When Han Sen returned to the oceanside, Queen was using her sword to skewer and cook fish meat. Although the fire was only fuelled by vines and sticks, it seemed decent enough to last.
Han Sen saw a few other swords propped up beside the fire as well, each packed with meat. The slices of fish were gold, and the oil sizzled on them in a tantalizingly. Han Sen had to ask, "Is this for me?"
"What do you mean, are they for you? I am planning to eat them once they are all done," Queen responded.
"Can I have some?" Han Sen asked politely.
"If you want; suit yourself." Queen did not look at Han Sen once, and continued to stare at the meat in her hand.
Han Sen smiled. He picked up some meat and took a bite. Unfortunately, he should have waited, for his mouth burnt with the heat. Still, this fresh fish tasted divine compared to the raw fish they had been eating previously.
"Where is your fox?" Queen watched Han Sen eat like a madman and, feeling more relaxed, posed the question.
"I took it back." Han Sen blinked as he told her.
"Really?" Queen looked at Han Sen, not believing him. "Summon him so we can all eat together."
"There's no need. It is just a pet; ignore the creature." Han Sen thought Queen had learnt something else about the silver fox when it healed her, but he wasn't willing to admit it.
"Okay." Queen didn't enquire any further and simply continued cooking her meat.
Han Sen ate eight slices of meat. With a bloated belly, he fell backwards into the sand. After a large exhale of content, he called out, "Awesome!"
Queen ate a few, too. But when she was done, she returned her beast soul sword and started walking off towards the hills.
"What are you doing?" Han Sen sat up and asked, worrying over whether or not Queen would find out about the silver fox and lotus.
"I'm just going for a walk," Queen replied, already walking off to the hills.
"I'll come with you!" Han Sen jumped up with a fright and thought to himself, "I really can't hide the silver fox's reason for not coming back."
It wouldn't be difficult for Queen to discover where the lotus and the silver fox were. After ascending a small hill, she caught sight of them both from afar. She turned around and looked at Han Sen. With a cocky smile, she turned back and began walking towards the fox.
"What is that?" Queen pointed towards the lotus as she neared the silver fox.
"I don't know, but the silver fox refused to leave after finding it," Han Sen explained. Queen took a closer look at the lotus and began to rest near it without responding.
The next day, Queen asked Han Sen, "Are you leaving?"
"If the silver fox isn't leaving, then neither am I. Do you want to leave first?" Han Sen asked, blinking.
"If we meet again, we will split it in half." Queen looked at Han Sen, but it didn't look like she wanted to leave.
"What half? It is a pet. You want to fight for food with a pet?" Han Sen's heart was saying no and he was only pretending.
"If he eats it, I don't want it anymore. If you take it, I will accept half," Queen said.
"Why would I want it? This is for the silver fox. I am not a pet; I don't need it," Han Sen told her, sharply. He was starting to feel a little annoyed.
Queen didn't say much, and she remained near the silver fox, guarding the lotus.
"The silver fox was guarding it, which made me think I had a chance. But now there are two people guarding it." Han Sen thought to himself. He was also starting to believe that the silver fox was a girl. Otherwise, why would it be behaving like Queen was? That was the only explanation for how selfish it was being.
Han Sen never thought about the possibility that he was more selfish than the silver fox and Queen combined.
They stayed on the island for four days. The snow-white flowers started to wilt, but they did so slowly. Only two petals fell off a day. SInce there were so many, heaven only knew how long it would take for the entire thing to wilt.
The lotus seeds on the inside were growing bigger, as well. They looked like blood crystals, and they continued to grow fuller. They emitted a pleasant fragrance, and smelling it brought comfort and relaxation to their minds.
"That must be some good stuff, but how can I take all the seeds without Queen and the silver fox noticing?" Han Sen watched the lotus intently each day, all the while fostering a plan to take it from the others.
Han Sen was not sure if he could beat them both; otherwise, he'd just grab it.
Half a month later, the petals had all come off. The lotus itself was now like a plate. The blood crystal seeds were so round and full, they looked like rubies the size of a pigeon's egg.
Han Sen had yet to come up with an idea that would allow him to claim ownership of the seeds, but all of a sudden, he heard the shriek of a bird. He saw a green and blueish-colored bird that didn't look too far removed from a peacock. With no idea where it had come from, Han Sen saw it fly madly around the sky, cawing as loudly as it could. It also seemed to be afraid of the three of them, which stayed its desire to come down.
The silver fox now looked nervous. It stood up and looked at the peacock in the sky as if it were an enemy.
Han Sen and Queen were shocked. They understood that it was most likely a super creature, seeing as it paid little heed to the silver fox's presence. This made their faces bleak.
The peacock continued to circle them in the sky, refusing to leave. But neither did it want to come down. It seemed as if it was waiting for the seeds to ripen, just like they were.
"Where did that bird come from? Why would it be out here at sea?" Han Sen thought only the silver fox and Queen were competing with him for the seeds. If things had remained that way, at least he had a fair chance of obtaining a few of them.
But now with a super creature in the vicinity, who knew what might happen?
Perhaps even the combination of Han Sen and the silver fox wouldn't be enough to fight the super creature.
While Han Sen was feeling depressed amidst these thoughts, suddenly heard a sound at the seashore. Looking out to the ocean, he watched the waters boil. A lobster with a purple shell that was a dozen meters long emerged. It remained afloat for a brief while, summoning up tall waves.
It then moved on to circle the island, without getting too close.
"Crap! Another one. How many creatures want these seeds?"
Han Sen felt frustrated. He didn't know when and where another super creature might arise, but fortunately, no more decided to make an appearance. Aside from the peacock and lobster, there was no sign of another one coming to vie for their seeds.
With one of them taking the sea and one of them taking the sky, it would be impossible for him to escape now.
"Let's fall back. If we get surrounded, there is nothing we can do to fight them," Queen calmly said.
"Silver fox, come!" Han Sen shouted at the silver fox, with a tone of gravity. He was afraid if the silver fox stayed here to guard, he would quickly be overwhelmed by the two super creatures. Even though it was a super creature itself, its strength had limits.