After saying those words, it was as if he had opened Pandora’s box.

The merman slightly straightened his upper body, the lines at the corners of his eyes pulled taut. Like an orca lurking successfully by a polar ice cap, or a beast that had been starving for years before finally getting a taste of prey through the bars of its cage— he radiated an aura of extreme danger and longing.

“Thank you for the food.”

Yu Chen’s voice rose in a lilt, his tone magnetic and husky as it brushed against Bai Ling’s burning ear.

Bai Ling froze for a moment before it suddenly clicked: the old bastard was actually feeding on his loyalty.

Wavy golden hair grazed the joints of Bai Ling’s prosthetic limb as the merman turned slightly to the side, gesturing toward the door.

The AI understood immediately and scurried off to fetch something.

Bai Ling stared at the bundle wrapped in silk and vaguely remembered that this was the gift Yu Chen had tried to give him last night, the one he had rejected.

Yu Chen said, “Open it and take a look.”

Bai Ling peeled the wrapping back with a puzzled look. The object inside tumbled into his palm, but its texture was light, barely weighing anything at all.

He arched an eyebrow, staring at the rose-colored scabbard and the silk-wrapped blade.

Bai Ling had dabbled in the study of cold weapons, and this particular item’s reputation in high society was prestigious enough for him to recognize it instantly.

“The Lake Askid Dagger?”

Yu Chen nodded with a smile.

This was a hand-held knife beloved by the nobility of the Sea Race—sharp, thin, and elegantly shaped. It was famous for the metallic brushed texture on the blade’s surface, which formed ripples like those on a lake during the forging process. To flaunt their status, many nobles would inlay the hilt with precious gemstones.

This one, however, was slightly different. Instead of beautiful jewels, it was inlaid with dull, grayish whetstone diamonds typically used for industrial cutting and production.

Since Bai Ling’s primary business was aircraft carrier maintenance, he naturally knew how rare and powerful whetstone diamonds were. If used at the correct angle, they could slice through almost any metal on the market, including high-pressure resistant materials used for bulletproof armor and military vessels.

It was essentially a dream tool for a mechanic who loved scavenging scrap and stripping parts.

Bai Ling’s Adam’s apple bobbed wordlessly.

Seeing his silence, Yu Chen asked, “Is it not to your liking?”

“…No.” It would be more accurate to say it suited his tastes perfectly.

However, to prevent the other man from getting too smug, Bai Ling decided to adopt a more conservative and objective tone: “The forging craftsmanship of this dagger is exquisite; it’s clearly the work of a master. The creator also has good aesthetic sense and is a top-tier practicalist who balances form and function.”

Yu Chen leaned back in his chair, took a sip of clear tea, and leisurely said, “Thank you for the compliment.”

Bai Ling: “…?”

Damn it, he let him show off.

Bai Ling crossed his arms and curled his lip. “So, you actually know how to do handicraft.”

Yu Chen laughed. “In my youth, I’d occasionally learn to make a few things during my spare time. Why? Do I look like a nobleman who doesn’t engage in productive labor?”

“Not really. You have calluses where your thumb and index finger meet, and your palms are quite rough. One look and it’s obvious those are marks left by long-term firearm use. Even the swing of your arms when you walk is precisely controlled; you’re definitely used to reacting to ambushes at any moment.”

Bai Ling pointed out his observations fluently and sharply.

The merman pondered for a moment before stroking his chin. “My darling is so attentive to me.”

Bai Ling: “……”

You’re certainly good at only picking out the parts you want to hear.

Bai Ling didn’t bother to deny it. In front of an old monster with such deep experience, arguing would only provoke the man’s interest further. Besides, he had urgent business to attend to— obtaining the guardian’s consent form.

He wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin and stood up, saying casually, “I’m done eating. Thank you for breakfast. I need to go out and get that consent form now.”

Before his last syllable could drop, he was grabbed and pressed against the wall. The merman’s muscular, powerful arms braced on either side of him as his pupils dangerously contracted.

“Are you serious?”

He’d really rather go out and find some low-quality trash on the street than choose him?

Bai Ling hummed, the corners of his mouth unable to stop from curving upward. “I’m lying.”

He just liked seeing the old guy lose his cool. It had… an unique flavor to it.

Yu Chen relaxed instantly. His fingertip hooked under the smug little bird’s chin as he let out a soft chuckle. “You little rascal, full of schemes.”

Bai Ling retaliated immediately. “It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching. I was influenced by all the conspiracies and tricks in your State of the Union addresses back in the day.”

Yu Chen went quiet. On the surface, he remained gentle and calm, but his voice was controlled and slow as he spoke:

“You should know that, to me, words like those are no different from a public confession of love.”

“I know,” Bai Ling said, his fingers carelessly twining through the other’s hair. He suddenly leaned in close to Yu Chen’s ear, tilting the tail of his brow. “I said it to you on purpose. Do you like it?”

Yu Chen laughed inwardly with delight. This scheming little bird just wanted to hear him repeat the words “I like it.”

But this time, he didn’t give the young man what he wanted. Instead, he kissed the soft crown of the head that had leaned in, choosing a different phrasing:

“It’s not ‘like.’ I am devoted to it.”

Being so close, Yu Chen could feel the burning skin pressed against his chest and hear that vigorous, vivid young heart beating rapidly because of his words.

The little bird raised a hand to uncomfortably rub a scalding earlobe. After a long silence, he squeezed out a disgruntled mumble:

“…Old bastard. I’ll count this as your win.”

---

No matter how unwilling Bai Ling felt, he had to admit that Yu Chen maintained a high level of efficiency when handling matters.

Furthermore, the fact that they completed the online guardianship procedures, drafted the consent form, and signed it all within half an hour made Bai Ling suspect that this guy had actually been prepared for a long time.

“Even though the system has simplified guardianship procedures now, the necessary steps still can’t be skipped,” Yu Chen said, handing over the consent form.

“What other steps are there?” Bai Ling flipped through the form. When he saw the name signed in the corner of the last page, his heart couldn’t help but flutter.

Even though it didn’t have the iconic wax seal emblem of the Izsu Paraiso era from years ago…

He had finally obtained the piranha’s name.

He wouldn’t be like he was as a child, foolishly cutting out the paper to tape it to his chest. …But taking a photo to keep in his album seems like a good idea?

Once the thought surfaced, he couldn’t suppress it. Bai Ling started itching to pull out his terminal.

Unexpectedly, the merman grabbed his hand, and holding it like he was gripping the tip of a wing, he said softly, “The oath-taking procedure.”

Perhaps anyone who came from that era carried a few cumbersome and rigid rules with them.

In the era of Izsu Paraiso, guardianship procedures truly required an Alpha to personally visit the Certification Hall, place their palm upon two heavy legal tomes, the [Voluntary Guardianship Act] and the [Pheromone Use Prevention and Control Act], and swear a solemn oath.

Creating a deliberate sense of ritual wasn’t meant to inconvenience citizens.

It was a conscious effort to deepen solemnity and cultivate a sense of honor. This way, if an alpha ever entertained deviant thoughts during their tenure as a guardian, the memory of those cold legal covers and the penalties written between the lines would force them to show considerably more restraint.

However, the inherent arrogance, defiance, and volatility in an alpha’s nature destined this tradition to be unsustainable once the Old Empire collapsed. Once beasts that are unfit for domestication are released from long-suppressed cages, they only build up momentum for a more vicious counterattack…

As a “beast tamer,” the most successful thing Izsu Paraiso ever tamed might have been himself.

Bai Ling’s mind drifted as he absentmindedly followed the merman through the corridor, past the bath, and toward the misty French doors at the rear.

The merman pushed the doors open. In that instant, a refreshing scent of greenery mixed with a warm, humid current brushed gently against Bai Ling’s cheeks.

It was a lush, vibrant green forest with aquatic plants.

Bai Ling walked in dazed, looking from the soft lawn beneath his feet to the flowering shrubs surrounding him, and from the tightly closed buds of the night-blooming jasmine to the pinpricks of light peeking through the dense foliage.

Within that floating aura of light, metal railings sliced the space into neat, vertical and horizontal lines. Like a birdcage magnified a hundred times, it imprisoned the entirety of the scenery and greenery within.

—This wasn’t a forest, but a massive, meticulously tended greenhouse.

Yu Chen walked onto the grass and stood in the very center of a small slope.

His presence was so overwhelming that walking up there made him look somewhat out of place against the background; instead, it looked as if he were ascending a throne.

A moment later, however, Yu Chen gathered his brilliant long hair, twisted it into a single bunch and rested it over one side of his chest.

Watching that golden hair tucked close to his neck, Bai Ling felt an inexplicable sensation of a peacock folding its wings or a predator hiding its claws. Suddenly, that cold sense of distance vanished.

“It’s getting late. Let’s make this quick.” Yu Chen beckoned to him.

Bai Ling pressed his lips thin, restraining the upward lilt in his voice. “Is this the sense of ritual you older folks have? Swearing an oath on a lawn? Should I be holding something in my hand too?”

It was meant to be a joke, but Yu Chen seemed to seriously consider it. He moved to the side, rummaged around for a bit, and pulled a somewhat long, slender rod from a bush, tossing it casually to him.

“Hold this.”

Bai Ling looked down in confusion. It was just a plain, mud-stained metal pole, looking very much like it had been pulled straight off a broken shovel.

“We’ll use this as a substitute for the ceremonial staff.”

As Yu Chen spoke, a trace of imperceptible pride flickered across his expression. He gripped the pole together with Bai Ling and began the oath.

To be honest, Bai Ling didn’t pay any attention to the content of the oath at the time.

Standing inside this vast “cage,” he was seized by a strange and profound feeling.

It felt as if this scene wasn’t the end of the guardianship procedure.

Rather, it felt like the title page of a book; a short, punchy, and profoundly meaningful beginning…

---

Before leaving, Bai Ling remembered he still had many unfinished items on the maintenance list he’d drawn up for the merman’s palace. He called the little robot over and quickly went over the damaged areas again.

This palace had three floors, and the ceiling height of the greenhouse outside was easily as tall as a six-story residential building.

It was strangely massive. Bai Ling even discovered a door sign for a medical operating theater among the empty rooms.

It was clear that in its glory days, this place had been fully equipped with every necessity.

“Broken things… ah, let me look.” The little robot rummaged through the piles. Its small frame was soon buried under a mountain of discarded junk. With a chirp of delight, it emerged from the heap with a broken antenna sticking out of its head, holding a radio high in the air.

“Can you fix this?”

“Master used to keep it by his bedside in the bedroom to listen to the news. But ever since it broke, he can only sit in the study.”

Bai Ling nodded and agreed readily. “Bring it here.”

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the merman leaning lazily against the doorframe.

Bai Ling held out his hand in a businesslike manner, his expression neutral as he said, “Do you have any other old things here that can’t be fixed? Bring them all out at once.”

The merman walked toward him and touched his hand. After a moment of thought, he leaned down, rested his chin in Bai Ling’s palm, and tilted his head.

“Me.”

Bai Ling: “………!!!!!!”

---

Author’s Note:

I’m here, I’m here!!! Thank you, darlings. I’ll see how things go tomorrow and maybe add an extra update, hehehehe. I love you guys!

I’m truly grateful for everyone’s subscription and support!! I’ve decided to donate the proceeds from today’s subscriptions to the [Heze Eagle Sauce Raptor Rescue Center] to provide extra meals for the little eagles who have been disabled by slingshots or wing injuries. I hope all the birds in the world have delicious beef to eat!