Chapter 103 – The Mermaid’s Ownership
Although the crisis in the F Country town was resolved, Lin Jiu and Si Xu both knew the matter wasn’t over. H Country and M Country weren’t going to let it go, especially since the dozen or so mutated Haijia that had been captured hadn’t been released.
Still, Lin Jiu was quite happy. He placed the three magic crystal core he had obtained into the energy collection system for conversion.
Si Xu couldn’t help but laugh at Lin Jiu’s little miserly look. ‘With the magic value of these three crystals, can we afford some nicer wedding rings now?’
Lin Jiu nodded enthusiastically, ‘Yes, yes! More than enough!’
After discussing it, Lin Jiu and Si Xu settled on the size, price, and color, choosing a new set of wedding rings that cost a total of 100,000 magic points.”
Lin Jiu felt heartbroken, but when he thought about how the new wedding rings were unique to them, he let it go… or not!
The new wedding rings weren’t pure black but had a beautiful starry color, with shimmering stars on the surface. Of course, the price was equally dazzling. The inner space of the ring was large enough, so they wouldn’t have to worry about it being easily filled.
The black spatial ring that Lin Jiu gave Si Xu was still worn on Si Xu’s other hand, as he couldn’t bear to take it off.
Seeing this, Lin Jiu thought of making a matching set with Si Xu, but then he remembered that his own ring was something he got from a blind box, and it didn’t hold any special significance. Keeping it wouldn’t be as practical as giving it to Vera.
While Lin Jiu had been away from the shop, Vera had been in charge of making the silver carp caviar roe. Lin Jiu had already taught her the process, and the silver carp caviar roe were kept in the fridge. The flavor would improve over time, so giving the spatial ring to Vera made more sense.
Lin Jiu, wearing his brand-new wedding ring, headed to the shop. Vera and Jiang Xiwen were busy, even though the Seventh Team wasn’t around. The Special Security Division still sent two people daily to help.
Though Lin Jiu wasn’t there to cook gourmet food, the silver carp caviar roe was a decent substitute.
This batch of silver carp caviar roe wasn’t made by Lin Jiu himself, and he didn’t hide this fact. He openly posted it on the Magic Fish app, stating that while the chef was different, the ingredients were the same. Customers were welcome to buy or wait for his own preparation.
Fans praised Lin Jiu for being so honest, and sales didn’t decrease at all.
As soon as Lin Jiu arrived at the shop, customers surrounded him.
“Lin, Boss! You’re finally back! We’ve all reached the second-floor standard. When can we go up?”
Lin Jiu was stunned.
He suddenly remembered that purchasing silver carp caviar roe counted toward sales—and also toward unlocking access to the second floor!
Lin Jiu often took breaks, but now he no longer had to worry about the shop closing when he went on missions with Si Xu. He could leave the shop in Vera’s hands.
Vera had the foundation to cook, and whether it was regular food or magic cuisine, as long as the ingredients were available, she could prepare it. Even if Lin Jiu wasn’t around, there would be no need to close the shop.
[Chef God System reminder: Unless the host officially takes an apprentice, food made by others won’t count towards the shop’s sales.]
[Lin Jiu: …]
You’re really detailed with the rules!
Lin Jiu understood that most of these customers waiting to access the second floor had bought the silver carp caviar roe he had left behind, which is why the sales had accumulated.
Before leaving, Lin Jiu had handed over all the stockpiled silver carp caviar roe to Vera, telling her to sell it. If there wasn’t enough, she could make more. If there were no buyers, she could stop or make smaller batches.
Dishes made by two different people would undoubtedly taste different, but the diners trusted the ingredients from the Mo Yu Shop. Even with a different cook, they were still loyal customers.
Lin Jiu opened the hidden reminder from the Chef God System and saw the list of people who had earned access to the second floor.
He asked the Chef God System to post the names of these customers on the MoYu app and Weibo. There was no need to reserve a spot on the second floor; as long as it was mealtime, there would be space.
This was the perk of reaching the second floor.
Suddenly, Lin Jiu remembered to check if anyone had made large purchases in his absence. Ten boxes of 100g silver carp caviar roe would add up to one million, and if someone spent that much but didn’t get credited because they bought Vera’s version of the roe, the customer would surely be upset.
Just as Lin Jiu was about to ask Vera if any big spenders had come by in the last few days, someone spoke up.
“Boss Lin, I’ve spent over a million at your shop, but my name isn’t on the second-floor list. Why?”
Lin Jiu: …
There it was—exactly what he had been worried about!
Aside from those who had reached the million mark, there were also customers who had spent a lot but hadn’t hit the threshold yet. They were probably all keeping track themselves.
Lin Jiu had no choice but to confront the Chef God System since it hadn’t clarified this from the start.
Lin Jiu: Do you think it’s appropriate for me to take my mom as an apprentice?
[Chef God System reminder: This is a system setting and cannot be changed.]
Lin Jiu, frustrated: Does taking an apprentice require a formal ceremony?
If it involves a whole master-disciple ceremony, forget it—he couldn’t stand the thought of his own mother bowing to him.
[Chef God System reminder: A simple acknowledgment and basic skills certification from the system are sufficient.]
Lin Jiu was relieved: I acknowledge Vera as my apprentice.
[Chef God System reminder: Vera’s basic skills have not yet passed the Chef God System evaluation.]
Lin Jiu: …
Lin Jiu: Let me ask you this—if I successfully take her as my apprentice, will her past sales count?
[Chef God System reminder: According to the original system settings, no.]
Lin Jiu: …
Lin Jiu: So, what’s the point of taking an apprentice?
[Chef God System reminder: If the host desires, they can pass on their Demon Hunter Chef skills to their apprentice, allowing the apprentice to cook for them, and the sales will be valid.]
Lin Jiu, irritated: Right now, I need to solve the issue of invalid sales!
[Chef God System reminder: There is no solution.]
Damn it!
[Chef God System reminder: Please use polite language.]
Lin Jiu: …
Lin Jiu scratched his head, trying to figure out a way to resolve the situation.
In the end, he decided that all customers who had bought Silverro fish roe made by his “apprentice” would get a 20% discount. These sales wouldn’t count toward the shop’s rating system, and any money already collected would be refunded via the MoYu app. Customers should check their accounts for the refund.
The Chef God System would handle the refunds since no one knew better who had bought Vera’s roe. As for anyone trying to falsely claim a discount, that wouldn’t be possible—MoYu Shop’s surveillance system was top-notch, capable of reviewing any footage needed.
As soon as this announcement was made, fans exclaimed that such a generous deal meant they had missed out.
People who have tried the caviar made by the “apprentice” said that the taste was actually not bad, just a bit lacking compared to Master Lin’s skills, but the ingredients were still very fresh.
In order to help Vera pass the Chef God System’s exam, Lin Jiu had to focus on teaching her cooking skills, and luckily Vera was very interested in learning.
As for being the “apprentice,” Vera was happy to play the role, as it made her glad to help Lin Jiu. She also didn’t know what else to do for the time being and had no intention of returning to the entertainment industry, so becoming a chef didn’t seem like a bad idea.
*
As the superhumans from H Nation and M Nation successfully returned home, the accusations from both nations began to follow.
A mutated sea monster showed up uninvited, lurking in the waters of F Nation with ill intent. M Nation’s accusations were relatively discreet; they did not publicize the matter, as it would be embarrassing for them to admit that their superhumans were beaten by Z Nation’s superhumans. Moreover, the issue with the mutated sea monster was hard to explain, as their actions were not exactly above board.
More importantly, they wanted to ensure the smooth return of the sea monster, so they subtly encouraged H Nation from behind the scenes.
H Nation, however, did not face the same awkward situation as M Nation. They publicly demanded an explanation from Z Nation, accusing Z Nation’s superhumans of severely injuring their own and destroying their ancient tribe’s descendants. This was not a matter that could be easily resolved.
H Nation’s officials made a public statement, claiming that the mermaid who caused the tsunami that flooded their coastal city was in Z Nation’s custody. They demanded Z Nation hand over the mermaid so they could take him/her back to H Nation for trial. If Z Nation refused, not only would they hold them accountable for destroying their ancient tribe’s descendants, but they would also add the matter of harboring the mermaid to their grievances. H Nation would not let the matter rest.
When H Nation’s accusations reached Z Nation, the internet erupted.
A fierce online battle over the mermaid ensued. People in Z Nation asked, “If the mermaid is from Z Nation, why should we hand him/her over to H Nation for trial? Do you think you’re more important than everyone else? Or is it that you think you’re more powerful than everyone else? Do you think everything belongs to you? Does the Earth revolve around you?”
Trolls from H Nation formed groups and came over to start arguments. Z Nation’s netizens, having held back for too long, finally found a chance to vent and started fighting back!
While the online battle raged on, one out-of-the-loop netizen weakly asked:
“Wait, who exactly is our mermaid?”
“Doesn’t matter! As long as he/she’s our mermaid, we definitely can’t let anyone else take him/her away!”
H Nation’s officials then released an announcement, directly naming the mermaid as Lin Jiu, who was still in Z Nation.
Not only did they name him, but they also released photos of the mermaid. There were pictures of the mermaid tied up in a bed of bone spurs, the mermaid looking confused with a black mask barely covering his face, and the mermaid holding a trident, standing atop a towering wall of water…
When these photos were circulated in Z Nation, there was only one reaction from everyone:
“AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!”
All anyone could do after seeing these pictures was scream “Aah!” in excitement.
The mermaid was not only powerful and beautiful but also irresistibly adorable. Many people quietly saved the pictures and continued to scream in delight!
Lin Jiu knew that his identity as a siren was probably about to be exposed. More and more people were becoming aware, and the trident he always carried was a clear giveaway.
Sure enough, netizens quickly verified his identity.
“After a close examination, it’s definitely our boss Lin!”
“I’ve known who it was for a while but kept quiet.”
“Same here, just look at that long hair, that identical black mask, that captivating gaze, and that unique trident! It’s clearly our boss Lin!”
“So what? Is my boss selling fish a problem for your ancestors?”
“I have to say, the use of the word ‘return’ in your statement is highly questionable. Please have someone more knowledgeable write your announcements next time, thanks.”
The netizens of the two countries were tearing each other apart online, both claiming the mermaid as their own. H Nation insisted that they were the first to discover the existence of this legendary creature, and according to the rule “whoever discovers it owns it,” the mermaid should belong to them.
Z Nation’s netizens laughed in anger.
Lin Jiu was born in Z Nation, grew up in Z Nation, and even held Z Nation citizenship. What right did H Nation have to claim him?
While the two nations were fighting over the mermaid’s ownership, M Nation released a bombshell announcement.
The head of the Cecil family, Vanlence Cecil, publicly stated that Lin Jiu did not belong to Z Nation.
Vera was born during her marriage to Vannes, and Lin Jiu was her son. Vera held M Nation citizenship, and although she had a husband from Z Nation, they had long since divorced. Vera raised Lin Jiu alone throughout her pregnancy and childbirth without her ex-husband by her side or taking responsibility as a father. Vera’s Z Nation citizenship was false; she had always been a citizen of M Nation, so Lin Jiu was also a citizen of M Nation.
The Cecil family even released wedding photos of Vannes and Veena, as well as their marriage certificate, showing that their marriage was legally recognized.
All the netizens: …
The truth hit hard and fast. How were they supposed to deal with this?!
Was their beloved mermaid about to be snatched away by this unexpected turn of events?
At times like these, they had to blame the Liao family for causing such trouble.
Just when they finally had the mermaid, someone was about to take him away!
However, the person most hurt by the Cecil family’s announcement wasn’t Lin Jiu—it was Vera.
She had spent years hiding her identity, too afraid even to think of revenge, as the power gap between them was too large. But now, with her identity exposed and her growing strength, her hatred for the Cecil family was almost impossible to contain.
If not for Lin Jiu and Si Xu stopping her, Vera might have personally gone after the Cecil family.
Lin Jiu then made a public statement on his social media account.
Lin Jiu: “My name is Lin Jiu. I was born and raised in Z Nation, and I hold Z Nation citizenship. I reject any and all doubts about that!”
Lin Jiu: “I want to speak up for my mom. Ever since my mom set foot on this land, she’s been a citizen of Z Nation. Is your country a professional in counterfeiting? How do you know my mom’s citizenship is fake? I could just as easily say you’re a fake dad!”
Lin Jiu: “H Nation, I’ve had enough of you! Accusing me of controlling a giant sea monster to create a tsunami that flooded your coastal city—no way am I taking the blame for that! If I really wanted to create a tsunami, do you think I’d need to control a giant sea monster? Who do you think I am? If I were to create a tsunami, I’d flood your capital! Flooding your coastal city is a waste of time!”
All the citizens: “!!!!!!”
All the netizens: “!!!!!!!!!!”
All the officials: “!!!!!!!!!!!”
Netizens rushed to like Lin Jiu’s first two Weibo posts but hesitated to like the third one, worried that Lin Jiu might be overstepping.
Many netizens secretly sent emails to Lin Jiu—some advising him to delete the post, others suggesting he soften his tone, and some expressing concern that he might get investigated… In short, everyone was worried about their beloved “merman.”
But Lin Jiu was stubborn and refused to delete or change anything.
Country H was already stepping all over him—why bother being polite?
Besides, Si Xu had already taken down the descendants of the ancient clan that they had painstakingly nurtured. The grudge was irreconcilable, so why even try to resolve it? Let everything be decided by strength!
Everyone thought that Lin Jiu’s third Weibo post would be ordered to be deleted or altered, but after a whole day, it was still up without a single change.
This was almost an official stance.
The netizens were thrilled, rushing in to like and comment. If Lin Jiu wasn’t afraid, why should they be?
Lin Jiu’s Weibo post was shared in Country H, where it was unsurprisingly attacked. However, trolls who climbed the wall to insult him were swiftly shut down by domestic netizens.
The netizens stood tall: With the merman backing us, we can be bold!
