“Lord Dictator.” Xinghai was the first to place his right hand over his chest, bowing deeply to Su Shiye.
“Good evening.” Su Shiye’s voice was low and carried a hint of tenderness, like a faint glimmer of light piercing through a pitch-black night. “And you, young lady—I have yet to ask your name.”
“My name is Fan Li.”
Su Shiye glanced at Xinghai. “And this is?”
“Lord Dictator, I am her classmate. My name is Xinghai.”
“Hello, Xinghai.” Su Shiye smiled faintly. “Do you know the meaning of my name?”
“I do. In the Ancient Sea Language, ‘Su Shiye’ means ‘Starry Sea.’ That is why my father gave me this name. He hoped I would become a man like you.”
“Then it seems we share a bit of fate.” Su Shiye nodded, his expression turning earnest. “What does your father do?”
“He is a soldier.”
“What a coincidence. So was mine.”
“He certainly cannot be compared to you, Lord Su Shiye. In terms of education, your father is truly admirable; he is the most successful father in all the Light Sea.”
For the next few minutes, Su Shiye continued to chat with Xinghai, only occasionally directing a question or two toward Fan Li. Listening from the side, Fan Li felt that the scene—her, her classmate, and the Dictator of the Light Sea chatting together—was more surreal than a dream.
Five minutes later, Su Shiye glanced at the clock on the wall. He turned back to them and said, “Well, I must be going. Miss Fan Li, I was quite rude earlier and offended you. I offer my apologies.”
Startled, Fan Li shook her head repeatedly. “It’s nothing, really. It wasn’t a big deal. You actually helped me out a lot, Lord Su Shiye...”
“Then, until fate brings us together again.” Su Shiye gave them a slight smile, turned, and departed.
Sixteen Holy Capital Red Guards followed him out with robotic precision, their movements so synchronized that even the ripples from their tails followed a rhythmic pattern.
In front of the Wind-Moving Palace, an ultra-long, deep-blue luxury private vessel hovered silently. Its propellers reflected the brilliant lights of the palace like several twisted blades. This type of private vessel was first manufactured in the year 1138274 of the Mechanical Era, originally modified from military warships. On its bow was an emblem: an eagle with outspread wings, holding a ruby in its beak. This was the insignia of the Light Sea’s dictatorial government.
The pilot saluted Su Shiye at the entrance and pulled open the hatch for him.
The interior was comfortable and spacious, equipped with a television, a refrigerator, and enclosed glass wine cups—perfect for long-distance travel.
Su Shiye stepped inside with his long legs, and the hatch closed automatically. Through the glass window, Fan Li could still see his profile.
Then, he inadvertently turned back, catching one last glimpse of her.
Perhaps it was because the world outside the palace was shrouded in night, but she felt he looked like a portrait submerged in the deep sea, all emotions washed away by time. When the radiant lights shone upon the window, tinting his messy white hair, they could not, for the life of them, penetrate those beautiful, hollow golden eyes.
It was truly unbelievable that such a cold man had been kissing her so wildly just moments ago...
“Shall we go?” Xinghai’s voice pulled Fan Li back to reality.
“Ah, yes.”
“That was the first time I’ve seen the Dictator in person.” Xinghai used a soundproofing spell as he led her toward the terrace.
“Me too.” Fan Li felt a bit guilty and didn't really want to continue the topic.
“I never felt much when I saw him in the media, but seeing him in the flesh today, my only thought was: he’s so young. At his age, many men might not even have a proper job, yet he’s already the totalitarian ruler of the Light Sea.”
“How old is he?”
“Two hundred and fifty or sixty, I think.”
Fan Li’s face went blank. *What a "young" two hundred and sixty... that’s nearly four times my grandfather’s age...*
“There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding him. What do you think?” Recently, Fan Li had noticed that Su Shiye was a daily topic of conversation for many in Luoya. Some hated him with a burning passion, some wanted to kneel and call him their "god-tier daddy," some swooned over him, and even the vegetable vendors would occasionally mutter, “The Dictator is putting pressure on the Storm Party again today.”
“I think he is a very clever man who knows exactly what to do and what to say at any given moment.” As they neared the terrace, Xinghai turned around. “He has countless supporters throughout the Light Sea; even in the territories of the Storm Party, there are people who secretly worship him. Combined with the fact that he is a brilliant orator, few people notice how many he has killed or how many meaningless wars he has started. He will certainly leave his mark on history. I admire him.”
“Then, would you want to become someone like him?”
Xinghai pondered for a moment before shaking his head. “I wish to be as capable as him, but I don’t want power to override everything else. But looking at it from that perspective, it’s impossible for me to become like him anyway.”
“Oh? Why?”
“To drive a person to reach that stage requires a motivation far exceeding that of an ordinary person. Those who possess such motivation are inherently people of strong desires. How could they not love power?” Xinghai smiled. “I’ll just stick to trying to be an ordinary person who is slightly better than average.”
“Do you really think that?” Fan Li was somewhat surprised and a bit incredulous. “Wait, are you really a member of the Shark-kin?”
“Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have so many reflections on the matter.”
Fan Li was about to ask why, but she quickly realized—if he were an Ocean-kin, he wouldn't need to consciously control his desires because he wouldn't have such strong aggressive instincts to begin with. It was the Predator-kin who, if they wanted to find stable happiness and avoid the cycle of slaughter, had to exercise extraordinary self-restraint.
Fan Li found herself admiring Xinghai more and more. The messy, awkward tension from her encounter with Su Shiye was diluted by his peaceful aura. She couldn't help but feel relaxed, saying with a bright smile, “Then, what is the life you yearn for most?”
“Probably... being able to see a view like this every day.” Having said that, Xinghai swam onto the terrace.
Fan Li followed him out and immediately gasped. The seawater flowed comfortably through her mouth and gills into her respiratory system.
At night, the ocean was a deep blue starry sky, and the fifteen thousand jellyfish before her were surely the most beautiful stars of all. They were wandering dancers, conjuring a breeze within the water; they were elven poets, their pens burning into butterflies that soared into the heights...
The prosperity, clamor, and dancing below the terrace could not compete with this natural curtain.
There was a dream within the sea, and within that dream were all the stars of the Light Sea.
She looked up at Xinghai; there was a sea of stars in his eyes as well.
“I know why your parents gave you that name now...” The softest part of Fan Li’s heart was touched, and even her voice became gentle. “You are truly refined. You’re completely different from those bullying Predator-kin at school.”
“That’s because I am also one of the weak. I only seem strong in your eyes.”
“But your father was a Shark-kin, and didn't he respect your mother very much? I really envy a family like yours. I don’t envy the Sea God-kin, or Lina, or Kemo at all.”
“There’s nothing much to envy. Giving up who you originally were comes at a great cost.”
“What do you mean...?”
“During the Great Famine caused by the wars, they went a month without food. My mother was gravely ill, her life hanging by a thread, barely surviving on algae. My father, however, had to eat meat to live. So, my mother told him to eat her after she died. Instead, he chose to hold her and starve to death on the abyssal plains.”
Fan Li took a sharp breath of seawater, saying ruefully, “I’m so sorry...”
“It’s alright. It was many years ago. I’m used to being alone. Recalling their story now doesn't make me feel sad anymore.” Xinghai gazed at the distant swarm of jellyfish, appearing to be in a genuinely good mood. “Thank you for your concern.”
“Actually, in a sense, I’m alone too.”
“Don’t you live with a friend?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Fan Li lowered her head dejectedly. However, this loneliness could not be shared. She could only try to be optimistic, silently cheering herself up in her heart: *I also left my hometown to come to Luoya, and my family isn't by my side. So far, my only friends are Dangdang and Liuxiang... and of course, now there’s you, Xinghai.*
“I am honored, Fan Li.”
Just then, a golden "furball" rolled from somewhere to Fan Li’s feet. She crouched down to look and found it was a barnacle shell, completely covered in golden chrysanthemum-like coral. A baby lobster poked its head out from inside; its giant claws had a mint-leaf pattern, and its eyes were actually black-and-white striped, as exquisite as a sunflower handicraft. She stared at it curiously for a long time, wanting to touch it but not daring to, until she heard Xinghai say, “It’s not venomous.”
Only then did Fan Li carefully extend her index finger to poke the baby lobster’s head. She looked up at Xinghai with a satisfied expression. “This is so cute. It’s a pity I wouldn't know how to take care of it, otherwise I’d take it back and raise it.”
“Why wouldn't you be able to take care of it?”
“Because my self-care skills aren't very good.” The truth, of course, could not be said: *Because I don’t want to be a fish for the rest of my life...*
“I’ll raise it then.” Xinghai picked up the baby lobster.
“Eh, are we allowed to keep these at school... wait, you don’t live on campus, do you?”
“No, I live alone outside.”
“Then... tomorrow I have elective classes all day, but I’ll see you the day after in the Arcane Studies lecture, right?” Fan Li knew this "then" had absolutely no logical connection to the previous sentence, but facing Xinghai, she always felt grounded and couldn't help but want to say more.
“Yes.”
“Then we can go to class together the day after tomorrow.” Fan Li smiled radiantly. “Xinghai, I’m really happy to have made you as a friend!”
“Me too.” Xinghai was caught up in her mood, showing a boyish smile.
Fan Li was truly happy. Xinghai had an aura that made her want to be close to him, like an older brother, or perhaps a bit like an old friend of many years... no, she had known friends for years, and it didn't feel like this.
When she first saw him, her heart had raced, and she had been a bit afraid. But recently she had discovered that while he looked somewhat aloof, he was actually a very gentle person. The way he smiled slightly was particularly handsome. Every moment spent with him felt as if her heart were being cradled by a warm hand...
Thus, Xinghai served as a heartwarming conclusion to the emotional roller coaster Su Shiye had put her through.
As she chatted with him, watching those ten thousand underwater ballet dancers, her deep blue pupils were dyed with a firework-like glow. She kept wagging her tail, thinking that if time passed a little slower, it wouldn't be so bad...
At midnight, the wedding drew to a close. After going to the dressing room to change back into her own clothes, Fan Li left with Dangdang and Liuxiang.
As they swam out of the range of Yejia’s arcane barrier, her long, rose-wave hair reverted to its short length, just as if twelve o'clock had struck and Cinderella’s journey to the royal ball had ended.
Liuxiang pulled out two cards, her nose wrinkling in disdain. “Two silly boys left me their contact info. One is even from the Red Moon Sea University. I don’t have time for dating, let alone dating someone from a rival university.”
Dangdang burst out laughing. “Pfft, since when did Red Moon Sea University become a rival?”
“True, they aren't rivals. Luoya University is the best. Well then, this young lady shall grant him the honor of one meeting.”
Both Fan Li and Dangdang were amused by her. After a while, Liuxiang parted ways with them. Dangdang hugged Fan Li’s arm, saying excitedly, “Fan Li, I’ve lived for eighty-nine years, and today was the most beautiful night of those eighty-nine years! I have a premonition—my house, no, my love is coming!”
“Then congratulations. But... he’s not really a divorcee with a kid, is he?”
“Hehe, he has a kid anyway, and I like that.” Dangdang clung to Fan Li’s arm, her smile as sweet as honey.
Thinking of Yejia’s invitation to dance, the chat on the terrace with Xinghai, and that unexpected kiss from Su Shiye, Fan Li felt a bit dazed.
When she eventually returned to land, all of this would probably become a beautiful memory of being eighteen.
The world of the Sea-kin was actually quite interesting. If she were a citizen born and raised here, she would surely enjoy this life.
“Ah!!” Dangdang suddenly cried out, snapping her back from her drifting thoughts.
“What’s wrong?”
“My necklace is gone!” Dangdang fell into a heavy silence for about twenty seconds before slapping her forehead hard. “I must have left it on the chair when I was with you in the dressing room earlier!”
“Then let’s go back and get it. Come on.” Fan Li grabbed Dangdang’s hand and swam back without hesitation.
However, after the guards looked them up and down, they wouldn't let them back in. Only after Fan Li repeatedly explained that she needed to retrieve a lost valuable did they reluctantly allow her to go in alone.
Aside from Buke Ni, who was still seeing off the last batch of guests, only a few slaves remained to clean up the aftermath. Four-fifths of the twenty-four hundred lamps had been extinguished. The twenty-meter-wide corridor was lit almost entirely by starlight, causing deep blue ripples of light to swirl. The Wind-Moving Palace had shed its previous clamor; it was empty, like a magnificent and sacred thousand-year-old tomb.
Whether it was because the lights were out or because it was late at night, Fan Li felt the temperature had dropped several degrees. She felt a chill all over.
*It must be psychological,* she thought. *The specific heat capacity of seawater is different from land; it shouldn't be too cold at night.*
After swimming for a while, she finally found the dressing room they had used. The door was half-ajar, and a sliver of pale light leaked through the crack onto the floor, casting a long, sword-shaped beam. She knocked gently on the door. “Excuse me... is anyone inside?”
No one answered.
She pushed the door open and entered. The layout inside was no different from when they had left, and even all the lights were still on. However, the seawater smelled strange, and its color was warm, leaning toward orange, also different from the water outside. Fan Li figured it was just the lighting.
She found the stall where she had changed and, sure enough, saw Dangdang’s necklace on the chair in front of it. She gave a relieved smile and bent down to pick it up.
At the same time, the strange smell in the water became more pronounced. It seemed to originate from near this row of stalls.
Fan Li frowned and followed the scent, searching further in. The smell grew increasingly fishy. However, the closer she got to the innermost stall, the more she felt the smell was like... no, she shouldn't scare herself.
Reaching the door of the innermost stall, she noticed the door panel seemed to bulge outward more than the others. The thick, nauseating stench was already making her feel suffocated.
She swallowed hard and pulled at the door.
It didn't have the weight of a normal door. It was heavy, as if something were pressing against it. Fan Li’s intuition could no longer deceive her; a warning blared in her brain: *This is the smell of blood.*
She felt the seawater drop below zero, freezing her blood. Goosebumps erupted instantly across her face and spread to every limb.
*No, curiosity killed the cat. I’m not opening it. I’m leaving.*
Just as she turned to swim away, the door made a soft clicking sound.
She hunched her shoulders and slowly turned her head.
Then, the door could no longer withstand the weight from within and swung open with a creak. A person tumbled out, pressing lightly against Fan Li.
Terrified, Fan Li gave a violent shove. Because of the buoyancy, it was easy to push the body away. But that physical contact revealed the truth: this was a completely rigid corpse.
The blood-stained white wedding dress floated up and down, crumpled like toilet paper soaking in water. Miss Bubble’s eyes bulged like a goldfish’s, her pupils dilated to the limit. Her hand tightly gripped a red envelope. A dagger had been thrust into the front of her neck, protruding from the back. Her blood seemed to have mostly drained away, with only a few lingering streaks of crimson seeping from the wound.
Fan Li couldn't even scream. Trembling, she pressed herself against the wall behind her, tears bursting from her eyes. She held her breath, not daring to inhale another drop of seawater. After freezing for a few seconds, she bolted out the door without looking back.
However, just as she swam around the corner of the corridor, she collided head-on with someone.
“Fan Li? You haven't left yet?” Professor Yinbeier asked in astonishment.
“N-no, I... I just...”
Fan Li stammered incoherently, but a thought suddenly struck her: if people knew she had seen Miss Bubble’s body, she would be required to cooperate with the investigation. Given her lack of knowledge about this world and the original owner of her body, her answers would likely be nonsensical, and she would soon be discovered for using forbidden arts.
The octopus son of the female criminal at the school gate, Miss Bubble’s bulging eyes, the original Fan Li’s cold letter... everything flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern. Finally, she just covered her mouth and said with a trembling voice, “I drank too much. I feel terrible.”
“Ah, I see. Your face does look awful. Hurry home then. Is someone with you?”
“Yes, my roommate is right outside. I’m going back to rest now. Goodnight, Professor.”
After reuniting with Dangdang, Dangdang kissed the necklace several times, then hugged Fan Li and kissed her cheek. “Wonderful!! My treasure! Ah—!”
She let out a joyful squeal. Simultaneously, a guard at the entrance of the Wind-Moving Palace gave a loud shout, and half the guards rushed into the palace at high speed. Dangdang looked at the crowd rushing up the steps, bewildered. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know... I’m a bit tired. Let’s go back and rest.” Fan Li kept her back to the steps, terrified that Yinbeier would burst out at any second and have her seized for questioning.
Thinking that Fan Li had done her such a huge favor, Dangdang could only follow her away, glancing back occasionally at the situation in the palace.
The next day, the news of Miss Bubble’s death made the front-page headlines of every major newspaper.
After investigating the scene, the police stated that until the autopsy report was released, they could not rule out the possibility of suicide. No evidence of a killer was found at the scene, and there were no signs of a struggle on Mrs. Buke’s body. Logically, if a killer wanted to pierce her throat from the front with such force, she couldn't have been completely defenseless. Furthermore, she had been taking antidepressants and had certain suicidal tendencies.
However, Miss Bubble’s family vehemently opposed this theory. Her father believed that his daughter had just gotten married and was carrying the groom’s child; she had absolutely no motive to commit suicide on her wedding night. She and Buke Ni had married for love; if she were dissatisfied with the marriage or her husband, she could have called off the engagement. There was no need to choose death as a form of protest. While it was true his daughter had been emotionally unstable recently, no suicide note had been found at the scene or at home. Therefore, he would not accept the case being closed as a suicide. He insisted it was murder and demanded the killer be found.
This statement was subtle; while strongly rebutting the suicide theory, it also implied that Buke Ni wasn't good enough. He truly lived up to his reputation as a man obsessed with his daughter.
But remembering Miss Bubble’s final gaze, Fan Li was also half-doubting the possibility of suicide.
And just as the wedding had been grand, Miss Bubble’s death was equally sensational. Whether on the streets of Luoya or on campus, discussions like these were everywhere:
“Sigh, honestly, her life went off track the moment her dad started using her for hype. She died while being cheated on; it’s really a pity. Her family was well-off; she could have lived a stable, affluent middle-class life.”
“Miss Bubble is a great tragedy. She had a good starting point but liked to trade her beauty for wealth and status, only to die young. Whether it was suicide or murder, a young life is gone. In the end, her only achievement in life was getting pregnant out of wedlock to cling to the Buke Clan.”
“Certain Ocean-kin should take a good look at Miss Bubble’s tragedy. They always want to change their lives and cross social classes through marriage, but they can’t. In the end, they just become appendages of the powerful, providing a young womb—marrying into the Sea God-kin, even the children suffer. I really don't know what she was after.”
“As an Orca-kin, I’ll say I don’t mind finding an Ocean-kin pretty boy, but if he relies on me for everything, he shouldn't have too many thoughts of his own. Just be my canary. I imagine Buke Ni saw Miss Bubble the same way. If Miss Bubble accepted that kind of life, it was just a mutual agreement.”
“Stop shedding crocodile tears and pitying her. This was the life she chose. If this tragedy hadn't happened, the exchange of interests would have been fine. Who knows how many people would be jealous.”
What Fan Li saw, however, was a single piece of testimony provided by Buke Ni: “Yesterday, when my wife and I were arguing, someone passed by and ran away as if they had a guilty conscience. Please be sure to find out who this person is; she is very likely the killer.”
These words felt like countless tiny needles pricking Fan Li all over. She held her head, telling herself to stay calm. Since Su Shiye had chosen to save her, he probably wouldn't expose her.
But who knew? What if Su Shiye really thought she was a suspect...
While her heart was still pounding with fear, she felt something was strange.
The night before, she had clearly seen Miss Bubble holding a red envelope in her hand. Why had no one mentioned it?
After flipping through several newspapers, she still couldn't find any information related to it.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
古海族语 | Ancient Sea Language | An ancient language of the sea races.
圣都红衣卫 | Holy Capital Red Guards | Elite guards serving the Dictator.
机械时代 | Mechanical Era | The current chronological era of the world.
捕猎族 | Predator-kin | Also "Hunting-kin"; sea races that are naturally predatory.
海洋族 | Ocean-kin | Non-predatory sea races.
逆戟族 | Orca-kin | The killer whale race.
红色信封 | Red envelope | A mysterious item held by the victim.
