"Qiu Lin, do you recognize that thing?" Jiang Che pointed at the dazzling dragon pearl at the center of the underwater palace.
"Huh? Isn't that just a giant luminous pearl? It's firmly embedded in the central tower of Atlantis, sealed by a barrier... We can't remove it."
Qiu Lin's response made Jiang Che shake his head helplessly.
This Qiu Lin's bloodline was too diluted—how could a descendant of the dragon race not even recognize a dragon pearl?
Jiang Che examined the pearl closely.
Perhaps they could scour the ruins of Atlantis further. Who knows? They might uncover more dragon relics. When the dragon clan descended to the mortal realm, he could use them as leverage.
He already had his bargaining line prepared: "Your Highness, the Dragon Maiden, surely you wouldn’t want the sacred treasures of your clan to fall into the hands of outsiders, would you?"
"Ah! Divine Martial God! The mermaid ensemble you requested has been selected!"
With that, Qiu Lin clapped his hands.
From behind a folding screen, a procession of mermaids gracefully emerged.
Their quality was noticeably superior to the previous batch—each one exuding elegance, their attire far less provocative than before.
Instead, they were modestly dressed, draped in sheer shawls, their long hair drifting like seaweed in the water. Their slender waists accentuated their curves, and their translucent, shimmering tails gleamed with an iridescent glow.
There were twenty in total.
"Divine Martial God, please take your pick!"
Qiu Lin bowed deeply, his tone dripping with reverence.
The mermaids, well aware of their purpose, cast flirtatious glances at Jiang Che.
Truth be told, their beauty was undeniable—each scoring at least an 85, some even nearing 90.
[Husband~ Are my mermaid princesses not beautiful enough? Why must you still be entranced by these common charmers?]
Mo Lianxing's voice snapped Jiang Che out of his daze.
Immediately, he felt the weight of several resentful gazes burning into him.
Yu Wan'er, in particular, looked downright murderous. The petite girl tilted her head slightly, her unblinking stare icy. If she had a knife in hand... she’d probably have chopped him to pieces already.
"Oh my! Brother Jiang Che... these mermaid sisters are lovely, but... isn’t this a bit excessive?"
Qin Qiaoqiao, ever the diplomat, tried to defuse the tension as the other girls' jealousy flared.
"Xiao Che... you’re a top-scoring graduate, you’ve studied biology. Humans and mermaids aren’t the same species—there’s reproductive isolation."
Gu Lingfei’s words carried a subtle sting. As the caring elder sister, she usually wouldn’t get angry, but this time, Jiang Che had gone too far!
Were the beauties at home not enough? Now he was fishing for mermaids?
Was it really "the wife is not as good as the concubine, the concubine is not as good as the secret lover, and the secret lover is not as good as the unattainable"?
"See, sis? I told you this scumbag was a total playboy—a horny little mutt who can’t keep it in his pants. First cats, now mermaids? Disgusting!"
Xiao Wanwan seized the chance to tear into Jiang Che, her words dripping with venom.
Ye Mengyao held onto Yu Wan'er tightly, fearing the girl might do something drastic.
But Yu Wan'er remained eerily calm, her voice cool as she demanded, "Explain. What’s the deal with these mermaids?"
Though petite, her aura carried the authority of the primary wife.
Jiang Che: "..."
This was a full-blown battlefield.
Not even the title of Harem King could salvage this mess.
Sure, he’d asked for the mermaids—but he hadn’t touched a single one!
Noticing Jiang Che’s predicament, Qiu Lin’s heart sank.
Oh no. I’m screwed.
The Divine Martial God was surrounded by women—clearly, they were all his wives. And here he was, offering him mermaids right in front of them?!
Thinking fast, Qiu Lin stepped forward.
Ahem. "Esteemed ladies, these mermaids were not requested by the Divine Martial God. This lowly one acted on his own, presuming... that His Excellency had a fondness for beauties."
Say what you will about Qiu Lin—his flattery skills were top-notch.
No wonder he’d thrived.
"Ahem, little dragon... how many times must I tell you? Stop wasting time on nonsense! Put that energy into improving the palace instead. I ought to reprimand you properly."
"But since these mermaids are pleasant to look at, let them stay as palace attendants. From now on, no males are allowed in the main hall!"
Jiang Che delivered his verdict.
"Your subordinate obeys!" Qiu Lin kowtowed and bolted—this was no place to linger.
As for the mermaids, they were assigned as palace maids.
The underwater palace was vast, and more attendants would be needed. Maybe later, he’d transfer some of the Jiang family’s maids here too.
"Jiang Che!!! You utter scoundrel!!!"
"So that’s why you reeked of fish before! You really were out philandering—with a bunch of stinky mermaids?!"
Yu Wan'er erupted, clawing at him before sinking her teeth into his arm. She bit down hard—crimson tooth marks bloomed on his skin.
She could tolerate his many loves, but she would not accept his indiscriminate lust.
"I didn’t touch those mermaids. Do you really not trust me?" Jiang Che scooped her up effortlessly.
Yu Wan'er kept her teeth locked, growling through clenched jaws: "No."
Jiang Che: "..."
He turned to the others, meeting Gu Lingfei’s gaze. "Sister Lingfei..."
Gu Lingfei covered her mouth, shaking her head with a smile. "I don’t believe you either."
The other girls echoed the sentiment.
Jiang Che: "..."
Welp. I’m homeless now.
---
Jiang Che was no henpecked husband.
With so many women under one roof, grievances were inevitable.
Balancing two bowls was hard enough—try a dozen.
Sometimes, a strategic retreat followed by sweet words worked wonders.
"Alright... still not letting go? Keep this up, and I’ll have to bring out the house rules."
His threat carried weight.
House rules...
Realizing he was serious, Yu Wan'er finally released his arm—but the deep bite marks remained, faint traces of blood seeping through.
"Damn, are you part dog or what?"
"Yep. I’m your little guard dog—here to bite a cheating bastard like you to death," she muttered under her breath.