【Live coverage of the engagement ceremony! Underwater palace photos revealed!】
【Entry begins at 9 AM, filled with joy and laughter!】
【Distinguished guests! Blogger introduces you to the VIPs!】
【Reliving the story of how the King and Prince Selarl met—such destiny!】
“So excited, waiting for the grand spectacle!”
“Tasman’s second most perfect day—the most perfect will be the wedding in a month!”
“I’m moved to tears right now. Blessings to the King for finding true love, blessings to Prince Selarl for marrying his idol!”
“Prince Selarl is so devoted, I’m touched too. The King’s perfect lover!”
“Uh… no photos have been posted yet, why are these all bot comments?”
[Comment “Uh*******ah” suspected of spreading rumors and causing trouble, has been deleted]
……
At 9 AM, the lamp posts inside and outside the palace were refilled with fluorescent stones, their light seeming like a rising sun, becoming dazzling inch by inch.
Guests emerged from the Jellyfish Hotel and entered the underwater auditorium one by one, chatting and laughing along the way. The sound waves made the kelp tree bubbles sway gently, like boats bobbing in wind and waves.
No one knew what shocking storms would occur on such a joyous and peaceful day.
Zhan Pingchuan and Lance didn’t fall asleep until nearly 3 AM, but Zhan Pingchuan woke up at 7.
He reached behind his back to feel his spine, then lifted his hand to his shoulder, pressing where the bullet had pierced through.
It was like a dream.
Lance wasn’t as energetic as him. Summoning the Outer God once had consumed most of his strength, so he slept until 9 AM before feeling somewhat better.
As soon as Lance woke up, he found Zhan Pingchuan sitting by the bed watching over him, so he closed his eyes and leaned toward Zhan Pingchuan.
Zhan Pingchuan opened his arms, letting the little fox rest on his shoulder.
Lance’s reddish-brown long hair was disheveled, covering his waist and back. His warm, soft body pressed against Zhan Pingchuan’s chest.
He didn’t speak, as if ready to get up but completely sleep-deprived.
“Carry baby to bathe?” Zhan Pingchuan gently patted his back and asked softly, gentian pheromones faintly drifting out, surrounding Lance.
“Mm.” Lance hummed through his nose.
Zhan Pingchuan wrapped one arm around Lance’s back, the other supporting his legs, carrying him to the shower.
The fresh water on the seabed also had a faint salty taste—probably the limit of purification.
But it was better than nothing. Zhan Pingchuan turned on the heat lamp, stripped Lance of his pajamas, and placed him in the bathtub.
Warm water poured down, and Lance finally barely opened his eyes, using his wet arms to hug Zhan Pingchuan’s arm.
Zhan Pingchuan breathed deeply but couldn’t completely suppress his impulses.
If not for today’s important matters, it definitely wouldn’t be just a simple bath.
At 9:30, after hurriedly washing up, Lance finally perked up.
Adrian and Dream Witch had been waiting for a long time. Seeing them emerge from their room, each handed them a piece of bread.
“No time for breakfast. Let’s go to the palace too.”
They followed the tail end of the distinguished guests, walking through yesterday’s familiar corridors toward the palace interior.
Clanging sounds echoed in the corridor—palace staff were replacing the lamp posts along the way.
Brighter, more dazzling fluorescent stones had been forcibly installed in Sandro’s chambers.
He squinted his sleepy eyes, inevitably showing a trace of anger on his face.
He hadn’t slept much all night, only cycling through repeated dreams and awakenings. The cut on his finger made him restless—sometimes he dreamed Ryan was in trouble, sometimes that Ryan was safe.
His heart rose and fell like leaves in a storm, leaving him exhausted and anxious.
He desperately wanted to abandon everything and run to confirm Ryan’s safety, but he couldn’t ignore his responsibilities as king.
“Your Majesty, it’s time to get up and wash. The distinguished guests have all entered,” the attendant urged.
Engagement procedures were often not decided by the king himself. The schedule was set by professional ceremony companies, and the king had to comply.
Sandro sat up, pressing his brow, and asked wearily: “Where’s Selarl?”
Attendant: “I heard the Prince just woke up and is also getting ready.”
Sandro nodded, slowly adapting to the blazing light, then asked: “Have the people from High Tower Guild and Ghost Eye Guild arrived too?”
The attendant was stunned, not understanding why Sandro specifically mentioned these outsiders: “I didn’t notice. Let me inquire with the auditorium.”
The attendant thought the King’s next words would be “no need.”
But Sandro didn’t say that. She had to turn and make an internal call to inquire about these two Federation guilds.
“Your Majesty, the auditorium says—” The attendant had just turned around when she saw Sandro lift his double pupils, staring at her with sharp, bright eyes. She stiffly swallowed and said softly, “They say these two guilds just entered.”
Getting this answer, Sandro finally looked away indifferently: “I see. Help me dress.”
The attendant had the illusion that what the King had been anticipating all along wasn’t the engagement, but the arrival of these two guilds.
“Yes.” She quickly cleared her messy thoughts and brought the formal wear already prepared for the King.
Time passed minute by minute. At 10 AM, guests had taken their seats one by one.
High Tower Guild and Ghost Eye Guild were seated in the back row. After all, as Federation guilds, they weren’t honored guests at this grand ceremony.
Dream Witch pressed her earpiece and whispered to the other end: “Duma, you can begin.”
“Understood, Lan Qi.”
The little machine head was already prepared. He put on fuzzy socks, hugged his computer, and sat on the carpet.
Receiving Dream Witch’s command, Duma connected his consciousness to the network. Holding videos in his left hand and photos in his right, he rapidly rushed toward Tasman Pirate Nation’s network.
Countless data lines as thin as hair appeared before him. He sat cross-legged on the data, slapping the heavy video with his hand: “Copy, copy, copy…”
Thus, Li Bang’s exposé video was rapidly copied countless times.
“Go, go, go…” Duma kicked away each copy he made. The videos slid along data streams into corresponding clients and disappeared.
Soon, he pulled over photos of the white-robed messenger at the suburban residence: “You copy too, copy, copy…”
“Go, go, go…” The scandalous rumors were also thrown into various data streams.
Tasman people browsing the internet simultaneously received a video and a photo.
The piercing text combined with ambiguous photos stung their eyes, and Li Bang’s naked, bloody account shook their hearts and minds.
The photos and videos spread rapidly across Tasman’s network like wildfire, unstoppable.
In just one hour, the videos and photos had fermented to the ceremony venue. These underwater power players retreated to corners, put on headphones, and watched the entire video.
“This… this…”
“Minister Xi, have you seen the viral video online?”
“You mean Captain Li Bang’s?”
“You saw it too, right? It’s simply unbelievable and outrageous.”
“Alas, if what Li Bang said is true, our Tasman is caught in a huge Federation conspiracy.”
“Li Bang was personally promoted by Selarl. How could he?”
“But Li Bang is also a Tasman native. Tasman people know the Federation once tried to exterminate us.”
“That’s why Li Bang said he was restless and decided to expose Selarl’s secrets.”
“Where is Li Bang? He hasn’t been seen since this morning, and his seat is empty.”
“Could it be that Selarl has already silenced him?”
“Their goal is to sideline the king. No wonder criticism of the king has increased recently, with the intent to overthrow the regime.”
“If true, the radicals are truly the underwater sinners. The king’s confidants have all been marginalized.”
“I know this Dinlock. His cruelty to Uriel is outrageous! Poor sociologist who struggled all his life.”
“Prince Selarl is his mole. I said there was something fishy about him joining Tasman at thirty.”
“Don’t you feel that Selarl’s usual behavior doesn’t seem well-educated? Li Bang said he was a criminal in the AGW Special Dangerous Death Row Prison.”
“That explains everything. For Federation Speaker Dinlock, forging a resume is easy, right?”
“He also assassinated the king. No wonder he wasn’t in the palace the day the king disappeared.”
“But he quickly caught the culprit and was injured, which made him famous.”
“Remembering Minister Chen Mingbi, I never believed he would die from overwork at such a young age.”
Lance sat upright in the last row, watching the hall gradually become chaotic, with discussions growing loud. He smiled slightly.
The discussions intensified. Unlike the rational faction and the neutral bystanders, the radicals’ faces turned red with anger, an unnamed fury lingering in their hearts.
They only felt betrayed, either by Captain Li Bang or Prince Selarl.
Their slogans, their righteous indignation, their self-righteousness, were all a joke.
If Li Bang’s statements are true, then they are not heroes of Tasman but pawns of conspirators, tools for usurpation, knives stabbing their own people.
“Shut up! Shut up! Anyone who talks nonsense will be kicked out!”
White Shark and Bay Crocodile also saw the video. They didn’t understand why Li Bang betrayed Selarl, but Li Bang was indeed missing now, seemingly making a desperate escape to the open sea.
However, their status underwater wasn’t high enough to suppress the overwhelming public opinion.
“Who is the person Li Bang secretly took to the suburban private residence?”
“Wrapped in a white robe and covering their face, looking like someone who doesn’t dare to be seen. Clearly not a good person!”
“Judging by the short stature, probably an Omega.”
“Li Bang must know the inside story, even Selarl entrusted this mysterious person to him.”
“Wait, Selarl isn’t in the photo. Although the text is shameful, maybe it’s slander.”
“If it’s slander, just check with the underwater building management department to find out the owner.”
“Hehe, think about it carefully. An S-level Awakened from a prestigious school with a wealthy background, would he still be single at thirty? So it’s no surprise Selarl has connections in the Federation.”
“Yeah, if he truly loved the king, why would he join Tasman only at thirty?”
“We’re all Alphas. Would you or I take suppressants every month to get through the sensitive period?”
……
The minute hand moved ninety degrees. It was already 11:45, time for the two newcomers to enter.
Selarl gave one last proud smile at the mirror.
In the mirror, faint wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. He quickly pressed them away and restrained his smile.
The tailored suit fit perfectly, wrapping his broad back and robust chest muscles tightly.
His shoulders were a bit slumped, but the suit’s shoulder pads cleverly compensated for this flaw. He adjusted the golden phoenix brooch on his chest while admiring his posture.
The brooch was shaped like a phoenix, the other one was with the king, symbolizing the two phoenixes intertwining in harmony.
With every passing second, his joy increased. His chest felt like a burning pot, bubbling and boiling.
The blessings of the guests, the king’s submission, the monster’s death news—all were the best seasonings, garnishing the flavor of the soup.
He clearly saw himself walking toward the peak of power, the future bright and smooth.
The attendant still knelt, polishing Selarl’s shoes, making them shine so brightly they almost reflected his nervous face.
He didn’t dare say that Selarl wasn’t really suited for the suit. Selarl’s legs were too thin, and his upper body too broad, making him look like a bulky popsicle.
Boom——
The underwater clock struck, echoing throughout the palace.
The time finally reached noon.
Selarl was led by the ceremonial officer to the king’s chamber. The two would walk hand in hand into the hall, receiving blessings from the underwater officials.
However, he didn’t notice his phone vibrating urgently in the blanket beside him.
Sandro was indeed waiting at the door of the chamber as scheduled.
Sandro wore an orange sheer robe, which skillfully outlined his firm figure. Tassels gathered at his waist and chest, forming a unique pattern of order in chaos.
Above his lower abdomen was a wide golden belt engraved with the Tasman five-clawed black dragon totem. Below his waist was white sheer pants resembling a skirt, covering a pair of long, straight legs.
Outside the sheer robe was a creamy white, sacred and gorgeous fur coat. The collar of the coat fluttered with fine fluff, like jellyfish tentacles swaying continuously.
Sandro was indeed dressed magnificently. His head, forehead, neck, wrists, finger bases, and ankles were adorned with priceless top-grade jewels and crystal ores. He exuded a faint lilac scent, a cologne professionally blended according to his pheromones.
The king’s noble attire and his proud, handsome face made Selarl unable to look away for a moment.
He breathed deeply, his mouth dry and parched, his eyes filled with unabashed desire.
But his moment of infatuation was suddenly broken when he noticed the king hadn’t worn the phoenix brooch.
Selarl frowned: “Where’s your brooch?”
Sandro was clearly shorter than Selarl, but his gaze was disdainful and indifferent.
“Lost it.”
“How could you lose it?” Selarl raised his voice.
“Time’s up. Don’t keep everyone waiting. Let’s go.” Saying this, Sandro didn’t link arms with Selarl but walked ahead with a noble demeanor toward the hall.
It was as if he was heading not to an engagement ceremony but to the annual underwater parliament centered around him.
Selarl’s romantic infatuation turned into gloom and hatred. He squinted his eyes, grinding his molars, and started to follow the king.
This tall, immortal lighthouse jellyfish didn’t know that sometimes living was more painful than dying.
Soon, after walking this stretch, they entered the resplendent engagement hall, his carefully prepared bloody grand ceremony.
The doors slowly opened, pale pink lights illuminated the entrance, and artificial snowflakes fluttered down.
The boiling discussions temporarily ceased. King Sandro stepped into the light, white snowflakes decorating his deep, cold, double pupils.
Selarl held the king’s noble fur coat, the light shining on his tall, broad figure, casting deep, thick shadows on the ground.
Unlike the king’s calm and indifferent demeanor, Selarl smiled confidently at the guests below.
However, the applause was sparse, and the crowd watched him with complex and wary eyes.
White Shark and Bay Crocodile looked extremely displeased. They frantically signaled to Selarl, pointing at their phones that kept popping up messages.
After two hours of fermentation, public opinion was completely out of control. Although they had long ordered the underwater network control to delete posts and ban accounts, for some unknown reason, all deletion commands failed, and the information continued to spread rapidly.
Not only underwater, but even the Federation network was now filled with Tasman gossip. Those Federation people waiting to watch the fun even started digging into Selarl’s background.
His education and family background were once again questioned. Classmates of the same age confirmed they had never seen such a person as Selarl at school.
This long-prepared and highly anticipated engagement ceremony was now like a wooden tower gnawed by termites—seemingly magnificent and grand, but actually full of holes and on the verge of collapse.
Selarl finally noticed the anomaly. He furrowed his brows and looked at White Shark and Bay Crocodile.
Where was the anglerfish? he wanted to ask.
It seemed that the anglerfish had not been seen for a long time.
White Shark pursed his lips tightly, his pupils almost shrinking to pinpoints. On his bright phone screen, blurry and rapidly refreshing questions could be seen.
They had already lost contact with the anglerfish when the rumors first started to ferment.
The anglerfish was more cunning and clever than anyone. Early this morning, he received Selarl’s order to make dishes from the minced meat and distribute them to the officials for tasting.
However, the chef suddenly informed him that human glands were found in the minced meat.
The anglerfish hurried over to check and saw a round, blood-red object among the minced meat.
The gland, no longer controlled by the brain, was shriveled, but in the strong bloody smell, the scent of pheromones could still be vaguely distinguished.
The anglerfish held back his nausea and took a deep breath of the pheromones.
His face instantly turned as pale as paper. It was Li Bang’s pheromones.
The anglerfish hurriedly searched through the minced meat and suddenly found a blood-stained robe at the bottom of the box.
He carefully rubbed the fabric of the robe and soaked it in water to wash it thoroughly. The robe finally revealed its original white color.
The anglerfish was horrified and shivered all over.
The messenger, sir.
If even the messenger was dead, would Selarl be far behind?
He realized that a giant ship named ‘Treason’ was sinking. To buy himself time to escape, he did not notify Selarl but took advantage of the early dawn to quickly board an underwater speedboat with his property and family, heading toward the Pacific Island Nation.
“I hereby announce the official start of the engagement ceremony of King Sandro and Prince Selarl,” the ceremonial officer passionately proclaimed according to the procedure.
“—Wait!”
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(advanced chapters available on kofi)
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152