Su Shiye had said that he placed the memories of a person’s life up until the age of seventy into the body of the military mimetic lifeform, "Xinghai."
That person was actually himself.
Although she had long suspected it, Fan Li was still shocked when she saw the truth within the memory fragments. When the Xinghai in the memories reached adulthood, aside from a slightly more commanding and focused military aura, he was remarkably similar to the Xinghai she knew. They were both pure, righteous, and kind, always fighting to protect the girls who were important to them.
If she hadn't heard the title "Major Su Shiye" with her own ears, Fan Li would never have believed that this person would eventually become the Dictator, Su Shiye.
She couldn't wait for the memories to fully resurface; she had too many questions. So, she called Su Shiye to ask him again about Xinghai’s past.
Everything in the memories was beautiful, but Fan Li hadn't forgotten that Su Yi and Su Shiye’s relationship had ended quite bitterly. Therefore, she didn't mention to Su Shiye that she had obtained Su Yi’s memories.
"Remember? You promised to cook a meal for me," Su Shiye said over the phone with a slight smile. "You can fulfill that promise now."
***
**Memory Fragment Five**
To me, it was perfectly normal to be close to someone I liked, to keep them by my side, and to prevent any little vixens from snatching them away. I didn't understand my brother’s mysterious logic of "loving her means keeping a distance."
So, after we reunited, the first thing I thought about was how to tie my brother to my side.
We talked for an entire day, exchanging stories of our experiences. I learned that over the years, my brother had hidden his identity and bloodline. After we were separated, he quickly learned transformation Arcanum. Because his face was delicate and his upper body was entirely that of the Sea God race, he had to put in a great deal of effort to transform himself into a purebred Hunter. Combined with some clever maneuvers to swap blood samples during physical exams, he successfully infiltrated the special forces. Consequently, the special forces training—which was highly advantageous for the Hunter race—was a hundred times more grueling for my brother than for his purebred Shark race comrades.
But what kind of person was my brother? He had been resilient since childhood. As long as he set his mind to something, he could accomplish anything—except, perhaps, giving birth.
Like me, he had been searching everywhere for my whereabouts. At the same time, he began his military career, fighting against the Abyssal race and enduring much hardship along the way. During the most desperate times on the battlefield, when they were starving and had no way out, Arno had even cut meat from his own tail to feed him. In the year 24557, my brother’s unit was trapped in a hopeless situation. He risked his life to save Arno and was nearly blown to pieces by a torpedo. He remained unconscious for thirteen days afterward, while "Little Cap" Aze cried his eyes out by his bedside.
The incident where Arno cut his own flesh seemed to cause my brother particular pain. Even though Arno proudly said, "You gave me back a life too, that’s what brothers do," my brother only clutched his forehead, his face pale. He rested for a long time before thanking Arno repeatedly.
Then, I spoke to my brother about my experiences in the slave market and my dreams of peace and equality.
"Your idea is good," he mused for a moment. "But you cannot pin your hopes on the slaves or the slave owners."
"Eh? Why?"
"You grew up in a high-tier sea race family and received a high-level education, but you haven't quite grasped the mindset of the lower-tier sea races. The situation following the Duchy of Charybdis will be very difficult to predict."
"Oh, I see..."
"Are you thinking: 'Does my annoying brother even know any lower-tier sea races? Has he dealt with as many slaves as I have? What right does he have to say I haven't grasped it?'"
"How terrifying, you can read minds!" I covered my face.
"It’s precisely because you are in the middle of it, possessing only pity and a desire to protect them, that you don't know how to think calmly from an observer's perspective."
Since Major Su Shiye was my brother, Grand Duke Asa’s properties were essentially secured. I even used my relationship with him to brag a bit back at the slave market; it was quite a boost to my reputation.
"The Major is your brother?" Even Xiao Lan was surprised. "So, what do you plan to do next?"
That question stumped me. More than twenty years had passed. Although I had liberated myself long ago, I had grown accustomed to controlling the slave market and dealing with the black market. I felt that continuing like this wasn't bad. Reunited with my brother, I felt a sense of closeness, but we were both adults now. He surely had his own life plans, and since we weren't blood-related and lived completely different lives, we probably wouldn't have much overlap in the future.
So, facing her question, I simply played dumb: "I still hold my previous views. As a slave owner, rather than enslaving a group of tools, it’s better to turn them into more powerful subordinates. When people have ideals and pursuits, they are certainly better than a mechanized labor model of assembly-line production. However, we can't take away the livelihoods of the government and the high-tier sea races, or we might not be as lucky next time. We can consider taking the 'hidden path.' Let's establish a new union in the Underworld City, merge the organizations in the black market, and expand our business."
"What will the union be called?" Grand Duke Asa’s eldest son asked.
"You're already thinking of a name before we've even decided on the business?" I laughed. "Let's figure out the business first and worry about the name later. Just pick something imposing."
After our brief meeting, Xiao Lan swam to my office and said, "Su Yi, do you have any plans for the future? I mean, your own plans. Are you going to be in the slave business your whole life?"
"To be honest, I haven't thought about it yet. But after working for Grand Duke Asa, I've accumulated quite a bit of wealth. There is one thing I'm certain I want to do now."
"What is it?"
I took a piece of paper from my drawer and pushed it toward her. She took it with a suspicious look, her large emerald eyes widening. "What!! A redemption agreement?! Mine?!"
"Yes, you earned it."
Xiao Lan was a tsundere girl. When I first made that 'simp' proposal, she hated me so much her teeth itched. Even after the truth came out, she was a bit awkward and reluctant to admit she had misjudged me. But I could feel that she actually wanted to show her goodwill. This was perfect; not only did she completely drop her prejudice against me, but she also turned into a total fangirl, rushing over to hug and peck at me. It was a bit much to handle.
After pecking at me for a while, she took a few deep breaths and said with unusual seriousness, "Su Yi, I'm definitely your friend for life. I can tell you're going to do great things in the future. To be honest, I don't understand a single thing you do. But in the future, if you ever need me, just say the word. I'm willing to give everything to repay your kindness."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then you'll have to make yourself useful first. Once you leave here, work hard on your career and make a name for yourself before thinking about repayment. Otherwise, what will you offer? Your pretty little face?"
"Ha, don't underestimate the power of looks. With this face of mine, people give me money just for breathing."
"You're quite confident in your appearance."
"It’s just a fact; beauty is a scarce resource. If you used your beauty well, your career would be even more successful. Unfortunately, you prefer using your brain. Using your brain is too tiring; I can't learn that."
"I'm not of the Sea God race; I'll age quickly. My bloom won't last as long as yours, so I'd rather work a bit harder." I patted her shoulder. "Relying on beauty is fine too. Play to your strengths. I'll see you at the next peak of our lives."
One could tell how much Xiao Lan loathed the slave market by how fast she slipped away the next day, without saying goodbye to anyone.
Left behind, I felt momentarily lost. Xiao Lan’s question was indeed sharp. For these twenty-odd years, all I had thought about was liberating slaves, helping Mr. Asa build an exotic commercial entity to maximize his business, and seeking freedom for myself. Now that I truly had freedom, I didn't know where to go.
In recent years, more and more merchants and slave owners from the Underworld City had proposed to me, sometimes even two in one day. But I had zero interest in marriage; I just felt lost. I didn't feel like studying either, so I spent my idle time wandering through the slave market.
Then, a man like a star suddenly visited, appearing in the middle of the dilapidated, bustling street amidst the murky gazes of numerous slave owners.
"Lili, I've come to get you. Let's go."
This man was my brother. He ordered two attendants to clear a path for me, keeping others away, then took my wrist and led me toward his vessel.
"Wait..." I looked at him in confusion. "Where are you taking me?"
"I haven't decided yet. Let's go back and discuss it together."
"But I have a job here..."
"In elementary school, you wrote Arcane essays at a graduate level and won a sea-wide grand prize, which led to an investigation into whether you had a ghostwriter that almost cost our parents their jobs. Have you forgotten that?" My brother jerked his chin toward our slave storefront. "With your talent, is this the kind of work you want to do now that you're grown?"
"Hey, hey, don't look down on me, okay? This is all on the surface. You know exactly what I've achieved! Without me, the Duchy of Charybdis wouldn't be what it is today!"
"So what do you plan to do next? Create Charybdis 2.0?"
"Not exactly..." I scratched my head. "I don't know. If I change jobs, I might not do as well, and then I won't be able to afford to eat."
"You need to go to university, not worry about work."
"Why go to university? It’s a waste of money to learn things I knew in elementary school."
"Arrogant. I'm not afraid of wasting money, so why are you?"
"You're wasting money?" I asked in surprise. "Brother, are you planning to support me?"
"What a strange girl. If I don't support you, who will?" He gripped my wrist and dragged me away. "Let's go."
"Wait, wait, Brother, I..."
"No more nonsense. I've searched for you for so many years; do you still want to be apart from me? No. Until you truly establish your own family and career, you have to stay with me." He dragged me to the entrance of the vessel. "Get in."
"No! I won't!" I met his gaze sternly. "Even if I'm your sister, you can't treat me like this!"
"I'm taking responsibility for you. Get in." My brother softened considerably.
"No!" I put my hands on my hips, my attitude unchanged. "Even after I establish a family and career, I want to be with you!"
My brother was a bit taken aback, but I didn't give him time to react. I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a loud "mwah" on the cheek. "Thanks, Brother. I feel like I have a home again... I never want to be apart from you again."
However, his body was a bit stiff, not as relaxed as when we were children. Perhaps it was because he had been a soldier and his muscles had increased.
Ultimately, I reached a conclusion: I didn't have the talent to be a top leader; I was merely the talent behind the throne.
The recent sense of loss had only arisen after Mr. Asa became Grand Duke Asa. After meeting my brother, I had a new pursuit: to work my heart out for a new leader.
Grand Duke Asa found out I had run away. He was originally very angry, but after receiving a call from my brother, he could only give up begrudgingly.
"Lili, let's go to St. Yegana," my brother said to me a few days later. "The war is over, and I don't have to stay in the Star Sea all the time. I recently found an opportunity to serve as a Tribune there. Although the rank isn't as high as Major, a Tribune in St. Yegana carries a lot of weight. I can pursue further studies at the military academy while doing this job. If you have the ability, try to test into the Arcane Academy of St. Yegana University."
"Yes, yes! Let's go!" I grew excited. "Once we make a name for ourselves there, we'll be closer to our dream!"
"But there's a problem." He rubbed his chin. "Are you sure you can get into St. Yegana University? It’s very difficult."
I chuckled. "That reverse psychology is a bit too low-level."
In September of 24574, we embarked on our journey to St. Yegana. On the way, my brother leaned against the window reading a poetry collection titled *When Time Stands Still for You*. The cover featured an oil portrait of the poet, with the name: Ronning of the Winter-Facing Sea.
I spent most of the time sleeping against his shoulder.
Arno and several of my brother’s comrades had followed him. While I was half-asleep, this group of "dogs" who had neither sisters nor wives spent the whole trip pinching their throats and mockingly mimicking me calling out "Brother." They didn't quite wake me up, but my brother turned around and gave an angry "shh," which actually woke me up completely.
I hugged his arm and read the poem on the page he was reading: "Memories of four hundred and thirty million years ago, the Core Demons and the Lava Army cast aside their armor. Spanning four eras of the Sea of Light, still remembering the Great Gaping Shark, the hegemon of the vast sea. The spirit of the Sea Goddess turned into stars, and primitive civilization nurtured the first Holy City... St. Yegana is truly beautiful."
"It is beautiful. All girls love it. You've never been, have you?"
"No, I'm so looking forward to it." I started getting excited again. "Brother, do you think we'll settle down in St. Yegana in the future?"
"That depends on you."
"Then we'll have to see if St. Yegana is a good place for us to make our mark. If there’s a group of people there who want to build a nation without discrimination and bullying, then I’ll want to work with them."
"I think the same as you."
"Really? You truly think so?"
"Yes. But that dream must be built on the premise of protecting my family."
He spoke subtly, yet directly, because everyone knew I was the only family he had left. I was moved beyond words and squeezed his arm even harder, burying my head in the crook of his shoulder. "Then I will follow you to the death, Brother!"
"Don't just act spoiled." He patted my arm. "Sleep a bit longer. I'll wake you when we arrive."
That year, I was 94 and my brother was 101. Together, carrying our dreams, we embarked on the journey to the center of the entire Sea of Light—St. Yegana.
We both entered St. Yegana University. I studied at the Arcane Academy, while he studied at the St. Yegana Military University and served as a Tribune. Because the war with the Abyssal race had lasted for fifty-eight years, the Sea of Light had achieved unprecedented unity. During this period, the high-tier sea races sent their children to St. Yegana, leading to a period of unparalleled prosperity for the city.
When school first started, I met many new classmates. I went to a jewelry store with two girls from the Ocean race in my class and saw a golden seawater pearl; I was more excited than if I’d seen a boy I liked.
"Wow..."
We were chirping incessantly when suddenly, a lavishly dressed Sea God girl swam over with her father. The clerk immediately came forward and dispersed us, taking out the pearl with gloved hands and presenting it to the father with both hands.
The pearl we wouldn't even dare dream of was bought by the father and daughter just like that. The clerk made it into a necklace for them.
The Sea God girl wasn't particularly pretty, but her gaze was proud and full of confidence, much like a lower-tier version of Lina. For some reason, she glanced at me several times. After buying the pearl, she immediately took it out, waved at the clerk, and pointed to her own neck.
Then, the clerk placed the golden pearl necklace around her neck. She tilted her head high and looked at me twice more, her eyes seemingly saying, "You will never live a life like mine."
Actually, I didn't feel much of anything. I liked pearls, so seeing someone else wear one made me feel good too.
However, this scene happened to be witnessed by my brother as he passed by. That evening, back in our rented two-bedroom apartment, he said casually, "Lili, you like golden pearls, don't you?"
"They're okay... Ah, you saw me at the jewelry store?"
He didn't answer. He just got off the bed, sat on the edge, pulled me to his side, and looked up at me. "In the future, I will let you wear the best pearls in the world. By then, all the pearls in St. Yegana will be yours to choose from."
This startled me, and I quickly waved my hands. "There are so many things I like; you can't buy everything for me. Besides, you don't have to own something just because you like it, right?"
"No. Whatever you like, I will make sure you have it." At this point, his gaze turned from firm to tender. "Trust me."
After living with my brother, I felt he had become much more mature, yet also more childish. His maturity went without saying: he was more handsome, more stable, and the rhythm of his speech and the depth and breadth of his thinking were far more sophisticated than those of his peers.
The childish side was that he would occasionally be very neurotic, even more insecure than when he was a child. He often had nightmares, shouting out from deep sleep and then waking up abruptly, gasping for a long time with his head in his hands.
I had heard that after a war, soldiers experience long-term mental torment, even hallucinating the sounds of naval guns and ammunition. It seemed my brother had seen too much life and death on the battlefield to have similar symptoms. Every time this happened, I would immediately swim to his bedside and give him a big hug.
My brother would lean his head on my shoulder, his eyes red and his body trembling, until his breathing gradually calmed down.
He never explained these situations, and I never asked. But I knew my hugs were helpful to him. So, I often didn't return to my own room, but instead huddled with him to sleep, just as we did when we were little.
Later, I reunited with Sister Mise Xun-yue at school and met other Sea God descendants from various sea regions: Garth Xitian, Buco Yejia, Senti Qinya, Sephi Moke, Jante Yuran, and so on.
Garth Xitian was 223 years old, a senior at my brother’s academy, and very close to him. He was a handsome guy who was extremely popular with men, a big spender who loved to pay the bill at parties. But it was said that when his father was young, he caught his mother in bed with the family driver, and she later eloped with the driver to the Bodhi Sea. Since then, every time his father got drunk at a gathering, he would loudly sing "You Love Him but Married Me" to commemorate his ex-wife, who was already dead to him. Perhaps because this episode with his mother was so scandalous and he was born into the most feudal family in the Storm Sea, his attitude toward women was very awkward. Consequently, when I noticed his awkward attempts to curry favor with me, I stayed far away from him.
Buco Yejia was 167 years old, a classmate of mine. He was an incredibly jealous, effeminate man who was prettier than a woman. Well, saying that is a bit harsh; he was actually very popular with women—so popular he could have cooked meals every day using the heat from the love letters they sent him. But whenever he saw me, his tone was always sour. He would often drop comments like, "This problem is so hard; I suppose only Su Yi can solve it. I'm so envious," while wearing a face that wasn't envious at all. Probably because my sudden emergence had bruised his ego as the top student of the Red Moon Sea. But I didn't take him seriously at all.
Sephi Moke and Sister Xun-yue were both heirs to their respective sea region clans. When we entered the university, they were already close to graduating. The former was a PhD student at the Academy of Politics and Diplomacy and already had a family in the Resurrection Sea; the latter was a Fellow at the Law School.
Jante Yuran was the son of Jante Yu, the clan leader of the Sky-Rending Sea. It was said that his parents were a pair of PDA-loving maniacs who were obsessed with planning their lives. When they were still students over six thousand years ago, they planned to have a dozen children and had already thought of names for every one of them. The sons' names had to include the father's name, and the daughters' names had to include the mother's name.
Senti Qinya was a member of the Winter-Facing Sea clan. Their clan’s rigidity was said to be the greatest among the Seven Seas. It was rumored that when the clan leader’s family ate, dozens of people would sit like statues, chewing their food in total silence—a truly eerie sight. However, this clan also produced many beauties; Qinya had a sister whose fame reached all the way to St. Yegana. That sister later became my prospective sister-in-law.
During university, my academic performance was outstanding. Three years in, I first proposed the Arcane Field Theory. Four and a half years in, I wrote a paper on the Micro-particle Spin Law, which caused a sensation in the Arcane world. By the time I was ninety-nine, there were already twenty-seven books on the market based on my Arcane theories.
"Su Yi," originally a word in the ancient sea language, quickly became a name famous throughout the Sea of Light.
I poured all my heart into academic research and even secretly developed a potion for racial ascension. However, theoretically, the success rate of this potion was terrifyingly low. I never dared to make it public and only told my brother about it. He discussed it with his subordinates and told me never to speak of it or attempt clinical trials.
On my hundredth birthday, something terrifying happened—I went into shock. When I woke up, I was lying in my brother’s arms, and his eyes were swollen from crying. I then realized that my birthday had passed two days ago. I felt as if all the blood had been drained from my body. Looking in the mirror, my face was as pale as a ghost's.
The doctor said the cause couldn't be determined. My brother seemed to know the reason, but he told me nothing.
Another fourteen years passed. My brother graduated from the military academy, and I skipped grades to become a PhD at the Arcane Academy. He didn't continue his studies but instead bid me a temporary farewell to return to the Star Sea.
I was hopelessly immersed in my academic research, keeping in touch with him by phone once a week. He rarely talked to me about his work; instead, he liked to ask what I was doing. I wasn't very considerate and would always talk his ear off about my research, regardless of whether he was interested or could understand. He always listened seriously, and his closing words were always: "Keep it up, Lili."
Only when I heard that name did I remember who I was. Not the legendary Su Yi, but Fan Li. Now, no one called me Fan Li. "Lili" belonged to my brother alone.
In the last of the thirty-seven months my brother spent back in the Star Sea, he suddenly stopped calling me. I called him, but no one answered. The next day, I called again, and Arno answered.
"Dr. Su Yi, are you looking for the Archon?" Arno seemed to be deliberately suppressing his joy. "I'll notify him to call you back after his inauguration ceremony is over."
"Archon?" I frowned.
"Yes, Lord Su Shiye is now the Archon of the Star Sea. Why don't you turn on the television and see?"
***End of Memory Fragment Five***
The mood Su Yi felt after turning on the television immediately reminded Fan Li of the Xinghai she had first met.
On the political news channel of the St. Yegana television station, the Su Shiye who had just become the Archon of the Star Sea had changed a lot in temperament. His originally silver-gray short hair had grown to shoulder length. Because of his elevated status, he could now wear earrings, and his features had become even more profound—his brow bone was like a canyon, and his eyes held the great sea, with ten thousand stars scattered upon it. He had just ousted the previous Archon, causing a massive stir in the Star Sea. A sense of arrogance and pride was evident in his beautiful features. Although his appearance was still that of Xinghai, his spirit already bore the prototype of the current Su Shiye.
Two originally disconnected people could actually be pieced together like this, bit by bit, through personal experience. Fan Li found it truly incredible.
But after seeing him at Su Shiye’s home, she found that he during his time as Archon was still very different from how he was now.
If it could be said that back then his eyes held ten thousand stars and the sea, then now, all the stars had sunk into the depths of the ocean.
"Come in." Su Shiye came out to meet her personally, but seeing her staring at him, he gave a puzzled, slight smile. "What, don't recognize me?"
"No, I..." Fan Li couldn't quite snap out of it. "Of course I recognize you, Lord Dictator."
Knowing Su Shiye’s past, she was no longer so resistant to him, but she felt an inexplicable sadness.
Everything she had experienced with Xinghai—the love she thought transcended time, space, and life—seemed so much like a shadow of those two people’s past.
As Su Shiye led her inside, he looked straight ahead with an expressionless face. "Letting yourself go just because it's a holiday? You've even stopped drinking the transformation potion."
Fan Li touched her face, only then remembering that her appearance had changed significantly lately. Sensing Su Shiye’s displeasure, she looked up. "You don't like this face?"
"I don't," Su Shiye said indifferently. "I don't want to see it for even a second."
"I can't drink transformation potions for the rest of my life."
"I know." Su Shiye turned back to look at her for a moment, frowned, and sighed. "I'll try my best to get used to it."
***4.3 Little Theater***
Yejia: "Effeminate?"
Xitian: "Awkward attempts to curry favor?"
Su Yi: "Don't get too hung up on specific words."
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