Chapter 52
Debris from the poaching ship littered the ocean surface.
“Holy crap, that was terrifying…”
A man clung to a piece of driftwood, watching the smoke billow in the distance: “A mech that powerful, what’s it doing on Ocean Star? Shouldn’t it be on the front lines?”
A single laser blast from the mech’s energy cannon had obliterated the ship.
“That was the only poaching ship on Ocean Star, where am I going to earn big money now?”
Scarface lay limply on the driftwood, exhausted: “At least I’m alive… gasp!”
Ripples appeared in the water before him, and a pair of eyes suddenly emerged, fixated on him with hostility.
That blue mermaid from the poaching ship?
Scarface noticed the “mermaid’s” larger size and sharp, snake-like teeth, and he shuddered: No!
“Growl…”
A menacing growl rumbled in the Jiao Ren mother’s throat as she slowly circled Scarface, like a predator toying with its prey.
Scarface activated his mental seascape, trying to suppress her.
The energy, weakened by the water, posed no threat by the time it reached her.
Scarface froze, his voice trembling with fear: “You, you’re not a Jiao Ren, are you?”
Sharp claws were his only answer.
In his final moments, Scarface finally understood why Jiao Ren only existed in legends—
Because very few humans who saw their true form lived to tell the tale…
The driftwood was quickly stained crimson.
The Jiao Ren mother shook the blood from her claws and looked towards the rapidly moving light in the sky, her expression a mixture of longing and worry:
Has that human lost control of his mental seascape?
…
MuMu, afraid of its Jiao Ren tail fin injuring Wen Ming, transformed back into a mermaid as soon as it entered the mech. The space inside was cramped, and MuMu huddled beside Wen Ming, unable to stretch its tail.
Wen Ming increased the humidity inside the mech and stroked its head reassuringly: “We’ll be home soon, just a little longer.”
“Woo.” MuMu found a somewhat comfortable position.
“What did you do on Ocean Star?”
MuMu hugged its tail and recounted its adventures, adding dramatic gestures at the exciting parts. It accidentally bumped its head against the control panel.
The mech, mid-flight, suddenly lurched.
Wen Ming steadied it and gently rubbed MuMu’s head: “Are you alright?”
MuMu didn’t dare move anymore, nuzzling his hand:
“Awoo.” My hair is messed up.
“It’s fine,” Wen Ming replied calmly. “I’ll fix it when we get home.”
MuMu held up its torn bag: “Woo!” My bag is ripped!
“It’s okay, we’ll fix it together.”
MuMu blinked rapidly, flexing its fingers, then extending its claws:
“Woo…” I’m also a Jiao Ren, is that okay too?
“It’s okay,” Wen Ming said firmly.
MuMu curled its tail, mimicking a high ponytail:
“Awoo!” But that human with the ponytail said you can’t keep me.
Wen Ming recognized its imitation of the Marshal: “Yes, you’re an intelligent species capable of independent survival, I’m not allowed to keep you as a pet.”
MuMu’s face crumpled, and it bared its claws at him:
“Growl!” I don’t care, you came to get me, and I’m not leaving!
“If you choose to live in human society, the military will assign you a protector.”
“?” Who?
Wen Ming’s eyes crinkled at the corners, a playful glint in them, just like in the picture of him in uniform.
MuMu’s face lit up: “Whoo!”
That’s right, Master used to be in the military!
“I’ve applied to be your protector.”
Wen Ming lowered his head slightly, as if giving a knightly bow: “Mr. Jiao Ren, would you consent to cohabitating with your protector?”
MuMu cleared its throat importantly:
“Awoo!” To save you the star coins of renting another place, I’ll agree!
“Buzz—”
The entire mech vibrated like a volcano about to erupt. A red alert flashed on the screen:
“Warning! Your mental seascape cannot sustain a warp jump!”
MuMu, not understanding, tugged at Wen Ming’s clothes anxiously: “Woo?” What’s wrong?
Wen Ming forced his remaining energy to surge, fueling the warp drive, the overload causing a splitting headache. He hid his pain, changing the subject: “Did you finish your supplements?”
MuMu nodded, opening its torn bag:
“Awoo!” See, I ate them all, not even a crumb left.
“Good boy.”
MuMu nuzzled against him: You’re a good boy too, Master, you promised to come get me after I finished the supplements, and you kept your promise, I like you the most!
Wen Ming chatted with it, maximizing the warp speed.
MuMu only felt a brief moment of dizziness before the scent of the ocean vanished…
When the mech landed back at the villa, Wen Ming’s breathing was shallow and weak.
He carried MuMu inside, and the mech automatically descended into the underground bay.
MuMu, surrounded by dense energy particles, shuddered:
“Awoo!” Master’s mental seascape!?
It had assumed Wen Ming was channeling his energy to power the mech, but even after detaching, the energy was still leaking uncontrollably.
MuMu sat up, gripping Wen Ming’s clothes: “Growl!” Why didn’t you tell me your mental seascape was unstable!?
Wen Ming’s face was as pale as a sheet, his usual aloofness replaced by a fragile vulnerability, as if he might disappear at any moment.
He gently placed MuMu in the mermaid pool: “It’s okay, MuMu, wait for my mother.”
“Awoo!” Let me try!
MuMu puffed out its chest, explaining excitedly:
“Awoo, awoo.” I learned something very important on Ocean Star, do you mind if I experiment on you…? Huh?
Why did Master collapse!?
MuMu jumped out of the pool, crawled onto Wen Ming, and checked his breathing.
He was still alive!
Wen Ming’s damaged mental seascape was like the last oasis in a desert, and piloting the mech had drained its last vestiges of life.
The energy within him surged uncontrollably, beyond mere instability.
MuMu sensed the approaching collapse and gasped: Piloting the mech has worsened his condition!
MuMu forced itself to calm down, its hand gently touching Wen Ming’s furrowed brow, recalling the Clan Leader’s words:
‘Jiao Ren do possess the ability to soothe.
Our soothing energy is purer than a mermaid’s, but the method of activation is more restrictive.’
‘Method of activation?’
‘Yes, a Jiao Ren can only soothe by touching a specific part of a human’s body.’
‘Which part?’
‘It’s different for every Jiao Ren. Some use their fingertips, some their tail fin against the human’s toes. You have to experiment to find your connection point.’
MuMu leaned closer to Wen Ming, face to face.
During the thunderstorm, when Wen Ming’s mental seascape had become unstable, it had rushed towards him, their faces colliding;
At the Soothing Competition, it had imitated the couple next door, kissing Wen Ming’s lips, and all the testing equipment had malfunctioned.
There could only be one answer—
Kissing!
MuMu held its breath, puckered its lips, and kissed Wen Ming.
MuMu: ‘It only works when touching the right spot? But my weak soothing ability has always worked regardless of where I touch a human.’
‘Hmm? That shouldn’t be the case.’
The Clan Leader had pondered: ‘Unless… your own soothing energy is so powerful that it permeates your entire body.’
【—】
First around MuMu, then the mermaid room, then the entire house, the chaotic energy particles suddenly stilled.
Like a calmed beast, the energy became docile, converging inwards.
The mermaid Dai Rong owned was a high-grade mermaid, its soothing emitting a faint glow;
But now, MuMu’s soothing made every energy particle glow, like countless fireflies, forming a river of light flowing back into Wen Ming’s mental seascape.
Like a gentle rain on parched earth.
Unfortunately, there was no one to witness this miracle.
Wen Ming was unconscious, and MuMu, focused on the soft touch of their lips, didn’t notice the soothing.
So soft, so nice to kiss!
MuMu smacked its lips, savoring the feeling.
“Beep beep! Welcome.”
Dai Rong, alerted to Wen Ming’s mental seascape instability, had rushed over.
The chaotic energy was gone, no trace of the earlier turmoil.
Dai Rong, her hair disheveled from her hurried journey, frowned as she entered the house:
“False alarm?”
“Awoo—”
“MuMu!” Dai Rong, pulling a mermaid cage, ran to the mermaid room. “Is everything alright?”
MuMu, sitting beside Wen Ming, waved: “Awoo!” Everything’s perfect!
“Oh no, is Wen Ming unconscious?”
Dai Rong left the mermaid cage at the entrance, took out the special medicine, and crouched beside Wen Ming.
“Woo?” Does he need an injection after being soothed?
“MuMu, don’t worry, Xiao Yu’s soothing was very effective last time, this time too…”
Dai Rong was about to inject Wen Ming when she touched his arm and froze:
“…His mental seascape is stable?”
She scanned his mental seascape repeatedly, incredulous: “It’s even improved!?
MuMu touched the back of its head: “Hee!” It was nothing, just a little kiss.
Dai Rong stared at MuMu, dumbfounded: “MuMu, do you know what happened?”
MuMu thought for a moment, then shook its head, its lips pursed.
It was best to keep its Jiao Ren abilities a secret from anyone other than Master.
It would be a great, anonymous Jiao Ren hero!
“How is that possible? I received an alert that he was on the verge of collapse.” Dai Rong’s gaze lingered on Wen Ming’s lips. “His lips have color, he doesn’t look weak.”
“Awoo.” He was like this after the kiss.
Dai Rong stood up, puzzled: “Did Wen Ming use a special drug? I’ll go check if the special soothing agent is missing…”
Hearing her footsteps fade away, MuMu licked its lips, savoring the lingering feeling.
I didn’t control the soothing very well earlier…
Should I try again?
MuMu, using its limited kissing skills, nibbled on Wen Ming’s lips like it was a dried fish.
“Awoo…?”
MuMu froze and looked up at the source of the sound—
The mermaid Dai Rong had brought was staring at them from the mermaid cage, its gaze shifting between MuMu and Wen Ming.
Xiao Yu: OoO
MuMu wiped its mouth and explained: “Awoo!”
Don’t misunderstand, Xiao Yu, this is a serious soothing session!
