Recap
Shen Chaomu continued, “The kind princess approached the weary hero and said, ‘I brought this spring water from the Elf Forest. Drink it, and it will heal all your wounds. When you slay the dragon, my parents will bless our wedding.’ The hero took the waterskin—”
He suddenly remembered that Long Shiyu had a princess he cared for. Perhaps it was the one who gave him the origami rose. Or maybe it was Shen Di, the one Long Shiyu seemed to be protecting.
The thought was a sharp pang in his chest. “Then the hero kicked the princess into the lake and yelled, ‘You owe me eight million and haven’t paid it back! You stole my chickens and mocked my humble origins! I’m not here to save you, but to collect my debt! You only want me because I’ll be famous after killing the dragon! I won’t marry you!’”
Shen Chaomu’s voice rose with each word. “Then the hero poured the spring water into the dragon’s mouth, healed its wounds, and they rode off happily together. The end.”
Long Shiyu stared at him, speechless.
Shen Chaomu, feeling strangely vindicated, ruffled Long Shiyu’s hair and kissed his forehead. Still feeling a twinge of possessiveness, he kissed him again.
Long Shiyu was still reeling from the princess’s unusual bedtime story. It didn’t seem very clever. But for some reason, receiving two goodnight kisses filled him with a double dose of happiness. He snuggled closer to Shen Chaomu. “If you have any debts,” he declared, “you must tell me. I’ll work hard to help you pay them back.”
“What?” Shen Chaomu asked, amused. “Why do you want to work again?”
Long Shiyu mumbled incoherently, a blush warming his cheeks. He might be a silly princess, but Long Shiyu was very fond of him.
He didn’t sleep for long, roused by Shen Chaomu’s movements. Shen Chaomu was already dressed, fastening the belt of his black windbreaker.
“I’m going to the shipyard,” he explained. “The technical team decided not to repair the Yermak for now. They’ve started salvaging the Pied Piper. Uther is overseeing the defense line.”
“How did he suddenly reappear?”
“Lu Shanhuai found him, by intuition. He was apparently building a fire on a glacier.”
“Intuition? That’s amazing.”
Shen Chaomu thought of those dreadful romance novels. “Indeed,” he agreed dryly. “Are you going back to sleep?”
Long Shiyu yawned. “No, I’ll come with you.”
He dressed and followed Shen Chaomu onto the warship.
The shipyard wasn’t far. The mermaids’ presence so close was concerning, but having another icebreaker while the Yermak was out of commission was a blessing. None of them had expected the Pied Piper to be in such good condition.
The technical team estimated that basic repairs to allow for sailing and icebreaking would take two to three days. This rushed work would leave vulnerabilities, and there wouldn’t be much time for sea trials, but it was better than nothing.
Long Shiyu dozed on the journey. He woke to a roaring sound like a waterfall and the clamor of voices on deck. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked around.
At the shipyard.
Surrounded by warships, three massive salvage vessels from the shipyard worked tirelessly, their efforts focused on a specific area of the sea. Long Shiyu and Shen Chaomu had dived there earlier, confirming the Pied Piper’s location. The once-proud vessel was a ghost of its former self, its railings rusted, its masts broken, bearing the scars of the skeletal mermaids’ attack. In the crew quarters, a portrait still hung on the wall, the woman’s painted smile a haunting reminder of life abruptly interrupted.
The salvage operation had begun five hours ago, preceded by hours of preparation. So far, it had progressed smoothly. A third of the Pied Piper’s hull had surfaced, water cascading from its battered form. At least another hour remained.
Long Shiyu wandered around the deck, then unerringly selected one of dozens of lockers and opened it, pulling out a package of compressed biscuits.
“How did you find those?” Shen Chaomu asked, surprised.
“I just smelled them,” Long Shiyu replied, offering the biscuit to Shen Chaomu. “Want some?”
“You love to eat, yet you’re sharing with me?” Shen Chaomu said, amused.
“Of course,” Long Shiyu said seriously. “I’d share anything with you. It’s a pity my treasure house is gone; I’d give you all my gems.”
“What treasure house?”
“My treasure house. It held half the wealth of the universe.” Long Shiyu took another bite of the biscuit.
“Why is it gone?”
“It just disappeared. One day, I went home, and it was gone. I was so sad.”
Shen Chaomu paused. “If you need money, you can use mine. I have plenty.” This was the second time he had heard Long Shiyu mention this treasure house. He ruffled Long Shiyu’s hair sympathetically. Not only did the poor dragon have no friends, but his adolescence had been lonely, his understanding of princesses skewed. Now, he was so destitute that he was hallucinating.
Long Shiyu looked at him, confused. “So you don’t want any?” he asked, holding up the biscuit.
“No, you eat it.”
Long Shiyu munched on his biscuit, standing at the bow and watching the Pied Piper emerge from the sea. Spray and icy foam splashed his face.
Shen Chaomu also watched the rising wreck, a sense of unease settling over him. This wouldn’t remain peaceful for long.
Five minutes later, the terminal blared an alarm.
“Uther has detected unusual activity among the underwater mermaids,” Lu Shanhuai’s voice announced in the tactical channel. “They appear to be mobilizing. All units, prepare for defense. The first wave is expected to reach three kilometers north of the shipyard in ten minutes, and our first line of defense in twenty to twenty-five.”
It was finally happening. From the Yermak to the Pied Piper, their enemy clearly targeted heavy icebreakers.
Shen Chaomu looked at the distant sea, where faint lights flickered beneath the surface. “Want to go?” he asked Long Shiyu.
“Yes. And I want to hold hands.” Long Shiyu extended his hand expectantly.
Shen Chaomu hesitated. He had been so eager to appease Long Shiyu yesterday that he had somehow ended up leading the dragon around by the hand, twice. Now, his reason had returned—
No, what was he thinking? He took Long Shiyu’s hand.
“You’re such a good person,” Long Shiyu said, beaming. “You said you wouldn’t leave me behind, and you’ve kept your word.”
“Why are you suddenly giving me a ‘good person card’?” Shen Chaomu asked, amused.
“What’s a good person card?”
“It’s hard to explain. It’s not exactly a compliment.”
“Okay, then you’re a super good thing.”
Shen Chaomu wasn’t sure that was much better.
Long Shiyu happily followed his princess onto a heavy warship.
“Brother Shen, what are you doing?” Lu Shanhuai’s voice questioned through the comms.
“Going rogue,” Shen Chaomu replied, starting the engine.
“Okay.” Lu Shanhuai sounded resigned.
The warship sped toward the skeletal mermaids. Long Shiyu, never one to miss an opportunity, rummaged around and found two containers of instant noodles. Using the ship’s convenient amenities, he added the seasoning packets and poured boiling water, eagerly awaiting his snack.
“What is that smell?” Shen Chaomu asked, wrinkling his nose.
“I don’t know. Maybe tomato?” Long Shiyu’s attention was glued to the noodles.
“It smells like chili… Maybe I’m mistaken.”
Shen Chaomu scanned the horizon. Though he couldn’t see anything, his spiritual power detected a faint disturbance in the distance. He increased the warship’s speed, the wind billowing his trench coat.
Long Shiyu, his noodles not yet ready, propped his head on his hand and gazed at his princess with an adoring expression.
To facilitate his movements at sea, Shen Chaomu wore the Hunter Association’s combat uniform. The military-style fatigues, with their excellent waterproofing, accentuated his broad shoulders and the elegant line of his neck. The buttons were fastened all the way to the top, revealing the sharp angles of his Adam’s apple and jawline.
Long Shiyu’s heart fluttered as he watched. His princess was so handsome; he had such good taste! He hugged Shen Chaomu’s waist, burying his face in his chest with a happy Ying.
“I didn’t even do anything this time,” Shen Chaomu said, amused. “Why are you crying again?”
“They’re happy tears,” Long Shiyu replied, looking up, then sneaking a touch at Shen Chaomu’s waist. He was fascinated by the subtle definition of his princess’s back muscles. His heart continued to flutter.
Shen Chaomu shifted, a slight frown creasing his brow.
Long Shiyu, unable to help himself, reached out and touched him again.
“What are you doing?” Shen Chaomu asked, catching him in the act.
“Ying!” Long Shiyu squeaked, his tail curling in guilt. He had been caught red-handed behaving inappropriately with the princess.
“Your noodles are ready,” Shen Chaomu said, pointing at the steaming containers.
The warship had arrived at its destination, a narrow channel between two massive glaciers. The mermaids would have to pass through this bottleneck to reach the shipyard. Three undercurrents converged beneath the ship, their colliding lights creating a kaleidoscope of color that illuminated the men’s faces.
Shen Chaomu brought the ship to a halt. His spiritual power sensed the approaching horde of mermaids. Their numbers had been significantly reduced by the hunters’ defenses, and Uther had intercepted a large contingent, but another stand here would further protect the shipyard and minimize casualties.
The water churned, waves rising and tiny bubbles surging. Long Shiyu picked up a container of noodles and began to eat, steam rising as his chopsticks lifted the noodles.
“Tomato flavor,” he mumbled around a mouthful. “Delicious.”
He reached for the second container.
“You’re eating too fast,” Shen Chaomu commented.
“Because it’s delicious,” Long Shiyu replied, slurping down another mouthful.
The wind intensified, howling across the deck. Minutes later, the slapping of waves against the hull grew louder, and whitecaps appeared in the distance. Skeletal mermaids surged forward, claws retracted, bony spines undulating, their razor-sharp tails slicing through the water.
Their speed rivaled the fastest boats. With powerful leaps, they could easily reach the high deck and attack those onboard. Their numbers were overwhelming, a macabre wave of bone and hunger.
A wave of golden light flakes swept across the sea, illusory spiritual power solidifying into a physical barrier. Water surged, leaving a clear dividing line. The golden light stopped fifty meters in front of the mermaid horde and spread horizontally, forming a wall seven hundred meters wide that connected the glaciers on either side. The seawater within this barrier shimmered, rising from the depths and creating a breathtaking spectacle.
A magnificent wall of light bisected the sea.
The North End Sea was too deep for Shen Chaomu to block entirely, but this barrier was enough to halt the mermaid advance. A cacophony of bone hitting the barrier filled the air, a chilling sound that raised goosebumps.
The warship had its own barrier, but it paled in comparison to Shen Chaomu’s. The golden light wasn’t just defensive; it formed spears that lanced outward, each extending a hundred meters, shattering bones and crushing skulls. Within seconds, the water churned with bone fragments.
Yet, some mermaids managed to breach the defenses, slipping through the depths. Some continued towards the shipyard, where torpedoes, signal flares, and whaling spears awaited them. Others surfaced, their rotting jaws gaping, tails propelling them toward the high deck.
Shen Chaomu’s golden spears pierced their skulls, but with most of his power focused on maintaining the barrier, some slipped through. A few were about to reach the deck when Shen Chaomu turned to intercept them. He saw Long Shiyu, instant noodles in one hand, the other casually swatting a leaping mermaid back into the sea.
The mermaid didn’t even have time to shriek. It hit the water as if launched from a cannon, its bones shattering on impact.
Shen Chaomu’s first thought should have been to praise Long Shiyu’s combat abilities. Instead, he heard himself ask, “Is your hand injured? Their bones are sharp.”
He mentally cursed his incompetence. His dragon-hunting career was over.
“No,” Long Shiyu replied, nonchalantly crushing another mermaid’s skull. He held up his hand for inspection. “See? I’m fine.”
Shen Chaomu examined his hand carefully, ensuring there were no injuries, before letting him return to his noodles.
Long Shiyu slurped up another mouthful, his gaze on the struggling mermaids. The initial taste had faded, replaced by an intense chili flavor that left his throat burning. “Oh, you were right,” he said to Shen Chaomu. “This is…” He paused.
“What is it?” Shen Chaomu asked.
“Spicy, chili flavor… Ah… Ah…”
Recognizing the telltale signs, Shen Chaomu’s expression changed. He grabbed Long Shiyu’s horns, forcing him to turn towards the sea.
“Achoo!”
Blazing dragon breath erupted, incinerating a swathe of skeletal mermaids. The force of the blast sent their hair flying. Dragon breath couldn’t be extinguished with ordinary water. As the heat dissipated, Shen Chaomu confiscated the offending instant noodles.
“Ying!” Long Shiyu whimpered, knowing he had messed up again. He wrapped his arms around Shen Chaomu’s waist, his tail curling around his ankle in a gesture of appeasement.
“Didn’t I tell you it was chili flavored?” Shen Chaomu said, his voice tight with fear. “This ship can’t withstand dragon breath.”
“Sorry,” Long Shiyu mumbled. He meant to apologize sincerely, but he couldn’t help reaching out to stroke Shen Chaomu’s back.
Shen Chaomu caught his hand. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing, nothing.” How could an evil dragon’s affections towards his princess be considered inappropriate?
Shen Chaomu’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, then widened as they fell on a small, dried bloodstain on Long Shiyu’s abdomen.
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