Recap
Long Shiyu wrapped his arms tightly around his princess and unfurled his wings. Silver and iridescent, they sliced through the wind, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the chaos. He didn’t need speed; his wings were edged with a sharpness that effortlessly cut down any mermaid that came too close.
The world spun as they fell. Shen Chaomu looked up at Long Shiyu’s vibrant scales and the determined set of his jaw, the stardust swirling around them like a river, reflecting their faces. It was a terrifying scene, yet strangely beautiful, filled with a defiant pride.
In that moment, Shen Chaomu believed. This truly was a miracle born of the stars.
As they hit the water, a powerful force lifted them, and Long Shiyu skimmed the surface, leaving a trail of displaced water as he flew toward a waiting warship. Behind them, skeletal mermaids crashed into the waves.
The siren’s song faded, like the final lines of a poem.
Long Shiyu landed on the deck, his eyes shining. “Wasn’t I amazing?” he asked, giving Shen Chaomu’s waist a celebratory squeeze.
“Yes,” Shen Chaomu replied, a smile tugging at his lips. “Amazing.”
Five days later, the Pied Piper, its horn blaring triumphantly, set off from the shipyard, heading deep into the glacier fields. It would traverse the junction of the third and fourth waterways, venturing into the uncharted depths of the Land of Eternal Night.
A fleet of warships escorted it, their mission singular: to find the siren.
Since the bridge’s collapse and the destruction of the massive bone nest, the girl and her mercenary allies had vanished into the icy sea. Now was the time to hunt them down. Fang Qing and the other hunters had spent the past few days dispersing poison throughout the region, weakening the skeletal mermaids and forcing them to scatter.
Finally, they found a trace—a faint residue of spiritual energy that led them to the Griffin Icefield, north of the frozen castle Long Shiyu and Shen Chaomu had explored.
The hastily repaired Pied Piper, capable of breaking through even the thickest ice, led the way. After a full day of searching, Uther sneezed violently as he returned to the ship. “Oh, my old friend,” he wheezed, “this weather is terrible for my old bones.”
Shen Chaomu, standing at the bow, flicked ash from his cigarette. “What did you see in the crystal ball?”
Uther consulted his divination tool, its depths swirling with spiritual energy. “Let me see… as this morning, we’re getting closer to the singing girl. I can sense she’s sung in this area before. Her voice is still enchanting… Achoo! Oh dear, this weather is colder than a witch’s toes. I’m going back to my room.”
He retreated with a flurry of sneezes.
On a nearby warship, hunters were changing shifts. Shen Chaomu returned to his cabin to find Long Shiyu lying on the bed, playing a card game on his terminal.
Three seconds later, the telltale sound of bankruptcy echoed through the room.
Shen Chaomu hung up his coat. “Why did you lose again?” he asked. “I thought you were good at memorizing cards.”
“They were too cunning,” Long Shiyu mumbled. “And I always go all in.”
Shen Chaomu peered at the terminal. Every record showed Long Shiyu as the dealer, each hand ending in a “Super Double.”
“It’s a miracle you didn’t lose everything sooner,” Shen Chaomu remarked dryly.
Long Shiyu hummed. “Do I get a bedtime story today?”
“No.”
Long Shiyu’s disappointment was evident. He obediently lifted his shirt for Shen Chaomu to inspect the wound on his abdomen. This had become a daily ritual.
He was reluctant at first, and the hooligan princess forcibly stripped his clothes a few times, which directly scared him into holding his tail in his mouth, so now he is very conscious every day.
At night, the lights were turned off, and Shen Chaomu suddenly said, “Have you ever seen a siren before?”
“No, I just heard some legends.”
Shen Chaomu felt a little puzzled: “Then why did the skeletal mermaids seem to be targeting you that day?”
Although this suspicion is not obvious, it is still growing in his heart.
“Were they?” Long Shiyu’s tail curled up guiltily under the quilt.
He didn’t want Shen Chaomu to know about the throne, just as he didn’t want him to know about the princess. Judging from past experience, Shen Chaomu would be furious.
“I visited an ice sea a long time ago,” Long Shiyu said, changing the subject.
“Where?”
“I don’t remember exactly,” Long Shiyu replied vaguely. “I had a little…disagreement with a strange beast there.”
“Did you steal its food?”
“Just a little. An evil dragon’s actions can’t be called stealing.”
Shen Chaomu raised an eyebrow.
“We weren’t fighting at first, just arguing,” Long Shiyu continued.
“How did you understand its language?”
“I just understood it. It cursed a lot. At first, I said ‘hoo hoo hoo,’ and it said ‘click click.’ I said ‘hoo hoo hoo hoo,’ and it also said ‘hoo hoo hoo.’ Then we started fighting.”
“That’s a bit abstract,” Shen Chaomu said, confused. “Wait, how can you roar? I thought you only knew how to cry.”
Long Shiyu blushed. “I would never roar at you,” he mumbled.
Shen Chaomu, trying to imagine Long Shiyu roaring and pictured a four-legged lizardman crying. He chuckled.
“After this is over, we need to talk about Shen Di and your injury,” he said, his expression turning serious. “I asked a few elders, and none of them have heard of him. And according to you, he’s unkillable.” He had been careful to ask elders he trusted, and he had specifically told them not to mention the spiritual bodies in the trial hall. He didn’t like those beings. In a way, the undead were similar to Shen Di, placing the burden of their expectations on him.
“I don’t know how he’s still alive,” Long Shiyu admitted. “And…” He thought of the scars on Shen Di, similar to the mantis’s splitting traces. He hadn’t mentioned this before, wanting to avoid any connection between Shen Chaomu and Shen Di, but now he was conflicted.
“What are you thinking?” Shen Chaomu asked, sensing his hesitation.
Long Shiyu fidgeted.
“I know you might not trust me with some things,” Shen Chaomu said gently. “I’m willing to give you time, but this is serious. His attitude towards dragons is hostile, and this concerns your safety, maybe even my family’s.”
“I trust you,” Long Shiyu whispered. He hesitated, then his tail emerged from the quilt and stealthily slithered under Shen Chaomu’s, coiling around his ankle.
“I saw those twin marks on Shen Di,” he confessed. He described the scars and how he had encountered Shen Di at varying levels of strength.
Shen Chaomu listened intently. “I’ve never heard of a human acquiring the abilities of strange beasts,” he mused. “That sounds more like the blood worshipers’ methods. If Shen Di attacked the sky settlement for this reason, it’s possible. But twin marks usually only appear on the split individual.”
“I don’t understand it either,” Long Shiyu admitted.
“According to the sky settlement’s twinning theory, the two individuals are identical, in appearance and thought. Even if you kill the main body, it would be normal to encounter Shen Di again later.”
“Maybe.” Long Shiyu’s tail tightened around Shen Chaomu’s ankle. “But I’m telling you this not to make you fight him. He’s powerful, far stronger than you saw on the bridge. And no matter what…he’s still part of your family.”
“I understand. But I’ll judge for myself.” Shen Chaomu had always been that way. It was this independent spirit that had convinced Long Shiyu to stay with him.
“Okay.” Long Shiyu sighed. “You were injured because of him…”
“It was a minor injury, and it’s healed now. His corrosive power is useless against me. But when did you see those scars on him? You said you’ve encountered him many times. Is he after you?”
“We’ve met a few times.” Seeing that he couldn’t hide it any longer, Long Shiyu confessed, “He’s been trying to kill me. He’s a bad person.”
The simple statement made Shen Chaomu laugh. “Then why did he give you the rose?” he asked when he had recovered.
“Rose?” Long Shiyu was puzzled for two seconds.
“When the Yermak’s power cabin was blown up that day, I saw an origami rose in your room. He gave it to you, or was it someone else.”
From Long Shiyu’s attitude, Shen Chaomu determined that Shen Di was not the princess he had identified—in fact, it seemed a bit out of the question now. The scene of Long Shiyu cutting off Shen Di’s right hand with his long tail on the bridge was still vivid in his memory.
“Oh, that, of course it’s for someone else.” Long Shiyu looked sincere.
This time he forgot that his tail was not properly hidden in the quilt, but was hooking Shen Chaomu’s ankle.
Now as soon as he felt guilty, his tail curled up again.
Then in the next second, he was grabbed by the dragon’s horn: “Ahhhh, don’t shake me, don’t shake me.”
Shen Chaomu shook it for a while before letting go with unsatisfied interest: “A lying dragon is not a good dragon.”
Long Shiyu said: “I was originally an evil dragon.” And it is very possible that he will become an excellent evil dragon.
This time Shen Chaomu was taken aback.
Then he couldn’t help laughing.
Long Shiyu was dissatisfied: “What’s so funny? I’m super fierce.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re super fierce.” Shen Chaomu rubbed his head, “It’s the evil dragon’s bedtime now. Until tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, we will be able to find the siren.”
He paused: “Anyway, I’m glad you told me this. You still have a lot of secrets from me, right?”
“No.” Long Shiyu retracted his tail this time, and wanted to say something more, but got a goodnight kiss.
The goodnight kiss blocked all his excuses.
The man smiled: “I’ll wait for you to tell me yourself.”
…
The water boiled, rattling the lid of the pot. Karen was by the distant shore, speaking with a few skeletal mermaids. Augusta, the lone guard, was about to call her back when he heard footsteps approaching.
The man in the old suit materialized beside him, a thorny rose in his hand.
“Boss, you’re back,” Augusta said, surprised.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Shen Di replied casually, twirling the rose. “After all, this is the climax of a touching love story. I have to dress up for the grand finale.”
Augusta, eager to change the subject, blurted, “Why didn’t you fight harder on the bridge? If you had, that icebreaker wouldn’t have hit it.”
Shen Di settled by the fire, his movements languid. “I made an assessment. The little princess isn’t strong enough to kill Akasa Mo and Shen Chaomu. There was no need to waste energy.”
“But how can you know the outcome without trying?”
“Unlike you, I’m an experienced hunter.” Shen Di’s slender fingers tightened on the rose, thorns drawing blood, but his expression remained indifferent. “I’m a better judge of the situation. Besides, I achieved my goal.”
“The mantises?”
Shen Di smiled. “Augusta, why are you so anxious? They’re just strange beasts. We both hate them, so why worry?” He patted Augusta’s shoulder. “I’ll use both humans and strange beasts, but I’m more reasonable with humans. After all, the blood of other races runs cold.”
Augusta blinked, realizing his misstep. “I was just thinking we should have helped her,” he backpedaled.
Shen Di’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve known each other since you were a street rat,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Who else would hire a kid like you, pay your mother’s medical bills, and get her the best care? Or has your hatred for strange beasts softened? Was I wrong about you?”
Augusta stammered, “No, no, I’m on your side.”
Shen Di tossed him a small wooden box. Inside, three syringes held vials of shimmering liquid—the blood of strange beasts. Augusta, a veteran of such enhancements, recognized the high quality. Crude blood provided only a limited boost with harsh side effects, but this was refined, potent. He had rarely seen anything like it.
“A reward,” Shen Di said coldly. “Don’t ask stupid questions again.”
He hummed his tune and walked toward the endless snowfield, his figure swallowed by the swirling white.
Augusta stared at the box, his mind reeling. The rattling of the pot’s lid brought him back to the present.
“Water’s boiling,” he called to Karen.
Karen, cheeks flushed from the cold, hurried back with the steaming pot and poured the water into the teapot. The fragrant rose tea filled the air.
“Mr. Augusta, be careful, it’s hot,” she said, handing him a cup.
Augusta took the cup, his gaze fixed on the distant bridge. “They’ll be here soon,” he said after a long pause.
“Probably,” Karen agreed, focused on preparing the tea. “They’re very powerful.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“A little.” Karen set the pot down and picked up her own cup, blowing on it gently. “Maybe I won’t be able to keep my promise to Mr. Murphy.” She smiled. “But if it weren’t for you and Mr. Shen Di, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Augusta looked away, clutching the wooden box. “It’s all because of that Dragon King,” he grumbled. “He’s so cunning, getting involved with the Hunter Association. I’ll expose him, let everyone see his true face.”
“Good luck, Mr. Augusta.”
The fire crackled, the eternal night stretching above them.
Karen turned a page in the poetry collection. “Have I told you about the second time I met Mr. Murphy?” she asked.
“No.”
“It was another full moon night. We had agreed to meet. When Mr. Murphy saw me, he said, ‘Miss Haina, your hair is like seaweed.’”
Augusta choked on his tea. “What a strange way to describe hair. I only insult people like that.”
Karen giggled. “I said the same thing. ‘Mr. Murphy, that doesn’t sound like a compliment.’”
“But he insisted it was,” she continued. “‘Miss Haina, have you seen the deep sea under the moonlight? I was captivated the first time I saw it, especially the soft seaweed swaying. When I swam past them, I could hear them whispering to me. They gave me the first line of poetry I wrote here.’”
“‘Well,’” I replied, “‘if you insist, I’ll take it as a compliment.’”
Then, as if by magic, the poet produced a small box containing an aquamarine necklace. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was the best he could afford.
Karen turned another page. “I was so happy that I gave him the necklace I was wearing.”
“The sacred object of Bei En?” Augusta asked.
“Yes. Back then, it was just an expensive necklace, not a sacred object. After Mr. Murphy passed away, I lost it, and the royal family eventually recovered it.”
“You lost a lot in that exchange,” Augusta scoffed. “Why rush into liking someone? You might end up losing everything.”
“I didn’t lose. Because I tricked Mr. Murphy into coming home with me.” Karen closed the book and stood. “That’s my story. No one else remembers it, but maybe you’ll think of me someday.” She straightened her dress and smiled. “Despite what Mr. Augusta says, you’ll definitely meet someone wonderful.”
Her words struck a chord within him. He opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.
Then, he saw a figure emerge from the icy sea in the distance.
It was the heavy icebreaker, the Pied Piper.
Augusta’s pupils dilated slightly, and just as he was about to say something to Karen, he found that the girl had already gone to the end of the glacier.
That direction faced the Pied Piper.
She didn’t intend to hide anymore.
Seeing that he was about to chase after her, Karen lifted her white skirt, curtsied slightly and gracefully said, “Goodbye, Mr. Augusta. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
She fell lightly into the water, into the embrace of the skeletal mermaids and the waves. No matter how Augusta reached forward, he couldn’t even touch her sun-like golden hair.
___
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