Night Tour of the Water City

Linsey and two others.

We dined at a restaurant called "Dave's Fish Restaurant" by the sea.

The food culture of the City of a Thousand Sails is influenced by the environment and is mainly based on seafood.

A whole Loose-Clawed Giant Crab caught from the deep sea will cost no more than three gold coins.

Linsey is enjoying the local cuisine.

Rather than his perfectly prepared food, these dishes that showcase a person's culinary skills are more enjoyable to eat.

Wala Wala, on the other hand, was full of energy as she told Yao Xing about her experiences on Mermaid Island.

It's probably due to his artistic talent.

While explaining, the girl would also embellish the details.

The whole process was described as a wonderful and exciting adventure.

Once the topic was over, Yao Xing, with the insight she had developed while reviewing the script, noticed an interesting detail.

The girl's gaze shifted to Linsey, who was disassembling a crab claw. "Mr. Linsey, can you change your physical appearance?"

"Is that a skill similar to our actors' development ability—makeup?"

Linsey nodded immediately:

"That's right, it's a disguise!"

"If those mermaids hadn't been so blind, my disguise would have been easily seen through!"

Wala Wala immediately leaned closer. "Really? I don't believe it!"

"I guarantee it with the basic ability of a painter— Linsey, when you change your body shape, your bones, muscles, and skin, these basic physiological conditions all change."

"I think... well! It's more like something that Life Scholar, those who can change the physical body, can do."

Yao Xing had no doubt about what Wala Wala said, and then exclaimed, "That's really a convenient ability."

"I haven't received any special training in makeup techniques, so I haven't developed any advanced skills in makeup. I can only rely on the makeup artists in the theater for help."

Wala Wala's eyes lit up. "The makeup artist the theater assigned to you, I remember it was Madam Kangna?"

Yao Xing nodded like a little Squirrel: "That's right, it's Madam Kangna."

"She used to be your makeup artist too."

Wala Wala got excited:

"That's right, I remember it very clearly!"

"Especially before the last Harvest Day, she was dumped by an old aristocrat who frequented the theater. I treated her to two grilled fish wraps, four pairs of chicken wings, a pork knuckle, and two large glasses of mead liqueur. She felt so good after eating that she couldn't even remember her ex-boyfriend's name!"

Yao Xing's eyes widened, like a cat whose curiosity had been piqued. "Eek! Really?"

"The usually serious and earnest Madam Kangna has this side to her too!"

Wala Wala leaned in and said, "Is that so?"

"..."

Seeing that the two girls' conversation was getting further and further off track, Linsey interjected and asked:

"Gentlemen, do you have any gem merchants you would recommend?"

"I mean Advanced Gem with Essence influence, not the kind used to make jewelry."

"Linsey, you want to buy gems?" Wala Wala had just asked the question when she remembered the scene of Linsey fishing. "Wait, where did these gems come from... never mind, you're planning to sell them, right?"

Linsey took out a piece of "High-Grade Ocean Gem" as a demonstration. "To be precise, it's a barter."

"I'd like to exchange for a fire-attribute gem, or collecting some other types of gems would also be nice."

Linsey has been diligently working on her fishing trip these past few days.

He now possesses a total of seven Advanced Gem, though they are of a single type! He is currently in the resource-rich City of a Thousand Sails.

He had no reason to miss this excellent trading opportunity.

"Let me see."

Wala Wala took the gem from Linsey's hand.

The girl's bright pupils reflected the blue luster of the gemstone, as if mirroring a vast ocean. "Wow, such a clean texture, and the Essence is perfectly integrated."

Wala Wala quickly made a judgment. "In a normal market transaction, a gem of this quality would cost at least 200 gold coins!"

Linsey asked expectantly, "You know so much about gems, you must know quite a few gem dealers, right?"

Wala Wala suddenly looked away:

"Uh... that... um..."

"We know each other, but I haven't bought any gemstones in a long time..."

Linsey immediately realized what was happening.

These experiences must have been accumulated by Wala Wala a long time ago when she was still performing in the theater.

Yao Xing was standing next to her, immediately stepped in to help. "Linsey, let me introduce you."

"Many jewelry merchants are willing to rent their jewelry to us for display and promotion. I know quite a few of them."

Linsey nodded her thanks:

"Thank you for your help."

With the Golden Rule protecting her, Linsey isn't worried about being swept by someone she knows.

After the three finished their meal at the fish restaurant, they headed towards the Messenger Hall.

Night had fallen, but the streets of the City of a Thousand Sails were still bustling with activity.

Of the seven districts, the Green District, which faces due east, has diplomatic functions, and the Messenger Hall is located in this direction.

The three of them had been walking around the city for a day.

So, at Linsey's insistence, they rented a boat and cruised through the waterways of the streets and alleys, heading due east.

There are 6 days left until the Art Festival officially opens.

The atmosphere in the city became increasingly lively.

Linsey sat on the boat, her gaze piercing through the darkness and candlelight, and saw a girl in a wheelchair stopped by the water's edge.

She stretched out her arm to feed some aquatic creatures.

"Ah?"

Linsey looked closely.

The bird being fed was a waterbird with a pouch on its lower jaw, similar to a pelican.

This bird is quite large.

To put it bluntly, if it opens its mouth and lunges forward, the disabled person feeding the water birds will most likely fall into the water, if not be swallowed whole.

"These birds seem to be quite greedy."

"Aren't you afraid of encountering danger while feeding such large birds?"

This time, it was Yao Xing who explained to Linsey:

"There are absolutely no dangerous creatures in the waters near the City of a Thousand Sails, so you can rest assured about that!"

Wala Wala chimed in, "By the way, those Red Sea Mermaid love to swim in the rivers."

"However, if you want to see them again, you'll have to wait until after March."

Linsey calculated the time. "Then it seems there's no chance."

Today is February 3rd.

The Art Festival will officially begin in six days.

After the month-long event ends, and then another week passes, Linsey will leave.

No matter from which angle you analyze it.

He could no longer communicate with those Red Sea Mermaid.

However, thinking of this, Linsey suddenly remembered the mermaid she had caught.

He recalled the way the other person looked at him, and a chill ran down his spine for no reason. His voice began to falter. "I guess we won't see each other again, will we?"

"..."

"Look there, it's the Messenger Hall!"

The Wala Wala shouts interrupted Linsey's imagination.

It's on the left side of the river ahead.

A magnificent duplex building stands on a gray rock foundation.

At the very top of the Messenger Hall's main building stands a striking eight-pointed star symbol that closely resembles the North Star.

"That's really big..."

Linsey murmured a sigh.

The Messenger Hall here is far more magnificent than the Courtyard in the Forest.

Even late at night, a dense flow of people comes and goes here.

Whether guests or hardworking messengers.

People walk on the neat blue brick road in front of the Messenger Hall every moment.

The mediators were hard to spot in the crowd, but to celebrate the Art Festival, the Messenger Hall's Beast Language were also rehearsing with their animal companions, creating a lively scene.

Linsey and the two girls went inside.

Upon arriving at the front desk, Linsey did not immediately inquire about the situation on Mermaid Island.

Thinking of Hong, who still hadn't been heard from, he took out the token he'd obtained in the Courtyard in the Forest and asked the messenger before him:

"Excuse me, do you have any new information regarding this?"