Chapter 212: Mermaid Reef 13

The sea wind carried saltiness and damp chill; on the dead calm sea surface, the silhouettes of the merfolk slowly emerged, each face gorgeous enough to shock the heart.

"Honey, the merfolk have come."

On a black reef island of about a hundred square meters, only a few scattered tents were set up; Tu Mi lay in the shade wearing a bikini, sunglasses on, surrounded by several half‑naked handsome men in only briefs massaging her shoulders, very carefree; hearing the male's words, she slowly sat up.

She lowered her head slightly, pulled her sunglasses down a bit, and saw the water in front teeming with merfolk; but what caught her attention most were the two people crawling up the shore.

She raised the corners of her eyebrows slightly: "Isn't that Ye Xi'an and her husband?"

After Ye Xi'an went ashore, she also saw Tu Mi, inevitably shocked—could the Mermaid King's alleged kidnapping of fish fry be Tu Mi's doing?

"It's you who's using fish fry to threaten the merfolk into offering tears," he said bluntly.

Tu Mi stood up, her long legs bathed in sunlight taking on a healthy wheat tone: "Yeah, what's up?"

"Nothing much, just someone entrusted me to come rescue people."

Ye Xi'an tilted her head slightly and saw the male behind Tu Mi dragging two little merfolk; due to the pull of body gravity, the merfolk hatchlings' scalps were stretched, their bodies covered in deep and shallow wounds, looking somewhat terrifying.

Their fish tails hung limp, the beautiful scales lost their former luster, becoming dull and lackluster; their tiny faces were streaked with tears, their breathing so faint it was barely detectable.

Zhu Shen Xing's beastfolk have always loved hatchlings, no matter whose; seeing the merfolk hatchlings abused like this, Zhu Shen Xing's virtuous wife and good husband, Ji Jiangci, instantly felt his heart ache.

"Are you crazy? You even abuse hatchlings?"

Tu Mi looked at Ji Jiangci somewhat amused: "It's not even a beastman's hatchling—what's your pity worth? I didn't steam‑fry these two brats just because I was hungry; that would already be merciful, so stop using your saintly heart to blame me."

After saying that, her two close friends put their arms around Ye Xi'an's shoulders; Ye Xi'an said nothing, merely glancing askance at the hand resting on her shoulder, wondering what Tu Mi intended to do.

The moment Tu Mi put her arm on Ye Xi'an's shoulder, she was already gauging Ye Xi'an's reaction: if it were the old Ye Xi'an, she'd surely be crying and running to her male's back for protection; Tu Mi said, "Ye Xi'an, after all this time apart, you've changed quite a bit."

Ye Xi'an's lips twitched slightly: "You, on the other hand, haven't changed a bit."

"I don't want to waste time—will you release the fish fry or not?"

"Of course... not releasing them!"

Afterward the two began exchanging glares—not because Ye Xi'an thought she couldn't beat Tu Mi, but because they were both from Zhu Shen Xing, and Tu Mi had helped her before, so if possible she preferred not to fight.

But their standoff was taken by the merfolk as a conspiracy.

The Mermaid King's icy‑blue eyes locked onto Ye Xi'an, who had her arm linked with Tu Mi's, the killing intent within them almost solidifying.

Turns out they're in cahoots!

That thought was like a poison‑coated dagger, instantly piercing the heart of every merfolk present.

We had thought we were awaiting the divine savior who would rescue the hatchlings, but instead it turned out to be a band of thieves and swindlers joining forces.

What irony.

"Kill the two‑legged beasts!"

No one knows who let out the first roar.

The next moment, furious roars rose and fell, completely igniting this suppressed reef island.

The merfolk warrior closest to Ye Xi'an, with a golden fish tail, had murderous intent flashing in his eyes; his coral spear sliced the air with a sharp whistle, thrusting straight at Ye Xi'an's heart.

He gave no chance for any explanation.

Or rather, when one sees one's own child held by the enemy while the so‑called reinforcements turn out to be acquainted with the enemy, any words seem pale and powerless.

Ji Jiangci reacted instantly, grabbing Ye Xi'an and pulling her behind him, then unleashing a wind blade that precisely blocked that deadly strike.

"Clang——"

Blade and coral collided, emitting a piercing screech as sparks flew.

"What are you doing?!"

Ji Jiangci growled low, his eyes holding a hint of doubt and overwhelming fury.

His wife helped these merfolk rescue the hatchlings, yet these merfolk dared to lay hands on his wife!

Ye Xi'an also wondered, looking at the Mermaid King: "Why are you attacking me?"

"You liar, how dare you say that! You're clearly in league together, yet you still lied to me, claiming you came to help us rescue the hatchlings."

The Mermaid King slowly opened his mouth; his voice low and hoarse, each word seeming to be ground out from deep in his throat, tinged with the taste of blood.

Ye Xi'an suddenly realized that the merfolk had misunderstood her relationship with Tu Mi.

Tu Mi watched the scene with interest; though she couldn't understand the merfolk's words, from their expressions she'd already guessed seven‑eighths of it, seeing Ye Xi'an trapped in a situation where she couldn't defend herself, the curve of her lips grew ever more pleased.

She even kindly lifted the already‑unconscious merfolk hatchling in her hand and waved it at the Mermaid King.

"Ye Xi'an, is this the person you're trying to help? I think they don't seem very grateful."

Ye Xi'an had no time to quarrel with Tu Mi; she only told the Mermaid King, "I'm not in league with her—whether you believe it or not, as long as I rescue the hatchlings today, you must give me ten merfolk tears."

"Tu Mi, hand over the hatchlings!"

Tu Mi looked at Ye Xi'an with a contemptuous smile; although her aura had changed, she was still naively foolish—Ye Xi'an only brought one husband, but here she had a full seven, each a seventh‑level ability user; no matter how you think, Ye Xi'an shouldn't speak to her in that tone.

Tu Mi thought Ye Xi'an was a naïve sweetie, not wanting to waste time on her; she instead held up five fingers at the Mermaid King, then grabbed the merfolk hatchling's neck, squeezing slightly—her meaning was that the merfolk must now offer five tears, or she'd strangle it.

The Mermaid King's eyes turned blood‑red; his helplessness over the hatchling and his anger at Ye Xi'an's betrayal mingled together, actually triggering his evolution.

The merfolk's song could only disturb human brainwaves to lure people into dreams, so after a jammer was placed here, their song became useless, which is why they'd never been able to rescue the fry.

But after the Mermaid King evolved, his song turned into a substantive blade, sharply tearing through the air to attack Tu Mi.

Unfortunately, even though the Mermaid King was still no match for the beastfolk, a metal‑type beastman at Tu Mi's side conjured a golden whip that could extend at will, shattered the merfolk's attack, then lunged straight at him, flinging the Mermaid King back into the sea.

Watching this scene, Ye Xi'an frowned, gave Ji Jiangci a displeased glance, and whispered, "Why won't you let me fight?"