The Reincarnation of the Sea King

The morning in the Magic City always carried a kind of post-bustle languor.

Especially for those staying in the top-floor premium suite of the Peninsula Hotel, drawing the curtains and watching the Bund slowly awaken in the morning light was a top-tier enjoyment in itself.

However, on the large bed at this moment, a certain Magic City socialite had absolutely no desire to enjoy this beautiful scenery.

"Su Bai... you are an absolute animal!"

Xia Lin buried her head deeply into the soft down pillow, her voice hoarse, filled with deep resentment and exhaustion.

Under that priceless silk sheet, her originally snow-white, creamy skin was now covered in deep and shallow red marks, as if she had been ravaged by a violent storm.

Last night, she had originally wanted to act as the local host and give this junior schoolmate from Jiangcheng a good lesson, showing him the passion of a Magic City heiress.

Well, the result was quite something.

The lesson was given, but the podium collapsed.

Su Bai, possessing 150 points of Physique, was simply a tireless human pile driver. From the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room to the jacuzzi in the bathroom, and finally to this spacious custom-made bed... Xia Lin felt like a small boat tossed about in stormy seas. In the end, she didn't even have the strength to beg for mercy and passed out directly.

Su Bai, on the other hand.

At this moment, he was wearing a white bathrobe, sitting refreshed at the dining table by the window. Holding a knife and fork, he elegantly cut into the Peninsula Hotel's special Eggs Benedict.

He quite liked this breakfast dish.

Unfortunately, making it himself was a bit troublesome; Shakshouka was similarly tedious.

Fortunately, luxury hotels generally did a decent job with these kinds of dishes.

"Is animal a compliment?"

Su Bai glanced back at her, a wicked smirk playing on his lips, "If you mean it in terms of stamina, I gladly accept."

"You..."

Xia Lin was so angry she wanted to grab a pillow and throw it at him, but the moment she lifted her arm, a wave of soreness hit her, and she could only let it drop weakly. "Get lost! I want to sleep! Today's itinerary is canceled! I'm sleeping until tomorrow!"

"That won't do."

Su Bai put down his knife and fork, walked over, and picked her up directly, blanket and all. "Our Xia is famous for keeping her word. Yesterday we agreed you'd take me to get my diving certificate and show me the extravagant nightlife of the Magic City. How can we give up halfway?"

"I'm not going... I really can't anymore..."

Xia Lin whimpered in his arms like a plucked cat, "Go by yourself, I want some peace and quiet..."

"Be good, you'll have strength after eating breakfast."

Su Bai placed her on a chair by the dining table and considerately fed a bite of black truffle scrambled eggs to her lips. "Besides, if you don't go, what if there are pretty female instructors or students at the diving club... I can't guarantee I'll be able to preserve my virtue."

"Don't you dare!"

Hearing this, Xia Lin's previously unfocused eyes instantly sharpened, showing a woman's battle instinct.

She forced her aching, weak body up and fiercely took a bite of the scrambled eggs, as if she were biting into Su Bai's flesh.

"We're going! We absolutely must go! I want to see who dares to hit on you right under my nose!"

...

At 10:00 AM.

A dark green convoy consisting of three Rolls-Royce Phantoms parked smoothly in front of a highly modern blue building in the Pudong New Area.

"Deep Blue Diving Club."

The name sounded ordinary, but in the domestic diving circle, this place was top-tier.

It boasted the deepest indoor diving pool in Asia, reaching an astonishing depth of 35 meters. It simulated various complex marine environments and even replicated a shipwreck site and a cave system at the bottom of the pool.

The membership fee here was also astronomical. Basically, anyone who could afford to play here was either rich or noble.

"This is the place."

Xia Lin wore a pair of oversized sunglasses to hide her dark circles. Although her walking posture was still slightly unnatural, she still perfectly maintained the aura of a Magic City heiress.

She linked arms with Su Bai and, wearing flat shoes since she really couldn't wear heels anymore, walked into the lobby.

"Miss Xia, Mr. Su, welcome."

The staff, who had been notified in advance, immediately came forward to greet them. "Instructor Yan is already waiting in the deep-water area."

Passing through the spacious lounge area, the two arrived at the core training hall.

As soon as they entered, a moist aura with a faint smell of disinfectant washed over them. The massive deep blue pool occupied their entire field of vision, appearing bottomless and giving off a mysterious sense of oppression.

At this time, several people were already standing by the pool.

The leader was a burly, dark-skinned middle-aged man with a buzz cut and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. He wore a tight black T-shirt, revealing well-defined arm muscles that bore a few fierce-looking scars.

Yan Gang.

A former instructor of an amphibious reconnaissance company in a certain Navy special forces unit. After retiring, he was hired by this club at a high salary as the technical director. It was said that he had a terribly stubborn temper, but his skills were absolutely top-notch domestically.

Standing next to Yan Gang was a young man.

This person looked to be in his early twenties, with trendy ash-gray hair, wearing an extremely flashy bright yellow designer casual suit. Right now, he was fiddling with an expensive-looking dive computer watch in his hand while boasting about something to the female assistant instructor next to him.

"Miss Xia."

Seeing Xia Lin enter, Yan Gang managed to squeeze a rare smile onto his usually unsmiling face, though it looked a bit stiff. "Long time no see."

"Instructor Yan, I've brought the person to you."

Xia Lin pointed to Su Bai beside her. "Su Bai, my junior schoolmate from Jiangcheng. I'll have to trouble you this time to help him crash-course through the Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver certifications, and preferably get the Enriched Air and Deep Diver specialties while you're at it."

"In three days?" Yan Gang frowned and looked Su Bai up and down.

He was quite handsome and had fair skin; at first glance, he looked like a pampered rich kid.

Could this kind of person endure hardship?

Although diving was a recreational sport, high-intensity intensive training was very exhausting.

"As long as his physical fitness passes muster and he's good in the water, three days is no problem," Yan Gang said flatly. "But you know my rules: strict entry, strict exit. No matter who recommended him, if he doesn't meet the standards, I won't sign off."

"That's only natural," Su Bai nodded with a smile.

"Oh, Sister Xia?"

At this moment, the young man with the ash-gray hair nearby also noticed them, and his eyes instantly lit up.

He walked over quickly, his face piled with an enthusiastic smile. "What a coincidence! To bump into you even here! I'm Sun Zhihao, we met last time at that... that supercar club cocktail party."

Sun Zhihao.

A local second-generation rich kid in the Magic City. His family was in the import-export trade and had some money. He usually loved to mingle in various high-end circles, playing with cars, watches, and diving, mainly acting as an equipment junkie.

Xia Lin glanced at him through her sunglasses. She had no impression of him in her mind, but she still nodded politely: "Hello."

"Are you here to dive too, Sister Xia?"

Sun Zhihao's gaze swept greedily over Xia Lin. Even though she was bundled up today and wearing sunglasses, her mature, boss-lady aura was simply too captivating.

Then, he glanced at Su Bai next to her, a flash of hostility passing through his eyes.

Who is this pretty boy?

He looked decent enough, but his build... seemed a bit flimsy (Su Bai looked slim in his clothes).

"Are you here to get certified too, brother?"

Sun Zhihao patted Su Bai's shoulder, feigning familiarity, while taking the opportunity to show off the massive Garmin Mk2i titanium dive watch on his wrist. "It's just the two of us learning from Instructor Yan in this batch. Have you dived before, bro? Did you bring your gear? I've got a full set of top-tier SCUBAPRO equipment here, carbon fiber fins, a titanium regulator... If you didn't bring anything, I can lend you a couple of spares."

His words were practically overflowing with a sense of superiority.

In his eyes, a guy like Su Bai who showed up empty-handed was probably just a toyboy leeching off a rich older woman like Xia Lin, knowing absolutely nothing.

Su Bai gave him a faint glance and seamlessly dodged his hand.

"No need. I'm a germaphobe."

With that, he looked at Yan Gang. "Instructor, should we change first?"

"Yeah, the locker room is over there." Yan Gang pointed the way. "Assemble in five minutes. We'll do a physical and water-comfort test first."

...

Inside the locker room.

Sun Zhihao slowly took off his clothes while continuing to chatter away.

"Let me tell you, bro, diving is a technical skill, but it's even more of a physical challenge. Instructor Yan is a notorious taskmaster. If you can't handle it in the water later, don't force it, or you'll just embarrass yourself in front of Sister Xia."

Saying this, he took off his shirt, revealing a decently solid set of muscles.

To pick up girls, he spent a lot of time lifting weights in the gym. Although it was just for aesthetics and lacked much practical use, he was still very confident in his physique.

"Thanks for the heads-up."

Su Bai smiled and began unbuttoning his shirt.

One button, two buttons, three buttons...

The moment the shirt slipped from his shoulders, Sun Zhihao, who had been admiring his own pecs in the mirror, abruptly went silent.

He sounded like a duck grabbed by the neck.

It wasn't just him; even a few other members changing nearby subconsciously stopped what they were doing and stared blankly.

What kind of body was that!

If Sun Zhihao's muscles were "dead meat" built on protein powder in a gym, then Su Bai's muscles were the most perfect masterpiece crafted by an ancient Greek sculptor.

Every muscle was sharply defined, yet not overly bulky or exaggerated. The smooth lines flowed like liquid mercury, brimming with explosive power. His broad lats and chiseled abs, in particular, made him a walking hormone emitter.

150 points of Physique.

This had already surpassed human limits; it was a near-divine perfection.

The locker room fell into an eerie, dead silence.

Sun Zhihao looked down at his proud pecs, then at Su Bai's granite-like chest. His facial expression was a spectacular mix of emotions.

This was... way too damn demoralizing, wasn't it?

This pretty boy looked so gentle and frail, how did he look like a Terminator with his clothes off?

Su Bai ignored everyone's stares. With a calm expression, he changed into a pair of tight professional swim trunks, grabbed a wetsuit from a nearby rack, and walked out of the locker room.

...

By the training pool.

When Su Bai walked out shirtless, the scene grew quiet once again.

Yan Gang, who was organizing the equipment, stopped his movements. His sharp, eagle-like eyes suddenly narrowed.

An expert knows the real deal just by looking.

Ordinary people look at muscle lines and whether someone is handsome.

But in the eyes of someone like Yan Gang, a former special forces soldier, he saw terrifying core strength and the perfect physical coordination that could only be found in top-tier warriors.

This kid... Yan Gang was secretly shocked. Is he a martial artist?

The female teaching assistants nearby were staring straight at him, and one who was drinking water almost choked.

"Cough, cough..."

Xia Lin sat on a lounge chair. Seeing this, although she felt very proud, she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.

These little hussies' eyeballs were about to fall out!

She picked up a bath towel, walked over, and draped it directly over Su Bai's shoulders, blocking the seductive view and casually asserting her dominance.

"Stop showing off and hurry up with the test," Xia Lin said in faux annoyance.

"Alright."

Su Bai, wrapped in the towel, walked to the edge of the pool.

At this time, Sun Zhihao also dawdled out. But compared to Su Bai, he looked like a plucked rooster. His earlier arrogance had vanished without a trace, and he could only shrink to the side, pretending to adjust his expensive fins.

"First test, static apnea."

Yan Gang held a stopwatch, returning to his strict instructor persona. "The most fundamental part of diving is breath control. No gear, get in the water, and hold your breath. I want to see your lung capacity and psychological endurance."

"Sun Zhihao, you're up first."

"Got it!"

Sun Zhihao took a few deep breaths, jumped into the water, held onto the edge of the pool, and submerged his head.

One minute... two minutes...

At two minutes and thirty seconds, his body began to tremble slightly, a sign of diaphragm spasms.

Finally, at three minutes and ten seconds, he jerked his head up, gasping heavily for air, his face flushed the color of pork liver.

"Huff... huff... How was that, Instructor?" Sun Zhihao wiped the water from his face, looking somewhat smug.

For an untrained ordinary person, holding their breath usually lasts about a minute. Reaching three minutes was indeed pretty good.

"Three minutes, passable."

Yan Gang nodded expressionlessly. "You've got a bit of a foundation. Next, Su Bai."

Su Bai handed the towel to Xia Lin, rolled his neck a bit, and then slid into the water with extreme grace.

No deep breaths, no adjusting his rhythm.

Like a fish returning to the sea, he naturally sank down.

He crossed his legs underwater, assuming a lotus meditation posture, and suspended himself completely motionless in the water.

Time ticked by, second by second.

One minute... two minutes...

Sun Zhihao watched from the side, sneering inwardly: What a show-off, meditating? Let's see how you handle it when you can't hold your breath anymore.

Four minutes... five minutes...

The atmosphere at the scene began to feel off.

Several female assistants covered their mouths, nervously watching the statue-like figure underwater.

Five minutes!

This was already the level of a professional freediver!

Six minutes... seven minutes...

Even Yan Gang's expression changed. He stared intently at the stopwatch, then looked at Su Bai underwater, his brows furrowed deeply.

Even when he was in the military, his best record was only about this level. And that was under extreme, agonizing limits.

But what about Su Bai underwater?

He still maintained that meditative posture, his expression as calm as if he were sleeping. There wasn't even a hint of a diaphragm spasm!

"This kid... he hasn't passed out, has he?" Sun Zhihao couldn't help but say. "Instructor, should we fish him out? It's been seven and a half minutes! A normal person would have suffocated by now!"

Xia Lin was also getting a bit anxious. Although she knew Su Bai's physique was freakish, this was underwater, after all.

"Su Bai?!" she couldn't help but call out.

Just as Yan Gang was about to jump in and save him...

Splash—

The water churned.

Su Bai slowly stood up straight, his head breaking the surface.

He shook his wet hair. There wasn't even much of a flush from oxygen deprivation on his face, and his breathing was only slightly deeper than normal.

"Instructor, how long has it been?" Su Bai wiped the water from his face and asked casually.

Yan Gang looked at the stopwatch in his hand, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty.

"Eight minutes... and twenty seconds."

Dead silence.

The entire training hall was dead silent.

Sun Zhihao's mouth was wide open, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

Eight minutes and twenty seconds?!

Is this guy even human? Is he the reincarnation of Aquaman?!

"Phew... not bad. I'm a bit hungry, so I'm not in my best shape."

Su Bai casually dropped a humblebrag, then gripped the edge of the pool. With a powerful flex of his arms, he hoisted himself out of the water cleanly, his movements incredibly smooth and stylish.

Water droplets slid down his toned muscles, glistening under the lights.

The looks in the eyes of those female teaching assistants were no longer just admiration; they were filled with a fanatical desire to eat him alive right then and there.

Even the usually stern-faced Yan Gang looked at Su Bai differently now. It was the wild joy and shock of seeing a peerless, uncut gem.

"Good kid..."

Yan Gang patted Su Bai's shoulder, the force of his hand revealing his inner excitement. "With your lung capacity, it'd be a shame if you didn't become a special forces soldier."

"I'll pass on the special forces."

Su Bai smiled and took the bath towel Xia Lin handed him. "I'm just here to get a certificate so I can take my girlfriend on island vacations in the future."

Saying that, he naturally wrapped his arm around Xia Lin's shoulder, lowered his head, and whispered in her ear:

"How was that? I didn't embarrass you, did I?"

Xia Lin looked at the radiant man beside her, then at Sun Zhihao, who had completely shut down in despair. Her sense of vanity was immensely satisfied.

She gave a proud little hmph and helped him dry his hair.

"I guess you passed."

"But..." she lowered her voice, her eyes sweeping over the female assistants who were still staring at Su Bai, "put your clothes on! No more radiating hormones everywhere!"