No Fear of Comparing Goods, Only of Comparing People!

What Zhu Zhuqing did not know was that she had not been deceived. Rather, that squad would never be able to meet her again.

The five who had planned to resupply at the harbor before taking their benefactor and leaving Waterfall City saw the panicked fisherman fleeing back. They learned that a massive shark had appeared in the waters where he had been fishing.

The leader immediately thought of the Sawtooth Shark they had defeated some time ago, only for it to escape, and he instantly became excited.

What benefactor? What beautiful girl? He cast them all aside. His Soul Ring was what mattered most!

So, he abandoned Zhu Zhuqing, whom he had been about to meet, and led his squad to those waters, where they remained forever.

Zhu Zhuqing, who should have safely left the town under the squad's protection, could only linger there. In the end, the pursuing troops caught up with her, and after a frantic escape, Haiming saved her in the small forest.

In truth, if Haiming had not set his sights on that Sawtooth Shark, the fisherman would certainly have died, and news of the shark would never have reached Waterfall City. The squad would have taken Zhu Zhuqing from Waterfall City without incident. Even if the pursuers caught up, the leader could have easily dealt with them, and Zhu Zhuqing could have smoothly escaped the Star Luo Empire and evaded capture.

But there were no ifs in this world. What happened, happened!

"So, what are you planning to do next?"

After dinner, Qian Yin cleared away the dishes while Qian Yu sat chatting with Zhu Zhuqing.

"A plan? I want to go to the Heaven Dou Empire." Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, returning to the frosty beauty she had been before.

"The Heaven Dou Empire? That's very, very far away." Qian Yu curled her lips. Quite a few people from Sea God Island had traveled to coastal cities in the Heaven Dou Empire, but it would not be easy for Zhu Zhuqing to get there alone.

Besides...

"You want to find that fiancé of yours who ran away?"

Zhu Zhuqing had told them nearly everything about herself. In truth, there was nothing much for her to keep secret.

Zhu Zhuqing did not refute the disdain in Qian Yu's words, because she had never even met her nominal fiancé. She only knew that such a person existed.

They had exchanged a single letter in the past. The next news she received was that he had fled the royal family more than two years ago, abandoned the struggle for the throne, and was waiting to reach adulthood and welcome death.

And his surrender meant that no matter how hard Zhu Zhuqing tried, she would fail.

Unless she defeated her elder sister and climbed into her brother-in-law's bed!

"Do you want an answer? Zhuqing, you are a proud person deep down too."

Qian Yin entered carrying three cups of tea. At a glance, she saw what Zhu Zhuqing's persistence was for.

It was only for an answer—an answer as to whether it was worth facing death herself!

"If you ask me, just kick that Dai... Dai... Dai-whatever to the curb and come to Sea God Island with us. Isn't Lord Haiming ten thousand times better than him?"

Qian Yu's gestures were wildly exaggerated. Though she was more than ten years older than Zhu Zhuqing, she acted as willful as a child.

Qian Yin glared at her younger sister before placing a cup of tea in front of Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing lifted the cup and took a small sip. Two figures emerged in her mind.

One was timid and small, showing her his back with no intention of turning around.

The other wore a sunny smile, spoke with just a hint of mischief, and reached out to place his hand atop her head.

"Can a cat like you eat a fish like me?"

"Zhuqing~"

"Zhuqing~"

"Zhuqing!"

"Ah!"

Zhu Zhuqing jumped in fright. What met her eyes was Qian Yu's faintly mischievous smile.

"What were you thinking about? You were so absorbed that you didn't hear me calling you several times. Could it be you were thinking..."

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's face flush once more, Qian Yin irritably chopped her younger sister on the head with her hand. Then, seeing Qian Yu's teary eyes, Qian Yin helped Zhu Zhuqing onto the bed to rest.

"By the way, Sister Qian Yin, why do you both know Haiming so well?"

Zhu Zhuqing did not quite understand. The Qian Yin sisters had been expelled from Sea God Island, while Haiming, judging by their tone, seemed to hold a very high status on Sea God Island. The two sides should not have had much contact.

Qian Yin seemed to understand Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts. She gently helped Zhu Zhuqing arrange her loose black hair, her voice soft and unhurried.

"Lord Haiming is the little tyrant of Sea God Island. Nearly every resident of Sea God Island knows him. He has visited every household, and he is the leader of all the children on Sea God Island.

"Because Sea Soul Masters who come of age on Sea God Island become warriors who defend the island, and many people are forced to leave Sea God Island after failing the assessments, many elderly people are terribly lonely at home.

"As the children's leader, Haiming would bring the children to the elderly people's homes to help with chores and chat with them, becoming their little ray of joy. He is smart, kind, and very responsible. Whenever the children went out with him, even their parents were completely at ease.

"Once, several land Soul Masters arrived at Sea God Island aboard a merchant ship. One of them tried to abduct a child from Sea God Island and take them to the mainland. Haiming endured injuries and held out until Sea God Island's warriors came to the rescue. Only then was that child not taken away."

Qian Yin's voice was ethereal, and a faint smile rested on her lips.

"As for why we call him Lord Haiming, that is because his identity is extraordinary. He is the grandson of the Sea Dragon Divine Pillar. The Sea Dragon Divine Pillar is Sea God Island's strongest guardian aside from the High Priest. Naturally, his grandson drew attention, so nearly every resident of Sea God Island knew about Haiming's deeds."

Listening to Qian Yin's story, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to see a precocious young boy leading a group of children into spacious, lonely houses as if they were merely playing, laughing and frolicking around the elderly.

So that boy who spoke so mischievously was actually that wonderful?

His character was noble, his strength was formidable, and his grandfather was even a Titled Douluo...

Compared to him, what was her own fiancé like?

The Heaven Dou Empire...

Should she go seek an answer?

What answer did she truly want in her heart?

Filled with thoughts, Zhu Zhuqing drifted into dreams. In that dream, she vaguely seemed to find the "answer" she sought!