The Chief looked at Fanli and then at Su Shiye, his confusion quickly giving way to understanding. He didn't mention the tribute of beauties again.
Because she had been busy socializing, Fanli hadn't dared to eat too much for fear of getting drowsy. By the time the banquet ended, she felt quite hungry. As the crowd dispersed, she tugged on Su Shiye’s sleeve. "Brother, I’m not full. Let’s go for a walk outside and find something to eat, okay?"
"You don't want to look at handsome guys anymore?"
Fanli blinked. "What handsome guys? I didn't see any."
"Good looks are useless on a man. Look at those 'embroidered pillows'—they all scattered like startled birds just now."
"But even if you added up all the best traits of every one of them, they still wouldn't be as handsome as you, Brother..."
Su Shiye looked down at her, gave her head a gentle, playful shove, and began swimming toward the fleet. "There probably aren't any high-end restaurants here. Aize, go find out where the atmosphere is decent."
"No, no, we don't need 'atmosphere' here. We should eat the local specialties." Fanli looked down at the plains deep within the trench. "Shall we go down there?"
"There are only grill stalls there, and the fel energy levels are high. It’s unhygienic for you, and you might even get poisoned."
"It’ll be fine. It’ll be fun! You can just help me purify the food. Come on, let’s go." Fanli took Su Shiye’s hand and swam straight toward the depths of the trench.
Su Shiye looked back and waved at Aize and the other attendants, signaling them to go back and rest. Then, Fanli pulled him under a natural stone bridge. Golden-red light filtered up from the night market below, making her face glow like a little sun. The tribal sharks swam densely in the deep water thirty meters above the market; silhouetted against the light, they looked like a chaotic school of fish in the Light Sea.
In the far distance, there was a massive hydrothermal vent, but the water temperature there was too high and it had been cordoned off. However, the deep sea was full of "hot spots." Local vendors utilized this free geothermal heat to cook, setting up a cluster of "underwater ovens" on the plains. They prepared many delicacies unique to the Grievous Shark's Nest, such as mussels, vent shrimp, ghost octopuses, and yeti crabs.
"Look at that! Cooked food without using air bladders!" Fanli slowed down, her eyes wide. "Have you seen this before?"
Su Shiye raised an eyebrow. "You’ve been in Bamanboya for two years and you didn't know grill stalls don't use air bladders?"
"I’m a bit of a homebody. Are there stalls like this in Bamanboya too?"
"Not in the city center; the government doesn't allow illegal street vending. But there are plenty in the suburbs."
"The flavors here must be different from Bamanboya, right? Let’s try everything!" Fanli grew excited, pulling Su Shiye through the crowd of sharks.
As the only two sea folk wearing clothes, they drew many stares from the locals. In this primitive tribe, there were naturally male sharks who eyed Fanli hungrily, slowing their pace and twitching their fins, their pupils narrowing into slits. But they had no intimidating effect on Fanli. No matter how much they wanted to approach her, one look from Su Shiye—even in his land-dwelling form where his race wasn't obvious—triggered the same instinctive reaction as the young men at the banquet.
However, the top predator of the ocean, the fastest swimmer in the sea, was currently being dragged passively through the trench by Fanli. She was like this—whenever she saw something new, she got as excited as a preschool boy seeing a toy gun. Su Shiye sighed helplessly, exhaling a string of bubbles, and let her lead him wherever she pleased.
"Oh, they even eat tube worms." Passing a shop specializing in them, Fanli saw the shopkeeper coiling a two-meter-long tube worm and slicing it. Her face wrinkled in disgust. "Is that even edible?"
"If you want to eat it, it is."
Fanli rubbed the goosebumps on her arms and swam with him to another stall.
This stall sold yeti crabs. The preparation was simple: open the shell, use organic matter to remove the fishy smell and toxins, sprinkle spices on the meat, wrap it in tin foil, and roast it over a hot spot. It was served wrapped in kelp.
Fanli sat down boldly at the stall, then stood up sheepishly, whispering to Su Shiye, "I don't think we brought any money."
Su Shiye pulled a few coins from his pocket and handed them to the proprietress. "Two crabs."
"Is this their currency?" Fanli took a coin and began studying the pattern. It felt rough to the touch. "'Central Bank of the Grievous Shark's Nest Tribe'... '10 Ang'..."
"Between the tribes and nations nearby, there are over twenty types of currency, and the exchange rates are unstable. So, gold is still the most valuable thing here."
"They’re still on the gold standard? Won't that affect the Empire's currency circulation later?"
"That depends on the Empire's development."
When the roasted yeti crabs were served, Fanli lifted the cover, inhaling the aroma carried by the current. Without even using a fork, she snapped a crab in half and began feasting.
Su Shiye rested his chin on his hand, watching her with interest. "How can you enjoy eating in a place like this? It’s really not the style of the Goddess Sui."
"As long as I’m with you, anything I eat is 'Goddess style'."
"I think you’ve just gotten good at sweet-talking."
"I can't help it. When you're with someone you like, you don't have to think before you speak." Her cheeks were puffed out with two large bites of crab meat and roe, looking utterly satisfied. "Why aren't you eating?"
"I ordered them for you. I’m not eating."
"Why? It’s so delicious."
Su Shiye shook his head, continuing to watch her eat in silence. Fanli shrugged. "Is this food too 'inelegant' for His Majesty the Crimson Moon Emperor? Well, sorry then, they’re all mine. Don't blame me for hogging the food."
"I don't blame you. It’s all yours," Su Shiye chuckled.
"Hey, handsome, you two are from the Light Sea, aren't you? Your girlfriend is really beautiful," the proprietress said with a beaming smile.
The government of the Grievous Shark's Nest strictly controlled the media, so no one had seen Su Shiye or Fanli’s faces in the local news. However, they knew that white hair was a symbol of Light Sea nobility.
"She’s not my girlfriend," Su Shiye said.
"Oh?" The proprietress looked at Fanli’s reaction. "Did I misjudge? Is it just... *that* kind of relationship?"
Su Shiye didn't respond.
Whether it was the new flavors, being with Su Shiye, or the fact that the stall owner really knew her way around a yeti crab, Fanli found the meal exceptionally delicious. With every bite, she couldn't help but mumble, "Mmm, so good, so good." The yeti crabs were fifteen centimeters long, and she ate eight of them until her stomach was bulging. Throughout the entire process, Su Shiye didn't take a single bite; he just watched her with a doting gaze, looking even more satisfied than she was.
After leaving the stall, Fanli’s swimming speed slowed significantly. "I get it. You don't like cooked food that much, that's why you didn't eat. But the texture of yeti crab is really different from other crabs. I wonder if it would be good as Flame Demon Sweet Crab... I’ll buy some yeti crabs to take back and cook for you, okay?"
"Okay."
"You’re so quiet today."
"Let’s head back." Su Shiye pulled out his communicator, intending to call Aize to pick them up, but Fanli pressed her hand over his.
"It’s rare for it to be just the two of us. I don't want to go back with anyone else." Fanli scanned the surroundings and spotted an ultra-miniature rental sub. It had a pointed front and only two seats in the back. It was a double-row model of the "Red Moon Flower Boat" produced in the Red Moon Sea, which had first appeared in the year 4490 of the Combustion Era.
"The Red Moon Sea really is trading with them." Fanli swam over and spoke to the driver. "Sir, can you take us to the Sawtooth Hotel?"
Seeing the driver nod, she was about to hop in when Su Shiye pulled her back.
"Light Sea vessels can't handle this much pressure. The ones sent to the Abyss are modified versions; they’re incredibly slow here. It would be faster if I just carried you back."
"If you carry me, we’ll be there in a second! I don't want that."
"Isn't fast better?"
"No. On such a beautiful night, we should take it slow." Without another word, Fanli jumped into the back seat and waved at Su Shiye.
"This is too small. It’ll be a tight squeeze."
"Come on!"
Forced by circumstance, Su Shiye had to squeeze in. Only then did Fanli realize just how tight it was. Su Shiye looked lean and tall, but once seated, he took up quite a bit of space. Half his body was pressed against her right shoulder. Nevertheless, she insisted the driver start the journey.
The speed was... impressively slow.
As for comfort, the food in her stomach was nearly vibrated out.
Fanli was curious how a small private sub could manage to feel like a tractor. Not long after they started, she burst out laughing. "This is way too slow!"
"This is a Red Moon Sea sub; the ones from the Resurrection Sea can't even make it down here." Su Shiye looked disgusted. "Light Sea pressure-resistance technology is just backward. I told you so."
Compared to the ride itself, seeing Su Shiye so disgruntled was much more entertaining. Fanli tried to burrow into the corner but couldn't make any space, so she simply wrapped her arms around Su Shiye’s arm to save room. "If I were sitting with Feng Jin, it would definitely be more comfortable than sitting with you. Your legs are too long."
"Feng Jin would never sit in something like this with you."
"How do you know he wouldn't?"
"Most girls want to sit in nice ships. You think everyone is like you?"
"What’s wrong with this one?"
"What’s *right* with it?"
"Don't be so offensive to the driver, okay? This shaking has a massage effect. And this open-top design lets us feel the soft, warm currents of the trench. Just feel it..." Fanli tilted her head back slightly, brushing her long curly hair aside, and took a deep breath of the seawater, savoring the flow against her face. "It’s so comfortable. Much better than being stuck in a closed cabin."
"You really are a strange girl."
Despite his words, Su Shiye was smiling.
A moment later, they saw a shark mother holding her daughter’s hand as they swam past, quickly leaving the sub in the dust. Fanli didn't think anything of it, but she saw Su Shiye hide a smile.
"What are you thinking about? Why are you so happy?" she asked, puzzled.
"Do you remember the animation we watched together when we were kids? *Super Tail-Baller*."
"I know exactly what you're talking about!!"
There was a scene in *Super Tail-Baller* where the protagonist was running late for a match and had his three best friends drive him to the stadium in a beat-up private sub. The sub was an ancient model that went "putt-putt-putt" like an excavator, and a little girl swimming by left all four of them in her wake.
Fanli understood instantly and laughed even harder than Su Shiye, rocking back and forth. The driver in the front, who completely missed the joke, felt quite disturbed.
She hadn't expected that after six hundred years, she’d have the chance to chat about childhood memories with her brother. Fanli was overjoyed. "You actually remember such an old animation."
"I watched it more times than you did. That show was the childhood and youth of my generation of men. You, on the other hand—it wasn't normal for a girl to love sports-themed animation so much."
"I only watched it because of you! Back then, all the girls liked *A Girl's Trajectory*, but you hogged the TV every day, so I had to watch with you."
"There you go, making things up again. We agreed to take turns every other day. You were the one who wanted to watch *Tail-Baller* and wouldn't change the channel. You were so excited you jumped on the sofa. When they scored a goal, you jumped so hard you broke the sofa springs. Forgot that?"
"I forgot," Fanli said, looking away haughtily.
"That sofa was brand new. Mom had just bought it. You surely haven't forgotten getting your butt smacked for breaking it?"
"I forgot!" Fanli’s face turned bright red.
Su Shiye gave her forehead another playful nudge. Fanli wobbled like a roly-poly toy to one side and then back, resting her head on his shoulder. After that, gentle waves brushed past, fluttering their hair, giving them plenty of time to quietly enjoy this beautiful, deep night in the dark sea.
Along the way, Fanli stole many glances at Su Shiye. Every time, he was smiling. She hadn't seen him this relaxed in centuries. She could feel that he was in an exceptionally good mood tonight. She whispered, "This sub ride was worth it, wasn't it?"
"You really are a strange girl. If I had carried you back, we would have been there ages ago."
"It’s nice to slow down the pace once in a while."
The private sub wound through the canyon, passing many stone buildings and natural bridges. Then, they entered a scene of miraculous beauty: thousands of Dreamy Blue Squids were pulsing upward, surrounding them like a forest of fireflies in summer. They lit up the deep blue sea, illuminating the "living fossil" nautiluses sleeping on the rock walls. They shone alongside Dreamy Sea Cucumbers—creatures with red skin that emitted golden sparks of light for self-defense. These sea cucumbers had webbed structures at both ends, allowing them to swim away from their habitats and travel to the Twilight Zone or even the Light Sea.
As the Dreamy Sea Cucumbers moved upward, the dark Shark's Nest was filled with golden and blue fluorescence, which drifted across Fanli and Su Shiye.
Fanli leaned over the edge of the sub, mesmerized. "Brother, living here would be a pretty good choice too..."
"Eating yeti crabs every day and not having to wear clothes? It is quite nice."
"You’re such a buzzkill!" She nudged him with her elbow. "They have their own culture. Show a little respect."
When they finally reached the hotel entrance and stepped off the sub, Fanli’s right hip was numb from being pressed against Su Shiye. Seeing her awkward swimming posture, Su Shiye laughed out loud.
"Are you laughing at me?" Fanli shot him a glare and swam straight inside. "I’m mad."
But as she neared the door, she turned back and smiled at him.
In that moment, he saw only the movement of her turning, her rose-colored hair trailing behind her, slowed by the depth of the water like a memory from an old film. Her eyes were full of happiness, as if they still had countless tomorrows ahead of them.
Su Shiye swam to her in an instant, pulling her into a tight embrace. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, squeezing her so hard her ribs ached.
"Hmm? What’s wrong..."
Before she could finish, Su Shiye leaned down and kissed her.
The hotel doorman, Qusha and the elders who had come to greet them, and Aize—who had just come out to shout "Welcome back, Your Majesty" before shrinking back timidly—everyone was stunned by the scene. They remained in a state of shocked silence.
In their minds, His Majesty Su Shiye was a man in his prime, ambitious, calm, and elegant. No matter the occasion, he never displayed intimacy with the opposite sex. This was the first time they had seen him kiss a woman in public. Moreover, this woman was the High Priestess of the Light Sea.
But the most unexpected behavior was yet to come.
"There are too many people here, let’s go back..." Fanli just wanted to hide herself between him and the wall, not daring to look at anyone else.
"Don't worry about the others," Su Shiye said, his voice low and husky. "Lili, come back to the room with me. I want you."
Su Shiye took a deep breath and leaned down for a kiss that was almost deep enough to reach her throat. She was kissed breathless, unable to keep up with his pace, only able to clutch his collar and passively accept his assault.
And so, everyone watched as the Crimson Moon Emperor, in broad daylight—or rather, in public—kissed the girl he shouldn't be kissing like a madman. Every single one of them stood there with their jaws dropped.
Suddenly, a white light flashed over them. Fanli squinted from the glare.
"Who is that?!" Qusha roared.
"A secret photo?!" Aize looked around, swimming in every direction, but didn't know where to give chase. "How... we’re on a secret visit. How could anyone know our whereabouts?!"
As Qusha rushed out, Su Shiye called out, "Qusha, don't bother. The person who took the photo isn't here."
He looked at the surrounding terrain. "This can't be hidden anymore. We’re going back to Bamanboya right now."
Sure enough, the next morning, while still on the return vessel, Fanli heard Su Shiye taking one phone call after another. The television was broadcasting news from the Light Sea:
"On October 24th, the High Priestess of the Light Sea, Sui, became the center of a major sex scandal, drawing intense public attention. According to our reporter, an anonymous source alleges that Sui privately accompanied the Emperor of the Abyss, Su Shiye, on a secret visit to the Grievous Shark's Nest under the guise of economic and military cooperation. They were seen passionately kissing late at night in front of the Sawtooth Hotel, suggesting an extramarital affair. Regarding this, Sui never disclosed to any Light Sea government department that her visit to the Abyssal Empire would involve political events. The Archon of the Red Moon Sea has issued a strong condemnation, calling her a 'traitor of the Light Sea seduced by Su Shiye.' Recently, a grill stall owner from the Grievous Shark's Nest told reporters that she witnessed Sui and Su Shiye on a late-night date at her stall, and that Su Shiye personally denied they were boyfriend and girlfriend..."
Then, the screen cut to a middle-aged shark woman. Her eyes were pixelated, but Fanli recognized her instantly as the yeti crab vendor.
"I saw them flirting the whole time, so I thought they must be boyfriend and girlfriend. I asked them casually. But that handsome guy with the white hair and gold eyes, he said they weren't. I said, 'Oh, so you two just have *that* kind of relationship,' and he didn't say anything. I figured he was admitting it. Honestly, that kind of relationship is pretty common in our tribe. I didn't think it was big news. You lot shouldn't go pinning bad labels on the little girl."
The host’s voice continued: "Su Shiye has seemingly admitted to Sui’s status as his mistress. Reporters contacted Sui’s husband, Moer Heqiao, immediately, but Heqiao himself refused to be interviewed. His assistant stated they have no comment at this time..."
Seeing this, Fanli was in a state of total chaos. She dialed Heqiao’s number, but the line was busy. After four attempts, she finally heard Heqiao’s voice. "Sui, we’re in big trouble now."
"What should we do? Should we announce the news of our divorce?"
"I don't think that’s a good idea." Heqiao was silent for a moment. "No, now is really not the time. Announcing it would be bad for both of us."
"Then what should we do? We can't just do nothing."
"Let me think about it." After another brief yet agonizing silence, Heqiao suddenly said, "I have another call coming in. I’ll call you back later."
But half an hour passed, and Heqiao didn't call back. Fanli shook her head to keep herself clear-headed. After thinking for a while, she got up and swam toward the conference room to ask for help, only to hear Su Shiye speaking to his press secretary on the other end of the line: "Control the Empire's media. Suppress this story. Do not respond to anything. We can't control the Light Sea media, so ignore them; just handle the Empire's. No, there’s no need to speak for me or Sui. Yes, just maintain silence..."
Fanli leaned against the door, frozen for a long time.
If a heart could drop in temperature, hers must have gone from warm to dozens of degrees below zero, filled with shards of ice.
Heqiao was her ex-husband; it was one thing for him to refuse to reveal the divorce for the sake of his company’s future. But she hadn't expected Su Shiye to act this way too...
Thinking back on his various attitudes toward her lately, Fanli began to waver—could it be that Su Shiye’s coldness wasn't due to some hidden difficulty, but simply because he didn't love her that much? Perhaps he could occasionally grant her some tenderness, but when it came to matters of state, he reverted to the cold Emperor of the Abyss. It seemed logical.
But it didn't matter. She didn't regret it.
She wasn't supposed to have survived in this world or been reborn in this era anyway. To have made it this far, to have done so much, and to have lived beautifully in her limited lifespan—fate had already given her many extra gifts. She was full of gratitude for these nearly seven hundred years.
She would leave her final moments to Su Shiye, the only man she had ever loved. Whether others thought it was worth it or not, she felt it was.
Fanli knocked on the door and said softly, "Brother, I can't get a hold of Heqiao. I need to go back to the Light Sea to handle this, then I’ll come back."
Su Shiye was too focused on the press secretary’s report and didn't notice her.
Fanli called Saint Yejiana, telling her subordinates to meet her in the Twilight Zone. Then, she opened the hatch and swam out into the rushing current.
***
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