Dangdang’s mother led the two of them across the plaza, swimming toward the university gates.
A station stood at the edge of the plaza, where vessels shuttled back and forth. They came in various models, though most were teardrop-shaped, smooth and translucent. Their conical rears were equipped with single or dual propellers driven by arcane fuel propulsion systems.
Every time the hatch of a large passenger vessel opened and a swarm of marine folk swam out, Fan Li had the fleeting illusion of a whale being disemboweled, releasing a cloud of shrimp. Mechanical whirs sounded as the vessels opened and closed their doors in the blink of an eye, moving with steady, fluid precision.
*What a divine piece of engineering,* Fan Li thought. She desperately wanted to go over and examine the construction of these vessels, but fearing she would lose the others, she could only follow Dangdang and her mother.
Tall stone monuments stood on either side of the school entrance. Sculptures of elderly marine folk were embedded in the center of the monuments, topped by dolphins wearing golden crowns of sea fans. A blue whale’s jawbone arched across the monuments like a bridge, forming a magnificent gate. In the center of the arch hung a crimson moon school crest, which her mental dictionary translated as:
"Luoya University."
Dangdang’s mother pulled out a bag of coins and pressed it into Fan Li’s hand. "Here, Fan Li. This is the money Dangdang’s father and I prepared for both of you. Keep it safe."
"Oh, no, that’s not necessary. You’re being too kind, Auntie," Fan Li said, waving her hands.
"It’s not about being kind. Both her father and I feel you’re the more reliable one. We’re letting you manage the money so our spendthrift daughter doesn’t blow it all in the first month."
Dangdang’s mother smiled with such kindness that it reminded Fan Li of her late mother. Given her current predicament—not knowing if her own body was still alive or if her father was worried sick—a wave of grief and fear washed over her, leaving her momentarily speechless.
Just as she was hesitating over whether to accept the coin purse, a tuna suddenly darted past, colliding with the back of Dangdang’s mother. Her hand slipped, the purse hit the ground, and a shower of coins scattered. Fan Li hurried to bend down and help pick them up, but a deep, booming voice rang out:
"Xinghai, you’ve been following this girl for so long—planning to pick up a chick on the first day of school? Wait, let me get a better look at her... Holy crap, brother, you’re not like your old man, are you? Into 'class jumping'—from the top down?"
Dangdang looked behind her, her shoulders instinctively hunching. Her ear fins flattened completely against her head. "Oh no, it’s a bunch of Predators..."
Fan Li turned around. Before her brain could even process the scene, her eyes met a massive shadow. Her ear fins flattened uncontrollably, the swim bladder in her abdomen constricted, and her body sank slightly as the frequency of her tail fin’s beats quickened.
This series of rapid physical changes was merely a primal fear response etched into the genes of the Oceanids; it hadn't even passed through her conscious mind.
She shook her head, suppressing the instinct and maintaining her composure.
There were thirteen marine folk there, all of them Predators.
Predators were the hunters among the marine folk, carrying the genes of fierce creatures like sharks and orcas. Although they numbered less than four hundred million in an ocean of billions, they possessed absolute power, reigning supreme over the eighteen hundred million Oceanids.
Among these thirteen, eight were dressed as students—five males and three females, all with pointed ears and vertical pupils. The other five had ear fins and were dressed as servants, heads bowed submissively as they worked. Xinghai was among them, though compared to the others' muscular and menacing appearances, he looked remarkably refined and striking.
The speaker was the leader of the males, sporting silver-gray curls that draped behind his head. Like the others, he had long, elfin ears and a square jaw. His tail was similar to Xinghai’s, but his caudal fin was crescent-shaped with equal-sized lobes. He was massive; it felt as if one loud shout would cause his pectoral muscles to burst through his clothes.
The leader’s gaze lingered on Fan Li’s tail fin. He smirked, revealing a row of serrated, triangular teeth. "Not just into class jumping, but into taking someone's leavings too?" However, when he looked up and met Fan Li’s eyes, he faltered for a moment.
The girl was very sweet-looking, but there were plenty of sweet girls. That wasn't her greatest trait. In a second, he understood why Xinghai was interested in her: in those beautiful deep blue eyes, there was none of the humility or cowardice most Oceanids showed when facing Predators, nor was there the ferocity and defensiveness typical of Predator females.
She had an aura as clear as a mountain stream, and she looked entirely relaxed. Even facing a group of malicious Predators, she remained poised and at ease.
Amidst the laughter, Fan Li finally noticed a platinum ring hanging from the base of her lower tail lobe. The ring had a setting for a gemstone, but the stone itself was missing.
Xinghai said coldly, "Do you have to make an issue out of my mother?"
"Brother, you misunderstand me. I just meant your dad is a real 'connoisseur of beauty.'" At this point, the leader noticed Fan Li and the others trying to slip away. "Hey!" he barked. "What’s the rush? Did I say you could leave?"
Dangdang’s mother had no choice but to stop. She turned back, lowering her eyes submissively. "Child, I’m sorry. My daughter might have been too quiet because she’s shy..."
Before she could finish, the leader shoved her shoulder, nearly sending her to the ground.
"Get away from me. I’m allergic to Fish Bait." The leader’s face darkened instantly with disgust.
At the word "Fish Bait," Dangdang’s mother gritted her teeth and looked down, while Dangdang’s eyes widened in anger. Though she didn't know the specific definition, Fan Li guessed it was a slur.
One of the three girls, who had been holding out her hands for a servant to do her nails, suddenly yanked her hand back. She swam over and poked Dangdang’s mother hard in the forehead twice. "Old lady, what did your low-class daughter just say about who's 'easy'?"
Her tail was black and white, smooth and glossy, moving with lightning speed. A pair of separated bone-wings grew from her back.
It was an orca’s tail.
Orcas, also known as killer whales, were the fiercest predators in the ocean alongside sharks. These three girls were the "easy orcas" Dangdang had mentioned earlier across the plaza.
Fan Li looked back toward the spot where Dangdang had whispered those words—she couldn't even see the figures there clearly, let alone hear what passersby were saying. From such a distance, these orcas could hear a casual complaint? Had she transmigrated into the world of Super Saiyans?
"It was my daughter’s slip of the tongue. It’s my failure as a mother. I apologize to you on her behalf. I’m so sorry!" Dangdang’s mother bowed her head in a pleading gesture.
The orca girl had scratched the mother’s forehead, yet she looked down, fussing over her own nails. "You’ve apologized, and your attitude is fine, but your daughter doesn't seem very convinced."
"Daughter, it was wrong of you to insult your classmates. Apologize, quickly."
Seeing her mother treated this way, Dangdang clenched her fists. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her chest heaving, and her head felt like it was filled with boiling water. It took a long time before she could force out a word: "Sor—"
Before "sorry" could leave her mouth, two sharp *claps* rang out. The orca girl had used her tail to slap Dangdang’s mother twice across the face. The speed was so great that the mother was knocked straight toward the ground. Fan Li lunged to catch her by instinct, but the momentum was too much, and she fell to the ground as well.
"Mama!!" Dangdang rushed over, grabbing her mother’s arm.
Fan Li helped Dangdang’s mother up, rubbing her own arm where it had hit the ground—it stung. The strength of the orca was immense, completely ignoring the buoyancy of the water; the impact felt like her bones were cracking. Knowing they were no match for the group, she patted the mother’s back while shooting Dangdang a look, shaking her head with a frown, and pulling them away.
But the instigators weren't finished. As Fan Li led them away, they were blocked by the group's lackeys.
A girl’s cold sneer drifted from the crowd. "Luoya University is really going downhill, accepting any kind of trash."
Among the three orca girls, the speaker was the most conspicuous. She was being served by three slaves simultaneously: two male slaves carried the cushion beneath her, holding her up carefully like a sacred statue; a female slave held a tray of seafood medley snacks high above her head. The density of ingredients under the sea was high, allowing them to stay firmly on the plate. The girl used a small bamboo skewer to eat, taking tiny, slow bites.
Seeing this, Fan Li’s mouth fell open into an 'O' shape. At her expression, Xinghai let out a "pfft" of laughter, then quickly turned his head away, masking it with an awkward cough.
"You really know how to draw hate toward your kind. Though I don't know what right a woman of such low standing as you or your mother," the red-haired girl pointed at Dangdang, then at Fan Li, "or her, has to talk about anyone else."
She wore large platinum earrings, and her low-cut top accentuated her curves. Her pointed ears poked through a mane of long, straight fire-red hair, and her armlet bore the crest of an Ouroboros eel.
Dangdang broke free from her mother’s hand and glared at her. "My mom already apologized to you. What else do you want? Or did I hit a nerve, and now you’re attacking people like lunatics?"
"No, I don't care what you say about us." The red-haired girl’s lips were the color of a bleeding pomegranate, appearing to burn even in the water. "Because history will only remember us, not the jealousy of lowly women like you. I’m just annoyed that among our alumni, there’s a girl whose ancestors were mistresses for eighteen generations, and a hybrid brat with a weird accent who got dumped after her engagement."
At the end, she glanced at the marriage ring on Fan Li’s tail and chuckled. Leaning her arm against the back of her cushion, she skewered another shrimp and popped it into her mouth.
"Who told you Fan Li was dumped? Just because she’s not wearing the gem doesn't mean she was dumped!" Dangdang shouted.
Fan Li looked at the metal ring on her tail again. So this thing was called a "marriage ring"—likely an engagement token in the sea.
The red-haired girl didn't answer immediately. She chewed her food thoroughly and swallowed before speaking.
"Truly the style of a mistress—lying about everything. I have no interest in marriage, but I know a few things. For instance, only when a woman’s engagement is broken and the ring is bound by a Covenant Spell—making it unremovable for a year—will it be left as just a ring without a stone." At this, the red-haired girl turned to Xinghai. "Xinghai, see that marriage ring? You’re following her like you’ve lost your soul; you don't mind that she’s just been discarded?"
The leader laughed loudly. "Aiya, you women just overthink everything. Xinghai just wants to mate with her; you really think he’s looking for a wife?"
Fan Li blinked helplessly. *Is a cancelled engagement that big of a deal? Is it necessary to be this feudal? I haven't even had a boyfriend to get dumped by.* But the combat power of an orca was simply too formidable. She tried to escape, but they kept blocking her path.
"Can we go now?" Fan Li looked up and spoke calmly.
"Hahahahaha, so studious! Can't wait to get to school? Oh, I get it. After all, this—" The red-haired girl pointed to the "Luoya University" sign above the gates and smiled. "As everyone knows, this is the second chance at life for you 'Fish Bait' girls. If I’m not mistaken, 'Miss Bubble' is your idol, right?"
Seeing the look of exposed embarrassment on the faces of Dangdang and her mother, the red-haired girl tilted her head toward Xinghai. "How about this? Let’s skip the modest foreplay and just mate right here. We’ve got a live one."
Without thinking, Fan Li looked curiously at Xinghai. His eyelashes lifted, and his indifferent gaze collided with hers.
Startled, she looked away, her heart racing with nerves.
The red-haired girl laughed so hard she shook. "Ooh, heart beating that fast? That reaction... it seems our little handsome Xinghai’s 'love at first sight' isn't unrequited."
Another round of loud, mocking laughter followed.
Fan Li confirmed it again: these Predators were Saiyans. They could hear conversations two hundred meters away and hear a person's heartbeat. *Can't mess with them, definitely can't mess with them. Need to find a way to run.*
"Excellent, I support this. Which of you two is going first?" The leader’s serrated teeth shimmered in the water, white as snowflakes. "Maybe the hybrid brat should go first, since Xinghai saw her first. Once she’s had her fill, the 'little mistress' can have a turn. Or, since they seem so close, they can both go together."
Dangdang was about to explode with rage. "No matter how bad we are, we’re better than 'recreational' women who only exist for men’s amusement!"
"Dangdang, stop. Let’s go." Fan Li pulled at Dangdang, but the lackeys still blocked them.
The orca girl who had been playing with her nails was about to lung forward, but the red-haired girl stopped her. "I’m full." She tossed aside the bamboo skewer and patted the head of the female slave beside her, pointing at Dangdang.
The slave swam over and slammed the plate into Dangdang’s face.
Dangdang gasped, only to get a mouthful of leftovers. To finish it off, the slave twisted the plate forcefully before letting go. Mixed with colorful, highly adhesive seasonings, raw bits of shrimp, crab, and shellfish slid down Dangdang’s face, with several strands of seaweed snagged in her large braid. She wiped the scraps from her face, staring at the scene in disbelief.
"Does it taste good?" The red-haired girl leaned forward, flicking a piece of seagrass off her tail and tossing a handful of coins onto the slave’s head. "That was made by a famous chef from the Bodhi Sea. Even if I sold you at a slave market, you couldn't afford that dish."
The slave reached out to catch them, but some still fell to the ground. She immediately dropped to her hands and knees to pick them up one by one.
Dangdang’s hometown was a small coral reef village near the surface. 92.3% of the residents were of her race. Looking around, one would see a sea of bioluminescent men, women, and children who could spend hundreds of years repeating the same daily tasks: planting the local specialty "Posidonia seagrass," farming plankton and shrimp, and singing at sea or near grottoes with the seabirds during their rest. Her village had produced many music students for this reason.
Before today, she knew that slavery was prevalent in big cities, that high-ranking marine folk held most of the capital, and that class conflict was a daily occurrence. But today was the first time she had seen with her own eyes a girl of her own race being kept like a dog by the Predators.
Fan Li was also shocked. *Seriously, what kind of species are these? This is too brutal.*
Only ten minutes ago, she had thought this was a highly civilized world. Yet, such advanced technology was built upon a society ruled by the law of the jungle. She quickly realized this was due to the diversity of racial traits. The power gap between Predators and Oceanids was too vast, causing their social status to drift further apart as civilization evolved.
Moreover, judging by the treatment the red-haired girl received, she wasn't just any ordinary Predator. If Dangdang continued to clash with them, it would only end badly for them. Thus, Fan Li turned around and snapped at the lackey blocking their way: "Move!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but her aura was incredibly strong, causing the lackey to shrink back slightly.
The scene suddenly went quiet, save for the murmuring of the water.
"If there’s nothing else, we’re leaving." Though her instincts were afraid, Fan Li lifted her head and gave the red-haired girl a slight smile. "My lady, you are so beautiful; your heart should be just as expansive to match such a face. If you want entertainment, you have plenty of companions. We won't be joining you."
The red-haired girl froze. She hadn't looked closely at Fan Li before, but now that she did, she shared the same thought as the leader.
She had seen many lower-class marine folk with breathtaking beauty. But no matter how pretty they were, they couldn't help but tremble and show fear in her presence. Yet this girl, while supporting the "chicken" in this "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" display, hadn't become a "monkey" herself. The girl’s innate sense of security made her feel very unsettled.
"Don't try to flatter me! Who started this mess?"
"You all have mothers, don't you?" Fan Li spoke slowly, using her mental dictionary to follow the pronunciation of the Avu language. "Even if you feel superior, you should know that the process of a mother nurturing life is not easy. This mother is already injured, and I am taking her to treat her wound. So, we’ll be going now."
"Fan Li..." Dangdang’s mother looked at Fan Li, her eyes filling with tears that immediately dissolved into the seawater.
The group of Predators only glared with fierce eyes, offering no reply.
Hearing "mother is injured," the red-haired girl faltered for a moment. A childhood memory flashed through her mind: her mother smashing a family photo frame. With a *crack*, she had torn the images of the mother and daughter away from the father, sobbing amidst the glass shards. As a small child, she had flicked her tiny tail and swam over to touch her mother. Her mother had turned around, her vertical pupils bloodshot, and said: *Listen well, daughter. Orcas have no use for love. A female orca must be strong; racing to the top of the food chain is the only meaning of our lives! If you are weak, if you love, you will end up like me—abandoned by your child’s father!*
She shook her head, forcing herself back to reality. She wanted to continue teaching this "Fish Bait" girl a lesson—women who relied on men were truly brainless!
But Fan Li had already pulled Dangdang and her mother away, escaping into the campus.
At that moment, Xinghai narrowed his eyes. After a moment of silence, he also turned and swam away.
"Brother, where are you going?" the leader called out.
"To check in."
The red-haired girl’s expression was sour. She hopped off her cushion and gathered a ball of light, enveloping herself and the leader. The light slowly faded, ensuring other marine folk couldn't hear their voices.
"The influence of one's family is truly terrifying. Xinghai doesn't seem to have much of a distaste for lower-class girls."
"Heh, you’ve had how many men now, and you still don't understand them?" The leader shrugged nonchalantly. "It’s normal to want to play with a pure little Fish Bait girl. He won't get tied down. Men like his father are a tiny minority, after all. Don't worry."
"You also know that 'tiny minority' is his father. That will have a huge impact on him."
"Shark instincts don't change. We don't do marriage. Even if you beg us, we won't. Stop acting like a worried old mother."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
落亚大学 | Luoya University | The name of the university.
海洋族 | Oceanids / Marine folk | The general term for the non-predatory sea people.
捕猎族 | Predators | The high-class, predatory marine races (sharks, orcas, etc.).
逆戟族 | Orcas / Killer Whales | A specific fierce race within the Predators.
鲨族 | Sharks / Shark-kin | A specific fierce race within the Predators.
鱼饵 | Fish Bait | A derogatory slur used by Predators against lower-class marine folk.
婚环 | Marriage Ring | An engagement token worn on the tail; its state reflects the status of the engagement.
小妈 | Little Mistress / Kept Woman | Used as an insult implying a woman of low status who relies on men.
泡泡小姐 | Miss Bubble | A figure mentioned as an idol for lower-class girls.
আভ族语 | Avu Language | The language spoken in this underwater world.
菩提海 | Bodhi Sea | A geographical location mentioned in the text.
