At the same time, in the main hall of the neighboring art gallery, many art students were gathered around a statue of a flayed Oceanid, observing and studying it. The statue was a replica of a masterpiece by an ancient artist from the Red Moon Sea; it depicted a figure holding its own ear-fin in one hand while pointing toward the sky with the other. The original artist had been obsessed with stone, as if trying to liberate the souls imprisoned within the rock.
Sculptures lined the path, and numerous paintings hung upon the walls. Teacher Yinbell swayed her graceful snow-white tail as she introduced the works to several high-ranking sea-folk.
"During the mid-to-late Golden Age, the power of the Great Oracles weakened day by day. The Seven Seas each held their own ancestral gods as objects of faith. Unwilling to submit to the frail Saint Yejana government and yearning for independence, commanders and warmongers frequently led incursions across sea borders and outside the Seven Seas' jurisdictions, eager to seize territory. The victors would commission artists to depict scenes of war on walls, rocks, massive canvases, and palace tiles... In those days, war was the most popular subject in art. Painters had just invented perspective; they would spend hundreds or even thousands of days refining a single painting as tall as a hill, all to achieve a sense of three-dimensional realism. Because commercial technology was underdeveloped, artists focused more on self-expression than on gaining public favor. Consequently, artistic forms were incredibly diverse. In the hands of different artists, the same war could be conveyed in starkly different colors."
Among those listening to her were the Patriarch of the Buke clan and his son, as well as Gath Xitian, the son of the Gath Patriarch, along with their families and retinues.
Teacher Yinbell had rehearsed her script hundreds of times and delivered it with practiced ease. Regrettably, few were actually listening. Aside from Gath Xitian, the men only noticed that this teacher had large, night-like eyes, snow-white skin, and a tail that looked as if it were coated in frost. She didn't even need to speak; they could happily spend the whole day staring at her in a daze without feeling bored.
The women in the group were less pleased. Having their spotlight stolen by an Oceanid woman made them want to leave as quickly as possible.
Gath Xitian remained distracted throughout. He neither listened to her nor admired the paintings, maintaining a cold, frowning expression.
Yejia had been trying to ignore him for a long time, but finally couldn't help himself. After casting a soundproofing spell, he whispered, "Please, big brother, did you come all the way from Veda just so we could admire your funeral face? How long has it been since your fiancée vanished? Smile a little, would you?"
"Did I say it was because of her?" Gath Xitian finally spoke.
His father was not only the Patriarch of the Storm Sea but also the head of the Storm Party. Thus, like his father, he had inherited the 'Clairvoyance' of the Ancestral God of Justice and the ability to manipulate maritime storms. Not only did his vision surpass that of mortals, but he could also see through the schemes of the Abyssals attempting to cross the Well of Storms to attack the upper seas. He was tall and upright, possessing the snow-white hair that all descendants of the Sea Gods took pride in. However, unlike Su Shiye’s casual air or Yejia’s elegance, his silver hair was combed straight back, revealing a gold brow-ornament and gold earrings that framed a perfect but cold face. His thick, snowy eyebrows slanted upward, giving him the stern aura of a young military officer.
"Is it not because of her?" Yejia shrugged, far more relaxed than his companion. "You proposed so many times before, and the results were never great. Now that she finally got engaged to you, I thought you’d take good care of her. Instead, she’s gone after only a short while."
"I told you, it’s not because of her. And stop mentioning our engagement; we haven't made it public yet."
"If it's not public, does she even count as a fiancée?"
"I gave her a diamond ring. She accepted it and wore it. How does that not count?"
"Wow, a diamond ring already? Such rapid progress. I can only hope you don't have a 'wife-cursing' fate like Su Shiye. Find her soon and bring her back to the Storm Sea."
"Yejia, are you finished? Su Shiye used to say your head was filled with nothing but women; he wasn't wrong. You want to know why I’m annoyed?" Xitian dispelled the soundproofing spell. "You didn't tell me Su Shiye would be here."
"None of us knew he was coming." Yejia continued to shrug in that annoying way. "Even my father didn't know."
"The Dictator only gave notice last night that he was coming on urgent business," Buke Balu added.
"If I had known he was coming, I wouldn't have."
"Rest assured, we won't let you run into each other. But you must promise me: if you do meet in the Red Moon Sea, do not cause trouble." After receiving Xitian’s reluctant agreement, Balu sighed and patted his shoulder. "Also, you and your father should prepare yourselves. If you insist on opposing the Holy Capital Party to the end, you must accept one thing: Su Shiye has always been a far-sighted and ruthless man. Once he decides to do something, he does it to the extreme. Even as a child, he had the courage to defy the Sea God Race. Now that he is the supreme leader of the Holy Capital’s military and government, I need say no more. Your father has often underestimated him."
"I don't underestimate him, but I don't fear him either. However, doesn't Uncle Balu feel he’s betraying the Buke clan by following the orders of a junior from an outside race?"
In truth, since the end of the Golden Age, the Gath clan had led the way in sparking wars across the entire ocean. But the major clans were evenly matched, and the struggle for supremacy had lasted nearly 3.3 million years, exhausting the entire Light Sea. The Dictator, Su Shiye, was the first to attempt to unify the Light Sea and restore the actual power of the Holy Capital, and he had largely succeeded. Born of the Predator Race, the amount he had paid and sacrificed to reach his current position went without saying. Balu understood this, and he believed Xitian did too. It was just that Xitian was stubborn, siding with his father to oppose the Holy Capital Party.
The Buke family was exceptionally skilled in social graces. Hearing Xitian’s words, Balu was neither surprised nor angered. He simply smiled. "Your family’s genes are truly strong; your replication ability is the best in the Light Sea. You don't just look like your father; you talk like him too—it makes one's ears ache."
Teacher Yinbell began introducing two paintings by different artists with the same title: *The Battle of the Three Seas at the Well of Storms*. One painting was crowded with sea-folk in various costumes and from different social classes. Above their heads flew three types of banners: the triskelion emblem of the Sephi clan, resembling a three-legged wheel; the Gath clan’s scales, though with a blade and a sword hanging from either side; and the Buke clan’s crest, the "Flower Eye" they had maintained for 430 million years. On the ground lay the corpses of sea-folk with severed tails and pale-faced poor people begging for mercy, while high above stood heroic officers holding great banners. Though the style was ancient and lacked realism, the painting seemed to move, and one could almost hear the shouts of battle.
Another artist’s depiction of the same battle used a low-saturation, aristocratic style. The frame contained only armored sea-folk warriors and their mounts in various lively poses. The composition led the eye from the foreground into the distance, ending at the steps of a ruined palace overgrown with wild coral and seaweed.
Once she finished the story, someone whispered into the ear of Xitian’s uncle. He turned and patted Yejia’s shoulder. "All the cooperation agreements for next year are settled. Yejia, you’ve been a huge help."
"Glad to hear it," Yejia said with a smile as bright as a spring breeze.
"By the way, who is this lady? She’s quite the beauty."
In truth, Xitian’s uncle, like the other men, had been staring at Teacher Yinbell for a long time. Xitian knew his uncle’s old habit of lechery was acting up. He cast a reproving look at his uncle, prepared to intervene if he said anything out of line.
Yinbell looked at Yejia with a panicked expression, wanting to shake her head but not daring to.
"She is our colleague," Yejia laughed. "My friend’s fiancée. A goddess among commoners. Even I can’t help but look at her with greedy eyes."
Xitian’s uncle was naturally disappointed, but thanks to the graceful exit Yejia provided, he maintained his dignity. "Yejia, you boy, your reputation is already wild enough. You should learn some restraint."
A moment later, after the others had walked ahead, Teacher Yinbell grabbed the edge of Yejia’s sleeve. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, "Thank you... thank you, Yejia."
"Hmm? Why are you thanking me?"
"Thank you for saving me..." She paused, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. "My mother told me long ago that there is no future for us with Sea God men. The best outcome is being toyed with, without even the chance to be a single mother. So, I’ve always kept my distance from people like you. But sometimes trouble finds you anyway. In a situation like just now, if you hadn't been there and I had tried to avoid him directly, I would have inevitably suffered for it..."
"Teacher Yin, you really haven't had it easy."
"There have always been many boys pursuing me. Even among the Sea Gods, some were serious about marrying me, but I don't want to be a burden. I... sometimes I doubt myself too..."
"And you didn't agree to any of them? Even with the reproductive isolation, the benefits a Sea God could bring you are many."
"No." Yinbell shook her head firmly. "My ambition has always been in education. I’ve never thought about those things."
"What about the Oceanids? Have you ever had an Oceanid boyfriend?"
Yinbell’s cheeks flushed crimson as she shook her head.
"You really are a kind, good girl. I also believe you deserve to be treated with sincerity." Yejia brushed a lock of hair from her cheek, his purple eyes bright and charming. "You are beautiful, believe me."
Yinbell opened her elf-like eyes, her posture from ear-fin to tail becoming utterly submissive. "Being like this every day already makes me very happy and satisfied."
After Yejia left, Yinbell remained still for a long time. She took a small silver brooch from her bosom and clicked it open. Inside was a photograph of her with a young girl. The girl’s face was a miniature version of her own, but she possessed a pair of pointed ears and vertical pupils.
Just then, Officer Sake swam toward her and showed his credentials. She quickly snapped the brooch shut. Since she was one of the first to discover Miss Bubble’s body, he got straight to the point with questions about the murder.
"I didn't see anyone at the scene." In fact, Yinbell had already answered the same questions before.
"Are you sure? Think back carefully. On your way to the dressing room, did you encounter anyone?"
"Officer Sake, what is it?" Yinbell blinked. "Could the person I met be the killer? Do I need to go and ask the others..."
"No need, I'll do it myself," Officer Sake grunted, leaving reluctantly.
***
When Yejia went outside, he found that Xitian’s uncle hadn't gone far. The uncle raised an eyebrow. "Do you actually believe what that Oceanid teacher said? She is indeed a top-tier specimen among the Oceanids, and I believe she has many suitors. But seriously, Yejia, do you think there’s a Sea God who actually wants to *marry* her? I don't buy it. You’re a man; you know how it is. Wives and mistresses—two different standards."
Yejia smiled with effortless charm, though his words weren't particularly pleasant. "Is Uncle still wallowing in the humiliation of being rejected by a commoner? Not every woman is like Miss Bubble."
"I am not. It was just a casual remark. If she’s that arrogant, then so be it."
***
Fan Li and the others wandered the Sea Expo until dusk. Later, Blue joined them, and Dangdang went to see her boyfriend. They decided to find a place to eat before visiting the slave market in the evening.
When it came to food, without Youcan around, everyone was quite casual. Blue even suggested just grabbing some sea pens from a roadside stall. Sea pens were a type of coral; back in the Qing Dynasty of *A Bite of China*, people had already figured out how to eat them—remove the spicules and axial skeleton, wash away the sand, and boil them with pork for a crunchy, delicious meal. However, the roadside stalls in Luoya weren't that sophisticated. They skipped the last two steps, simply removed the bones, and served them in a cup to be drunk like pearl milk tea.
Sea-folk bodies weren't afraid of bacteria. Even if they ate sand, they could filter the food and expel the sand through their gills. Thus, while their food was fresh and tasty, it often felt unhygienic. Fan Li was conflicted; she didn't want to eat it, but seeing that the others had no objections, she didn't want to protest.
"How about we go get something good to eat?" Xinghai suddenly suggested. "I know a restaurant nearby. Their Liekong Sea cuisine is ranked in the top five in Luoya, and the prices are quite accessible."
"You don't mean 'Deep Artisan,' do you?" Seeing Xinghai nod, Blue shook his head. "That place is always packed. You either need a reservation a week in advance or wait in line for two hours. We don't have that much time."
Even if the prices were "accessible" for a top-five restaurant in Luoya, they wouldn't be cheap. Fan Li quickly added, "Right, right, we have to go to the slave market later, no time..."
"It's fine, I have this." Xinghai pulled out a voucher.
"An Instant-Seat Voucher?" Blue said in surprise. "I heard they don't give those out to the public. How did you get it?"
"I work part-time at 'Sea-Folk Vessels.' The owner of this restaurant gave one to my boss, and my boss gave it to me."
The other three were thrilled. Fan Li was powerless to resist.
Soon, they secured a table in the restaurant, which was as crowded as a pot of boiling dumplings.
Once seated, they could look through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the bustling, wide streets outside, filled with fast-food joints, bars, one-way lanes, and street graffiti in the alleys. Above Luoya City, the Sun God reluctantly left behind a final strand of hair, tinting everything orange. But inside the restaurant, the day seemed to have just begun: colorful lights flowed in cycles, waitresses in miniskirts swayed their hips and tails as they moved about, and nearby guests excitedly discussed deals made at the Sea Expo.
The three girls sat on one side, the two boys on the other. Blue observed the surroundings and gave Xinghai an admiring look. "Ha, you're impressive. Landing a part-time job at 'Sea-Folk Vessels.' Feisi and I went for interviews and got rejected."
"Sea-Folk Vessels" was the largest shipyard in the Light Sea, primarily producing private vessels—5,200 a day. Its headquarters was in another industrial city in the Red Moon Sea, but the Luoya branch had a creative way of displaying ships: a cylindrical vessel tower. The tower was twenty stories high, ninety-two meters tall, and could store 800 vessels, all the latest models.
"It's alright. The most lucrative part-time job at 'Sea-Folk Vessels' is sales, but I'm no good at that. I'm just an assistant in Arcane Chip R&D."
"The salary is secondary. You have to realize, you can put 'Formerly employed at Sea-Folk Vessels' on your resume now. It'll be much easier to stay in Saint Yejana later."
The menu was excellent—dynamic and digital, like ordering on an iPad. Fan Li listened to them chat while scanning the menu—specifically, the prices. Suddenly, she saw Feisi move her finger toward a "Live Seafood Platter." The various marine creatures in the dish had been shelled and descaled but were still wriggling, nearly giving Fan Li a heart attack. She shot a pleading look at Red, but Red had little interest in food and was instead studying a bow-tied algae ball on the table.
"Feisi," Xinghai said, "let's swap seats. You see what Blue wants to eat."
"Oh, okay." Feisi took the menu and moved over.
Then, she noticed it. Xinghai’s effect on Fan Li was completely different depending on whether he sat across from her or next to her. Right now, the girl looked like a child on New Year’s Eve—her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes were crinkled with smiles.
Xinghai asked the server for another menu and placed it before Fan Li. "The scallops here are delicious. Want to try them?"
Fan Li really wanted to say "yes," but she still wanted to check the price.
*This is miserable. Back on land, I never paid this much attention to prices...*
"The Spanish mackerel is also good. It's fresh material shipped from the Liekong Sea." Xinghai paused, then added, "It's all cooked."
"Eh? You knew..." Fan Li looked up in astonishment.
"I noticed back at school. You like cooked food, not live food." Seeing Fan Li’s look of profound gratitude, Xinghai couldn't help but laugh. "Then let's just order these two."
"Um, I'm not very hungry, you guys go ahead..." *I'm starving, but I'm so broke.*
But Xinghai acted as if he hadn't heard and ordered both dishes.
He continued chatting with Blue about employment prospects in the Arcane major, with Feisi chiming in occasionally. Listening to them, Fan Li actually found the jobs in the Light Sea quite interesting. Before long, the server began bringing out the dishes.
Red’s food arrived first. While eating, her elbow accidentally bumped Fan Li’s backpack, and Fan Li’s notebook floated out. The pages were pushed open by the water, revealing dense notes on preparations for going out to sea and various precautions—all written in Chinese. Fan Li grabbed the notebook, snapped it shut, and stuffed it back into her bag. But it was too late; her friends had already seen the script.
She was so scared she almost forgot how to breathe.
"Holy crap, Fan Li, you're something else," Blue sighed. "You even take notes in the human language?"
"I taught myself a little." Though she spoke calmly, Fan Li couldn't control her racing heart.
She stole a glance at Xinghai, who looked back at her. "What's wrong?"
"Just excited. I'm about to eat something delicious." Fan Li continued her Oscar-worthy performance.
"I see." Xinghai smiled faintly. "I thought you were so nervous because you were afraid we’d read your diary."
"It's just a daily log, I'm not afraid of people seeing it. I just wanted to practice a foreign language."
"Impressive."
Then, Fan Li’s food arrived. Xinghai had ordered her steamed scallops and a cold seaweed salad. To maintain the heat, an air bubble covered the food, designed to last for an hour. she leaned her head into the bubble and picked up a piece of scallop meat. The texture was smooth and tender; the taste of cooked meat moved her almost to tears.
*Fine, so what if it's expensive? If I really run out of money, I'll just sell the pearls Uncle gave me.*
After several ravenous bites, she realized these "scallops" were actually the thick adductor muscles of pen shells. But the price was much cheaper than on land. On land, people mostly ate the adductor muscles of scallops because live pen shells float on the seabed and secrete mucus; in artificial farming, they would coat the entire tank in film, preventing them from feeding and causing them to die. The "hanging water" farming method for pen shells had only been achieved in Japan; elsewhere, they were mostly wild, so the price wasn't cheap.
But under the sea, pen shells lived freely, thrust into the seabed like a forest of stone tablets. They were easy to harvest, making the price accessible.
She wanted to share this insight with Xinghai but didn't dare mention too much about the surface world. She could only say, "Xinghai, you really know how to order."
Xinghai’s Liekong Sea Spanish mackerel platter—half raw, half cooked—arrived as well. The cooked half was marinated in soy sauce and lemon zest, then grilled until fragrant. The raw half was skinned, the flesh crystal clear and cut into perfect squares like tofu. Beside it was a stingray-skin grater with a stalky aquatic plant tied to it.
"Try some of this."
Xinghai gave the cooked half to Fan Li. He used the stingray-skin grater to grind the plant, then picked up a slice of raw fish, dipped it lightly, and said to Fan Li, "Want to try this? It's raw, but it's not live."
"Okay."
"You'll need to lean in closer. This seasoning is all-natural with no binding agents; it'll wash away in the seawater."
Fan Li held her hair back, leaned in, and ate the slice of raw fish.
It turned out the plant was wasabi. But because it was freshly grated, the flavor was exceptionally fresh and not overly pungent. The mackerel was deboned, thick, and smooth—it was incredibly satisfying.
Since arriving in the sea, she had been tormented daily by the cooking of Mrs. Red and Dangdang; she had thought sea-folk food was simply terrible. This was the first time she realized their cuisine was actually no inferior to that of the land. In terms of seafood texture, it was far superior. But as she ate, she noticed Xinghai wasn't eating; he was watching her.
"What is it?" she asked, a bit embarrassed.
"Did you know there's a shop near our school where the Spanish mackerel is also quite good? They have two styles: vinegar-pickled and flame-grilled. You can even eat the grilled fish skin mixed with kelp."
"School only started recently, and you've already been there? Are you a closet foodie?"
"I like the smell of blood, so of course I like eating meat." Xinghai pushed his air bubble next to her plate, then dipped a piece of raw fish and offered it to her. "If you want to go, I'll take you tomorrow. In return, could you make that Balrog Sweet Crab for me again?"
"No problem!" Fan Li clapped her hands happily. "So, which flavor should we have?"
"Both are pretty good; it's hard to choose." Xinghai thought for a moment. "How about we go for the vinegar-pickled tomorrow and the flame-grilled the day after? Or we can get both to go and share them."
"Sounds great."
Fan Li nodded with a smile, momentarily forgetting her plans to go out to sea. Suddenly, campus life seemed much more promising.
"If there's good food, I want in too." Feisi’s ear-fins perked up.
"Don't start. You think everyone is like us?" Blue nudged Feisi with his elbow. "Let the two of them go by themselves."
Feisi turned to him, her eyes wide. He frowned, looking like he didn't want to be disturbed. Then, the two of them engaged in the "instant-understanding" eye contact of a couple married for thirty-four years.
*—Who was it that said they didn't trust the Shark Race before?*
*—Did I say that?*
*—Friendship between us men is very simple. What do you know?*
*—Fine, I don't know, but friendship between women is also simple. I have to protect Fan Li; they can't progress too fast.*
*—Suit yourself. Fan Li isn't my "bestie."*
*—Then keep your mouth shut.*
*—If you keep yours shut, I'll keep mine shut.*
Finally, their "negotiation" concluded. They turned back with smiles, saying, "Eat, eat!"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
加斯希天 | Gath Xitian | Son of the Storm Sea Patriarch; a high-ranking Sea God.
风暴之井 | Well of Storms | A strategic geographical location and site of a famous historical battle.
幽匠 | Deep Artisan | A high-end restaurant in Luoya known for Liekong Sea cuisine.
海族舰艇 | Sea-Folk Vessels | The largest shipyard corporation in the Light Sea.
江珧柱 | Scallops / Pen Shell Adductor | Specifically the adductor muscle of the pen shell (Atrina pectinata).
马鲛鲳 | Spanish Mackerel | A type of fish prized for its meat.
即食券 | Instant-Seat Voucher | A rare priority pass for high-end restaurants.
奥术芯片 | Arcane Chip | A magical/technological component used in sea-folk engineering.
