level demon hunter.
Soma was maintaining the magical environment outside the water bubble, and Shachira curiously came to Hao Ren's side, listening to this strange discussion.
Hasson realized that this seemingly rash young human was not the naive greenhorn he had imagined. He detected a hidden hint of something in some of Hao Ren's remarks. This ancient demon hunter had survived to this day not entirely by his fighting ability. He also possessed the shrewdness and composure that an elder should have. After a few seconds of silence, Hasson shook his head slightly: "I can't answer your question, but I still insist on one point: given that the hunting instinct already exists, it's meaningless to discuss whether it should exist. Whether the instinct controls us, or we're using this instinct, it's a fait accompli, and we're happy with it."
Vivian came to Hao Ren's side and looked at Hasson: "Hasson, you're a relatively smart demon hunter. I'm now telling you some things as an elder: the innate antagonism between various Other races is also weakening, including that between werewolves and vampires. I know you were largely responsible for the trouble at the Athens Sanctuary last time, so you should have seen the mixed-race situation there—in the age of mythology, this would have been impossible. I have a view: whether demon hunters or Others, the essence is actually the same. To humanity, the true master of this planet, we are all supernatural 'Others.' The so-called hunting instinct is no more clever than the innate hostility between Others. It's all an abnormal phenomenon, a phenomenon that suddenly appeared ten thousand years ago, and now it's beginning to fade. You've seen it fade with your own eyes, so I suggest you calm down and think carefully about the truth behind it."
Bai Huo, who was meditating quietly in the distance, looked up at this side, a glint of light seeming to flash in her eyes, but then she lowered her head again, as if indifferent to the discussion here.
A strange light flickered in Hasson's remaining eye. He took a deep breath: "Have you grasped some... ancient secrets?"
Vivian pondered for a moment, then raised her head: "Have you ever thought about a world where all Others and demon hunters can coexist peacefully?"
Hasson: "...If it's this kind of joke, then let's not discuss it."
Hao Ren spread his hands: "Okay, then let's put it another way: do you think demon hunters and Others are native to this planet? Dare you point to evolutionary theory and strata fossil databases and say that you are native to this planet?"
Tutan and Bai Huo looked up at the same time, neither of them able to pretend to meditate any longer.
"You mean the 'Day of Return'?" Hasson leaned his upper body slightly forward. "There are two explanations for the 'Day of Return.' The first explanation is the return of the power of the Others, and the other explanation is the opposite, that the Others will return to a place called the world of origin... Could it be that you've detected that world of origin?!"
Hao Ren didn't answer directly, but instead slightly changed the subject: "There's evidence that all supernatural races on Earth came from another world. If you've studied evolutionary theory, you'll definitely be able to accept this statement, and I estimate there's also discussion of this within your race. I'm studying this, and you might be interested in my results, but only if you're willing to abandon your prejudices and take a trip with a group of Others."
After a few seconds of pondering, Hasson stood up: "Let's talk about it after we finish this trip."
Hao Ren shook his head with a smile, and the voice of the data terminal sounded in his mind: "This machine knew that this invitation wouldn't be successful."
"Whether it's successful or not, at least it's pushed things forward a little," Hao Ren replied in his mind as well. "The demon hunter group is a closed circle. This time, we've finally come into contact with their upper-level members. How can we not try to loosen their soil a bit? There aren't many opportunities to talk to them calmly."
"Then how effective do you think this loosening of the soil will be?"
"I believe we'll have many more opportunities to contact demon hunters in the future, and it's absolutely impossible for them not to discuss the gradual decline of the hunting instinct internally, so as long as Hasson is willing to say a few more words to his colleagues when he gets back, the situation will soon change," Hao Ren exhaled. "The war against the Others is almost over."
The little girl Elizabeth wasn't interested in these discussions. She and Lily were lying on the edge of the water bubble, curiously looking at the ocean scenery outside. This panoramic underwater experience was novel and interesting to her. The sea siren Soma was swimming back and forth outside the water bubble. She waved to the people in the water bubble through a layer of water wall, and then a beautiful ripple rippled behind her. She transformed her body into a colorful fish in the ripple, lightly chasing a string of bubbles and swimming away. Izhaks saw this scene and curiously asked Nangong Wuyue beside him, "Speaking of which, how many forms can you sea sirens transform into?"
Nangong Wuyue was spacing out while holding her snake tail. She was stunned for a moment when she heard this, and then replied, "How many kinds? Countless kinds, water has no fixed form."
Elizabeth ran over with a whoosh: "Then can you turn into a coral reef? A crab? A sea urchin?"
Nangong Wuyue immediately wagged her tail happily, preparing to show off, but Hao Ren quickly stopped her when he saw this: "Alright, alright, can't you just not grab whoever you see and tell them about your Mantis Shrimp theory?"
Nangong Wuyue: "..."
At this moment, the water bubble suddenly vibrated. Hao Ren saw from the changes in the surrounding light and shadow that the bubble was slowly decelerating. He stood up and looked at Shachira: "What's going on outside?"
A light came from above the water bubble, and everyone discovered that the entire bubble was slowly rising to the surface of the sea. Soma poked half of her body in through the water curtain: "There's fog on the sea, it's magic fog. There may be other sea sirens controlling this sea area. Much stronger than me."
Everyone immediately became vigilant, and the water bubble had now completely risen to the surface of the sea.
Thick fog filled all directions, and the sky was so chaotic that the position of the sun could not be seen. The ocean was turbulent, and small, unnatural waves were surging in layers.
A faint song could be heard in the fishy sea breeze. Hao Ren looked in the direction of the sound. There seemed to be something there.