By the time the match ended, evening had already descended.
Xinghai swam toward Fanli, the tips of his ears flushed a faint red. Earlier, surrounded by the crowd, he had summoned the courage to speak those bold words, feeling quite dashing in the moment. Now that he was alone with Fanli and saw that she looked even more embarrassed than he felt, he began to wonder if he had laid his cards on the table too soon.
A few lingering students remained in the gymnasium. As they passed by, one tossed out a teasing, "Hey, may you be blessed with children soon!" making it impossible for the two of them to even look at each other without turning crimson.
"Um..." A sudden thought struck Fanli, and she pulled out the prepared shell bowl. "I made a new dish today. Would you like to try some?"
"Sure." Xinghai took the dish and took a clean, decisive bite.
Another boy walked past and let out a sharp whistle. "Is that a 'loving wife' bento? Xinghai, I’m so jealous!"
Fanli was dying of shame. She racked her brain for a topic. "I—I saw this recipe on a cooking show. It’s a delicacy from the Starry Sea, right? Regarding squid, it seems those from the Bodhi Sea prefer to wrap them in seaweed..."
Mid-sentence, she noticed Xinghai’s chewing falter for a moment, though he continued to take large bites, insisting it was "delicious." She shot him a suspicious look, picked up another pair of stabbing-chopsticks, skewered a piece of meat, and popped it into her mouth—only to immediately spit it out into the seawater.
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry..." She waved her hands to disperse the floating sauce. "This is terrible! Stop eating it!"
"It’s not. I think it’s quite good."
"Really?" Fanli blinked at him but immediately snatched the bowl back. "You’re just trying to comfort me. It’s awful! Something must have gone wrong during the marinating process... I’ll go back, study it, and make you a new batch."
"As long as you made it, I’ll like it. Besides, you made a dish from my hometown."
Xinghai’s voice was like mist over a sponge, illuminated by a ray of warm, illusory sunlight. The moment she looked up to meet his gaze, it felt as though a cherry blossom petal had fallen onto the surface of her heart’s lake—silent, yet sending out ripple after ripple. The tension from moments ago dissipated, and without realizing it, Fanli’s gaze softened. "Forget this batch. I’ll go back and research it properly. If you like Starry Sea cuisine, then I’ll work hard to master it."
"Alright. Then I’ll take you to a nice Starry Sea restaurant I discovered recently."
"Okay, sounds great!"
They boarded a public transit vessel heading toward the commercial center.
Sitting by the window, they had a clear view of Luoya City. At the edge of the city, the boundary of the seabed plains was racing against the night. There were buildings carved directly into the rocks with windows peering out, and others roofed with sea-moon clam shells—shimmering like mica mines or the surface of the moon, glowing with a moving radiance. There were also many urban villa districts centered around cylindrical atriums filled with seagrass and decorated with sea lilies, coral, and shells. The villa windows faced the atriums rather than the streets, marking them as wealthy enclaves. Fanli also saw leisure areas specifically for the elderly; some were playing board games with bone dice, looking so relaxed they didn't seem like recent arrivals at all. But the vessel moved so fast that these sights were left behind in an instant, including the occasional sperm whale that brushed past the ship.
"Look, look! It seemed to be chasing us just now, like it was looking right at us—" Fanli pressed her face against the glass, watching the receding sperm whale.
"Maybe that sperm whale girl saw a pretty sister who knows how to cook squid and chased after us for a snack."
Sperm whales loved squid; they migrated wherever the squid went. Sometimes they would even dive into the deep sea to hunt giant squid—they were truly dedicated to their meals.
Fanli’s lip twitched. "It’s a miracle my cooking didn't poison her... Wait, how do you know it’s a girl?"
"Male and female sperm whales have different distributions. Females stay in low latitudes, while males stay in high latitudes. Luoya is at a low latitude, so almost all adult sperm whales here at this time of year are female. Males live with their mothers in low-latitude waters when they are young, but once they grow up, they migrate to high-latitude seas. They only come to Luoya to find females during the breeding season from August to December. Oh, right—you went to the Winter Sea, didn't you? All the sperm whales there right now are boys."
"So that’s how it is. How interesting."
Although Fanli had been cramming books lately, she still gained new ocean knowledge every day. Looking at the world outside the window, she remembered that just three months ago, she had been on a vessel feeling miserable about her impending separation from Xinghai. Now, she had adapted to life in the sea and could go to new restaurants with him, a small sense of happiness spreading through her heart.
When she said she wanted to master Starry Sea cuisine, she wasn't just making idle talk. She truly hoped to do something for Xinghai and wanted to share more experiences and memories with him. However, these words didn't seem appropriate to say out loud yet; after all, the shadow of another man still lingered in her heart.
Just as Xinghai mentioned the Winter Sea, it reminded her of Su Shiye again—his initial passion, his coldness at their parting. Her heart felt a sharp, familiar twist.
That man’s aftereffects were truly potent. Most of the time, she felt she had moved on, but there were always one or two moments when he would flash in her memory, leaving her sad for a while.
"Xinghai, about what you said earlier..." She thought for a moment, feeling she needed to be frank with him. "I might still need some time to consider. But I promise you, I won't string you along. If I’m certain I don't have feelings for you, I’ll say it directly. I won't make you wait too long."
"It’s fine. As long as you’re single, I won't give up. Fifty or sixty years—I can afford to wait."
"Fifty or sixty years?!"
"My father spent forty-six years pursuing my mother. I shouldn't perform worse than him."
"How could it take forty-six years? Isn't your mother from the Ocean Tribes? She must have Buke Clan-level beauty!"
Xinghai chuckled. "Because she was very traditional. She insisted on marrying a male from her own Cod Tribe, even though she and my father were childhood friends. Later, after the War of the Cracked Earth ended, she thought my father had died in battle and cried at home for a month. It was only thanks to an accident where his name was wrongly included on the martyrs' list that I got the chance to be born."
Every time she heard Xinghai mention his parents, Fanli felt deeply moved. In this chaotic world, such traditional and profound love was rare.
"I won't make you wait that many years." Fanli gripped the handrail. She had been smiling, but thinking of Su Shiye, she couldn't help but feel a bit despondent. "I’ve just come out of a rather unpleasant relationship. I might need some time to recover."
Su Shiye was the thorn in her heart. Even after it was pulled out, the wound left behind still ached. She was currently waiting for that wound to heal.
"That man... was he your former fiancé?"
Fanli looked down at her marriage ring, only then remembering that Sui had a fiancé from the Gath Clan. She shook her head. "He’s someone I met after starting university. We were mutually attracted and tried to see each other, but we found our values were incompatible, so we ended it."
"Why were your values incompatible?"
"He’s from a Predator Tribe, you know." Thinking of Su Shiye’s rhetoric, Fanli sighed with dead-fish eyes. "To achieve his polygamous goals, he actually suggested supporting my future boyfriend. It’s a trait of his race, so I can't really blame him, but... it’s just not right."
"Supporting your future boyfriend?" Xinghai was stunned for two seconds before laughing. "That actually makes him one of the most responsible types among polygamous males."
Fanli thought about it; he was right. From what she knew, many types of male sea-dwellers took pleasure in stealing other men's wives, leaving families in ruins while contributing nothing but sperm before vanishing. But for a human woman, polygamy itself was a bug. Fanli shook her head, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. "Maybe, but I still prefer monogamy."
"In that case, since you don't have a boyfriend, have you been going to school and coming home alone lately?"
"Um..."
"How can you be so irresponsible with your own safety! What if you encounter a situation like last time?" Xinghai said, suppressing his anger. "Starting tomorrow, I’ll walk you back. Everything returns to how it was."
"Okay!"
After laying everything out, Fanli felt much more at ease. Along the way, she spoke openly with him about the novel things she had seen in the Resurrection Sea and the Winter Sea. Xinghai, who had lived independently for many years, had his own insights into many strange tales. They chatted all the way through dinner and until they reached home, parting only with great reluctance.
***
The next day, two women appeared in the Luoya University President’s office. The handbags they carried were worth as much as a luxury apartment—Lifu, Lina’s mother, and the wife of the Vice-Governor of the Red Moon Sea.
"Lina, what is wrong with you?" Lifu fumed. "How many times have I told you? That foul temper of yours has to change! Don't go around thinking you’re some heroine, trying to 'dispense justice' the moment you see something you don't like. This is the Red Moon Sea, not the Resurrection Sea!"
Lina kept her head low, looking like a pathetic student caught cheating on an exam.
The Vice-Governor’s wife swam over and smoothed Lina’s hair, which had been ruffled by the water. "Sigh, Sister Lifu, you have a fiery temper too... Let Lina explain herself before you scold her. My nephew always says at home that Lina is a good girl. Her grades are so excellent; she wouldn't do anything foolish."
"I know exactly what she’s doing! She’s being senseless!" Lifu turned and said apologetically to the President, "Expel her. She’s too immature. As her mother, I will not help her with this."
Lina wasn't frightened by Lifu’s words, but the President and the Vice-Governor’s wife were startled.
"No, no!" the Vice-Governor’s wife waved her hands. "How can you be so harsh on your own daughter? Do you know how hard it was for Lina to get into Luoya University? Sister Lifu, you’re being too extreme!"
"No, no, Ms. Lifu, the matter hasn't reached that level of severity. I’ve conducted an investigation into the student named Dangdang; she does indeed have some issues of her own. While Lina shouldn't have let her friends resort to violence, emotionally speaking, her intentions weren't bad." The President turned and said sternly to Lina, "Lina, I know your heart is in the right place, but you cannot treat your classmates like this again. If you don't like someone, just stay away from them. Do you understand?"
Lina kept her head deeply buried. "Yes. I’m sorry, President. I’ve caused trouble for everyone. I was wrong..."
"Then you must go and apologize to that girl named Dangdang. Otherwise, you can receive home-schooling and stop coming to this university!" Lifu said severely.
"Yes, I will apologize..."
From the time they entered to the time they left, less than ten minutes had passed. The President personally escorted them downstairs before returning to his office.
A moment later, the Dean of the Arcane Academy knocked and entered.
"President, has Lina been disciplined?"
"The child didn't commit a major error. No discipline is necessary." The President looked down at the documents in his hand, speaking nonchalantly.
"Lina’s blatant campus bullying is a serious violation of school regulations. Moreover, the psychological impact on that girl Dangdang is too great, and it will poison the school atmosphere."
"Dean Meve, are you truly ignorant or just pretending?" The President leaned forward, hands clasped on the desk, revealing a polite smile. "Didn't you see who Lina’s mother brought with her? You want me to handle Lina? Fine. But then, who will handle me? And who will be the President then—you?"
The Vice-Governor’s wife was Kaimo’s maternal aunt. Clearly, they hadn't even played the trump cards of Kaimo’s father and uncle yet.
The Dean froze for a moment, then said calmly, "Lifu only brought the Vice-Governor’s wife, which proves that the Vice-Governor himself likely knows nothing of this. I don't believe the Vice-Governor would shield such a student."
"Dean Meve, unless you want to be the President, please focus on your academics and do not interfere in this matter. Suggestions are welcome; making decisions for the President is not." The President lowered his head again and waved the Dean away. "Leave."
Another day passed. Dangdang had just finished her high-pitch vocalization class and was walking out of the side door of the teaching building when she was grabbed by the hair by a group of Orcas. They dragged her over to face Lina.
"I’m sorry, Dangdang. I shouldn't have bullied you."
The moment Lina finished her pathetic-sounding sentence, a sharp *crack* rang out—the Tough Princess beside her had delivered a stinging backhand slap to Dangdang’s face!
"The President has already lectured me."
*Slap!* Another blow.
"My mom also said if I bully you again, I’ll have to drop out. So, she told me to come and apologize to you."
*Slap!* Yet another.
"I’m really sorry."
*Slap!*
...
With every sentence she spoke, Dangdang was struck. By the end, Dangdang’s face was swollen and bruised, yet not a single person came to her rescue.
Remembering what her mother had said, Dangdang was filled with regret and pain. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't make a sound. Fanli was in class right now. If Fanli knew, she would definitely try to stand up for her again. She couldn't drag Fanli into this mess.
Fanli indeed didn't notice the trouble Dangdang was facing, because she had poured all her focus into her studies. Sometimes she would be reading even while moving from one classroom to another, oblivious to the events around her.
Once, while she and Liuxiang were waiting for class to start, a boy in the front row was wailing. She simply kept her head down, reading, and plugged her ear-fins with her hands.
The sound of crying actually came from an Orca boy. Liuxiang took a closer look—thin, fair-skinned, and handsome; he was definitely the Tough Princess’s boyfriend. His tears flowed freely, washed away by the seawater like a string of pearls, his voice filled with deep resentment. "How could she do this to me?! Since we’ve been together, I haven't even looked at another girl! If she wanted the stars, I wouldn't give her the moon! If she wanted to lie down, I’d carry her and never let her swim! If she wanted bluefin tuna, I’d never make her yellowfin! And now she’s hanging out with that damn octopus every day! I’m so hurt!!"
Lina let out a snort of laughter. "Well, there’s nothing you can do. Who told you to only have two hands?"
"Sister Lina, you’re still mocking me!! Just thinking about how she got together with that damn octopus keeps me up all night! How could she treat me like this!!" The Tough Princess’s boyfriend rubbed his eyes. "I don't care. I’m going to cheat too, just to balance my psyche."
"Go ahead. I don't think she’d mind."
The boyfriend suddenly stopped crying and shook his head calmly. "No. If I cheat, she’ll dump me."
"Not necessarily. Knowing her, she’d still go on dates with you occasionally for a bit of fun, but she probably wouldn't mate with you as frequently. She has a very strong interest in that, as you know."
It was an unsolvable problem. The Tough Princess’s boyfriend could do nothing but cry.
Back in high school, Liuxiang had known that the Tough Princess was a fanatic of polygamy, with a harem of three thousand beauties and a "Queen" who was always weeping. But this was the first time she had heard her boyfriend’s lament. Although she felt bad for the Orca boy, she inexplicably felt... a bit of satisfaction.
After all, most Ocean Tribe girls lived too humbly—no, as long as a woman began to need marriage, she would live humbly.
If a woman could do without marriage, she could truly be much more carefree than a man.
Having been a "hater" of the Black Coral Goddess Gang for so many years, this was the first time she realized that while being looked down upon by them made her angry, being looked down upon by Feisi made her feel disgusted.
She found Youcan even more repulsive. Not just because he sided with Feisi, but because of his race.
Clownfish played an important role in the pharmaceutical industry.
Sea anemones were beautiful but venomous. If an Ocean Tribe citizen wanted to treat a sting from an anemone, they could apply "Clownfish Antidote" sold by medical merchants. Different anemones had different toxicities; clownfish that lived in an anemone for a period would secrete a corresponding immune mucus. Thus, pharmaceutical companies would raise hundreds of species of anemones in factories, place clownfish among them, extract their antitoxin mucus, and then have master potion-makers blend them according to formulas to produce an antidote that could treat almost all anemone toxins.
Thinking of Youcan boastfully saying he wasn't afraid of anemones made Liuxiang think of her father, who worked at a clownfish pharmaceutical company—that cheating coward.
What was there to be proud of in such a weak skill as not being stung by anemones? In an academy full of Sharks, Orcas, and even Sea Gods, where did his confidence come from? Moreover, everyone knew that after leaving her, he could never find a better girlfriend. Yet he had no self-awareness at all, constantly speaking up for that village girl Feisi. People who didn't know the situation might even think the two of them were a couple.
Just then, Youcan entered the classroom. The more she looked at him, the more irritated she became. She picked up her books, stood up, and changed seats.
Fanli didn't perceive any of Liuxiang’s emotional fluctuations. She was preoccupied every day with her inability to learn Arcanum and the thumping sound of the Black-Line Man. It wasn't until half a month later, before the History of Arcanum lecture, that another "cuckolded" boy came to her to vent.
This time, however, it wasn't the Tough Princess’s boyfriend, but Liuxiang’s boyfriend. And in just these two weeks, the rumors of Youcan being cheated on had become common knowledge.
Hearing that Liuxiang had been seen holding hands with another boy while shopping, Fanli could hardly believe her ears. "That’s impossible. You two haven't even been together that long?"
"As it turns out, it is possible." Youcan hunched over, burying his face in his palms, sounding utterly dejected. "I saw her holding his arm, just like she held mine at the beginning, only they weren't holding hands. I called her immediately and saw her answer the phone, telling me she was on her way to her parents' house alone."
"Don't be sad..." Fanli placed her book face down on the desk. "Maybe there’s some misunderstanding."
"I hope it’s a misunderstanding too. I hope she tells me he’s her cousin or something..." Youcan turned his head, his eyes filled with despair. "Goddess, can you help me talk to her? I... I don't have the courage to face her right now."
"I really want to help you, but how should I put this... this is between the two of you. It’s not really my place to interfere..."
"Please." Youcan was rarely this firm and insistent. "I really don't dare to find her. Just thinking of her makes me shake. If you don't go, no one will help me... Feisi and her don't get along."
Fanli refused several more times, but Youcan wouldn't give up. Finally, she was forced to nod and say she would try.
There were three minutes until class. Xinghai entered with a few other boys. When they reached Fanli’s side, the boys began to jeer, shoving him hard, trying to knock him into Fanli. Xinghai had to press down on the desk with all his might to avoid being pushed onto her. Fanli turned to talk to Feisi, but her small face was flushed pink, clearly trying to avoid this awkward scene.
"Stop messing around..." Xinghai tried to dodge the boys.
"Stop pretending! You were so bold during the confession at the gym, and now you’re shy in front of the girl?"
"Fanli, what do you think of our Xinghai? If he’s okay, give him a chance to mate!"
The boys were rowdy, but Xinghai was starting to get angry. "Stop saying those things. Class is starting!"
Nightshade saw this scene from outside the door. He cleared his throat and swam in slowly, and the classroom finally fell silent. Xinghai sat down next to Fanli and whispered to her within a silence spell, "I’m sorry, Lili. I’ve caused you trouble."
"It’s fine." Like him, Fanli stared at the book on her desk, not daring to meet his eyes.
Nightshade pretended nothing had happened and began the lecture. But throughout the class, he observed the young couple with great interest, noticing that Fanli’s shyness was a bit excessive—it didn't look like she was simply troubled by being pursued. After class, he returned to his office and made a call to Su Shiye, which was hung up. Twenty-three minutes later, Su Shiye called back.
"I was in a meeting. What is it?"
"Actually, Su Shiye, I don't quite understand why you haven't withdrawn the 'monitor' yet."
"Why should I withdraw it?" Su Shiye’s voice was like deep ice lurking in the night, possessing a sense of abstinence that was entirely different from his natural aura.
"What is the point of continuing to monitor Fanli through Xinghai? It shouldn't be hard for you to see that things are getting a bit... unusual between Xinghai and Fanli."
Nightshade remembered clearly that Su Shiye had originally set up this "monitor" to use Fanli’s classmate, Xinghai, to monitor the movements of Sui’s body and confirm whether Fanli was a new identity assumed by Sui. Now that he had a clear result, he was still continuing the surveillance, which was baffling.
"Are you very bored lately, calling me for such trivial matters?"
"I’m not just bored lately." Nightshade toyed with his long hair, relaxed and at ease. "I’m always bored. Bored enough that I can't figure this out, and it makes me as anxious as a male penguin in the brief polar summer."
"Then you should go find your female penguin instead of coming to me."
"There are no more doubts regarding Fanli. Why haven't you stopped the monitoring? You should know that Xinghai is just an ordinary university student; he has no idea the Holy City Party government is spying on him. So, if he successfully pursues Fanli, he might do some things that would be quite... eyesores for you. For example, if they kiss, will you be watching?"
"Have you never seen people kiss?"
"If they mate, will you be watching that too?"
"What about mating? It’s not like I’m a virgin."
"Su Shiye, I used to think I was quite the pervert, but I didn't expect you to be even worse!" Nightshade covered his eyes, feeling suffocated. "Do you know what this means? It means you’ll be taking on Xinghai’s first-person perspective and then with Fanli... As an old friend, I want to say, I know your work pressure is high and you want some excitement. If so, you can go deep-sea bungee jumping in the Meteor Trench, you can bet eight million floats at the Holy City Vessel Racing Arena, you can go to the first row of the Colosseum to watch slaves fight great white sharks, you can have six Shark girls and six Orca girls put on sexy uniforms to form two tail-ball teams and accompany you in the White Eagle Palace to unlock new positions—I believe you can handle it. But this matter right now is boring and perverted. You have to stop."
"How is it perverted?" Su Shiye sounded incredibly calm, clearly uninterested in the previous suggestions.
"Either stop watching, or kill Xinghai. Otherwise, sooner or later, you’ll have to see with your own eyes how another man handles Sui’s body. No, it’s not just seeing it; you’ll have synchronized sensations with him... By the Deep Blue God, that’s too much!"
"Nightshade, your psychological endurance is too weak," Su Shiye said with a faint smile. "Be strong."
"Is it my endurance that’s weak?" Nightshade took a deep breath. "If Xinghai knew, he’d feel very 'green' on his head and very miserable. Do you have any sense of respect for him?"
"Respect for Xinghai?" Su Shiye let out two soft chuckles.
"Fine. To save the St. Yegana government a massive bill for the Dictator’s exclusive psychological counseling, I’ll go and eliminate Xinghai right now."
"That won't do. That’s illegal."
"Am I hallucinating? Su Shiye is telling me that killing is illegal?"
"I am the Dictator of the Sea of Light. Of course I abide by the law."
"..." Nightshade was powerless. "One last question: You won't end up like Xinghai and fall in love with Fanli, will you?"
"What do you think?"
Nightshade fell into a memory. He remembered clearly that a hundred years ago, Su Shiye had a semi-public girlfriend he had been with for decades. She was a famous actress from the Red Moon Sea. Of the 2.7 million soldiers in the Holy City Party, 1.53 million had her posters on their dormitory walls. she sang specifically for his birthdays, moved to St. Yegana for him, and accompanied him to various social venues. Their emotional intensity was so high it seemed they were about to marry. But they eventually broke up. Later, she moved back to Luoya and happened to meet Nightshade at a party. She leaned into Nightshade’s arms, weeping drunkenly, looking exactly like a scene from her classic film *The Lady of Luoya*. "I don't want Su Shiye’s material help, I don't want to be more famous—I don't lack those things. I know he will eventually marry St. Typhon Jin or Miser Seeking-Moon. I just wanted him to kiss me once. Not just a light touch on the lips, not a kiss on the forehead, but a real kiss. Lord Buke, do you understand what I mean? A real kiss."
"Did he tell you from the beginning that he wouldn't kiss you?" Nightshade had asked.
"He did."
"Then, he wouldn't kiss you in the end either." Nightshade had patted her back with regret and poured her some wine. "Su Shiye is just that kind of person."
Thinking of this past, Nightshade couldn't help but marvel at how cold-blooded Su Shiye was. In his view, if kissing could please a woman, he was more than happy to provide the service. He didn't quite understand Su Shiye’s mental wiring and could only sigh. "I’m overthinking it. A man like you, who never kisses women, doesn't have the 'love' function."
"You know me best," Su Shiye smiled. "I have things to do. Hanging up."
***
**4.3 Theater**
Fanli: "Wait, every single detail of my time with Xinghai...?"
Nightshade: "Oh yeah. He can perceive it all. Perverted, right?"
Fanli: "???"
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 裂地之战 | War of the Cracked Earth | A historical conflict mentioned in the text. |
| 鳕族 | Cod Tribe | A specific race of fish-people. |
| 白鹰宫殿 | White Eagle Palace | Likely the residence or seat of power for the Dictator. |
| 圣提风晋 | St. Typhon Jin | A name of a high-status individual. |
| 米瑟寻月 | Miser Seeking-Moon | A name of a high-status individual. |
| 独裁官 | Dictator | Su Shiye's official title in the St. Yegana government. |
| 圣耶迦那 | St. Yegana / Holy Yegana | The capital or a major seat of power. |
| 浮 | Float | A unit of currency in this world. |
| 尾球 | Tail-ball | An underwater sport. |
| 监视器 | Monitor / Surveillance device | Refers to the magical or technological link Su Shiye uses. |
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