After the dizzying feeling of swaying from side to side, Xia Chi held the armrest of the seat with one hand and the ground of the submarine with one hand, and staggered up from the ground. His face was pale and unsightly.
After taking deep breaths for a while, he regained his strength. He swayed back to his seat, re-buckling his seatbelt.
Xia Chi: “…”
This refreshing sensation—does he have to experience it again on the way back?
But between the curse and nausea, if he had to choose one, he’d choose nausea.
Bai Lixin slowly steered the submarine towards the destination.
The whale he encountered last time was still there. Different from before, this time, there was a small whale alongside the whale mother.
The little whale followed its mother, waving its tail in this deep sea, leaving behind a graceful trail.
Following his memory and the coordinates recorded in the submarine, Bai Lixin quickly found the location with two tall stone statues he had encountered last time.
Just as he passed through the gap between the two giant statues, a mermaid holding a harpoon suddenly appeared in front of the submarine.
Under the submarine’s light, the mermaid’s fiery red hair and metallic bracelet sparkled.
It was the red-tailed mermaid he had rescued last time.
When he saw the mermaid, the mermaid also saw him through the transparent glass.
The moment the fierce-looking red-tailed mermaid recognized Bai Lixin, she instantly retracted her sharp fangs and ferocious appearance, stretching out her hands to Bai Lixin happily and forming a heart shape.
“Yiya~”
The cheerful sound echoed into the submarine. The red-tailed mermaid seemed to feel that just making sounds wasn’t enough, so she started dancing in front of Bai Lixin.
The beautiful and massive tail fin unfolded softly in the sea, resembling delicate and expensive silk. With the swaying of the enormous tail, the “silk” surface shimmered with a dreamy golden brilliance.
Xia Chi stared at the mermaid outside the window in a daze: “Brother, won’t this mermaid’s call attract other merfolk?”
As soon as he said this, a “yiyaya” sound began responding to the red-tailed mermaid’s call.
In the next second, a second, third… more than ten merfolk’s voices echoed continuously from all directions.
However, in the blink of an eye, several merfolk they had never seen before quickly swam from the dark sea, stopping in front of the submarine, staring fixedly at Bai Lixin inside.
Xia Chi’s expression instantly froze: “…”
‘I’m not a crow mouth, it’s not my fault.’
The ages of these merfolk were irregular, ranging from young to old.
Among these merfolk, the oldest mermaid stood in the middle, a bit closer than all the other merfolk. It seemed she was the leader of this group.
The mermaid’s somewhat withered hand held a sharp harpoon. A struggling fish was still impaled in the middle of the harpoon. It was obvious that she was still hunting a moment ago.
Through the window, she vigilantly scrutinized the two inside. The harpoon was held high, if she exerted a little more force, it seemed she could easily pierce the submarine’s glass, letting seawater pour in.
Then, wouldn’t they be doomed?!
Xia Chi’s face turned pale. His body remained unchanged, and he tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke, “Brother.”
“I’ve always had a secret I didn’t tell you.”
Bai Lixin: “What secret?”
Xia Chi: “I have… a fear of the deep sea.”
Bai Lixin: “Why didn’t you say earlier?”
Xia Chi’s pale face looked particularly fragile at this moment: “I was afraid of holding you back.”
Bai Lixin: “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. Stay calm, she won’t break the glass.”
Indeed, just as Bai Lixin said, the mermaid held the sharp spike against the glass for a while, then took it down.
The red-tailed mermaid quickly swam to the mermaid’s side, “yiyaya” dancing happily. At times, both hands gestured quickly, at times pointing at the submarine, as if explaining something to the mermaid.
The mermaid’s eyes showed surprise, then she started examining Bai Lixin inside with a scrutinizing gaze.
Her gaze was sharp; although she was a bit older, her tail was the largest and most beautiful among the dozen or so merfolk. After glancing at Bai Lixin a few times, the mermaid’s eyes focused on Bai Lixin’s neck.
Bai Lixin felt she might be looking at the Mermaid Heart.
After a brief thought, he took the black pearl hanging around his neck from his clothes and displayed it in front of the mermaid.
The originally calm mermaid quickly swung her tail and swam to Bai Lixin. She placed both hands on the glass, her eyes fixed on the Mermaid Heart in his hands.
Bai Lixin: “…”
Sure enough, what interested her was the Mermaid Heart.
What about the red-tailed mermaid?
Did she express goodwill toward him because of the Mermaid Heart?
Could it be that they actually knew about the Mermaid Heart?
Bai Lixin’s gaze flickered with surprise as he stared at the Mermaid Heart.
“Band, bang, bang.”
There was a knocking sound outside the glass. The beautiful elderly mermaid patted the glass heavily, pointed behind her under Bai Lixin’s gaze, and then left the submarine, heading in that direction.
After a brief eye contact with Xia Chi, Bai Lixin manipulated the submarine to follow the mermaid’s pace.
When she pointed in that direction, it seemed like she wanted them to go in that direction.
Xia Chi sat quietly and obediently in the co-pilot seat, looking somewhat dispirited.
Seeing this, Bai Lixin reached into his backpack, pulled out something, and handed it to Xia Chi. “Take this.”
Xia Chi forced himself to focus and glanced at the thing; it was a mint candy.
Taking the mint candy, Xia Chi looked at Bai Lixin gratefully. “Thank you, Brother. I originally wanted to help you, but I ended up holding you back this time. I’m sorry.”
Bai Lixin: “Don’t blame yourself. If fear could be easily overcome, it wouldn’t be fear.”
“In a sense, fear is actually a human self-preservation mechanism. Because of fear, we instinctively want to avoid. Often, in the human subconscious, when we think a certain existence might threaten us, the fear mechanism will remind the brain to avoid it promptly.”
“For example, some people have a natural fear of darkness. They’re not actually afraid of darkness itself, but of the unknown hidden in the darkness. Perhaps they’ve witnessed scenes of violence in the dark, or perhaps they subconsciously feel the darkness is unsafe. But because of fear, most people deliberately avoid darkness, avoiding the potential threats to their lives.”
“Similarly, for you, your fear of the deep sea—do you fear the sea itself, or is it the feeling of suffocation?”
Facing Bai Lixin’s question, Xia Chi hesitated for a moment before responding seriously, “It’s the feeling of suffocation. I almost drowned before, and since then, I’ve had an inexplicable fear of the sea. Even though I learned how to swim, this situation hasn’t improved. Every time I swim and the water covers my face, deep down, I shiver.”
Xia Chi paused, “Also, I fear the deep sea not only because of the feeling of suffocation but also because there are many unknown creatures in the deep sea. The ocean’s visibility is naturally low, and I don’t know if those creatures might harm me. Take the whale just now. It’s so huge that it could easily swallow us with one gulp. We wouldn’t even have a chance to resist.”
Bai Lixin: “So if you could breathe in the ocean, like these merfolk, would you still fear the feeling of suffocation from the sea?”
Xia Chi: “Of course not. For merfolk, the ocean is like air for us humans. If I could be like a merfolk, how could I fear air? I wouldn’t need to worry about running out of breath.”
Bai Lixin: “So, in essence, what you fear is not the sea itself but death.”
Xia Chi’s body suddenly stiffened, and the action of tearing the mint stopped.
After a moment, Xia Chi nodded, “You’re right, Brother. I fear death.”
Bai Lixin: “There’s nothing shameful about fearing death; it’s the essence of being human. Although death has been an inevitable topic since life began, survival has always been a biological instinct. Your reactions are just the most basic instincts of humans, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s normal, Xia Chi. Remember, you’re a person first, then a player in a horror game. Just because you’ve spent a long time in this horror game or climbed to a high level doesn’t mean you lose the right to feel fear.”
“You can be afraid, and I can be afraid. It’s not a bad thing.”
Xia Chi’s somewhat rigid shoulders finally relaxed, “Brother, you really know my heart. Ever since I reached the 600th floor, I don’t know why, but I always felt like showing fear is amateurish. So, I’ve pretended to be calm in many copies. Sometimes, when I don’t know how to stay calm, I think of you and then imitate your expression to steady myself.”
“But actually, I’m still afraid inside, and I dare not show it.”
“It’s different when I’m with you. When I’m with you, because of your presence, I feel like my role instantly changes from a player who needs to stand alone to a little follower who can hide behind you. Brother…” Xia Chi scratched his head, “Will you laugh at me?”
Bai Lixin: “Don’t overthink, quickly eat the candy.”
Xia Chi opened the plastic wrapping, popped a mint candy into his mouth, then let out a comfortable sigh, closing his eyes and leaning against the backrest.
After a two-second pause, Xia Chi opened his eyes again. A slightly different calm gaze fell on Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin glanced at Xia Chi.
For some reason, he felt that the current Xia Chi seemed a bit different from before.
Bai Lixin: “Is the mint candy tasty?”
Xia Chi: “Yes, thank you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Xia Chi shifted his body and sat up straight in the chair.
He looked outside the glass seriously, replacing the earlier absent-mindedness with composure.
Although it was the same person, the Xia Chi at this moment gave Bai Lixin a peculiar feeling.
As if there had been a sudden change.
An idea crossed Bai Lixin’s mind, and when his gaze landed on Xia Chi’s face again, it carried an inquisitive tone.
Xia Chi noticed Bai Lixin’s gaze and glanced at him, “Is there something on my face?”
Bai Lixin retracted his gaze, “No.”
———————————-
In the live broadcast room.
[Damn, Xia Chi really spoke my mind. He’s like my mouthpiece in the livestream. Even after experiencing it many times, when faced with something you fear, you still feel scared. It’s just that I know no one will come to save me, so I can only be strong on my own because fear doesn’t help at all.]
[God Xin said fear is useful; it helps us avoid danger. Although this seems more practical in the real world.]
[Xia Chi just said he acts strong when clearing copies alone, but when he’s with God Xin, his fear is released. Isn’t this a kind of dependence and trust in God Xin? Because he knows God Xin will save him when in danger and protect him at crucial moments, so the repressed emotions don’t need to be repressed anymore and are released.]
[God Xin is really gentle. Sometimes, I envy Xia Chi, Zhou Guang, and others. Why wasn’t it me who met God Xin initially? I also want to cling to such a big thigh. I remember there was a copy before, didn’t God Xin specifically go into that copy to rescue Zhou Guang?]
[It’s the copy of the Undead Magician. Not only Zhou Guang was saved, but also many other players.]
[I, I’m one of them. I still haven’t forgotten God Xin’s kindness. I’ve kept God Xin’s photo in my room since then. Whenever I have time, I worship it every day, praying for God Xin’s blessings and protection.]
[??? How did the topic suddenly take such a turn?]
[God Xin: First, I haven’t died yet; second, I still haven’t died.]
[God Xin: Thanks a lot.]
[Hahaha.]
—————————-
The submarine followed the merfolk.
Xia Chi sat next to Bai Lixin, not uttering a single word throughout the journey.
After swimming forward for awhile, the merfolk stopped in a circular passage.
The leading mermaid halted, waved to Bai Lixin, then plunged into the dark passage.
Bai Lixin saw other merfolk following suit and continued to pilot the submarine to catch up.
After passing through the passage and winding through this sea area for half an hour, the scenery in front gradually changed.
The previously pitch-black seafloor began to display colorful hues.
Among the gravel on the seabed and on the surrounding walls grew various types of algae and vibrant sea anemones. Some marine plants even emitted their own fluorescence, illuminating the originally dark seabed into a beautiful and otherworldly scene.
On the almost ninety-degree angle of the mountainous terrain underwater were many caves of various sizes. Above the caves hung strands of green seaweed, resembling curtains draped in front of doorways.
Under the green seaweed were numerous large shells. Some shells were tightly closed, while others were half-open.
Gigantic and beautiful fish tails extended from the edges of the shells, lazily draping over them. As Bai Lixin passed by, he glanced into one shell and discovered a beautiful mermaid peacefully asleep.
This seemed to be the merfolk’s lair.
!!??
‘Are all merfolk this naïve and sweet?’
He merely saved the red-tailed mermaid’s life, and they unabashedly led him to their lair?
What if he were a bad person?
Perhaps hearing the strange sound of the engine, the previously quiet seaweed curtains suddenly swayed.
Soon, the seaweed moved, and merfolk started emerging from inside the cave one after another.
The mermaid that had been sound asleep in the shell also opened her eyes.
Within moments, all the merfolk gathered in front of Bai Lixin’s submarine, scrutinizing him with curious yet cautious eyes.
Heated conversations among the merfolk soon ensued.
“Yiya.”
“Yiya yiya.”
“Yiyiyiya!!!”
“Yiya!”
“Yiya?”
“Yiyiya?”
Bai Lixin’s lips twitched as he listened to the lively chatter outside.
To be honest, he really didn’t plan to wake up the entire village. They wouldn’t flip the submarine in anger, right?
“Don’t worry,” Xia Chi said in a calmer voice than usual, “they won’t flip the submarine.”
Bai Lixin suddenly turned his head, gazing deeply at Xia Chi. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”
Xia Chi glanced at Bai Lixin. “I don’t know. I’m just answering my own question.”
Bai Lixin: “What about him?”
Xia Chi pointed to his own temple. “He needs time to recover, so he’s resting.”
Bai Lixin pursed his lips.
This person is Tang Yue.
Last time, he had encountered Tang Yue in the Zombie Queen’s copy. At that time, Tang Yue would only appear after Xia Chi fell into a deep sleep.
But Xia Chi wasn’t asleep this time, and Tang Yue could temporarily use Xia Chi’s body.
Tang Yue probably wouldn’t harm Xia Chi, but it was the first time he saw Tang Yue taking over Xia Chi so blatantly.
Could it be that Xia Chi already knew?
No, that’s not right. Xia Chi doesn’t know.
If Xia Chi knew, he wouldn’t have seemed so helpless facing thalassophobia earlier.
He still didn’t know about Tang Yue’s existence.
If that was the case, then how dare Tang Yue?
After the dizzying feeling of swaying from side to side, Xia Chi held the armrest of the seat with one hand and the ground of the submarine with one hand, and staggered up from the ground. His face was pale and unsightly.
After taking deep breaths for a while, he regained his strength. He swayed back to his seat, re-buckling his seatbelt.
Xia Chi: “…”
This refreshing sensation—does he have to experience it again on the way back?
But between the curse and nausea, if he had to choose one, he’d choose nausea.
Bai Lixin slowly steered the submarine towards the destination.
The whale he encountered last time was still there. Different from before, this time, there was a small whale alongside the whale mother.
The little whale followed its mother, waving its tail in this deep sea, leaving behind a graceful trail.
Following his memory and the coordinates recorded in the submarine, Bai Lixin quickly found the location with two tall stone statues he had encountered last time.
Just as he passed through the gap between the two giant statues, a mermaid holding a harpoon suddenly appeared in front of the submarine.
Under the submarine’s light, the mermaid’s fiery red hair and metallic bracelet sparkled.
It was the red-tailed mermaid he had rescued last time.
When he saw the mermaid, the mermaid also saw him through the transparent glass.
The moment the fierce-looking red-tailed mermaid recognized Bai Lixin, she instantly retracted her sharp fangs and ferocious appearance, stretching out her hands to Bai Lixin happily and forming a heart shape.
“Yiya~”
The cheerful sound echoed into the submarine. The red-tailed mermaid seemed to feel that just making sounds wasn’t enough, so she started dancing in front of Bai Lixin.
The beautiful and massive tail fin unfolded softly in the sea, resembling delicate and expensive silk. With the swaying of the enormous tail, the “silk” surface shimmered with a dreamy golden brilliance.
Xia Chi stared at the mermaid outside the window in a daze: “Brother, won’t this mermaid’s call attract other merfolk?”
As soon as he said this, a “yiyaya” sound began responding to the red-tailed mermaid’s call.
In the next second, a second, third… more than ten merfolk’s voices echoed continuously from all directions.
However, in the blink of an eye, several merfolk they had never seen before quickly swam from the dark sea, stopping in front of the submarine, staring fixedly at Bai Lixin inside.
Xia Chi’s expression instantly froze: “…”
‘I’m not a crow mouth, it’s not my fault.’
The ages of these merfolk were irregular, ranging from young to old.
Among these merfolk, the oldest mermaid stood in the middle, a bit closer than all the other merfolk. It seemed she was the leader of this group.
The mermaid’s somewhat withered hand held a sharp harpoon. A struggling fish was still impaled in the middle of the harpoon. It was obvious that she was still hunting a moment ago.
Through the window, she vigilantly scrutinized the two inside. The harpoon was held high, if she exerted a little more force, it seemed she could easily pierce the submarine’s glass, letting seawater pour in.
Then, wouldn’t they be doomed?!
Xia Chi’s face turned pale. His body remained unchanged, and he tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke, “Brother.”
“I’ve always had a secret I didn’t tell you.”
Bai Lixin: “What secret?”
Xia Chi: “I have… a fear of the deep sea.”
Bai Lixin: “Why didn’t you say earlier?”
Xia Chi’s pale face looked particularly fragile at this moment: “I was afraid of holding you back.”
Bai Lixin: “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. Stay calm, she won’t break the glass.”
Indeed, just as Bai Lixin said, the mermaid held the sharp spike against the glass for a while, then took it down.
The red-tailed mermaid quickly swam to the mermaid’s side, “yiyaya” dancing happily. At times, both hands gestured quickly, at times pointing at the submarine, as if explaining something to the mermaid.
The mermaid’s eyes showed surprise, then she started examining Bai Lixin inside with a scrutinizing gaze.
Her gaze was sharp; although she was a bit older, her tail was the largest and most beautiful among the dozen or so merfolk. After glancing at Bai Lixin a few times, the mermaid’s eyes focused on Bai Lixin’s neck.
Bai Lixin felt she might be looking at the Mermaid Heart.
After a brief thought, he took the black pearl hanging around his neck from his clothes and displayed it in front of the mermaid.
The originally calm mermaid quickly swung her tail and swam to Bai Lixin. She placed both hands on the glass, her eyes fixed on the Mermaid Heart in his hands.
Bai Lixin: “…”
Sure enough, what interested her was the Mermaid Heart.
What about the red-tailed mermaid?
Did she express goodwill toward him because of the Mermaid Heart?
Could it be that they actually knew about the Mermaid Heart?
Bai Lixin’s gaze flickered with surprise as he stared at the Mermaid Heart.
“Band, bang, bang.”
There was a knocking sound outside the glass. The beautiful elderly mermaid patted the glass heavily, pointed behind her under Bai Lixin’s gaze, and then left the submarine, heading in that direction.
After a brief eye contact with Xia Chi, Bai Lixin manipulated the submarine to follow the mermaid’s pace.
When she pointed in that direction, it seemed like she wanted them to go in that direction.
Xia Chi sat quietly and obediently in the co-pilot seat, looking somewhat dispirited.
Seeing this, Bai Lixin reached into his backpack, pulled out something, and handed it to Xia Chi. “Take this.”
Xia Chi forced himself to focus and glanced at the thing; it was a mint candy.
Taking the mint candy, Xia Chi looked at Bai Lixin gratefully. “Thank you, Brother. I originally wanted to help you, but I ended up holding you back this time. I’m sorry.”
Bai Lixin: “Don’t blame yourself. If fear could be easily overcome, it wouldn’t be fear.”
“In a sense, fear is actually a human self-preservation mechanism. Because of fear, we instinctively want to avoid. Often, in the human subconscious, when we think a certain existence might threaten us, the fear mechanism will remind the brain to avoid it promptly.”
“For example, some people have a natural fear of darkness. They’re not actually afraid of darkness itself, but of the unknown hidden in the darkness. Perhaps they’ve witnessed scenes of violence in the dark, or perhaps they subconsciously feel the darkness is unsafe. But because of fear, most people deliberately avoid darkness, avoiding the potential threats to their lives.”
“Similarly, for you, your fear of the deep sea—do you fear the sea itself, or is it the feeling of suffocation?”
Facing Bai Lixin’s question, Xia Chi hesitated for a moment before responding seriously, “It’s the feeling of suffocation. I almost drowned before, and since then, I’ve had an inexplicable fear of the sea. Even though I learned how to swim, this situation hasn’t improved. Every time I swim and the water covers my face, deep down, I shiver.”
Xia Chi paused, “Also, I fear the deep sea not only because of the feeling of suffocation but also because there are many unknown creatures in the deep sea. The ocean’s visibility is naturally low, and I don’t know if those creatures might harm me. Take the whale just now. It’s so huge that it could easily swallow us with one gulp. We wouldn’t even have a chance to resist.”
Bai Lixin: “So if you could breathe in the ocean, like these merfolk, would you still fear the feeling of suffocation from the sea?”
Xia Chi: “Of course not. For merfolk, the ocean is like air for us humans. If I could be like a merfolk, how could I fear air? I wouldn’t need to worry about running out of breath.”
Bai Lixin: “So, in essence, what you fear is not the sea itself but death.”
Xia Chi’s body suddenly stiffened, and the action of tearing the mint stopped.
After a moment, Xia Chi nodded, “You’re right, Brother. I fear death.”
Bai Lixin: “There’s nothing shameful about fearing death; it’s the essence of being human. Although death has been an inevitable topic since life began, survival has always been a biological instinct. Your reactions are just the most basic instincts of humans, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s normal, Xia Chi. Remember, you’re a person first, then a player in a horror game. Just because you’ve spent a long time in this horror game or climbed to a high level doesn’t mean you lose the right to feel fear.”
“You can be afraid, and I can be afraid. It’s not a bad thing.”
Xia Chi’s somewhat rigid shoulders finally relaxed, “Brother, you really know my heart. Ever since I reached the 600th floor, I don’t know why, but I always felt like showing fear is amateurish. So, I’ve pretended to be calm in many copies. Sometimes, when I don’t know how to stay calm, I think of you and then imitate your expression to steady myself.”
“But actually, I’m still afraid inside, and I dare not show it.”
“It’s different when I’m with you. When I’m with you, because of your presence, I feel like my role instantly changes from a player who needs to stand alone to a little follower who can hide behind you. Brother…” Xia Chi scratched his head, “Will you laugh at me?”
Bai Lixin: “Don’t overthink, quickly eat the candy.”
Xia Chi opened the plastic wrapping, popped a mint candy into his mouth, then let out a comfortable sigh, closing his eyes and leaning against the backrest.
After a two-second pause, Xia Chi opened his eyes again. A slightly different calm gaze fell on Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin glanced at Xia Chi.
For some reason, he felt that the current Xia Chi seemed a bit different from before.
Bai Lixin: “Is the mint candy tasty?”
Xia Chi: “Yes, thank you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Xia Chi shifted his body and sat up straight in the chair.
He looked outside the glass seriously, replacing the earlier absent-mindedness with composure.
Although it was the same person, the Xia Chi at this moment gave Bai Lixin a peculiar feeling.
As if there had been a sudden change.
An idea crossed Bai Lixin’s mind, and when his gaze landed on Xia Chi’s face again, it carried an inquisitive tone.
Xia Chi noticed Bai Lixin’s gaze and glanced at him, “Is there something on my face?”
Bai Lixin retracted his gaze, “No.”
———————————-
In the live broadcast room.
[Damn, Xia Chi really spoke my mind. He’s like my mouthpiece in the livestream. Even after experiencing it many times, when faced with something you fear, you still feel scared. It’s just that I know no one will come to save me, so I can only be strong on my own because fear doesn’t help at all.]
[God Xin said fear is useful; it helps us avoid danger. Although this seems more practical in the real world.]
[Xia Chi just said he acts strong when clearing copies alone, but when he’s with God Xin, his fear is released. Isn’t this a kind of dependence and trust in God Xin? Because he knows God Xin will save him when in danger and protect him at crucial moments, so the repressed emotions don’t need to be repressed anymore and are released.]
[God Xin is really gentle. Sometimes, I envy Xia Chi, Zhou Guang, and others. Why wasn’t it me who met God Xin initially? I also want to cling to such a big thigh. I remember there was a copy before, didn’t God Xin specifically go into that copy to rescue Zhou Guang?]
[It’s the copy of the Undead Magician. Not only Zhou Guang was saved, but also many other players.]
[I, I’m one of them. I still haven’t forgotten God Xin’s kindness. I’ve kept God Xin’s photo in my room since then. Whenever I have time, I worship it every day, praying for God Xin’s blessings and protection.]
[??? How did the topic suddenly take such a turn?]
[God Xin: First, I haven’t died yet; second, I still haven’t died.]
[God Xin: Thanks a lot.]
[Hahaha.]
—————————-
The submarine followed the merfolk.
Xia Chi sat next to Bai Lixin, not uttering a single word throughout the journey.
After swimming forward for awhile, the merfolk stopped in a circular passage.
The leading mermaid halted, waved to Bai Lixin, then plunged into the dark passage.
Bai Lixin saw other merfolk following suit and continued to pilot the submarine to catch up.
After passing through the passage and winding through this sea area for half an hour, the scenery in front gradually changed.
The previously pitch-black seafloor began to display colorful hues.
Among the gravel on the seabed and on the surrounding walls grew various types of algae and vibrant sea anemones. Some marine plants even emitted their own fluorescence, illuminating the originally dark seabed into a beautiful and otherworldly scene.
On the almost ninety-degree angle of the mountainous terrain underwater were many caves of various sizes. Above the caves hung strands of green seaweed, resembling curtains draped in front of doorways.
Under the green seaweed were numerous large shells. Some shells were tightly closed, while others were half-open.
Gigantic and beautiful fish tails extended from the edges of the shells, lazily draping over them. As Bai Lixin passed by, he glanced into one shell and discovered a beautiful mermaid peacefully asleep.
This seemed to be the merfolk’s lair.
!!??
‘Are all merfolk this naïve and sweet?’
He merely saved the red-tailed mermaid’s life, and they unabashedly led him to their lair?
What if he were a bad person?
Perhaps hearing the strange sound of the engine, the previously quiet seaweed curtains suddenly swayed.
Soon, the seaweed moved, and merfolk started emerging from inside the cave one after another.
The mermaid that had been sound asleep in the shell also opened her eyes.
Within moments, all the merfolk gathered in front of Bai Lixin’s submarine, scrutinizing him with curious yet cautious eyes.
Heated conversations among the merfolk soon ensued.
“Yiya.”
“Yiya yiya.”
“Yiyiyiya!!!”
“Yiya!”
“Yiya?”
“Yiyiya?”
Bai Lixin’s lips twitched as he listened to the lively chatter outside.
To be honest, he really didn’t plan to wake up the entire village. They wouldn’t flip the submarine in anger, right?
“Don’t worry,” Xia Chi said in a calmer voice than usual, “they won’t flip the submarine.”
Bai Lixin suddenly turned his head, gazing deeply at Xia Chi. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”
Xia Chi glanced at Bai Lixin. “I don’t know. I’m just answering my own question.”
Bai Lixin: “What about him?”
Xia Chi pointed to his own temple. “He needs time to recover, so he’s resting.”
Bai Lixin pursed his lips.
This person is Tang Yue.
Last time, he had encountered Tang Yue in the Zombie Queen’s copy. At that time, Tang Yue would only appear after Xia Chi fell into a deep sleep.
But Xia Chi wasn’t asleep this time, and Tang Yue could temporarily use Xia Chi’s body.
Tang Yue probably wouldn’t harm Xia Chi, but it was the first time he saw Tang Yue taking over Xia Chi so blatantly.
Could it be that Xia Chi already knew?
No, that’s not right. Xia Chi doesn’t know.
If Xia Chi knew, he wouldn’t have seemed so helpless facing thalassophobia earlier.
He still didn’t know about Tang Yue’s existence.
If that was the case, then how dare Tang Yue?
