On her way, Fanli reviewed the SWOT analysis she had written for her promotion to the Hunting Race:
**Strengths:** After successfully becoming a member of the Hunting Race, she could live for over two thousand years, find Suyi, become stronger, and protect her friends. Because her genes would be modified by the "Heart of Styx," the DNA records held by the police would no longer match her, allowing her to avoid being detected as a soul-swapper.
**Weaknesses:** There might be long-term side effects, and there was a nearly fifty percent chance of death.
**Opportunities:** A high possibility of returning to her former self, returning to her family, and leaving this godforsaken Light Sea.
**Threats:** Becoming a member of the Hunting Race might lead to new inter-species competition. But this was not something she feared.
Finally, she had handwritten two questions for herself: *Does life as Suyi have any meaning to me?* The answer was no.
*If I cannot return to land, would I feel it a pity even if I died?* Without Xinghai, the answer was no.
In truth, she had reached her conclusion long ago; it was only today that she was finally prepared to take this step.
"I knew you’d be back." The floor manager offered a smile that showed no surprise and handed her a medication agreement. "Read this over first. If there are no issues, I’ll call Mr. Ada."
Fanli took the agreement, and a crucial question suddenly occurred to her. "Right, the price..."
"It’s free."
"Free?!"
"You’re taking such a massive risk by taking the drug, and simultaneously acting as clinical trial subjects for our magic potion. How could we have the heart to charge you?" The manager looked her up and down, then let out a scoff. "Besides, people who choose this path generally don't have the capacity to pay anyway."
Instantly, Fanli felt a deep sense of being looked down upon, coupled with the awkwardness of being unable to refute him.
But thinking about it, it made sense. Compared to a one-time payment for medication, the lifelong allegiance and service of a large number of Hunting Race members were the most valuable resources. Moreover, in both word and deed, they hadn't pressured her in the slightest, which overturned her impression of a criminal organization forcibly collecting protection fees.
The document the manager handed her was indeed the legendary "Death Agreement." She skimmed the contents; aside from the repetitive use of the word "death" which sparked fear, the rest was basically what the manager had told her before.
"One last question." Fanli took a deep breath. "If I successfully become a Hunting Race member, will the Transformation Potion I’m currently taking still maintain my Ocean Race appearance?"
"Of course."
"Then I have no more questions." Fanli handed the agreement back to him. "I am willing to undergo the racial promotion."
After waiting in the reception room for twenty-five minutes, the manager led her to the office of Ada, the leader of the Black Crocodile Union.
As soon as the door opened, she was startled by the sight of obese tentacles sprawling across half the room. Mr. Ada, sitting in his chair, originally had a round, kind-looking face, but a long scar running from the center of his forehead to his chin made him look fearsome.
Only then did Fanli realize that in a dry environment, the sea races could choose to manifest their marine forms. Having many limbs truly allowed for such indulgence.
Mr. Ada was playing with a juvenile great white shark in a water tank, prying open its mouth to inspect its newly grown teeth. Hearing the door open, he didn't look up as he spoke: "Miss Fanli, taking the 'Heart of Styx' isn't like playing with dolls or house. Have you thought it through?"
"Yes."
"Come and sign."
Fanli and Mr. Ada both signed and kept copies of the agreement. Mr. Ada arranged for a doctor and a pharmacist to escort her to the administration room.
The facilities inside looked very much like a human operating room. The doctor signaled for her to lie on the operating table and had a nurse help cuff her limbs. Fanli asked timidly in a small voice, "Is... is the pain really at that level?"
"It’s just to prevent complications during the mutation. Although the probability of death during the first stage is low, it’s not impossible."
Fanli couldn't bring up another topic. She felt her scalp tingle, and her heart sank into her stomach with a heavy thud. Then, she watched as the nurse cleaned her body with various disinfectants. Another nurse pulled out an IV needle and said, "This is an analgesic. The needle is thick; it will hurt quite a bit."
Fanli turned her head away, smiled, and blinked. "If you don't call it a needle and call it a straw instead, I think I'll feel much better."
"Miss Fanli is quite good; her mindset is excellent." The doctor also gave a kind smile.
"It’s all an act. I’m actually very nervous."
"You aren't that nervous; your heart rate is lower than average." The doctor didn't use any instruments, relying solely on the sensitive hearing and calculation abilities of the Hunting Race to determine her heart rate. "Do you usually like to exercise? Speed swimming?"
"Not really."
"Then your grades must be very good. Honor students always have good mindsets."
Having a good mindset was one thing; the actual pain of the needle being inserted—so intense she wanted to bash her head against a wall—was another. The pain brought by the analgesic itself was yet another matter entirely. Fanli gritted her teeth to keep from screaming, whimpering, "Why not just use anesthesia to knock me out..."
"The body of an Ocean Race member cannot handle three rounds of anesthesia in a short period. You’ll just have to endure the pain for the first two times. Your body will undergo significant changes next; maintaining this mindset will give you a higher success rate." Seeing her nod through a frown, the doctor tilted his chin. "Administer 'Heart of Styx No. 1' to her."
As it turned out, "taking the medicine" didn't mean drinking it, but receiving it through an IV. They pulled the analgesic and replaced the fluid with the blue "Heart of Styx No. 1." Because the needle was thick, it felt like a faucet had been inserted directly into her vein. The icy liquid gurgled into Fanli’s body, seemingly freezing her blood. Even with the prior analgesic, the intense stimulation caused her to break out in a cold sweat.
Her head and heart felt as if they were being scorched by fire, yet her limbs were as cold as if they had been tossed into the depths of an icy sea. Tears fell in large droplets from the stimulation—a purely physiological reaction, unrelated to emotion.
If the first time was like this, wouldn't the second and third times just kill her outright...
*Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump...*
Gradually, her ears became increasingly sensitive. Everything seemed to be pulled closer to her. She heard her own heartbeat mingling with the heartbeats of those around her. The pain had eased slightly, but soon another wave of even more intense agony surged through her body with the fluid. Another wave of scorching heat and freezing cold took turns lashing her nerves...
She didn't know how long the pain lasted. Finally, when the handcuffs were unlocked, Fanli gasped for air. She tried to get off the bed but nearly rolled off the operating table.
"Don't move. You can't walk right now; you need to rest." The nurses helped her back.
She was as limp as a pile of mud, her consciousness blurred. When her hand was lifted, she realized her wrists were bleeding profusely from her struggling. Yet, she hadn't felt a bit of pain in those spots earlier.
After the nurses bandaged her wounds, they carried her out of the administration room. Seeing her look at her wounds with concern, the doctor told her it was no matter. Then, she relaxed completely, watching the surrounding scenes shift in a dizzying blur.
Tears filled her eyes again, but this time it wasn't because of pain; it was a sense of loneliness after surviving a disaster. If her eldest aunt were waiting outside the door right now, she would surely rush over and stroke her head, feeling even more distressed than Fanli herself. If her father were there, he would certainly listen intently to the doctor’s instructions, arranging the car home, the follow-up appointment, and all the recovery details...
But there was no one she knew outside. In this strange world, she was separated from the family who loved her and the life she knew by 2,271 years.
Once she recovered, she would have to go back alone and face the fear of death threats alone. If her luck was a bit worse, she would lose her life in the deep sea of 2,271 years ago, turning into white bones, buried with a pile of nameless souls in an extra-legal cemetery.
But she wouldn't give up.
In the future, she wanted to go home and reunite with her family. She wanted to live the life she desired.
In the present, she wanted to protect those around her. She had to protect Xinghai; she couldn't let him get hurt for her again...
At this thought, she told herself that these were her own choices. *Don't cry, don't be so fragile.* She gritted her teeth and forced the tears back.
However, this prideful strength lasted only a very short time.
Because, among the many diverse strangers passing her by, she saw a familiar, stunned face.
"Xinghai..."
She almost thought she was hallucinating. She wanted to say something, but the moment her gaze met his, all the fortresses of strength she had silently built in her heart collapsed. She could no longer hold it together and began to cry miserably.
Tears are a troublesome thing for the sea races; they form pearl-like droplets that float in the water, unlike humans who can hide them by wiping the corners of their eyes. Now, finally in a dry environment, she could reach out to wipe her tears, but Xinghai came forward and caught her hand. When her hand was completely enveloped by his palm, loneliness and grievance came crashing down like a tidal wave, causing even more tears to flow.
"You... why are you here?"
Xinghai wanted to pat her head but didn't know where to start. He simply followed the nurses' pace, looking down at her with a heavy, troubled expression.
Then, the medical staff settled her into a ward. The hospital beds here were made of individual seawater pools; soaking patients in seawater helped wounds heal faster. They placed Fanli into the bed, and she shifted back into her tail form, which was also covered in scars. Buoyancy naturally lifted her up.
He finally spoke, but he was furious. "Why am I here? I should be the one asking you that! Why did you come here alone and make such a dangerous decision without consulting anyone?!"
Fanli froze, becoming even weaker due to her lack of confidence. "I... I couldn't keep enduring it like this..."
"You just think I can't protect you, don't you?! Did you consult me before taking the 'Heart of Styx'? Do you know that while the success rate for the third stage isn't actually that low, thirty-four percent of the deaths are from being literally shocked to death by pain! You are too reckless, too careless with your own body!" At this point, Xinghai covered his forehead, his chest heaving as if trying to calm his anger. After a long while, he looked at her calmly again. "...Tell me, why did you do this? Why are you unwilling to trust me?"
"It’s not that. I... I want to live for two thousand years. I want to study arcana and potions, but my previous constitution wasn't good enough..." Fanli paused, a silver tear rolling into the water. "I did this for myself, not for anyone else."
In truth, this was largely a lie.
She knew in her heart that she chose this path because, in this world, she now had someone she cared about.
Thinking of this, she looked up at Xinghai and gave him a smile. "So, don't be too narcissistic."
"You think it's worth paying such a high price?"
"It's worth it."
*For a boy as good as you, no matter how high the price, it's worth it.*
Xinghai had intended to scold her more, but after his gaze met hers, he too seemed defeated. He moved closer and pulled her into a hug, squeezing her so hard her whole body ached.
"Lili, I can't lose you." His body was trembling slightly. "I mean it."
"Don't be sad, don't be sad..." In truth, she was the one who felt sad, but she still smiled and patted his back. "There's still a fifty percent chance of success. Think of the positive side, okay?"
Xinghai stayed with Fanli in the ward for two hours. During those two hours, Fanli was constantly uncomfortable, drifting off for five or twenty minutes at a time, only to be startled awake by nightmares woven from nausea and pain.
But after two hours, the physical discomfort finally dissipated for the most part.
"I'll go get you something to eat." Xinghai quickly noticed her looking around and stood up to leave, but she caught the hem of his shirt. He looked down at her hand, his attitude softening significantly. "I'll be back soon."
Only then did she reluctantly let go and nod again.
She slowly sat up, leaning against the pillow, propping her forehead with her palms. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly through a frown, adjusting her state. Her new vision was giving her a constant headache; her sense of touch was so sensitive it felt as if she had been flayed; everything she smelled in her nose felt like she had taken a sharp inhale of floral water...
The change in her hearing was particularly drastic—
"The police didn't find the murder weapon. I hid it well. The kill was clean, don't worry..."
"Darling, the moonlight was so beautiful yesterday. It’s a pity you didn't go to the surface with me, leaving me alone in the waves to miss you..."
"This test report doesn't show much. Take him for another specialized swim bladder exam. I suspect there's a tumor in his bladder..."
"My girlfriend is in Room 17. This is heated now; can you bring it over? Thank you..."
The last one was Xinghai’s voice. He was already at the end of the hallway. Aside from him, chaotic sounds flooded in from all directions, making her brain feel like it was splitting open. She covered her ear fins and buried her head in the blankets, but she was then tormented by the various sounds coming from inside her own body.
"Not used to the new sensory functions yet, I see." Mr. Ada’s voice rang out. He entered with the doctor.
She started to sit up, but Mr. Ada reached out to signal that she should just stay lying down. Looking at the marriage ring at the base of her tail fin, he smiled with knowing insight. "Deep affection always leads people astray. Many males come here to promote their race; they have all sorts of backgrounds. Some don't even have a story; they just want to become stronger. But the reasons women want to promote are always the same."
Fanli also looked at the marriage ring. "I don't understand what you mean..."
Mr. Ada slowly waved his eight thick, soft tentacles, crawling to the opposite side of the bed with practiced ease. "To Ocean Race females, Hunting Race males are always charismatic. Especially the Shark and Orca races—top-tier players of the food chain, with super-strong genes from natural selection. Once they set their sights on a female, the fervor and passion they can erupt with is proportional to their hunting ability. However, because they spend their entire lives pursuing passion, the love they can give a female only lasts until they have completely possessed her. Female Hunting Race members have long known what their men are, so they treat them with disdain, constantly mating with those with the best genes and scorning the weaker men. This intensifies male competition, making them evolve to be even more powerful and cold-blooded. But for female Ocean Race members, this kind of love is like opium. Once you cross the line and fall in love with a Hunting Race member, looking back at males of your own kind feels so bland and tasteless. So many female Ocean Race members want to become Hunting Race members, striving to stand at the same height as their lovers, only wishing to stay together forever. But the result is, once they truly become Hunting Race members, that originally innocent girl who longed for love is gone. Genes are terrifying things; they will devour you, they will assimilate you, but they will never listen to you."
"Mr. Ada, what you say makes a lot of sense, it’s just... it doesn't seem to have much to do with me."
Mr. Ada’s face was full of disbelief. "Really? Let me guess your story. Your ex was a pureblood Hunting Race member, and your current boyfriend is a hybrid, right?"
"No." She thought for a moment and could only speak according to her current status. "I don't have a boyfriend."
"No boyfriend. Good answer. It seems that handsome hybrid boy just now is just a backup. Hahaha, I have high hopes for you."
"No, no, we really are just friends right now."
"If liking each other without mating counts as being friends, then I believe you are friends. The little handsome guy is very devoted right now, but believe me, in the world of the Hunting Race, devotion is the most useless thing. The devotion of a hybrid is as worthless as dirt." Mr. Ada stroked his chin and smiled slightly. "In three months, you will start worrying about how to get rid of him completely."
"He is the most important person to me. I will never want to get rid of him."
"Then it’s even more cruel. You want him to love you while watching you busy yourself mating with countless powerful male sea races?"
Fanli ruffled her hair, feeling that the lack of communication was about to drive her crazy. But remembering this was the boss of the Black Crocodile Union, she took several long breaths and said calmly, "I don't think not being aggressive or being content with the status quo is a flaw. If my future partner is a boy like Xinghai, I think that’s quite good. If he doesn't want to pursue a better life, I will. As long as he loves me, pampers me, and is handsome, that’s enough."
"Hahahahaha..." Mr. Ada laughed out loud. "Miss Fanli, you look thin and weak, but I didn't expect you to be such a strong-willed girl deep down. Unfortunately, many things aren't up to you; your instincts have the final say. Anyway, let’s look forward to your smooth promotion first."
"Miss Fanli," the doctor smiled, "Mr. Ada always likes to tease you young girls who have just promoted. He means no harm."
Fanli realized she could clearly see the name written on the doctor’s ID tag seven or eight meters away. The doctor pointed to the tag with understanding. "You can see this clearly, can't you?" Seeing Fanli nod, he smiled with satisfaction. "Very good. Sit up for a moment. I’ll teach you how to control your hearing and smell—vision shouldn't need controlling, right?"
"Yes." Fanli sat up.
"First, listen to me speak. When I count numbers, slowly blow air into your ear fins. The further I count, the more you blow. One, two, three, four, five..." His voice went from soft to loud. By the time he reached "five," he was almost shouting. "Did the sounds feel about the same? Let’s try again. One, two, three, four, five! How does it feel now?"
"The volume of the sounds seems to have become about the same."
"Your comprehension is amazing. You learned it in just two tries? Good, now let’s do it again. This time, when I reach five, you need to give your brain a signal: 'Hold it, hold it, hold it...' I’m starting. One, two, three, four, five—hold it!" Seeing Fanli close her eyes and follow along, the doctor asked, "How is it? Has your hearing sensitivity decreased?"
"It really has." Fanli tapped her ear fins in disbelief. "It’s as if the volume was turned down."
"You learn things so fast..." The doctor found it even more incredible. "I’ve worked here for 114 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen an Ocean Race member with such strong learning ability. For the Hunting Race, they have this ability shortly after birth, so they don't need to specifically learn it. But for an adult sea race, learning these two steps usually takes at least a week or two."
"So in the future, I just adjust my hearing based on the degree of air pressure and self-suggestion?"
"Yes. Once you adapt, this process can be completed in 0.3 seconds."
"The Hunting Race is terrifying!" Fanli shuddered.
"Haha, this is just the five senses. In three months, after you complete the three promotions, you will discover a magical new world." The doctor brought over seven test tubes containing different colored solutions. "Come, now I will teach you to control your sense of smell..."
In front of the ward door, Xinghai watched the entire training process without saying a word. When Mr. Ada spoke those words to Fanli earlier, he hadn't used a soundproofing spell. It was clearly not due to carelessness—in Mr. Ada’s eyes, he was just a worthless hybrid.
He believed Fanli had a pure and kind heart.
But he also believed in genes. For any creature, even highly intelligent ones, defeating genes was simply too difficult.
If Fanli truly succeeded in her promotion, she would become a one-hundred-percent pureblood Hunting Race member. At that time, would she still be the girl he loved?
On the way escorting Fanli home, he found her acting like a child, full of curiosity about everything. She kept her ear fins upright openly, listening to people talking everywhere and to the songs of whales seven hundred nautical miles away.
If the time came when she was controlled by instinct, he should be the first male to have the right to mate with her. However, other men would also have a chance.
"Lili, I hope everything goes smoothly for you." Xinghai touched her bangs, which had been ruffled by the water. "I hope you can successfully complete the promotion."
He hoped that day would truly come, because he wanted Fanli to survive.
He also truly hoped that day would never come.
Xinghai looked at her silently, his water-blue eyes shimmering with the light of the water.
When that time came, would he become one of her many men, or would he leave silently?
"Don't worry, my luck is great. I won't die. In the future, someone will be fighting by your side!" Fanli patted her chest, but soon showed a worried expression. "But... if I become a Hunting Race member, will you stop liking me? You said you don't like the Hunting Race, that you like the Ocean Race..."
Xinghai shook his head gently. "I like the Ocean Race because you are Ocean Race. If you are Hunting Race, then I like the Hunting Race. I only want you; nothing else matters."
"Me too." His bluntness made Fanli’s heart race. She was so shy she wanted to flee to the other end of the cabin, but she still gathered her courage, tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, and looked up. "No matter what race you are, I don't care."
"Then do you also only want me?" A happy smile rippled at the corners of Xinghai’s eyes. It was good; the girl before him was still the Lili of before.
"Don't... don't ask that kind of question." Fanli turned her head to the side, facing the wall in frustration. Her feelings were very complicated right now; she wanted to run away from him, wanted to pinch his face and tell him to stop saying such things, and yet she also really wanted to hide in his arms and curl up like a sensitive plant.
"Okay, I won't ask," Xinghai laughed.
***4.3 Mini-Theater***
Fanli: "Xinghai, Xinghai, follow-up question: If I were a guy, would you still like me?"
Xinghai: "The liking of a brother."
Fanli: "Is it that guys can't accept transgender, unconditional love?"
Xitian: "Absolutely not! It's disgusting!"
Xinghai: "No."
Susheye: "No. Does Lili want me to accept it?"
Yejia: "If the commoner little fairy turned into a man, she'd probably still be cute. I could consider going gay with you."
Fanli: "...The number one gay of 4.3, as expected, that's not just a random title."
*Her 4.3 Billion Years* by Junzi Yi Ze, To be continued...
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 冥河之心 | Heart of Styx | A potion/procedure used to upgrade a sea race's genetic tier. |
| 黑鳄工会 | Black Crocodile Union | A powerful organization/syndicate led by Ada. |
| 阿达 | Ada | The leader of the Black Crocodile Union. |
| 鲨族 | Shark Race | A high-tier branch of the Hunting Race. |
| 逆戟族 | Orca Race | A high-tier branch of the Hunting Race (Killer Whales). |
| 耳鳍 | Ear fins | Sensory organs of the sea races used for hearing. |
| 冥河之心1号 | Heart of Styx No. 1 | The first stage of the racial promotion potion. |
| 鳔 | Swim bladder | An internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish to control their buoyancy. |
