Chapter 75
Wen Ming and MuMu couldn’t decide the Jiao Ren’s fate on their own.
Ocean Star. A mech soared across the sky.
“We’re home!” MuMu cheered inside the mech. “Last time, your mental seascape gave out before I could talk to Mama, this time, we’ll have fun!”
“The jamming signal is still there, but weaker.” Wen Ming monitored with the mech’s sensors. “Seems like the Jiao Ren are safer now.”
“Mm-hmm, without poachers, they don’t have to maintain the signal constantly, it’s tiring.”
The mech landed on a small island, another following close behind.
MuMu jumped out and heard the Marshal and Dai Rong’s voices from the other mech:
“MuMu, be careful.”
“Okay, wait here, if they agree to talk, I’ll bring them over.”
MuMu transformed into its hunting form as it entered the water. Approaching Jiao Ren territory, it roared:
“Roar—”
“Roar!”
This time, the response was quick. Its mother rushed towards it:
“My child!”
“Mama, I missed you!” MuMu, still clinging to its childhood habits, nuzzled its mother, forgetting it was now larger than her.
Its mother, also clinging to old habits, caught a passing fish with her claws: “Hungry?”
MuMu ate it obediently: “Humans have similar food, they grill fish on skewers, it’s delicious.”
Its cheeks were full, its body strong and healthy.
Its mother, relieved, asked: “Have you entered your mating season?”
“…It’s over.” And I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since. MuMu frowned. “Our mating season has a timeframe, humans are terrifying, they’re always in heat.”
Its mother’s eyes widened: “They lay eggs every day?”
“Uh…” MuMu looked behind her, changing the subject. “Is that another Jiao Ren?”
“Yes, the Clan Leader is coming to see you, it’s old, swims slowly.”
MuMu’s ears perked up: “Should we play a game while we wait?”
…
On the island, both mechs blared alarms: “Abnormal sonar detected!”
“What’s wrong?” Dai Rong asked Wen Ming. “Is MuMu okay?”
Wen Ming looked up from the home butler’s report: “It’s fine, but the sonar is definitely from MuMu.”
The Marshal’s mech lifted off, pointing: “Whoa!”
Two whirlpools were forming on the ocean’s surface, countless fish swimming in a circular pattern.
“What’s going on? Do Ocean Star fish have synchronized swimming routines?”
Dai Rong: “Must be the sonar, are the Jiao Ren doing this?”
Wen Ming’s eyes twinkled: “A Jiao Ren competition, guess which one is MuMu?”
The Marshal laughed: “I bet on MuMu, the bigger whirlpool!”
“Using sonar to control marine life?” A bold idea formed in Dai Rong’s mind…
The commotion in the water subsided, and three Jiao Ren approached the island.
The Clan Leader, seeing the mechs, stopped abruptly: “Roar…” How many humans?
“Roar, roar.” Three.
MuMu circled the Clan Leader: “Roar.” Clan Leader, if you’re worried, we can talk here, they have loud voices! It tapped its ear stud: “Awoo!”
The mechs retracted their weapons, and the Marshal’s voice boomed from the speakers:
“Greetings, I am the Marshal of the human race…”
MuMu translated, relaying the humans’ proposal.
The Clan Leader hesitated: “But our clan avoids contact with humans.”
“The Marshal says humans won’t interfere with Jiao Ren anymore. If we meet, they’ll just take a picture as a souvenir.”
MuMu opened the home butler’s virtual screen and took a picture with the Clan Leader and its mother: “Like this.”
The Jiao Ren were amazed: “Human technology is incredible!”
Jiao Ren were even more sensitive to human mental seascapes than mermaids. They could sense the immense power emanating from the mechs, contained but not hostile.
The Clan Leader agreed to sign an interspecies agreement with the Marshal.
“I swim slowly, I’ll head back now.” The Clan Leader turned to MuMu: “Every Jiao Ren is free, you too. You’re always welcome to return.”
MuMu’s mother stayed behind, following MuMu to the shore, glaring at Wen Ming.
You and your constant mating season!
Wen Ming bowed respectfully: “Mother.”
MuMu: “Awoo.” He’s calling you ‘Mother.’
“Roar!” How can a human be my child!? The Jiao Ren mother splashed Wen Ming with her tail.
Wen Ming, unfazed, presented a gift box: “Mother, I apologize for my lack of manners during my last visit.”
So much nonsense! The Jiao Ren mother impatiently opened the box—
A large, lustrous black pearl with blue-green iridescence.
Jiao Ren Mother: OoO
She weighed the pearl in her hand, her expression softening:
“Awoo.” If you dare mistreat my child, I’ll rip your face off.
Dai Rong approached, smiling gracefully: “Mother-in-law, hello.”
MuMu fidgeted with its scales: “Awoo.” Mama, I don’t know that word.
“Awoo.” It’s okay, I understand her meaning. The Jiao Ren mother circled her tail, a gesture of goodwill towards Dai Rong.
Before leaving, she pulled MuMu aside:
“Child, what is this human’s status?”
“An ordinary family.” MuMu explained. “Master works at a big company, his mother is a mermaid doctor.”
“Ordinary family?” The Jiao Ren mother held the pearl, deep in thought. Even Jiao Ren rarely found such a rare pearl, and an ordinary human family possessed one? How could a land-based planet have more valuable pearls than Ocean Star? Unless…
“Child, consult with these humans before doing anything in their society.”
“Why?”
“You’re too easily tricked.”
“?”
“I forgot to tell you about mating season. Just in case, let me tell you about a rare Jiao Ren ability.”
MuMu was surprised: “Another ability?”
“Very rare, only a few Jiao Ren have experienced it – time travel.”
“Travel?” MuMu pointed at the mech. “They can do that too.”
“That’s space travel. Jiao Ren, under very specific circumstances, can briefly travel through time.”
“Wow, cool!”
Its mother smiled: “Extremely rare, don’t worry about it.”
MuMu muttered, lost in thought: “I hope that never happens to me.” My current life is perfect…
The livestreaming platform made a shocking announcement:
“To thank everyone for supporting the rescued mermaids, two surprises:
-
Wen Corp and the masked streamer will host a special livestream – the masked streamer translating for spokesmermaid MuMu;
-
The masked streamer will reveal his face during the livestream…”
The comments exploded:
“The streamer and MuMu, two superstars together!”
“So the masked streamer will be connecting with Admiral Wen, so much to unpack!”
“This livestream will break records, I’m already waiting.”
“Face reveal! /Eyes sparkling/”
“Let’s not get our hopes up, if he was handsome, he wouldn’t need a mask.”
At Wen Ming’s villa.
“MuMu, ready?”
“Wait!” MuMu clutched its script. “One more time, I can’t mess this up.”
Wen Ming pressed a few buttons on the home butler.
“Teleprompter activated!”
“!” MuMu threw away the script. “Little Butler has this function too…?”
Human technology is amazing!
Ooo time travel? Maybe for when something goes wrong and his true identity gets out 🤔
Thank you for the update!
Since he can time travel maybe if he goes back to the past he can pretend with his past self as a mermaid while he is in his human form?