Chapter 12: Feng Baobao

In the coastal city, residents gazed in horror at the suddenly changing weather and the wall of water and tornadoes rising from the sea, erupting into terrified screams. In their panic, they spun their cars around, speeding away from the danger zone. At the edge of the sea, the water had already surged dozens of meters high. Boats moored along the shore began to tilt and sink under the pounding waves, smashing into the elevated roads above the sea. Cars racing along those roads couldn’t brake in time and plunged through the broken gaps into the ocean below. Countless vehicles floated on the surface, swept away by the surging currents beneath.

On the rooftops of high-rises, people stared in terror, clutching phones and cameras, capturing scenes of devastation. The tsunami crashing onto the coast not only inflicted immense damage but also caused a total blackout as all electrical equipment failed.

...

In Wudu, the Xu family reigned as the city’s foremost clan. The heir, Xu Youping, was even known as “Half the City.” Some speculated that his wealth accounted for half of Wudu’s fortune—a title he truly deserved.

In his study, the thirty-year-old Xu Youping’s eyes flickered with concern. In his hands, he held a copy of the Wudu Daily. The front-page headline reported on the tsunami that had struck the Pacific region.

“Xu Tianming, where is the young lady?” Xu Youping’s deep voice echoed in the room.

“Young master, she went out,” came a humble reply from the doorway. With a creak, the door opened and a slightly stooped middle-aged man, looking not yet fifty, entered. Under his cropped hair, his square face was marked by thick brows and a pair of piercing eyes. This man, Xu Tianming, was both Xu Youping’s bodyguard and personal assistant.

Having watched Xu Youping grow up, Xu Tianming had always addressed him with respect as “young master.” Even now, with Xu Youping as the head of the family and reputedly the richest man in Wudu, he still used the same honorific, a mark of enduring deference.

But Xu Youping’s heart was growing heavier. He opened his computer, logged onto a live streaming platform, and searched for Xu Bing’s account. When he saw her last post, he abruptly stood, his face draining of color.

Xu Bing’s final social media post, from two hours earlier, was a short video: a magnified, translucent silhouette of a dolphin breaking through the waves. The caption she left read, “This might be the largest orca in the world.”

“Damn it, the very thing I feared has happened.”

Xu Youping’s face paled. His younger sister Xu Bing was a military enthusiast, her greatest passion to sail and film across the world’s oceans. Xu Youping had tried everything to get her to settle down. He even tried to arrange a marriage for her, hoping it would keep her in check. Yet, upon hearing rumors of his intentions, the girl had still managed to slip away.

“Tianming, you must find the young lady for me, no matter the cost.” Xu Youping’s voice was squeezed from his throat, low and urgent.

“I’ll go at once, young master.” Xu Tianming bowed and left swiftly.

“Xu Bing, when I find you this time, you’ll marry as I say and let someone else worry about you for a change.” Xu Youping sat down, a bitter smile on his lips but endless worry in his eyes. He had discovered that two hours ago, Xu Bing had indeed been in the Pacific region. Now that a tsunami had struck, how could he not be anxious?

As he was lost in thought, the door was violently flung open.

“Brother-in-law!” a flustered, anxious voice called out.

“Feng Baobao, is that you?” Xu Youping frowned slightly at the disheveled young man, his expression tinged with displeasure.

“Brother-in-law, something terrible has happened!” Feng Baobao, oblivious to Xu Youping’s annoyance, wiped the sweat from his brow as he rushed forward, gasping for breath. “Bingbing is in the Pacific right now, but there’s been a tsunami there!”

“I know.” Xu Youping’s face was expressionless as he picked up the papers on his desk and began reading intently.

“Brother-in-law…” Feng Baobao was stunned, staring at him in disbelief. “Bingbing is in the Pacific!”

“So what?” Xu Youping glanced at him coolly. “She was warned, but she wouldn’t listen. Now all we can do is leave it to fate.”

“You…” Feng Baobao had never expected such cold words from his brother-in-law. Just as he was about to explode, Xu Youping fixed him with a frosty gaze. “Feng Baobao, don’t forget your place. As long as I haven’t given my consent, Bingbing will never be a member of your family. Now, get out.”

Xu Youping’s icy tone made Feng Baobao’s face darken. Furious, Feng Baobao shot him a glare, but upon meeting his cold eyes, he shrank back, intimidated. His eyes reddened, and he turned to run out, sniffling and crying.

“Bingbing, don’t be afraid—I’m coming to save you!” His voice echoed from the corridor outside, giving Xu Youping a headache.

Feng Baobao also hailed from a powerful family in Wudu, second only to the Xu family. From a prominent background, he had been Xu Bing’s shadow since childhood, following her everywhere and vowing never to marry anyone else. He was excellent in every way, except for his tendency to cry at the drop of a hat.

Xu Youping smiled bitterly, unable to focus on his documents, refreshing Xu Bing’s short videos again and again. “My dear sister, you mustn’t come to harm!” he murmured, his heart suspended in limbo, rising and falling with anxiety.

...

At two in the afternoon, the sun pierced the clouds over the Pacific region. The torrential rain faded to a misty drizzle. As the last of the storm clouds dispersed, a final raindrop fell onto the surface of the sea, leaving not a ripple in its wake.

Just moments before, it had been a raging storm. Now, the sea was calm, and the sky stretched cloudless for miles.

Beneath the waves, a small dolphin no more than half a meter long stood upright, patting its chest with a fin, its eyes still wide with lingering fear.

“That was terrifying. I finally escaped with my life!” This little dolphin was Lin Qiu. Just as he had fled the volcanic eruption, a behemoth had set its sights on him.

It was a sea lion, over a hundred meters long, with bloodshot, ferocious eyes locked onto the tiny Lin Qiu, making gulping sounds.

The moment Lin Qiu saw the sea lion, his heart sank. Since when could sea lions grow to such monstrous proportions? Its bloodthirsty gaze clearly said, “You look delicious. I want a taste.”

His system blared a warning: this was a sea beast he could not possibly fight—he needed to flee at once. After their mutations, these sea creatures’ ancient bloodlines had awakened, their bodies swelling in size and their instincts turning savage and cruel.

The sea lion immediately began chasing Lin Qiu, who, though appearing to be a small dolphin, was in fact a genuine orca. His speed far surpassed that of the massive, clumsy sea lion.