FBWCFCBH 73

Chapter – 73

The Merman Pearl

The man’s voice began to tremble.
“Yes… I’ll go handle it right away.”

Hearing that, Li Mujin nodded in satisfaction.

He walked straight into the room and saw that Li Qingqing was still obediently waiting inside. His heart instantly filled with joy.

“Qingqing, I knew you would wait for me,” he said, hopping around happily like a little deer.

Suddenly, she felt that he and Feng Hao were actually very similar—both trapped by family ties, both like children who had never truly grown up.

“What’s wrong? Are you so happy because you’re going to marry me?” he asked, worry filling his eyes.

The moment Li Qingqing heard the word marry, she snapped back to her senses.

Right… this meant she would marry him, not take him as a husband.

She had already transmigrated into the beast world—did she still have to suffer the fate of being married off? Why should she?

She couldn’t compromise just because he was pitiful.

“Of course I’m happy. Go prepare first. I’ll wait for you here.”
She showed a sweet smile, her voice soft and charming.

But Li Mujin’s upturned lips suddenly stiffened.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you deliberately flattering me so you can escape later?”

“Why does no one want me!”

As he spoke, he grabbed Li Qingqing’s arm tightly, his knuckles turning white.

She had no choice but to gently hug him.

“Mujin, calm down. You’re scaring me.”

His breathing slowly steadied. Soon he returned to that harmless, innocent expression.

“Don’t be afraid of me. I’ll go hurry them to prepare.”

Inside the shell, Xiao Ziye listened to their conversation. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails were almost digging into his flesh.

Marriage.

She had clearly promised him she wouldn’t marry Li Mujin.

It’s fine… it’s fine…

He forced himself to calm down, repeating to himself countless times that Qingqing must just be lying to him—a temporary strategy.

When Li Qingqing saw Li Mujin leave, she finally opened the shell and let Xiao Ziye out.

The moment he came out, Xiao Ziye grabbed her and forcefully kissed her.

One hand held the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

“W-wait…”
She was kissed until she was breathless, unable to speak a full sentence.

After a long time, he finally released her.

“Even if it’s just a temporary plan, you’re not allowed to agree to marry him. This is your punishment.”

As he spoke, he lightly bit her lip again.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Li Qingqing could only lightly punch his shoulder to vent her frustration.

“Stop messing around. Finding someone is more important. Let’s leave this terrible place first.”

She grabbed Xiao Ziye’s hand and pulled him outside.

Along the way, the two of them avoided many patrol guards.

“Hey, the one up ahead looks a bit like that dead fish,” Xiao Ziye said, pointing at a blue-haired merman in front of them.

“Kind of… but why is he wearing a pearl veil and a shell bra…”
The more Li Qingqing looked, the more ridiculous it seemed. But that figure really did resemble Su Han.

“That dead fish might be weak, but he’s pretty clever. He even learned how to disguise himself as a female.”

As he spoke, Xiao Ziye pried a pearl from the floor and threw it at the merman ahead.

The pearl hit Su Han on the head.

He looked around for the culprit. When he turned around, he saw Li Qingqing and Xiao Ziye waving at him.

His eyes lit up, and he ran toward them excitedly.

“That’s great! You’re fine. Looks like my brother didn’t do anything to you.”
He smiled foolishly, making it hard even for Xiao Ziye to scold him.

“Fine? Your brother is preparing to marry her!”
Thinking of Li Mujin, Xiao Ziye gritted his teeth in anger.

Especially since he shared the same surname Li as Qingqing.

If he had known earlier, he would have agreed when Li Yue wanted him to take the surname Li after adopting him.

At the time, he didn’t know why, but there was always a voice in his head telling him that his name was Xiao Ziye. That was why he insisted on keeping it.

Su Han’s pupils shrank slightly. He never expected that Li Mujin would also develop feelings for Li Qingqing.

“Enough talking. Let’s hurry and leave!”
Li Qingqing grabbed both of them, preparing to go.

But Su Han suddenly stopped.

“No. I have to go get my merman pearl back.”

The corner of Li Qingqing’s mouth twitched.

Brother… can you even beat him? And you still want to get your pearl back?

And from what she had seen along the way, the merfolk didn’t really care who ruled Atlantis as the city lord.

They worshipped strength above all.

“I should have checked where your brain went when I rescued you that day.”

“When he went ashore you didn’t think about your pearl, and now you do? This is his territory. All the people here are his citizens. You’ll die a hundred times over.”

Li Qingqing really wanted to just knock him out and drag him away.

“If I don’t have my merman pearl, I’ll always be a useless person like this. I don’t want to be useless anymore.”

His tone was firm, as if he had already made up his mind.

Li Qingqing let go of his hand. She had decided to respect his fate.

Xiao Ziye rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Go ahead. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with our Silver Tiger Tribe anymore.”

Li Qingqing nodded. That was exactly what she wanted to say.

If she didn’t leave soon, she might actually be dragged away to get married.

Just as she was about to pull Xiao Ziye away, the system started causing trouble again.

[Side Mission Activated: Help Su Han retrieve the Merman Pearl.]
[Reward: Tribal Prestige Value instantly maxed.]

But then again…

“No, you’re already a member of our Silver Tiger Tribe. As the leader, I must help you get your merman pearl back!”
Li Qingqing’s eyes were even more determined than Su Han’s had been earlier.

Xiao Ziye nearly ground his teeth to dust.

“Li! Qing! Qing!”

She gave him an apologetic look.

She was being threatened and tempted by the system too.

Max prestige meant she could obtain one million spirit stones.

One million spirit stones meant she could max out all her abilities.

Maxing all abilities meant she could dominate the entire Beast Continent.

All in all, it was a profitable deal.

“Ah… fine. Let’s go.”
Xiao Ziye compromised once again.

The three of them followed Li Mujin’s trail.

Su Han knew the place very well. After hearing from Li Qingqing that Li Mujin was preparing a wedding, he immediately thought of a location.

He led the way, perfectly avoiding every patrol point.

“Back on land we’re still sleeping in caves, but you people under the sea already sleep in places like this,” Li Qingqing sighed.

“But we can’t make fire underwater. We can only eat fish and shrimp.”

As he said this, Su Han suddenly remembered the dishes Li Qingqing had cooked before and unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

Xiao Ziye also looked around curiously.

This place really was nicer than the land.

And for some reason, he felt strangely familiar with it—as if he had been here before.

But he couldn’t remember anything.

“Ziye, what’s wrong?” Li Qingqing noticed his strange behavior and asked with concern.

Xiao Ziye shook his head.

“Nothing.”

Su Han led the three of them to a place that looked like a temple.