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Mermaid Princess Reference Image
On the shore, after Liu Yang recovered some mental energy, he shifted his focus entirely to the mermaid princess.
This mermaid princess was exceptionally striking. Her upper body was virtually indistinguishable from a human's-in fact, she was even more gorgeous than most ordinary women.
She possessed remarkably delicate facial features and a cascade of flowing, damp hair that only added to her allure.
Unlike the Black Mermaid, this White Mermaid princess wore actual clothing, suggesting that the White Mermaids possessed a higher level of civilization.
Her skin was exceptionally tender and smooth, looking as though a gentle pinch might squeeze water right out of it.
A pair of impressive, voluptuous peaks sat proudly on her chest, completely dwarfing the average human standard.
Of course, she also retained a massive fish tail.
The scales along her tail were a brilliant, shimmering blue, exuding a glossy and high-textured finish.
Having the grotesque Black Mermaid as a point of comparison made this White Mermaid look breathtakingly appealing to Liu Yang.
It was just like that classic movie quote: true beauties always needed a plain green leaf to set them off!
The White Mermaid was currently being contrasted to absolute perfection, looking so stunningly gorgeous that it stirred a genuine spark of desire in Liu Yang.
Just a moment ago, he had confidently declared that no normal person could ever harbor thoughts about a fish.
It turned out he had spoken too soon.
The only reason he had felt nothing for the Black Mermaid was simply because she was hideously ugly.
If they were gorgeous enough, forget a fish-he'd probably look twice at a worm!
No wonder the Age of Sail was filled with legends of sirens bewitching sailors.
If a crew of men drifted on the open ocean for months without laying eyes on a woman, they would probably find even a sow looking like a knockout. When a gorgeous mermaid princess popped up under those conditions, absolute ruin and bewilderment were guaranteed.
Word had it that sailors back then even kept female goats to deal with certain urges.
Legend even claimed the horned demon myths originated from that exact habit, though the truth of it was anyone's guess...
If those sailors could lower their standards to farm animals, then in Liu Yang's book, a fish-tailed beauty was well within the realm of possibility...
At present, the mermaid princess's blue eyes were wide with pure terror.
Out of the water, mermaids lost all sense of security.
Their movements became sluggish and awkward, entirely stripped of the fluid grace they enjoyed beneath the waves.
Noticing Liu Yang staring at her with an intense, unblinking gaze, the mermaid princess let out a panicked shudder and stammered, "Y-you... what do you want?"
Liu Yang snapped out of his aesthetic appreciation and remembered the task at hand.
He stepped forward and said to the captive, "I need the other half of the treasure map."
To drive the point home, he gave a little wave, flashing the half he had looted from the Black Mermaid tribe.
All he needed was the White Mermaid's half to complete the set. Once he had it, the legendary treasure of the underwater palace would be entirely his!
A look of fierce determination washed over the mermaid princess's face. "No... never! Even if you kill me, I'll never hand over the treasure map. It's our tribe's ultimate secret, our sacred property-we would never give it to humans!"
Liu Yang gave a slow shake of his head. Direct negotiation was a bust.
Good thing he had other methods, like the Soul Chain.
Extending two fingers, he began walking toward the trapped captive.
The mermaid princess watched his approach with escalating panic, her voice trembling wildly as she cried out:
"Y-you, you, you... what are you doing! My top half might look human, but I'm a fish! Not a human!
Get away from me ♡! Interspecies romance has no future! I don't want this, I really don't want this ♡!!!"
Ignoring her frantic shrieks, Liu Yang pressed his fingertips firmly against her forehead.
The mermaid princess froze instantly.
Huh?
Wait, this wasn't that kind of thing?
A mix of relief and subtle disappointment flickered across her face.
Even so, having a strange man's finger pressed against her mind gave her an ominous premonition. She violently shook her head, trying to throw his hand off.
That earned her a sharp warning from Liu Yang: "Hold still! One more twitch and I'm tossing you straight into a frying pan for grilled fish tonight!"
That threat hit home. The mermaid princess turned pale with fright, freezing in place and not daring to budge an inch.
Grilled fish? Just picturing it was nightmare fuel!
Five minutes later, a crisp notification echoed in Liu Yang's mind:
[Notification]
Ability Success: Soul Chain activated successfully! The mermaid princess is now your most loyal servant!
In an instant, the look in the mermaid princess's eyes underwent a total transformation.
Liu Yang repeated his demand: "Hand over your half of the underwater palace map!"
The mermaid princess replied submissively, "Master, that half of the map was fused directly into my physical body by my father. There's no physical copy to just hand over..."
Liu Yang frowned. "Fused into your body? Then how do you even access it?"
"It exists directly within my consciousness. The... the only way to share it with you is through our most intimate bond. Once that happens, the map will automatically transfer into your mind." Lowering her head, the mermaid princess blushed a deep crimson.
"Ah... right." Liu Yang was momentarily left speechless.
Was this some cosmic twist of fate forcing him to cross the line with a fish?
Let it be known to everyone-he wasn't doing this out of perverse curiosity about mermaids, he genuinely just wanted the map!
"Master, shall we retrieve the map now? I'm completely ready for you. Please, hurry ♡," the mermaid princess murmured, biting her lip seductively.
That only made her flush even brighter.
Back in her own tribe, she had been an untouchable royalty whom ordinary mermaids didn't even dare glance at twice.
This was her very first time confessing her feelings to a male, let alone issuing such a bold invitation.
Ever since the Soul Chain took hold, her entire worldview had inverted. She now viewed Liu Yang as her absolute master, a supreme being to be obeyed unconditionally.
Getting to share an intimate union with him was something she actively yearned for!
Liu Yang studied her flawless face, creamy complexion, and voluptuous silhouette, falling into a brief internal debate.
If you ignored everything below the waist, she was undeniably a world-class beauty...
But that lower half was a literal fish tail...
Could this really work in practice?
Sensing his hesitation, the mermaid princess offered a seductive reassurance, "It's completely fine, Master. Our anatomical structure is actually quite close to humans, aside from the legs being a tail... come on, hurry up..."
Her soft, honeyed tone made his bones feel like jelly.
"This little vixen is every bit as dangerous as the legendary sirens! What mortal man is supposed to resist this?"
Glancing around, Liu Yang noted they were currently stranded on a secluded island with zero witnesses, but doing this out in broad daylight still felt a bit too exposed...