This Freedom Revolution, in which the Freedom Alliance formally declared war on all empires, lasted a full twelve years.
During those twelve years, the Freedom Alliance also conducted internal purges, rooting out corrupt politicians even as they fought the empires.
The war proved far more protracted than anyone had anticipated, but far more people rose up than they had imagined.
Even some members of the nobility, worn down by oppression from those above them, gradually began to shed their privileges and join the cause as time wore on.
For the people of that era, privilege could sometimes feel like a shackle, a form of oppression in itself.
There would always be one or two pampered songbirds that envied the eagles soaring freely through the skies.
In the second year of the Freedom Revolution, once Rong Yao gave them the go-ahead, You Fuzhou took Yu Yan and slipped into the Yashe Empire.
The operation wasn’t without its hitches—You Fuzhou sustained a minor injury—but that was inconsequential.
What mattered was that he guided Yu Yan’s hand in severing the Yashe Empire king’s head and hoisting it high above the palace. The two of them then escaped amid blaring alarms.
Yu Yan didn’t feel much about it at first, but watching You Fuzhou’s wild, unrestrained flair—just like the day he had stormed the auction house to rescue him—stirred something in him. He chuckled softly, hooked an arm around You Fuzhou’s neck, and for once let himself go wild and reckless.
Yu Yan snatched the gun from You Fuzhou’s hand. As You Fuzhou instinctively wrapped an arm around him to steady his stance and keep him from falling, Yu Yan opened fire, unleashing a furious barrage on the opulent palace.
In the end, they left behind two enormous English letters scorched into the facade for all to see and mock.
The escapade propelled the Freedom Revolution to its fever pitch. The Yashe Empire issued a statement vowing to pursue You Fuzhou and Yu Yan at any cost, and the Freedom Alliance promptly countered, declaring they would resist imperial tyranny to the bitter end. The Yashe incident was merely the beginning.
Where there was oppression, there would be rebellion. This wasn’t the first time people had risen for freedom, arguing that Guides and Sentinels were human too, and shouldn’t enjoy privileges without contributing to the nation and the world… but every such voice had been swiftly silenced before.
Now, though, was the perfect time for retaliation.
Though Sentinels and Guides still formed the Freedom Alliance’s main force, the organization had made it clear: they weren’t fighting for special interests of Sentinels and Guides alone. It was about true equality.
Treating everyone… equally.
Naturally, that drew a massive response.
In the sixth year of the revolution, Elada’s act of tipping them off years ago came to light, and he was brought down.
You Fuzhou, Yu Yan, and Rong Yao went to the prison to see him one last time.
Elada looked at the three vibrant figures before him and gave a bitter smile. “I always knew… your guns would turn on me one day.”
He gazed at Rong Yao. “But these past six years, I haven’t done anything wrong… I kept thinking maybe I’d get another chance.”
They didn’t give him one.
You Fuzhou’s expression remained impassive. “When you chose to be a spineless coward back then, did you ever think about all the opportunities you were stripping from others?”
Elada closed his eyes. “…You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Those were his last words. Rong Yao said nothing to him, merely gave him a single glance before turning and leaving.
She didn’t hate Elada.
Elada had been the one to guide her onto this path. But on a road like this, some people were bound to part ways.
In the twelfth year of the revolution, with the Ares Empire’s surrender, the entire Royal Family imprisoned and their myriad crimes laid bare to the public, the Freedom Revolution finally came to a triumphant end.
“…We’ll establish a new national system.”
As key figures in the Freedom Alliance, the three of them were naturally thrust onto the stage—especially You Fuzhou. Standing before all the cameras, without a script in hand, he addressed the masses: “Rules are necessary to maintain order. But we don’t need oppressive authoritarianism. We don’t need a privileged class… Military academies will open to everyone. As long as you pass the exams, whether you’re a Sentinel or a Guide, a Beastman or a Mermaid, or just an ordinary person, you can join the academy and become a soldier. The same goes for every position.”
They also abolished devices that interfered with Guides’ mental power, with a strict ban on production—discovery meant a death sentence…
The Interstellar Alliance was officially founded. There was still much to do, but it was no longer on You Fuzhou and the others to shoulder it all. Others would handle the details.
After twelve years of tireless struggle yielding such fruitful results, You Fuzhou and Yu Yan could finally enjoy a proper vacation.
They chose to settle on Ares Planet 4.
It wasn’t far from the Main Planet, making visits to friends convenient, and it was reasonably close to the Siren star system too—ideal for changing the seawater in Yu Yan’s pool.
You Fuzhou bought a modest two-story villa and converted the rooftop garden into a stunning pool, roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool.
Yu Yan could soak in it to his heart’s content.
When he saw it, Yu Yan remarked to You Fuzhou, “You could have just bought me a tank.”
You Fuzhou immediately flashed back to the second time Yu Yan had tricked him into that tank: “…”
That tank wasn’t the one You Fuzhou had made for Yu Yan; it was a much smaller ecological tank. Due to the circumstances, Yu Yan had been cooped up in it for a while, barely able to submerge himself, twist sideways at best, with little room for movement—let alone dragging You Fuzhou inside…
You Fuzhou had nearly drowned in there, crammed alongside him in the tight space, pressed skin-to-skin, utterly immobile. Yu Yan could only manage shallow thrusts, but they were so fast and fierce that You Fuzhou felt utterly unraveled in the water, gasping for the air Yu Yan fed him while trembling under the onslaught.
It was like being tangled and drowned by seaweed on the ocean floor.
By the end, when Yu Yan finally finished and lifted him out, the water had to be completely changed—and You Fuzhou felt like he needed replacing too.
Mainly because the two mermaids were way too much!!!
Not always, but when the other one squeezed in between them with the movements… it was terrifying.
You Fuzhou had developed a real psychological shadow about cramped tanks. “No tanks.”
Yu Yan arched a brow slightly. The Permanent Mark granted them a shared mind, so he instantly knew what You Fuzhou was thinking—but he kept it to himself.
Even though You Fuzhou could sense his thoughts, Yu Yan still didn’t bring it up.
—That day, You Fuzhou had been radiating icy frost from head to toe.
At most, You Fuzhou had shut his eyes in mortified self-isolation afterward when he noticed the telltale colors floating in the water… Next time, he’d be more careful not to let You Fuzhou see.
Now, Yu Yan lounged in the pool, his upper body propped against the edge as he tilted his head to gaze at You Fuzhou sitting beside him.
You Fuzhou had only his legs in the water, his body perched on the edge, so Yu Yan had to crane his neck to look up at him.
They chatted idly, mostly about what the house still needed.
“…You only realize once you move in.”
You Fuzhou noted it down silently. “I thought we’d gotten everything during setup.”
Yu Yan’s gaze drifted down to You Fuzhou’s toned leg muscles. “We can go shopping later.”
With Yu Yan around, they could blur their features in others’ eyes—no one would recognize them, sparing them extra hassle.
Truth be told, neither You Fuzhou nor Yu Yan enjoyed being stared at or elevated to prominence.
You Fuzhou always wanted meetings to end quickly so he could whisk Yu Yan away to some quiet, undisturbed spot for a simple life.
Plain and ordinary—that was happiness enough.
You Fuzhou nodded. “Perfect timing to explore. I haven’t spent much time here; I’m not familiar with the area.”
Yu Yan had been here even less, only setting foot in the Ares system after the revolution began. “Even better. We can go on a date.”
He looked up at You Fuzhou with a smile. “We still haven’t had a proper date yet.”
No matter. They had plenty of time ahead.
And right now…
When Yu Yan seized You Fuzhou’s ankle, You Fuzhou froze, his body tensing instantly.
A flicker of dark intent—known only to You Fuzhou—passed through Yu Yan’s smiling eyes. In the next second, he yanked You Fuzhou straight into the pool.
You Fuzhou instinctively clutched at him, and the moment the fish tail coiled around him, their bodies pressed flush.
You Fuzhou wore only a T-shirt and swim trunks, now soaked through—everyone knows what that means…
Yu Yan kissed his way up You Fuzhou’s body carefully, avoiding nips and bites to prevent his shark teeth from drawing blood. You Fuzhou obligingly parted his lips, his legs naturally splayed by the fish tail.
Perched atop that magnificent tail, as Yu Yan’s hands got to work, You Fuzhou gripped his wrists, ears flushing as he murmured, “Don’t rip it open again…”
Such a spendthrift.
“Alright.”
Yu Yan smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to his flushed earlobe and minding his nails.
The black swim trunks soon floated to the surface, pushed farther by the churning waves and ripples.
The pool was built deep; even with You Fuzhou’s height, sitting on the tail suspended him with toes barely skimming the bottom—Yu Yan the only anchor.
Yu Yan held You Fuzhou close, flicking his tail as his tongue tip lapped away the physiological tears induced by the Shark Clan mermaid’s unique traits—You Fuzhou still struggled to adapt, no matter how many times.
But in the electric rush that followed came the sheer bliss of sharing intimacy with his beloved Guide.
Spiritual Guidance kicked in naturally, You Fuzhou’s Spiritual Body materializing effortlessly.
Yu Yan kneaded the base of his tail, unable to resist giving You Fuzhou’s ear a gentle bite.
The shark teeth were too sharp; a bead of blood welled up.
You Fuzhou didn’t feel any pain. Or rather, in the midst of this secondary sensation, it felt more like pouring oil on the flames…
Too obedient.
Yu Yan thought.
So he did something he’d wanted to do for many years now.
Yu Yan didn’t move. He simply wrapped his arms around You Fuzhou’s waist and then flicked his tail—
As their positions shifted slightly and it slid out a bit, the tail fin slapped right against You Fuzhou’s firm buttocks. The impact made him lurch forward, a chaotic rush of sensations flooding his brain.
He stared at Yu Yan in astonishment, only to see the mischievous Guide letting his true nature show in moments like these…
