Atlantis (6)

Osha said in a gentle voice, “You are Sheldon’s friend, so I won’t charge you. You can divine whatever you’d like.”

Ning Busan said dryly, “I really don’t have anything I want to know.”

“Then let my mother read your love life! Aren’t you curious about where your future spouse is?” Sheldon pushed Ning Busan down into a chair. “Sit down, don’t be polite.”

Osha smiled and said, “Just place your hands on the crystal ball and ask your question.”

Unable to decline their warm hospitality, Ning Busan could only do as he was told. However, instead of asking about himself, he said, “I’d like to ask about Sheldon’s love life.”

Sheldon’s eyes welled up with tears. “As expected of my good brother! But you can only ask questions about yourself.”

Ning Busan said helplessly, “Then let’s ask about my own love life.”

What if this merfolk prophet could actually see his destiny?

Osha closed her eyes and began to softly chant in the obscure, ancient tongue of the Sirens.

The mist inside the crystal ball began to churn violently, as if stirred by some invisible force. Gradually, a blurry image began to surface within the mist, only to dissolve into a complete blank the very instant it was about to take shape.

The surrounding merfolk stared at Ning Busan, their eyes filled with shock.

Sheldon asked in confusion, “Mother, why didn’t any images show up?”

Osha’s gaze darkened as she looked at Ning Busan. “Because his destiny is a complete blank. He does not belong to any chain of causality.”

“Seize him!” The merfolk surrounded Ning Busan, some even drawing their weapons.

Ning Busan raised his hands, completely baffled by their sudden hostility. “I didn’t do anything! What do you think you’re doing?”

All the gentleness vanished from Osha’s face, her voice turning ice-cold. “Lock him in the water dungeon and guard him closely. Do not let him escape under any circumstances.”

Sheldon’s expression turned to utter dismay. He looked at Osha and asked, “Mother, what are you doing? He’s the friend who saved my life! How can you do this?”

A flash of reluctance crossed Osha’s eyes, but she quickly regained her cold composure. “Lock Sheldon up too! Don’t let him ruin our plans!”

Ning Busan quickly calculated his options. If he fought back here, he would have to face the entire merfolk tribe. It would be better to pretend to be captured and escape under the cover of night.

Thus, Ning Busan and Sheldon were locked away in separate locations.

The water dungeon was constructed from deep-sea crystal, with a row of merfolk warriors wielding tridents standing guard outside.

Ning Busan tried to strike up a conversation with them to ask why he had been captured, but not a single fish paid him any mind.

When night fell and Ning Busan was planning his jailbreak, the guards outside his cell began to collapse one by one.

Ning Busan spotted a shimmering silver fishtail.

It was Lilian.

The cell door swung open. Lilian grabbed Ning Busan by the wrist and swam outward with him. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to rescue you.”

Guessing she must know something, Ning Busan asked, “Why did the merfolk tribe capture me? And why are you saving me?”

Lilian said, “Because we are the same.”

Ning Busan looked at her, then looked at himself.

Different genders, different species... aside from both having tails, how were they the same?”

Lilian said, “We are both existences whose destinies cannot be observed.”

Ning Busan grumbled under his breath, “If I had known this disaster would be caused by a divination, I wouldn’t have touched that crystal ball for the life of me.”

Lilian might actually possess some unique trait, but his own destiny was entirely sealed away by the God of Light.

At this moment, Ning Busan really wanted to flip the bird to the God of Light up in Heaven.

“Do you know about Atlantis?” Lilian asked. “There are many legends about it in the deep sea. One theory is that the Sea God left his inheritance inside, and any sea monster who obtains it can become the next Sea God.”

Ning Busan caught the key words, raising an eyebrow.

Atlantis?

Lilian continued her tale. “For ten thousand years, many powerful sea monsters have ventured into the Realm of Eternal Night, but none have ever obtained the Sea God’s inheritance.”

“It is said that the Sea God possesses a divine artifact called the Lock of Causality, which hides Atlantis from the world. Only a sea monster with a blank destiny can open the Lock of Causality, because they are free from the shackles of the chain of causality and can act as the medium to unlock it.”

“The Deep Sea Queen and the Giant-Jawed Shark King learned of my existence and pressured the merfolk tribe to hand me over. But no matter which side the merfolk tribe gives me to, they will inevitably offend the other and face severe retaliation.”

“And just at this moment, you appeared.”

Ning Busan sneered.

Handing him and Lilian over separately to the Deep Sea Queen and the Giant-Jawed Shark King so they wouldn’t offend either party... The merfolk tribe had certainly worked out a clever scheme.

But Ning Busan was still puzzled. “The merfolk tribe didn’t lock you up, so why did you wait until today to escape? And why make a special effort to rescue me?”

Lilian suddenly leaned in close to Ning Busan. They were so close their noses almost touched, and Ning Busan could even see every single one of her distinct eyelashes.

Ning Busan was startled and took a step back.

Lilian said, “I didn’t plan on escaping at first, but now I’ve changed my mind.”

“Since we are both keys to the Lock of Causality, I want to see if you will be jinxed to death if we become friends.”

Ning Busan: “...”

What a niche thing to say.

“Ever since I was born, anyone who got close to me met a terrible end. Everyone says I’m an ill omen and refuses to associate with me.” A trace of envy flashed through Lilian’s eyes.

“The other merfolk hunt, fight, play, and share food together, but I am always completely alone. I want to have friends too.”

Ning Busan hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly, “We are already friends now.”

His luck had always been exceptionally good, so he probably wouldn't get jinxed to death so easily, right?

Lilian happily swam in a circle around Ning Busan. “Then it’s a deal. We are friends.”

Ning Busan rubbed his nose, feeling a bit guilty.

His goal was also Atlantis. Since he couldn't bypass Lilian, he would just have to protect her from being snatched away by other sea monsters.

Lilian was highly familiar with the merfolk tribe’s territory, and she quickly led Ning Busan past the heavy guard presence, escaping the area.

Ning Busan asked, “Where do you plan to take me?”

Lilian said optimistically, “The deep sea is so vast. There will always be a place for us to survive.”

Ning Busan’s eyes darted around. “I know a powerful friend. Why don’t we go find him?”

Echidna seemed to know some inside information about Atlantis, so he wanted to ask him for clarification first.

Lilian said excitedly, “Your friend is my friend! Let’s go find him together.”

However, by the time the two of them found Echidna, he was left with only a head.

History had repeated itself; all ninety-nine of his tentacles had been severed once again by that psychopathic fish-slayer.