Not letting me get close?
Cloud Kun's answer was to shrink—then shrink again. It shrank directly to a foot in length, leaped with all its might, and jumped into Shen Le's arms. It pressed itself against his chest, clinging tightly without moving.
Its attitude was crystal clear:
If you don't take me, no way!
I'm a ship—a Great Ming warship, a commissioned modern naval warship with a hull number. I'm the last line of defense at Shen Le's side!
If anything happens underwater, I can pack Shen Le up and make a run for it!
With it acting like this, Shen Le could only reach out and support its hull, stroking the ship's side as if petting a cat before lightly brushing the tips of its three masts. He turned and smiled at Xuan Yuan.
"It'll be fine by my side at this size. So... shall we bring it along?"
Embroidery Lord had already moved his eight crab legs, heading deeper into the gorge. Xuan Yuan swayed her tail and tried hard to keep up. Inkshadow Lord, Phantom Moon Princess, and the others, however, wriggled their tentacles and flapped their shells as they retreated.
"I won't be going. I went once fifty years ago, and I haven't fully digested what I gained. I can't make another attempt yet."
"Neither will I... I'll probably need another hundred years before I can try again... Oh, right..."
The giant mirage clam opened its shell, and a silver-white pearl the size of a pigeon egg flew before Shen Le. It was perfectly round, its surface wrapped in ring after ring of patterns.
"Take this with you. Once it starts glowing and casting all kinds of shadows, be careful—you're almost there!"
Shen Le took a deep breath, bowed to them, and waved farewell. After a