The Whole Empire Raises Me - Chapter 37

 

Chapter 37

The music came to an end.

Including the dolphins, everyone still wanted more.

On another boat, a Spanish journalist wiped his eyes with a tissue. He was a sentimental reporter, and he said to Wen Xingze with deep emotion:

“I don’t know why, but when I hear you play the instrument, my brain feels happy, yet my heart feels a little sour, as if something unfortunate happened to Chihiro…”

The other foreigners nodded in agreement.

Wen Xingze patted the journalist’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Chihiro is fine.”

Hearing that Chihiro was okay, everyone felt relieved.

Then both boats started cheering for another performance. Only the photographers on both sides dutifully held their cameras, capturing this magical night.

It would undoubtedly make excellent material for a show.

Zhu Bo said, “It’s a lonely night, parents aren’t home, and I don’t feel like moving. Join us at the bow of the boat for some dancing and fun.”

Wen Xingze replied, “If you keep this up, you’ll get banned.”

Zhu Bo immediately fell silent, nervously glancing around. “Respected moderator, there’s no inappropriate content. It absolutely aligns with our core values… A'Ze, let’s dance quietly, no fighting.”

Wen Xingze: …

Playing the instrument continuously was exhausting. Wen Xingze took a sip of mineral water and noticed that the dolphins’ emotions had miraculously stabilized.

One of the dolphins leaped again, gently brushing Wen Xingze’s hand with its tail. This time, Wen Xingze saw the faint green translucent text floating above its head: 

I love dancing! Play another tune for me!

The chubby white dolphin nudged against the first one, affectionately bumping its head against Wen Xingze’s palm. Its text read: 

Humans are silly, and this young man blowing the car horn doesn’t seem very bright, but he plays it beautifully. I’ll reluctantly like him.

Wen Xingze blinked in shock.

The dolphins appeared cute on the surface, but their inner monologues were sharp and domineering.

Who knew they were such opinionated dolphins? Now Wen Xingze wasn’t eager to hear other animals’ thoughts. What if the adorable cat from his neighbor’s house turned out to be a middle-aged, greasy uncle?

On second thought, was this the effect of the Green Tangerine? Did playing two tunes on the suona increase their affinity? Were their preferences a bit peculiar?

In the blink of an eye, the entire boat was once again surrounded by dolphins. With their round heads tilted upward, they rubbed against each other, revealing angelic smiles and emitting delicate sounds.

The name Smiling Angels was well-deserved.

The journalists and photographers on both boats were nearly overwhelmed by cuteness. Although Wen Xingze wanted to join them, the green text above the dolphins’ heads caught his attention:

Isn’t it adorable? Hahaha! Silly humans, cuteness isn’t exclusive to your species.

Silly human, play! Now!

This lord wants to dance. Play, play quickly!!!

Wen Xingze: “???”

Being a bit rebellious, Wen Xingze didn’t feel like playing anymore. He set the suona aside. “I’m tired; I don’t want to play.”

The dolphins froze.

They were clearly unhappy.

The chubby white dolphin jumped up, appearing incredibly angry—though to others, it merely rolled cutely. It chirped at Wen Xingze, its text hovering above: 

Why won’t you play for me? It’s your honor!

Wen Xingze pointed out seriously, “Because you’re all so rude.”

This white dolphin seemed to be the leader of this bandit-like group of dolphins. It leaped, and the others quieted down, huddling near the boat.

The lead dolphin hadn’t expected to converse with Wen Xingze. After a moment of bewilderment, it stared at him with its large, dark eyes, its text reading: 

You. Are. Teaching. Me. How. To. Do. Things?

Wen Xingze: “…” What kind of middle-aged leader's speech was this?!

Wen Xingze: “Yes.”

The lead dolphin nearly choked, its tail flipping up as it revealed its white belly: “What the…?!”

Regrettably, to others, this confrontational scene appeared as a natural and harmonious conversation between Wen Xingze and the white dolphin, each using their own language.

Wen Xingze’s innocent gaze met the dolphin’s feigned innocence. The white dolphin occasionally emitted urgent chirps and even generously exposed its belly, rubbing against the side of the small boat.

This scene later became one of the heartwarming moments in the documentary “Fantasy Cruise”…

But this was a bittersweet story.

“So,” Wen Xingze asked the dolphin leader, “why did you attack our cruise ship earlier?”

The white dolphin’s tail movement faltered.

The other dolphins were equally stunned.

The white dolphin didn’t want to answer Wen Xingze directly, but its inner thoughts couldn’t be suppressed. Slowly, Wen Xingze read the faint green text floating above its head: 

We were waiting for another group of foolish humans. Why haven’t they arrived yet? If they don’t come soon, we’ll leave.

Wen Xingze inquired further, “Are you referring to the veterinarians who rescue you? You deliberately waited for them, and attacking our ship was to get attention?”

The white dolphin’s response appeared above: 

And what if we were?

After that, the dolphins fell silent. Some even submerged silently, blowing bubbles.

Wen Xingze recalled news articles about the close bond between these dolphins and the veterinarians. Initially, when they were stranded, their injuries were severe, and there wasn’t a particularly effective method for treating stranded dolphins. Yet the doctors persisted, and miraculously, they saved all dozen or so dolphins…

Ironically, on the night of their release, the doctors couldn’t make it.

This farewell might be their last encounter. So, they resorted to extreme measures to capture human attention.

Wen Xingze’s heart felt a pang. He remembered many things from the past. “You really like them, don’t you?”

The white dolphin responded: 

Liking them is one thing, but mainly, they owe me money.

The other dolphins nodded in agreement.

Wen Xingze: “???”

His illusions about these dolphins shattered completely.

On another note, how could humans owe dolphins money? What kind of situation was this?

Wen Xingze picked up the suona and improvised a melancholic, lyrical melody, letting it disperse gently with the night breeze.

The white dolphin’s text appeared angrily: 

Are you sending me away? What requiem are you playing?!

“…” Wen Xingze chose not to engage further, quietly finishing that segment.

The soft night breeze and the brilliant starry sky surrounded them.

Everyone present had heard lively and cheerful suona tunes, but now they witnessed this softer moment. The crisp notes were subdued, carrying a touch of elegance and… well, a funeral-like atmosphere.

Zhu Bo exclaimed, “Tears in my eyes.”

A foreign photographer chimed in, “When it’s my funeral, I hope you’ll stand outside the crowd, holding a black umbrella, wearing a black trench coat, playing this song for me. That would be cool.”

Wen Xingze: “…”

Despite everything, the overall atmosphere was reasonably well-crafted.

The rescue station’s doctors arrived in this ambiance, just as promised. They had just finished an emergency shift, still wearing their white coats.

Accompanying them was a red-haired middle-aged man in a floral shirt and beach shorts.

“I heard the dolphins were… Hey, isn’t this a good thing?” the man said.

As soon as the doctors arrived, the previously noisy dolphins quieted down. They swam lazily alongside the doctors’ boat, silently accompanying it.

One of the doctors squatted down, smiling as she recited the dolphins’ names: “Goodbye, Toby, Jack, Alice. Take care of yourselves.”

The dolphins gazed at her quietly, their small black eyes bright and gentle.

The boat was dimly lit, and the entire world seemed tranquil. The calm sea mirrored the night sky, reflecting all the fireworks of humanity.

It was beautiful.

Enough to soften anyone’s heart.

The farewell between the rescued dolphins and the doctors held precious meaning in the vast expanse of time and space.

The small boat continued its slow journey forward. Everyone pulled out their phones to capture this scene, and the photographers didn’t miss a single moment.

Wen Xingze sat on the boat, wishing he could record this instant if his phone hadn’t been confiscated. But of course, he had to ignore the consecutive words appearing above the dolphins:

They finally arrived, foolish humans.

If they come any later, we won’t wait. My time is precious.

No matter what, thank you for saving me. From now on, you’re my sworn brothers.

Pay up! …Forget it, no need to repay. I’ve decided to put your debt on another human’s head.

Wen Xingze: ??? Could that other human be referring to him?

After sailing a bit farther, the small boats stopped one after another.

“We can only go this far,” the doctors stood at the bow, waving goodbye to the dolphins. The younger doctors sniffled and hugged each other, easing the genuine sadness of parting. “Don’t strand yourselves foolishly again. Goodbye—”

“Chirp—”

This time, the dolphins didn’t remain still. They gradually swam away but hesitated, looking back at the doctors with reluctance.

The lights, cameras, and the passage of time all bore witness to this moment.

…This became one of the iconic scenes in the renowned documentary “Back to Nature.”

Watching the dolphins fade into the distance, Wen Xingze teased under his breath, “These hypocritical fellows. They talk about repaying debts but are honest with their bodies… Anyway, if you want to see the doctors next time, you can come find—”

The sea breeze carried Wen Xingze’s voice into the distance.

Suddenly, the departing dolphins froze.

Everyone: “?”

Wen Xingze: “?”

About three seconds later, led by the bandit leader, the white dolphin, the dolphins swam back aggressively. But this time, their target wasn’t the doctors; it was Wen Xingze, who held the suona in the center of the boat.

“Chirp—”

The white dolphin sounded annoyed and leaped directly out of the water, bumping its forehead against Wen Xingze’s, splashing him with water.

It was like medieval knights removing their white gloves and slapping each other’s faces during a duel. The white dolphin’s action clearly carried that emotion and fighting spirit.

Still in the nostalgic atmosphere from earlier, Wen Xingze blinked his clear, light brown eyes.

In capital letters. CONFUSED.

The green text above the white dolphin read: 

Next time you see the doctors, come find me! And by the way, you still owe us money!

After saying this, the dolphins turned around and left, their departure different from the bittersweet farewell earlier. They strutted away, heads held high, like victorious gladiators returning from a Roman arena.

On the small boat, Wen Xingze remained soaked by seawater, droplets falling from his damp hair.

Wen Xingze: ???

Facing the dolphins’ backs, he raised his middle finger in slow motion.

…This became the second iconic scene in the documentary “Back to Nature.”

Wen Xingze later learned that the red-haired man in beach shorts, who had been watching the spectacle, was the producer of the documentary—one of Europe’s most renowned documentary filmmakers.

His keen and unique vision had previously crafted award-winning documentaries. After “Back to Nature” premiered, that number continued to rise.

At this moment, he was just a cheerful uncle observing Wen Xingze, whistling. “Can I tweet this? It’s hilarious.”

Under his guidance:

Including the doctors still immersed in the melancholic atmosphere, everyone aimed their phones at Wen Xingze, capturing this inexplicably funny scene. They added their own commentary:

“Hahaha.”

“This handsome Chinese guy is at war with the dolphins.”

“Is raising a middle finger a duel declaration? Cool!”

This brief one-and-a-half-minute video eventually went viral on Twitter and social media that night…

Wen Xingze, the protagonist: “…”

They had no mercy!

________________________

Muse Empire.

[Strawberry Pudding: These dolphins don’t appreciate their good fortune.]

[No More Candles: Even the way His Majesty raises his middle finger seems cute to me. Is there any hope?]

[Blazing Fire: No hope. Suggest cremation and hand the Cub over to our military.]

[Summer Ignorance: Haha, dream on.]

The live broadcast of Cub Raising Program ended no later than 10 p.m. After that, whether the cub slept or not, the screen displayed “Cub Resting” and turned black.

________________________

On Mechanical Star e19.

The green train, let out a long whistle.

The Central Tree of the Mechanical City, despite its name, has no connection to green plants whatsoever. It’s a tree regulated by the central AI, constructed from various parts, particle weapons, and hybrid metal materials. At its core lies the energy chamber for the robots.

The scene is chaotic.

This is the first impression of anyone stepping into the “base.”

Technologically, this place is centuries ahead of the entire universe. Even the discarded screws scattered on the ground here would make all the scientists in the Universal Alliance drool.

Yet, it’s surprisingly messy. The floor is strewn with books, tools, wrenches, and even the robotic arms of the machines. Tall tool racks extend all the way to the ceiling, and the entire room is a disorganized gray hue. A flickering, dim-to-bright incandescent light illuminates the entire base.

After the screen went black in Cub Raising Program, the robot parents remained seated in front of the display.

Although their core programs were already repaired, the robots still reacted a beat slower. They stared at the screen, as if expecting the cub to reappear.

After about ten minutes, the robots finally moved again.

Robot 015 stood up.

This former killing machine slowly shuffled to the toolbox, squatted down, and opened his small toolkit.

Inside the toolbox’s inner layer lay an old photograph. The picture depicted a young boy, eyes squinting, half his face buried in a scarf knitted by the robots. A reddish mole near his eye added a touch of warmth.

The photo was taken thirty years ago, during Muse’s early days.

Like the other robots, 015 silently and docilely gazed at the picture, its breathing light pulsing rhythmically.

015: “Gift, repair, inspection.”

Though fragmented, the other robots understood his meaning. They began to act accordingly. The spotlight above the workbench turned on, and the robots huddled together, clutching repair tools, chattering away.

They had prepared a gift for the cub.

This gift had been in the works for a long time—designed and crafted patiently even before the Light Tower Logistics opened. On the system’s first day, the robots queued up at the Capital Star Light Tower office.

Led by 015, they boarded the earliest starship, carrying their worn-out little toolboxes. They arrived at the Light Tower before dawn, waiting to schedule their appointments.

But the Blood Clan cut in line.

Then the Merfolk used their financial prowess to jump ahead.

And the Dragon Clan seized control of the Light Tower…

As one of the few honest races in the Muse Empire, the robots counted the days, waiting for their turn to send something.

Months passed, and the gift underwent multiple revisions and updates.

But it still wasn’t their turn.

They needed to be patient a little longer.

“Completed.”

For the ninth time this month, 015 sealed the gift in a box. The robots returned to their seats below the screen, beginning their daily mandatory lesson:

Reading “Influencing a Baby’s Life: The Three-Part Guide to Educating Children Under Two Hundred Years Old.”

Turning to the section on adolescents, the first page bore the five bold words: “The Dangers of Early Romance.”

…With a cautious attitude, the robots reviewed that page once more.

________________________

On the Fantasy Cruise ship at 10:30 p.m.

After a day and night of exhaustion, Wen Xingze finally returned to his bedroom.

Please, no more unexpected accidents, and let the production team behave. Wen Xingze made a heartfelt wish and stepped into the bathroom.

The design of this “Mysterious Luxury Ocean View Room” bathroom was somewhat anti-human. While spacious, three sides were transparent glass walls, revealing the seawater and the fish swimming outside.

At first glance, it seemed romantic, but when actually taking a bath, being surrounded by lively fish and their curious gazes felt a bit unsettling.

The most astonishing part? The fish above their heads bore light green text.

Wen Xingze hadn’t expected their fondness for him to be so high. It made no sense! Were these fish a bunch of obsessed fans?

Wen Xingze casually glanced at the thoughts of these fish:

His figure is amazing!

That waistline is so beautiful. I want to lie on his collarbone and blow bubbles.

Quick, undress! Why hesitate? You’re practically wearing nothing just to show off for the fish!

Wen Xingze: ??? He tapped on the glass window, and as the fish eagerly approached, he suddenly made a silly face, startling all of them.

Then, while singing “Dreams fly out one by one through the skylight,” Wen Xingze pulled down the blackout curtain.

The ornamental fish were left fuming: “…” How stingy!

Finally, he could enjoy his bath in peace.

The warm steam enveloped him as Wen Xingze settled into the bathtub. From his tailbone to his spine, he felt completely relaxed and lazy.

Soon, drowsiness overcame him.

Half-awake, Wen Xingze heard footsteps outside. He instinctively thought it might be a Blood Clan elder—probably Lilith, who was due to visit soon.

“Lilith,” Wen Xingze yawned, “could you pass me a towel? Thanks.”

The footsteps outside paused.

Then, the person seemed to murmur something softly.

But because of the soundproof glass, Wen Xingze couldn’t quite make it out.

“Speaking of which, after upgrading the Blood Clan filter, I started craving blood like vampires,” Wen Xingze mused in his half-asleep state. “What about the Mermaid's Blessing filter?”

He remembered touching the scales behind his ear when he activated the level 1 Mermaid's Blessing filter. Could the filter turn him into an actual mermaid?

He wondered what that transformation would look like.

Of course, Wen Xingze hoped he wouldn’t change. But if he did, perhaps he’d have ear fins and a tail.

Yes, just like this fish tail.

The tail was wide, silver, and its fin semi-transparent, with iridescent scales. He tested the movement of the fish tail, and the scales refracted light as he shifted angles.

It looked quite good.

Very pretty.

Appealing.

Wait…?

Wen Xingze tried turning the tail left, right, flapping it up, and lowering it down. The tail responded as if it were an integral part of his body, moving exactly as he intended.

Wen Xingze: “This tail seems like mine.”

Three seconds of silence.

Wen Xingze: “Damn, this tail is mine!”

On the non-glass wall of the bathroom hung a mirror, now blurred by steam. Yet, Wen Xingze faintly discerned a figure—more like a fish shadow—reflected on it.

Cerulean eyes, silver hair cascading loosely to the waist, submerged in water, and translucent ear fins matching the tail.

His facial features remained unchanged, even the red mole at the corner of his eye. But no matter how he looked, it wasn’t himself. And why did he have a tail and ear fins?

However, his hair was remarkably thick—nothing like what a typical gamer burning the midnight oil would have. That was the only comforting aspect for Wen Xingze.

Staring at the bewildered person in the mirror, Wen Xingze received an equally astonished gaze in return.

Thunk.

The soap slipped from his hand and hit the floor.

Wen Xingze, or rather the entire fish version of him, stood stupefied.

In that moment, footsteps outside indicated someone had heard the noise. The bathroom door swung open—

Through the mist, Wen Xingze couldn’t quite make out Chi Yan’s expression.

But Chi Yan clearly hesitated, his ink-black eyes narrowing slightly. Initially gripping the doorknob with normal force, he then noticed the metal had twisted into an odd shape in his palm.

Chi Yan: “…”

He had to deal with the obviously abnormal doorknob first, unable to restore its original shape. Only then did he step inside, carrying the towel Wen Xingze needed.

Facing the current Wen Xingze, Chi Yan maintained a calm tone. He asked, “What’s going on?”

The person who inexplicably appeared in his bedroom.

The tail that inexplicably sprouted from his body.

Wen Xingze couldn’t decide which was more perplexing.

His brain even began auto-playing clickbait articles: “How Did Wen Xingze Grow a Fish Tail? Let’s Explore!” Familiar, right? But seriously, how did this happen?

Wen Xingze replied, “I’m fine, really.”

As he spoke, he half-buried his face in the bathtub, releasing a string of utterly bewildered bubbles: “Glug-glug-glug—”

Chi Yan: “…”

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