Following a pebble-strewn path, the fluorescent girl led Fanli toward the plaza.
Fanli took a gulp of seawater and discovered that her esophagus and the respiratory organs connected to her gills were separate. While she was still busy studying her new anatomy, the fluorescent girl leaned in and whispered, "Did you just meet that boy from the Shark Tribe, Xinghai?"
Fanli nodded.
"Really? That’s quite rare. You know, Predator Tribes like his are a tiny minority. Once school starts, we’ll be coming into contact with a lot of them. Try to avoid them as much as possible for your own safety."
Fanli was baffled. She had been enrolled in a school under the sea? How did she not know about this?
In the center of the plaza, merfolk bustled to and fro. Their tails resembled those of sea fish, each unique in length, color, shape, fin count, and the frequency of their sway. At one end of the plaza stood a stone gate. Most of the merfolk gathered before it were young and lively, wearing identical uniforms and carrying books or backpacks.
Fanli strained to think of how to phrase a sentence. Sure enough, the dictionary in her mind flipped open again, playing the pronunciation in her consciousness. Not daring to speak in long sentences for fear of grammatical errors, she simply pointed at the young people and asked tentatively, "Are they all students?"
"Of course! Today is the first day of freshman registration."
"Is it hard to get in?"
"Are you asking me if *our* school is hard to get into?" Seeing Fanli nod, the fluorescent girl cupped her face in her hands. "Heavens, I spent eleven years trying to get into the Music Academy! Do you think everyone is like you, getting into the Arcane Academy with a Double S rank so easily? You’re an oddity among our Ocean Tribe... no, you’re an oddity among the entire Sea Race! You’d better not have any illusions about how much of a freak you are!"
Fanli felt a bit dazed. Had she lost a significant chunk of her memory? Could it be that during the time she was missing, she hadn't gone to the university she applied for on land, but had instead taken the entrance exam for a Sea Race university? And now, her name was "Fanli." Her father had said her mother’s genes were different from ordinary people; perhaps that was why she had turned into a member of the Sea Race.
As Fanli was lost in thought, the fluorescent girl couldn't help but steal a few more glances at her. Was it just an illusion? Why did Fanli seem a bit different today? Ever since she had known her, Fanli rarely opened her eyes fully; she was taciturn, and her deep blue eyes were profound and cold, not at all like a girl her age. But the current Fanli, though she had the same face, had eyes that seemed lit by a flame called "youth." They were bright, dark blue, and filled with curiosity about the world. Her whole being felt vivid and radiated a clean, youthful aura.
"Fanli?" the fluorescent girl tested.
"Hmm?" Fanli pulled her gaze back from her surroundings.
Fanli really did look much cuter now, constantly peering at the scenery around them, her eyes even seeming a size larger. Even her short hair, which used to look so business-like, now seemed full of youthful energy.
"Did you... did you research some kind of rejuvenation potion?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind, never mind..." Maybe she was just in a good mood because school was starting. After all, this girl had no hobbies other than studying.
The fluorescent girl continued to lead Fanli forward. She swam in a spiraling motion, her tail twisting as if in a dance. Fanli kept wanting to kick her legs to swim, but since she no longer had legs, she could only be dragged along by the fluorescent girl while trying her best to wag her tail. The friction between the fish tail and the water was minimal; with every flick, she surged forward a significant distance. Not yet used to this method of swimming, she could only puff out her cheeks and scream internally: *Go! Fanli! You can do this! Twist! Charge! Ah, my waist...*
Rubbing her cramped waist, she hobbled forward like a lame old lady. Near the edge of the plaza, she spotted a mother who looked exactly like a larger version of the fluorescent girl.
The mother and daughter shared the same color of ear fins and tails, but the mother was noticeably stouter. Seeing the two girls approach, the mother came over and took both their hands. "You scared me to death, you really did. Fanli, where did you run off to just now? You gave Dangdang and me a real fright."
Fanli nearly choked. The fluorescent girl's name was Dangdang? That was a good name. *Do I get a discount on books, then?*
Dangdang tossed her large braid and said proudly, "Mom, stop worrying. I’m already eighty-nine years old. I can take care of Fanli just fine!"
"Stop bragging. When I was eighty-nine, I could already swim five hundred meters in a straight line. Never mind taking care of Fanli, take care of yourself first."
"Times are different now! In your day, everyone married early, but you didn't go to university, did you? Look at me, I’m a girl who got into a prestigious university."
"It’s precisely you going to university that makes me nervous! Your father and I spoiled you, and now you can't stand to lose even a little bit! I feel I can be completely at ease with Fanli; she’s very rational." At this point, Dangdang’s mother spoke gently to Fanli again. "Fanli, once you’re in university, you two must look out for each other. I’m worried sick about this daughter of mine. Her temper is too impulsive; she gets into friction with people at the drop of a hat, just like a thirty-year-old child. Sigh!"
*What? A thirty-year-old child?* Fanli pounded her strained waist and nodded in confusion.
"Here we go again..." Dangdang blew out a string of impatient, stray bubbles.
Dangdang’s mother gave her daughter’s head a little shove. "University isn't like high school. You have to be careful with your words and actions. Don't offend the Predator Tribes or the Sea God Tribes, do you hear me..."
As she spoke, she glanced behind Fanli and Dangdang. Reaching out, she pulled both girls close, switching places with them to shield them from something, her facial muscles tensing.
Dangdang continued to carelessly shout, "Yes, yes, yes, yes." Fanli glanced toward the spot Dangdang’s mother was looking at.
There stood a male member of the Sea Race, holding a chipped seashell bowl and reaching out to people for money. His lower body had no tail, only eight greasy, flesh-colored tentacles. Even from a distance, one could see a fleshy tumor growing at the base of his bulbous nose.
It turned out the Sea Race didn't just consist of beautiful mermaids and handsome sharks; there were also ugly squid-men. In this world of universal beauty, he was perfectly suited to belt out a song: *"Ugly freak, yi-ya-yi-ya, ah-ah-ah... In this era of looks, my existence is like an accident."*
"Fanli, don't look. Let's go," Dangdang’s mother whispered.
Hearing this, Dangdang also turned her head. She wrinkled her nose and pinched it, whispering, "Why is that beggar still here today..."
Dangdang’s mother shielded them as they swam further away, hiding behind a patch of coral. Only after confirming no one was passing by did she take Fanli’s hand and say, "Fanli, you know, every time I see that beggar, I worry about you specifically. Your parents passed away early, yet you were still able to achieve such top-tier grades. I’m very proud of you. But there is one thing you must keep firmly in mind: as members of the Ocean Tribe, we must never forget our roots."
*Parents passed away early? What was going on?* Only her mother had passed away early; her father was clearly alive and well...
Could it be...
Fanli’s heart hammered in her chest, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Mhm, okay."
"An Ocean Tribe girl’s youth is short; there isn't much point in studying too much. Arcane arts touch upon legal boundaries and political sensitivities far too easily. If you truly want to pursue this field, then my opinion remains the same—while you’re still young, hurry up and find a wealthy, noble young master at school to marry. Let his family protect you."
Actually, after hearing the first sentence, Fanli didn't want to listen anymore. There were many things she wanted to do, and she didn't mind investing all her youth in herself. Marrying so early would be a waste of her best years. But she had always been respectful toward her elders, so she remained silent.
Dangdang shook her head. "Mom, stop trying to persuade her. she’s just a solitary kid; she has no interest in dating."
"Not looking for a partner? That really won't do." Dangdang’s mother opened her mouth, glancing at the squid beggar lingering in the distance. "That beggar—you don't know his background, do you? His mother also graduated from your university."
Dangdang crossed her arms, looking shocked as she recoiled slightly. "That’s impossible! How could a mother from our university have a beggar for a son?"
"His mother was sentenced to death for researching the forbidden art of soul exchange. But because she didn't die immediately, she had him."
Hearing this, Fanli froze. She had a very bad premonition. "Auntie, I don't quite understand. Could you tell me more?"
"The law dictates that anyone who violates the taboo of soul exchange is sentenced to death. That beggar’s mother eventually went to the guillotine. Her head was sent back to her hometown, and her body was thrown into the abyss to feed the scavenger fish."
The ominous feeling grew even stronger. Fanli shuddered, her hands trembling. *No, no, no... it couldn't possibly be what I think it is...*
Dangdang tilted her head curiously. "Then how did that beggar’s mother give birth to a son?"
"His mother was from the Ocean Tribe and had no background. After she was imprisoned for researching the forbidden art, she mated with several members of the Squid Tribe in jail and gave birth to him. To this day, no one knows who the father is."
"Wait, Mom, you said his mom was Ocean Tribe? What the hell? Aside from the slutty Orca Tribe, what other tribe would be willing to have a tentacled freak of a child with the Squid Tribe? What kind of taste did his mother have? I’m going to puke..."
Dangdang’s mother turned pale with fright. She rushed over to cover Dangdang’s mouth, lowering her voice until it was almost inaudible, though her tone was extremely stern. "Dangdang! You’re saying such things without using a sound-proofing spell? Have you forgotten how good the Orca Tribe's hearing is?! Don't ever say such racist things again! Don't go looking for trouble!"
"I-I get it." Dangdang wasn't scared by her mother’s threat, but she was startled by her intensity. "I’ll be careful from now on..."
The five senses of most Ocean Tribe members weren't much stronger than those of humans. Naturally, they didn't know that Dangdang’s tiny voice had already created vibrations in the water, traveling rapidly to the school gates two hundred meters away. For predators with extreme survival capabilities, perceiving and distinguishing this subtle frequency amidst the surrounding noise required very little
