Chapter Summaries

• Attack and escape attempt: After the black-clad attackers are defeated, Shen Yangge asks Chu Xuanzhen to take him elsewhere. Chu carries him from the bloodied courtyard and orders the servant, Xia Zao, to prepare a bath. Xia nearly gets struck by a sword while leaving, but Shen saves him; when another attacker charges, Shen knocks him down with his tail. Chu then kills the remaining assailants.
• Aftermath: Xia, shaken and injured, completes his task and reflects on how narrowly he survived. Shen, meanwhile, is disgusted by the blood on his skin and scrubs himself harshly in the bath.
• Care and intimacy: Chu takes the cloth from Shen and gently washes him, carefully cleaning his fingers and hands. Shen recognizes Chu’s intense possessiveness but, after musing about their relationship, initiates a kiss. Chu quickly takes control, and the encounter leaves Shen sore and exhausted in a second bath.
• Character developments and interactions: Shen is fiercely protective of Chu, partly because he fears another episode of the painful madness that a pill once caused him. He also shows growing comfort with their relationship, even as he remains wary of Chu’s obsessive nature. Chu’s calm exterior conceals anger and protectiveness: he spares Xia but ruthlessly eliminates the attackers, then shifts to attentive tenderness with Shen. Xia’s fear and remorse underline his vulnerability among the powerful.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts brutal violence with intimate care, and explores possessiveness, trust, and the awkward, sometimes comic consequences of desire. Shen’s decision to initiate affection shows his willingness to embrace the relationship, while his regret afterward highlights the imbalance between his playful intent and Chu’s overwhelming intensity.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Yangge, confined to a wooden tub, asks servant Xia Zao where Chu Xuanzhen has gone. Chu left the residence early, and the servants are too frightened of him to help Shen eat or move the table closer.
• Shen solves the problem himself by using a length of red silk to drag the table within reach. He refuses to call for Chu, who appears to be waiting for him to ask for help.
• When Chu returns, Shen ignores him. Chu checks the bathwater, then kisses Shen after Shen asks whether it could ever be unsafe. Their teasing exchange is interrupted by a sudden, violent thunderclap.
• Shen notices Chu’s expression change and calls to him softly, but Chu does not respond, leaving the scene on an ominous note.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge is embarrassed by his dependence on others but determined not to beg Chu for help. His resourcefulness lets him manage the meal on his own. Though he jokes and resents Chu’s control, he is attentive when Chu reacts strangely to the thunder.
• Chu Xuanzhen has made the household afraid to assist Shen, seemingly hoping Shen will summon him. On returning, he teases and kisses Shen, but the thunder appears to affect him in a way Shen has not seen before.
• Xia Zao tries to avoid sensitive situations and obeys orders cautiously, showing how intimidating Chu’s authority is within the residence.
• Shen and Chu’s relationship mixes flirtation, physical intimacy, stubbornness, and a struggle over dependence and control.

Significant themes

• Independence versus dependence: Shen insists on solving his own problems rather than asking Chu for help.
• Power and control: Chu’s influence shapes the servants’ behavior and Shen’s circumstances.
• Humor and intimacy: Shen’s comic inner complaints contrast with the couple’s teasing, affectionate exchanges.
• Unease and foreshadowing: Chu’s silence after the thunder suggests a hidden vulnerability or looming danger.

Plot points and events

• Thunderous blasts and a strange red glow alarm Shen Yangge while he is confined to a bathing tub because of his mermaid form.
• Chu Xuanzhen leaves after reassuring him, but Xia Zao reveals that flames appear to be lighting the sky. Shen orders the door opened despite the servant’s reluctance.
• From the lightning, red glow, and cannon-like explosions, Shen identifies the sounds as artillery being test-fired during the storm.
• He concludes that the island’s lord has secretly allied with the Western Regions and that other Northern island leaders may be involved or have accepted the arrangement. He suspects weapons are being bought and moved by sea for an eventual attack on the mainland.
• Shen realizes Chu Xuanzhen has only recently uncovered the conspiracy and has gone to respond.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge shifts from anxious uncertainty to sharp political insight. Though physically limited, he is forceful and resourceful: he challenges Xia Zao’s attempt to keep him uninformed and pieces together the larger plot.
• Chu Xuanzhen appears strained and unusually gentle with Shen, briefly leaning on his shoulder before leaving. His hurried departure suggests he is dealing with the unfolding threat.
• Xia Zao is frightened by the events and initially obeys Chu’s order to conceal them from Shen. He eventually opens the door when Shen threatens to climb out of the tub.
• Shen’s concern for Chu is clear, while his interactions with Xia Zao reveal his impatience with being treated as helpless.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and political conspiracy: officials and island leaders may be turning against the state that supported them.
• Deception and concealment: a thunderstorm provides cover for weapons testing, while apparent supernatural signs could distract ordinary people.
• Power and vulnerability: Shen’s mobility is restricted, but his judgment and determination remain formidable.
• Loyalty and trust: the revelation raises questions about whether local authorities remain loyal to Great Chu.

Plot points and events

• Ruthis’s carefully laid plans have kept even frontier general Xue Pingyuan uninformed. After a violent storm and a crimson glow in the sky fade, Chu Xuanzhen is still away.
• Shen Yangge, already anxious about Ruthis and what he has learned about him, becomes overheated while bathing and loses consciousness.
• An intruder breaks in searching for the “Sea Demon.” In haste, he scoops Shen into a burlap sack and escapes just before the guards arrive. Xia Zao discovers Shen missing and orders an urgent search, fearing Chu’s reaction.
• Shen wakes in darkness, unable to find his hands, and realizes he has regressed from a mermaid to an ordinary fish. Though his strength and health have returned, he cannot communicate his predicament.
• The intruder delivers the fish to Ruthis. Ruthis examines it, doubts it is the mermaid he wanted, and tosses it back into the water. The intruder apologizes and suggests the real mermaid may have been hidden after their plans were discovered.

Character developments

• Shen Yangge is increasingly wary of Ruthis, but his transformation leaves him physically vulnerable and forced to conceal his intelligence by acting like an ordinary fish.
• Xia Zao is revealed as deeply anxious and protective of Shen, convinced that losing him could cost the entire household their lives.
• Ruthis appears composed and disdainful, yet his interest in capturing the “mermaid” confirms he is pursuing a hidden objective.
• The intruder is frightened by his failure and unsure whether he has been deliberately misled.

Significant themes

• Powerlessness and identity: Shen’s sudden regression strips away his humanlike form and ability to act, even as his mind remains alert.
• Secrecy and suspicion: Characters conceal their plans, and Shen’s understanding of events is shaped by his uncertainty about Ruthis and the world around him.
• Comedic misrecognition: The intruder mistakes Shen for an ordinary fish, while Shen must perform that mistaken identity to stay safe.

Character interactions

• Shen’s absence throws Xia Zao’s household into panic, underscoring their fear of Chu Xuanzhen’s response.
• Ruthis questions the intruder about the supposed mermaid; the intruder defends himself, then accepts blame and offers an explanation.
• Shen silently observes Ruthis while pretending to be a harmless fish, creating a tense contrast between what he knows and what others perceive.

Plot points and events

• Ruthis orders Shen Yangge, still disguised as a fish, taken to the kitchen.
• Guard Li delivers him to a cook, who plans to pan-fry him. Li suspects the fish is a decoy meant to hide the plot against the Mermaid.
• As the cook prepares to butcher him, Shen Yangge escapes by slapping her with his tail and hiding among the clutter.
• Yue Hanshan finds him and gets the cook to leave by sending her to fetch an iron rod. He recognizes Shen Yangge as the River God, rescues him, and has a lookalike fish left in his place.
• Back in safety, Shen Yangge discovers he can no longer produce golden sparks at will. Yue Hanshan and his subordinate conclude his divine power is unstable.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge survives through quick thinking and forceful self-defense, but his diminished control over his divine abilities leaves him vulnerable.
• Yue Hanshan acts decisively to protect him, concealing the rescue from the cook and quietly arranging a substitute. His final concern suggests he suspects a larger danger.
• Guard Li appears to recognize that the fish may be a replacement, but leaves without exposing the deception.
• The cook treats Shen Yangge as ordinary food, unaware of his identity, and is baffled when he escapes.
• Yue’s subordinate is relieved that the River God has been saved, while Yue remains uneasy.

Significant themes

• The contrast between divine status and physical vulnerability: Shen Yangge is revered as a god but nearly ends up on a chopping board.
• Deception and mistaken identity drive the escape, as the guards and kitchen staff handle a decoy fish.
• The chapter balances comic peril with foreshadowing: Shen Yangge’s unstable powers and Yue’s ominous reflection hint that danger may come before any disaster involving the kitchen.

Plot points

• Chu Xuanzhen discovers Shen Yangge has vanished from the room where he was being kept. He quickly concludes Shen was abducted rather than having escaped on his own.
• Xia Zao, a servant responsible for watching Shen, risks approaching Chu and reports what he witnessed, including suspicious activity near the courtyard. He volunteers to lead the search.
• Chu restrains his anger toward Xia Zao, but warns that another breach of his rules will mean death. He then leaves to find Shen, speaking to himself as if promising to reach him soon.
• Xia Zao follows his deductions to a recently arrived, influential mansion. He and Chu’s guards sneak inside—Xia Zao through a dog hole, the guards over the wall.
• Meanwhile, Shen is being held in a wooden basin at the mansion. He remains in fish form and is frustrated that he cannot speak. Yue Hanshan allows his subordinates to believe Shen’s intelligence has diminished, though he knows Shen can think normally.
• Shen notices the conversation around him stop and looks up to find a pair of cold, shadowed eyes watching him, ending the chapter on a suspenseful note.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Xuanzhen is revealed as deeply attached to Shen: his controlled anger gives way to overwhelming distress, and he sets out personally to find him. He also shows restraint by honoring Shen’s earlier intervention on Xia Zao’s behalf.
• Xia Zao acts despite his fear of Chu and the danger of trespassing, choosing to take responsibility and pursue the clues himself. His resourcefulness is undercut by comic awkwardness.
• Shen Yangge remains observant and mentally alert despite being trapped in fish form. He recognizes that Yue and his subordinates are misleading others about his condition.
• Yue Hanshan knows Shen’s mind is intact but does not correct the false impression, leaving Shen isolated and unable to expose the deception.
• Chu’s relationship with Shen is shown through his private promise to find him; Xia Zao’s relationship with Chu is shaped by fear, but also by the mercy Chu previously showed him.

Significant themes

• Attachment and separation: Chu’s reaction makes clear how strongly Shen’s disappearance affects him.
• Powerlessness and deception: Shen can understand what is happening but cannot communicate, while Yue’s silence helps conceal the truth.
• Risk and responsibility: Xia Zao acts despite the danger, hoping that taking a risk is better than accepting certain punishment.
• Tension balanced with humor: The urgent search contrasts with Xia Zao’s comical crawl through the dog hole.

Plot points and events

• Ruthis discovers that Yue Hanshan’s men switched out the fish after the Kitchen Lady reported the deception. Recognizing the fish as the disguised Divine Dragon, Ruthis searches his residence and confronts Yue.
• Yue accepts responsibility and asks Ruthis to spare the subordinates who were not involved. Ruthis’s men remain silent, fearful and resentful that they have been judged without a chance to defend themselves.
• Ruthis explains his larger scheme: he wants to seize control of the island and eventually use it as a foothold against Great Chu. He had planned to kill an unidentified Capital City visitor, replace him with an impostor, and disguise the murder as an accidental fall at sea.
• After learning the visitor might be the Divine Dragon in mermaid form—and vulnerable outside water—Ruthis decided to abduct him, believing the gods had given him an opportunity.
• Ruthis questions Yue about why he protected the fish. Yue says he could not let a creature with which he felt a deep connection be treated as food. Ruthis admits that, without the switch, the Divine Dragon might have been eaten.
• Ruthis accuses Yue of failing to report the fish and questions his loyalty. Yue firmly denies treason or any intention to serve another master.
• As Ruthis moves to take the fish from the tub, Shen Yangge prepares to retaliate, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Yue Hanshan remains composed and accepts blame, but draws a clear line at being called a traitor. His actions reveal genuine protectiveness toward the fish.
• Ruthis shifts from anger to calculated calm as he investigates Yue’s motives. His ambition is revealed to be far greater than a local power struggle: he hopes to use the island to undermine Great Chu. His confidence is also fueled by a belief that divine forces favor him.
• Ruthis and Yue face off over loyalty and responsibility. Yue’s subordinates show fear and growing bitterness toward Ruthis’s harsh judgment.
• Ruthis and Shen Yangge are on the verge of a direct clash: Ruthis approaches the tub, while Shen prepares to strike.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and treason: Yue’s protection of the fish is framed as possible disobedience, though he insists he has not betrayed Ruthis.
• Power and ambition: Ruthis treats the island as his own and plans to use it as a base for wider conquest.
• Deception and mistaken identity: The swapped fish, impostor plan, and hidden identity of the Divine Dragon drive the conflict.
• Moral uncertainty and vulnerability: The Divine Dragon’s fish form leaves him exposed to capture or even being served as food, despite his immense status.

Plot points and events

• Ruthis prepares to touch the water but is driven back by an arrow from a shadowy intruder. Yue Hanshan tries to shield him; Ruthis kicks him away and escapes with his trusted aides.
• The intruder’s forces overpower Yue Hanshan and his guards. The man, dressed in crimson, ignores Yue Hanshan and goes straight to the basin.
• The intruder is Chu Xuanzhen, whom Shen Yangge recognizes. Now an ordinary fish, Shen hides in the basin, afraid Chu will take him as a pet again.
• Chu gently handles the fish, though his strokes sometimes scrape against the scales and draw blood. Shen struggles at first, then tolerates the attention. Chu carries the basin away.
• Yue Hanshan expects to die, but the chapter ends by revealing he may survive. Chu later realizes that Ruthis—the Western Regions prince who fled to the Northern States—was the one who abducted Shen.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge is wary and frightened of Chu, recalling his earlier confinement as a mermaid. His helplessness as an ordinary fish intensifies his fear, though he eventually stops resisting.
• Chu Xuanzhen shows a possessive, tender-seeming interest in Shen, focusing on him to the exclusion of Yue Hanshan and the surrounding conflict.
• Yue Hanshan risks himself to protect Ruthis, only to be rejected and abandoned. His loyalty begins to give way to resentment as he worries about the fate of his men and their families.
• Ruthis reveals his cold self-preservation by kicking Yue aside and fleeing rather than standing with him.
• Chu’s men restrain Yue and his guards, while Chu’s silent dismissal leaves Yue powerless and uncertain of his fate.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and betrayal: Yue’s devotion is met with Ruthis’s rejection, prompting resentment.
• Power and helplessness: Ruthis escapes, Yue is captured, and Shen—despite being the focus of Chu’s attention—cannot control his own situation.
• Possession and protection: Chu’s care for Shen is intimate but unsettling, recalling Shen’s past confinement.
• Appearance versus reality: Shen’s ordinary-fish form conceals his history and identity, while the seemingly tender interaction carries an undercurrent of threat.

Plot points and events

• Shen Yangge, trapped in a fish-like form and unable to speak, tries to make Chu Xuanzhen forget his earlier deception by swimming and showing off his recovered mermaid abilities. Chu remains silent and focused on confidential papers, leaving Shen to complain in his thoughts.
• Shen eventually gives up trying to attract Chu’s attention, but resurfaces when he hears Chu undressing. He briefly admires Chu’s physique before a folding screen blocks his view. Still wary of looking too eager during their “cold war,” Shen ducks back underwater.
• After Lord Shen’s rescue, Xia Zao—who had promised Chu he would find him—kneels outside the room through the night, expecting punishment for failing to keep his promise.
• Chu emerges the next morning without speaking to Xia and walks away. A guard explains that Chu’s anger has mostly passed and that Xia was not chiefly responsible for the abduction.
• Xia tries to stand but falls because his legs are numb. The guards tease him about his earlier bravery, including crawling through a dog hole; embarrassed, he staggers away and even leaves a shoe behind.

Character development and interactions

• Shen Yangge remains playful and irrepressible despite being unable to speak. His inner complaints show both frustration with Chu’s silence and an attraction he is reluctant to admit.
• Chu Xuanzhen maintains a deliberate, unreadable distance from Shen, though his earlier anger appears to have eased by morning. His silence toward Xia also leaves the servant uncertain about his fate.
• Xia Zao is devoted and guilt-ridden, taking his promise seriously enough to endure a night on his knees. Once reassured, his fear gives way to embarrassment when the guards tease him.
• Shen and Chu’s silent standoff contrasts with the more openly comic, teasing interaction between Xia and the courtyard guards.

Significant themes

• Communication and misunderstanding: Shen cannot speak, while Chu refuses to engage, turning their relationship tension into a one-sided exchange.
• Affection disguised as conflict: Shen’s attraction to Chu persists beneath his complaints and pride.
• Loyalty, guilt, and mercy: Xia’s self-punishment reflects his sense of duty, while Chu’s decision not to condemn him suggests leniency.
• Comedy through vulnerability: Shen’s fish form and Xia’s numb-legged fall undercut the chapter’s tension with humor.

Plot points and events

• After fleeing the mansion, Ruthis and Nan Jiaxi settle in a neglected residence near the coast. Though still recovering from illness, Nan Jiaxi cheerfully joins the servants in cleaning and insists on tidying Ruthis’s room, saying it has always been his responsibility.
• The other servants mistake Nan Jiaxi’s delicate appearance and fine clothes for signs that he is a young nobleman—possibly someone especially close to Ruthis. Their concern makes them wary of offending him.
• Ruthis finds Nan Jiaxi cleaning, lifts him by the collar, and examines his face and eyes as if searching for a resemblance to someone else. Nan Jiaxi nervously apologizes for being dirty, but Ruthis puts him on the bed and offers to grant him a wish if he cleans it well.
• Nan Jiaxi asks to share Ruthis’s bed for a night, intending the request innocently as an honor and a chance to spend time with someone he admires. Ruthis interprets it differently, and Nan Jiaxi never gets to sleep beside him.
• Meanwhile, Shen Yangge’s imagined predicament comes true: Chu Xuanzhen puts him in a water-filled gourd and ties it to his waistband. Shen is cramped, nauseated by the swinging and Chu’s acrobatic travel, and frustrated at having to watch Chu eat without sharing the food.

Character development and interactions

• Nan Jiaxi is diligent, cheerful, and eager to serve Ruthis despite his recent illness. His innocent admiration leads him to make a request with unintended suggestive implications.
• Ruthis is teasing and controlling, but also distracted by Nan Jiaxi’s resemblance to someone from his past or imagination. His scrutiny hints at an unresolved preoccupation.
• The servants misread Nan Jiaxi’s status and treat him with exaggerated caution, revealing how fear of Ruthis shapes life in the household.
• Shen Yangge and Chu Xuanzhen remain in a “cold war,” yet cooperate efficiently in getting Shen into and out of the gourd. Their arrangement leaves Shen helpless and irritated while Chu seems entirely comfortable.

Significant themes

• Misunderstanding and mismatched expectations: Nan Jiaxi’s innocent wish sounds intimate, while the servants mistake his status and Shen’s complaints remain unheard.
• Power and dependence: Nan Jiaxi works under Ruthis’s authority, while Shen’s confinement in the gourd leaves him dependent on Chu.
• Comic contrast: Polished appearances and refined behavior contrast with physical discomfort, anxious servants, and Shen’s blunt inner grumbling.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Yangge, still trapped in fish form, sulks over Chu Xuanzhen’s meal and entertains himself by blowing bubbles. He notices he has shrunk again, now small and nimble enough to evade Chu’s attempts to stroke him.
• When Chu prepares to leave, Shen refuses to enter the transport gourd. Chu promises to have the kitchen make him something delicious, but when Shen still won’t cooperate, Chu catches his tail and puts him inside anyway.
• The journey makes Shen dizzy, despite the gourd containing water from his basin. He peeks out and sees a busy island street, where locals sell mostly seafood.
• A child mistakes Shen’s keeper for someone who keeps fish. Her mother quickly hurries her away, afraid of offending a powerful lord.
• As Shen watches them leave, someone knocks the gourd and swiftly snatches him out. The chapter ends with Shen realizing he has been stolen and preparing to fight back.

Character developments

• Shen Yangge grows accustomed to his smaller body and uses its speed to evade Chu, while remaining stubborn and expressive despite being unable to speak.
• Chu Xuanzhen remains stern and controlling, but shows some consideration: he waits for Shen to comply, offers him a treat, and gently strokes him despite the cut on his thumb.
• The child’s mother reveals how fearful ordinary people are of powerful figures, based on a past incident in which a child was violently punished for an innocent remark.

Significant themes

• Power and fear: The mother’s panic shows how authority can make even harmless words feel dangerous.
• Communication and control: Shen communicates through gestures and bubbles, but Chu often overrides his wishes.
• Attachment beneath irritation: Chu’s care for Shen appears through his attention and promises, while Shen’s grudging tolerance suggests a growing bond.

Character interactions

• Shen and Chu engage in a playful chase in the basin, then clash over Shen’s refusal to enter the gourd.
• Shen observes a child and her mother, whose frightened reaction hints at the island’s social hierarchy.
• An unidentified thief abruptly interrupts the journey by grabbing Shen, setting up the next conflict.

Plot points and events

• Shen Yangge is reunited with System 615 in a hidden water bag, where both have been held among many ornamental fish. System 615 has no idea how it was taken and has spent days trapped there.
• The bag is shaken violently for about an incense stick’s time, injuring both of them. When the bag is opened, Chu Xuanzhen rescues Shen Yangge, who recognizes him and passes out from exhaustion.
• After waking, Shen Yangge and System 615 eagerly eat flower cake Chu Xuanzhen crumbles into their basin. Shen Yangge’s excitement turns into a comical rivalry with the system over the food.
• Shen Yangge misjudges his smaller size while leaping for a piece of cake and bites Chu Xuanzhen’s finger. Soon afterward, Shen Yangge’s body suddenly becomes intensely hot and turns red. Chu Xuanzhen is alarmed, while System 615 panics and tries to work out what is happening.

Character developments

• Shen Yangge remains proud and easily irritated, but shows affection by comforting the distressed System 615. His hunger and joy over human food also reveal a playful, less dignified side.
• System 615 is relieved to find Shen Yangge, having endured captivity and crowded conditions. It continues to be protective, shielding him during the shaking, though its fish-brain confusion makes it comically ineffective at understanding the new crisis.
• Chu Xuanzhen acts as Shen Yangge’s rescuer and caretaker, feeding the fish while studying a map. His calm manner gives way to visible concern when Shen Yangge’s body temperature rises.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and companionship: Shen Yangge and System 615 find comfort in their reunion, and the system protects him despite its own injuries.
• Vulnerability and care: Both characters are physically fragile as fish, while Chu Xuanzhen’s rescue and attention highlight their dependence on him.
• Humor amid danger: Their captivity and injuries are undercut by the absurdity of fish-form bickering, food competition, and Shen Yangge accidentally biting Chu Xuanzhen.

Character interactions

• Shen Yangge wakes System 615 from its gloomy detachment with a tail-slap, then reassures it with a gentle pat.
• System 615 shields Shen Yangge from the fish thrown against him as the bag is shaken.
• Chu Xuanzhen rescues Shen Yangge and feeds both fish; Shen Yangge suspects he deliberately gives System 615 a piece first.
• Shen Yangge accidentally bites Chu Xuanzhen’s finger while reaching for food, and Chu Xuanzhen responds with concern when the fish turns hot and red.

Key plot points and events

• While transformed into a small fish, Shen Yangge bites Chu Xuanzhen’s finger and drinks his blood, which helps cool his dangerously overheated body.
• A burst of white light transforms him back into a silver-haired mermaid. Chu Xuanzhen catches him, removes his mouth from his injured finger, and kisses him while he sleeps.
• Shen Yangge wakes to find Chu Xuanzhen kissing him. He remembers their ongoing cold war and turns away, but soon needs water because he has been out of it too long.
• In the bathtub, Shen Yangge notices another wound on Chu Xuanzhen’s hand, examines it, and bites the finger. Chu Xuanzhen asks him to come out so he can kiss him; Shen Yangge initially refuses, then is coaxed into a kiss.
• Chu Xuanzhen pulls Shen Yangge from the water and continues kissing him. Shen Yangge’s tail instinctively curls around Chu Xuanzhen, though he soon tries to retreat to the bath. System 615 discreetly turns away.

Character developments

• Shen Yangge is physically restored but remains groggy and emotionally conflicted. He is still resentful over the cold war, yet responds involuntarily to Chu Xuanzhen’s closeness and shows concern for his injured hand.
• Chu Xuanzhen shifts from distant to openly affectionate and persistent, tending to Shen Yangge’s needs while repeatedly seeking kisses. His apology suggests he recognizes some fault, though Shen Yangge remains unconvinced.
• System 615 witnesses the transformation but accepts that it cannot change species or undo its punishment early.

Significant themes

• Transformation and recovery: Shen Yangge’s return to mermaid form marks the end of his physical crisis, though he is still adjusting.
• Affection mixed with resentment: Their intimacy resumes before their disagreement is resolved, creating tension between emotional hurt and attraction.
• Care expressed through physical gestures: Shen Yangge’s attention to Chu Xuanzhen’s wounds and Chu Xuanzhen’s efforts to keep him hydrated show concern beneath their teasing and conflict.

Character interactions

• Shen Yangge’s bites both feed his recovery and become an intimate, recurring exchange with Chu Xuanzhen.
• Chu Xuanzhen coaxes and kisses him; Shen Yangge resists verbally and tries to return to the water, but his body betrays some attachment.
• System 615 silently observes the pair before choosing not to watch further.

Key plot points and events

• Explosions and a powerful gust signal an attack on the island. A Death Soldier reports that unidentified forces are closing in by land and sea, with more than a dozen ships approaching.
• The soldier urges Chu Xuanzhen to leave for safety. Chu refuses to order an evacuation, telling his men they may leave instead.
• Chu carries Shen Yangge back to the bathtub before leaving the room. A new, stuttering servant is assigned to watch over Shen in Xia Zao’s absence.
• Shen reflects that Chu is unlikely to abandon the island: it is Great Chu territory, and retreating could damage his standing as emperor. He sees the crisis as both a military threat and a test of the bond between ruler and people.
• The ground shakes violently. The servant lifts Shen from the tub and carries him toward the exit just as the remaining door collapses.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Xuanzhen shows resolve by refusing to flee, while remaining protective of Shen—shielding him from the blast and ensuring someone stays to guard him.
• Shen Yangge is frightened and physically helpless, but thinks strategically about Chu’s responsibilities, reputation, and the political consequences of surrendering the island.
• The new servant begins fearful of the dangerous assignment but becomes captivated by Shen’s beauty. When the room starts collapsing, he acts decisively to rescue him.
• The Death Soldier’s urgent warning contrasts with Chu’s refusal to retreat. Shen and the servant have a brief, awkward exchange, shaped by the servant’s stutter and Shen’s concern for Xia Zao.

Significant themes

• Duty versus self-preservation: Chu’s refusal to abandon the island reflects his obligations as emperor.
• Legitimacy and public trust: Shen recognizes that a ruler’s authority depends in part on the people’s confidence and loyalty.
• Protection and vulnerability: Chu and the servant each protect Shen, who cannot escape danger on his own.
• Beauty and devotion: The servant’s sudden admiration introduces a personal, almost romantic response amid the unfolding military crisis.

Key plot points and events

• An earthquake devastates the estate. As buildings collapse and the courtyard splits open, Shen Yangge and the little stutterer narrowly escape injury.
• Shen’s tail is pierced by a wooden splinter. While carrying him, the terrified little stutterer grips him too tightly, nearly damaging his scales; Shen scolds him, and the man loosens his hold.
• Once the shaking stops, Shen begins overheating and showing signs that he needs water. The earthquake has destroyed their water tub, and cracks have turned the island’s freshwater lake salty.
• Chu Xuanzhen arrives and takes Shen from the little stutterer. Shen, feverish and disoriented, presses against Chu for his coolness, while Chu realizes the lack of fresh water may put Shen’s survival at risk.
• Shen addresses Chu as “Your Highness” and calls himself Chu’s subject. The little stutterer overhears, suddenly realizing that both men are people of high status.

Character developments and interactions

• The little stutterer’s fear turns into protectiveness: he risks himself to carry Shen to safety and is deeply distressed when Shen rebukes him. He admires Shen intensely, but is intimidated by Chu.
• Shen remains sharp-tongued even while injured and weak, yet accepts comfort from Chu instinctively. His familiar, affectionate behavior reveals their closeness.
• Chu is composed and protective, soothing Shen with a reassuring lie and quickly recognizing his need for water. His grim reaction to the loss of fresh water hints at the danger ahead.
• The contrast between the two men’s temperaments is emphasized: the little stutterer sees Shen as an immortal and Chu as a fearsome, almost demonic presence. Chu’s arrival also ends the little stutterer’s chance to remain close to Shen.

Significant themes

• Natural disaster and vulnerability: The earthquake abruptly destroys shelter and resources, leaving everyone exposed to forces beyond their control.
• Care, dependence, and devotion: The characters’ actions show how deeply they rely on one another, especially as Shen becomes physically vulnerable.
• Secrets and revelation: Shen’s formal address to Chu unintentionally exposes their relationship and status to the little stutterer.
• Humor amid danger: Shen’s “dried fish” complaint and his catlike response to Chu provide comic relief without diminishing the chapter’s peril.

Key plot points and events

• An earthquake devastates the island, collapsing nearly every building and separating Ruthis from Nan Jiaxi and Chu Xuanzhen from Shen Yangge.
• Nan Jiaxi, terrified and injured, hides in the kitchen’s firewood store. Ruthis returns to look for him, finds him, and carries him to safety.
• Once safe, Nan Jiaxi breaks down crying. Ruthis tells him he is still alive, then orders him to keep up rather than leave him behind.
• Chu Xuanzhen brings the badly dehydrated, delirious Shen Yangge to a surviving water vat. Shen submerges himself to recover; his body is covered in scales, and a wooden splinter remains lodged in his tail.
• System 615, trapped as a koi beneath the rubble, finally reaches its host—but recoils in terror at the cold voice it hears and immediately cuts the connection.
• The chapter reflects on how natural disasters cannot be reliably predicted and how fragile human life is in their wake.

Character developments

• Ruthis reveals concern beneath his harsh manner: he actively searches for Nan Jiaxi, handles him gently, and makes sure he follows.
• Nan Jiaxi moves from fearful resignation to relief when Ruthis rescues him and asks him to stay close.
• Chu Xuanzhen is shaken by Shen Yangge’s injuries and recognizes his own helplessness. His distress is visible in his trembling hands and pained gaze.
• Shen Yangge is too depleted to respond much, while his exposed scales and injured tail emphasize his vulnerability.
• System 615 is frightened by the voice it encounters and retreats rather than risk further contact.

Significant themes

• The unpredictability of disaster: Even exceptional people cannot foresee or control a natural catastrophe.
• Fragility and survival: The earthquake reduces homes and lives to rubble, showing how vulnerable people are.
• Care beneath authority: Ruthis’s actions contradict Nan Jiaxi’s belief that a master would never risk himself for a servant.
• Unspoken attachment: Chu Xuanzhen’s anguish over Shen Yangge’s injury reveals deep concern he does not openly acknowledge.

Plot points and events

• An earthquake devastates the islands, destroying homes and trapping residents. Survivors desperately dig through rubble, while grief and fear leave many numb.
• The City Lord and his aides ignore the suffering and head toward the coastal district. When scholars confront him over his failure to send help, he has them arrested and sentenced to death.
• Islanders realize that the City Lord plans to rebel and ally with an enemy nation. Though furious, they are too afraid to oppose him openly and hope the imperial court will intervene.
• Unidentified people dressed in black organize rescue teams, distribute food, and keep searching even when victims are dead. Islanders conclude the rescuers must have come from outside the islands—sent by the nation.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge’s badly wounded tail is shown after the earlier events. A timid servant, who had been protected by Shen, secretly admires him and is moved by his injuries; he contrasts Shen’s compassion with Chu Xuanzhen’s apparent harshness.
• Ordinary islanders show resilience and solidarity: an elderly woman keeps clearing rubble to reach her husband, and people labor with bare hands to save neighbors and family.
• The scholars risk their lives by confronting the City Lord. His brutal response reveals his willingness to silence criticism and deepen the islanders’ distrust.
• The black-clad rescuers provide practical aid and hope, though their identities remain unknown.

Significant themes

• Duty and neglect: The City Lord’s betrayal contrasts with the rescuers’ selfless service.
• Community and resilience: In disaster, ordinary people help one another despite exhaustion, grief, and scarcity.
• Fear and political oppression: Islanders recognize the truth but remain silent because dissent may mean death.
• National belonging and hope: The people’s loyalty to Great Chu remains strong, and they see help from beyond the islands as proof that the nation has not abandoned them.

Key plot points and events

• The city lord reflects on his growing resentment toward Great Chu’s court, which has repeatedly slighted him and broken its promises. He has chosen to support an enemy invasion, believing that surrender will save lives and earn him power after Great Chu falls.
• Chu Xuanzhen divides his forces: some rescue civilians trapped in rubble, while others seize the city lord’s hidden gunpowder and weapons.
• Secret Imperial Guard operatives embedded on the island—some posing as the city lord’s trusted aides—help Chu Xuanzhen by opening the weapons stores and killing anyone who might alert the city lord. The supplies are moved to a forbidden area and secretly shipped to the mainland.
• When the city lord discovers the loss, he panics and vows revenge. His daughter asks why he does not simply arrest Chu Xuanzhen; he admits he fears the man, whom locals believe to be the River God after seeing him ride a giant fish to seek the Sea Demon.
• Meanwhile, Chu Xuanzhen treats Shen Yangge’s injured tail. Shen enjoys the attention and, carried away by his playful desire to assert himself, drapes his tail across Chu Xuanzhen’s chest. Chu Xuanzhen presses and strokes the tail, leaving Shen embarrassed and unable to complain.

Character developments

• The city lord is revealed as a bitter, ambitious collaborator. He frames betrayal as a practical way to survive and gain status, but the loss of his weapons exposes how vulnerable his position is.
• Chu Xuanzhen is decisive and strategic, protecting civilians while dismantling the city lord’s military plans. He remains outwardly composed, even while quietly considering how to use the captured weapons.
• Shen Yangge shows a mischievous, flirtatious side. Though he intends only to tease Chu Xuanzhen, his bold gesture leaves him flustered when Chu turns the moment back on him.
• The city lord’s daughter questions her father’s failure to act, prompting him to reveal his fear of Chu Xuanzhen.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and self-preservation: The city lord believes people will choose survival over loyalty, using that belief to justify collaboration.
• Broken promises and resentment: The court’s neglect has fueled the city lord’s ambition and helped push him toward treason.
• Hidden loyalties and deception: The city lord’s apparent inner circle contains secret agents working against him.
• Power and reputation: Chu Xuanzhen’s real capabilities are reinforced by the exaggerated local belief that he is a divine River God.
• Intimacy and playful vulnerability: The treatment of Shen’s injury turns into teasing, revealing the growing ease and tension between him and Chu.

Character interactions

• Chu Xuanzhen’s forces help the island’s civilians while secretly striking at the city lord’s resources.
• The city lord argues with his daughter about why he cannot arrest Chu Xuanzhen and admits that fear and the man’s supposed divine status are factors.
• Chu Xuanzhen tends to Shen Yangge’s wound with patient care; Shen responds by teasing him with his tail, only to become embarrassed when Chu Xuanzhen strokes it in return.

Plot points and events

• While treating Shen Yangge’s injured tail, Chu Xuanzhen secretly catches and pockets one of his scales. Shen Yangge notices nothing.
• Shen Yangge finds System 615 buried beneath a ruined house. The system warns that the island is unusually abnormal: its data marks the region dark red, and the earthquakes reinforce its suspicions.
• Two days later, another earthquake devastates the island. The City Lord sends aid, but commoners resent his late response, while wealthy residents—whose families received prompt rescue—show gratitude and offer generous support.
• Displaced commoners leave the central region for Linhai, where flooding has also occurred. Though exhausted and impoverished, they are accepted by local residents despite their usual rivalries.
• As Shen Yangge’s return to human form approaches, he grows uneasy after repeatedly hearing a baby cry that nobody else can hear.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yangge shifts from distraction and contentment under Chu Xuanzhen’s care to alarm as System 615 reveals the island’s anomalies. His unexplained auditory experiences deepen his fear.
• Chu Xuanzhen remains attentive and composed, but his secret theft of Shen Yangge’s scale hints at concealed motives.
• System 615 reconnects with Shen Yangge and cautiously shares its analysis, suggesting the island’s disasters may be more than ordinary.
• The City Lord tries to aid the population, but his unequal treatment of commoners and wealthy families exposes the limits of his concern. The disaster also briefly brings Linhai’s residents and displaced strangers together.

Significant themes

• Disaster and inequality: Aid and survival are distributed unevenly, fueling resentment among commoners.
• Solidarity amid crisis: Linhai’s residents set aside ordinary divisions to shelter those in need.
• The uncanny and uncertainty: The island’s strange data, repeated earthquakes, and unheard baby cries suggest a growing supernatural or otherwise inexplicable threat.
• Secrecy and vulnerability: Chu Xuanzhen’s hidden act contrasts with his caring manner, while Shen Yangge’s approaching transformation leaves him increasingly unsettled.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Yangge hears a baby crying beneath the rubble and directs the little stutterer to dig it out. The child is alive beside a corpse, and no one knows how to care for him. Shen takes charge until a guard awkwardly becomes the baby’s caretaker.
• As Chu Xuanzhen works long hours, Shen notices that he returns exhausted and sleeps nearby. When rain begins, Shen has a makeshift tent built to shelter Chu and the others.
• Seeing impoverished survivors without adequate clothing, Shen gives them most of the clothes Chu had reserved for him. Chu wakes and supports Shen’s decision.
• On the fifth or sixth night, Shen’s mermaid tail changes back into human legs. He leaves the water vat and walks on land again.
• Shen overhears men planning an assassination, apparently targeting him while Chu is away. He alerts the guards, then hides in the emptied vat with the baby and the little stutterer as the attack approaches.

Character developments

• Shen Yangge grows more compassionate and capable: he cares for the rescued baby, considers the displaced survivors’ needs, and acts decisively when he learns of the plot.
• Chu Xuanzhen shows quiet concern for Shen, having prepared clothes for him, but also respects Shen’s generosity by ordering his men to carry it out.
• The guard caring for the baby adapts to an unfamiliar role, learning to hold and look after the child despite his discomfort.
• The little stutterer helps recover the baby and stays with Shen during the danger, though he remains bewildered by events.

Significant themes

• Compassion amid disaster: People help one another despite loss, hardship, and scarce resources.
• Practical care and responsibility: The baby’s survival depends on people stepping up, even when they feel unprepared.
• Class inequality: The City Lord’s Residence remains comparatively intact while ordinary people lack even basic clothing.
• Trust and loyalty: Chu backs Shen’s choice, while Shen relies on his guards to protect him.
• Transformation and uncertainty: Shen’s return to human form marks a major change, while the approaching assassination renews the danger.

Character interactions

• Shen directs the little stutterer to find the baby, then works with the guards to keep the child alive.
• Shen and Chu share a quiet domestic moment: Chu’s concern is evident in his preparations, and he supports Shen’s decision to give the clothes away.
• The grateful survivors respond emotionally to Shen’s generosity.
• Shen warns the guards about the assassins and retreats with the baby and the little stutterer, preparing for the attack.