Hi Master, Little Mermaid Will Support You! 40

Chapter 40

The subordinate helped Professor Yin leave the beach, saying resentfully, “Professor, we’ve confirmed Number 55’s combat ability, but are we really leaving it with Admiral Wen?”

“Patience.” Professor Yin lowered his voice. “First, retrieve the Zerg specimen.”

They had only captured this one aquatic Zerg, even its corpse was valuable for research.

The subordinate nodded: “The researchers have already dived to the Zerg’s location. They reported a single fatal wound, a quick and clean kill.”

“Good!” Professor Yin coughed up blood in his excitement, wiping it away casually. “Stronger than expected.”

“But…” the subordinate hesitated, glancing at his optical brain.

Professor Yin endured the pain from his damaged mental seascape: “What is it?”

“They didn’t find the tag on the Zerg specimen.”

“Tag…” Professor Yin stopped abruptly, muttering to himself, “Wen Ming asked me last time if ’55’ was a number, he must have seen the tag on Number 55.”

The subordinate said angrily: “There must have been a problem during transport, I’ll tighten security.”

Professor Yin chuckled, covering his face: “So that’s it, I finally understand why Wen Ming hasn’t attacked me directly!”

“Huh?” The subordinate was lost.

Professor Yin turned, looking towards the shore: “Wen Ming… he’s figured out about the lab…”

The Mermaid Center’s lab had a robust system. If something happened to Professor Yin, it would be like cutting off a lizard’s tail, the lab would quickly relocate.

If Professor Yin disappeared, there would be a Professor Wang, a Professor Li…

“Wen Ming participated in the Mermaid Center’s event to gather evidence and expose both me and the lab behind me.”

The subordinate suddenly understood: “He’s not just protecting Number 55, he wants to rescue all the mermaids in the lab?”

They had considered Number 55 their prey, but they themselves had become Wen Ming’s.

Professor Yin’s face darkened: “Immediately halt all research at the lab!”

…

“Awoo, awoo…”

After being pulled from the ocean, MuMu cried out restlessly.

Xiao Jun carefully cut the fishing net tangled around Hua Hua’s tail, asking, “Is MuMu unwell?”

Wen Ming checked on the little mermaid, and when he touched its hand, it punched him weakly.

“It’s fine,” Wen Ming replied to Xiao Jun. “We’ll be going now.”

“Go ahead, MuMu must be scared, take it home and let it rest.”

Wen Ming carried MuMu back to the airship.

“Tell me,” he said, closing the airship door. “We’re alone now.”

MuMu pursed its lips, opened its tightly clenched fist, and revealed—

A tag.

A string of letters and numbers was printed on it.

Wen Ming remembered the “55” tag he had seen on MuMu the first time they met, every detail was identical.

“From the Zerg?”

Zerg?

MuMu pointed at its head, indicating antennae, and imitated the strange creature’s cry:

“Roar~”

“Yes, it’s a Zerg.” Wen Ming added seriously, “But your impression isn’t very accurate.”

MuMu, embarrassed and annoyed, threw the tag at him:

“Awoo!” You recognized it, didn’t you? That’s all that matters!

Wen Ming chuckled and opened a few bags of snacks for it: “You did a good job.”

“Hee!” It was nothing!

An additional clause to the “three rules”: If the encountered danger carries Professor Yin’s scent, act within your capabilities and keep its tag.

MuMu stuffed snacks into its mouth: “Munch?” But what use is this to you?

Wen Ming patted its back, his voice vague: “You don’t need to worry about these things, MuMu, just rest.”

“Yawn—”

It was the little mermaid’s first battle, and combined with its transformation into hunting form, both its mental and physical exhaustion were significant.

Its stomach was a bottomless pit, and after devouring three large bags of snacks, it leaned against the tank wall for a nap.

Wen Ming activated the airship’s soundproofing and made a call.

“Wen Ming?” The person on the other end answered, their face full of surprise.

It was a woman in military uniform, her high ponytail brushing against her epaulets, the insignia indicating the highest rank in the military.

Wen Ming saluted: “Marshal.”

“You actually called me.” The Marshal’s voice was filled with hope. “Is your mental seascape stable? Are you ready to return to the battlefield?”

“No.”

The Marshal frowned: “The Zerg have been restless lately, and there’s an unexpected variable, the military needs strong fighters.

Whatever you’re earning as CEO Wen, I guarantee you’ll earn the same, no, even more, as Admiral Wen, with a promotion!”

Wen Ming fiddled with the tag: “The variable, is it aquatic?”

The Marshal was stunned: “How did you know?”

Wen Ming: “An aquatic Zerg appeared at the Soothing Competition organized by the Mermaid Center.”

“What is Professor Yin doing!?”

The Marshal rubbed her temples: “The only captured aquatic Zerg is in Professor Yin’s lab, they specialize in Zerg research, he’s looking for a countermeasure.”

“The incident at the Soothing Competition will be kept confidential, right?”

“Yes,” the Marshal confirmed. “The number of aquatic Zerg is minimal, I don’t want to cause public panic.”

“About that lab…” Wen Ming showed her the tag.

“Knock, knock!”

The soundproofing partition behind him was knocked on, interrupting him.

Wen Ming lowered the partition and softened his voice:

“His lab isn’t just researching Zerg.”

“Oh?” The Marshal asked curiously. “What else?”

“Awoo?” MuMu, peeking over the lowered partition, stopped knocking when it saw Wen Ming.

“Awoo!” Don’t leave me alone in here!

It felt like being back in the lab’s mermaid cage.

Wen Ming gave it a reassuring smile, but his voice on the call was icy:

“Mermaids.”

After ending the call, Wen Ming returned to MuMu’s side and started coaxing it back to sleep.

The little mermaid, with no worries and a full belly, quickly drifted off.

Its sleeping posture was a mess, one claw resting on Wen Ming’s hand.

Wen Ming stared at its rounded nails, murmuring softly:

“I’m sorry, but exposing your secret is the only way to ensure your safety…”

Wen Ming’s current mental seascape couldn’t withstand a forceful retrieval attempt by the Mermaid Center, but “rare species” were protected by interstellar law.

Professor Yin was meticulously maintaining his facade and wouldn’t openly violate the law.

MuMu’s secret wasn’t a weakness, but its best protection.

After the Soothing Competition, MuMu noticed something strange—

“Awoo?” Why are you staring at me?

MuMu held a fish in its claws, swishing its tail uncomfortably in the swimming pool.

Wen Ming usually left it alone in the pool to attend to his own matters, but today, he remained by the edge, watching it intently.

MuMu took a small bite of the fish, chewing slowly:

“Woo.” I can’t enjoy my meal with you staring like that…

Wen Ming seemed to understand, but he didn’t move.

MuMu tilted its head: Are you unhappy that I’m using your pool?

It suddenly dove underwater, caught all the remaining fish, and threw them onto the shore.

Then it waved at Wen Ming: “Awoo!” Come on in!

MuMu’s thought process was difficult to predict, but no one could resist its pleading, icy blue eyes.

In Wen Ming’s eyes, the little mermaid was sending him a barrage of messages:

[What’s wrong with spending some time with me?]

[I just want to swim with you, and you won’t even grant me this small request.]

[Hurry up, I’m counting down, three, two—]

“One moment.”

Wen Ming pressed the pool’s automatic cleaning button, lifted MuMu out, and placed it on the edge: “I’ll be right there.”

MuMu: ?

The pool’s cleaning system created currents that tickled MuMu’s tail.

It lifted its tail out of the water, its nose twitching, noticing that the scent of live fish was fading, replaced by the smell of disinfectant.

Wen Ming’s footsteps approached from behind, and MuMu pointed at the pool, turning to complain:

“Awoo!” The water is polluted… huh?

Wen Ming was wearing swim trunks.

He walked to the edge of the pool, casually patted MuMu’s head, and jumped into the water.

Humans and mermaids had very different swimming styles.

Mermaids relied on their tails for propulsion, while Wen Ming used his shoulders, waist, and abdomen in a rhythmic motion.

“Wow!” MuMu’s eyes lit up, and it followed him into the water.

With a flick of its tail, it quickly caught up to Wen Ming.

Wen Ming was swimming on his back, facing the bottom of the pool, while MuMu flipped over, swimming beneath him, face to face.

It was the first time MuMu had seen Wen Ming underwater, and it was fascinated:

“Pop.” So you can swim too! Although you’re slow, I won’t mind you.

The words formed a bubble that floated up and popped against Wen Ming’s face.

Wen Ming turned his head to breathe and blew a string of bubbles at MuMu, as if responding to its playful underwater game.

MuMu: OvO

MuMu felt its heart swell with the bubbles.

Why did its chest feel like it was being pricked by tiny needles?

“Pop!” Wait, it really is being pricked!

MuMu grabbed the object dangling in front of its chest and looked closely—a seashell.

Its favorite seashell, the one with the blue markings.

A small hole had been drilled into it, and it was hanging on a string around Wen Ming’s neck, a pendant.

MuMu stared at the seashell, not noticing that the necklace was pulling on Wen Ming, preventing him from taking a breath.

Wen Ming submerged, wrapped his arms around the little mermaid, and flipped over, taking it with him.

MuMu’s world spun, and when it opened its eyes, it was lying on top of Wen Ming, who was floating on the surface, swimming on his back.

“Awoo?” Why are you wearing the seashell as a necklace?

MuMu asked, fiddling with the seashell in its hand.

In the melodramas, the noble supporting characters would boast that their necklaces were worth entire planets.

MuMu didn’t quite understand the purpose of a “necklace,” but according to the dramas, only valuable treasures were worn around the neck.

“Whoo…” Don’t we have anything more valuable than this seashell in our house?

MuMu’s tail fin drooped dejectedly: It seems we really don’t.

Wen Ming patted it: “What’s wrong?”

MuMu whimpered softly: I used the money from my last livestream to pay off the debt, I’ll buy you a nice necklace next time I earn some.

Seeing its dejected mood, Wen Ming gestured towards the home butler by the pool.

The home butler picked up a small bottle with its mechanical arm and handed it to Wen Ming.

“The pool water has been disinfected for human use.” Wen Ming sprayed the bottle at MuMu. “You don’t like the smell of disinfectant, right?”

The pungent smell of the pool was instantly replaced by the scent of ocean perfume.

The top notes were the salty tang of seawater, the middle notes the lively scent of seabirds and fish, and the base notes a gentle, sunny breeze.

MuMu unconsciously released the seashell, grabbing Wen Ming’s wrist and sniffing at the bottle.

More!

“That’s all for today.” Wen Ming capped the bottle. “Mermaids can’t smell too much perfume.”

MuMu tugged at his fingers: “Awoo?” Really?

The chest beneath it vibrated with Wen Ming’s chuckle: “MuMu doesn’t trust me? I’m hurt.”

MuMu quickly released the perfume bottle, placing its claws obediently on his chest:

“Awoo!” I trust you!

Its voice echoed across the pool.

MuMu noticed the smile on Wen Ming’s lips and realized he had been teasing it.

“…” It angrily ruffled his hair.

Wen Ming brushed his wet hair back, his sharp features and exposed forehead making him look imposing.

MuMu stared at his face, frozen.

Perhaps it was the gentle ripples of the water softening his features, but MuMu thought he was the most gentle and handsome master in the interstellar world.

Its heart, like the ripples on the water’s surface, couldn’t calm down.

Wen Ming felt like its gaze was burning a hole through him: “What is it?”

MuMu swallowed dryly, lowering its head like a turtle retreating into its shell.

It picked up the seashell pendant, extended its claws, and carefully smoothed the surface, rounding the sharp edges.

“Scratch—”

The claws that had felled a Zerg were now just centimeters away from Wen Ming’s skin.

Wen Ming showed no fear, his heartbeat steady.

In contrast, MuMu’s heart was racing.

‘Love… even someone who’s never experienced it will instantly understand it when the moment arrives.’

MuMu thought Master’s mother was right.

The love between the male and female leads in the melodramas was dramatic and faced numerous obstacles, but MuMu’s love felt natural.

In a calm swimming pool, resting on Wen Ming’s warm, damp chest, it knew it had fallen in love.