On the evening of March 4th, Fanli attended a charity gala hosted by the Yar Company at the Frost Moon Hotel.
To ensure she remained low-profile, she had taken a transformation potion, appearing in the guise of the eighty-four-year-old Sui.
As was his custom, Ye Jia was late. Fanli wove through the crowd and spotted the head of the Yar Company engaged in a conversation behind a silence ward with a man dressed in black. Once the Yar representative departed, she swam over. Just as she was about to speak, the man in black said coldly, "I have no interest in whatever topic you have."
"I want to talk about the MI-200 external torpedoes."
Fanli dropped the sentence in a low voice and watched him quietly. Within two minutes, the man in black cast a silence ward.
As she had suspected, this man was the head of the Luoya Fudi Arms Company. Fanli tested the waters: "What is the current price for the MI-200?"
"2.1 million Fu. Cash for immediate delivery."
What a traitorous dog. They had clearly signed an exclusive deal with the Storm Party, yet here they were, breaking the contract to resell them in Holy Yejiana at a thirty percent markup. They likely calculated that Holy Yejiana would never leak trade secrets. In terms of professional integrity, the Fudi Company was inferior even to an underground organization like the Black Crocodile Guild.
As Fanli pondered, he spoke again: "Well? Do you want them? If you do, I’ll call headquarters now and have them move the stock."
"I’m not buying your warships." Fanli looked at him and pulled out a check for thirty thousand Fu, stuffing it into his hand. "I only need you to take a message back. Tell Fudi Company to fulfill its contractual obligations to the Storm Party and to cease all transactions with any third party outside the scope of the agreement."
The head of Fudi didn't take the check; instead, he shoved it back. "You think I’m a fool? To lose a deal worth tens of millions for a mere thirty thousand?"
"Of course you aren't a fool. I also know you’re trying to extort the Storm Sea because you think Holy Yejiana has your back. So, I want to show you this." With that, Fanli reached out and conjured a 3D arcane map, displaying the topography of the Red Moon Sea floor.
"Do you see this map? Once the Storm Party and the Holy Capital Party go to war, if the Storm Party sees any weapons or warships produced by your company on the battlefield—here, here, here, and here," Fanli pointed to several economically prosperous regions in the Red Moon Sea, including the area where Fudi Company’s headquarters was located, "the Storm Sea will launch a continuous fourteen-day barrage of torpedoes and uranium bombs at you, regardless of whether the Storm Party wins or loses. After the ceasefire, they will explain their actions to the Red Moon Sea government and present the contract you signed with them. By then, not only will you fail to profit from playing both sides, but your entire company won't just be physically blown to bits—it will likely be legally dissolved by the Red Moon Sea government."
The head of Fudi Company turned pale, his eyes widening in terror. "You... who exactly are you?"
"Don't worry about who I am. Just remember the consequences of breaching your contract. But if you keep your promise, this thirty thousand will at least cover the hotel venue fees for tonight. You can keep the change as a tip."
Seeing the girl smiling as she offered the check again, the head of Fudi Company reached out with trembling hands and took it. "I understand."
"Pleasure doing business with you." Fanli waved at him and then canceled the silence ward.
But the moment it dropped, she nearly hit the floor as if she’d spotted a landmine—not far away, at the main entrance of the banquet hall, Su Shiye was entering with a group of people.
Fanli managed to steady herself. Once the arms dealer swam away, she quickly slipped into a corner, intending to flee. But then she realized she couldn't; she had already registered for the night and was supposed to be here with Ye Jia.
If she stayed and the Fudi representative unmasked her in front of Su Shiye, she would be finished.
After cowering in the corner for a few minutes, a spark of inspiration hit her. She pulled a transformation solvent from her bag and drank it.
A few minutes later, she returned to her original appearance and swam out.
Su Shiye was mingling with the crowd. A purple cloak was draped over one shoulder, edged with gold thread and fastened to his right shoulder with an epaulette. He wore a jeweled gold circlet on his brow. His arms were long, his muscle lines brimming with power, and his brassard bore the eagle of the Dictator’s government. His elegant fingers were adorned with multi-colored rings of amethyst and sapphire.
Fanli had investigated earlier; Su Shiye had been in meetings all day. Judging by this attire, this wasn't a last-minute change of plans but something prepared in advance—it turned out the Fudi representative’s intended trading partner really was Su Shiye.
The head of Fudi Company approached Su Shiye and whispered a few words. Su Shiye’s gaze sharpened. He tilted his chin, signaling the man to point out the person who had threatened him. But when the man turned to scan the room, the girl from before was nowhere to be found. He could only shrug and beat a hasty retreat from the venue.
Just then, Ye Jia arrived. Fanli breathed a sigh of relief and swam toward him with feigned confidence.
Su Shiye was busy talking to others and didn't see her. Instead, a young arcanist approached him and remarked, "Lord Dictator, it’s been a long time since your sister made a public appearance. To think I’d see her here today. I wonder if I might have the honor of being introduced to her?"
Su Shiye looked up and quickly caught sight of Fanli and Ye Jia. His gaze was sharp and heavy.
In less than a second, he flashed across the room to stand before them. "What are you two doing here?"
Fanli also flashed behind Su Shiye in a second. She looked at Ye Jia, pointed at herself, made an 'X' gesture, pointed at Su Shiye, waved her hands frantically, and then made a zipping motion across her lips.
Ye Jia: "...?"
He used to think deaf-mutes couldn't argue, as sign language seemed much harder than speaking. Seeing Fanli today, he realized that a "mute" person could argue with the intensity of a ninja battle.
Seeing Ye Jia’s bewildered expression, Su Shiye turned back to look at Fanli. She quickly resumed her position and gave him a faint smile. "I asked Ye Jia out. He chose the location."
"You asked Ye Jia?" Su Shiye said, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes."
"Why are you exposing yourself to the public eye looking like this?"
"The sister of the Lord Dictator—it sounds like such a prestigious title. Let me enjoy the perks of the status for a bit." Fanli gave a dry laugh and shrank behind Ye Jia. Before Su Shiye could process this, she grabbed Ye Jia’s arm and swam to the other end of the ballroom.
After learning what had just happened, Ye Jia broke into a cold sweat for her. "You crazy woman, you've got too much nerve!"
"But I saved Xitian a fortune, didn't I?"
"You aren't even married yet, and you're already siding with the outsider. Your brother is truly pitiful."
"I live for the thrill. You know me, I love it."
"I really don't understand."
They used a silence ward—an enhanced version cast by Ye Jia that emitted a faint golden halo. No one could crack what they were saying; they could only see Ye Jia shaking his head with a helpless smile while Fanli laughed lightheartedly. Su Shiye watched them with an indifferent expression, nearly forgetting why he had come here in the first place.
At that moment, a shark-tribe woman with blonde hair and red lips swam over, holding a long hookah pipe. She took a puff, exhaling rings of "smoke" into the water. She looked at him flirtatiously, her bedroom eyes narrowed into slits, looking incredibly sexy. "Lord Su Shiye, where have you been hiding these past two years? Have you forgotten all about me...?"
This type of woman had always been Su Shiye’s preference. Thus, when he looked at her, he habitually flashed a charming smile. "How could I ever forget a beauty like Maggie..."
But halfway through the sentence, he met Fanli’s gaze—it was devoid of emotion, as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
Su Shiye’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a face as cold as a coffin lid. "Speak. What do you want?"
Maggie: "?"
"If there's nothing, don't bother me."
"???"
However, even though he left the great beauty, he didn't earn Fanli’s attention.
Fanli was extremely busy because that young arcanist had also swum over, joining her and Ye Jia in conversation. This arcanist had only earned his doctorate ten years ago, but he was a rising star in academic circles with strong personal views and was already quite famous. He and Fanli hit it off immediately. The three of them chatted happily, occasionally breaking into bursts of pleasant laughter.
To Su Shiye, this laughter was undoubtedly grating. Finally, unable to endure it any longer, he swam straight to Fanli. "What are you talking about that’s so funny?"
Fanli stopped laughing immediately and went quiet. Ye Jia, being observant, also stopped talking.
"We were talking about an experiment Academician Sui did in her early years. Some stray particles caused her a lot of frustration. It was a riddle she never solved in her life and the reason she was criticized by the arcane community early on. Academician Sui just said that back then, she was like a primary school student, hahahahahahaha..."
He laughed for a long time. Ye Jia’s lips twitched but he couldn't bring himself to laugh, while Fanli remained in a daze the whole time.
"Is what he said true?" Su Shiye looked at her with a smile.
Fanli: "I guess."
Ye Jia: "..."
Arcanist: "..." What was going on?
Su Shiye: "It's because in experiments with fewer particles, that kind of chaotic irregularity becomes more obvious, right? You told me that years ago."
Fanli: "Ah, right."
Ye Jia: "..."
Arcanist: "..." He really wanted to say something to the Lord Dictator, but what was with this coordinated awkwardness?
Su Shiye’s psychological fortitude had always been excellent. No matter how much awkwardness Fanli threw his way, he could find topics to talk about on his own. But after a while, Aze came over to inform him that someone was looking for him, and he had to leave with Aze.
But as soon as he left, the trio burst into laughter again. Not only were they laughing happily, but they also swam out onto the open-air balcony together.
Fanli glanced in Su Shiye’s direction. Amidst the shimmering water, he was talking to a politician, both of them holding drinks. Two young, beautiful women hovered nearby with clear intentions. One was shy, the other passionate. The scene was so familiar it reminded Fanli of that night a hundred years ago.
Back then, neither Feng Jin nor Carnation was dead. One was pure, the other vibrant, and both revolved around Su Shiye.
That night, he had been dead drunk and told her he didn't want to see her again. She knew very well that he, like her, already harbored feelings that transcended sibling affection, but neither could speak of it. Moreover, Su Shiye had grand dreams, and those dreams didn't allow him to get bogged down in petty romance. Choosing a group of simple women was clearly better than a complex and difficult Fanli.
Though he suffered, the choices he made were calculated. He would not regret them.
And so, the two of them missed each other—regrettably yet inevitably—and never had another chance to be honest.
The current scene was so similar to that time. The night view of Holy Yejiana outside the window was the same as it was a hundred years ago, but everything else had changed.
Because she had grown quiet, the arcanist and Ye Jia began chatting enthusiastically. Midway through, seeing Su Shiye frequently looking their way, the arcanist even gave Su Shiye a victory sign and mouthed: "I think I have a chance. Thank you, Lord Dictator."
Su Shiye remained expressionless.
Afterward, Fanli didn't register what he and Ye Jia said; she only offered polite smiles in response to their laughter. But halfway through a smile, she sensed someone approaching.
"Lili."
With a gentle call, a hand easily encircled her slender waist. She let out a small gasp, but before she could look up, soft lips brushed against hers. Su Shiye’s kiss was as fast as a blink, so quick that the other two thought they were hallucinating. They didn't know whether to rub their eyes or ask if anyone else had seen the same vision.
"Don't be angry with me anymore, okay?" He turned his head and kissed her neck gently. "Do you really insist on me softening to you in public before you'll forgive me?"
The eyes of the three onlookers widened into perfect circles.
What on earth was Su Shiye doing...?
"L-Lord Dictator, you... this is..." the arcanist stammered.
"I am courting Sui," Su Shiye said candidly. "Do you wish to join the competition?"
"No, no, no, I wouldn't dream of it..."
"Who would dare? No one loves as pathologically as you." Ignoring Fanli’s silent plea for help, Ye Jia only gave her a 'you're on your own' look and dragged the arcanist away from the balcony.
Because too many memories were flooding her mind, Fanli had almost forgotten that the current Su Shiye was much more proactive than before. Thus, when only the two of them remained on the balcony, her entire body froze in tension.
Under the night sky was a sea of stars with ten thousand dancing lights; beneath the sea surface was a deep ocean with ten thousand dancing fluorescent jellyfish. The scenery here was somewhat similar to the balcony of the Luoya Wind-Moving Temple.
Outside that temple, they had shared a brand-new reunion.
At that reunion, she was Fanli and he was Xinghai, but neither recognized the other. All that remained was her saying: "I also left my hometown to come to Luoya, and my family isn't with me. Now I have you as a friend, classmate Xinghai." And his reply: "It is my honor, classmate Fanli."
And now, everything had come back.
The current pushed Fanli’s hair back, fully revealing her face, her slender shoulders, her deep collarbones, and her silver gown fluttering in the water. Just as she relaxed slightly, her arcane potential returned. Her blue tail fin spread out like a cloud, rising and falling with the waves. Her blue eyes were the color of the ocean, shimmering with a complex and sensitive gaze as she looked up at him.
"Aren't you afraid people will misunderstand your relationship with your sister?"
"When the real Sui actually returns, I’ll explain it to everyone. It doesn't matter now." He didn't seem to want to discuss the topic. He smiled slightly. "Is Little Sunflower doing well?"
Fanli knew that seeing the scenery here had also reminded him of the place where he and Xinghai had first found Little Sunflower.
"I didn't bring her. I asked Xiaoyu to look after her."
"Then you should tell him not to put Little Sunflower and Dudu together. Otherwise, Dudu will get bullied and then spray poison at Little Sunflower."
Scenes from the past replayed in her mind one after another.
Fanli told herself not to be swayed by emotion, but she also had to act as if she were deeply sentimental. The difficulty was immense. She gave a bitter smile. "I'm sorry. Last time you asked me who I was, I shouldn't have left in anger. Because actually, I want to know who you are too. Are you Xinghai, or Su Shiye?"
He looked at her intently and said softly, "Who do you want me to be?"
Since regaining her full memory, this was the first time she had been so close to Su Shiye. Indeed, everything was different. They could no longer interact as easily and recklessly as before. However, Su Shiye had a scent that belonged only to him. This scent had transferred over when their etheric bodies merged; it hadn't changed despite the change in physical form. As long as she was near him, this aura would dissolve into the seawater around him, following her breath to seep into her body, her blood, and her cells.
This scent, along with the feeling of hearing his voice and seeing his face, would never change.
No matter how much time passed, it remained the same.
"I don't know." Fanli thought for a moment, lowered her head, and shook it. After another moment: "...I really don't know."
This man was clearly Su Shiye, yet his habitually aggressive golden eyes were overflowing with doting affection, possessing a gentleness that belonged only to Xinghai.
"I will become whoever you want me to be. I don't care about my name or my status; I only care if you still love me."
A tenderness that struck the depths of her soul.
Fanli hid her hands behind her back and secretly clenched them with all her might. Her nails dug eight crescent moons into her palms, forcing her emotional sensitivity away. Her body was tense, and she watched him cautiously, but her voice was relaxed, deliberately using a vulnerable tone to put him at ease: "Then... do you still love me?"
Her voice was slightly raspy, like the scent of smoky rosewood.
Su Shiye was amused by her. But as he laughed, his expression gradually softened, and he beckoned to her. "Come here."
Fanli hesitated before swimming forward a short distance, only for her waist to be encircled by him again. Then, with a gentle tug, he pulled her into his arms. She looked back at her waist, startled, only to be kissed by him again. But this time was different from the fleeting brush of lips before; he sucked on her lower lip, his tongue tracing the inside, making her entire tail go limp and her body sink. She opened her mouth slightly, intending to refuse, but he took advantage of the opening to kiss her even more passionately. Because of this surprise, her clenched fingers loosened, her fingertips trembling into numbness.
Fearing the immense pain that would follow surrender, her instinct was to push him away, but another instinct spoke in a voice she could barely hear: *Why run? You love him.*
The feeling of a breaking heart was likely exactly like this.
She wanted to stay clear-headed and make him fall, to make him lower his guard, but she could only manage the latter part of that goal.
"Don't ask that question again, do you hear me?" During a break for air, Su Shiye whispered to her, "I've said it so many times, and I've already proposed to you. I promised to love only you. What more do you want me to do?"
"Do you love me?" She gripped the lapels of his clothes, looking up at him.
"I do."
Her hands clenched into fists again, but she had almost no strength left. She was fighting against her last shred of rationality—*No, you can't let him have his way. Be vulnerable a little longer, then you can leave. Then disappear for a while, hook him completely, and steal more secrets.*
*This man is the enemy, Fanli. Wake up.*
However, Su Shiye held her tightly in his arms, lowered his head again, and slowly, gently lingered between her lips and tongue, deepening the kiss like a slow-acting poison...
The moment her fish tail transformed into legs, he easily and powerfully swept her up in his arms. "Lili, I won't let you escape again."
On the way to the White Eagle Palace in his arms, she knew she couldn't keep up the act. Taking advantage of his distraction, she drank a memory-altering potion with a four-month duration.
He moved too fast—so fast that before the potion could take effect, he had already brought her back to the White Eagle Palace. The moment they entered, he pressed her firmly against a Roman column, locking her in the narrow space between his arms and the pillar. He kissed her with a rough, frantic passion while stripping away her clothes and his own...
Even as she was tossed onto the bed, she was still telling herself she couldn't let him have his way. If he succeeded too quickly and lost interest, her mission would be ruined.
"No. Su Shiye, don't. Calm down." Actually, she wanted to say those words to herself.
"Shh." He kissed her earlobe, his voice low. "Don't be afraid. I'll be gentle."
"But, I..." She covered her eyes with one hand, large silver-white tears flowing into the seawater as she choked out, "I..."
The cool little boy from the Starry Sea who pretended to be tough.
The shining Major who came to the slave market to pick her up.
The pure youth studying in the sun-drenched halls of Luoya University.
The cold man at the pinnacle of power in Holy Yejiana.
No matter which version of him it was, he was right here before her, truly kissing her.
Her love for him had been suppressed for too many years; now that it was released and he was within reach, she had no way to resist, no matter what he did.
Memories and passion worked in tandem, and finally, her willpower collapsed.
She sank into the deep sea below a thousand meters; her longing for him was the water pressure that stole her breath and her life.
"Nothing will change." The rhythm of his hands slowed slightly, but he continued to speak in her ear, "I will love only you. I will only be intimate with you and will have no more dealings with any other woman. I promise you."
Fanli knew that Su Shiye never lied to women. He would clarify the nature of a relationship from the very beginning—polyamory was polyamory, lack of love was lack of love. If a female partner didn't accept it, he wouldn't push the relationship further, and he certainly wouldn't make false promises just to get her.
If he made a guarantee, he would keep it.
But it was precisely his commitment to his word that made her suffer even more.
Seeing her only weeping, he didn't stop out of pity. Instead, he continued to kiss his way down from her earlobe...
Stars scattered across the sky, waves lingered in embrace; the night of Holy Yejiana was forever the most beautiful sight in the world.
Let's just descend into hell this once.
The nerves in her brain were contracting in waves.
The memories of Sui gradually faded away amidst their intimate contact.
By the time she mistakenly thought she was a human girl again, her memories had been altered to believe that Xinghai was simply Su Shiye’s youth, and she no longer agonized over the mimicry. She initially felt they were moving a bit too fast, but given that the Lord Dictator was currently unleashing his most proficient skills, she found the sensory experience extremely pleasant. She quickly decided to give him a five-star rating and add a comment expressing her intent to "repurchase."
Indeed, Su Shiye was a difficult man to handle, but in the face of absolute pleasure, there was no need to worry too much about that.
She’d keep him around for a while and enjoy herself first. Boyfriend acquired.
***
Glossary:
