Chapter 61 — ILK Chapter 61

Bestialization

The environment of the Tide Sea was far superior to that of the Snow Mountain, and the Sentinels were much more relaxed. Word of Sang Ye’s arrival spread quickly, and by early morning, many Sentinels had already sped over to Amoli Island on motorboats to scrounge a meal.

Sang Ye fled into the ocean to escape the hungry crowd, leaving the "feeding" duties to Du Yuan while she dove back down to continue her aquaculture project. She didn't see Sayin that morning either. According to Alicia: "Daddy is being too clingy."

Sireno and Alicia shared their father's clingy trait and loved following Sang Ye around. Under the nourishment of the Tide Sea people's mental energy, the fry and larvae had already reached sub-adulthood in less than a day. They were expected to enter their breeding cycle by tomorrow.

Sang Ye mobilized Alicia and Sireno to help her plant. The three of them darted through the King Coral, covering vast empty patches with seagrass. Alicia, with her dark green tail and dangerous barbs, eventually went off to play with other young merfolk.

Sireno stayed by Sang Ye's side. In the water, he was even more stunning; his silver hair floated like unraveled silk against the backdrop of cherry-blossom coral. Sang Ye watched him, recalling Lilibet's comment about him "needing a beating." She realized his effortless charm was likely an innate mental ability he had long exploited for "benefits." It wasn't necessarily sincere.Everyone is just playing a game of unspoken flirtation, she thought with a smile. She didn't dwell on it; no one was married or attached, so why overthink it?

…

After working underwater for a long time, Sang Ye's oxygen levels began to dip. Sireno stopped her from swimming further and held her as they slowly ascended. A merman’s strength in the water was incomparable to a human's; he carried her more easily than she carried Wu Jianing.

As they surfaced in the central pool, Sireno supported her, patting her chest to help her catch her breath. "Don't stay down there so long next time. You're still a novice."

Sang Ye coughed, feeling her breath return. It wasn't actually a big deal, but Sireno was making it look like she had nearly drowned. By the time they noticed the people standing by the poolside, it was too late.

Lin Changli stood there, his face grim. One hand was clamped over the beak of the little Phoenix, which was struggling like a mad thing to pounce on them, while his other hand held the bird back.

Du Yuan stood to the side with an "eating popcorn" expression, wanting to watch but afraid to look. Wu Huansheng was holding Wu Jianing in the living room, covering the child's mouth to prevent any unfiltered remarks. Rong Cheng’s face didn't even try to hide her thoughts: "Oh my god, what a show!""You asked me to come here just to see this?"

"How did you get here so fast?"

Lin Changli and Sang Ye spoke simultaneously. Lin Changli’s expression soured further; Sang Ye realized too late how much ambiguity her words contained.

Sireno, however, didn't fear anyone in the water. He held Sang Ye and met Lin Changli’s gaze fearlessly. The string in Lin Changli’s mind finally snapped. He let out a cold laugh and released his grip on the Phoenix.

The little Phoenix carved a trail of white-hot fire as it dove straight into the pool. Sang Ye was pushed to the edge by a surge of water, and before she knew what was happening, a world-shaking explosion erupted from the depths.

…

Sayin and Matthews had been sleeping after a long mental channeling session until the explosion next door woke them. A massive water column punched through their own ceiling. Recognizing the mental signatures of both her son and the Prince, Sayin’s face paled. She checked her terminal. A report she had missed earlier stated: The Prince departed Capital Star at 7:00 AM in a private warship; destination unknown.The pieces clicked: the Prince’s sudden return, her son's flirtations with the Guide, and now a brawl.

"Lin Changli!" Sang Ye scrambled up and grabbed his arm, her Parasol Tree aura bringing a cool breeze. "Stop it! His mother is Secretary-General Sayin! Hurting her son will only make things difficult for your own mother!"

Lin Changli stared at her. She was soaking wet, her eyes bright with concern—for someone else. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Your Highness!" Sayin burst into the room to save her troublemaking son. She released a flood of mental power to calm the situation, but the moment she touched Lin Changli’s mind, she froze. His mind wasn't in a riot. He wasn't being controlled by madness. He was conscious.

He was acting out of clear-headed anger. Clear-headed resentment. Clear-headed jealousy. The realization terrified her.

"Your Highness, that is my son," Sayin said. "Please forgive his offense. I will discipline him."

But Lin Changli didn't stop. Sang Ye, becoming frustrated, snapped: "If you only came here to cause me trouble, then you shouldn't have come back at all!"

A dead silence fell. Lin Changli stared at her, unmoving.

Underwater, the Phoenix was boiling the sea. Sireno was being hunted through the coral. Merfolk were cold-blooded and couldn't withstand the sudden spike in temperature. Just as he was cornered, Lilibet appeared, throwing a tsunami against the bird.Poof. The Phoenix vanished. And so did Lin Changli. Feathers fell to the floor, but the man was gone.

Sayin’s face drained of color. She immediately contacted the Tide Sea Base: "Enter Level 1 Alert. We have an S-rank Sentinel Bestialization."

Bestialization.

Sang Ye didn't understand the term, but Sayin’s explanation chilled the room.

"The Prince has rioted before. The worst time, he destroyed a planet and scrambled the gravity of an entire system. But he has never bestialized." Sayin’s voice trembled. "It is the final stage before death. The human consciousness is lost, and the spiritual form takes complete control. Without a human mind, they are just wild beasts."

Some beasts find a quiet place to die. Others cause world-ending destruction until they are put down by force. Not one in a million recovers their humanity after bestialization.

"I don't know which one the Prince will be. But if it's the latter..." Sayin closed her eyes as if accepting fate. "Evacuate the Tide Sea and the base immediately. Head to the main base for refuge. I must report this to Her Majesty."

Sang Ye stood holding a brilliant feather. It was still hot in her palm, burning her like the sharp words she had just thrown at him.