Chapter 29: Really Like

Chapter 29: So Fond

The communication was abruptly cut off.

Darkness swallowed the treatment room. After a long silence, muffled gasps echoed in the blackness, as if filling a prolonged void, pulling consciousness back to reality.

The monitoring system suddenly blared a piercing alarm, like sharp knife tips relentlessly stabbing fragile eardrums—harsh and cruel.

Signs of merman transformation began manifesting across his body to varying degrees.

Silvery gills sprouted, scales slowly spread across his skin, and his hands gradually webbed.

The adjutant, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, froze in place before even stepping inside, stunned by the sight of the near-monstrous merman form in the dimness. Gripping the laser gun at his waist, his throat dry, he asked, "Marshal, will you enter the treatment pod yourself, or do I make you?"

Since the end of this mission, their superior had locked himself in the treatment room and hadn’t emerged. The adjutant had been holding his breath, fearing that a mere treatment room wouldn’t be enough to contain a merman in the throes of transformation during an outbreak.

After remaining motionless in the darkness for a long time, the silver merman gradually stirred. He lowered his head, removed his mechanical gloves, unfastened the clasps of his combat suit, and painstakingly unfastened something.

A bracelet.

The fishing line was thin and soft, blue scales glimmering faintly.

His fingers, now webbed, moved stiffly and clumsily. Afraid his sharp claws might snap the line, he treated it with utmost care.

Just as the adjutant was about to lose patience and draw his gun to subdue his unstable commander during this outbreak, the silver merman suddenly approached him, carrying a chill, brine-heavy presence.

The merman’s guttural voice mangled the Interstellar words. To ensure the adjutant understood, he spoke very slowly, "Deliver these two scales to the Research Institute."

The adjutant cautiously accepted the scale the marshal handed him and was about to ask where the other was when, in the next moment, he watched as the silver merman raised his arm and used his sharp claws to wrench free a silver scale.

A merman’s scales were incredibly tough, each one connected to the muscles of the body. With his webbed fingers, he tore the silver scale free, blood dripping steadily onto the cold floor.

This scale, still wet with flesh, was placed in the adjutant’s palm.

The adjutant barely suppressed a shudder. "Understood."

He reminded, "The treatment pod."

The silver merman paused, emitting a bizarre, humorless laugh before turning and walking toward the specially designed treatment pod in the room.

That mockery wasn’t directed at the adjutant.

He knew that well.

The adjutant glanced at the so-called treatment pod, which was barely different from a torture device. When lying flat on it, one’s hands and feet would be shackled separately.

When the marshal lost control of his merman transformation, the leg shackles would physically prevent his human legs from transforming into a tail. The forcibly suppressed tail would trigger instinctive agony, constantly searing through his legs. The upright metal bed would then automatically retract into the treatment pod behind it.

An ordinary treatment pod would immediately fill with healing fluid to repair bodily injuries, but this one was different—it pumped in tranquilizers.

As the thick sedative fluid submerged his mouth and nose, the turbulent mental sea would be forcibly calmed. Yet, unable to truly fall asleep, the silver merman would remain conscious in a hazy, ceaseless torment until the monitoring system confirmed his mental sea had fully stabilized, only then releasing him.

It was a chilling form of torture.

After the trial hearing years ago, when this treatment pod was delivered to the military headquarters, the adjutant nearly saw red with rage, almost came to blows with the royal family.

But there was no other way.

This was more than just the marshal’s tragedy—it was the tragedy of all alien races.

An imperial weapon they couldn't leash was better off destroyed—unless it could be perpetually collared, living under constant surveillance.

The adjutant let out a heavy breath, clenched the two scales in his palm, shut the treatment room door, and left.

The treatment room remained silent for a long time.

Only when night fell did the pod finally reopen. Si Jisheng, now restored to human form, slowly stepped out. Leaning against the floating table, he endured the lingering effects of the drugs, changed into dry clothes, put on his light-brain device, and left the treatment room.

---

Deng Xi was settling into his meal.

Ai Er had set down the plate by the pool before leaving, so now he was alone.

Deng Xi frowned, prodding at the knife and fork beside his plate. Before arriving here, Ai Er had said his stomach wasn’t fully healed, so his meals had been limited to sweet nutrient solutions.

But on his very first afternoon here, his menu had upgraded to delicious seafood—except he had no clue how to use human utensils.

Ai Er had demonstrated several times, but Deng Xi still couldn’t manage it.

He was so useless.

And he still hadn’t found Little Mute.

Deng Xi speared a salmon piece with his fork. After a moment’s thought, he switched hands.

He was still gripping it backward.

Using his other hand, he clumsily gripped the knife and tried to slice the salmon held down by the fork. The blade scraped against the plate with a screeching sound. After much effort, he still hadn’t managed to cut the fish properly, only mangling it into a shredded ruin.

This was terrible.

Deng Xi abandoned the effort, pushing the utensils aside, glancing around.

Hmm. No one was watching.

He slipped beneath the surface and swam a brief circuit.

The pool was empty too.

The underwater passage was also deserted. Peering down, all he could see was the deep blue of the sea and the dimness of the tunnel entrance. But Deng Xi swore he detected that the water below was subtly shifting.

It was probably the sea creatures Ai Er had promised to release for him to play with.

Since no one was around to see…

Deng Xi swam back to the edge of the pool, brushed the knife and fork away, and picked up the mutilated salmon with his fingers, tossing it into his mouth.

The fresh, delicate flavor burst across his taste buds. Deng Xi’s eyes crinkled with pleasure—this was the first real feast he’d had since being captured.

Fish was still the best.

The quiet pool echoed only with the sounds of Deng Xi eating and the water’s gentle flow. Unable to resist, he glanced again at the submerged channel.

His new neighbor seemed unusually active.

Originally, Deng Xi had planned to finish his meal, sneak into his wheelchair, and explore other parts of the Research Institute to look for Little Mute.

But now, curiosity about the passage below called to him. A merman’s intuition told him he had to go down and see.

He'd regret it if he didn't look.

Deng Xi hesitated for a moment, pushed away his half-eaten salmon, flicked his tail, and gradually descended. He swam into the dark passage, slowly making his way toward the underwater world.

Seaweed swayed and tangled along the seabed, along with lifelike coral reefs. At first glance, Deng Xi didn’t see his new neighbor.

Was it hiding somewhere?

Deng Xi closed his eyes, carefully sensing the movement of the water, and lightly sniffed. He seemed to catch a faint, very faint scent of blood.

Was it injured?

Following the scent of blood, Deng Xi slowly swam forward with his tail. When he opened his eyes again, he was faced with a large coral reef. He could feel the movement of water behind it.

Deng Xi flicked his tail and peered out. "Hello! I’m Den—"

"...g Xi."

His blue eyes flew wide in an instant, his breath nearly stopping as he stared ahead, afraid to blink lest it prove an illusion.

If he blinked, he might disappear.

His heart skipped a beat, joy surged uncontrollably in his chest. Deng Xi’s heart pounded so fast he thought he would laugh with happiness, but instead, his eyes stung with unspeakable emotion.

He was on the verge of tears.

His vision blurred until all he could see was a shimmering silver-tailed merman lying motionless behind the coral reef. Deng Xi reached out, trembling fingers brushing against the winding silver tail.

It was cold to the touch.

Remembering the scent of blood earlier, Deng Xi sniffed anxiously again, rubbed his eyes, and began inspecting the silver-tailed merman for any wounds.

Finally, he found a gaping wound on the scaled arm where the fish scales had been torn away—ripped off.

It must have hurt terribly.

But this wasn’t the ocean. There were no red medicinal herbs here.

In a panic, Deng Xi lowered his head and gently blew on the wound. His breath stirred the water, only bringing a tingling pain, doing nothing to help.

But that slight pain was enough.

The tightly shut eyelids twitched slightly, and the sleeping silver-tailed merman stirred, silver eyes slowly opening.

Si Jisheng looked up to find a pair of stunned blue eyes staring back at him, rooted to the spot.

The lingering effects of the tranquilizer had left him unconscious.

His lips parted slightly.

Before he could say anything, the blue-tailed merman collided clumsily with him.

It was a crushing hug.

The tranquilizer's chill was enveloped in warmth.

Deng Xi’s body temperature was lower than that of a normal human, but to the silver-tailed merman now, it was searingly warm.

The golden-haired and blue-tailed little mermaid shivered at the cold but refused to let go, freely sharing his warmth without hesitation.

Deng Xi buried his face into the silver-tailed merman’s shoulder, his voice muffled yet joyful. "I’ve been looking for Little Mute for so, so long."

Really, so very long.

Si Jisheng’s body stiffened, his breath grew ragged. With difficulty, his gills fluttered, and he managed a guttural sound—the submerged language of the merfolk, a language he had spent three years mastering, one he thought was innate to their kind.

"How long?"

Deng Xi’s voice was choked with tears. He sniffled. "Ever since Little Mute was taken by humans. I saw you fly into the sky. I thought you would fall, so I swam and swam in the ocean."

His words were clumsy and childish, lacking understanding, but they pierced his heart.

"But there was a big whale with me! And that small jellyfish!" Deng Xi’s eyes curved. "Then I saw the big thing that caught you on the sea. I thought you’d be there."

So he delivered himself to them.

Si Jisheng caught his breath. He closed his silver eyes, nearly suffocating, his throat hoarse as he forced out, "I’m sorry."

Deng Xi blinked, confused. "How could I blame Little Mute?" His smile was bright, pure joy—his tears were happy ones. "It’s okay! Time passed quickly, and I still found you!"

He'd done it!

And he had to thank Ai Er for bringing his new neighbor here.

Si Jisheng asked, slowly, deliberately, "Why did you look for me?"

Was it because he was the only kin left?

What if he wasn’t?

The blue eyes curved gently. Even when not singing, the Mermaid Language was beautiful enough to touch the soul. Deng Xi whispered, "Because I really, really like Little Mute."