OVPBM 25 Part 1

Chapter 25 – The Merman’s Possession

Lu Yunwan placed his hand on Chu Xuanzhou’s shoulder.

His fingertips pressed down slightly, trying to remind the young man to cooperate with him.

The faint morning sunlight of Planet Cangrui enveloped the young man’s body. His long silver hair shimmered softly in the light. There was a trace of worry in Chu Xuanzhou’s gaze, along with a hint of confusion.

He seemed not to understand what Lu Yunwan meant.

Wait, how could I forget about this!

In the instant their eyes met, Lu Yunwan remembered that in 《 The Merfolk Empire 》 it was once written that Chu Xuanzhou’s temperament possessed a purity utterly out of place within the royal family.

This was bad.

“Your Excellency?” Chu Xuanzhou could not help but call out to him softly.

In truth, unlike what Lu Yunwan had imagined, Chu Xuanzhou, who had grown up on a lower-class merfolk planet, immediately understood the faint ambiguity hidden in Lu Yunwan’s tone.

But the young man clearly remembered that Lu Yunwan had once said his gaze was untainted, very much like his former self.

Instinctively, Chu Xuanzhou concealed his true nature. He could not imagine being disliked or rejected by Lu Yunwan.

At that moment, Pei Zhaoan slowly straightened up. His fingers had been cut by shards of glass, and his expression gradually darkened.

The black sleeping robe almost completely concealed Lu Yunwan’s body, which made the wrist exposed outside the sleeve, along with the red marks circling it, especially glaring.

Lu Yunwan did not notice this detail, but Pei Zhaoan slowly clenched his teeth.

The reception hall was deathly silent. Everyone stood as if mute, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

Just as Lu Yunwan was already calling the police in his mind, someone finally spoke up and pulled him out of the situation.

“Heh.” Lu Sirong let out a cold laugh and strode forward. Standing beside Lu Yunwan, he turned toward the people in the reception hall with open mockery. “Didn’t you say you had business with His Excellency the Regent? Why have you gone silent? Did you come all the way to Planet Cangrui just to gawk?”

Lu Sirong very much wanted to prove in front of his brother that he was no longer a child.

Unfortunately, Lu Yunwan had always restricted him, and there were many things he was not allowed to do.

Until today, he had finally found a suitable opportunity.

“Uh…” Sure enough, the people in the reception hall lowered their heads. “No, no.”

Pei Zhaoan also came back to his senses at this moment. He shook his hand and brushed past Lu Yunwan’s shoulder as he headed toward the corridor.

Although both were villains, unlike the original host, who appeared elegant and noble, Pei Zhaoan was unrestrained and indulgent in his desires, daring to say anything aloud.

At the very instant they brushed past each other, Lu Yunwan heard Pei Zhaoan force a sentence out through clenched teeth. “Your Excellency, do take good care of yourself. Be careful that one day… you might die in bed.”

Lu Yunwan let out a soft laugh. “Is that so? Then I’ll take that as your blessing.”

As if, to him, that would not be such a bad ending after all.

After Pei Zhaoan left, no one remained to support the noble faction. The merfolk in the reception hall dispersed completely within just a few minutes.

Lu Yunwan had not even finished letting out his breath when he suddenly heard Chu Xuanzhou ask hesitantly, “Your Excellency, what did you mean by what you just said?”

Sunlight fell into the merman’s beautiful violet eyes. Chu Xuanzhou’s gaze was as clear and transparent as crystal.

…How had he forgotten there was still a major problem standing right here?

Lu Yunwan had originally intended to tell Chu Xuanzhou that he had merely been joking, but when the words reached his lips, he changed his mind.

—Was Chu Xuanzhou a little too naïve?

This empire ruled by merfolk reeked of madness in every corner.

Although Chu Xuanzhou would one day rule this empire and change it.

Before that, however, Lu Yunwan believed that Chu Xuanzhou had to fully understand it, both its bright side and the side that rarely sees the light.

Just as humans in an apocalypse must first understand zombies thoroughly before they can defeat them.

Some stages could not be avoided.

Lu Yunwan decided to take Chu Xuanzhou somewhere.

* * *

More than 3,200 light-years away from Planet Cangrui lay a massive gray planet.

It was called “Planet Xuanxi.” Abandoned for many years due to resource depletion, it had now become home to the largest black market in the interstellar realm and the most chaotic place in the Empire.

In 《 The Merfolk Empire 》, the protagonist’s first stop in exile was Planet Xuanxi, where he lived for a long time.

The importance of this planet went without saying.

“Your Highness, do you remember what I told you at the banquet last time?” Lu Yunwan set the poppy cane aside and casually picked up a pearl-inlaid ring, measuring it against his finger before finally sliding it onto his index finger.

Chu Xuanzhou withdrew his gaze from Lu Yunwan’s hand and nodded.

He remembered every word Lu Yunwan had ever said. The young man answered softly, “You said to indulge in desire.”

“That’s right.”

Lu Yunwan picked up a gray metal mask and gently placed it over Chu Xuanzhou’s face.

“Before you can control them, you must first understand them… Today, I’m taking you somewhere. There are many interesting things there.” Lu Yunwan brushed the young man’s long hair back from his forehead and whispered the last words close to his ear.

Chu Xuanzhou’s body trembled.

Completely unaware of it, the Regent straightened again and put on his own black mask.

The surface of Planet Xuanxi had long since become uninhabitable. All activity here took place within the underground city.

Only a few seconds after they entered the teleportation lift, the gray hatch doors slid open, revealing an unfamiliar world before their eyes.

This “city” had been carved out within the mantle layer. With a little attention, one would realize that the pitch-black expanse above their heads was not any “night sky,” but solid black rock.

A deep stream wound its way through the surface. The ground, unpaved, was uneven and pitted. Merfolk who had overdosed lay collapsed in various corners. Everything seemed to have reverted to a primitive state.

Before coming to Planet Xuanxi, Lu Yunwan had already learned a fair amount about this place and prepared himself mentally. Even so, the scene before him was still somewhat overwhelming.

Separated by masks, Lu Yunwan could not see Chu Xuanzhou’s expression.

But he guessed the protagonist was just as unaccustomed to such a sight as he was.

After a brief pause, Lu Yunwan gently took Chu Xuanzhou’s hand. “Your Highness, don’t be afraid.”

Sure enough, the moment Lu Yunwan clasped his hand, Chu Xuanzhou gripped back tightly.

“This space was excavated entirely illegally. Although it belongs to the Empire, it is not under the Empire’s jurisdiction,” Lu Yunwan said as he led Chu Xuanzhou across the stream and into the darkness. “From drugs, weapons, and intelligence to starships and mecha, anything in the interstellar realm can be bought here.”

“One day, you will need these things,” he said with a smile.

As Lu Yunwan recalled the later parts of the novel, he carefully instructed Chu Xuanzhou.

The black mask was equipped with a voice modulator, making Lu Yunwan’s voice lower and hoarser than usual.

He had not yet recovered from his serious illness and was forcing himself back to work, which made his voice sound even more faint and airy.

It was almost as if he were whispering intimately to Chu Xuanzhou.

Chu Xuanzhou nodded, committing every word the Regent said to memory.

The original host had been extremely familiar with Planet Xuanxi and even possessed a privately drawn map.

Following those memories, Lu Yunwan led Chu Xuanzhou deeper into the underground black market.

At that moment, Lu Yunwan felt a chill against his calf. Subconsciously lowering his head, he saw—

In the dark stream, two merfolk were entangled together.

Their movements were exaggerated. After noticing Lu Yunwan and Chu Xuanzhou, they deliberately splashed water toward the bank.

It was an invitation.

Lu Yunwan: !!!

Go away, damn it!

This trip to Planet Xuanxi had been meant to broaden Chu Xuanzhou’s horizons.

But Lu Yunwan had never expected that he himself might find it a little hard to accept.

Stay steady. Stay calm.

The protagonist is still here!

With a faint, inscrutable smile, Lu Yunwan cast a glance in that direction before turning to Chu Xuanzhou. “Your Highness, have you looked carefully?”

Chu Xuanzhou did not understand what he meant.

Behind the mask, he looked over with slight confusion.

“This is ‘desire,’” Lu Yunwan said, looking toward the stream.

Of course, Chu Xuanzhou had seen it before.

Not only at the last banquet, but in every day of his past life.

At the sight of the two mermen tangled together, Chu Xuanzhou instantly thought of the disgusting nobles who had surrounded his mother.

The merfolk’s bodies were beautiful and vibrant, but in Chu Xuanzhou’s eyes, they were no different from a pile of rotting flesh.

He could not help frowning as he turned his gaze away.

Seeing this, Lu Yunwan could not help but murmur inwardly, Just as expected.

Chu Xuanzhou is exactly as the novel had described.

The two merfolk, finding no amusement, sank back beneath the water. Lu Yunwan finally let out a quiet breath of relief and led Chu Xuanzhou deeper into Planet Xuanxi, toward the area where mecha were illegally sold.

But after only a few steps, he could not stop himself from coughing lightly.

The black market of Planet Xuanxi was damp and cold. In order to keep a low profile, Lu Yunwan had changed into an ordinary black windbreaker before coming here.

Within minutes, the planet’s chill had seeped through the fabric and wrapped around him.

“Cough, cough…” Lu Yunwan’s breathing quickened as he lowered his head and coughed hard.

His soft black hair brushed against his neck with the movement, like the feathers of a black swan swaying gently across Chu Xuanzhou’s heart.

Chu Xuanzhou’s gaze fell there unconsciously.

The sight of the two merfolk earlier had made him uncomfortable. He had even felt as though the air itself had turned nauseatingly sticky.

But the moment he looked at Lu Yunwan, that sensation vanished completely.

—Lu Yunwan had indeed achieved what he once claimed: he did not reject desire, yet he controlled it.

And yet, the more he was like this, the more Chu Xuanzhou wanted to know what it would look like if, one day, Lu Yunwan sank into desire like those merfolk.

* * *

For many years, the Empire and the royal family had known about Planet Xuanxi’s black market. They had even tacitly allowed its existence.

Not only that, but people like Pei Zhaoan and the Fourth Prince frequently came here to conduct transactions.

The original host had never intended to interfere, yet everything that happened on Planet Xuanxi remained within his grasp.

For instance, he held the highest level of clearance on Planet Xuanxi and could move freely through all areas.

After crossing the chaotic stream, Lu Yunwan used his iris to unlock a hidden door leading to the core district.