Boiling Beast Bloodline
Chapter 1582 - 488: The United Pearl and Jade (Part 2)

"No! Mermaids can only come ashore with the ’Harmonious Pearl’!" The Mermaid’s flustered expression was evident even to a fool: "Without this kind of pearl, we’d dehydrate and die shortly after coming ashore!"

"Ha! You said it yourself—die from dehydration, not from detoxification! In the end, you Mermaids rely on the water vapor in the Sea of Mist, not on the toxins!" Liu Zhankan had finally caught onto this major oversight.

The young Mermaid was stunned.

With her lack of worldly experience, she was far from a match for this crafty old fox. Liu Zhankan’s relentless probing had completely thrown her off balance.

"The ’Sea of Mist’ must have islands. You just wanted to sightsee—so why risk stepping into the vast inland territories?" Liu Zhankan, knowing that Kaka’s two Magical Beast transformations were learned from an island in the extreme north and another in the far south of the Sea of Mist, continued pressing the young Mermaid: "You say you came ashore to see the beautiful land scenery? That’s a ridiculously weak excuse! Could you come up with something more convincing? For instance, that you wanted to taste flame-cooked food, or that you wanted to conquer the continent and become its ruler!"

Heh, blowing smoke at me? Do you even know who you’re dealing with? When the Aegean Mermaids dare to come ashore, it’s only because their legions are launching an all-out invasion! You, a stunning Mermaid, braving the risk of enslavement or death, coming here all alone—claiming it’s just to admire the scenery? Has your brain gone rusty? Liu Zhankan couldn’t help but silently chuckle. The Witch King Clark Gabe had once remarked, "These Mermaids are strange. As long as you don’t strip them of their possessions or overly humiliate their dignity, they’re even willing to obediently become your servants." Since Liu Zhankan first heard that line, he’d been suspicious. Members of the Wisdom Race are usually fiercely proud—what kind of Mermaid would willingly agree to be a slave? Just because you don’t rob them or hurt their pride, and they obediently follow you around? Such ’slaves’ might be better referred to as ’friends’!

Now, summing up the situation, Liu Zhankan was eager to see if this Mermaid before him could unravel this enigma.

If this little lass was a seasoned veteran, remaining silent would be her best move. But Liu Zhankan had countless ways to pry her lips open.

During his frontline counter-interrogation training, his instructor had repeatedly emphasized that a psychological defense line tends to falter the moment one’s verbal gaps are firmly seized by the opponent. Moreover, nighttime is the prime period for interrogation—women are most likely to confess during this time!

Let’s hope it’s nighttime right now!

"Why aren’t you talking anymore?" Liu Zhankan pressed further.

The Mermaid Wei Zhi bowed her head, her hands trembling lightly.

"Gotcha, didn’t I?"

"All your secrets have been exposed by me!"

Under the relentless pressure, Wei Zhi began nervously tugging at the black strands of hair wrapped around her fingers.

"Speak up! Treat me like a friend!" Liu Zhankan gently and considerately pulled the Mermaid into his solid embrace: "I mean you no harm! From the beginning, I only wanted to return you to your people. While I admit there are selfish motives involved, I swear I never intended to hurt you!"

"You’re right." Wei Zhi’s shoulders trembled softly, the sound of pearls dropping on a jade plate filling the room: "I did escape! In the sea, obtaining a ’Harmonious Pearl’ also means seizing and killing! What’s more, I managed to harvest two pearls from one shell!"

"How lucky you are." Old Liu knew that two pearls from one shell, known as Zhu Lian, were considered highly auspicious. In this world, the law of the jungle prevailed: prized possessions always brought peril to the weak without protection. If the bandits in the Donau Wasteland had stumbled across a Dragon Ball, Old Liu would’ve robbed it from them too.

"A dual-pearl connection carries unique effects! The ’Harmonious Pearl’ should indeed comprise two pearls—one is the Harmony Bead, and the other is the Fusion Bead! Fusion Beads harmonize with any natural environment through the elemental power contained within the pearls, subtly transforming it to create a host-friendly protective barrier without disrupting the balance of natural forces! Most ’Harmonious Pearls’ are Fusion Beads! The Harmony Bead doesn’t normally exist alone; it only appears in a shell with two pearls!" The Mermaid’s shy charm deepened as she awkwardly wriggled out of Old Liu’s embrace, her flushed cheeks blazing all the way to her ears.

"Does this pearl of mine count as a Fusion Bead?" Liu Zhankan fished out the black pearl gifted by the Witch King, grinning foolishly. When all was said and done, it seemed to be nothing more than a versatile spacesuit in disguise.

"Keep talking!" Liu Zhankan, having waited in silence for a while, quickly urged the Mermaid Wei Zhi: "What about the Harmony Bead? What abilities does the Harmony Bead possess?"