Winner Takes All

Chapter 103 – Sea Monster (Extra 8, Chapter 3) 

Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists ：黎朔 (Li Shuo), 赵锦辛 (Zhao Jinxin)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

Li Shuo had a dream. He dreamed of a boundless sea and that he was sitting on a small boat. As the waves rose and fell, the clouds and mists opened a pathway for him. There were colourful rays of light shining down from the sky to the sea, looking like a rainbow. It went over the sun. Everything looked like a fairyland.

There was a graceful and melodious singing voice ringing in his ears. It was the most authentic natural sound. It depicted a kind of ethereal and mysterious vitality. Sometimes it seemed to be coming from far away in the sky. But sometimes it seemed to be whispered right into his ears. It was simply mesmerising.

Li Shuo slowly opened his eyes. Similar to his dream, he saw the boundless sea. And also similar to his dream, his body rose and fell with the waves. And even more similar to the dream, the intoxicating singing voice was drifting into his ear. He was at a loss. He was unsure of whether he was still dreaming at this time.

It wasn’t until a wave of water hit him directly that he woke up suddenly. He got up hastily and was immediately dumbfounded.

He was not on a small boat. But he was on a big fish that floated on the sea! He looked around nervously and looked for the source of the beautiful singing voice.

A merman with a dreamy coloured fishtail and bright long golden hair was sitting not far away with his back facing him. He was singing softly. The sun covered him with a nimbus of golden light, making every scale on his body reflect a magnificent light.

“Jin…Jinxin?” Li Shuo called out with uncertainty. Even now, he still suspected that he was experiencing a long dream.

The merman turned around and showed him a gentle, sweet and radiant smile. He suddenly realised that what surrounded him was not the sea. But perhaps it was champagne. Otherwise, how could he feel that he was already drunk? Jinxin held out his hand towards him.

Li Shuo looked at the big fish under him with some hesitation before standing up cautiously. He is a naval commander. No matter how stormy the waves are, he has never wiped out his brave will. But currently, he is not on a boat after all… …He gritted his teeth and stood up. With superior balance based on his years of training experience at sea, he walked slowly towards Jinxin.

Suddenly, the big fish swimming under him, which was originally swimming smoothly, moved its huge body as if pranking him. It swayed gently. But in exchange, it caused a violent wave on the surface of its body. Li Shuo gave a short cry and he rolled down from the body of the fish. The fish skin was naked so there was nothing for him to support once he fell. Li Shuo was about to roll into the sea.

A powerful arm grabbed Li Shuo’s hand suddenly. He was easily pulled back up. Half of his body had been submerged in the sea but he was dragged back onto the body of the fish.

Li Shuo wiped off the sea water from his face, feeling a little embarrassed.

Jinxin wiped Li Shuo’s wet hair with his hands as he suddenly raised his fish’s tail high and slapped the big fish with a strong force and a loud ‘snap’.

The big fish became honest immediately. It even swam better than before.

It was even more calm and gentle as it swam.

Li Shuo smiled wryly: “Is this your…um, friend?”

Jinxin didn’t answer. He instead pointed to his stomach, as if asking him if he was hungry.

Li Shuo shook his head: “I’m not hungry. Where are you taking me?”

Jinxin spread his arms and made a gesture. He had imitated how Li Shuo gestured to him for land yesterday. Li Shuo asked in surprise: “You want to take me to land?”

Jinxin nodded eagerly: “Li Shuo.” He folded his arms and wrapped them around Li Shuo’s waist. He then rubbed his cheek against Li Shuo’s chest affectionately.

Li Shuo was very happy that he will be able to return to the land soon. Although he doesn’t know which land it will be, as long as there are people there, he can borrow a horse and return to his kingdom! Li Shuo gently stroked Jinxin’s long hair. He couldn’t help but to kiss the top of his head, “Thank you.”

Jinxin thought of something. He then let go of Li Shuo, turned around and jumped into the sea like a flashing rainbow.

Li Shuo is very unwilling to be separated from Jinxin. The ocean is too big and too lonesome. Now, he only has Jinxin as his companion. He can only stare at the surface of the water, waiting for Jinxin to come back.

Soon, Jinxin emerged from the water with a fish in his mouth. He blinked at Li Shuo questioningly with his eyes.

Li Shuo said helplessly: “Yes. This one is fine. You can come up.” He stretched out his hand, trying to pull Jinxin up.

In fact, it’s not that he’s not hungry. It’s just that he doesn’t want to eat raw fish that much.

Anything other than that can be eaten.

Jinxin bounced up from the water without any help. He lightly landed on the back of the big fish that was swimming forward quickly. The flesh of the back of the fish he brought was sliced off. The movement was so fast that one could almost see afterimages.

Li Shuo looked at Jinxin’s hand in surprise. His fingertips were as round and tender as human beings so how did he cut open the fish?

Jinxin pushed the fish to Li Shuo’s mouth. Li Shuo had no choice but to eat it. No matter how reluctant he was, he still wanted to live.

After feeding Li Shuo a fish like this, Jinxin jumped back into the sea. After a while, he came up with a clump of emerald green seaweed in his mouth.

Li Shuo smiled and said, “Ah. You know that human beings need vitamin supplements?” Curiously, he took a bite of this seaweed that he had never seen before. It was crispy, tender and refreshing. There was also a hint of sweetness to it. It was so delicious. Jinxin looked at Li Shuo eating a mouthful of this seaweed with a smile on his face.

After Li Shuo finishes eating, Jinxin still wanted to jump back into the sea

But Li Shuo pulled him back and said, “I’m really full.” He made a gesture by rubbing his stomach. Jinxin looked at him with a smile.

Li Shuo’s Adam’s apple twitched slightly. An inexplicable longing rose in his heart, but he didn’t dare to say it. He only managed to open his mouth a few moments later: “…your singing voice is really nice.”

Jinxin let out a series of brisk singing voices casually, making Li Shuo couldn’t help but to raise the corner of his mouth.

Li Shuo smiled and said, “Although I don’t understand what you are singing about. Hmm. But I can feel your joy.” Jinxin shook his fish tail leisurely and hummed softly in a minor tune.

“It turns out that the legends are true. So our ancestors must have met before.” Li Shuo played with Jinxin’s soft blond hair, “The legend also said that the tears of merpeople will turn into pearls.”

Jinxin tilted his head and thought for a while. He then began to frown deeply, with a serious and tense expression. His face was even reddened, as if he was trying to hold back tears.

Li Shuo was amused by his reaction. He quickly stroked his cheek as he said with a tone of unconcealable tenderness and love: “Don’t be like this. I don’t want to see you cry at all. Even if your tears really turn into pearls, your smile is a gem that is thousands of times brighter.”

Jinxin stared blankly at Li Shuo. His bright eyes flickered slightly and there seemed to be some unspeakable emotion jumping in those sea-like blue pupils.

“Actually…” Li Shuo plucked up his courage, “Actually, I… I’m thirsty.” After saying this, his heart beat faster and his cheeks started to feel hot. He convinced himself that he was just thirsty. He was indeed really just thirsty. He just needed to drink water. He had no other meaning……

Jinxin looked at Li Shuo affectionately. His graceful and thick eyelashes appeared to tremble slightly, teasing Li Shuo’s heart. Li Shuo hesitated and leaned over as he looked at those bright red and soft lips. His heart was trembling.

What is he doing? Should he be doing this? But…

Li Shuo closed his eyes and kissed Jinxin’s lips. The four lips intertwined. Li Shuo was very careful at first and Jinxin was quite gentle. But the more they kissed, the more they couldn’t help themselves. Jinxin pushed Li Shuo down on the back of the whale as he pressed his hot tongue in. He teased Li Shuo’s tongue by sweeping it back and forth in his mouth, demanding his temperature and breath domineeringly. Li Shuo was so addicted to this intimacy that he couldn’t help himself. When he came back to his senses, he found that Jinxin was already stroking his waist line.

He was flustered for a while and wanted to push Jinxin away. But the moist and sweet fresh water poured into his mouth at that exact time. He was indeed thirsty so he forgot to resist for a moment. He sucked the water greedily. He felt Jinxin’s hand on his body moving. The skin of the two of them rubbed against each other. The smooth and wet scales could actually arouse a different kind of throbbing in the body.

Li Shuo gradually felt dizzy all over his body. He didn’t know if it was because of his lack of oxygen or his emotion. He panted heavily, feeling even more powerless. He melted under Jinxin’s body irresistibly.

Suddenly, Li Shuo was choked by the water. He pushed Jinxin away and coughed violently. Jinxin frowned, unable to hide his disappointment. But seeing him coughing until his ears turned red, he still patted his back lightly.

Li Shuo managed to stop his coughing slowly. He took a few deep breaths and then turned around. When facing Zhao Jinxin, his eyes dodged and his expression was full of shame.

Jinxin smiled at him: “Li Shuo.”

Li Shuo scratched his head and whispered, “You…do you like this?” He put two fingers on his lips.

Jinxin blinked his eyes.

“This is called…kiss.” Li Shuo turned to paste his fingers on Jinxin’s lips.

Jinxin grabbed his wrist. He stretched out the tip of his bright red tongue and licked Li Shuo’s fingertips. Li Shuo subconsciously wanted to withdraw his hand. But he was grabbed by him so tightly.

Li Shuo’s heart was beating wildly and he was even more afraid to look into Jinxin’s blue eyes. He was afraid that he would sink into them.

Jinxin opened his mouth and uttered a syllable awkwardly: “Kiss.”

“Yes, kiss.” Li Shuo said charmingly, “Kiss.”

“Li Shuo, kiss.” Jinxin bit Li Shuo’s fingertips and said happily, “Li Shuo, kiss.”

Li Shuo displayed a gentle smile on his face.

After swimming for a long time, Li Shuo finally saw the land. But it made him feel conflicted inside. The happy thing is that it is indeed land. But the sad thing is that it is just an isolated island in the sea. It is not much better than the sea caves where there was no grass he was in before.

The big fish sent them to the island as nearest as it could go. So, the two jumped into the water together.

Jinxin took Li Shuo’s hand and swam towards the shore quickly. Li Shuo had never swam so fast in the water. Even the speed of the warship that the Kingdom of Lambert was proud of might not be able to catch up with Jinxin’s speed.

The two soon reached the shore. Li Shuo stood on the shoal and cheered with outstretched arms. What can give humans the most security is always land. Here, he at least can start a fire!

Jinxin was half-soaked in the water, looking up at Li Shuo.

“Look, this is the land. There are plants, flowers, mountains and rivers. There are also animals and people on the land. Jinxin, have you ever been to land before?” Li Shuo lowered his head. He was faced with Jinxin’s lonely expression. He suddenly realised that Jinxin is a merman afterall……

He knelt down and looked at Jinxin’s beautiful fishtail: “You can’t go ashore, right?” 

“Li Shuo.” Jinxin stroked Li Shuo’s face, feeling a little sad.

“Let’s find a place where we can shelter from the wind and rain. Like that cave. You can be in the water and I am on the shore. Shall we?”

Jinxin nodded.

Li Shuo got up to leave. Jinxin took his hand and looked at him with bright and sharp eyes: “Li Shuo, kiss.”

Li Shuo suddenly felt that his heart was soaked in a honey pot. He held Jinxin’s cheek and sipped his lips. He then left with a sweet smile.

One of them cruised in the sea while the other searched along the rocks along the coast. They finally found a suitable cave before dark. It is similar to the one they were in before, except that Jinxin cannot be allowed to return to the water indiscriminately. The place where the cave connects to the sea is full of shallow reefs and rocks. Li Shuo carried Jinxin into the cave to prevent him from being scratched and got hurt by the rocks.

During the short distance of a few metres, Li Shuo was almost out of breath. Jinxin was very heavy. His upper body is no different from a human man. No. In fact, his upper body is like a sculpture of a mythical Greek God. He looks strong and perfect. But the tail of the lower body is nearly two metres long.

Jinxin was wrapping his arms around him. He also rubbed his lips against his earlobe, neck, and cheek. Li Shuo didn’t know whether he was intentional or unintentional. But it made his legs feel even weaker.

After putting Jinxin down, Jinxin was just able to put his body on the shore while his tail was submerged in the water. Li Shuo said happily: “I’m going to make a fire.”

Li Shuo returned to the cave with a bundle of hay and rubbed rocks together to start a fire. Just as the sun went down, the temperature dropped sharply. He finally didn’t have to suffer from the cold tonight.

Seeing the fire, Jinxin was afraid. He was trying to hide in the water. It was as if he hated the fire very much. Li Shuo comforted him: “It’s okay. As long as you don’t get close to it, it won’t hurt you. You see.” Li Shuo put his palm close to it. The flame was swaying below, “It’s very warm.”

Jinxin still didn’t want to get close to the fire source so Li Shuo didn’t force him. He looked at the clothes on his body that hadn’t dried all this time: “I have to dry the clothes or I’ll get sick.” He started to take off his navy uniform. And when he wanted to take off his trousers, he hesitated inexplicably. He looked back at Jinxin.

 

Jinxin was staring at him intently.

Li Shuo suddenly felt his cheeks numb and hot. What was he thinking? It couldn’t be that way. They are not even the same species. And even if they are, Jinxin is also male……

He took off his pants bravely. But he received Jinxin’s hot gaze from the corner of his eye, which really made his scalp tingle. He couldn’t help but glance at Jinxin and explained superfluously: “I…I want to dry my clothes.”

“Li Shuo.” Jinxin looked up and down at his slender and muscular body without any concealment. He even licked his lips lightly.

Li Shuo blushed as he turned his back quickly. He hung up the clothes on a branch and put them next to the fire source. At the same time, he warned himself to get rid of those embarrassing thoughts in his mind.

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: Regarding the issue for Chapter 4, it’s solved. My friends from Weibo had sent me the screenshot for the uncensored chapter so it’ll be a Mature chapter coming up next hehe -K

Fanart from Weibo

Next update: 2023.07.21

֍֍֍