Just as I was about to follow Wenshu, a monstrous, ugly fish swam up and blocked my path. I gripped my fish-spear and lunged at it. The great fish deftly dodged aside, snagging my right hand with its left fin while its right fin swept across my left cheek. Luckily, I pulled back quickly; otherwise, it wouldn't have been a mere swipe—that fish would have delivered a solid slap. Being slapped by a fish! What a farce that would be!

Yet, strangely, this fish used its fins with the dexterity of hands. I spun around, switched the spear to my left hand, and thrust it diagonally again. It hadn't released my left hand, but it expertly darted aside once more. Seizing the moment as I pulled back my left hand, it caught my left hand with its right fin, and then its mouth darted forward in a sharp peck aimed right at my head. I was instantly dazed, seeing only blackness.

Finally, as my vision cleared, I realized the things gripping my hands were not the fins of some grotesque fish, but the hands of Hou Dayong. Looking further out, there was no sign of Wenshu anywhere—only that mermaid from before, watching me with an expression of lingering sorrow.

Seeing that I had regained consciousness, Hou Dayong released me and swam directly to Wang Jue, delivering two sharp slaps across his face. Wang Jue blinked as if waking from a dream, looking utterly unaware of what had just transpired.

This was the legendary mermaid said to lure men. I wondered if, upon a successful seduction, she would follow legend and kill us all.

Wang Jue swam over to me, his eyes regaining their former vibrancy. I figured he must have seen Hua Gu just then.

We couldn't speak underwater; opening one's mouth meant swallowing great gulps of blood. I knew that taste well now; it was ten times more dreadful than swallowing pool water. So, Hou Dayong signaled with hand gestures, directing us to follow him toward the center of the lake.

The lake center held a large rock formation, resembling the tiled roof of a Miao village hut. According to Hou Dayong's previous description, a chamber should lie beneath it. The current dilemma, however, was locating the entrance. We swam a full circuit around the rock. Besides sand and gravel, there were no openings, doors, or anything resembling an access point. The rock itself seemed built up layer upon layer, suggesting it might be movable.

Hou Dayong lifted one slab of rock, revealing another beneath it; he moved another, and yet another lay underneath. He kept moving these stacked layers—an endless process. Apart from rock, nothing else was visible. Finally, he stopped, beginning to ponder alternative methods.

The mermaid watched us from a distance, solitary, seeming almost pitiful. After staring blankly for a long moment, Hou Dayong slowly swam toward her. As he neared, he suddenly accelerated, shooting forward like an arrow, instantly appearing behind her. He hooked his elbow around her neck, holding her as if taking a hostage. Then, he pressed his mouth to her ear and let out a long stream of gurgling bubbles.

After the bubbling stopped, the mermaid was released and swam actively toward me and Wang Jue. Wary from our previous terrifying encounter, we both kept a wide berth, trying hard not to look into her eyes or face.

But she didn't approach us. Instead, she swam to one side of the rock formation and began clawing at the loose sand and gravel with her hands. Hou Dayong joined in, digging alongside her. Before long, a dark, gaping entrance materialized.

Hou Dayong, standing behind her, beckoned to us. We understood immediately and followed him and the mermaid into the darkness of the hole.