Meanwhile, as the storm drew closer, the waves on the sea surface had become turbulent and surging, and the air was thick with a tense, oppressive atmosphere.
Lira stood by the gunwale, looking anxiously at the ink-black clouds in the distance. The sea breeze, no longer gentle, made his clothes flap loudly, and even the hull of their ship began to rock violently.
“Time is up...”
Starlight and Lian had been underwater for over the planned hour, yet there was still no sign of them. This made even the usually composed Lira feel somewhat irritable.
To be honest, the moment Lian went into the water, he had already regretted letting her go. However, he was completely unable to disobey her orders.
Never mind an hour; even if the storm had already arrived, everyone on this ship would have to stay here and wait for her return.
Not long ago, he seemed to have sensed a vibration coming from the seabed, but he couldn't be certain of the specific situation below.
Anxious and impatient, he hurried to the bow and adjusted the direction of the Magic Crystal Searchlight. This time, he finally made a new discovery.
Within the piercing beam of light, a slender figure leaped out of the murky seawater like a flying fish, followed closely by several figures tied together in a line.
“Turn! Hard to starboard!” Lira shouted the command.
At Lira’s shout, the crew immediately weighed anchor and steered toward the figures not far away.
The first person to leap out of the sea was Xia Duo. After the series of battles, she was in the best condition among the five, so she naturally took the lead in pulling everyone forward.
Two strands of dark green seaweed were tied around her waist. One side was bound to Moen, who was cradling Lian, while the other side held Starlight and Po Kong.
The group of five finally returned to the sea surface safely, albeit in such a strange formation.
Xia Duo also spotted the approaching ship immediately. Treading water, she dragged the other four toward the vessel.
“In the end, I’m the one who carried everyone! You guys are seriously heavy! Especially you, Po Kong—you need to lose weight!”
Once the group landed safely on the deck, Xia Duo finally breathed a sigh of relief. She rubbed her waist, which was sore from being constricted, and complained loudly.
The others could only offer helpless smiles. After all, it had been quite a struggle for her to move through the surging currents while carrying four people by herself.
The stunning strike that had shattered the underwater space earlier had nearly drained all of Po Kong’s battle qi. At this moment, he didn't even have the strength to banter with Xia Duo and could only raise a thumb to her.
Starlight, having recovered slightly, worked with Moen to carry the still-unconscious Lian into the cabin.
When Lira saw Lian’s condition, his face instantly clouded over. He hadn't expected that Lian would be the one to suffer the heaviest injuries among them.
In the end, it was Moen who guaranteed that Lian’s body was fine in her capacity as a Nature Priest. She promised to stay by Lian’s side to ensure her safety throughout the journey back to Night Lotus Valley, which finally calmed Lira’s simmering temper.
Lira took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He nodded, though his gaze never left Lian’s pale face.
“I hope you keep your word. I will have men guard the door. Notify me immediately if anything happens.”
Lira dropped these cold words and strode out, pushing open the cabin door. His boots made a dull, jarring thud against the wooden floor.
“Thank you so much, Moen. If you weren't here to help me, I wouldn't have known how to face them,” Starlight sighed, speaking helplessly to Moen as he watched Lira leave.
“What are you saying? Didn't you also risk your life to come find us?”
Sitting by the bed, Moen offered a gentle smile. She looked up, her deep blue eyes quietly gazing at him like the serene sea.
Moen’s gaze held a sense of tenderness and tranquility, like ripples that could soothe one’s heart. For a moment, a peculiar atmosphere seemed to drift slowly through the air.
In that instant, Starlight felt his heart skip a beat.
“If it’s for you... I mean, for your safety, what does a little danger matter? It’s just that seeing Lian in such peril wasn't what I wanted... I... well...”
Starlight grew flustered under her gaze. He felt his heart racing and opened his mouth, but he didn't know how to respond. The tips of his ears turned slightly red, and his gaze involuntarily drifted elsewhere.
“What did you just say?”
Moen suddenly blinked. Her long eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly’s wings as she asked with a hint of playful curiosity.
“I said... it was a real miscalculation to let Lian fall into such danger.”
“No, the sentence before that!”
“Hmm? Compared to your safety, what does a little danger matter... Ah!”
At this point, even Starlight realized what had happened, and a blush uncontrollably crept across his face. He realized Moen hadn't failed to hear him; she just wanted to tease him.
“Pfft...” Moen finally couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, her voice as crisp and pleasant as a clear spring.
“I have to say, compared to someone as blunt as Po Kong, being a bit shy makes you even more charming and cute!~”
“Char... charming?” Hearing Moen’s words, Starlight lowered his head slightly and began to savor her choice of words.
However, when he looked up from his thoughts, Moen had already stood up gracefully from the bedside and silently moved in front of him.
Her tall figure brought their faces within inches of each other. Starlight could even clearly see the soft fuzz on her skin and his own reflection—looking somewhat flustered—in her deep blue eyes.
“Huh...?”
Moen’s sudden movement left Starlight stunned in place. A faint floral scent drifted into his nose, making his mind go hazy.
“What does this mean...? What should I do? Think fast, Starlight! What would the protagonist of a novel do?”
He could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest, a sensation he hadn't even felt during the most intense battles. At the same time, various scenarios flashed rapidly through his mind.
“Should I lean in for a kiss? Or...”
Starlight’s heart was in total turmoil. Faced with their sudden proximity, he was both excited and lost, not knowing what to do.
“To hell with it! Whatever happens, happens! At worst, I’ll get a scolding... No, even if I get a beating, it’ll be worth it!” After a moment of internal struggle, Starlight gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind.
Just as he closed his eyes and prepared to lean down and kiss Moen’s pretty face, a curious voice suddenly came from the side, startling him so much that he jumped back a step.
“Starlight? And... big sister? What are you two doing?”
Lian had sat up at some point. Her large silver eyes sparkled with curiosity as she watched the two of them, who had been almost pressed against each other.
“Ah! Lian... when did you wake up?” Starlight’s heart was pounding like a drum, and the blush on his face was so deep it looked as if it might bleed. To hide his embarrassment, he could only stammer out a question in return.
Moen also turned her head and gave Lian a warm smile. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”
Lian blinked, seemingly not noticing their awkwardness as she continued to study them with curious eyes.
“I’ve been awake for a while. I just saw you two... so I watched for a bit. I didn't interrupt you, did I?”
It wasn't hard to hear a trace of mischief in her innocent words. This time, even Moen’s face flushed a shade of red.
“No... nothing like that! I was just discussing things with her...” Starlight really didn't know how to explain this to Lian, so he could only scratch his head awkwardly.
“Oh~ So you were only planning to discuss things~” A flash of surprise seemed to cross Moen’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a playful smile.
“I... I was just...”
“Alright~ You don't need to explain, I understand~ Since Lian is awake, go tell that person. I still need to give her another checkup!”
Without giving Starlight a chance to explain, Moen gave him a playful wink and made a “shush” gesture, then sent him out.
“I really don't get it. What is she thinking...? But Po Kong was right... girls’ thoughts really are complicated!”
Rate on N.U.
