Chapter 295 - 292: Grilled Fish and The Distance

Chapter 295: Chapter 292: Grilled Fish and The Distance

The moment Li Luo took her first bite, she froze. Then, she began to eat furiously without a sound.

The best way to show appreciation for a delicious meal is to say nothing and just focus on eating.

Bai Zhou was clearly satisfied with Li Luo’s reaction and watched her happily.

"Don’t eat too fast."

Li Luo nodded. She still didn’t say anything, but she managed to free a hand and give Bai Zhou a thumbs-up.

Seeing this, Bai Zhou began to explain sheepishly, "To be honest, I wasn’t always this good at it."

"Back then, I had just arrived at the Black Tower. I wanted to make grilled fish for a young nurse there. I used to make it for my companions on the island all the time, but that one time, I forgot that Fishmen and humans have different tastes."

"Compared to humans, Fishmen prefer their fish half-cooked. They care more about texture than flavor—that firm, chewy feeling when you bite down is what they love most."

"So that time, the young nurse couldn’t chew it at all. But she still looked at me earnestly and told me the grilled fish was delicious—the best she’d ever had."

"But I could tell it wasn’t good at all..."

As he said this, Bai Zhou grew a little somber.

"After that, I spent all my time researching how humans like their grilled fish, but... I never got another chance to make it for her."

Bai Zhou stared at the campfire, his gaze vacant. The faint firelight reflected off his diving helmet. He remained silent for a long time.

"Li Luo," he asked suddenly, "do you think I’m some kind of jinx?"

"I was at the Black Tower, and disaster struck. No one survived. I came back to Fishman Island, and disaster struck here, too. At least the village is still standing, thank goodness."

"And I don’t have any memories of it. What if I summon some kind of calamity when I lose consciousness? Maybe that’s why both the Black Tower and Fishman Island were struck by crisis."

The more he spoke, the more serious he became, as if he truly believed it was a possibility.

Li Luo quickly cut off his train of thought.

"Don’t let your imagination run wild. The Abyss is filled with all sorts of dangers. You’ve seen the human records—there are so many bizarre regions, and even more that are unknown. How could you expect life to always be peaceful?"

"That’s true," Bai Zhou said with a nod.

He didn’t dwell on it any longer, instead picking up a few more fish and starting to prepare them.

"Can you make one for it?" Li Luo asked, pointing at the Block.

"Of course," Bai Zhou replied, taken aback for a second before agreeing.

...

Mo Ling finally got to eat the grilled fish he had been craving. He had been floating nearby for so long, he had been on the verge of teleporting the fish from the campfire straight into the Block.

After tasting the grilled fish, Mo Ling was once again astounded by Bai Zhou’s culinary skills. This was only the second time since arriving in the Abyss that he had eaten something so delicious. The first was that cup of tea in Oasis City.

The mere thought of that tea made him feel a bit nauseous, so he quickly suppressed the memory and focused on savoring the grilled fish.

He’d been living on the canned food stored in the Block recently. And while there was a wide variety, he was getting tired of it. This grilled fish was a true reminder of the wonders of the human world.

’When will I ever get to go back...’

As he ate the grilled fish, Mo Ling’s thoughts began to wander...

The sun arced across the sky, destined to eventually sink below the distant horizon.

Bai Zhou and Li Luo sat on the shore, watching the sunset.

Neither of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts.

The campfire on the shore slowly died down, leaving only a few scattered embers.

The sea breeze scattered the ashes, carrying them away into the gathering dusk.

Only when the last sliver of light had faded did Bai Zhou reluctantly say:

"It’s time to go home."

"Okay."

...

「A few days later.」

Early in the morning, Li Luo had just woken up in the library when she saw Bai Zhou come rushing in.

"The ship is here! Jeff is already waiting at the village entrance with a group. He sent me to tell you."

"Okay." Li Luo shouldered her already-packed backpack and followed Bai Zhou outside.

The sunlight was as blinding as ever.

The fog over Fishman Island seemed to have vanished without a trace. The weather had been perfect for the past few days, and Li Luo had even gone with Bai Zhou to wander around the mountains where the Fake Fishmen lived.

It was very well-built up there.

A wooden cabin that looked like a classroom particularly stood out. Bai Zhou said it had been repaired many times and they always used it, taking turns to act as teachers and introduce the cultures and languages of different races.

"Now the villagers can come to class here, too," Bai Zhou said with anticipation.

Li Luo had enjoyed a rare few days of peace, but now she was about to embark on a new journey.

Carrying the Block, she followed Bai Zhou to the village entrance. Sure enough, Jeff was already waiting there.

"Got everything?" Jeff asked caringly.

"All packed. I left you a few packs of seaweed crisps. They’re on the Great Clan Leader’s favorite table."

Jeff paused when he heard that.

"Thank you."

Seeing this, Bai Zhou chimed in, "What about me?"

"Some grilled fish seasonings. They’re on the same table. I figure your palate is human, right?"

"Of course. I am human."

"You’re not a Fishman anymore?" Li Luo asked, surprised.

"I’ve been thinking about it lately. I feel like identity can be flexible. I can be a Fishman and a human. When I’m on Fishman Island, I’m a Fishman. When I’m in human society, I’m human."

"So which is it?"

"No need to get so hung up on it. In the end, identity is just a label. It’s like what Jeff said, it’s about ’acceptance.’ Whatever you think I am, I am."

As he spoke, Bai Zhou glanced at Jeff, who nodded in understanding.

Li Luo’s gaze shifted between the two of them, who had clearly reached some kind of consensus. She resignedly accepted his explanation.

"Let’s go. It’s getting late."

Jeff led the group, a mix of Fishmen and Fake Fishmen, toward the other side of Fishman Island. Bai Zhou was still with them.

Along the way, Bai Zhou animatedly told Li Luo all sorts of strange tales about the sea, describing them so vividly it was as if he had seen them with his own eyes.

When she asked him where he’d heard these stories, he faltered again, finally stammering that the Old Fishman had told him. Whether that was true or not was anyone’s guess.

"Just be careful, all right? On the 3rd Floor of the Abyss, even the most ordinary wind and waves can be fatal. You have to be cautious about everything..."

"And watch out for the other strange races. A lot of them aren’t as friendly as the Fishman Race." As he said this, he patted his chest proudly.

Hearing Bai Zhou’s concerned rambling, Li Luo could only agree time and again.

Jeff listened the whole time, nodding repeatedly. Unlike Bai Zhou, he said nothing, simply walking silently at the head of the group.

And just like that, before they knew it, the group had arrived at the shore.

At the dilapidated pier, a futuristic-looking white ship was docked quietly, waiting for them.