VIP Volume Chapter 40: The Island of Terror

Wen Xiaoyu was also amazed by this edible rock. She took a piece in her hand and examined it closely. The moonlight was bright and clear, shining down upon the little island. Ye Xiaoxuan and Wen Xiaoyu sat on the ground, shoulders touching, gazing at the palm-sized piece of rock before them. They couldn’t fathom how this pitch-black thing could be used as food.

Wen Xiaoyu pinched off a bit, inspecting it under her eyes, then brought it to her nose for a sniff. She said to Ye Xiaoxuan, “This must be an essence refined from fish! The bones have all been removed, and it’s compressed... To think the entire island is made of this, it’s simply unimaginable! Oh, Xiaoxuan, if you want to eat, just eat—your drool is about to drip onto my legs!”

Ye Xiaoxuan wasn’t looking at the rock at all; he was admiring Wen Xiaoyu’s tender, fair legs! In stark contrast to the black ground, her skin appeared dazzlingly white, and beneath her red eyes, even the veins seemed visible.

“You rascal...” Wen Xiaoyu caught the way Ye Xiaoxuan was looking and blushed, instinctively tugging down the hem of her short sleeves, though her heart was sweet as honey.

Ye Xiaoxuan hurriedly took off his jacket and covered Wen Xiaoyu’s legs. “Wrap this around your waist.”

Wen Xiaoyu pouted, trying to remove it. “But it’s still wet!” Ye Xiaoxuan pressed her hand down. “Wet is better than bare! I’m not a good man—I can’t guarantee I won’t do something to you!”

Wen Xiaoyu, face aflame, pinched him. “You dare! Besides, even if you really did... something... I wouldn’t blame you! There’s only the two of us here. I’m just a girl—how could I possibly resist you?”

Ye Xiaoxuan stared at her in disbelief. Wen Xiaoyu, unable to lift her head under his gaze, clung to his arm and whispered, “Xiaoxuan, do you have a girlfriend?”

Ye Xiaoxuan neither nodded nor shook his head. That was truly a difficult question. Strictly speaking, not only did he not have a girlfriend, he’d never even been in love!

But what about Jiayan? In name, they were cousins, but neither had ever seriously considered that relationship. Being with Jiayan felt like being in love, yet she couldn’t truly be his girlfriend...

Wen Xiaoyu seemed to think of something, her expression turning cold as she raised her head to ask, “When we left the cave, I heard you mention the name Jiayan. Is she your girlfriend?”

Ye Xiaoxuan sighed and shook his head. “She’s my cousin.” But in his heart, he thought, If only she were my girlfriend!

Hearing this, Wen Xiaoyu’s face lit up with delight as she grabbed Ye Xiaoxuan’s hand. “That’s wonderful! So you don’t have a girlfriend, right? Well, now you do! From this moment on, I’m your girlfriend!”

Ye Xiaoxuan pulled a wry face. “Seriously? I’m just a useless little rogue who can’t do anything!”

Wen Xiaoyu, recalling how everyone spoke of him before they set sail, huffed in anger. “Those people were blind! My boyfriend saved everyone on the boat—he’s a hero!”

“Please,” Ye Xiaoxuan waved his hands. “Don’t call me a hero. I’m just a nobody! Besides, I don’t even know if they’re alive or dead now.”

Wen Xiaoyu insisted, “Xiaoxuan, don’t be modest. No matter what happened to them, you’re still a hero!”

Ye Xiaoxuan replied earnestly, “I’m not being modest! The thing I hate most in this life is playing the hero. If I can win, I’ll fight; if not, I’ll run. I never take on more than I can handle. I’m just a small-time rogue—if you’re not ashamed to stick with me, then follow me.”

Wen Xiaoyu clung to his arm, her eyes dreamy. “I know you’ll show everyone how amazing you are one day. I’ll always support you!”

Ye Xiaoxuan said, “Let’s not tell too many people how amazing I am. That’s exhausting. As long as you know, that’s enough. I’m not built to take too much pressure...”

Wen Xiaoyu tilted her head in confusion. “I don’t quite get what you’re saying, but judging from that sly look, it can’t be anything good!”

Ye Xiaoxuan’s face darkened. “You were just praising me, and now I’m suddenly a lecherous old man?”

Wen Xiaoyu hugged his arm and laughed. “No matter what, I like you! From now on, you’re my boyfriend, so you have to earn money to support me!”

Ye Xiaoxuan pried her hands away and said seriously, “Please have some self-respect, miss. I only sell my body, not my art!”

Wen Xiaoyu pouted, “Go to hell!”

Although the island wasn’t large, it still took more than ten minutes to walk around every corner. After making a circuit, Wen Xiaoyu asked, “How strange—why isn’t there a single blade of grass here? If these rocks are edible and full of nutrients, why is it so barren?”

Ye Xiaoxuan had no idea either; he was just as unfamiliar with this place as anyone. They walked around the lakeshore, and as Ye Xiaoxuan stood on a rock, he felt that something wasn’t right, though he couldn’t pinpoint what.

Wen Xiaoyu sat beside him, her fair feet submerged in the water, splashing and occasionally tapping a triangular stone beneath the surface with her toes.

Ye Xiaoxuan was lost in thought, when suddenly a realization struck him. He grabbed Wen Xiaoyu’s hand and exclaimed, “This is bad!”

Startled, Wen Xiaoyu stood up. “What’s wrong?”

Ye Xiaoxuan’s face was pale. “I passed by here earlier—this rock under your feet was sticking at least half a meter above the water!”

Wen Xiaoyu looked down at the rock beneath her feet, her expression changing. “You mean, the water level is rising?”

Ye Xiaoxuan nodded, looking at her intently. “No one has ever seen Fragrant Sand Island during the day! That means there’s only one reason—during the day, this island is submerged! If the water isn’t rising, then the island is sinking. We have to leave immediately!”

Wen Xiaoyu’s voice trembled in fear. “But... we don’t even have a piece of wood, let alone a boat... Ah!”

Before she could finish, the rock beneath her feet suddenly moved! Without time to think, Ye Xiaoxuan pulled her toward the center of the island.

They had just scrambled onto the island when a roar of water erupted behind them, and massive waves crashed. Right after, a mountain rose from the water, growing taller and wider with every second. Wen Xiaoyu nearly screamed in terror, for she realized that what was rising from the water was not a mountain, but an enormous turtle!