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Yu Ling was having a blast in the Kingdom of Lunke. On one hand, she could relentlessly torment Pai Liu, the wizard she had been sold to, and on the other hand, the money-grubbing black market boss, who would do anything for a little cash, was showering her with perks.
This life, wow, it's just too blissful!
However, if you tell too many lies, you risk being exposed. After running two accounts for a long time, Yu Ling will eventually slip up. The black market boss was the first to discover Yu Ling's disguise. It wasn't that he discovered Yu Ling was running two accounts, but rather that he happened to mistake the merman body with legs turned into a tail for Yu Ling's real body.
It was a day when Yu Ling routinely went underwater to patrol her mermaid kingdom. The sea was calm and there wasn't a single wave. Not long ago, the puppet Yu Ling had used the excuse of sleeping to become a pendant on the black market boss, and then she turned around and teleported away using the original owner's account.
How incredibly unlucky! The black market boss had to reinforce the magical barrier around the time Yu Ling landed!
Fearing danger outside, he deliberately left the doll Yu Ling in his room before coming out. Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon this scene. The doll Yu Ling and the original owner of the merman body before transformation were practically identical. He recognized Yu Ling at a glance!
"Little mermaid? Why did you turn back? What's going on... Are you leaving? No wonder you slept for so long this time. Um... Will you come back?"
"I...I..." I didn't want to leave! I haven't had enough fun in the black market yet!
With his boss backing him up and gold coins to his name, the puppet Yu Ling thrived in all sorts of places in the black market. The Kingdom of Lunke was the most prosperous country in the fairy tale world. He must be crazy to go back to that godforsaken place at the bottom of the sea to live a normal life.
"I thought mermaid cubs would be quite small, but I never expected... your true form to be so beautiful! Um... before you leave, how about showing me around your territory?"
Seeing Yu Ling wagging her tail and stammering, the black market boss figured she must want to go home and planned a happy farewell ceremony. After saying that, he actually jumped down on his own.
Fearing that the other person might drown, Yu Ling caught him without hesitation.
"...You don't want me to leave?"
Say it now! I'm not leaving once you say it!
I respect whatever decision you make.
...Alright, another one who doesn't play by the rules, a common problem in fairy tales, isn't it?!
Yu Ling fed him a handful of the same breathing seaweed as the main character, and was forced to return with him to the Mermaid Kingdom, which she had just left.
The merfolk who came and went all addressed Yu Ling as "Your Majesty," which greatly shocked the black market boss. It turned out that the childish girl he had been spoiling was actually a king.
However, in the world of fairy tales, kings are as common as dogs, and princes and princesses are even more plentiful, so he didn't pay much attention to it.
But after seeing the Mermaid Kingdom being rebuilt, his eyes turned into the shape of gold coins.
Pearls paved the ground, crystals formed the paths, and priceless handicrafts served as decorations. Luminous pearls, which were extremely rare outside, were used as lighting fixtures and hung around the perimeter. The palace of the Mermaid Kingdom was even more extravagant, as it was entirely made of gold!
Yu Ling's inner thoughts: Basic stuff, don't be silly. I just melted down the unused, broken gold coins and sculpted them into a castle...
"These are all yours???"
"Yes, it's all my fault... Hmm??? Wait, what are you doing?" Yu Ling's question went unanswered. Instead, she was grabbed by a pair of strong, powerful hands. The black market boss, whose mind was filled with nothing but money, pulled Yu Ling away and swam into the golden palace.
No way? Is this another round of giveaways?
Once Yu Ling had the merfolk dispersed, the black market boss threw down his mask and immediately pressed himself against Yu Ling, wrapping his arms around her tail. All he could think about was—get on this incredibly wealthy merfolk!!!
"Don't do this! I'm not leaving. You don't need to ruin yourself like this. Merfolk can make cross-species creatures pregnant... Hmm? Why are you getting more excited?"
Yu Ling only wanted to persuade the other party to give up, since he, as a survivor, would not have children, but the black market boss seemed to be so eager to have a litter right now.
Yu Ling originally had no intention of taking on this black market boss who only loved money and not her.
But they've already come this far. He, a mermaid king, is in his own kingdom, surrounded by a bunch of his subjects. If the two of them go out too quickly, won't some untrue rumors be spread about them?
"You asked for this. Don't expect a mermaid to be gentle."
Yu Ling can still use magic even in the water, easily scooping people into her arms. By the time the black market boss realizes something is wrong, it's too late.
The shimmering blue waters were more beautiful than even the golden palace, which couldn't compare to the black market boss in his arms, with whom Yu Ling played games using water magic. This was a view that only Yu Ling could see.
"It hurts? You shook your head..." Yu Ling asked again, "Sometimes I really don't understand what you're thinking, or is it... because you like it here, that you want to be my queen in this way?"
Yu Ling touched the inside of the water snake, stirring his wrist, and pressed a certain scale against a soft, warm place.
“Hmm, I don’t know, but you said… I want to be your queen… that’s true!” the person in my arms said softly, her voice melodious and sweet. “And call me Christia.”
“Swapping names is something only lovers do, Chris,” Yu Ling said. “You can call me…darling?”
"Hmm, okay—hmm??? You agree?"
Exhausted from all the exertion, Christia still refused to leave. She was completely overwhelmed by this unexpected surprise and felt like she could last another three days and three nights!
“Of course, Chris.” Yu Ling bowed and stamped the seal on the cooperative guy’s hand, “The Mermaid Kingdom is under reconstruction, and I will give you this supreme power as my dowry—to freely remodel this place, to make it look the way you like.”
Hehe, I've easily gotten rid of this mess from the side quest and even snagged a black market boss for free. What a steal!
"Ha, is it okay? Me, a human, taking charge? Won't they (the other merfolk) have any objections?"
"Of course, you are no ordinary human being, my queen."
After Yu Ling, it was solemnly announced in the Mermaid Kingdom that the black market boss, Christia, was the new queen of the Mermaid Kingdom and would take full charge of the reconstruction of the Mermaid Kingdom. The System Fish was thus liberated.
--over--
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