The dinner provided by the villa was something the players dared not touch. Instead, the six of them found another spot to have their meal.
For C-level players, as long as conditions allowed, most of them prepared nearly a month’s worth of food in their personal storage to avoid going hungry due to unexpected events in the game world.
Gu Jiu and Qi Yuheng, being particular about their meals, had brought along a lavish selection of food, all prepared by top chefs in the real world.
However, after catching a whiff of the unique and tantalizing aroma of an unknown fish sashimi in the villa’s restaurant earlier, the players now found it hard to enjoy even the finest delicacies.
Ge Guang stuffed a rice ball into his mouth and sighed, “It’s terrifying. I can’t stop thinking about that sashimi.”
Lu Haidi nodded in agreement, clearly unsettled.
Qi Yuheng’s face was filled with disgust. “Why would you even think about it? Who knows what kind of creature that meat came from? What if it’s full of parasites or toxins? Just recall all those movies you’ve seen about parasites. Still feel like eating?”
Everyone fell silent.
His words immediately painted a vivid mental image for them.
Ge Guang and Lu Haidi couldn’t hold it in any longer; they turned their heads and gagged.
Qi Yuheng looked at the two men with disdain before turning his gaze to the slightly pale-faced Ruan Yuan, as well as the calm Gu Jiu and Lu Ji. Suddenly, he found himself agreeing with some players on the free forum: in the game world, female players often had higher tolerance and mental resilience compared to male players. Perhaps this stemmed from an inherent toughness in many women’s bones?
After a tasteless dinner, the group returned to their rooms to rest.
The sky outside gradually darkened.
Perhaps because the sea was constantly shrouded in thick clouds, the night brought no starlight or moonlight. When the lights were turned off, the entire world was swallowed by impenetrable darkness.
Gu Jiu, however, had the habit of keeping a bedside lamp on, ensuring the room wouldn’t be plunged into complete blackness.
The weather was stiflingly hot. Even in thin summer clothing, she soon broke out in a sweat.
Glancing at Lu Ji, Gu Jiu reached out to touch her cool, clean face. Her hand moved from her face downward, brushing against her long, elegant neck. Her skin felt smooth and cool, like polished jade, an incredibly pleasant sensation.
Lu Ji froze entirely.
For most living beings, the neck was a vulnerable area. Although not particularly fragile for Lu Ji, it was still a sensitive spot. The gentle touch of her soft, boneless hand nearly made him lose control of his body’s reaction.
“Ah Ji, your constitution is amazing. In this suffocating heat, you’re not even sweating,” Gu Jiu remarked enviously, unable to resist running her hand over her neck again.
His dry, clean skin was incredibly comfortable to touch, far better than sweaty, sticky skin.
Lu Ji was at a loss for words.
He couldn’t possibly say, “If you like it, feel free to touch as much as you want,” right?
If he did, even if Gu Jiu wasn’t thinking along those lines, she’d definitely start suspecting his impure intentions. Not that it would be a big deal if she knew, but he hadn’t yet figured out how to reveal to her that he wasn’t the underaged girl she thought he was…
Suddenly, Lu Ji thought of a very serious problem.
If Gu Jiu found out that he wasn’t actually a girl, what would her reaction be? Would she be angry, or…?
The thought made cold sweat break out on Lu Ji’s otherwise pristine skin.
After Gu Jiu had her fill of touching, she said, “Ah Ji, I’m going to take a shower.”
Lu Ji absentmindedly responded, watching her walk toward the bathroom. However, she stopped at the doorway and didn’t go in.
“What’s wrong, Ah Jiu?”
Thinking something might be amiss, Lu Ji approached her from behind and looked inside. His eyes immediately landed on the pair of mermaid dolls sitting on the sink.
The mermaid dolls were facing the door, their expressions twisted in malice and anger.
Having been thrown into the sea several times, these two humans had finally infuriated them. Their intense rage had now transformed into a burning hatred.
Gu Jiu walked forward, grabbed their intertwined tails, and lifted them upside down. She carried them to the balcony and tossed them out without hesitation. Waving mockingly at the dolls, she said, “Goodbye.”
The mermaid dolls: “….”
After Gu Jiu discarded the dolls, Lu Ji casually threw a few small paper talismans onto the balcony to guard the area. He then locked the glass door.
Once the two of them finished showering, the night had grown even darker.
The sound of the tide flowed through the windows, a steady rhythm that dispelled some of the night’s oppressive heat.
To prevent the mermaid dolls from coming inside, all the doors and windows were shut tight. Without the sea breeze, the room felt unbearably stuffy, much to Gu Jiu’s frustration. Even more infuriating, there was no air conditioning in the villa.
“This so-called Sea God is way too stingy. Air conditioning doesn’t even use that much electricity,” she complained, once again venting her grievances about the mysterious Sea God.
Lu Ji explained, “The electricity in the villa comes from small generators. The power supply is limited.”
“They can afford to build a villa but can’t spring for a larger generator? Seriously, it’s not that I want to complain, but this Sea God boss seems pretty low-budget,” Gu Jiu muttered, unimpressed.
Lu Ji had no rebuttal.
As the sound of the waves filled the room, Gu Jiu suddenly rolled over and wrapped her arms around Lu Ji.
“Ah Jiu?” Lu Ji froze.
Hugging her tightly, Gu Jiu snuggled closer and sighed contentedly. “Ah Ji, your body is so cool, like a natural air conditioner. This feels amazing. Can I hug you tonight? I promise, I’m just hugging. I won’t do anything else!”
Why did that sound so much like the classic excuse of certain scummy guys trying to fool innocent girls: “I just want to hold you, I won’t do anything, I swear”?
Lu Ji wasn’t a naive girl, but this was his first time encountering such a situation. Completely inexperienced, he was both stunned and overjoyed. The surprise was so overwhelming that he needed a moment to process it.
Before his rational mind could catch up, his mouth had already answered.
“Okay.”
Delighted, Gu Jiu tightened her hold, snuggling against her human air conditioner and drifting off to sleep with a happy sigh.
Within minutes, her breathing became steady and soft. She had fallen asleep, her excellent sleep quality showing once again.
Listening to her rhythmic breaths and catching the faint scent of her, Lu Ji’s cheeks remained flushed for a long time. He was so dazed that he didn’t even notice the commotion outside.
The two mermaid dolls had crawled back up from the deep sea.
Fuming with rage, they were determined to take revenge on those two humans. However, the moment they leapt onto the balcony, they were stopped by five small paper talismans standing guard.
Although they were called mermaid dolls, their size rivaled that of a human’s arm, while the talismans were no bigger than a palm. In comparison, the tiny paper figures looked delicate and insignificant.
The mermaid dolls, of course, didn’t take the talismans seriously at all.
The mermaid dolls extended their hands. Though their bodies appeared to be made of cheap plastic, their slender fingers were tipped with sharp, curved claws resembling those of an animal. When the claws scraped against the floor, a screeching sound rang out, and tiny sparks flew.
With a fierce swipe, one of the mermaid dolls lunged at the small paper talismans, intent on shredding them into confetti.
Unfazed, one of the paper figures brandished a thin wooden stick, taller than its own tiny frame, and swung it fiercely. With a single blow, both mermaid dolls were sent flying, crashing into the balcony railing.
The mermaid dolls: “.…”
Stunned for a moment, the dolls’ bewilderment quickly gave way to seething rage. They resolved to go all out against these paper creations.
The battle between the five paper talismans and the mermaid dolls was nothing short of spectacular—or rather, it was the talismans dominating the dolls as if they were punching bags. Yet, despite their relentless beating, the mermaid dolls proved incredibly resilient. Their cheap plastic bodies weren’t so easily destroyed, leaving the talismans momentarily at a stalemate.
Being unable to fight back only fueled the mermaid dolls’ fury. At this point, their hatred for Gu Jiu paled in comparison to their enmity toward these paper creations.
The items on the balcony bore the brunt of the skirmish, clattering and shattering into a chaotic mess.
Suddenly, with a sharp sliding sound, the balcony’s glass door was pulled open. A tall figure appeared in the doorway.
Both the paper talismans and the mermaid dolls froze mid-battle, turning their attention toward the newcomer. The figure stood silhouetted against the room’s light, their face obscured in shadow, making their expression unreadable. But regardless of their appearance, the aura emanating from this individual was terrifying.
Even the previously arrogant mermaid dolls couldn’t suppress their instinctive shivers.
“You’re too noisy,” came a deep, resonant voice, indistinguishable in gender. “If you keep this up, I’ll tear you all to pieces and feed you to the fish.”
Both the talismans and the mermaid dolls hurriedly nodded, silently vowing to be as quiet as possible.
The figure cast an unreadable glance at them before turning away. As the glass door slid shut again, the five paper talismans and the mermaid dolls resumed their fight, but this time, they battled in silence, careful not to make any loud noises.
—
Gu Jiu was aware she was dreaming.
The game world seemed to have a unique feature: if a player woke up inside a dream, they could immediately discern that they were dreaming.
In her dream, there was crystal-clear seawater, warm sunlight, golden sand, and beautiful shells scattered across the beach.
In the distance, where the sea met the sky, seagulls soared gracefully. Everything was peaceful and picturesque.
Gu Jiu walked barefoot on the soft sand, letting the gentle waves lap at her ankles. She could even feel the temperature of the water against her skin.
Was this a case of her day’s experiences influencing her dreams?
They had spent the entire afternoon playing on the beach, so now she was dreaming about it?
Her expression grew amused. She wasn’t in any rush to analyze the meaning behind this dream. Instead, she strolled leisurely along the shoreline, savoring the serene seascape.
That was until she noticed a figure in the distance.
Even from afar, Gu Jiu immediately recognized Lu Ji’s back.
She didn’t impulsively run toward her. Instead, she stood still, watching her figure. A strange, unfamiliar emotion stirred within her, as though her heart was telling her this person was her beloved. She loved her more than life itself and was willing to give up anything for her.
A blush crept unbidden onto her cheeks, her almond-shaped eyes growing hazy with emotion. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest.
Her body’s reaction screamed that she was deeply in love, longing to throw herself into her arms. Yet her rational mind calmly reminded her that this was all a dream. She hadn’t fallen for anyone, nor did she have a lover.
She slowly walked toward Lu Ji.
“Ah Ji,” she called softly, her misty eyes filled with unmistakable love and tenderness.
The person with her back to her turned around slowly, and Gu Jiu finally saw her face.
“Ah Jiu,” she called her gently, her voice warm and affectionate.
The figure had Lu Ji’s body, wore Lu Ji’s clothes, and even spoke in Lu Ji’s voice—but the face was unmistakably that of a fish. The grotesque visage utterly shattered the image of Lu Ji’s beauty in her heart.
The blush faded from Gu Jiu’s cheeks, the haze in her eyes dissipated, and she stared at “her” with an impassive expression.
The fish-faced person diligently continued to play the role of Lu Ji. “Ah Jiu, do you like it here? During the day, we played in these waves. I know this is what you love.”
Gu Jiu: “…Oh.”
The fish-faced person took her hand, speaking with a tone as tender as water. “Ah Jiu, here in this place, let the Sea God witness our love. What do you think?”
Gu Jiu’s face remained expressionless. “How would we do that?”
The fish-faced person lit up with joy. “We can participate in the Sea God’s ritual and dedicate our pure love to him. Don’t you think that’s perfect?”
“…”
As the fish-faced person leaned down toward her, the overwhelming stench of fish assaulted her nose, pushing Gu Jiu’s patience to its limit.
Her Demon’s Claw struck viciously at the fish-faced person’s grotesque features as she roared in anger:
“Pure, my ass! How dare you, a fish-faced freak, pretend to be Ah Ji? Does Ah Ji look as ugly as you? Does your mother know she birthed something this hideous? How do you even have the nerve to impersonate a pretty little girl like Ah Ji? If I had a lover as ugly as you, I’d kill myself immediately—”
Caught off guard, the fish-faced person received five bloody scratches across its face from the gauntlet, clutching its bleeding wounds as it howled in pain.
Before it could react, a barrage of punches rained down like a violent storm, leaving it utterly stunned and battered.