LSDWTWHA chapter 3

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, Su Su swam towards the direction of the Mermaid Kingdom.

The main entrance of the Mermaid Kingdom is on the other side of Anle Island, and Su Su has to navigate halfway around Yongle Island to reach it. It is said that this area used to be land where humans built a city, which later submerged due to rising sea levels.

Mermaids were born on this piece of land.

Since the land submerged, a thousand years have passed, and the outlines of the ancient human city have long since disappeared. However, the stone fortifications of the Mermaid Kingdom, built with the help of humans, are well-constructed. There used to be an entire mountain range there, but now only the mountain peak reveals a hint of land above the sea, serving as the geographical landmark for the Mermaid Kingdom, and was named Yongle Island.

As Su Su swam towards the Mermaid Kingdom, a luxurious yacht also set sail from Yongle Island, moving smoothly across the sea.

On the deck, a large group of young men and women gathered together, some drinking, some playing cards, some chatting and fishing, while others had put on their diving gear and were warming up, preparing to show off underwater later.

A figure leapt out from the depths, holding a weapon shaped like a spear gun, tugging a line attached to it, and handed it to someone on the deck: “Quick, pull it tight.”

Everyone immediately crowded together, hurriedly securing the line to a rocker and turning it to reel it in.

This was a primitive hunting method. Nowadays, there are more mechanized ways to catch fish. However, this group of young people sought excitement in such primitive hunting.

As the rocker tightened, a two-meter-long fish floundered and was pulled onto the deck. The crowd erupted in cheers.

“What a big fish!”

“Mo Er Shao is amazing!”

“Isn’t it unfair in this world? Some people not only look handsome and come from a good family, but are also skilled in piano, painting, and even have a special talent for fishing that leaves us behind.”

Mo Lin took off his oxygen mask, shaking his head to reveal a handsome face, with blonde curly hair spreading behind him, and blue eyes that seemed clearer as if washed by the sea. Hearing the praises, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, displaying the pride and exuberance of youth, waving his hand: “Don’t make fun of me, the truly impressive person on this boat is over there.”

Saying this, he directly walked to a particularly quiet corner of the deck.

The crowd’s gaze followed Mo Lin’s steps.

In that shadowy corner stood a set of office desks and chairs that seemed completely unfit for the yacht. A young man, broad-shouldered and long-legged, was sitting there in an extremely formal posture, concentrating on handling documents on a terminal. He wore blue military trousers and a pure white long-sleeved shirt, with all the buttons fastened even in the hot summer.

His brow occasionally furrowed slightly, as if encountering a difficult problem, but quickly relaxed as if reaching a decision, his long fingers adorned with a silver ring lightly tapping in the air, sending instructions through the sensors.

He was undisturbed by the lively atmosphere around him and instead carved out an area of peace on the crowded deck with his mere presence.

Indeed, no one dared to approach him. Although he was only twenty-nine this year, Qi Hanyi was already a renowned admiral of the Imperial Star Expeditionary Force, holding a higher position than many of the young gentlemen and ladies present.

Working quietly without lifting his head even once, he carried an air of authority that commanded respect. Even ordinary people felt nervous approaching him, as if they had been doused with a bucket of ice water on a scorching summer day.

Thus, even though Qi Hanyi had a high status, no one dared to get close to him.

Mo Lin was an exception. He plopped down on a corner of Qi Hanyi’s desk, tapping a few times in front of him as if to attract his attention: “Hanyi, it’s rare for you to have some time off, loosen up a bit and come diving and fishing with us. It’s so boring to just sit in the cabin.”

Qi Hanyi raised his head, revealing misty eyes that appeared as if they had been soaked in ice water. His appearance was striking, yet he would never invoke any associations with beauty or prettiness.

His expression was too cold and stern, carrying an aggressive aura, like a sword tempered by fire or a gun ready to fire. Through a screen or lens, one might describe him as a cool-faced dude, but standing face to face, a glance from those eyes could scare off the faint-hearted.

At that moment, those eyes bore traces of displeasure from being disturbed, looking at Mo Lin, who was tapping his desk, coldly stating: “No, I’m not interested.”

If an ordinary person spoke like this to Mo Lin, the young master would have tossed him overboard already, but the person in front of him was Qi Hanyi. Mo Lin couldn’t be angry; instead, he had to smile: “Come on, you can’t be married to your work. My brother specifically asked me to take good care of you on this trip. If he finds out I left you on the boat to work while I’m having fun, my allowance next month might just be cut off.”

“You don’t lack for pocket money. If it’s not enough, you can always sell some paintings.” Qi Hanyi replied seriously, as if he hadn’t realized this was a joke.

Mo Lin was momentarily silenced.

To be fair, although the Mo family and the Qi family had a long-standing friendship, Mo Lin and Qi Hanyi weren’t that familiar.

Mo Lin had an older brother and didn’t have the pressure of inheriting the family business. He grew up living freely, focusing on music, photography, and painting, with countless hobbies beyond that.

While Mo Lin had gained some fame in the art world, he knew that most of the reputation came from his father, who was a council president, and his older brother, who was the president of the trade association.

Now nearing thirty, he should understand some things and learn to share his family’s burdens. Recently, his brother had a military arms business and wanted collaboration with the military, so he took the initiative to approach Qi Hanyi.

Asking Qi Hanyi out wasn’t difficult; Qi Hanyi’s grandfather believed his temperament was too cold and insisted he socialize more with peers. As long as the old man spoke, it didn’t matter if it was uphill or down, he would definitely show up.

Mo Lin didn’t expect that even after he finally made the invitation, Qi Hanyi would be beyond the level of approachability he imagined.

Recalling his older brother’s hint, if Qi Hanyi ignored him, he should mention the old man of the Qi family more in front of him. Qi Hanyi lost his parents at a young age and had been raised by his grandfather, who always listened to his words.

So, Mo Lin pretended to be casual and teased: “You really are quite boring. No wonder Grandpa Qi said you’re like a work machine, lifeless. He wants us to take you out to have fun during your vacation.”

“Grandpa said that?” Qi Hanyi’s expression finally showed some fluctuation.

“Yeah! Grandpa Qi said it, and he also said that since you’re on vacation, you should relax a bit. Otherwise, if you keep working all the time, you won’t even find a partner,” Mo Lin replied seriously.

Qi Hanyi thought this didn’t quite sound like something his grandfather would say. His grandfather always demanded he be more serious and rigorous with his work, without a moment’s carelessness. However, during their last meeting, he did mention arranging a marriage for him. Plus, this trip was also mandated by his grandfather. Although Qi Hanyi didn’t really understand the significance of participating in such activities, he would strive to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes.

“How do we play?” Qi Hanyi finally closed the terminal and stood up. As he stood, he smoothed out a wrinkle on his shirt, maintaining his tidiness.

When it came to the word “play,” he couldn’t help but feel a bit unfamiliar. As a child, he knew how to study and train. As he grew older, he learned how to pilot mechas and starships, command a battle, and manage soldiers. But he didn’t know how to play.

Seeing Qi Hanyi finally stand up, Mo Lin felt relieved inside and happily whistled: “That’s more like it. I heard you are the legendary once-in-a-century SSS gene; your physique should be excellent. Show us your stuff, let us open our eyes!”

“Martial power is not meant for show.” Qi Hanyi showed a hint of disagreement in his eyes, but his tone remained flat.

Mo Lin was most annoyed by lecturing and rolled his eyes in boredom. Sometimes he really doubted that Qi Hanyi was the same age as him; every time he spoke, he sounded like an old stickler from a thousand years ago.

Mo Lin, wanting to stir things up a bit, pointed to a corner of the fish pool and said deliberately: “Actually, we had a competition today. Did you see that? That’s a yellowfin tuna, the most valuable fish in this area. Whoever catches it can win this competition. I heard you always came in first during military school assessments; you can’t lose to us, can you?”

“Exactly.”

“You’re the Empire’s admiral; you’ve killed so many insectoids; catching one fish should be a piece of cake.”

Some malicious agreement arose from the bystanders.

They were young nobles often playing with Mo Lin, who had always been overshadowed by Qi Hanyi. While they might not have much real interaction with him in reality, Qi Hanyi was precisely the kid from another family in their parents’ eyes.

“Hmm.” Qi Hanyi merely glanced at the fish pool, bent down, and picked up a spear gun from the ground. He didn’t have the mindset to compete, but his grandfather said that when he was out in the world, he represented the Qi family; he must never disgrace the family’s honor with his words or actions.

Catching a tuna was nothing hard for him.

“Hey, are you really going to catch that? With a spear gun?” Mo Lin was taken aback when he saw Qi Hanyi was serious.

Remembering Qi Hanyi was a fishing novice, he elaborated: “I was just messing with you. I know you’re good, but that’s on land. In the water, this fish swims faster than a boat; it’s hard to aim. Plus, even if you hit it, dragging it back requires considerable effort, and you might attract a bunch of sharks. Not to mention, you might even get attacked by sharks yourself. Even experienced fishermen find it challenging to catch with a spear gun. Usually, you’d need specialized equipment. This one isn’t caught by anyone; it’s just bought from a fish vendor, so it’s just for good luck.”

He was trying to build a good relationship with Qi Hanyi, not actually set him up for failure. If something happened to Qi Hanyi while fishing for the yellowfin tuna, he wouldn’t know how to explain it to their elders.

“Understood.” Qi Hanyi showed no concern for Mo Lin’s warnings. Unhurriedly, he began to unbutton his shirt, revealing the firm honey-colored muscles of his waist and abdomen.

In a matter of moments, he folded his clothes neatly and placed them in a storage compartment, then skillfully put on the diving suit and donned the gear.

Both diving and swimming were mandatory courses at their military academy. Although the primary battlefield was in space, it was always possible that ships would be shot down, causing a need for water landings.

For anything learned in class, whether he liked it or not, Qi Hanyi always excelled.

Qi Hanyi leapt into the sea, causing little splash. He expertly moved his body as if he were a merman who had grown up in the ocean.

Surrounded by water, Qi Hanyi closed his eyes, feeling the sea enveloping and compressing him.

He didn’t like the feeling of being cocooned in the water; it reminded him of a nightmare from many years ago. That hysterical woman, clutching him tightly in the icy sea, sinking deeper and deeper…

The urge to vomit surged up again but was forcibly suppressed.

For a long time, Qi Hanyi suffered from severe phobia; he couldn’t even dive, let alone take a boat without retching. However, since underwater training was included in Imperial military training standards, in order to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes and become the top student at the Imperial Military Academy, he forced himself to relive that drowning sensation repeatedly until his body grew accustomed to the fear.

Qi Hanyi swam deeper. Schools of fish darted past him, but he didn’t even glance at them. The competitive spirit carved into him was instinctive; even in play, he would only accept the best outcome. He had to hunt a yellowfin tuna.

After a while of searching, he spotted his prey. Qi Hanyi swiftly initiated his attack. The grapple from the spear gun shot out, carving a long wound along the back of the tuna.

But it missed, instead angering the creature, which charged at Qi Hanyi with its spear-like snout protruding.

Faced with the charging prey, Qi Hanyi lowered his brows, revealing a hint of fierce intent.

He turned the weapon around in his hand, exposing the stabbing side, and at the moment the tuna came rushing in, he seized its “spear” with perfect timing, being swept along sideways with the yellowfin tuna.

Qi Hanyi raised the weapon in his hand, piercing it into the fish’s abdomen, then released it, gliding backward along the momentum.

The poor yellowfin tuna was thus gutted and quickly met its demise.

Qi Hanyi stowed away his weapon and swam toward the boat while dragging the tuna, which weighed more than himself.

Su Su swam toward the Mermaid Kingdom, already anticipating the delicious meal, his tail swaying more joyfully than usual. His mood was exceptionally good at this moment. Perhaps because of his eagerness for food, the unique scent of yellowfin tuna blood wafted to his nose.

It was a dying, delectable yellowfin tuna. Unconsciously, Su Su’s body turned, deviating from his original path.

Rewards could wait until tomorrow, but food right in front of him could not be ignored.

Su Su chased after it, increasingly certain that he hadn’t just imagined it. At such a close distance, he could even feel the faint breath of the entity ahead of him. At the same time, there seemed to be something else nearby, but it was no larger than two meters and didn’t pose any threat.

As Su Su got closer, he gradually made out the outline of the being.

A merman? No, wait, there’s no tail—this seems to be… Su Su’s eyes widened.

A human!

The muscles tightly wrapped in a diving suit displayed a smooth muscular outline—not overly exaggerated, yet giving off a strong sense of power.

He was dragging that over two-meter-long yellowfin tuna with one hand, the long fins mimicking a fish tail’s movement as he swam.

Su Su stared wide-eyed.

So cute!