Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 116

“Legend has it that, at the southernmost edge of the Southeastern Continent, there lies a vast and surging ocean, mountain ranges rising and falling, a sky as clear as a polished mirror, and air filled with the exotic fragrance of rare and precious treasures. But every hundred years, anomalies appear in the sea, mysterious black shadows, faint phosphorescent glows, terrifying maritime storms, magnificent sky cities. All the exotic beasts that exist only in legend will appear……”

China.

Tiannan City.

It was the height of summer vacation, the best season for travel.

The golden beach was bustling with excitement, crowds weaving together. White sails dotted the sea surface, emerald waves stretching endlessly. Seagulls skimmed swiftly over the azure sea, letting out crisp calls.

The tour guide waved a small China-red flag, a miniature microphone at his mouth, leading the Sunset Red Travel Agency group as they stepped onto the beach, introducing the scenic area’s history while admiring the view.

Several elderly ladies walked arm in arm, utterly uninterested in these legends he spoke of. Each had a shawl draped over her shoulders, a silk scarf waving in the breeze, directing a few old men to take photos for them.

“Hey…… yes yes, smile a bit brighter, hey…… cheese!”

The guide talked until his mouth was dry. Seeing this, he sighed and plopped down directly onto the sand. A few little girls in dresses giggled as they ran past him. Warm-hearted, he called out, “Little sisters, slow down.”

On this trip with tourists, he never expected it to be easy. These old men and women, about the same age as his parents, wouldn’t be fooled by such legends. With decades of life experience, what storms hadn’t they weathered? They simply didn’t believe it.

Compared to mysterious continents or strange shadows in the sea, they’d rather buy latex memory mattresses, Buddhist prayer beads blessed at the Great Leiyin Temple, or miracle pills that promised longevity.

Along the way, the guide had been afraid they’d get scammed and stopped them many times for that, nearly getting surrounded and beaten by a few unscrupulous vendors.

Fortunately, the elderly ladies were fiercely protective. They shielded him behind them and started arguing with the vendors. Those vendors actually dared to argue with the aunties, like showing off a broadsword in front of Guan Yu, nearly getting verbally annihilated.

Because of this, the tour group grew even more harmonious. The guide truly took care of them as if caring for his own parents. Even when ignored, he didn’t dare remind them, only able to glare helplessly.

Now that most of his professional duties were essentially wasted, he thought about the upcoming itinerary: Bihai Bay, Da Yu Cape, Black Rock Village—all places connected to legends, famous scenic sites where exotic beasts had ‘once’ appeared or where traces of them had been unearthed.

The guide: “……” Save me.

Uncles and aunties didn’t buy this stuff at all!

Depressed, just then someone suddenly leaned over beside him.

“Hey, big brother.”

The enthusiastic male voice pulled his attention back. He lifted his head and immediately let out a “hiss,” nearly blinded by the handsome men in front of him.

Several boys wearing floral shirts and long shorts stood by the shade canopy. The one at the back wore sunglasses; his facial contours were sharply defined, his skin cool white, long legs and long arms, faintly revealing smooth, firm muscle lines. He looked careless, yet his presence was strong.

He held a phone in his hand. Even with so many people watching him, he couldn’t be bothered to lift his head.

The one who called him over was another boy, wearing refined-looking glasses. Curiosity flickered in his eyes as he asked, “Sorry, we were just near your tour group and heard you talking about some mysterious legends……”

“Ah, yes yes yes. Tiannan City has a long history, traceable as far back as the Wei and Jin periods. A group of farming-and-scholar families, attacked by political enemies, truly couldn’t survive in the capital. Coupled with wars breaking out everywhere at the time and people struggling to live, these people sought a place of rest and migrated from north to south. It took three full generations before they finally bypassed the southern indigenous tribes and found this pure land on earth.”

Once it touched on his professional field, the guide immediately became eloquent.

At last, someone could listen to these folk legends. The guide wished he could bring out all his best skills.

“After settling here, these families resumed the peaceful life of working at sunrise and studying diligently. But the longer they stayed, the more they gradually noticed how strange this place was. For example, at night there were always bizarre sounds coming from the sea; fishermen who went out often returned one out of ten; the ever-present feeling of being watched; and the frequent disappearances of young boys and girls……”

The guide deliberately lowered his voice, glancing repeatedly at the refined-looking boy beside him, hoping for some reaction.

The boy listened with relish. Not only was he not afraid, he excitedly urged, “And then? And then?”

The guide suddenly felt it was rather pointless, but still professionally finished the story: “Then the families living here set rules. Fishing was only allowed at noon, for one single hour. After that hour, no matter the catch, they had to return to shore, otherwise, life and death were at their own risk.”

“From then on, these strange incidents decreased. In modern times, because the seawater became polluted, Bibo Sea was placed under protection and fishing was prohibited, so these legends truly became just legends……”

Although fishing was banned, the commercial port not far away could still operate.

Ships frequently came and went on the sea surface, all large cargo vessels, crossing oceans to transport foreign products back home. At this moment, several cargo ships were entering port to unload.

To attract tourists, Tiannan City searched through ancient texts and dug up this folk legend again. After some embellishment, it became a signature attraction. The villagers of Black Rock Village were dissatisfied for a while. The older generation resisted fiercely, but the younger generation discovered business opportunities, softened things from within, and gradually accepted the arrangement.

Now, Black Rock Village has become one of Tiannan City’s top ten must-visit attractions. Far away in the capital, the finance class had also, after a full vote, set their graduation trip destination here.

After hearing the legend, Yu Ting’s interest grew even stronger. Returning to the main group, he shared the legend with a few girls. They covered their mouths and laughed. “What…… exotic beasts in the sea…… could it be mermaids?”

“Mermaids are the Western term. Our ancestors called them jiaoren.”

The class monitor smiled, eyes curved. She wore a bohemian long dress and light makeup. Her peripheral gaze subtly withdrew from Shen Shi as she said, “Yu Ting, why are you still interested in these folk legends? Honestly, this trip to Tiannan City, you just want to see exotic beast skeletons, right?”

In the Black Rock Village Museum, there was an exhibition hall displaying exotic beast skeletons.

No photography allowed, no talking allowed. Once inside, complete silence had to be maintained. It was best to hold full respect for the skeletons. Rather than exotic beast remains, constrained by all these rules, they felt more like some kind of divine remains.

Yu Ting chuckled and didn’t argue. “I just asked the tour guide over there. Our planned route overlaps with theirs. The next stop is Da Yu Cape for both of us.”

“Alright, then let’s head to Da Yu Cape,” the class monitor caught the hint immediately and asked the girls beside her, “Do you still have the energy? Can you hold on? If you’re tired, stay here and rest. We’ll meet at the homestay at noon.”

The entire finance class was present on this trip: twenty people total, seven girls and thirteen boys. They vaguely formed small groups. The arts committee member, who didn’t get along with the class monitor, smiled at this, her gaze slowly withdrawing from Shen Shi.

All foxes of a thousand years, why play Liaozhai in front of her.

She knew the class monitor well. She liked Shen Shi’s face, and liked even more the Shen family behind him. The closer graduation drew, the more classmates could feel the gap between them, like an unbridgeable chasm.

They said love from student days was the most unforgettable. She had competed with the class monitor for four years, brushed up plenty of presence in front of Shen Shi, yet never managed to make him look at them even once.

Now she was truly tired. She felt Shen Shi, this dog b*stard, might genuinely be asexual. She didn’t want to join the fun anymore, running all that way to Da Yu Cape just to sunbathe.

“I won’t go,” she looked at the relaxed smile on the class monitor’s face and curled her lips. “I’ll stay at the homestay with Yaya and the others and cook for you.”

Still wanting to try one last time, she looked at him again and asked reservedly, “Is there any ingredient you want to eat? I’ll go to the supermarket later.”

The class monitor’s gentle smile immediately faltered.

She clenched her teeth and also looked at Shen Shi.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, gazing out at the sea, Shen Shi withdrew his sight. His expression was somewhat absent-minded. His hair scattered in the wind, and the floral shirt was lightly lifted by the sea breeze, clinging to his body and outlining the lean, smooth lines of his lower abdomen.

This restrained, abstinent yet male-hormone-filled body drew quite a few gazes. The arts committee member’s cheeks flushed slightly as she silently approved of Shen Shi’s physical condition in her heart.

Then she heard Shen Shi say distractedly, “Hm? What did you say?”

Arts committee member: “……”

Don’t eat anymore. Go self-destruct.

The group going to Da Yu Cape was decided.

Scattered among them were more than a dozen people. The boys were full of stamina and interested in these folk monster stories, responding one after another to go together. The girls went out of longing for beautiful scenery and the need to take photos.

Da Yu Cape wasn’t far from the beach. Walk straight to the end, enter the Da Yu Cape scenic area, board the small white sightseeing vehicle, drive along a long uphill road, and you could go straight to Da Yu Cape.

Da Yu Cape’s terrain was steep, with jagged rocks everywhere.

The cliffs by the sea were like they’d been carved by knives and axes, extremely strange and sharp, as if only after long erosion by wind and water could such a magnificent form be sculpted.

The wind here was strong and the temperature low. Standing outside the railing and looking down, one could see raging waves slamming against the rock walls. The seawater boomed with “bang bang” sounds, continuous waves churning up white foam.

This was Da Yu Cape.

Different from the calm scene at the beach, the seawater here was a deep blue, blue to the extreme, even tinged with an eerie pitch-black. The sea surface surged endlessly, as if beneath this vast expanse hid a vortex, stirring everything into upheaval.

They had just been sweating from the heat moments ago, but now everyone felt cold. Tall evergreen trees were planted outside the railing, branches interlacing, light dappling through. A few people simply sat down to rest, each eating some snacks to replenish energy.

Yu Ting excitedly took out his camera and ran off to take photos.

Jiang Jun chatted leisurely with a few girls like a lord. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Shen Shi, who had been emotionally flat, suddenly standing up, threading through the scattered figures, heading straight toward the very front.

“Shen Shi?” he called out in confusion.

The class monitor smiled and said, “He’s probably gone to look at the scenery. Da Yu Cape is a bit cold, but it’s still very beautiful.”

Jiang Jun thought about it and felt that made sense. He lay back down again and continued eating biscuits.

By the railing, occupying a favorable position and crazily searching for angles to snap photos of the sea, Yu Ting was also tapped on the shoulder. He raised his head and saw Shen Shi. Shen Shi had already taken off his sunglasses; his long, narrow, cold phoenix eyes were black as ink. He stared fixedly at the distant sea surface, his expression grave, his tone stretched taut as he said, “Zoom in a bit more. Look over there, doesn’t it look like there’s a person on the sea?”

“What?! Don’t tell me someone fell into the water? Those surfers?” Yu Ting nearly had his soul fly out of his body. The implication in Shen Shi’s words was far too serious. He immediately adjusted the camera’s zoom, not daring to miss a single detail as he looked toward the sea.

He searched for a long time but couldn’t pinpoint the spot Shen Shi was indicating.

However, a few photographer guys nearby also heard Shen Shi’s words and hurriedly looked out toward the sea together with them.

Shen Shi simply took the camera, his brows tightly knit. After confirming the direction, he slowly zoomed in bit by bit.

The sea surface rose and fell, turbulent and terrifying.

Violent waves surged one after another. In the distance, several dark clouds drifted over at great speed, heavy and oppressive. Above the thick cloud layers were flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder. In just a few short minutes, the weather was about to turn from clear to overcast.

But the sea often had storms, this was normal.

Shen Shi meticulously adjusted the lens, the direction changing along with his line of sight.

He stood tall and straight. The floral shirt clung tightly to his firm, lean chest. Two casually undone buttons at the collar hung low, revealing a long throat and a faintly rolling Adam’s apple.

Yu Ting’s camera wasn’t large. Without the support of a tripod, it could be perfectly held in hand. Shen Shi’s black hair was blown into disarray. His brows were pressed low, his pupils pitch-black. Around him, the crowd clamored to leave, people coming and going in noisy chaos. Only he stood unmoving amid the crowded throng, steady as a mountain.

Yu Ting watched him with trepidation, then looked at the dark clouds overhead. The cloud layer that had seemed far away moments ago suddenly spread to the middle of the sea. The entire sky was dyed an eerie black. Dim light shone on the sea surface, and the water surged with ominous waves.

Tiny raindrops had already begun to fall.

Yu Ting wiped his face, shivering from the cold.

Over there, the class monitor pressed down her skirt and raised her voice to call them, “Yu Ting? Shen Shi! Hurry back, it’s going to rain! The staff says we need to leave quickly!”

Shen Shi was still fiddling with the camera. This was a matter of life and death. Even if Shen Shi was mistaken or hallucinating, Yu Ting didn’t dare gamble. More importantly, given the current situation at sea, even lifeboats probably wouldn’t be able to go in. All he could do now was pray that no one had fallen into the water and that it was all a false alarm.

“You guys go first,” Yu Ting gritted his teeth and said stiffly. “I want to photograph the storm, let Shen Shi help me!”

The people at the resting area were almost infuriated into flipping over.

Yu Ting was about to explain when suddenly, Shen Shi beside him froze, making a very obvious, startled movement.

“What is it?” Yu Ting asked instantly. “Is it really a person?”

……

Above the pitch-black, churning sea surface, there was a reef.

The stone surface was flat, slightly higher than the sea level, but both sides were steep and terrifying, the edges sharp.

At this very moment, a person… or rather, a creature, was faintly lying prone on the flat surface, sleeping soundly.

It had a head of curled, seaweed-like dense jet-black long hair. The hair was like inky clouds, draped over a snow-white, slender back. Two sections of white-jade-like long, soft arms were pressed together, clinging tightly to the surface, squeezing out the warm, tender flesh on the inner sides. Its face couldn’t be seen, nor could the body submerged beneath the water.

It lay there quietly and obediently, like a sprite or succubus that had appeared out of thin air upon the sea.

So beautiful it was breathtaking. Even with just a simple side silhouette, one could feel heaven’s favoritism and cherishing of it.

That strange reef stood silently amid the raging wind and rain. Mist gradually rose over the sea. The fog distorted time and space, scenery itself. The sea grew ever more terrifying, waves nearly several meters high. A dreadful giant wave crashed down heavily—

Whether it was the reef, or the sleeping figure atop it, both vanished into the depths of the rain and mist.

……

Lowering the camera.

Shen Shi: “……”

Very strange. Look again.