Chapter 897: The Merman Who Returned to Offer Himself

Chapter 897: Chapter 897: The Merman Who Returned to Offer Himself

The entire group had traveled quite a distance away from Dragon Beast City before Manis finally removed the cloth covering his face and took a deep breath of fresh air.

He was free!

He had finally escaped!

Only he knew how tense he had been throughout the entire journey. He had deliberately hidden behind the other mermen, keeping his head down and avoiding looking around too much. He had been terrified that Lin Muyu would suddenly appear in front of him and demand that he repay her with his body.

That female was simply too domineering!

She had even told him to repay her debt with himself.

How could he possibly do that? He was a merman from the East Sea, and he still wanted to return home!

Fortunately, Lin Muyu had not appeared. She hadn’t even come looking for him.

Manis had waited anxiously throughout their departure, but the terrible female never showed up. In the end, he had successfully left Dragon Beast City without being caught.

He should have been delighted. He should have been celebrating his freedom! Yet, for some reason, Manis felt strangely uncomfortable. He rubbed his chest and frowned.

’What’s wrong with me?’

He had been peeking toward Dragon Beast City throughout the journey, almost expecting to see Lin Muyu chasing after him. But she hadn’t appeared even once.

’Is that female not serious?’

Manis’s expression darkened.

’Didn’t she say she wanted me to repay her? Why didn’t she come looking for me?’

The moment the thought appeared, Manis immediately slapped his own forehead.

What was he thinking?! Wasn’t he supposed to be happy that he had escaped that troublesome female?

He could finally return to the East Sea, see his family, and live peacefully without worrying about being dragged into someone’s house!

’That’s right! I should be happy!’

Manis took another deep breath and walked toward the front of the group. His elder brother, Tang Wu, and sister-in-law, Lan Yue, were walking together ahead of him.

Lan Yue noticed him approaching and smiled. "Manis, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Manis nodded absentmindedly. Lan Yue handed him a white bun. "Here. Your sister Qinglan prepared plenty of food for the journey. Try this."

Manis took the bun and bit into it. His eyes immediately brightened.

"Delicious!"

He took another bite.

"These land people really know how to cook!"

Lan Yue laughed. "Then eat more. There are plenty."

Manis nodded and continued eating, but the uncomfortable feeling in his chest stubbornly refused to disappear. Even the delicious food couldn’t cheer him up. He chewed his bun with a dejected expression, looking like a puppy whose owner had abandoned it.

By the time night fell, Tang Wu had finally noticed something strange about his younger brother.

Manis had been sighing all evening!

Tang Wu finally couldn’t hold back. "Manis, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been looking like someone stole your fish all day!"

Manis looked at him.

"Brother..."

"What?"

"If one day you had to be separated from Sister-in-law, how would you feel?"

Tang Wu was stunned by the unexpected question. He glanced at Lan Yue, who was sitting nearby, before answering seriously, "I’d feel terrible, of course."

"How terrible?"

Tang Wu thought about it.

"I’d worry about her all day. I’d wonder whether she had eaten properly, whether she was safe, and whether someone was troubling her. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep or eat properly. Even if I tried to do something else, my thoughts would keep drifting toward her."

Manis’s eyes widened.

Tang Wu continued without noticing his younger brother’s increasingly strange expression.

"Why are you asking me this? If I couldn’t see Lan Yue for a long time, I’d definitely miss her. That’s only natural."

Manis stared at him. Then he looked down at the half-eaten bun in his hand. He had been thinking about Lin Muyu all day. He had been wondering why she hadn’t chased after him.

He had been checking behind him throughout the journey, hoping to see her even though he was also afraid she might appear. And now, even the delicious food couldn’t make him happy!

Manis’s eyes widened further. ’Wait a minute...Could it be...’ He suddenly grabbed Tang Wu’s shoulders. "Brother!"

Tang Wu nearly jumped out of his seat.

"What?!"

Manis shook him excitedly.

"Brother, thank you! Thank you for enlightening me!"

Tang Wu stared at him as though his younger brother had suddenly grown another head.

"What did I enlighten you about? Have you been bitten by a strange beast? Why are you shaking me?!"

But Manis had already jumped to his feet. He grabbed his belongings and hurried away.

Tang Wu watched him run for several steps before finally shouting, "Where are you going?! That’s not the way to the East Sea!"

Manis stopped, turned around, and shouted with shining eyes, "Brother, I’m not going back to the East Sea!"

Tang Wu was dumbfounded.

"Then where are you going?"

"I’m going back to Dragon Beast City!"

"...What?"

Manis clenched his fists, his expression suddenly full of determination. "I’ve decided! I’m going to pursue my female!" With that, he turned and ran off into the darkness.

Tang Wu stood frozen. Lan Yue, who had been listening nearby, was equally stunned. After a long silence, she slowly turned toward her mate.

"Did Manis just say he has a female?"

Tang Wu stared at the direction his younger brother had disappeared.

"Apparently."

"Since when?"

"I have absolutely no idea!"

Lan Yue blinked. Then she suddenly covered her mouth and laughed. "Didn’t he spend the entire journey looking as though someone had stolen his soul? So he was thinking about a female!"

Tang Wu rubbed his forehead. "That boy has finally grown up." He paused before adding, "Unfortunately, he seems to have lost his mind along the way."

Lan Yue laughed even harder.

Meanwhile, Manis was already running back toward Dragon Beast City with his bag bouncing against his back.

He had finally understood his feelings!

He was in love!

And the female he liked was Lin Muyu!

Although she was fierce, domineering, and had threatened to make him repay her with his body, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

That had to be love, right?

Manis nodded firmly to himself.

’That’s right! I’m going to pursue her!’

He had no idea that the moment he arrived, he would face a challenge much more frightening than the journey itself.