Beauty and the Beasts

Bluepool said, “Qingqing, come over here. I’ll bring you back. You, whatever your name is, make some food for Qingqing. She hasn’t eaten today. The food will be sent here very soon.”

Before Parker could say anything, Bai Qingqing spoke up first. “No need. I want to eat something different today. Let’s go down.”

Bluepool felt even happier. It must be that his consideration and tolerance had touched her. She was now treating him a lot better.

Bluepool turned and soaked into the sea, blew a blue-colored bubble, then said to Bai Qingqing, “Qingqing, come quickly.”

Bai Qingqing was about to walk over when her arm was grabbed by Parker’s big, hot hand.

“You must come back safely.” Parker’s deep voice was filled with reluctance to part with her.

“I will.”

Bai Qingqing looked up at his handsome face. Only now did she discover that this male wasn’t the big boy from their first encounter. He now had the mature disposition of a man.

At the thought of how she had been the one who helped him to mature, Bai Qingqing felt proud inside.

“If… You must live well and take care of our children until they grow up.”

After saying that, Bai Qingqing drew out her arm and took big strides toward the sea. Her back view gave off a determined feeling.

The three leopard cubs immediately ran after her but were scooped up by Parker.

“Howl!”

“Howl!”

The cubs all cried loudly. They were closer to their mother. Although the one hugging them was their father, they still felt as anxious as if they had been abandoned when they saw their mother leaving.

Bluepool took a look at the cubs and asked her, finding it strange, “You’re not bringing them?”

“They poop without care in the cave. I don’t wish to take care of them anymore,” Bai Qingqing replied and darted into the bubble.

Under Bluepool’s control, Bai Qingqing entered easily.

Seeing that Bai Qingqing was going to leave, Alva quickly swam over, raising one arm out of the sea and waving. “Qingqing!”

Bai Qingqing smiled at him as well. “Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Bluepool held onto the bubble and entered the sea. The other mermen also followed after him.

As Bluepool dived in, the light rays got increasingly darker, and the temperature got increasingly lower.

Without the cubs with her this time around, Bai Qingqing felt many times more terrified and anxious to be by herself in the enclosed space.

There were black shadows around them. Although she knew that they were mermen, she suddenly found them eerie and terrifying, as if she had mistakenly entered the site of a horror film.

“Bluepool…”

Bluepool sensed Bai Qingqing’s unease and said gently, “I’m here, don’t be scared. We’ll reach the cave very soon.”

“Mm.”

Bai Qingqing leaned on the side Bluepool was at, touching his palm across the thin barrier. “I have something to tell you later. Can you help me with something?”

Bluepool’s hand shook. The soft feeling in his palm caused his heart to feel itchy and numb.

“You can ask me to do anything,” Bluepool said sincerely.

This promise might not stay after he found out that she wasn’t Jean.

Although Bai Qingqing sounded very confident in front of Parker, she wasn’t feeling confident at all now. It wasn’t as realistic as finding Curtis.

“How’s the search for the snake beastman?”

Bluepool immediately became dispirited, and he said vaguely, “En… we’re still looking. We have also dug up places with looser soil. As long as he’s here, we’ll definitely unearth him.”

Bai Qingqing let out a sigh. Since Bluepool said this, she believed that they’d be able to find Curtis. However, there wasn’t enough time anymore!

They remained silent for the rest of the journey.

Upon arriving at the cave, a merman brought their food over.

There was a pile of seaweed and a small fish that had a semi-translucent body.

Bai Qingqing didn’t even look at it. She took the food and placed it at the side, then said to Bluepool, “I have something I want to talk to you about privately. Can you tell all the other mermen to leave?”