I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 227

Chapter 227: Fire Should Be Hollow, People Should Be Solid, Nor Cannot Be Fickle

 

Those three orcas helped “catch” fish, and the size of those fish was really huge.

If I remember correctly, this should also be the first time I’ve eaten a fish that big.

 

The orcas brought us two sea fish in total, me and Yin Xiamo. Both of them were of the same species, with a deep bluish-black color all over, and each had a spear-like mouth. They looked very cool, giving off a feeling of “ocean knights.”

 

This kind of fish seems to often appear in ocean movies or animations because fish with long, pointed mouths gave me the impression that they are quite common, but common only on TV. In reality, I’ve never seen them before.

 

Shenzhen City is a coastal city, but the most common sea fish we see here are usually saury, bluefish, and sea bass, especially saury, which has almost become the representative of saltwater fish in Shenzhen City. Whether steamed at home, braised in red sauce, or grilled on the street like I used to buy some pickled vegetable stew pot, they are all good choices.

 

As for now, Yin Xiamo is preparing to skewer them onto a metal rod to grill over the fire, this fish with spiky heads…

 

“What species of fish is this?”

 

After getting up and taking off my clothes, I reverted to wearing only a swimsuit. I held a milk bottle in one hand and helped Xiao Mo pick up firewood from the bag. At the same time, I curiously asked about the “species of fish.”

 

I suspect that the “elf tribe” bloodline in my body has started to take effect. Previously, when I was at the cat café, maybe because it was surrounded by kittens or often exposed to catnip, I felt like there were no genes for “succubus” or “elf tribe” in my body besides what Yin Xiamo called “cat lady genes.” It wasn’t until now, after living alone on this island for a while wearing a swimsuit, that I realized… I quite like it here.

 

It might also be because of playing outdoors a lot when I was a child, but regardless, even during my physiological period, my mood is quite pleasant. The swimsuit I’m wearing is similar to a bikini, with some satin lace edges, and since my chest is quite small, there’s very little material used in the swimsuit. You could say that everything that can be exposed is exposed. If it weren’t for the layer of padding inside my panties, wearing this lightweight swimsuit without going into the water would make me feel almost as if I’m not wearing anything.

 

It’s this feeling of not wearing anything at all that gives me a sense of relaxation and ease, like returning home. It’s as if… all worries have disappeared, all bodily pains and discomforts have vanished. Even just listening to the chirping of unknown birds echoing around the small forest halfway up the island, the soft rustling sound of the chubby little rabbits walking on the lawn, or the “click-click” sound when the breeze brushes against the tree leaves, all bring me joy.

 

Apart from that, walking barefoot on fallen leaves, breathing in the fresh air from nature between the trees, and being surrounded by shades of green everywhere… all these sensory experiences stimulate my inner self, like constantly hearing the melody of hometown music in my ears, making me linger and forget to return.

 

Simply put, in nature, I seem to be very accustomed to walking barefoot and wearing clothes made of softer, simpler fabrics. The closer the surroundings resemble nature, the more comfortable I feel, especially in places devoid of any humans.

 

In most novels, humans and elves are often depicted as archenemies. Whenever the elven race is mentioned, there are always people in nearby human villages or large cities who covet the beauty of the elves. Some high-level mage warriors often go into the elven forests to capture elven slaves… Could it be that my preference for quiet, uninhabited places also stems from some mischievous elf genes?

 

But honestly, I don’t dislike this feeling at all.

 

The “cat lady” gene makes me sensitive to catnip. When I see cats, my personality unconsciously becomes clingy, I become more prone to acting cute, and my gestures tend to lean towards the “adorable” direction. This is terrible for a “tough guy,” but so far, the elf genes seem to be doing alright. I’ve always loved nature, and feeling at home in a place like this isn’t a bad thing at all.

 

“Chef Wang said this fish is called a bluefin tuna.”

 

Under my gaze, Yin Xiamo placed the firewood and several pieces of charcoal she brought on a clear space, then brought some rocks and simply set up the firewood, using a windproof lighter to ignite some napkins and placing them in the hollow space in the middle of the firewood.

 

‘The fire should be hollow, but people should be solid,’ as the director of the orphanage used to tell us kids when we were younger.

 

The director’s image in my mind has always been tall and stern, but occasionally he would show a kind, fatherly side, so I’ve always been grateful to him.

 

The concept of “the fire should be hollow” is easy to understand. When making a fire outdoors, if you pile all the firewood together without leaving any gaps, it’s difficult to light the fire. Even if it does light, it will quickly extinguish due to lack of oxygen. So the correct method is to cross the firewood, leaving enough gaps for air to flow through, and start heating from the bottom.

 

As for “people should be solid,” the director of the orphanage didn’t explain it in detail back then. But from my understanding, it means… first be a good person, then do things.

 

Being a good person, if you’re not “solid,” meaning if you have nothing in your belly or if you’re completely rotten inside, then you won’t be able to do anything, no matter what the task is.

 

“Bluefin tuna, some places also call it marlin.”

 

After gutting and carefully scoring the surface of the large fish with many cuts, Yin Xiamo threaded them onto metal skewers.

 

As she fanned the fire with a small fan, she said, “Nuo’er, you must have read that book, right? It’s called ‘The Old Man and the Sea,’ a world-renowned classic. It tells the story of an old man who goes out to sea and catches a big fish, but on the way back, the fish is stalked by sharks. The old man battles with the sharks for several days and finally returns with the fish skeleton.”

 

As she spoke, Yin Xiamo turned around. “These two fish are the prototypes of the big fish caught by the old man in that book.”

 

Marlin?

I have a memory of that. So these are marlins?

 

I glanced curiously at the two fish by the fire.

 

Under the dappled sunlight, these two fish, each about seventy to eighty centimeters long, were completely lifeless. Chef Wang had prepared them well, and the fish meat emitted an enticing glow from within the forest of fish.

 

Marlins… If I remember correctly, these fish can grow to over three meters long. The spikes in front of their heads are indeed their weapons. If provoked, they can even pierce through the fishing boats that people use to go out to sea. A group of marlins charging at a wooden boat could easily overturn it. They have a very fierce temperament and seem to primarily feed on tuna. When food is scarce, they can even dive into the deep sea to spear squid to eat. They are considered the ocean’s little tyrants.

 

But… no matter how fierce a fish is, they’re no match for orcas.

 

As for ‘The Old Man and the Sea’… To be honest, even until now, I haven’t fully understood it.

 

Its plot is very simple—a old man who has lived by the sea for most of his life, learned fishing skills from the elders by the sea when he was young, and every time he goes out to sea, he catches a boat full of fish. Then, as the old man grows older, he can only catch small fish in shallow waters to make a living.

 

I read this book in the university library. The book briefly introduces the old man’s experiences before the old man encounters a young man of similar age. They chat for a while, perhaps because the old man sees himself in the young man or perhaps to prove his abilities. The old man decides to go far out to sea to fish, and then he really catches a big fish.

 

The main plot of the book describes the old man’s return after catching the big fish, encountering sharks. The sharks themselves are not interested in the old man, they want to eat the large marlin hanging behind the small boat. But because this marlin was caught by the old man’s hard work, the old man is not willing to give it to the sharks, and a struggle ensues between the two sides.

 

The ending of the book is that the sharks bite the giant marlin that the old man finally caught into nothing but bones, and the old man is also injured. He returns to the harbor where he has lived for most of his life, back to the familiar bars, restaurants, and cabins by the coast.

 

?”He’s eighteen feet from his nose to his tail,” said the man who was measuring the fish.?

?”They beat me, Manolin,” the old man said. “They truly beat me.”?

?”They didn’t beat you. Not the fish.”?

I seem to have seen my own shadow in this book, but it also seems like I haven’t seen anything at all. It’s like I almost understand the book, but not completely.

 

The book ends like this: ?”In the other end of the road in the old man’s shack, he fell asleep again. He was still lying face down, and the child sat beside him, watching over him—the old man dreaming of lions.”?

 

Staring at the marlins on the ground for a while, I spoke up, “After coming to this world and seeing the stories here, these world-renowned classics, do you ever feel… like there’s a sense of unfamiliarity?”

 

“Unfamiliar?”

 

The girl, who had already started the fire and began setting up racks on both sides of the fire to place the skewered fish, turned back and asked, puzzled, “What aspect of Nuo’er feels unfamiliar?”

 

“It’s just… over there, they must also have novels or classics, right? The cultures of the two worlds are different, so maybe the way they’re written and described is also different?”

 

I organized my thoughts a bit and continued, “You see, earlier you mentioned ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ In this world, ordinary people are so weak. When they go out to sea to fish and encounter sharks, they can only watch helplessly as the sharks take away their food or… their honor. If Xiao Mo were to read such a plot, wouldn’t she feel that it’s different from the other world? After all, over there, they have magic and such. It shouldn’t be difficult to defeat sharks, right?”

 

“Well… for ordinary people, sharks can indeed be very dangerous creatures, especially on the sea surface.”

 

Yin Xiamo smiled, “If Nuo’er’s question is about my comparison of literature between the two worlds, then I can responsibly say that the literary levels and styles are different on both sides, but in terms of artistic value, there’s no distinction between superior and inferior…”

 

“I’m not asking about that…”

 

I interrupted Yin Xiamo and said, “I mean… after you came to this world, learned the language here, and then read those classics, did you feel that it’s very different from your hometown?”

 

“Hometown?”

 

The girl in front of me was momentarily stunned, then looked at me with a gaze reminiscent of looking at a child. “If you’re talking about my hometown, it’s the Demon King’s City, and my biological father is the Demon King.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Strictly speaking, I am the third child of the Demon King. I have two brothers.”

 

Yin Xiamo seemed to be talking about something completely unrelated to herself.

 

“The difference between me and those two pure-blooded demon brothers… I am an illegitimate child. My mother is an elf, and she was forcibly taken from the Elf Forest by the Demon King’s people. Maybe because of this lineage, I cannot learn the magic of the demon race.”

 

Wait a minute.

Why have I never seen this in my dreams…

 

“You wouldn’t know, of course, because even the hero doesn’t know. He thought I was just a child abandoned by the demon race with slightly higher status from the Demon King’s City.”

 

As if she could see through my thoughts, Yin Xiamo stood up and walked over to me, then squatted down and patted my head.

 

“Some demons and elves have pointed ears. My mother had been living by the Demon King’s side for thousands of years, and people outside often mistook her for a demon. Logically, someone like my mother shouldn’t have been qualified to bear the child of the Demon King, but at that time, my mother made such a mistake, bringing the wrong me into that wrong world.”

 

Wait, Xiao Mo’s father is the Demon King? So, if you rise up against the Demon King for revenge as a hero…

 

“If the heart has no resting place, everywhere is wandering.”

 

After patting my head one last time, Yin Xiamo returned to the side of the fire. “It’s all in the past.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

I walked over. “Xiao Mo, I dare not ask these things.”

 

“Why?”

 

The girl in front of me turned around. “Do you see me as such a fragile person?”

 

I tilted my head and thought, “Should I say yes or no?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

Yin Xiamo chuckled. “My dad was already insane back then. He was bloodthirsty and completely fell into darkness. Even if I didn’t take action, one day he would have been consumed by darkness. I had already made this determination thousands of years ago. Don’t underestimate your husband, Nuo’er little kitten.”

 

I felt something rise up on my head again. “I’m not a little kitten!”

 

“Okay, okay, not a little kitten, a little milk kitten.”

 

Yin Xiamo pointed to the milk pot in my hand. “Drink it while it’s hot. Aren’t you on your period? Dragon milk has miraculous effects during menstruation. Not only can it replenish energy and magic, but it can also regulate the body’s vitality. And this is the only Dragon King’s milk in the world. In that world, even several tons of gold might not be able to buy it.”

 

“Is gold also the currency over there?”

 

“Gold is a common equivalent. According to the scientific theory here, gold and silver are only generated during a supernova explosion. Even the alchemy of that world cannot create gold out of nothing. So, this thing is often used as a general equivalent.”

 

Yin Xiamo reached out and pinched my cheeks. “Kids shouldn’t ask so many strange questions. I’ve already said everything is in the past. Stop asking and drink your milk. It serves you right to have a stomach ache for a day.”

 

“Well… um… yikes…”

 

With my face pinched, I spoke unclearly, “Can this really cure menstrual cramps?”

 

“You’ll know once you drink it. You used to drink it on time every day. Today, Fei Luo forgot to milk, and you also forgot to ask.”

 

Yin Xiamo let go of my face and continued to deal with the big fish. “Silly Nuo’er.”

 

I’m not silly…

Twisting off the lid of the milk pot, I tilted my head back as usual—

 

“Gulp.”

 

I have to admit, dragon milk is truly the most delicious drink I’ve ever had.

 

It’s sweet, not cloying at all, and it quenches thirst and satisfies hunger, like an extremely powerful energy drink. Drinking it instantly boosts my spirits, and there are no side effects whatsoever.

 

Though its “production process” is somewhat embarrassing.

 

So far, I’ve never seen how Fei Luo “produces” dragon milk, nor have I seen how she puts it into bottles, because I don’t have the same unique body structure as Xiao Mo and Fei Luo. I need at least seven hours of sleep at night, and every night before going to bed, Xiao Mo makes me very tired. I often find myself falling asleep and waking up just in time for work.

 

And by the time I woke up, Xiao Mo and Fei Luo had already finished washing up in the living room at least half an hour earlier.

 

Especially Fei Luo, if Xiao Mo could be considered a manifestation of “Demon Xiao Mo” with slightly less strength, then Fei Luo would be the embodiment of the “Dark Dragon King,” the original Black Dragon Princess from Earth, with even greater power than Xiao Mo.

 

According to Fei Luo, if she wanted to, she could go without sleep for ten years straight and then sleep for another ten years in one go. Or she could go without eating for ten years and then consume enough food in one go to sustain a human body’s activity for ten years.

 

So in these first few years on Earth, Fei Luo’s sleeping schedule could be considered entirely flexible, and basically, she always had my “exclusive Dragon King Milk” ready for me after I woke up.

 

These past few days, whether it’s because my period is approaching or because I’ve been drinking Dragon Milk every day, I’ve been feeling this swelling sensation in my chest. Even the bras and swimsuits that used to fit my AA size now feel like they’re squeezing me.

 

“It seems like the pain has really gone away…”

 

The Dragon Milk Xiao Mo brought over wasn’t much, just about a third of a bottle, but even with my current body size, I finished it in no time. However, if it’s really as effective as they say — as soon as I finished the milk, I felt instantly energized, my stomach calmed down, and the pain in my chest disappeared, leaving only a feeling of fullness. Even the slight irritation I had due to my period vanished along with the recovery of my stomach.

 

This stuff… is it some kind of magical healing potion?

 

“Of course it is. Fei Luo’s Dragon Milk can alleviate not just menstrual cramps but also has a certain effect on life-threatening injuries.”

 

Beside me, Yin Xiamo was turning the grilled fish over the fire. “Chef Wang only had cumin powder and five-spice powder. Since you’re on your period, I didn’t bring chili powder. What do you like?”

 

“Cumin, I guess.”

 

Curiously, I approached and looked at the fish, feeling like I could only eat half of it. “Isn’t this type of fish unsuitable for large-scale fishing? Why does it seem like fast-food restaurants here don’t sell this?”

 

“Well… according to the situation here on Earth, I guess it’s because this kind of fish exceeds the heavy metal standards.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It means it has excessive mercury levels, not suitable for daily consumption. Also, this kind of fish is quite aggressive and hard to catch. Compared to… um, mackerel, for example. Mackerel is easy to catch, and even bigger fish like swordfish, if accidentally stung, can be life-threatening.”

 

Yin Xiamo explained, “But don’t worry, I’ve taken care of it for you.”

 

How did you handle the excessive mercury levels… with magic?

 

“Let me do it.”

 

Squatting beside Yin Xiamo, I took the metal rod with the skewered fish from her hand. “Xiao Mo, you’ve been busy all day, take a rest.”

 

“Pfft.”

 

Maybe she found it cute that I told a “grim reaper” to “take a break,” as Yin Xiamo chuckled, but she didn’t refute. Instead, she sat down beside my rabbit backpack, picked up my phone lying on the blanket.

 

“What’s the password for your phone?” she asked.

 

“Why?” I didn’t even turn my head. “Planning to peek at my browsing history again?”

 

“Even if I don’t peek, I can guess what you look at every day,” came Yin Xiamo’s teasing voice from behind me.

“Probably… how to be the dominant one, how not to be pinned down by a girlfriend, and stuff like that?”

 

“No way!” I turned around.

“The password is your birthday.”

 

“My birthday?”

 

I could sense a momentary pause in Yin Xiamo’s voice. “May 31st? No year? Four digits?”

 

“Yes, four digits.”

 

As I sprinkled cumin and salt on the large fish in front of me, I replied earnestly, “Is a four-digit code not enough?”

 

“Aren’t you afraid someone might come and randomly enter the password to sneak a peek at your phone files?”

 

Without hesitation, I responded, “I don’t believe anyone with ill intentions can get close to that phone with Xiao Mo around.”

 

“Does Kitty trust me that much?”

 

“Trust is the foundation of a loving relationship.”

 

I grumbled, “And I’m not a kitty.”

 

“Then can I use a different adjective?”

 

“What?”

 

“Little auspicious juvenile elf?”

 

“I’d still prefer Kitty!”

 

“So, Kitty it is.”

 

“Xiao Mo, where did you learn to be mischievous?”

 

“No, I was born this mischievous.”

 

“……”

 

Amidst the crackling flames, the color of the large fish in my hand gradually changed from translucent white to a golden hue, complemented by some oyster sauce and cumin for seasoning, filling the air with a rich aroma of meat.

 

“Nuo’er.”

 

“What?”

 

“What do you think of Fei Luo?”

 

Yin Xiamo behind me spoke in a leisurely tone, “You’ve been with her for a few days now. What kind of person do you think she is?”

 

“Well, she’s… a rather optimistic girl?”

 

Strictly speaking, although Fei Luo had been in this world for several days and stayed in Ai Luodi’s house for several days, and she even made dragon milk for me every morning, our communication seemed rather limited.

 

Because she’s just that… optimistic, and freely so. It seems like she doesn’t care at all about things like rent, salary, or social norms. These past few days, she’s been getting up early to help me with the dragon milk, then heading out on her own to roam around. According to Yin Xiamo, there were even a few nights when she didn’t sleep at all, just going off to explore the big city alone.

 

Then, the “urban legends” of Shenzhen City grew a few more tales — a magical girl bravely standing up to wrongdoers under the moonlight, a girl passing by construction sites single-handedly carrying a road roller, a black dragon punishing evil in the darkness…

 

In Fei Luo’s words, it’s all about “learning human language,” “understanding human customs,” and “getting to know the human world.”

 

I have to admit, despite her nightly adventures, Fei Luo still shows restraint. Because no matter how bizarre the things she does, she’s never caught on camera, leaving no evidence or leverage against her. And as Fei Luo says, after these days of “observation and learning,” her Mandarin is getting better, and her common sense isn’t as lacking. At least she’s not doing things like on the first day at the cafe, jokingly telling the “smart robot” to “hurry up, scan me, scan me, set my danger level to 10” anymore.

 

She bounces around outside at night, occasionally coming back to sleep, then getting up before me to prepare the dragon milk, and then running around the city under the guise of “having breakfast,” arriving at the cafe at eight sharp to make milk tea. After work, she continues to go out alone, and that’s been Fei Luo’s rhythm for these past few days.

 

It can be said that apart from the initial period of interaction, I haven’t really understood much about this black dragon girl.

 

But when we work together at the cafe, her openness and optimism are evident to me.

 

Online, netizens also have quite positive opinions about Fei Luo — a bit naive, lacking common sense, but a very easygoing and beautiful girl with big breasts. With Fei Luo joining the cafe on the second floor, attracting both lolicon and big breast enthusiasts, the proportion of customers coming to buy desserts has greatly increased.

 

What’s most frustrating for us is that a few days ago, there was a “betting” incident on the topic of “big breasts and lolis cannot coexist.”

 

The cause of this incident is not complicated. It all started when Ouyang Xue released a new promotional PV for the cafe, and someone commented, “Here comes the hype, as expected when it’s getting popular. This new girl, Fei Luo, definitely has implants or padding. No normal person could have such big breasts.” Then someone else replied, “Here comes the expert. The void discerns breasts.”

 

As a result, these two netizens started arguing in the comments. One of them believed that Fei Luo’s breasts were either implants or padded, insisting that the cafe hiring Fei Luo was just a “publicity stunt.” The other netizen opposed his opinion, and they both exchanged insults in the comments, with hundreds of comments back and forth.

 

In the end, these two individuals reached an agreement — “they agreed to go live at the cafe to ask Fei Luo in person. Whoever loses will buy a day’s worth of milk tea at the cafe.”

 

Then there was the sensational “Big Breasts Pay the Bill” PK event a couple of days ago. The two individuals came to the cafe, found Fei Luo, and both of them had a shy personality, hesitating for a long time before daring to directly ask Fei Luo, “Miss, are your breasts real?” Each with a cup of milk tea, they played with their phones while pushing each other to ask first.

‘You ask first.’

‘How can I ask if you don’t?’

‘You started the argument, so you ask first.’

‘Aren’t you brave? You ask.’

……

They spent the whole day like this, and several passersby recorded videos and mocked them for a long time.

 

Although neither of them came to a definitive answer about whether Fei Luo’s “G-cup” breasts were “padded,” because of this incident, the cafe became even more popular. The number of people coming to the cafe for milk tea these days has more than doubled compared to before.

 

“In fact, Fei Luo had a crush on a hero for a while.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Beside the bonfire, after hearing my answer, Yin Xiamo stood up, stretched lazily, and said, “But she gave up later.”

 

 

I blurted out, “Why?”

 

“Because…”

 

Under my gaze, Yin Xiamo walked up to me, bent down, took my head in her arms, and gently bit my earlobe.

 

“Thousands of years ago, I dueled her over this matter. I won, so now, little kitten, you belong to me alone.”

 

“……”

 

……