Swallowing the Seas

Description

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Jinhai City Public Security Bureau newcomer Wu Yu is meek and mild, a man of few words, and completely unconcerned about the trials and tribulations placed before him by his strict boss. All he wants is to simply get by at his job, be paid on time, and play the role of a background actor.

Nobody knew that this young man had a massive bounty placed on his head by a drug lord—as well as the youthful heroic spirit of a dragon-slayer from the abyss.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Breaking Through the Clouds 2: Devouring the Seas
Breaking Through the Clouds 2: Swallowing the Seas
Hunt for the Leviathan (Official English Title)
Phá Vân 2: Thôn Hải
Po Yun 2 swallowing the seas
Poyun 2: Tunhai
Tun Hai
อาชญากรรม (รัก) เหนือคลื่นกลืนสมุทร
破云2
破云2吞海
破雲2吞海
Related Series
Breaking Through the Clouds (Prequel)
Lantern: Behold the Bayonet (Shared Universe)
Recommendations
Breaking Through the Clouds (9)
First-Class Lawyer (4)
Silent Reading (4)
Sha Qing (2)
Saving Unpermitted (2)
Happy Doomsday (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. All the danmei the rednote jiemei recommended me p...
  2. reading
  3. stay till the end
  4. BL I plan to read
  5. Finished reading

Latest Release

Date Group Release
09/11/23 Novel Haven extra 3
09/10/23 Novel Haven extra 2
09/09/23 Novel Haven extra 1 part3
09/08/23 Novel Haven extra 1 part2
09/07/23 Novel Haven extra 1 part1
09/06/23 Novel Haven c164
09/05/23 Novel Haven c163
09/04/23 Novel Haven c162
09/03/23 Novel Haven c161
09/02/23 Novel Haven c160
09/01/23 Novel Haven c159
08/31/23 Novel Haven c158
08/30/23 Novel Haven c157
08/29/23 Novel Haven c156
08/28/23 Novel Haven c155
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30 Reviews sorted by


Kyuusaku Lee
New Kyuusaku Lee rated it
January 16, 2025
Status: Completed
First of all, the rating I is actually a little bit out of generosity. But at the end, I still decided to give it 5/5 because of how heavy this story actually is, and that a little mistake might shatter the whole story.

First of all, like the prequel, this novel contains a lot of detailed forensic analysis, autopsy results, technical analysis, as well as various of information that's based on scientific logic and reason. I see how the author skillfully wrote such crime novels with a lot of details, and... more>> I very much appreciate it because providing detailed information might lead to making mistakes. That's why this point alone is already enough for me to give this novel such a high rating.

Second, I like the pairing, Bu Chonghua and Wu Yu, with their distinct personalities that very diverted from any other CPs I've read in other novels by different authors. This is the first time I read a novel with such characters with such personalities, and some people might feel the same way as me. Normally, a gong character would be either a very extroverted, reckless, yet clever and powerful character, or a reserved, introverted, yet strong character. Whereas a shou would be either a delicate yet cunning person or extremely reckless, outgoing, but extremely smart. So BCH and WY's characters are new to me.

The gong, Bu Chonghua, was originally an extremely upright, law-abiding, ruthless, and seemingly cold-hearted person, but actually, he was more than that. He can be caring when facing his cousin and Wu Yu, sarcastic when the situation allowed, and extremely kind to his subordinates. He wasn't just a two-dimensional character.

The same way goes to Wu Yu, who suited the phrase "look like a cinnamon roll, but could actually kill you". He was a realistic person, as if a sentence, "what happens, happens, so be it" always hung above his head.

Spoiler

The thing I like about him the most is when the moment he accepted his and BCH's feelings, he always showed his love without a care towards the world. Perhaps because he had been living under disguise for so long, the moment he had a safe haven, he finally showed his true feelings and personalities.

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As for the story, although I had been afraid because of the heavy plot, afraid the the author would suddenly make mistakes and shatter the whole story to pieces, it's still good. Some problematic parts was also mentioned by the author herself, pointing scenes or information that shouldn't have been there. So here are some negative parts I want to point out (big spoilers alert).

Spoiler
  1. First, about Xie Xing and A-Gui being cousins with identical faces. Tell me, is there really such happenings in this world, where cousins share a very identical, twin-like appearances? That part just doesn't make sense to me, unless they were indeed twins, or their mothers were twins and married the same man. IDK.
  2. Second, the formidable characters. How can BCH sneak in under Shark's henchmen's guard and went into Wu yu's rented house just to meet him? Is he really that capable of not making any sounds and lurking inside Wu Yu's house? Or how could he suddenly developed chemical knowledge when Shark asked him to make the drug? Even though he didn't do it in person and just ordered the drug markers to make the chemical gas, is he really that great? Also, about Qin Chuan. I know he's witty and overly clever, but wasn't this character too overpowered?
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There were a few loopholes, indeed, some greaty affected the story, some were just small matters. All in all, I rated it 5/5 solely based on the detailed explanation provided by the author and the unique relationship between the CP (plus Yan Xie and Jiang Ting's appearance in it) <<less
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meridianna
meridianna rated it
August 15, 2020
Status: Completed
hey I'm the one who made spoiler thread but gave up in the middle lol. but i've gone through the ending. the verdict is.... GREAT. A MUST READ. NO LESS BETTER THAT ITS PREQUEL.

more often than not, sequels are worse than prequels, trust me, i've been seeing all this time. but not for this! Tunhai is more dramatic than Poyun, and more angsty. how angsty it is? MC/shou's life is practically down to hell, to the point I'm always thinking 'is his life only full of suffering? are we readers... more>> here only to suffer?'. let me tell you, i've read some dog blood drama with angst, up-and-down, tragedies. but this one is the worst one from what I read till now. should we not read this? ofc not. please read, and suffer with me. you can read Tunhai while not done with Poyun, but personally I suggest you to read Poyun first. there's one/two big spoilers here. though the main focus is not CP from Poyun, Tunhai features a new CP so it's not really a big hurdle.

the plot twist is one of the craziest for me. even as (self-proclaimed) mystery maniac, i've been led wrongly several times. either because the emotion is so great that it becomes excellent cover or just the author is getting better and better. it's quite similar to any mystery novels, you get hard-to-crack mu*ders, you see the characters trying to solve it. however, cases in Tunhai are interconnected, they are related one way or another. the investigation is very thoroughly done, with our professional cops. it's just, the theme in this novel is heavy
Spoiler

; from poverty, toxic parents, destroyed hope, drugs, prostitution. and how a creature from hell trying to reach light.

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and the foreboding, the foreboding aahgfdajgs. how's your feeling when things go smoothly, but inside your heart you know something bad will happen. this novel is like that, happening several times. my anxiety is getting worse tbh.

Spoiler

I'm totally shaken with one of last cases. how a daughter, abandoned by her father, only living with her mother who somehow became control freak. even if she was trying to live normally, married and having child, the torment doesn't stop because her husband cheated on her. then she only tried to prove herself, but in the end she failed. it's almost like, no matter how long the time passes, everything in childhood will haunt you till end.

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CP is what I call... licking each other's wound.

Spoiler

both are suffered early, then getting help from each other. at first, MC helped ML, then it's turn for ML helping MC, taking him out from darkness. ML met MC when he was child, while a tragedy happened to him. MC who was not much older than him, helped ML even though they didn't know each other. even if MC had to suffer and lost his chance to get out from that hellish place because of it. turned out, MC still felt guilty toward ML because he felt he wasn't faster enough to save ML's parents. sobs T.T

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ML is straightly elite police captain, cold and workaholic, who is so hard to everyone but harder to himself. to the point he won't touch tobacco or alcohol at all, as if he didn't allow himself to relax. he is very smart, the 'brain' who solves crimes in this novel. he is also very strong. even if he looks very stoic, he is actually very observant that he can deduce what's going on with MC.
Spoiler

he is very decisive, even if he must 'go to the hell' for MC, he didn't hesitate at all. although he looks so 'clean' and 'proper', it doesn't mean he will not dirty his hands to protect MC. aaand he is YanXie's (ML in Poyun) cousin. it's totally running in the blood huh. my friends and I often joke how Huaishang's gong are idiots. I think this ML, Bu Chonghua, is the smartest one rn. lmao.

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what I can talk about MC? damn, he might be the most complicated character ever. first, everything you see from him may not even the truth. he is retired undercover, with more than decade experience. so ofc his micro-expression and trick is the best. he totally knows, being on the spotlight won't do any good, so he tried to be 'that docile and quiet guy'. however, inside, it's very fiery. looking like not capable of hurting any animal now, next he can be seen throwing some criminal to hospital, while not being hurt much himself. practically only ML who can detect it.
Spoiler

he hated elites as he felt those elites will not feel much when sacrificing 'low-lives' like him. that is why he actually was very resistant toward ML at first. the total MADLAD, he can be very impulsive, like... jumping from 8th floor. his self-deprecating is deep, as he was born in 'the most hellish place in the world', but still, he actually wanted to reach light and live normally. free and content. but in same time, he thought he won't be happy and will only end up on some dumpster. he always thinks it's a miracle that such a perfect guy like ML loves him, but he doesn't realize it's all his own self that makes ML attracted to him. in retrospect, ML retorted him quite harshly that 'he is not perfect'. and oh, he's also very strong, maybe even stronger than ML. how harsh his previous life? he can't touch, smell any red meat (beef, pork, etc) as it will trigger some trauma inside him and make him vomit till nothing was left.

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I'm pretty much convinced MC has some severe hero-complex.
Spoiler

at first, he was depressed, feeling like everything he did, to the point he almost died several times, is all pointless and worthless. drugs still circulate, drug dealers will not stop popping up. then toward end, he finally resolves that he is not alone now, he has ML. he has people to work together against drugs. and in the future, there will be more. and I think it's very beautiful.

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Spoiler

why I regard this as the most angsty? well from any modern, non-supernatural, everything happened to MC is *totally the worst*, and not as cliched as in any dog-blood drama. any tragedy surrounds him like plague but he always tries his best. and personally I think any of his actions is justifiable, fair. it's often seen MC in dog-blood drama is s*upid, but not for this MC, not for my WuYu. he is nowhere near being naive. it's almost like he suffers just because he wants to reach light. he was broken, scarred, barely holding everything up together, till he met ML (it's quite funny how ML scolds MC that he is not some idiot elite who will abandon anyone). it's a miracle he can survive and living till now tbh. fans in CN fandom regard him as the most pitiful shou in Huaishang family, and I totally agree.

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even if I said all this, it's one of the best, most dramatic, with deepest love danmei that i've read. it's been 27 weeks since I read the last chapter (not the extra), and I still can't find myself to search or read other danmei. anything feels less dramatic now *sigh*

edit: toned down the spoiler. as I thought, a bit too spoiler-ish. join the spoiler thread for more spoiler (ofc duh) <<less
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_ice
_ice rated it
September 8, 2020
Status: Completed
I feel like as a translator, I'm a little obligated to give my two cents. ^^

(since there's barely anyone leaving reviews... =.=;)

Because this story IS a mystery/crime novel, I really don't want to say anything that will ruin the suspense of the story, as it will basically take away 90% of the fun in reading the novel (also because another certain avid fan has already mentioned a LOT in the previous review AND in the spoilers section... xD)... so instead, I want to talk about the author's own... more>> incredible writing ability.

Huaishang's writing skills are EXCEPTIONAL. She has this way of painting the scenes in your head in the most vivid ways possible by making perfect use of the most stunning imagery. But she is never excessive, instead, she says just enough to immerse you into the story she weaves, leaving you at the edge of your seat as you read one line after another. Your heart will pound when the scenes are filled with danger, and your heart will ache when the characters are aggrieved.

Can she be overly dramatic and dog-blooded at times? Yes, of course. But just like watching any good action-thriller movie, you wouldn't feel anything besides your heart pounding in your ears and blood boiling in excitement. You will be too pulled into the world that she built, so constantly caught on tenterhooks that whether or not she is being too dramatic will be the last thing on your mind. Once you start a novel she wrote, you simply won't be able to put it down.

She is arguably one of the best authors in the Chinese danmei community. But she is not just any type of author, she's a mystery author. A crime author. Someone that has already honed her ability to portray the most bone-chilling scenes and put together the most intricate cases without giving you the second to even think about growing bored.

And as Huaishang's latest work, I believe that Tunhai can be called her masterpiece - the ultimate embodiment of all her progress as an author.

Spoiler

Just a side note...

Yes, I am aware that there are now two translating groups that are currently translating the novel. The other translator has contacted me privately to give me a heads up and I had offered to co-translate, but discussions to do so didn't work out due to our differing visions for the text. What we want on our end is to make sure that our translations not only flows smoothly in English, but also convey the beauty and tone of the original text while maintaining its accuracy.

I will not say which version you should read, and if anything, do give both a try. But please treat both sides with respect. Thank you.

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Alysx
Alysx rated it
March 17, 2022
Status: Completed
I'm one of the rare breeds who thinks that the prequel (Breaking Through The Clouds) is much better than its sequel. I might have been impressed if I had read Swallowing the Seas as a standalone, but because I have read the prequel, I find that this novel falls short in certain areas.

Characters:

The characters here are frankly not as endearing as their predecessors due to their poor first impressions. The MC, Wu Yu, is basically a cauldron of angst and tragedy, it's like the author was trying to think up... more>> of a character with the saddest backstory alive. Not that I'm against MCs with tragic backstories (I really love Jiang Ting in BTTC), but it has to be done well. Wu Yu's extremely unfortunate past was shoved down the reader's throat consistently, right from the start, that I'm always in a state of disbelief and cannot emotionally relate to the MC. Personal take is that the writer went too overboard in this aspect, I only began to warm up to him at around chapter 100 (which is far too late, considering he's the protagonist).

The ML's character design is also lacking. Have you ever seen a superior who picks on someone consistently at work just because he doesn't like said person? Yeah, that's how BCH was introduced, and his initial dynamics with Wu Yu. Some of their disagreements even got physical, and while I may understand why BCH reacted this way (and he does act better as the story progresses), it honestly is too overbearing and ruins the romance at the latter part for me. After reading the divine romance in BTTC, I feel that the romance here simply cannot compare.

Spoiler

The part where BCH starts flirting with Wu Yu by saying, "If you don't tell me, I'll kiss you right now" was so out of character and abrupt, I literally cringed and went speechless...

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It's not just the main characters, but even the side characters and villains:

Spoiler

Song Hui, the female side character, was introduced quite late into the story (feels like she's supposed to be the counterpart of Han XiaoMei in BTTC). She constantly pestered the ML and clung onto him because she likes him, even though BCH already said no. She even tricked him into going for a dinner date alone with her- BCH thought it was a group meeting, but only this girl turned up. Furthermore, her work ethics and capabilities left much to be desired

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Spoiler

When the readers get into a love-hate relationship with the antagonist, you know it's going to get good. This was what happened in BTTC with the King of Spades and Qin Chuan.

Shark, the main villain of this series, is rather generic- all powerful and dangerous, out for the MC's blood (with an added motive of wanting to win the MC over to the dark side). Yin Jie is a step up, the push and pull between her and the MC due to their shared bloody past makes her a more appealing character. BUT then she died so quickly... I remember going, "Huh that's it??" when she was killed off in the middle of the story.

Ultimately the two main villains do not live up to the expectations set by their predecessor.

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Story:

I'll say the plot is pretty solid, which is the redeeming quality of this novel and the reason why I'll still rate this a full 5 stars. The author doesn't approach both BTTC and STS in an episodic manner, everything flows and connects seamlessly into a single huge arc. However, since I couldn't come to like the cast of characters, half the time I'm not engaged. The best times in the novel for me are when the characters from BTTC appears:

Spoiler

Have you seen the comment section when Yan Xie and Jiang Ting turns up? Lol it literally exploded. And with Yan Xie's introduction into the story, you can finally (!!!) see the story being more humorous, I laughed aloud at some of their antics a couple of times.

Wu Yu and BCH crashing into Yan Xie's 8-figure car and calling him "Brother" to avoid compensation cracks me up every time.

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Spoiler

I think that the best part of the plot is about Wu Yu's true identity, it gave me quite a headache when piecing together the information given in the foreshadowing and trying to iron out the information.

I also agree with the other reviewer who said that more than half the time the plot progresses as Wu Yu goes off on his own to do something foolish and BCH having to come in to save the day lol

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TLDR; My honest stand is that STS does not surpass BTTC, but I'm definitely more critical than the other reviewers since I have come to love BTTC a lot and have high expectations for STS. STS is still a good novel, despite some of its flaws. You can try reading both before making your own judgement <<less
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Celissiye
Celissiye rated it
November 20, 2020
Status: Completed
Rating: 4.5

I haven't read the prequel, actually, and definitely didn't need to. In short, if you like a fair amount of twisted and convoluted dark secrets, angst with heavy doses of cliche drama, and a tormented MC that acts weird and sometimes crazily because of past trauma, read this novel. ... more>>
Spoiler

I never thought I would enjoy reading about a person jumping off a building so much. Hah hah.... hah. Yes I have no soul

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It's quite well-written and has plenty of good interspersed drama over all.

This whole story is just a big bundle of cases with characters that are very interconnected and strung together into a ball. There is no clear 'start' and 'end' to the cases, unlike most other crime centric novels. But this is actually a good thing. The crime scenes and hints and details felt splendidly more realistic than other BL crime novels I have read.

The story most heavily features the MC, Wu Yu, and his 'true' identity.

There's a lot of exploration with PTSD and other mental traumas as well. Wu Yu's character, from start to finish, has a number of traits that reflect these past struggles, such as heavy smoking, addiction to making hard cash, lack of self-care, and suicidal tendencies
Spoiler

Yes, even though the MC never goes on a suicidal rant openly, he is definitely impulsively suicidal at times. Let me just say, if you suddenly sit down in a burning building or while hanging off a steep precipice with dead eyes, unresponsive to other's shouting at you to climb out and escape, you're a bit suicidal. And I can't count how many times Wu Yu thought to himself that dying this or that way wouldn't be so bad. Usually I would be annoyed by a character like this as in most cases the author wouldn't have the other characters acknowledge this serious issue to any degree--but in this novel they do (at least a bit). They almost never explicitly bring it up or mention it to Wu Yu, just as how Wu Yu never explicitly whines and cries that he wants to die, but the writing always states when they get a 'chill' looking at him, with the ominous premotion that Wu Yu is thinking about death... and etc. The reader can easily see that multiple characters act with excessive concern and delicacy towards Wu Yu at these times. Another nice touch by the author. And his suicidal tendencies also help explain why he keeps putting himself in harms way again and again (which some of you might find annoying). Deep down, part of himself wants to rest and die.

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. Somehow, despite the mental traumas and frequent breakdowns, Wu Yu still manages to be the most badass and intelligent character in the story.

The theme is that --while accomplishing great deeds for the law enforcement, Wu Yu also was left with irreparable scars, including a feeling of abandonment from the very sense of 'morality' he was trying to protect.

The characterizations of both the villains, such as the Shark and Qieshan (a broker), and neutral side characters like Li Gang, Jiang Ting (from previous novel), and others, where you didn't know which side they truly stood on until later, were done quite well.
Spoiler

Shark and Mai Yin are both particularly interesting main villains. Mai Yin brought him out of the hell of working on a opium farm (poppy fields), and the Shark spared the MC's life on multiple occasions because he was both philosophically interested in the MC and wanted to bring him to his side

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My main complaints come from the repetitive nature of many of the story arcs. Dog blood is fine, but most of them follow a very similar line of action. They start with Wu Yu doing something unhinged and badass behind the scenes, only to get himself into a more deadly situation, only to make things spiral more out of control, only to end up being saved by the ML (Bu Chonghua) at the last minute and sent to the hospital. Excluding one occasion, even at the times where Bu Chonghua provoked the bad situation, Wu Yu was still the one who ends up with the worst injuries in the end! It felt unequal. These were also the best parts of the novel, but it would have been perfect if Bu Chonghua faced more struggles in the story as well. Also, although the entire mystery is interwoven, it also felt a bit convoluted.

So that's why I say it's more so a story about Wu Yu learning to crawl out of hell and accept the ML as a person to trust and love--rather than a story about BOTH of them changing and growing together. The ML only grew at the very beginning, realizing his world views were too narrow about 'good and bad', and the rest of the story was basically just him slowly uncovering his love interest's past.

And even while doing that, the ML was like this prickly cactus prop that would yell at Wu Yu for not telling him the truth about his identity, shouting things like 'dont jump off that 8 story building', only to be unable to catch Wu Yu as he jumped... and etc. Basically, a character that was just there as the guy who saves him at the last moment while being overly dense about Wu Yu's true motives and internal agony most of the time. Although it's true that Bu Chonghua is incredibly sharp at case solving, he still falls short compared to Wu Yu at times and he just felt...a bit dense. By no means did I find him intolerable, but compared to Wu Yu, he just doesn't interest me as much.
Spoiler

Now now now... there was one arc in the end that focused on Bu Chonghua 'betraying justice'... but come on. That's basically just me reading and waiting for Wu Yu to find out what the gimmick is, because by that point we should know that the ML isn't going to spontaneously become a drug dealer.

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Now, this isn't to say that the story wasn't extremely interesting most of the time! I really want to wait and read the fully translated version, as I think I may have misplaced or missed details here or there. <<less
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fltstrt
fltstrt rated it
October 27, 2021
Status: --
I'm immensely surprised by the lack of traction this incredible story has... Writing this review in support of the author and the superb translation.

I am a huge fan of the crime genre and Huang Shang just nails it! Imo it's even better than the amazing first book. (I dare say it's even better than Priest's crime novel- Silent Reading 默读)Won't spoil anything here, I highly recommend everyone to just read this masterpiece and it's prequel.

Also this series has a Manhua adaption. The art is amazing. If you understand... more>> Chinese, do check it out. <<less
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Elliep
Elliep rated it
January 10, 2022
Status: c79
So so good! Translation is clean, understandable, and idioms and poems are converted to English beautifully.

The story is amazing too. The author doesn’t push the romance too much, letting it develop and the characters work through their trauma. I really like the the story focuses on the plot. The mystery is good and the way they explain things over time is fantastic. Great storytelling.

Oh and the translator leaves notes for when things don’t go into English or might be things the reader wouldn’t know. I love when they do that.

yea... more>> overall amazing story, and fantastic translation :) <<less
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Kyaaaaaaaaa
Kyaaaaaaaaa rated it
April 18, 2021
Status: Completed
f*cking amazing. That's what this book is. It's written and executed so well, the plot has no holes and is so well developed. There's this tiny foreshadowing that makes you mind blown, plot twists that get you gasping, and the author's ability to capture the characters' feelings through showing and not telling. Her laying out of the scene is just simply incredible and the romance she crafts between our MC and ML is heartbreaking (in a good sense if you crave a little bit of drama), heartwarming, and eternal.

Read. It.... more>> You will never regret it, and you will walk out with this being in your top ten BL novels. That's my take on this story. It may have some flaws, and I completely agree with user's Celissye review, but it still is a well executed novel! I encourage you all to read it because I'm sure you will not be missing out. Additionally, a plus is the translator also does a fabulous job ;) <<less
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Havaska
Havaska rated it
January 18, 2024
Status: c41
I love this novel and I've actually been learning so much because of it. And I'm in awe of how much information the author put into it. But I saw one specific paragraph in chapter 41 and I had to comment because some people may not know and will believe that it's how a women's hymen works.

The paragraph: ... more>>
Spoiler

"That's impossible. The autopsy results showed that Nian Xiaoping's hymen was intact, so she wasn't a sacrificial victim for going through the spiritual bed."

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The hymen can't be pierced through or "broken" like most people have been taught to believe. Women aren't "forever changed" or "never the same" after interc**rse. Actually, something as simple as riding a bike can cause damage to a women's hymen. It would be impossible to tell if a women is a virg*n or not by examining her hymen. The hymen isn't a barrier but more like a scrunchy, it expands and then goes back to it's normal size. It's why some women bleed during first time interc**rse and some don't. It can be torn during interc**rse but sometimes it isn't. Every women's hymen is different.

The false belief that a hymen can be broken is really damaging, especially for women who were thought to not be virg*ns just because they were examined and it was thought that their hymens weren't "intact" or sometimes because they didn't bleed during interc**rse. In more extreme cases (one would think it is if they went as far as to examine a woman's hymen just to find out if they were virg*ns) the women's life was taken in honor killings.

I can't explain it very well here so if anyone is interested in learning more, there's a Ted Talk on YouTube about it by Nina Dølvik Brochmann and Ellen Støkken Dahl.

It's not me trying to throw shade or anything at the author or the translator at all. I hope it didn't come off as that. I am so grateful for the translator. I just want to spread awareness about this because a surprising amount of people don't know the myth about the hymen.

I love this BL novel because of how seen the women are, how much character and depth they have. Sometimes BL's don't do that. I've come across sexist and even misogynistic BL novels. I would go in so excited and then would be so disappointed. I've grown tired of it and will now immediately drop it if I see anything like that. So I'm so happy to read 'Swallowing the Seas'.

Spoiler

The connection and understanding Wu Yu had with Liu Li was so sad and emotional to see. And just how gentle he was with her when she was having her breakdown because of the drug withdrawal in the interrogation room.

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They validate the women in the novel and are straightforward about the difficulties women constantly face every day. The novel brings up issues some authors shy away from.

Anyway, thank you for reading all of this. I absolutely adore Wu Yu and I was so frustrated reading the last few chapters because none of them realize how much trauma he has and just preach about honor and loyalty. I'm happy he has Bu Chonghua and the rest of the team by his side. <<less
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Sleepy_sheepy
Sleepy_sheepy rated it
September 24, 2021
Status: c73
Extremely thrilling, action-packed and gritty. Intelligent crime-drama with lots of angst.

Starts off with the mu*der of a school girl... which leads to a much larger conspiracy involving high profile criminals and dark vendettas. MC is mysterious, weathered and suffers from his past traumas. ML is a successful elite policeman - strict, clean and sharp... and seeking to avenge his parents.

I’m super excited to see how the mysteries (and romance!) unfold. This story is a hidden gem. Highly recommend!
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0213
0213 rated it
June 13, 2021
Status: Completed
This novel was so so good!!!!!. It was so amazing. I came to know about this from breaking through the clouds and I have read the comic version of this but wanted to read the novel and I'm very happy that I decided to read this novel. The storyline was so amazing. It will make you immerse in the story. Personally I felt is that first half of this story (at least up-to 125-130) is so much better than poyun 1 (I'm not saying poyun is not interesting) but the... more>> last few chapters are somewhat inferior compared to poyun1 and I'm very satisfied with the the ending and extras a lot!!!!. But have to say that both are my favs and it can be good choice to reread too. It has lot of humors which I really adored and the side characters are so good and well developed!!!. Love this and surely recommended for everyone who is thinking whether to read this or not!!!. Fighting!!!!... <<less
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yellauraya
yellauraya
July 14, 2024
Status: Completed
➺ 3.5/5 🌟

Unfortunately, I liked this novel less than Poyun. It doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy this, because I certainly did, but maybe the way the plot became so convoluted halfway through the story that I found it a bit less appealing than the prequel.

I always find stories with complex plot fascinating, especially when it was constructed with little to no flaws. The plot twists here really got me if I'm being honest, but it became so apparent to me that the author really tried her best to create... more>> more reveals for the sake of providing shocking factors. Which is not bad, especially since the author really did drop some foreshadows, but it got too much for my taste that the plot became so disorganized. I wouldn't even include the inconsistencies of some event from Poyun where Yan Xie and Jiang Ting are involved because the author herself acknowledged that point.

Also, I'm grateful for the translator for her effort in translating this long novel, especially since she did it for free, but the translation is a bit jarring. The use of 'he' and 'she' sometimes interchange, as if I was reading an MTL. Also, if there are sudden flashbacks, it got a bit confusing because there's no indication. I don't know if it's how the author wrote it or it's a translation issue, but it definitely put me out of the story a few times.

Nevertheless, I had a fun ride with this novel. The author still managed to bring me on the edge of my seat. Though I also personally loved the cases more in Poyun but I loved Bu Chonghua and Wu Yu's couple dynamic as much as I loved Yan Xie and Jiang Ting. I'm even glad that I can see both couples here solving cases together.

Maybe I had too much expectation, but I'm kind of disappointed with the novel. If it wasn't for my love for both Bu Chonghua and Wu Yu, I would have given this a lower rating plot wise. I'm actually sad to not love this as much as the first one. <<less
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saphire8626
saphire8626 rated it
January 25, 2023
Status: Completed
Making my way through this author's works. I'm kind of ambivalent about this one. The best thing about this story is the main couple's relationship because it is very sweet and tender but also really angsty. Everything else I had various issues with.
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Burning_Rose
Burning_Rose rated it
August 5, 2022
Status: Completed
As the sequel to BTTC, this novel feels inferior somehat. But don't let that discourage you. It's a good read with a tight plot ongoing.

The theme and the plot itself are good. But the mystery aspect in this novel is lacking. Some things are too detailed

The events are leading to plot development sometimes looks a bit overwritten, the author added some needless elements to the incidents happening.

... more>>
Spoiler

Like the first mu*der case.

[collapse]

Characters:

MC is a bit too much traumatized lol. It's like he wad born under some unlucky star. It's endearing how ML is the lucky star in his life. A character would be bland if it isn't shrouded and layered. MC's unpredictably makes him my fav. It's commendable how MC's still sane and has integrity even tho he suffered so much.

The ML is my second fav he may appear look rude and arrogant (he is). But the changes he goes through won't be unsatisfactory. Events form chain one after another lead us through the mysterious events. Won't give the time to feel left out. It may turn tedious at some points but hang tight. What's the fun if the mysteries are revealed too quickly? One of the positive thing in this authoress' writing is tht the gaping in timeline is comprehensive.

But side character like Song hui were unnecessary.

The antagonist was a bit sane as compared to BTTC.

The climax and the ending were satisfying. Overall good but doesn't surpass it's prequel. <<less
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miruu
miruu rated it
July 1, 2021
Status: c60
i just have reached this chapter and I can't resist the urge to write a review but now I am feeling confuse what to write to describe the depth of my love for this novel...

just at the first chapter I fell in love hard with the MC and as the story went I also have a deep feeling for the ML and the thing I am sure MC and ML are so destined to each other although I don't know the ending yet.

well all I want to tell os the... more>> novel is perfect even though I just reach ch 60 I can tell it, I even could tell it form the earlier chapter, Great Author, <<less
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loveyfan95
loveyfan95 rated it
April 25, 2021
Status: c51
Amazing, thank you for your side notes and the amazing translation. I came to read the translated novel version (in just one day) after having read through the manga and wanting more and more. This is an amazing story soo I am really appreciating your hard work on translating it <3 Thank youuuuuu :D I am sooo eager to read more...
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Xiao Jing Ya
Xiao Jing Ya rated it
August 13, 2024
Status: Completed
If I hadn't read Poyun first before this, I might like it more. But sadly, with the prequel setting the standard, this novel feels increasingly laborious to finish in comparison.

I won't comment on other cons since I can accept them, but one thing I really dislike is the antagonist, Shark.

He is really... bland. He's just there being a villain just for the sake of being a villain. His characterization is just meh and frankly I find myself losing interest every time he's on screen.

If I have to analogize, he's like... more>> an offhand shopkeeper. Other minor villains did the job of being interesting and he was left as the main boss just bc the Huai Shang said so. He was just a weak attempt at increasing the scope into an international druglord. But he failed to deliver.

Compared to the astoundingly designed King of Spades in the prequel, whose sick and twisted mind were fleshed out so beautifully and got really engaged with Jiang Ting's emotional turmoil, Shark just felt like a weak wave to entice Wu Yu into the dark side. Each case in Poyun had King of Spades's writing in them (well, except the one Qin Chuan planned), and he really got involved in emotionally torturing Jiang Ting, deepening his presence as the main villain. He was truly being the embodiment of Jiang Ting's inner demon.

But Shark didn't really get involved with the cases, and his emotional entanglements with Wu Yu were so weak that frankly it felt so bizarre why he was so obsessed with Wu Yu. It really was like 'Hey what's your deal man?' 🙄

It could've been better if he was more fleshed out and given good backstory, but he wasn't. So it felt really awkward.

Idk how to say this but I am very much disappointed with him after having King of Spades. For a villain of his caliber, he felt really lacking.

I would very much prefer Ah Gui's ex-miss as the main villain to be honest. She was much more interesting. And she had the perfect foundation to being the embodiment of Wu Yu's nightmare.

Even Qin Chuan could do a better job.

Also, Bu Chonghua's fake blackening was a bit cringe. After seeing mind-boggling double agents like Jiang Ting and Qin Chuan, Bu Chonghua's attempt looked like an elementary schooler. It really does feel like Huai Shang is trying too hard with this one. <<less
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Little Cloud
Little Cloud rated it
September 27, 2023
Status: --
What a beautiful journey from beginning to end!

This story got me hooked at every point and the plot was very very addictive. I loved this story from beginning to end and the twists and turns really caught me off guard. The author was so skilled to give us readers some precious surprises which were truly amazing. I really love this story very much!

Talking about the characters, I love all of them so much! Specially our Xiao Wu and Captain Bu. They were actually living inside my mind and I think... more>> they will be unforgettable to me. Also I missed my Captain Yan and Professor Jiang so much and I met them again here. What a loving reunion I had! Overall the character designs were very nice and very well built. I love how both of our Xiao Wu and Captain Bu slowly came out of their traumas. Their love is so pure. One of the healthiest relationship I witnessed in reading. Side characters like our criminal investigation team and other department members were unique and nicely written.

Highly recommend!

A big thank for the translator for bringing us this amazing story. <<less
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Lyrae
Lyrae rated it
August 3, 2022
Status: Completed
Sequel to Breaking Through the Clouds, a great crime novel about fighting drug dealers, so be careful if that’s triggering. Not required but recommended to read that beforehand. The drama is great and it's almost like a movie. And, oh, the PLOT TWIST. My favorite thing about it is the character building of the MC. He's far too human and you'll feel his pains through the prose, but yet still admire him for how he yearns to do the right thing while living in hell.
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cristiel
cristiel rated it
November 27, 2020
Status: c21
I really enjoy this novel. I began reading the manhua first, but than I discovered that it was based off a novel and I had to go and find it. This is the first chinese novel ive read. Thank you to the translators who are working on this novel.
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svnerised
svnerised rated it
December 8, 2024
Status: Completed
i enjoyed it a lot and got me out of my novel reading slump. I laughed and cried whilst reading. Wu yu is the best boy out there and he needs to be loved and I am so glad he got bu chonghua by his side.

kinda didn’t like how the end just kept dragging though. Still, I loved every second of reading this.
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