Chapter 26: Love and Testing in the Deep Sea
Great, the first move of the game was played correctly.
Gu Yunsheng feigned exhaustion and rubbed his temples, letting out a soft sigh. However, he didn’t lean on Ling Xi. Instead, he looked straight into A-Yuanâs eyes, his tone carrying a well-judged amount of tension and unease: “King Yuan, you are truly… swift and decisive. Speaking with a powerhouse like you, to be honest, Iâm under a lot of mental pressure. I hope you can keep your promise…” He paused as if to calm his emotions, then looked up at A-Yuan with a touch of sincere expectation in his eyes, “You are the King of the Black Sea, a man of your word. I believe in you.”
These words were a clever move of “retreating to advance.” Gu Yunsheng seemed to be showing weakness, but he had subtly grasped the psychology of the two merman kings.
For A-Yuan, he expressed both awe for the strong and affirmation of his status and credibility, satisfying A-Yuanâs desire for control and vanity.
At the same time, Gu Yunsheng didn’t show flattery or fawning. Instead, he maintained an appropriate sense of distance, which conversely piqued A-Yuanâs interestâthis Omega was quite interesting.
As for Ling Xi, Gu Yunshengâs “exhaustion” and “unease” were like a silent cry for help, triggering his protective desire.
More importantly, when facing a powerful enemy, Gu Yunsheng didn’t hide behind him to seek shelter but bravely stood out to deal with him. This independence and courage made Ling Xi look at him in a new light.
Sure enough, hearing Gu Yunshengâs words, a playful smile appeared on A-Yuanâs face, and his tone gained a bit of warmth: “Interesting. You aren’t afraid of me?”
Ling Xi had been watching all this coldly from the side, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the conversation between Gu Yunsheng and A-Yuan.
He wanted to see what kind of tricks this human was trying to play.
However, Gu Yunshengâs performanceâneither humble nor arrogant, overcoming toughness with softnessâmade him nod inwardly. This human was much smarter and braver than he had imagined.
“I… of course Iâm afraid,” Gu Yunsheng shrank back slightly, but still looked directly into A-Yuanâs eyes, his tone certain. “But I also believe that a powerhouse like you would disdain to deceive a weakling.”
“Hahaha, well said!” A-Yuan laughed heartily, his gaze full of appreciation as he looked at Gu Yunsheng. “You have great courage; I admire you.
Rest assured, I, A-Yuan, always mean what I say. As long as you cooperate obediently, I will naturally fulfill my promise.”
“Thatâs good.” Gu Yunsheng lightly patted his chest as if relieved. Then he turned to look at Ling Xi, his eyes holding a bit of exhaustion and dependence. “Ling Xi, Iâm a bit tired. Letâs go back.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Ling Xi didn’t say much. He reached out and put his arm around Gu Yunshengâs waist, taking him away.
A-Yuan stood in place, watching their backs as they swam toward the deep sea, his eyes flickering with an indiscernible light.
This human Omega had successfully piqued his interest, making him look forward even more to the developments ahead.
…
After parting with A-Yuan, Gu Yunshengâs heart skipped a beat, instinctively wanting to avoid Ling Xiâs gaze.
However, Ling Xi seemed to have seen through his thoughts. He suddenly reached out, pulled him into his arms, and swam toward that dark and deep sea trench.
“Yunsheng, youâre really getting more and more daring…” Ling Xiâs voice was low and hoarse, carrying a bit of danger, yet strangely reassuring.
He buried his head in Gu Yunshengâs neck, greedily breathing in the scent belonging to him. “Do you know how captivating you were just now?”
Gu Yunshengâs face turned red in an instant. The changes in Ling Xi made his heart thump uncontrollably. He felt as if he were being scalded by the temperature of Ling Xiâs body, especially near his ear, which felt numb and itchy. He couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
Ling Xi held Gu Yunsheng, swimming all the way to a reef cave hidden in the deep sea. His fingers wandered restlessly over his body. Through the thin fabric, Gu Yunsheng could feel the heat of Ling Xiâs palm and those powerful fingers lightly stroking his waist. How embarrassing!
“Ling Xi…” Gu Yunshengâs voice was as soft as a mosquitoâs buzz. He struggled slightly to push Ling Xi away, but didn’t dare use too much force.
“I, I…” His eyes drifted, not daring to meet Ling Xiâs gaze. His cheeks flushed as he said softly, “Iâm human; I can’t breathe in the deep sea…”
Looking at the person in his arms, Ling Xi feigned anger and tilted his chin up, his tone full of doting. “Oh? Is that so?”
He lowered his head close to Gu Yunshengâs ear, his warm breath spraying on his earlobe, causing Gu Yunsheng to tremble. “Hahahaha… you little liar. You swallowed my Mermaid Pearl; aren’t you breathing perfectly fine in the deep sea?”
“But…”
“No buts,” Ling Xi interrupted Gu Yunsheng domineeringly. “Yunsheng, look at me.”
Gu Yunsheng was forced to look up and meet Ling Xiâs deep eyes.
The emotions churning in those eyes were so complex, like a surging undercurrent hidden beneath a calm sea surface, making Gu Yunshengâs heartbeat accelerate involuntarily.
“Xi…” Gu Yunshengâs voice was tiny, as if he were frightened, his cheeks very red.
Ling Xi didn’t speak. He just looked at Gu Yunsheng so intently, as if only he existed in the entire world.
The next second, Ling Xi slowly lowered his head and gently kissed the corner of Gu Yunshengâs mouth.
“Little goblin…” Ling Xiâs voice was low and raspy, as if speaking right against Gu Yunshengâs ear. “One day, I want you to stay by my side of your own free will…”
In the deep seawater, two closely embracing figures dived deeper and deeper, finally disappearing into the silence.
…
Returning to the palace, Ling Xi carefully placed Gu Yunsheng on the soft seagrass bed.
“Yunsheng, what do you want?” Ling Xiâs voice carried a trace of imperceptible tenderness. “Just say the word, and Iâll give it to you.”
Gu Yunsheng looked at him blankly, a warm current suddenly surging in his heart, sweet and pleasant.
He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
“Xi, I…”
“Shh…” Ling Xi extended his finger and gently pressed it against Gu Yunshengâs lips. “Don’t say anything. I know what youâre thinking.”
He leaned over, pressing against Gu Yunshengâs ear, and said softly: “Yunsheng, stay by my side, okay?”
Ling Xiâs current deep affection was certainly tempting, but Gu Yunsheng knew well that if he couldn’t resolve the hidden danger of Mr. K, he, Ling Xi, and even the entire merman tribe would never find true peace and happiness.
Thinking of this, Gu Yunsheng blew a few bubbles in the sea, suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his heart, and looked up, his gaze meeting Ling Xiâs deep blue eyes.
“Ling Xi,” his voice was soft but firm, “I promise to stay, but I need you to help me.”
“What do you need me to help with?” Ling Xi raised an eyebrow with a bit of curiosity. He reclined lazily on the shell bed, propping his head with one hand, his dark blue hair pouring down like seagrass.
Gu Yunsheng took a deep breath, organized his words, and slowly said: “I suspect the man I met on land the other day named Xue Chenxi is connected to the hospital.”
He paused, recalling the scene from that day, his brows slightly furrowing. “He appeared very abruptly then, and…”
Gu Yunsheng hesitated for a moment but decided to speak his suspicion. “He seemed very interested in my blood.”
“Your blood?” Ling Xi sat up slightly, a cold light flashing in his deep blue eyes. He seemed entirely unaware of the fact that he had previously stabbed Gu Yunsheng. “What did he do to you?”
As he spoke, he slowly raised his arm, revealing the already scabbed wound. That scar wasn’t deep, but it sat on his arm, reminding him of what happened on land.
“I suspect he wanted to use my blood to attract you.”
Gu Yunsheng paused after speaking, his gaze revealing a trace of worry. He didn’t know exactly how many sides Ling Xiâs multiple personalities had, nor did he know which side would appear the next secondâwhether it would be like before, becoming cold and ruthless.
He couldn’t help but recall the psychology books he had read in his own world, which mentioned humans could have up to sixteen personalities. What about mermen?
Could mermen have the same complex personalities?
The moment this thought appeared, it grew wildly in his mind like vines.
Gu Yunshengâs heart was a tangled mess.
He stole a glance at Ling Xi, but found his expression unreadable, his deep eyes seemingly hiding ten thousand thoughts, making it impossible to see through him.
Would he think he was being unreasonable?
Would he suddenly become violent and irritable like before?
Or would he… not care at all?
Various guesses hit Gu Yunshengâs heart like waves, one after another, making his heart beat faster and faster, almost jumping out of his throat.
“Who is Xue Chenxi? What did he do to you?” Ling Xiâs tone held a trace of confusion, as if he didn’t remember what had happened before.
Yes, the previous Ling Xi was so terrifying, strong enough to easily kick up a tsunami. The churning waves seemed as if they would swallow everything.
If he hadn’t used all his strength to wake him up, he probably would have died under his fish-bone blade long ago. Thinking of that cold touch even now made his heart tremble with fear.
Gu Yunsheng thought about this and subconsciously rubbed the ring on his finger. That was the protective equipment the System gave him. If not for the ringâs rescue, would he and Ling Xi still be lying on the shell bed of the Undersea Palace?
He looked up at Ling Xi. Those deep eyes were currently covered by a layer of thin mist, making them hard to decipher.
How should he explain to Ling Xi who Xue Chenxi was? Who he was didn’t actually matter to the merman; what mattered was what he did to him? It seemed he hadn’t done much…
“He… he didn’t do anything to me, really. Am I not perfectly fine now?” Gu Yunsheng turned his gaze away unnaturally, not daring to look into Ling Xiâs eyes. He struggled to sit up, his gaze intentionally avoiding Ling Xi and landing on a school of colorful fish and shrimp swimming on the nearby coral reef. “Speaking of which, I… I seem to be a bit hungry…”
“Is that so? I don’t believe it.” The corner of Ling Xiâs mouth hooked into a playful arc. With a bit of unreasonable mischief, he reached out and gently pushed Gu Yunsheng back down onto the shell bed.
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