Chapter 497: Shattered Threads of Fate

That dense, disconcerting chaos emerged slowly and heavily—but ended with a shockingly swift, clean break.

Facing the West Coast, one could see slight ripples in the air gradually curling inward. Suddenly, a violent tremor burst from its center, and then all the clamor swiftly gave way to calm.

Only countless unseen eyes and an unnervingly horrifying mass of shadows scattered like a panicked school of fish.

Throughout it all, Mom never once looked back.

Instead, she simply gazed serenely and elegantly at the woman before her—a figure clad in an opulent black dress and crowned with thorns.

The woman seemed tempted, but after much deliberation, she didn’t dare to push through.

Instead, a sweet smile spread across her face, the cold, haughty expression fading as she softly laughed:

“Sister, it’s been so long…”

“…”

The smile on Mom’s face grew equally sweet and sincere.

She said with a gentle smile, “Didn’t we just meet a few days ago?”

“Then how could that have been me?”

The woman in the black dress scowled disdainfully and retorted, “One not even fit to be called a servant.”

“Because the Dark Queen is too proud—she despises even herself, right?”

Mom seemed to understand perfectly. Nodding lightly with a smile, she replied, “There can only be one Dark Queen. Anyone split off from her is no longer the real Dark Queen—merely inferior, worthless beings unworthy even of servant status.”

“I’ve always wondered—is it because you despise what falls from you…”

“Or do you inherently hate yourself?”

“…”

For an instant, the woman in the black dress—or rather, the Dark Queen—tensed noticeably.

But like a fading shadow, that expression quickly dissolved beneath the Red Moon.

“What’s the point of all this?”

With a smile still in place, her gaze shifted behind Mom as she murmured, “This scene has indeed unfolded.”

“It’s a pity I can’t watch it up close.”

“…”

Mom smiled and said, “You’ve always been too proud to hide who you are.”

“If I hadn’t known you were coming, I might not have bothered to see this for myself.”

“…”

The Dark Queen ignored Mom’s remark for a moment, her eyes shifting slightly as she smiled, “And what does that imply?”

“Is he awake?”

“…”

Mom laughed softly and replied, “Seems like you care quite a bit about his condition?”

“Sister, you shouldn’t put it that way.”

The Dark Queen grinned, “We all know his attitude is crucial.”

“You must realize that those little brats conducting experiments are outrageously bold. Their actions stir up massive commotion, naturally drawing countless onlookers. When these mere bystanders see that child, you can only imagine their astonishment—were you deliberately letting him be seen?”

“In that case…”

She paused briefly before continuing with a smile, “His attitude, of course, is of utmost importance.”

“Are you still not getting it?”

Mom offered no further rebuttal and simply smiled, saying,

“He never intended to demonstrate any stance; he just wants you all to keep your distance.”

“Of course, you might also interpret his reaction as the attitude he wishes to convey.”

“…”

The Dark Queen’s smile deepened as she stopped looking behind Mom and instead fixed her gaze intently on Mom’s face.

Her expression had always been one of proud, aloof scrutiny, yet sometimes, almost imperceptibly, a hint of turbulent envy flickered within her eyes.

“Sister, you’re exceedingly clever—who would’ve thought you’d hatch such an elaborate plan so early…”

She smiled before continuing, “But there are many children like him. I recently found another one…”

“Also, let me remind you—don’t wager too much on a child like this…”

Her ornate black dress stirred gently, releasing delicate, almost invisible filaments that drifted over the sea.

At the sea floor, fish, usually pressed quietly against the ground by fear, became oddly animated when tainted by these threads. Though merely fish, their eyes now glimmered with a strange pride, casting cold, regal glances at one another.

In those fishy eyes, disdain took hold.

Peering through the surface, the Dark Queen looked disdainfully at the fish below and softly warned,

“I despise what falls from me…”

“Perhaps that person might also hate what falls from him…”

“…”

Mom’s smile remained unchanged, though a faint chill flashed in her eyes.

Suddenly, the Dark Queen burst into a tinkling laugh, gracefully turning and dashing away under the Red Moon.

……

……

“Shhrr…”

As the surrounding chaos and clamor, along with mysterious creatures spying nearby, were driven back, Doll appeared visibly startled. Overwhelmed by the pressure, she hesitated, confused by the sudden silence.

After a brief moment of shock, she turned to look at Lu Xin.

There, perched on the mast, Lu Xin offered her a gentle smile.

He nodded encouragingly.

Doll was puzzled at first, then filled with delight.

She nodded vigorously before turning back.

Her gaze fixed on the colossal merman looming overhead and the Sea Country residents writhing in despair on the deck below.

Releasing her grip on the umbrella, she let the parasol drift freely.

She brought her two small hands together and tugged gently apart.

It was as if she were tearing apart an invisible sheet of paper.

“Shh!”

Over the entire experimental base, the previously amorphous, chaotic mental power suddenly resounded like cloth being ripped. Countless psychic threads snapped in an instant, as numerous Sea Country men screamed and collapsed in a blackout.

Earlier, Doll’s inexperience and lack of confidence had prevented her from disentangling the merman’s effects.

Now, though still not fully accustomed, she had gathered the courage to try.

Thus, she boldly revealed her resolve, slowly and forcefully tearing those threads apart.

……

……

“Shhrr…”

In that fleeting moment when the effects were severed, the enormous, decaying merman suddenly stiffened as if paused. Its massive body floated while its tail desperately lashed toward the sky, its eyes turning vacant in agony.

In that instant, though it struggled internally to trigger change, its calls went unanswered. Outwardly, it made no visible effort to resist, yet Doll had completely severed its connection to the Sea Country residents—its internal defiance, however, was as fierce as ever.

But it was all in vain.

The next moment, its enormous body was torn into several pieces, resembling a colossal jigsaw puzzle drifting in the air.

Then the puzzle was further shredded into finer fragments, dissolving bit by bit.

……

……

Inside the experimental base, Lu Xin sensed the calm returning to the surroundings.

Not only had the enormous decaying merman been completely shattered by Doll into primal mental energy, but the countless coveting glances and agitated shadows around them had also swiftly subsided.

Layer upon layer of surging waves gently rolled down until the sea lay as smooth as a black mirror.

The Red Moon seemed to hang higher above the sea—somewhat detached from this world.

Doll silently absorbed the easing of the mental energy, and only after a long while did she open her eyes in pleasant surprise.

She quickly turned back, locking eyes with Lu Xin atop the mast.

The two exchanged joyful smiles face to face.

……

……

“Whew…”

Inside the command center, everyone gaped at the rapidly dropping data on the monitor.

Their hearts soared so high it was as if they would never come down.

It left them all gasping, unable to draw a full breath.

After what seemed like an eternity, someone suddenly leapt up, yelling, “Did we succeed? Did we succeed? We did it!”

In that instant, the exhilaration spread through the entire command center like the strongest pollutant.

Every staff member—usually so reserved and composed—erupted, jumping, clapping, hugging; one even risked punishment by tossing a file into the air…

Excitement and joy flooded the command center.

“Old Bai, Old Bai, we actually succeeded! It was so simple…”

Even Professor Chen Liqing abruptly removed his helmet, shouting at Professor Bai.

But after his outburst, he paused—Professor Bai hadn’t joined the revelry.

Having already removed his helmet, Professor Bai observed carefully. Instead of focusing on the precise electronic instruments, he turned to peer through the reinforced glass at the two figures on the angled deck.

Doll’s body, buoyed by the ebbing mental power, slowly descended.

Her heavy dress fluttered gently in the sea breeze as Sea Country residents knelt before her.

She looked every bit the queen receiving adoration.

But Professor Bai’s gaze wasn’t fixed on Doll—instead, he looked upward.

Lu Xin sat on the mast watching Doll, his legs swinging idly.

His face bore a gentle, placid smile with not a trace of ambition, radiating genuine comfort.

……

……

“After this experiment, perhaps the whole world will know that Qinggang now has a queen.”

After a long pause, Professor Bai softly spoke and then shook his head slowly, “But actually, that’s not the case.”

“What we have is merely a little princess.”