Chapter 12: Very Pleasant to Hear

Chapter 12: A Beautiful Sound

Beneath the boundless sea lurked a colossal creature, its shadow gliding swiftly through the water, clearly visible from the surface.

The blue whale, nearly thirty meters long and weighing hundreds of tons, was one of the planet's most ancient beings, much like the mermaid.

A whale's death brings life.

For countless millennia, they had accompanied this planet—living to enjoy the ocean's bounty, and in death, selflessly returning themselves to the sea.

A ripple suddenly disturbed the calm sea surface as the blue whale breached without warning, its massive body leaping into the air. For a moment, it seemed to bridge the gap between sky and ocean, its mighty call echoing skyward before sinking back into the depths.

Towering waves surged violently, shattering the sea's tranquility.

Deng Xi was swept up by the churning waves, tumbling helplessly as the currents tossed him about. His wet golden hair clung to his face, and he frantically brushed it aside, dizzy and disoriented as he flailed his tail weakly.

Against the rapid current, the silver-tailed one swam toward him, grasping Deng Xi's hand and pulling him forward.

Following the silver-tailed one's lead, Deng Xi gradually learned to navigate the turbulent waves. His once-frail tail no longer drifted aimlessly but now rode the swells with ease, diving and surfacing at will.

Clutching the blue whale, which had slowed after its mischief, Deng Xi scolded with a pout in Mermaid Language, "How childish."

Si Jisheng placed Deng Xi's large seashell on the whale's back, and the two of them sat atop the massive creature, their long tails dangling into the water.

Deng Xi turned to Si Jisheng. "You wouldn't know this, but they love playing pranks—especially Big Whale." He tapped the whale's back. "This one's the worst. It always flips me with waves and leaves me behind."

The blue whale let out a low, mournful call, as if pleading innocence.

Deng Xi sniffed. "Apologizing now? Too late."

Si Jisheng ran his palm over the barnacles crusted to the whale's skin. In the Interstellar Era, whales were nearly extinct, let alone ancient blue whales of such colossal size. It was astonishing that such a complete marine ecosystem still existed on this remote, backwater planet.

Suddenly, he lifted his gaze, quietly observing Deng Xi.

The blue merman sat astride the whale, his tail fins lazily flicking. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting a golden halo around him as he chattered brightly in an unfamiliar tongue with the ancient creature.

The breeze was gentle, the waves calm.

For a moment, the world seemed completely still.

"Little Mute?"

Si Jisheng was jolted from his thoughts as a small face suddenly appeared inches from his own. Deng Xi blinked his crystal-clear blue eyes, asking sweetly, "Can I borrow your claws for a bit?"

The little mermaid held up two fingers, squeezing them together. "Just for a little while."

Barnacles were extremely difficult to remove from whales. Often, whales would thrash violently in the ocean, using the waves to scrape them off, or even rub against rocks to dislodge them.

For humans, it was impossible to pick them off by hand.

Normally, Deng Xi used sharp seashells for tools, but for a whale as massive as Big Whale, the task could take days or even weeks.

But the silver-tailed one's claws were sharper than any seashell—they'd be perfect!

With great solemnity, Deng Xi took Si Jisheng's hand, guiding his index finger to pry at a barnacle.

Si Jisheng flexed his claw slightly, and the barnacle popped right off.

Deng Xi's eyes widened in awe. He grinned before asking hesitantly, "Little Mute, can I borrow them a little longer?"

He'd only meant to ask for help with a small portion, but now—he wanted the silver-tailed one to handle all of it.

Deng Xi chided himself inwardly.

His thoughts were written all over his face, and Si Jisheng saw right through him. But the blue whale was enormous—even for him, cleaning every inch meticulously would take an entire day.

And he only had three.

Si Jisheng compressed his lips and shook his head, about to pull his hand back—but Deng Xi clung to it. "I'll teach you to sing, okay?"

His silver eyes gleamed. After a long pause, Si Jisheng nodded in agreement.

Deng Xi threw his arms around the whale, small as a shrimp clinging to its back. He announced cheerfully, "Come on, Big Whale, it's bath time!"

The blue whale settled in a safe patch of water, and Deng Xi dove in, swimming up to its face. The whale gently nudged him with its head.

The two played happily—while the marshal worked tirelessly.

Si Jisheng's claws gleamed, sharp and cold as blades. He had used them to slay countless insectoids, yet here he was, willingly scrubbing a whale.

To the blue whale, barnacles were like a skin condition—and removing them was no more painful than scratching an itch.

By midnight, Si Jisheng had finally finished cleaning the massive creature. Deng Xi, meanwhile, had spent the day napping on the whale's back, dozing under the sun before waking lazily beneath the moonlight, stretching with a yawn.

Barnacle-free, the blue whale shook itself, sending towering waves. Then, joyfully, it spouted a towering geyser from its blowhole.

Deng Xi, in mid-stretch, was suddenly launched skyward by the blast. Dazed, he realized he was airborne and yelled, "Little Mute!!!"

Si Jisheng's tail struck the water as he shot upward, catching Deng Xi mid-fall. The two landed safely on the whale's back—just as Big Whale flicked its tail playfully.

Unharmed on the soft, fleshy cushion, Deng Xi stared wide-eyed at the silver gaze inches away. He stuttered, "I-I wouldn’t have gotten hurt even if I fell. Big Whale plays this trick on me all the time."

Si Jisheng looked at the blue merman in his arms. After a pause, he rolled onto his back, closing his eyes.

Of course he knew.

Deng Xi took a deep breath, glancing at the silver-tailed one beside him. His lips curved in a small smile. "But... I called your name without thinking."

Si Jisheng's fingers tensed. His eyes snapped open, meeting Deng Xi's gaze. The merman's naturally cold body temperature seemed to flare with sudden warmth.

Deng Xi rolled onto his stomach, reaching for the small fish and shrimp scattered across the whale's back—left behind by the geyser. He grabbed the nearest fish, though larger ones floated farther away.

Placing it by Si Jisheng's hand, Deng Xi rested his cheek on his arm. "Little Mute, I want to break our deal."

Si Jisheng propped himself up on one elbow, eyeing the fish in his palm before fixing Deng Xi with a heavy stare.

Golden curls tumbled messily over Deng Xi's back, arms, and cheeks as he said earnestly, "I don’t want those hundred fish anymore." His damp lashes lowered slightly, a smile blooming across his delicate features, revealing tiny dimples. "Little Mute, let’s find a new home together."

"One you like, and I like."

The silver-tailed one remained silent for a long time. Pointless things held no meaning—he would leave eventually. Yet the blue merman could never leave the sea.

At last, Si Jisheng gave a slight nod.

Deng Xi perked up instantly. "Then what kind of home should we look for? I like glowing things—maybe we can find a glowing jellyfish..."

Si Jisheng lowered his head and began handling the fish that had been pushed into his hands.

Deng Xi said as he accepted the fish meat handed over by Little Mute, "As long as you can call for the big whale, even if I'm not in the nest, you'll be safe going out alone."

"As long as the big whale isn't sleeping in, it will definitely come when it hears you."

Deng Xi got straight to the point and asked, "Little Mute, were you born mute?"

Si Jisheng shook his head.

Deng Xi: "Was it because of an injury then?"

Si Jisheng shook his head.

Deng Xi tilted his head, "Then why?"

Si Jisheng pursed his lips and remained silent.

Since it wasn't congenital and his vocal cords were fine, Deng Xi pondered for a while before tentatively asking, "Is it because you don't want to speak?"

Si Jisheng nodded.

Deng Xi let out a relieved sigh, "That's okay. If you don't want to speak, then don't. But you should be able to sing, right?"

Si Jisheng looked confused.

If one can't speak, wouldn't that mean they can't sing either?

Deng Xi thought his logic made perfect sense. In their mermaid clan, since ancient times, the first sound a newborn mermaid made wasn't Mermaid Language—it was song.

A song that could make the ocean respond.

For mermaids, singing was as natural as eating or drinking.

Finally, Deng Xi noticed something wrong from Si Jisheng's silence, "Little Mute, you can't sing?"

Si Jisheng nodded.

Deng Xi was shocked.

So where exactly did Little Mute hatch? How could he have inherited none of the mermaid heritage?

After wandering for so many years, he couldn't even sing—how pitiful.

Deng Xi thought for a moment before his eyes lit up, "Little Mute, let's close our eyes first and wait."

The blue whale swam slowly through the ocean, their small boat seemed tiny but not cold on the vast sea. The night sky was starry, and as the sea breeze blew, a soft hum began.

Wordless.

It was shapeless, spontaneous, yet as enchanting as moonlight scattered across the waves—clear and pure.

When the breeze faded, the song stopped suddenly.

Deng Xi wanted to explain his innate ability to the inexperienced silver-tailed mermaid, "Our songs are like the wind. They come and go as they please."

"When to start, when to end—it's all instinctive. Thinking too hard would spoil our gift."

Faced with Deng Xi's encouragement, the marshal who had never sung before felt completely at a loss. Just as Si Jisheng was about to shake his head in refusal, Deng Xi suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Little Mute, don't hesitate, don't fear, don't hold yourself back. This is an ability we're born with. You just need to follow the sea to rediscover it."

Si Jisheng looked into Deng Xi's determined eyes—blue and clear, the color of the ocean that embraced all.

At that moment, the sea breeze picked up again, and a wordless hum rose with it before gradually fading.

Si Jisheng's mental block lay in those countless names. Free from the confines of familiar Interstellar, uttering no syllables, this free humming unexpectedly eased the burden he faced.

Having not spoken normally for so long, his voice was hoarse, making the melody rough and dissonant—like an adult babbling or a monster growling.

Si Jisheng wasn't blindly confident. He knew his limits. Just making sound was progress enough.

"It's beautiful."

Si Jisheng froze, slowly opening his eyes.

Deng Xi beamed and repeated,

"It's beautiful. I really like it."

Author's Note:

Kid, never thought you'd be such a charmer.

(Delayed update tonight because of an exam (T_T))