Lansi slept.

He wasn't sure if this was because he was just born. But other than feeling hungry, Lansi also felt particularly tired.

When he thought about this, Lansi felt that he was actually quite pitiful.

There was no one to feed him, and no one to look after him. There was only that 'octopus' who was watching over him.

Who knew? Maybe the 'octopus' really thought Lansi was part of his food reserves?

Lansi felt a little anxious. This was because of something he just dreamt of. He dreamt that he was in hell, and a wave of regret overcame him as he lamented not watching the American drama, 'Prison Break'.

After he woke up, Lansi sneakily poked his head out of the sea anemone and surveyed his surroundings——

That processed tentacle was still where it was before, and there were no other tentacles around him. It seemed like Lansi was the only one in the coral prison.

Lansi breathed a sigh of relief and swum off the sea anemone. He swam to the processed tentacle and then, he crawled around the limb solemnly.

Why was Lansi crawling around? The answer was very simple: he still didn't know how to swim properly!

The tentacle was about a metre long, and it was also nearly a metre tall. Lansi suddenly thought of an idea.

In 'The Shawshank Redemption' (a film), the main character dug a hole in a wall and covered it with a poster.

He could do that as well!

Thinking this, Lansi pushed the tentacle with all his strength until it reached the edge of the coral prison. Then, he floated back a little and scrutinised the placing of the limb. Would the 'octopus' find out about this?

And it turned out that the 'octopus' didn't monitor Lansi constantly. As long as Lansi didn't make any big movements, the 'octopus' wouldn't do anything.

Out of caution, Lansi swam a circle around the prison and confirmed that the 'octopus' was nowhere nearby. Only then did he return and hide behind the tentacle. 'Ka-chak ka-chak' came the sound as Lansi once again scratched at the coral bone.

Because he was so invested in digging a hole last time, Lansi didn't notice the 'octopus' returning. So, this time, he learned his lesson. Every now and then, Lansi would scurry out of the hole he made to see if the 'octopus' was anywhere nearby. When he didn't sense anything, he went back and continued with his mission to break out of prison.

At the same time, Lansi remembered some of the main male character's actions in 'The Shawshank Redemption'. Every time he dug out some coral dust and broken fragments, Lansi would leave them in an orderly pile near him. That way, he wouldn't leave behind any traces of this.

"Growl~~"

His stomach started to rumble again.

After making several trips to and from the hole, Lansi had no energy left. He could only scurry out of the shallow hole he made and then use the tentacle to cover everything. After that, Lansi tiredly laid on top of the appendage.

Ugh... so tired... so hungry...

From his 'birth' up until now, Lansi hadn't eaten anything.

With nothing entering his stomach, Lansi felt as weak as a twig. One touch, and he would break.

Lansi lounged on the skinned feeler for a long time. In the end, he smelled something and realised that the tentacle... smelled very fresh. There was none of the fishy smell that he thought it would have.

After holding back for half a day, Lansi didn't bother with it anymore and bit into it.

Then, Lansi's eyes twinkled like the stars.

The tentacle's flesh was just like the takoyaki balls! It was rubbery and didn't stick to his teeth at all. Also, there was only flesh in that bite - no bones, no nothing. Eating it made Lansi feel extremely satisfied.

Without the slightest hint of hesitation, Lansi took a second bite. As he chewed, he swung his tail from side to side in pure happiness.

Just as he prepared to take a third bite, Lansi froze.

He stared at the tentacle for a long while. In the end, he couldn't think of any other way and could only choose another side of the limb to eat. Then, he took a teensy bite.

Hm. After he finished eating, what would he do if the tentacle became smaller?

Lansi worried as he thought about how to eat it. He would only start to eat again after he could guarantee that the tentacle wouldn't shrink.

...

After he was happily full, Lansi laid on the sand, facing upwards and starting at the blue waters above. He was far, far away with his thoughts.

According to the amount of light that penetrated the ocean's water, the ocean is divided into four zones: the daylight zone, the twilight zone, the midnight zone and the deep trenches.

The twilight zone was caught between light and darkness. Anywhere further down the ocean would only be colder and darker.

Lansi relied on his shallow knowledge of the ocean and made a guess. The place he was currently staying at was probably somewhere between the twilight zone and the midnight zone.

However, this only proved how sturdy a mermaid's body was. Lansi didn't even feel cold.

Just as Lansi was busy thinking, he suddenly felt his surroundings had darkened quite a bit. Then, as expected, another tentacle fell from the opening at the top of the prison.

Lansi: "..."

The tentacle he was glaring at wasn't that far away from him. Then, when the tentacle was only a metre away from him, it suddenly rose up, and Lansi fled into the anemone.

The tentacle froze.

Then, it swayed from side to side and didn't try to forcibly go near Lansi. It turned around to face the tentacle that was half-eaten.

Lansi, who was hiding in the anemone, felt his heart clench, pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Was this 'octopus' a clean freak?

That processed tentacle wasn't completely eaten! Why was it taking it away so soon?

“AI——KA——”

Lansi panicked. If the tentacle was removed, the 'octopus' would surely discover that he was digging a hole again.

Lansi hurriedly rushed out from the sea anemone and wailed at the tentacle.

The tentacle, which had been planning on clearing up, paused and turned around, 'staring' in Lansi's direction for a few seconds.

Lansi nervously stared back.

Perhaps because Lansi previously rejecting the tentacle had left an impression, it still decided to clean up the half-eaten meal in the end.

Damn. Why was this 'octopus' so darn stubborn?

Lansi looked around him in a panic. Finally, his gaze fell on the pearl he hid inside the anemone——

Wasn't that given to him when the tentacle wanted to 'comfort' him?

Without hesitation, Lansi grabbed the fist-sized pearl and threw it in the direction of the tentacle.

"Bam!"

Lansi's aim was very good, and it hit its target!

As it was hit by the pearl, the tentacle turned its attention back on Lansi.

After striking, the pearl fell down onto the sand and released a pale white glow.

Both the fish and the tentacle were staring at the pearl, stupified.

Lansi swam ahead. In order to prevent the 'octopus' from clearing up the half-eaten tentacle, he swam out of the sea anemone and cried at the tentacle.

That cry sounded terribly pitiful. It was pitiful and cute, hearing it would tug on one's heartstrings.

It was very obvious that this sound tugged on the tentacle's heartstrings too. It didn't focus on clearing the food away and turned towards Lansi... that was... if the 'octopus' had a heart.

However, the tentacle very obviously misread Lansi's intentions.

The tentacle wrapped around the pearl, picked it up and then, under Lansi's curious gaze, threw the pearl back at Lansi.

Lansi: "..."

The white pearl landed near Lansi. Lansi raised his head to watch the far away tentacle and then looked at that pearl beside his tail.

Cringing, Lansi picked up the pearl and flashed a smile towards the tentacle. Then, he threw the pearl to the tentacle.

At Lansi's willingness to interact with it, the tentacle became extremely happy. It immediately rushed over, picked up the pearl and then tossed it to Lansi again.

Lansi watched the white pearl flying towards him, feeling lost.

What the hell was this? He was playing catch with a tentacle?

This time, Lansi caught the pearl with an emotionless look. Then, he tossed the pearl in a random direction for the tentacle to collect.

Expectedly, the tentacle immediately went to collect it. And this time, the tentacle decided to play a little trick on him.

After picking up the pearl, the tentacle made no moves to throw it to Lansi. Instead, it held onto the ball and inched towards Lansi cautiously.

Watching the tentacle move closer, Lansi wanted to scream, but once he thought about the incomplete escape tunnel covered by the tentacle behind him, he could only bear with it and repress the urge to swim away.

He watched the tentacle get closer and closer with wide eyes.

Finally, it stopped when it was half a metre away from Lansi. Then, it carefully made a gesture to hand the pearl back to Lansi.

Lansi stared at the pearl and the tentacle, which was now very close to him, for a bit.

Taking a deep breath, Lansi took the pearl from the tentacle.

This was his first time interacting with the tentacle. That rough texture of the limb left a deep impression in Lansi's mind.

In human fairytales, octopi were never the goodies. Cthulhu, evil wizards and even Ursula, they were all originally octopi. They were enough to prove to humans exactly how terrifying octopi are.

But... the strange thing was that, through this one interaction, Lansi started to feel that this 'octopus' was somewhat gentle?

Lansi was frightened by this line of thought. He shook his head as if he could shake it out of his mind by force. Then, he threw the pearl out again.

If someone found this pearl on the shore, it would cause such a big uproar in human society just by its size.

It was a pity that this was the deep sea. In both Lansi's and the octopus' view, this unparalleled pearl was little more than a ball.

After playing catch for quite a while, the tentacle returned the pearl back to Lansi.

Even though the tentacle didn't have any feelings, Lansi was certain that the tentacle in front of him was so happy that the colour of its skin turned much lighter.

Finally, when it left, the tentacle patted Lansi's head wistfully, as if it couldn't bear to leave him. Lansi didn't reject it.

Yet, when the tentacle started to leave, it once again prepared to clean away the half-eaten tentacle.

This time, Lansi got angry.

He even sacrificed himself to play such a childish game with the tentacle, so why was it still so intent on cleaning away his food?

Lansi swam over and sat on the half-eaten tentacle before the tentacle reached it. Then, Lansi placed the pearl on the skinned tentacle in front of the tentacle.

It should finally understand what he meant now!

The tentacle paused in its movements.

In Lansi's words, the tentacle almost seemed to understand that the processed tentacle was as precious as the pearl to him. Other than Lansi, no one else was allowed to touch it.

The tentacle's tail turned around in circles, looking like it was conflicted about it.

Finally, it decided to respect Lansi's wishes and left.

Lansi watched the tentacle leave and finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness, his escape tunnel remained undiscovered.

​

~~~

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