The male supporting character was actually myself.

I was simply heartbroken and couldn't bear to see this last vestige of her bloodline die tragically beneath the tower, so in a moment of folly, I agreed to help them. I don't know how Jiang Chen did it, but I followed his instructions to find the Spirit Woman, feign insomnia, and ask for sleeping incense, then put the golden-armored guard into a deep sleep.

"Chief, I have carefully considered that this action will not harm the golden-armored guard's life, and it will also save my granddaughter, which is why I agreed!"

"Jiang Chen?" Clan Chief Si Zhuo raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his face full of disbelief. "When did he acquire the ability to control dreams? I personally witnessed the test he took when he came of age, and he clearly had the strongest water control ability."

Lianqi, do you even know what you're saying?

Or perhaps you're old and senile, and in an attempt to exonerate yourself, you've started spouting nonsense?

Only gods can control the power of dreams. Jiang Chen? Ha, he is indeed the most talented among the younger generation and has the potential to touch the path to immortality and become a god, but he only has the potential, not yet he has become a god.

Even now, you're still trying to drag others down with you. Do you intend to claim that Jiang Chen helped break the Golden Pagoda's restrictions and rescue Lian Yunshang?

Si Zhuo laughed in anger, shook his head, and stared at Lian Qi with the look of someone looking at a dead man, saying in a deep voice: "Don't think I don't know the core secrets of the Golden Pagoda that your Lian family ancestors participated in building. It seems you've inherited quite a few clan secrets. You started planning the prison break when your granddaughter was imprisoned under the Golden Pagoda, didn't you?"

They really put a lot of effort into it, but unfortunately, Lian Yunshang committed a terrible mistake that angered both heaven and man. Even the gods couldn't stand it and didn't want to protect you at all!

His poor upbringing, his refusal to admit his mistakes, and his audacity in attempting a prison break are simply unforgivable!

"Someone, pull off the fins, skin them, and remove the tendons. Let's see what parts of this old, nearly lifeless body can still contribute to the merfolk, as atonement."

"No! No! Chieftain, you are wise! Everything I have said is true!" Lianqi was so frightened that he trembled like a leaf, struggling and shouting, "I beg you, Chieftain, to arrest Jiang Chen first! As long as the culprit is captured and interrogated, we will know that I have not lied!"

Yunshang! Good child, quickly say something for your grandfather!

You know how you met Jiang Chen in your dream, what he said and how he taught you to tell your grandfather in your dream. Tell us!

Grandpa raised you all these years, and now he's going to be executed for trying to save you! Say something!

Lian Yunshang turned pale and was at a loss for what to do.

Admitting to knowing about Jiang Chen might save his grandfather's life;

However, if she stubbornly refuses to admit it, her crime will be the least serious and Jiang Chen will survive. Given his deep affection for her, he will try to rescue her again once he recovers after a few years of focused cultivation!

“I’m sorry, Grandpa. You’re so old. Even if Chen and I were to sacrifice ourselves to save you, we wouldn’t live long under the severe punishment. Please spare us. I will carry on your bloodline and will always remember your great kindness…”

After weighing the two options, Lian Yunshang slowly lowered her head, refusing to look at her grandfather's terrified and distorted old face, and let him struggle and scream as he was dragged away by the law enforcement team.

"Yunshang! Say something to save your grandfather! He has treated you well! Clan Chief, please show mercy and capture Jiang Chen first, don't let the culprit escape..."

Chapter Thirty-Five: Divine Assistance?

Lianqi struggled, its hands desperately gripping the bluestone slab, leaving behind bloody streaks that were shocking to behold, causing everyone to secretly shake their heads.

"Oh dear, that child is so heartless. Her own grandfather, who raised her from a young age, doesn't even glance at her!"

"They schemed and plotted to save her, shouldn't they first beg the clan chief to have mercy and save Grandpa?"

"They must have genuinely been unaware of the situation; otherwise, they wouldn't have stood by and watched someone die."

"Even if you were unaware of the situation, how could you remain indifferent in this predicament?"

"What a pity! Our ancestors were once glorious, but now our family has declined. It's ironic that our own descendants are imprisoned under the golden pagoda designed and built by our forefathers!"

"If Lian Yunshang treats her own grandfather like this, is her heart made of stone?"

"Was Jiang Chen involved or not? That kid is a good one, I really hope he won't make this kind of mistake."

"That kid is good, but you overestimate him. Breaking the golden pagoda's restrictions? Even a god would have to put in a lot of effort!"

"Besides, didn't you hear what the clan chief just said? Only gods can create dreams..."

…………

Just as the crowd was buzzing with discussion and Lianqi was about to be dragged out of the square, Lingpo stepped forward with a furrowed brow and said in an old, hoarse voice, "Clan Chief, Lianqi's attempt to break out of prison is unforgivable, but what these two, grandfather and grandson, are saying is completely contradictory."

The key is whether Jiang Chen is involved. If we call him in for questioning, we can confirm that what one of them said is true.

Since that's the case, and Lian Qi keeps crying foul, why not bring Jiang Chen over and ask him the truth first?

With the three facing off, wouldn't it be crystal clear who was lying between Lian Yunshang and Lian Qi? When the truth comes out, the liar will naturally accept punishment willingly, instead of the current dire situation where it seems there's an unresolved injustice.

When Ling Po stood up to speak for Lian Qi, the halo around Lian Yunshang suddenly shone brightly!

"Whoa! That almost blinded me!" The little white cat went up and grabbed another handful, chuckling, "I love the protagonist's aura that explodes with energy in emergencies, it's so satisfying to grab. A little more, a little more..."

Upon hearing this, Si Zhuo slowly extended his right hand and made a "stop" gesture.

Seeing this, the enforcement team stopped dragging him and stood still without letting go. The disheveled Lianqi was so frightened that he trembled and begged, "Chief, please investigate! The Lian family ancestors did not pass down any secrets! I am not the mastermind!"

"If Jiang Chen hadn't created a dream that led Yunshang to plead with him, how could I, an old man, have been able to drug the guards and open the golden pagoda's gates all by myself!"

"Where is Jiang Chen?" Si Zhuo ignored him completely and asked in a deep voice.

The mermaids looked at each other, subconsciously glancing around, and began whispering amongst themselves.

"Reporting to the clan leader, no trace of Jiang Chen was found in the Heavenly Mirror." Soon, a steward stepped forward to report, "Last night, the clan leader ordered the barrier passage to be closed, and since midnight last night, the entire Mermaid World has been completely isolated from the outside world."

The Heavenly Mirror could not find any trace of Jiang Chen; perhaps he was not here at all.

Si Zhuo turned his gaze to the Spirit Granny, "Since we want to get to the bottom of this, please use your magic to find Jiang Chen's whereabouts. If he is truly not in the Mermaid World, he can naturally be cleared of suspicion."

After all, I don't believe anyone could break the golden pagoda's restrictions so easily and quickly without being physically present.

"I obey your command." The old woman bowed slightly, took off the crystal bracelet on her wrist, held it in her hands, and chanted incantations.

A moment later, she tossed the bracelet into the air, where it grew larger and larger, transforming into a crystal-clear mirror. The mirror surface shimmered with iridescent light, and then an image gradually took shape.

Dressed in a white robe, Jiang Chen, a handsome and elegant young nobleman, was sitting under the pavilion, holding a paper fan and placing a black chess piece on the chessboard. Opposite him sat a gentle and refined young man, who was smiling as he held a white chess piece, clearly pondering how to respond.

The spirit woman's magic artifact could only show images but not hear sounds, but she could tell from the lip movements that the two were having a relaxed conversation.

The scene gradually zooms out, revealing a beautiful and tranquil courtyard. In the front yard, there's a rockery, a pavilion, and a babbling brook; several spacious houses with blue-tiled roofs have clean windows and bright tables; in the back yard, flowers are planted, and a raccoon dog is dozing on the wall...

As the camera zoomed out, everyone could tell that Jiang Chen's courtyard was in the human world!

"Ha, Jiang Chen plotted and planned a prison break? Could this story be any more outrageous?"

Si Zhuo's gaze darkened slightly, and he said coldly, "Lian Qi, what else do you have to say? Last night at midnight, I personally supervised the closing of the sealing barrier, and since then, no one has been allowed to enter or leave the Mermaid World."

This morning, the prison break was successful. Tell me, how did Jiang Chen manage to break the Golden Pagoda's restrictions while being in the human world? Even if he has become a god, it's impossible!

Do you really think our Merfolk's golden tower is just for show?

The secret core designed and built by your ancestors may have huge loopholes that could be manipulated and controlled by future generations.

The Mermaid Pagoda seems to be in serious danger...

This matter is not as simple as a prison break; it also involves the possibility that many members of my merfolk may lose their refuge in the event of a disaster. This is a matter of life and death for our clan!

"boom!"

The crowd erupted in a chorus of condemnation, filled with anger, worry, anxiety, and terror.

"I always thought the Golden Pagoda was very safe, and that I could take refuge inside and protect my family in the event of a natural disaster. But now there are loopholes that allow people to open it from the outside. What should we do?"

"Oh my god, what if the Golden Pagoda can't protect us?"

"Should we consider relocating? Moving to live near other shelters?"

"Damn it, the reason I spent so much money acquiring property was because it's near the Golden Pagoda..."

…………

The mermaids were all talking about it, and the little white cat was also stunned and stood there awkwardly scratching its feet, its little face turning red. "So, so the Golden Pagoda has such an important function. I thought it was just a tourist attraction that doubled as a prison."

It looked back at the faintly visible golden spire in the far distance, its face full of disappointment. "Meow~ I'll tell my host later that I don't want the golden tower anymore. I'd rather just collect the underwater treasures."

Emmm... Once I've saved up more gold, I'll ask the host to use their divine power to melt a small golden pagoda for me!

That's right, I'm going to find treasure myself and build an even more beautiful golden pagoda!

Having made up its mind, the cat clenched its fist and waved it, then hurriedly pulled up the underwater map given to it by its host and carefully counted how many shipwrecks had not yet been salvaged.

"No! That's not how it is! He..." Lian Qi stared at Jiang Chen's real-time video in the mirror, his mouth agape in shock. "It must be fake! This is a conspiracy!"

Chief, you are wise! The Spirit Woman is definitely in cahoots with Jiang Chen!

That's why he sent me to the Spirit Woman to ask for the sleeping incense, and even told me to make up an excuse about having insomnia to get rid of the Spirit Woman—it's a trap! Chieftain, I've been tricked by them!

Si Zhuo watched him continue his "performance" with cold eyes;

While feeling relieved that she was finally safe, Lian Yunshang also had many questions.

Is Jiang Chen really in the human world?

Who is the handsome young man playing chess with him?

When did they become acquainted?

Was Jiang Chen the one plotting the prison break in my dream last night?

If it's not him, then who is it?

The same person clearly created the dream and broke the prison. Could it be that there was really divine assistance?

Then... why didn't the gods help people to the end and open the barrier so that they could leave the mermaid world smoothly?

Chapter Thirty-Six: Planning and Safety Hazards

Unfortunately, all the questions are destined to remain unanswered.

Those who were proven to have lied were dragged away, skinned, dismembered, and their bones crushed and scattered to ashes.

Despite the various close calls, Lian Yunshang, who ultimately escaped death thanks to the protagonist's halo, never looked back at her grandfather. She lay prostrate on the ground, looking pitiful, secretly plotting how to beg the clan leader for leniency.

After watching Lian Qi be executed, Si Zhuo's gloomy gaze fell on Lian Yunshang, the only bloodline of the Lian family.

If the Lian family ancestors truly left behind any secrets, Lian Qi, with his cunning and shrewdness, would never easily reveal them. Either he has already been reduced to ashes with the secret, or that secret was passed on to Lian Yunshang, and she is the only one in the entire mermaid world who knows it!

To silence them directly would completely bury the secret that allowed them to easily control the Golden Pagoda?

Or perhaps we could get her to speak up so we can identify and address any shortcomings, making the Golden Pagoda a safe haven free of hidden dangers.

What if she believes she holds the key secret and refuses to reveal it even at the cost of her life?

Weighing the pros and cons, Si Zhuo's deep gaze flickered uncertainly.

"Now the truth is out." After a moment of thought, he spoke solemnly, "Lian Yunshang, you did not lie. You were indeed tempted by freedom and momentarily lost your mind, taking the opportunity to escape."

Although he did not have the intention to escape from prison, his behavior was still egregious!

You may escape the death penalty, but you cannot escape punishment. In addition to maintaining the original punishment to warn the world, you will also be severely punished for your unauthorized escape today.