Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 175: Adept at hiding

The beastman guards arrived at once and, under Yuel’s orders, began dredging and searching the artificial lake.

Yuel remained at Rory’s side, standing quietly beside her as they watched.

The guard team worked efficiently. In just over half an hour, the entire lake had been searched and cleared.

The captain of the guard approached them, holding a small, pitch-black fish in his hands.

"Lord Yuel, the number of fish in the lake has indeed decreased. However, we found no abnormalities, no traces of aberrant beasts. The only unusual thing was this little black fish—it looks like something took a bite out of it."

The scrawny fish was missing a piece of its tail fin, as if something had nipped it.

Perhaps whatever had attacked it found it too thin and ugly to bother finishing.

Yuel stepped forward and examined the fish himself. Aside from the missing chunk, there was nothing strange about it.

He instructed the captain to release it back into the lake.

Rory frowned. "If there’s no abnormality, where did the missing fish go?"

They couldn’t have eaten each other to extinction, could they?

"Could something have come to steal fish and left after eating them?"

Yuel glanced over the now-calm surface of the lake.

"I’ll have another batch of fish purchased and restocked this afternoon. We’ll observe for a couple of days. If it’s not something inside the lake, then it must be something external. I’ll also arrange for people to guard the area secretly. If there’s a thief, we’ll catch it."

Rory nodded.

If something wanted to keep eating fish, it would definitely return.

As she looked at the water, she suddenly remembered the little pink fish Lola Brandon had gifted her.

She hadn’t even checked on them since returning from A3.

The small pink fish that had previously been separated out had been transferred into the larger tank two days ago by Nix.

When Rory approached, she immediately spotted the one that had been revived by Yuel’s leaves.

It was tucked into a corner, blowing bubbles lazily.

She recognized it instantly—among all the pink fish, this one alone had the peculiar habit of hiding in a corner and blowing bubbles endlessly.

Rory sprinkled a little fish feed into the tank. The other fish swarmed forward in a frenzy. Only the bubble-blowing pink one remained in its corner, utterly uninterested.

Yuel had never paid much attention to these fish before. But now, seeing that little pink fish sulking in the corner, he casually plucked one of his leaves and dropped it into the tank.

The moment the leaf touched the water, the previously indifferent fish shot forward and bit down on it.

Rory stared in surprise. "It doesn’t eat fish feed—but it likes your leaves."

Yuel smiled faintly. "Perhaps it prefers a vegetarian diet."

He took Rory’s hand and led her away from the tank, guiding her back toward the sofa.

Lowering his voice so only she could hear, he murmured, "Rory... I think I know where the missing lake fish went."

"You do?" She blinked at him in surprise. "That fast? Then tell me—where did they go?"

Yuel leaned closer, his lips brushing lightly past her ear as he whispered, "They were likely eaten."

"Do you remember Wen—the Merfolk King everyone’s been searching for? I suspect he’s hiding here in our manor."

Rory’s eyes widened. "He’s here?"

Then realization dawned. She turned sharply toward the fish tank.

Grabbing Yuel’s sleeve, she leaned closer and whispered back,

"You mean that pink fish—the one that ate your leaf?"

Because the fish had been a gift from Lola Brandon, Rory had never suspected Wen could be among them.

But now that Yuel had pointed it out, the fish did seem... different.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Vincent emerged from the kitchen and caught sight of Yuel and Rory standing very close together. Xarion was sprawled on the sofa nearby, looking half-dead as usual.

Yuel’s eyes lit up when he saw Vincent.

He stepped over and lowered his voice.

"I was just telling Rory about the Merfolk King Wen—the one your Firebird Clan has been searching for."

Then he added casually,

"Didn’t you say yesterday there were new leads? Did you find him?"

Vincent shook his head. "No."

Wen was truly adept at hiding.

The Firebird Clan had practically turned the entire Central District upside down, and still found nothing.

"You’ve never shown much interest in this matter before," Vincent said suspiciously. "Why the sudden concern?"

Yuel typically only involved himself in matters that benefited him directly. Everything else bored him.

Yuel arched a brow. "If I can help you find him, how will you thank me?"

Vincent smirked.

Of course. The Commander never worked for free.

"If you truly help me locate him," Vincent replied evenly, "I’ll agree to what you asked of me last time."

"Deal." Yuel agreed without hesitation.

Vincent immediately felt like he had just been maneuvered into something again.

"The fish?" Vincent prompted.

Yuel explained about the missing fish from the artificial lake.

Vincent frowned. "You think he’s hiding in the lake?"

The Firebird Clan had searched the entire Central District, and the target had been right under his nose.

Vincent almost laughed in disbelief.

If Wen had truly been hiding in the manor all this time, then he must have known full well the Firebird Clan was searching for him.

He had nerves of steel.

"I’ll go dredge him out and send him back to the merfolk," Vincent said, already turning.

"The Merfolk elders have been coming to the Firebird Clan every day, begging us to find their king. The Empress Matriarch is at her wits’ end."

"He’s not in the artificial lake." Yuel stopped him and pointed toward the fish tank. "He’s likely hiding among the pink fish your sister gifted to Rory."

Vincent had never suspected those fish. Lola Brandon would have had them inspected by Firebird Clan elders before gifting them. There shouldn’t have been a problem.

Yuel continued, "And Wen knows you’re looking for him. He’s been pretending to be an ordinary fish for days. If you go now, he won’t admit it. Better to summon the Merfolk elders. Let them identify him. Surely they can recognize their own king."

Vincent nodded slowly. That made sense.

He opened his light-brain and instructed his assistant to bring several Merfolk elders to the manor immediately.

After sending the message, he looked at Rory.

"What would you like for lunch? Nix went back to the Lion-Tiger Clan. I’ll cook today."

"I’m fine with anything," she replied.

She wasn’t picky. After all, she had taught them to cook her favorite dishes. She liked whatever they made.

Her attention shifted to Xarion, who was lying on the sofa.

At first, she assumed he was pretending to sleep.

She poked him several times.

No reaction.

Only then did she realize he was genuinely asleep.

She nudged him gently. "Xarion, why are you sleeping here? Why not go to your room?"

Hadn’t Nix decorated it for him?

Xarion opened his eyes. There was no grogginess in them at all.

He sat up slowly.

"I’m waiting for the Female Master to soothe me."

What he truly meant was... He was waiting for her to soothe him... and then return to his room together.