When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 194: Ariel’s Groom-To-Be

Chapter 194: Ariel’s Groom-To-Be

M–Marriage?!

The sudden news shocked everyone, especially Ariel, the unwitting bride-to-be. How could... how could her Daddy arrange such a significant decision without consulting her first?! What if she did not want to marry?!

All of her life, she had always been sheltered and pampered, which made her develop an insatiable yearning for the world beyond the sea that was out of her reach. Even though she had reached the appropriate age, marriage had never – not even once! – crossed her mind as she dreamed of exploring the seven seas one day and experiencing everything the world had to offer. Yet, when her gaze landed on Shen Nianzu, she felt her heart stir and a surge of indescribable emotions washed over her. If it was this person, then...

During the time when the head guard explained the challenge to the players, Ariel had managed to calm down and weighed her choices carefully. And thus, as soon as the merman’s last word fell, without waiting for the others to react, Ariel immediately latched on to Shen Nianzu and proclaimed loudly, "This... This is the person who saved me!"

Shen Nianzu: ?

Perhaps it was because of the exhaustion, the severe lack of sleep, or the traumatic experience of almost being digested by a whale, Shen Nianzu’s brain lagged a beat when he heard that, allowing Ariel to speak a few more words, "He’s kind, gentle and handsome. He has always taken care of me and protected me from danger. Not only that, he can also understand our language! Don’t you think we are meant to be together, head guard?!"

The head guard was pleasantly surprised, "You can understand us?" He asked Shen Nianzu using the merfolk language.

Shen Nianzu massaged his aching temple, "Yes, but—"

"Oh my, this is excellent!" The merman’s eyes lit up as he regarded Shen Nianzu with a new light. Excitement was etched on his face and he blurted out quickly, "I must inform His Majesty about this as soon as possible! Please excuse me!" After saying that, he left the task to guide the players to the other guards and dived into the water, his forest green tail splashing in the air.

Feeling too shy to face Shen Nianzu after her bold confession, Ariel blushed and stammered out, "I–I will meet you again later!"

"Wait—" Shen Nianzu tried to stop her, but she quickly swam away, leaving the group behind.

Gu Luoxin dumbly pinched his arm, only to hiss when a sharp pain jolted his nerves. "Ow! So it’s not a dream..." he swallowed, and the gravity of the situation finally sank into his mind, leaving him flustered and bewildered. "W–Wait a moment, does it mean you’re going to marry her, Xiao Shen? She just chose you, didn’t she? But what about..." the rest of the words were stuck on his throat when he shifted his gaze to Jin Jiuchi and found a blank expression on the man’s face unlike anything he had ever seen before.

’Oh no...’ his instinct as a small helpless animal was quivering in fear. ’This is going to be a disaster!’

"Marry...?" Jin Jiuchi chewed on the word as if he had never heard it before. His expression was one of pure confusion and loss. "Nian’er is going to marry her? Nian’er is going to live here with her until eternity? Nian’er is going to have two kids with her, one boy and one girl, and live happily ever after? Why?"

Now it was Gu Luoxin and Shen Nianzu’s turn to give Jin Jiuchi a blank look. Technically, there was nothing wrong with what Jin Jiuchi said, but... did he have to go into such a detail? Even to the point of having a pair of kids?!

Gu Luoxin was utterly oblivious, but Shen Nianzu was already privy to a few hidden facts about Jin Jiuchi— how he had spent most of his life locked up in the asylum, his utter lack of logic and common sense, and how sometimes his knowledge about ordinary things were so superficial, just like... a child who read about them in books and crammed the information into mind. Take his views on marriage for example— did it not sound like the ideal scenario one would find in children’s storybooks?

Shen Nianzu held his throbbing head and sighed, "Relax, I’m not marrying her for real. We will only be here for five days, remember? This is already the third day, so there are two days left. Before we obtain the return ticket, we are not allowed to have a fall out with the core NPC."

"What Xiao Shen said is right!" Realization suddenly dawned upon Gu Luoxin and he slapped the water with passion. "What if she refuses to give us the return ticket because Xiao Shen rejects her? We will be doomed and stuck here forever!"

Unbeknownst to everyone, Shen Nianzu also had another concern in mind— Jin Jiuchi’s personal task. He had not forgotten that Jin Jiuchi was required to devour the mermaid. Besides, there was Gu Luoxin’s ambiguous remark as well. What if this was the necessary plot they had to go through for Jin Jiuchi to fulfill his personal task?

Despite the turmoil in his heart, Shen Nianzu nodded and added calmly, "Xinxin is right. We’re in the merfolk territory now. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. For now, all I can do is play along, and I’m not truly marrying her," he emphasized each word as he looked at Jin Jiuchi. "So I hope nothing goes awry in the process."

Under everyone’s scrutinizing gazes, Jin Jiuchi slowly nodded, "Oh..."

Subsequently, they were led towards the city by the merfolk guards. As it turned out, the glimpse they had seen from above the water was merely a miniscule fraction of the true beauty of Atlantis. The four of them entered the underground realm through a special passage from above, and the city finally revealed its magnificent duality beneath the shimmering water— split between the ocean’s depths and the world above.

Nestled on the ocean floor, the city was an ethereal wonderland of interconnected domes and grand spires. The merfolk’s abodes resembled graceful seashells, their pearlescent exteriors adorned with intricate carvings of marine life and flowing seaweed. The underwater streets pulsed with life as schools of colorful fish darted among the coral archways, while graceful sea creatures and merfolk glided with effortless beauty.

"Wow..." Gu Luoxin and Jin Jiuchi exclaimed in awe and excitement. "So beautiful!" Even Shen Nianzu couldn’t help but be captivated, gazing at the ocean life with sparkling eyes.

"Thank you for your sincere compliment," the guard who led them said. ""This is the city we have inhabited for centuries, and we take great pride in its beauty. We used to live in harmony with land creatures, which is why we have these air chambers, but unfortunately, our relationship couldn’t withstand the test of time and was broken. Nonetheless, we will show you the best hospitality, especially since you are the ones who have brought our Princess back safely."

Outside the passageway, they caught sight of Ariel being surrounded by a few mermaids who looked exuberant and joyful for her return. Continuing on their way, she disappeared from view and they were led into a massive building near the surface, where the upper half of the room emerged above the water, basking in sunlight, while the other half was submerged beneath the ocean, offering a breathtaking view of the mesmerizing underwater world. The building was designed in a way that the players could gaze at the scenery outside, while the merfolk in the sea could not see inside.

"The King will soon announce the results of the contest, so until then please have a rest here," the guard informed them.

Each of them received their own room, but Shen Nianzu was not assigned one. Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin were startled, "What about him?"

The merman guard showed a tight-lipped smile, "As our Princess’ groom-to-be, of course he will reside in a different area. Please rest assured, you will be able to see each other again at the banquet this noon. If there’s something you need, don’t hesitate to summon the nearby guards and we will do our best to provide for your needs." He turned to Shen Nianzu and made a polite gesture, "Please, if you may follow me."

Shen Nianzu’s heart skipped a beat but outwardly he maintained a composed demeanor. He even shot a warning glare at Jin Jiuchi, who seemed like he was about to protest, causing the man to adopt a sullen look.

Just when Shen Nianzu thought that his warning was working, Jin Jiuchi unexpectedly shoved something into his palm when they brushed past each other. Taken aback, Shen Nianzu carefully traced the tip of his fingers across the solid and warm surface that still retained Jin Jiuchi’s body heat.

This... was a mirror fragment?