A scumbag. Su Shiye was truly a world-class scumbag. Even Ye Jia claimed that Su Shiye had usurped his title as the "Number One Scumbag of the Holy Capital." I was utterly floored by his behavior. The most baffling part was that once that singer was phased out, Feng Jin’s mindset actually improved. She said that since all the women outside were the same, it didn't matter anymore.
Finally, I reached a state of Zen. If even a celestial beauty like Feng Jin could accept polygamy, why should I be the one feeling indignant on her behalf?
However, to have a goddess for a fiancée and not touch her, while fooling around with a pack of vixens outside—if that was the essence of men, then they truly were a different species from me.
The last time I went to protest to my brother, my momentum had weakened significantly. "If you want to be polygamous, fine. Just stay away from those women outside and pay more attention to your fiancée. After all, she’s the woman who’s going to spend the rest of her life with you."
"Precisely because the time spent with a mistress is as fleeting as a firework, I must seize the moment to be with them more, shouldn't I?" My brother lowered his head to his work with absolute composure.
"I really don't understand you. You've changed girlfriends so many times, and they're always singers or dancers. Don't they all look more or less the same?"
My brother looked up, staring into my eyes for a moment, then lowered his head again with a smile, continuing to flip through the agreement in his hand. "You finally got one thing right. All women, including Feng Jin, are actually the same to me. And when things are more or less the same, men always prefer the new ones."
As it turned out, relaxing one's standards to escape a current predicament only leads to new ones.
Feng Jin likely never imagined that within half a year, a new crisis would emerge.
That crisis appeared on every advertisement in the opera houses, cinemas, and commercial buildings of Saint Yejiana. She had short black hair, with the strands at her temples curling against her cheeks like commas, framing a charming face and red lips. She always wore a Sea Feather Star in her hair, giving her a touch of wild, indigenous flair, but her love for silver sequined miniskirts and snow-white fur shawls added an air of elegant luxury to that wildness. Of course, the most beautiful part of her face was her eyes—deep blue, possessing the tranquility and depth of the ocean. With just a gentle glance at the camera, passersby would be bewitched into buying whatever product she endorsed.
Her name was Carnation. From the moment she appeared, my brother's extramarital affairs were no longer underground.
Carnation was independent, sophisticated, sexy, and wealthy. Even Feng Jin’s most valuable assets—her exquisite face and her education—could not serve as advantages before her; Carnation held a Master’s degree in screenwriting from the Holy Capital Academy of Drama. The only things Feng Jin could claim over Carnation were her decorum and her family background. But we all knew that while those two traits might make a man want to marry a woman, they didn't determine whether he would fall passionately in love with her. Moreover, my brother’s tastes had always been quite modern. Compared to a fragile, slender princess, he preferred fierce women with ambitious careers.
Consequently, while the women by his side still changed frequently, it was always "the iron-clad Carnation and a revolving door of others." Carnation’s name seemed permanently pinned to the top of his dating list.
As time passed, people began to speculate whether the Dictator was refusing to break up with Carnation or marry Princess Feng Jin because he was waiting for the right moment to annul the engagement.
The Red Rose and the White Rose—the eternal dilemma that men both long for and dread facing.
The Movie Queen Carnation, Princess Feng Jin, and the Dictator of the Light Sea, Su Shiye. The most talked-about scandalous topic of the Burning Era was likely the forty years of entangled love and hatred between these three.
During those years, I lost count of how many times Feng Jin cried to me. I felt nothing but guilt, deeply regretting my role in playing matchmaker back then. But honestly, who could have known that the brother who was once so ascetic and upright—the brother who seemed carved from the template of a perfect husband—would turn into such a profligate dog of a man?
Fortunately, Feng Jin adjusted her mindset quickly. Every time she cried, I would play some mindless children's songs for her. She would always break into a smile through her tears, then take my arm and say, "Our Su Yi is still the best. Come on, let's stop thinking about that bastard Su Shiye and go shopping."
When best friends get together, they have a shared hobby: trash-talking scumbags and "bad women." Carnation naturally became the target of our venting. However, Feng Jin didn't want to dismiss Carnation as entirely worthless—after all, she was her greatest rival—so she would give conflicted evaluations like, "She’s pretty, but she lacks class," or "Men won't be serious about her; she's just a trophy," or "She doesn't have much self-respect in love, but her acting is alright."
I also had interactions with Carnation’s side. When I attended events with my brother, he always brought her along. As Feng Jin’s best friend, even I had to admit that in terms of emotional intelligence and social grace, Carnation ran circles around Feng Jin. Carnation handled the situation with Feng Jin very cleverly; whether in front of my brother or behind his back, she only gave Feng Jin positive reviews, without any of Feng Jin’s "buts." Because of this, I didn't truly dislike Carnation deep down. I had to admit that while Feng Jin was a wife hidden in a gilded cage, this woman was someone who could fight side-by-side with my brother.
Of course, because her EQ was so high, I felt no protective instinct toward her, nor could I become her friend.
I often thought that my scumbag brother might as well just marry Carnation. As for Feng Jin—a goddess to the public but a realistic, petty little canary in private—I would just take her away myself, and everyone would be happy.
During this period, my brother did something else: he built a temple in the northwestern part of Saint Yejiana called the "Temple of Memories."
The style of the Temple of Memories was identical to the Ether Altar. Standing on the top floor and looking out, one could see not only the entirety of Saint Yejiana but also clearly discern the Glazed Legion Temple atop the Emerald Mountains.
I asked him what he was doing burning so much money to build a retro structure, and he said it was for me. I didn't believe a word of it. After asking several more times, he finally told the truth: after merging with the Etheric Body, there were some blurry shadows in his deep memories, and one of them was the appearance of this temple. Out of curiosity, he drew the design and asked an architect if it was feasible. The architect said it was an ancient structure buried by hundreds of millions of years of civilization and begged the Dictator to allow him to build it.
He thought that perhaps these were the memories of the Lord of Ether. Thus, he would show respect to the deity.
Since the "Heart of the Styx" had appeared in the black markets of various seas, my life had also become very busy. We could not stop the spread of this magic potion, nor could we stop the spread of its imitations. Because many people had hyped its price to astronomical levels, many oceanic tribes would buy cheap substitutes in hopes of racial ascension, only to lose their lives with a near 100% failure rate.
Ultimately, I came to a realization. Instead of trying to stop it, it was better to monopolize it.
I had the Black Crocodile Guild implement a policy for the free administration of the Heart of the Styx, applying the same methods used for managing free slaves to the sea tribes seeking to ascend to the Hunter Class. At the same time, I was working hard to research formulas with higher success rates; whenever a new one was developed, the Black Crocodile Guild would upgrade. Most of the personal income I earned from this was donated to the Duchy of Charyb and the free slaves.
Because I needed to interact with the lower classes for data research and travel to other seas for academic discussions, I was often away for long periods, sometimes for months at a time.
My relationship with my brother grew thinner and thinner. Then, I gradually discovered that life without him was actually no different than before.
Regarding the fact that I would see a new "Dictator's Girl" every time I returned to Saint Yejiana, my only thought was that my brother truly was a top-tier Hunter; his energy was damn near inexhaustible.
This time, I had been away from Saint Yejiana for another three months.
Upon my return, my brother personally deployed a grand reception at the Creation Gate of the Holy Capital, treating me with the same protocol used for a Sovereign or a Sea Governor.
However, I didn't have much energy. I simply said wearily, "I'm tired and want to go back to rest," and tried to leave.
My brother's face was written with the words: *Do you really have to give me the cold shoulder?*
Arno saw the awkwardness of the atmosphere and quickly tried to smooth things over. "Academician Su Yi, Lord Su Shiye didn't sleep well at all last night just to prepare this welcome for you. At least join us for a meal; consider it a gesture of thanks for his thoughtfulness."
"Alright then." I gave Arno a small smile.
"Then, this way please..." Arno didn't dare look directly at Su Shiye as he led me into the banquet hall.
Throughout the evening, although I lacked energy, I always responded with a smile whenever someone came to talk to me, even making them laugh. If I wasn't talking to my brother, I could still be that "adorable Fan Li." When my brother was nearby, I would still joke with others. If he spoke, I would stop and listen quietly. But the moment he called my name, I would immediately feel that "I'm tired and don't want to talk" sensation again, and I let that emotion show on my face.
I believe that in all of Guanghai, no one else dared to treat my brother this way.
After hitting several such walls, my brother finally lost his patience and stopped taking the initiative to talk to me.
I wasn't much affected. Following that, I lived days where "happy times fly by," often going out to play with Feng Jin or going on expeditions with colleagues from the research institute. When my brother was discussing serious matters and I passed by his window, if I saw him look over, I would simply avoid him as quickly as possible so as not to disturb him. Even if I had no friends around, I could lock myself in my room and spend an entire day with my piles of bottles and jars...
But it seemed the more indifferent I became, the more irritated my brother grew. Because he started doing some rather brainless things.
He had Arno book an entire luxury restaurant and called several witches to serve him, then invited me over. They were wearing nothing but seashell bras and sheer veils. Throughout the entire evening, the sound of flirtatious giggles—the kind that would make any adult male lose his composure—never stopped. However, no matter how much he acted the part of a debauched profligate, I remained as I was before, indifferent to his affairs.
According to Arno, after I left the table, my brother immediately dismissed the witches with irritation.
"Lili, you can't treat me like this." After several consecutive days of a cold war, my brother finally couldn't help but speak up. "In my current position, many things are beyond my control. You wouldn't understand."
"I haven't been meddling in your business, have I?"
"Your attitude is clearly wrong."
"Then how do you want me to act? Like every other woman, following behind you every day, wagging my tail and begging for pity, calling you 'Lord Dictator' incessantly?"
"Like you used to."
I smiled. "Are you the same as you used to be?"
"No," my brother said flatly. "But toward you, I will only value you more than before."
My smile widened. "No, you're just a control freak with an overactive desire for conquest. You want everyone around you to be one hundred percent loyal and one hundred percent submissive. Once I start obeying you like I used to, you'll quickly test my bottom line again, setting traps to make me violate my principles. There are plenty of people willing to die for you. Let me go, Lord Dictator."
"Is that really how you see me?"
"You know in your heart what kind of person you are. Ever since you merged with the Etheric Body, you've been completely controlled by this form—or perhaps, you were always this way, and only after gaining greater power did you finally become willing to show your fangs. After all, without the drive of excessive ambition, you wouldn't have even considered merging with the Etheric Body."
"To say such things... do you even have a heart? You know exactly who I did all this for."
"To say such things, the one without a heart is you. Wanting a grand future is a good thing, but to achieve your goals, you've already done so much... I don't know how to say it, Brother. We aren't the same kind of people." Ever since Hot Sand Island turned into a graveyard for thousands, I had been certain of this—but I didn't say it out loud. Mentioning Jusha was like bloodily ripping open an old scar.
"Say whatever you want. I will take responsibility for you," my brother said, growing somewhat angry.
"Save that sense of responsibility for your future wife. If you're truly willing, giving her just a little more care would be better than worrying so much about another man's future wife."
My brother froze for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just a sister with no blood relation to you; you don't need to go to such trouble. I'll get married eventually, too. Whether my life improves will depend on whether I and my future partner work hard enough."
"Get married?"
"Yes."
"That's not what you used to say."
Indeed, back when my brother wanted to set me up with Gashitian, I had used both soft and hard tactics. One moment I was strongly refusing, the next I was clinging to his arm saying, *I'm not getting married, I want to be with my brother forever. If Brother gets married, I'll stick to my sister-in-law and help you two raise the kids. Anyway, I'll eat your food, drink your wine, and be your little tag-along for life. Don't even think about shaking me off.* At the time, I could see he was incredibly happy, even though he put on a serious face and said, *Then you're going to become an old maid.* I said, *In front of Brother, I'll always be a little girl.*
Even now, I clearly remembered how he replied: *Don't worry, I won't marry any other woman. I'll take care of you for life.*
I had thrown myself into his arms like a little bird, saying my brother was the best. Then, I had acted spoiled in his embrace endlessly.
But the words we said and the things we did back then now seemed as if they had never existed. I looked at the shimmering light on the seawater and sighed. "I was young then. Now I've grown up; it's time to get married."
My brother stared blankly for a few seconds before saying tonelessly, "Who do you want to marry?"
"Anyone is fine. Please arrange it, Brother. If a marriage alliance with an outer sea can help you achieve your goals, that would be a good choice. If you don't have a preferred candidate, I'll just pick one from among my suitors at random."
"Your suitors? Those flies buzzing around you—could you actually settle for one of them?"
"They're alright."
There was never a shortage of suitors. Everywhere I went, there were guys saying, "Are you hungry? Let me take you to eat something good," or "Where do you want to go? I'll take you," or "I bought you a gift while I was away; when can I bring it to you?"... It was just that before, I had never even considered them. At a glance, they were all outstanding young talents, and their conditions seemed excellent; but when compared individually to my brother, none of them seemed worth a second look. The gap was as wide as the distance from Saint Yejiana to the Resurrection Sea.
Now, I didn't think that way anymore. Picking one to marry seemed fine. After all, this toxic love with my brother was exhausting. He was engaged, and it was necessary for us to start our own lives.
He frowned and said, "I wouldn't go so far as to let you pick from that lot of bottom-feeders. I'll find someone for you; at least they can protect you."
"Sure."
"What kind of personality and family background do you like? I'll pick a few for you to choose from."
"Family background doesn't matter. Just someone gentle, devoted, and law-abiding."
"Understood. I'll arrange it."
Usually, when my brother said "I'll arrange it," there would be a result within three days at most, and it would be better than expected. But this time, he did nothing. I wasn't in a hurry either; seeing him constantly busy with state affairs, I never pressured him. Thus, the matter was shelved.
This conversation was as if it had never happened. I continued living my life as before. He wasn't as anxious as he had been; he simply threw all his energy into government affairs and the war, working until he was so exhausted he would fall asleep the moment he hit the bed, not allowing himself a single second of idle time. I heard from the butler of the White Eagle Palace that during that period, my brother's earrings, necklaces, and forehead bands were never once removed by slaves while he was still awake.
Later, at a clan banquet in the Temple of the Light Sea, my brother brought Feng Jin. Unexpectedly, Carnation was also on the guest list of a certain princess. It was the first time the three of them appeared together, and it was incredibly tense.
Actually, several of my brother's other ex-girlfriends were also present, but their collective presence multiplied by ten couldn't match a single Carnation.
My brother, truly a man of great affairs, immediately steadied his aura as if nothing were wrong. Feng Jin, who valued etiquette and usually kept a half-meter distance when walking with him, clung to his arm that day, frequently showing intimate displays of affection. But Carnation was not to be outdone. When there were fewer people around, she directly pressed a key into my brother's hand and said, "Darling, I have many performances these few days. If you miss me, come straight to my place. There's Balrog Sweet Crab in the fridge."
Feng Jin knew my brother liked crab, especially Balrog Sweet Crab. But that was information I had told her; she didn't know how to cook and hadn't found an opportunity to show off. Feng Jin’s heart had likely already exploded into a fireball, but she still held my brother's arm and smiled. "Alright, the two of us will go together to taste Miss Carnation's cooking."
"Oh? If I can make it back in time, it wouldn't be bad for the two of us to serve Darling together." Carnation leaned in closer and whispered, "Big sister can teach you many little tricks to make him happy."
Her voice was very soft; I only knew what she was saying by reading her lips.
Fun fact: Feng Jin’s first kiss was still intact.
So, she was the first to snap.
"You... you're shameless!!"
"Oh my, how could such a thing be shameful? Isn't it just a bit of fun between lovers? Isn't that right, Darling?"
...
From my attitude toward my brother's blatant mistress, I clearly felt the difference between myself, Feng Jin, and Carnation.
I didn't much mind if my partner wasn't as wealthy as me, wasn't handsome enough, had a low status, or had impure blood—but I could not accept sharing him with another woman.
I couldn't understand this love-triangle farce.
I looked at the sky in exasperation, turned, and swam toward the crowd. My brother called my name and chased after me. I turned around, looked at the anxious Feng Jin and Carnation chasing behind him, and then looked at him expressionlessly. "I'm not a refuge. You created this romantic debt yourself; find a way to pay it back yourself."
"Lili, I..." my brother said urgently.
"Feng Jin, a brother who's married off is like water poured out. As for the problem here—" I pointed to my own head, "—you, as the future sister-in-law, might have to worry about that. This is as far as I can help you."
I swam into the crowd without looking back.
But things didn't go as planned. An hour later, while I was chatting happily on the balcony with a handsome young man who worked at the Potion Supervision Bureau, the young man was forcibly sent away by my brother. My smile vanished, and I turned to look at the distant scenery.
"I want to break off the engagement." My brother leaned his hands on the railing. A strand of white hair fell over his nose; his cheeks were thin, and his lips were pale.
I was furious with him, but I didn't explode. I only said in a low voice, "You don't need to tell me. This has nothing to do with me. If you want to get rid of Feng Jin, go ask the Council, go ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, go ask Sovereign Saint Ti, the Winter Sea, the Glazed Legion, the High Priest. I'm the person with the least right to speak."
My brother lowered his eyes, his eyelashes turned snowy white by the moonlight. He chuckled. "My life is truly a joke."
"You're not a joke; you're just never satisfied!" I finally couldn't hold back my anger. "I know you and Feng Jin have laid everything out regarding your mistresses, but there has to be a limit, right? Can't the mistress be a little less high-profile? When she was lecturing Feng Jin, you could have at least reined her in and told her not to be so arrogant. When you do this, do you ever consider Feng Jin’s feelings?"
"Feng Jin isn't as simple as you think. She knows who I like; she knows everything!" My brother was also angry. "She's much smarter than you think, and you're the only fool who wants to protect her every day! Why is it that whenever a girl acts weak, your brain drops to a kindergarten level? I really suspect you're a man deep down!"
"She knows who you like..." I frowned and pondered for a long time, saying uncertainly, "Are you serious about Carnation?"
My brother was taken aback at first, appearing as if he wanted to argue, but finally, he just gave a soft "Mhm."
"Why?"
"Carnation is different from those women before. She's career-oriented, she likes to read, she likes Arcanum, she understands power politics but doesn't abuse them, she cares about the poor and wants to liberate the slaves..."
Carnation was indeed career-oriented, liked to read, and cared about politics, but she didn't seem to have those other traits. For example, Arcanum—she couldn't use it at all. Just as I was about to voice my doubts, my brother continued: "Her personality is also very lovable. She's strong, smart, frank, devoted, and in private, she's especially clingy and cute, often rubbing against me... She has too many virtues; I can't count them all."
As he spoke, he propped his forehead with the back of his hand—a habitual gesture of my brother's when he was drunk.
"Brother, you've had too much to drink."
"I haven't." He lowered his head dejectedly, carrying a hint of intoxication yet trying hard to appear sober. "Lili, tell me, how could I not be moved by such a woman? Oh, I forgot to mention the most important thing—she's so beautiful. Did you see her eyes? Deep blue. My favorite eye color is deep blue... Whenever she looks at me, I feel dizzy and don't know what I'm doing. If it weren't for her, any woman would be the same..."
Hearing this, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my emotions, but tears still surged out. Fortunately, my brother was already drunk and couldn't see my reaction. Holding my breath, I swam over to support him. "You're drunk. I'll help you inside first..."
But I was pushed away heavily.
"Don't touch me," he said coldly. "Fan Li, please don't touch me."
I stood there, caught in a dilemma.
Just then, Carnation found us. She quickly swam over to support my brother, saying worriedly, "Darling, what's wrong... Su Yi, how did he get this drunk? Oh, Darling, seeing you like this breaks my heart."
"I'm fine." My brother smiled and pulled her into his arms, gently rubbing the tip of his nose against her earlobe, his voice becoming lazy and tender. "Babe, I'm fine. You're so beautiful today. Are those earrings new, hmm?"
"What are you saying in front of your sister?" Carnation’s ears turned red, and she immediately helped him toward the lounge. Seeing her struggling to carry him alone, I followed to help, but was pushed away once more.
"Let Carnation stay with me." My brother turned his head halfway, revealing a cold profile, his voice raspy. "Su Yi, go get married quickly. I'm annoyed when I see you. I don't want to see you anymore."
I looked at him for a while, then sighed and said to Carnation, "I'll have to trouble you to take care of my brother tonight."
"Alright." Carnation supported my brother, and as they swam away, she said in a slightly reproachful tone, "How can you be so mean to Su Yi? she cares about you so much. You're really saying anything when you're this drunk..."
***End of Memory Fragment Nine***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 康乃馨 | Carnation | The name of the famous actress and Su Shiye's mistress. |
| 回忆神殿 | Temple of Memories | A retro-style temple built by Su Shiye in Saint Yejiana. |
| 琉璃军团 | Glazed Legion | A military or religious faction with a temple on the Emerald Mountains. |
| 翡翠山脉 | Emerald Mountains | A mountain range near Saint Yejiana. |
| 冥河之心 | Heart of the Styx | A potent and dangerous magic potion used for racial ascension. |
| 黑鳄工会 | Black Crocodile Guild | An organization Su Yi uses to manage the distribution of potions and aid slaves. |
| 卡律公国 | Duchy of Charyb | A political entity to which Su Yi donates her earnings. |
| 创世门 | Creation Gate | A grand entrance or landmark in the Holy Capital. |
| 白鹰宫殿 | White Eagle Palace | The residence of the Dictator, Su Shiye. |
| 魔药监局 | Potion Supervision Bureau | The government body responsible for overseeing magical substances. |
| 炎魔甜蟹 | Balrog Sweet Crab | A specific delicacy mentioned as a favorite of Su Shiye. |
| 圣提 | Saint Ti | A Sovereign or high-ranking leader mentioned in a political context. |
