The seventy thousand slaves we had gathered in St. Yejiana over four years regained their freedom. This month, following a vote in the St. Yejiana Parliament and the personal signature of the Dictator, they were relocated to the mountains bordering the Kalu Plain. No one could have imagined that this slave liberation movement—conducted yet again out of pure empiricism—would ultimately culminate in a catastrophic error.
One day, as I emerged from the potion research building at St. Yejiana University and swam toward a deserted corner, an all-black private vessel came to a halt before me.
A window slid open. A soldier in full combat gear turned his head and raised a communication device. After a brief flicker of electrical current and a flash of golden light, a phantom appeared—a face that usually only graced the news.
"Academician Sui, I bet you didn't expect me to come looking for you personally," the Dictator said with a smile.
I was stunned for a moment, but I quickly surmised the reason for his visit. He seemed somewhat dissatisfied with my composure, arching an eyebrow. "The supreme leader of the Light Sea pays you a visit, yet you don't seem the least bit flattered? Or perhaps, do you have a guilty conscience?"
"Greetings, Lord Dictator," I performed a formal salute.
"I don't actually have anything specific to say to you. I just wanted to tell you that I know you're a kind girl with very distinct ideas. But politics isn't a game played your way. I've tumbled through the political arena for three thousand seven hundred years. Do you know what the simplest principle of politics is? If you write it out in detail, it fills thousands of books; if you condense it, it’s just one sentence: Interests above all else."
I couldn't quite grasp his underlying meaning for a moment. I simply frowned and nodded. "Your words carry weight, Lord Dictator."
"Politics is very simple. There are no 'good' or 'bad' people as you imagine them, nor is there black and white—there are only interests. Whoever can profit from the other can attack them at will, applying double standards to any conflict involving themselves or their enemies. You aren't suited for politics, truly. Your brother, however, has some potential. I've met him a few times; every time we finish talking, I break into a cold sweat. It’s a good thing he wasn't my opponent in the same election cycle, or I really wouldn't be sure I’d be standing where I am today."
"Brother is merely fulfilling his personal mission."
"There is no such thing as a mission; it’s all for the sake of various interests. In private, let’s not play these hollow games. I came here today only to tell you that I admire you as an opponent. I recognize your dedication to the academic world and understand your desire, as a member of the Sea Race, to speak for your own group. But in the grand scheme of things, you are still too young. You forgot your own identity, and you’ve brought ruin upon your companions. I don't know what Grand Duke Asa was thinking, choosing to trust a 'bait girl' like you so implicitly that he even lost his life for it..."
Hearing this, my ear fins perked up in alarm. "Wait, what did you say?!"
"Nothing. I’m just killing the chicken to warn the monkeys. I want the other slaves and the ambitious dreamers of the Seven Seas to see clearly: St. Yejiana is St. Yejiana. It’s fine if they want to fence off land and cause trouble, but if they attempt to rebel, the most advanced weapons and warships in the Light Sea will teach them a lesson. Academician Sui, you are a researcher; you should know very well that 'morale' only works in primitive tribes. A gap in raw power cannot be bridged by anger. But I still want to say, I admire you. If you are willing to work for me, the Dictator's government is always open."
With that, the window closed, and the black private vessel shot away with a *whoosh*.
I rushed toward home, pulling out my communicator to call Grand Duke Asa immediately, but no one answered. I then called my brother, but as the connection was being established, I happened to pass a supermarket broadcasting current events. I swam inside to watch.
On the news, the spokesperson for the St. Yejiana Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered a purely ceremonial smile to the Starry Sea reporter: "The Dictator's government has an obligation to be responsible for the waters of St. Yejiana, to protect the legal rights of its citizens, and to suppress rebel factions. We ask the Starry Sea not to interfere in St. Yejiana's internal affairs. Do not promote hegemonism and power logic under the guise of liberating slaves for your own selfish interests, nor attempt to drive a wedge into the peaceful and stable relationship between St. Yejiana's citizens and the slaves. The eyes of the entire Light Sea society are discerning; they see the established fact that the Su Shiye government is a disturber of peace..."
"Lili, I’m currently rushing to the Kalu Principality," my brother's voice crackled through the communicator's waves. "The situation there is unclear right now. Don't get involved. Don't go there—it’s too dangerous."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson always spoke with such understatement, but I knew something terrible had happened.
On the way straight to the Kalu Plain, I received countless calls from slave owners, the Black Crocodile Union leaders, and the Kalu Embassy. I learned that after the freed slaves of Holy City descent arrived at the Kalu Plain, a few rioters had held demonstrations on the natural rock ledges and cliffs, demanding independence. They attacked the St. Yejiana government and the Temple of the Light Sea, claiming they would submit to the Starry Sea and join them in attacking St. Yejiana.
For slaves who had just regained their freedom, such behavior was far too "ambitious." It was obvious they had been paid off by the St. Yejiana government.
Consequently, the Dictator used this as a pretext to dispatch troops to encircle the "rioters," carrying out a massacre under the name of "suppressing rebels" just outside the Kalu Principality. The Asa Principality sent troops to protect their new allies, but they were no match for St. Yejiana's state-of-the-art warships and most highly trained arcanists and soldiers. The casualties were devastating. Soon, the news of Grand Duke Asa's death wasn't just coming through phone calls; his portrait appeared on every news station across the seas.
A mere matter-of-fact report could never describe the horror of the battlefield.
When I arrived at the Kalu Plain, I could hardly believe my eyes. Blood had dyed the ocean a deep crimson; the stench of gore could be smelled even at the surface, four hundred meters above. The Kalu Plain had become a sea of blood. A third of the population was dead, though fortunately, most of the children had been saved.
I heard that once Su Shiye's reinforcements arrived, the St. Yejiana forces retreated early. Though the Governor of Kalu was severely injured, he still led me to the flagship's command room with his broken arm in a sling. He played two holographic recordings left by Grand Duke Asa.
The phantoms were recorded before he entered the battle. The first was addressed to the entire Light Sea. Amidst the flowing light of the water, he reached out as if to steady the camera, then straightened his back, adjusted the collar of his military uniform, and looked in my direction.
"Regarding the mud slung at the Kalu Principality by the St. Yejiana government—the act of using isolated remarks to cover up general sentiment and distorting the truth—I no longer wish to offer explanations. Once, I was a slave owner, making money every day off the numbness of slaves, living a muddled life. Even though I knew in my heart it was wrong, I lived on my knees until I was over four hundred years old. It wasn't until I gathered the courage to make a change that I learned the meaning of life. As the leader of a nation, I have an obligation to protect my people and our friends. We must fight not only for our country but for every oppressed member of the Sea Race in the Light Sea. No matter how unfair fate is, we refuse to merely linger on in a state of decay. We would rather dye the sea red with our blood to trade for our people's pride and the ability for our descendants to hold their heads high. I am Asa, Grand Duke of Kalu, former slave owner of the Starry Sea. It is now 4:42 AM, June 22, 24621—the Era of Burning."
The second segment was recorded for me. He was in the same spot, but he looked more relaxed, returning to his former roguish manner.
"Fanli—" At this, Grand Duke Asa chuckled. "I only learned your real name from Lord Su Shiye last month. You really know how to play the game, even fabricating an Ancient Sea Race allusion to fool people. You had us tricked for years. Forget it, I’m used to calling you Sui, so I’ll stick with Sui. Sui, before I met you, I didn't have much of a pursuit in life. I just wanted to make a ton of money, marry a bunch of young, obedient, fertile wives, and spend my days with a swarm of little octopuses. But after meeting you, I realized—hey, this girl is interesting. You say you don't care about anything and just want to drift through life, but as long as you have money or food, you share it with those slave children. You often said children are the hope of the world and told me to fix the education in the Kalu Principality. But I’m still not good enough; my level is too low. Sigh, I’ve been thinking all day—I’m just a brute who once served in the army and later scrambled for a living in the slave markets. Am I really fit to be a head of state? I truly feel guilty toward this country..."
"No, no, it’s not your fault," I whispered, shaking my head even though I knew he couldn't hear me. "Asa, you did very well. This is the necessary path for the liberation of the common people. It’s not something you can complete in a single era by yourself; it requires the efforts of generations..."
Of course, he couldn't hear me.
"So, I’ve figured it out today. I might be a brute, but I was a soldier for a few years; I can still fight. Damn it, that Dictator is a total hypocrite. I just want to kill him right now. Think about it—more than half of those slaves from St. Yejiana are underage children. I feel that even if it’s a risk..." At this point, Grand Duke Asa looked into the lens. After about ten seconds, he gritted his teeth hard. "I shouldn't be a coward. I should protect them."
His expression was fierce, but my heart was filled with agonizing sorrow.
"Sui, I don't understand the arcane arts, but I hear people discussing you everywhere. As your former boss, I feel proud. I believe in you; you can do all of this. Remember, stay true to your original intention and persevere to the end. You and Lord Su Shiye are both good people; you are the hope of the eighteen hundred million members of the Sea Race."
As he spoke, the light of fire and explosions flashed across his face. The sound of cities collapsing on the seabed plain could be heard faintly. Grand Duke Asa glanced behind him, then turned back, his speech quickening. "The Kalu army's warships are waiting for me. I have to go. If you can make it in time, come support us. If not, I hope we can pull through, liberate Kalu, and free the slaves of St. Yejiana. Sui, I’ll bring the slave children back. The flag of equality shall never fall. Let’s work hard together."
After the phantom finished playing, the arcane light continued to flicker before me, making a "sizzling" sound in the silence. I couldn't bring myself to reach out and turn off the player. I closed my eyes, letting tears surge out and flow into the seawater.
The room was silent for three minutes.
"Grand Duke Asa had a powerful will to live," the Governor said, his expression heavy. "His tentacles were hacked off piece by piece until only his torso and hands remained, but he never gave up. With his last breath, he fired a shell at a battalion of the Holy City army, taking them down with him."
I nodded, asking him and the soldiers to go back and rest. Then, I sat alone, clutching my head in my hands.
Was I wrong...
I was wrong, wasn't I... Was the method I used too radical?
If I had chosen a different way, would so many people have avoided death...
"Lili." My brother's voice sounded at the door. He sounded worried, as if he could read exactly what I was thinking. "You didn't do anything wrong. For over thirty million years, the Light Sea has always been like this. The racial disparity is so vast that the Sea Race has no room to fight back. Many revolutionaries have failed, and a period of powerless inertia has lasted for over a hundred thousand years. Now, someone is willing to come forward and speak for the lower classes, even for the slave class. No matter what method she uses, she is right. Besides, your method was already the most indirect. There is no revolution without bloodshed. Do not blame yourself for this..."
I reached out and waved, stopping him from continuing and halting his steps. I buried my face in my palms. He understood my meaning, backed out, and closed the door.
On the news, the host read out sets of numbers in a dispassionate voice: "On June 21, 24621, the Dictator of St. Yejiana mobilized troops at the Kalu Plain to suppress rioters among the freed slaves of Holy City descent. Grand Duke Asa, the leader of Kalu, led his troops to resist at the border of the two countries. As of 2:00 AM on June 23, St. Yejiana has destroyed 219 warships of the Kalu Principality. Including Grand Duke Asa, 24,721 people have died."
To many, this news was merely regrettable or cruel. But to my ears, every word was a sharp blade, carving into my heart stroke by stroke.
"Brother," I said softly after I went out, much calmer now. "What do you think we should do now?"
"Kill the Dictator," my brother said without hesitation.
"Fine. Do you have a thorough plan?"
"I do."
*Blood, death, and fear roll in a tide of destruction;*
*Money, power, and insult stir the cruel waves.*
*This is the clamor of the Light Supreme Sea,*
*This is the glory of civilization left by the Creator.*
*Those divine hunters who hold privilege*
*Are the first to evade the poison of the Abyss Race;*
*Those abandoned souls of the slums*
*Use that same poison to fill their bellies and stay warm.*
*Listen to the screams of the lashed slaves,*
*Look at the wailing of the homeless children.*
*Like a dark wilderness longing for sweet rain,*
*They still expect to be embraced by life,*
*And wish to cast off the handcuffs woven from tears.*
*How I long to turn into thunder,*
*To split the shell of these black mountains;*
*How I long to turn into a storm,*
*To chant a song of peace and plenty for them;*
*How I long to turn into a sharp sword,*
*To break the cage and release eighteen hundred million prisoners.*
*Even if the God of Death surrounds me,*
*Even if my heart stops beating,*
*Even if I burn my life away!*
***[End of Memory Fragment Seven]***
At 6:30 PM on Sefei Day, the Micro-Arcane Seminar ended. Ye Jia remained the professor the female students refused to let go. They pelted him with all sorts of questions, and he answered each one patiently:
—"Yes, between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago, human brain capacity grew rapidly, then suddenly stopped. So, the modern human brain is actually still an ancient brain. However, humans have never liked playing by the rules; they like to add acceleration to everything they develop—technology, culture, economy, art. It stays dormant for a long time, and then suddenly, 'Bang!'—in short, they are a very unpredictable species."
—"Oh, humans can't use arcane arts. For asking that, go apologize to your middle school history teacher."
—"Why apologize? Because our arcane talent originates from the Deep Blue. Initially, volcanic eruptions produced steam, and steam became seawater. The mission of the seawater was to calm the fury of the lava. The lava wanted to destroy and ruin, but the Deep Blue had already nurtured single-celled life and wanted to stop the Crimson Lord, Chi Hong. That’s why they fought. You’ve seen that scene in the movie *The Beginning of Time*. Chi Hong said: 'The meaning of life lies in destruction and death. Your infinite tolerance will only allow others to end everything you created with your own hands. You cannot control everything forever. Ultimately, the life you created will end you.' Deep Blue said: 'You have your willfulness, I have my mission. Let’s begin.' Then came that incredibly expensive battle scene. Afterward, the erupting magma formed land, while the seawater was filled with the divine power of the Deep Blue. Therefore, humans on land possess neither the fel-energy to destroy the Lava Lord nor the arcane arts of the Endless Sea Lord. They pose no threat to us."
—"Deep Blue has no gender. She became female by instinct because the sea nurtures life; everything in the ocean is her child. The Ether Lord has the image of a powerful guardian, so I tend to think of him as male. As for Chi Hong, I think he’s either a cruel and destructive male or a violent, beautiful queen. In short, it’s a love triangle story. Why do you have such a moved expression? Did you really believe it? Oh, my little sweetheart."
—"Yes, after the Ether Lord helped the Deep Blue, she condensed all the light in the upper layers of the ocean and cast Chi Hong into the deep seabed. Afterward, the Earth's temperature became more suitable for nurturing life. Thus, half of the Earth's surface is seawater, and the other half is volcanic fire."
—"Sui's Corpuscular Theory is unlike classical arcanology or the theory of space-time energy conservation. It wasn't brought about by generations of arcane elites through empiricism and painstaking effort; it is a glorious doctrine stamped with the mark of a single genius. It remains at the forefront of the entire Light Sea era, requiring sharp thinking and a creative mind to constantly update and activate it."
—"The definition of 'Ether' in the marine world is the sum of all time, space, and the non-material world."
—"How to derive the formula for corpuscular spin? Write it like this, then..."
Finally, before Ye Jia could finish the formula, a student shouted, "Professor Bu Ke, you're so good at arcane arts, what about other subjects?"
"For example?"
"Ancient Sea Race language?"
Ye Jia immediately said in Ancient Sea Race language: "May I ask what you would like to hear me say?"
"Literature? Have you read the long poems by Langning?"
Ye Jia recited like a wandering bard: "The spirit of the Sea Goddess turned into stars, the primal civilization nurtured the first holy city... She blooms with the most brilliant flower of civilization; she is an oil painting of four hundred million years. The wind she calls forth caresses the long hair of history; her name is St. Yejiana."
"Wow, amazing! What about finance? Have you studied finance?"
"That’s too broad a scope; I only have a general understanding."
"Then tell us why counterfeit currency used to be so prevalent in the Light Sea, but is now under control?"
"That isn't a financial question; it’s a political one. Because Holy City coins are produced by St. Yejiana, there isn't much counterfeit. Local currencies are produced by local governments, so counterfeit is still very common."
"Incredible... Professor Bu Ke, is there anything you *can't* do?"
"Well, I welcome you all to explore that bit by bit."
He was too good at flirting—his voice was pleasant, his gaze charming. That one sentence made the surrounding girls scream.
Later, a teacher came looking for Ye Jia, so he went out. The female students also dispersed. Fanli had spent the previous night looking at warship performance data diagrams and the afternoon gathering intelligence on Su Shiye's itinerary for the year. She felt as if her bottom were glued to the chair and she couldn't move. She yawned, taking in a mouthful of water and lazily expelling it through her gills, then slumped onto the desk, closing her eyes to rest.
Thus, when Ye Jia returned, he found Fanli lying on the desk. He couldn't help but want to tease her again: "Commoner Fairy, even after becoming a Sea God Race member, you're still so hardworking. That’s just too..."
He realized Fanli seemed to have fallen fast asleep and hadn't heard him. He swam over, paused for a moment, and said softly, "The water temperature in the classroom is low. You’ll get sick sleeping here."
Fanli's slightly curled bangs fell over her forehead, brushing against her long eyelashes. Her breathing was even and steady; she seemed to be having a good dream.
The classroom windows and doors were wide open. In the twilight outside the city, the buildings looked as fantastical as drifting clouds, with schools of fish serving as the life that adorned them. At that moment, in the ocean above, a pod of dolphins leaped. The classroom suddenly darkened, shrouded in a large shadow. Ye Jia didn't look back. Above the classroom outside the window, a large blue shark swam by, its sickle-shaped pectoral fins stretching out like wings, its half-moon mouth looking almost cute.
Under the vast shadow, Ye Jia's eyes turned a deep purple, yet they still shimmered with a glint in the faint light of the seawater.
He rested one hand on the back of Fanli's chair and lowered his head, watching her quietly.
His long silver-white hair slid off his broad yet lean shoulders, floating slightly in the current. Ye Jia's gaze grew even more somber, like waves suppressed and buried beneath years of laughter and play.
For some reason, seeing Fanli lately always made him think of two people.
One was Su Shiye. Before he returned to the Red Moon Sea from St. Yejiana, he had shared a drink with Su Shiye. Su Shiye had said wearily: "I might really be getting old, or perhaps I’ve changed. I can't find the drive I had in my youth. I don't want to stir up any more storms of blood. I just want to protect the life I have now and the people who are important to me. The grand task of rewriting history is better left to others."
The other was Sui. He frequently recalled that night nearly three years ago when Sui came to Red Moon to ask for his help...
"Ye Jia, I can't hide anymore."
If he hadn't seen Sui's phantom emerging from the communicator, Ye Jia would never have believed the voice was hers. He had known her for over a hundred and fifty years; she was usually very good at hiding negative emotions, showing only her sunny side to others. Even later, when things with Su Shiye turned so ugly, she could smile and handle it fluently when others asked about the awkwardness between the siblings.
But now, her voice was exceptionally helpless, like a little girl who couldn't find her way home and would burst into tears with just a few more words of comfort. Ye Jia panicked too, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Don't worry, tell me slowly."
"Su Shiye is about to hunt me down all the way to the Stormy Sea. He’s discovered my identity again." Sui panted heavily. "I can't evade him. No matter how I run, he can find me in a very short time."
"Silly girl, of course you can't evade him," Ye Jia said helplessly. "The search capabilities of the Holy City's Red Guards are the strongest in the Light Sea, not to mention Su Shiye has an Ether Body. That is the ultimate predator's body created by the Ether Lord. He is the strongest predator in the ocean right now... If he wants to pursue someone, no one can escape."
"What should I do..." Sui clutched her head, almost on the verge of tears.
Seeing her like this, Ye Jia's heart ached:
"Don't be sad. Listen to me. Su Shiye has killed many people, and none of us need to whitewash him. But which Dictator doesn't kill? You’ve been with him for so many years; don't you know how cruel the world is from his position? He said he’s getting old and doesn't want to struggle anymore, so he’s slackened a lot. You can't expect him to risk losing everything to conquer the world with you like he did at the beginning, now that he’s reached the top. And he’s the Dictator now, no longer just your brother. You can't force him to listen to you in everything. But we all know that no matter what you do, he won't kill you. As for you, go back to St. Yejiana now, apologize to him properly, act a little spoiled once his anger fades, and I guarantee he’ll be doting on you again in a few days..."
Sui tried to interrupt him several times but held back out of politeness. By the end, she grew anxious: "It’s no longer as simple as whether he and I can go back to the way things were. In front of you and everyone else, he always pretends to be tired. But do you believe it—Su Shiye being 'tired'? Phrases like 'content with the status quo' or 'afraid of change' have nothing to do with him! He is planning something terrifying, something truly, truly terrifying..."
"Something terrifying?" Ye Jia was stunned. "What?"
"I can't say; it would put you in danger. Carnation lost her life because she knew too much. Now that I know this secret, I might be next. But I can tell you for certain, this is the real reason he wants to unify the Light Sea."
"What do you mean? He wants to unify the Light Sea not to gain power, liberate slaves, and promote equality?"
"The person you're describing is me, not Su Shiye."
"You're making me a bit nervous... So what should we do now?"
"I have a way to oppose him. As long as he stops watching me, there’s a way."
"Don't be ridiculous. He’ll never stop watching you."
"As long as I disappear, he won't watch me."
"Disappear?" Ye Jia's face suddenly changed. "...What do you intend to do?"
"Just my soul needs to disappear. My physical body poses no threat to him."
Ye Jia paused: "No, no, no. You don't want to do that. You don't."
Sui just looked at him silently. Ye Jia shook his head and then gave a disdainful laugh: "No, that’s your bottom line; you won't touch it. It’s my bottom line too; I won't accept you touching it."
Sui remained motionless.
Ye Jia slapped his forehead and let out a long sigh: "Sui, you really are a lunatic! Fine, tell me, who do you want to exchange souls with?"
"Myself."
"Huh?"
"The version of myself as a human on land. Myself from over two thousand years in the future."
"What on earth? You haven't been doing arcane arts lately; have you started doing metaphysics, space-time theory, and cross-species research? Tell me then, how are we supposed to conduct a soul exchange with a human? Have you found a human with Sea Race blood?"
Ye Jia felt that Sui had indeed gone mad. Sea Race research on humans was nowhere near that advanced. For a Sea Race member to exchange souls with a human, the human would need Sea Race lineage. However, she had been buried in all sorts of messy research; it was possible she had actually developed some perverse potion.
"Of course not," Sui said calmly. "So, I’m going to create a hybrid Sea Race human."
"I’m afraid before that zygote even forms, Su Shiye will have already killed his way to your doorstep."
"No. Do you remember the Ether Arcana I told you about? The kind Su Shiye taught me, which can construct a model of a future world."
"I remember."
"Over the past few days, I’ve already derived a model of the 'Xia' civilization next to the Bodhi Sea, approximately 2,271 years from now. I grew up in the Bodhi Sea; the Xia country is quite nice."
"And?"
"I wanted to push it further, but there’s no time." She sighed. "So, 2,271 years it is. A girl named Fanli. Her mother is Sea Race, her father is human. She’s lived a peaceful, stable life for eighteen years, but she has some Sea Race traits—for instance, she never gets her period."
Ye Jia frowned, not quite understanding her meaning.
Sui continued: "When she was in middle school, a Sea Race boy appeared in her class, letting her know she wasn't an ordinary human."
Ye Jia was stunned for a moment: "Wait, you're planning to fake it?"
"Yes."
After Sui's explanation, he understood: it was equivalent to her writing a novel set 2,271 years in the future, then infusing the protagonist's memories into a potion to overwrite her original memories. This would make her believe she was a person from 2,271 years in the future who had been tricked into the sea by the owner of her body. Once she gradually stopped taking the potion, she would slowly realize it was just a fictional story. Such a future human would pose no threat to Su Shiye. The probability of him letting her go was very high.
"You are truly something else!" Ye Jia gasped. "I’m glad I’ve always been on your side. Otherwise, if I were your enemy, I wouldn't even know how I’d been done in by you!"
"I wouldn't do this unless I had no other choice. It’s risky. I have to set her personality to be particularly cowardly so she won't dare to let anyone know about the soul exchange. Su Shiye will discover her soon. When that happens, I’ll need you to cooperate and act along with this little girl, Fanli."
"Me?"
"Yes. I’m currently outside your house."
Ye Jia's face was written all over with "????" He almost coughed up blood from anger: "You were playing me from the very beginning!"
Sui just gave a sweet smile, neither confirming nor denying.
"Stop acting pitiful! You said you didn't know what to do, but I see you know exactly what you're doing! Why even put on a show? You're a natural-born actress! Why not just get straight to the point?!"
Sui was still smiling: "No, because then I wouldn't know if you were truly on my side."
"You win, really. I’ll have the slaves open the door for you. Get your butt in here."
"Thank you." Sui said this last phrase in Chinese.
"What are you saying?"
"The language of 'Xia.' It sounds nice, doesn't it? I sent people to find many of their books and have recently learned the language. I’ve also derived its future evolution and made a consciousness translation dictionary to leave for 'Fanli.' Otherwise, how would she communicate with others in the Sea Race language?"
"..." Ye Jia was at a loss for words. "You’ve thought of so much, why not just act the part yourself..."
"I can't. I have the brains, but no acting skills—especially when it comes to playing a blank slate. I can't do it. You know Su Shiye's ability to read people. This girl needs to be as simple as possible; Su Shiye will lower his guard against her. In two or three years at most, he won't care if she lives or dies. He’ll just focus on preparing for a battle with me 2,271 years later. Or, he’ll complete his perverse plan within those 2,271 years."
Nearly three years later, Ye Jia still felt that Sui was truly a lunatic.
At this moment, the blue shark had completely moved away from the window. The light of the setting sun spilled back in, taking the darkness with it, yet simultaneously heralding the arrival of the night. When that soft light touched her beautiful face, he only gently brushed her hair before withdrawing his hand.
The simulated Starry Sea had disappeared. Su Shiye was no longer watching her; he had indeed lowered his guard.
*Sui, you're about to return, aren't you?*
Over the past two years, he had always called Fanli "Commoner Fairy." Partly to tease her, but partly because he actually hoped she would remain a commoner of the Sea Race forever, like a little fairy without any worries.
Once she recalled her true identity, this carefree little girl would vanish.
Ye Jia gave a bitter smile, swam two meters away, and looked back at her once more. Finally, he left the classroom without looking back.
He didn't know that just as he left, Fanli slightly opened her eyes, her expression devoid of emotion.
***4.3 Mini-Theater***
Fanli & Sui: "Bet you didn't see that coming~~~"
Ye Jia: "I’m telling you, playing it like this will get you killed by the readers."
***
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