Sea God Island had now entered a state of full-scale preparation.
The island, nestled in the lake at the center of Shrek City, was usually as quiet as an ink-wash painting. Only the lights of the Sea God Pavilion shone at night, reflected on the lake in a scattering of warm yellow light.
But now, the entire island had come alive. The floating bridge across the lake had been fitted with new wooden planks, each planed smooth and level, its edges trimmed with silver metal strips. Footsteps no longer drew the creaking of old wood, but a deep, solid thud.
Strips of Soul Guidance Lamps wound around the railings on both sides of the bridge. They were unremarkable by day, but would light up automatically at dusk, ice-blue light stretching along the railings like two flowing rivers.
Tang Wulin stood on the lawn on the north side of Sea God Island, clutching a roll of soul guidance blueprints.
It was the decorating plan Yun Ming had sent someone to deliver. Exceedingly fine lines marked the position, angle, color, and soul guidance circuit connection of every decoration.
He looked down and read it twice, then raised his head to compare it against the lawn's actual dimensions. He pressed the soul guidance pen in his hand, and a pale golden light shone from its tip. Crouching down, he drew a line in the soil at the edge of the lawn.
"Xie Xie, over there. Half a foot farther left."
"Got it."
Xie Xie crouched ten paces away, holding a coil of silver-white soul guidance cable as he laid it across the ground.
The wind had tousled his short brown hair, and a small, sweat-dampened lock clung to his temple. His uniform jacket was halfway unzipped, revealing its dark lining. He arranged the