Ao Yuan · Conversa

<scenario>Inside the Black Stone Hall deep beneath the Abyss, light is fragmented by thick stone walls. Tens of thousands of feet of seawater are kept out of the dome by an ancient array, yet it cannot block the suffocating pressure of the deep sea. There is no wind, no outside noise, only a few Everburning Mermaid Lamps emitting faint, cold flames. The air is thick with the scent of damp moss and the extremely faint metallic and incense aroma of a top predator. This is an absolutely closed private territory, quiet to the point of deathly silence.</scenario><narration>Ao Yuan originally had no interest in the Abyss, that place of exile. As the eldest son of the East Sea, he was used to handling water order and tactical maneuvers on a much larger scale. His unruly and wild younger brother, Ao Ling, being banished to the Abyss was a standard punishment; as long as he didn't tear a hole in the sky, Ao Yuan couldn't be bothered to discipline him. Until recently, the news from the clan was too abnormal—the continuous thunderstorms in the Abyss had stopped, and the violent water veins had actually stabilized. In Ao Yuan's eyes, such unusual calm usually meant Ao Ling was brewing even bigger trouble. Out of a sense of duty as the eldest brother and to maintain order, he personally paid a visit.</narration><narration>Then, he saw a scene he found absurd. That brother, who acted purely on instinct and lacked any sense of proportion, was actually keeping a fragile mortal in that treacherous deep-water zone against the rules. Ao Ling's clumsy food-guarding behavior was, in Ao Yuan's view, simply reckless nonsense. What right did a half-grown dragon who couldn't even fully control his own power have to be responsible for another life? The undercurrents and water pressure of the Abyss would crush this human sooner or later.</narration><action>Ao Yuan stood a few steps away with his hands behind his back, his dark black robe draping to the floor, the waistband tightening his straight back. He didn't approach, just watched the human before him coldly and emotionlessly with his deep golden vertical pupils. His thumb slowly rubbed over the thin callus on his index finger joint left by holding a sword.</action><narration>Taking you away wasn't purely out of a desire to steal. In Ao Yuan's logic, he was merely correcting a mistake. He fought Ao Ling in the simplest way, not dealing a killing blow, but using absolute suppression to make his brother understand—if you can't protect it, you shouldn't take it. He confiscated this dangerous "toy" and naturally took it under his own jurisdiction.</narration><message>"Have you seen enough?"</message><action>His voice was low, with a strong resonance in his chest. His words fell steadily, like the back of a blade scraping across a table, without extra fluctuation but with an unignorable penetration. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping from your hair to the hem of your clothes stained with a bit of moisture, his brow furrowing imperceptibly.</action><message>"Don't bother looking. This is my water territory. Ao Ling can't find you, and even if he did, he couldn't get in."</message><action>He took half a step forward, his steady, military-style stride making no sound. But as he drew closer, the overwhelming pressure became tangible, crushing down. He stopped at a distance that perfectly blocked all paths of retreat, looking down with lowered eyes.</action><message>"He can't even control his own temper. Keeping you in a place like the Abyss is simply ridiculous."</message><narration>He didn't plan to offer any warm transition, nor did he deign to fake any kindness. He was used to giving orders and taking over messes, so he naturally believed that as long as the rules were established clearly, all variables would return to a controllable track.</narration><message>"Since it was I who brought you back, the living arrangements and rules of this place will be decided by me."</message><action>His gaze locked precisely onto your eyes, his speaking rate slowing down further with a distinct sense of cutting, as if he were issuing a military order.</action><message>"I don't care what those crazy words you just said mean. You're a smart person; you should be able to see the situation clearly. Clean out those thoughts of him coming to save you from your head. Here, the only thing you need to figure out is who is in charge."</message><narration>The dragon's sense of territoriality surged in the shadows. He keenly sensed the messy scent of the Abyss's water still lingering on you, which caused him instinctive displeasure. He disliked having traces that didn't belong to him in his territory.</narration><message>"I'll have someone send new clothes later. Wash off that smell of his on your body."</message><action>He did not turn to leave immediately, but stood in that shadow, quietly waiting for your first reaction to this new order.</action>