Chapter 11
“The second round of the Mermaid Competition officially begins!”
The viewing area, which had just been focused on the clingy blue mermaid, now shifted its attention to the water balls.
Most common mermaid toys on the market were developed by Wen Corporation.
But these translucent, buoyant water balls were something new:
“Translucent, elastic water balls, which company’s new product is this?”
“Look, the mermaids all love playing with them!”
“Is there a link? I want to buy one.”
“Heh!” Qi Xuan smirked smugly, listening to the positive comments from the crowd.
His external optical brain flashed faster: “Report, online sales of water balls have increased significantly!”
Qi Xuan said triumphantly: “Investing in the Mermaid Competition was the right choice!”
The water balls were a new mermaid toy developed by the Qi Corporation, a project overseen by Qi Xuan himself.
His chance to escape his financially embarrassing situation depended entirely on the advertising effect of this competition.
He had to surpass the sales of Wen Corporation’s new fish food with these water balls!
Qi Xuan located the bright red mermaid in the aquarium and made a hand gesture.
Just as it had been trained, the mermaid began to circle the water ball.
“Oh my god, this scene is so beautiful, I have to record it and post it online.”
“The person who invented the water ball is a genius!”
“I have a feeling the water ball is going to take the entire mermaid supply market by storm…”
Qi Xuan almost burst out laughing.
Of the seven mermaids he owned, the bright red one was the smartest.
He had no doubt it would win first place in the competition.
Even if it didn’t win first place, it would definitely be better than Wen Ming’s mermaid!
…Where was Wen Ming’s mermaid, anyway?
Qi Xuan searched carefully for a while, finally spotting the gradient blue tail—
Its upper body was stuck in a hole in the artificial rock, its tail sticking out, shimmering with blue light.
Other mermaids, playing with water balls, swam past its tail.
Its tail flicked up and down, creating a stream of shimmering bubbles as if to shoo away the intruders.
“?” Qi Xuan blinked. “What’s it doing stuck in a hole?”
After the first round, Wen Ming’s blue mermaid was temporarily in first place on the leaderboard.
Qi Xuan considered it his mermaid’s biggest rival, but now it seemed…
“With my company’s product and my mermaid in the competition, I can achieve a ‘double kill’ against Wen Ming!”
Qi Xuan lifted his chin and walked into the crowd like a proud peacock:
“That’s right, that smartest red mermaid was trained by me!”
“How did you know I’m the head of the toy water ball project?”
He was undoubtedly the star of the show today!
“Splash!”
Someone in a diving suit entered the aquarium.
The diver’s large form startled the mermaids, and they dropped their water balls and scattered.
The mermaid owners in the viewing area, no longer focused on the water balls, watched the unfolding scene with amusement.
Qi Xuan’s moment in the spotlight was abruptly extinguished. He gritted his teeth:
“Mermaid Center, you better have a real emergency…”
Inside the diving suit, the staff member was uneasy: “Professor, I’ve interrupted the Mermaid Competition. Are you sure I won’t be docked pay?”
Professor Yin’s gentle but undeniable voice came through the earpiece:
“Dive to the artificial rock.”
“Yes…” The staff member approached the artificial rock and saw the blue mermaid stuck headfirst in a hole. “So you sent me to rescue this mermaid!”
Finally understanding the purpose of his mission, he reached for MuMu’s tail…
“Don’t startle it,” Professor Yin ordered.
The staff member flinched, lightening his movements, following the instructions one by one.
“Go around the rock and find the other opening to that hole. See what the mermaid is doing.”
The hole was dark, and the staff member, afraid of startling the mermaid, didn’t dare turn on the searchlight:
“I can’t see clearly. It seems to be… holding something?”
“Indeed.” The voice in the earpiece became excited. “Now, take that thing out and show it to everyone in the viewing area!”
The staff member was confused: “Professor, do you already know what it is?”
Professor Yin twirled the blade in his hand, still stained with the fish’s blood:
“Yes, it’s a corpse.”
“…Cor, corpse…” The staff member swallowed hard.
The curious eyes outside the glass gave him courage.
He approached the opening and turned on the diving suit’s searchlight.
Startled, MuMu quickly retreated from the hole, and the staff member entered, seeing clearly what it had been holding—
“Professor, you’re right, it really is a corpse!”
Professor Yin’s conjecture was confirmed. His finger hovered over the net control, ready to capture the “Jiao Ren” that had revealed its true nature.
In a corner of the artificial rock that he hadn’t noticed, an injured fish, startled by the searchlight, darted away…
“It’s the ‘corpse’ of a water ball!”
The staff member held the deflated water ball: “I’ll show everyone.”
And so, everyone in the viewing area got a 360-degree view of the completely destroyed water ball, or rather, the water ball’s skin.
Professor Yin was shocked, his brow furrowed: “How could…”
“How could it be broken!?”
In the viewing area, Qi Xuan clutched his head and shouted: “Impossible! The material of the water ball was carefully selected!”
The others exchanged knowing glances, whispering behind their hands:
“Sigh, the toy’s quality is clearly subpar, and he still won’t admit it.”
“Yeah, the evidence is right there. The mermaid only played with it for a while, and it broke. A mermaid’s nails can’t even scratch seaweed…”
“I just hope the liquid inside the water ball isn’t harmful.”
“It’s safer to choose Wen Corporation’s mermaid products after all. Good thing I didn’t place an order.”
Qi Xuan almost yelled in explanation: “No, the water ball’s quality is really…”
MuMu could attest that the water ball’s quality was quite good.
When it couldn’t control its transformation into its hunting form, instinct had driven it to flick its tail, sending the poor injured fish flying into a hole in the artificial rock.
MuMu had followed the “prey” into the hole, its transformation hidden within…
The fish lay stunned in the hole, and MuMu, with its enhanced vision, could clearly see its location even in the darkness.
As its claws reached out, the water ball in its hand was swept away by a current and smacked against its face…
Punctured by its claws, the water ball had leaked its filling, leaving only the pliable skin.
It covered MuMu’s face perfectly.
Underwater, MuMu’s gills absorbed oxygen, and its nose was responsible for smell.
Thanks to the water ball, its sense of smell was sealed off.
Its blood-triggered predatory instincts gradually subsided, and MuMu returned to its normal mermaid form…
It continued to cover its nose with the water ball skin, observing the stunned fish—
The fish’s wound had stopped bleeding.
MuMu tilted its head, hesitated, and carefully carried the fish out of the hole.
Can’t eat it!
If anyone found the fish bones, wouldn’t it be accused of eating a “colleague”?
The aquarium’s circulation system constantly purified the water, and the scent of blood gradually faded.
MuMu removed the water ball skin, frowning slightly:
“The toy is broken, what am I supposed to interact with…”
It tried blowing air into the water ball and pinching the hole closed.
The more it tried to fix it, the worse it got.
A beam of light interrupted MuMu’s futile efforts.
It quickly retreated from the hole and saw a human enter, retrieve the broken water ball, and display it outside the glass as if it were a treasure.
MuMu: ?
“Awoo?” Perhaps breaking the toy also earns points?
Qi Xuan outside the glass frantically explained, his voice loud enough for MuMu to hear:
“The quality of Qi Corporation’s toy water balls is absolutely guaranteed! It was just punctured by the artificial rock, or perhaps… someone deliberately sabotaged it!”
Worry clouded MuMu’s mind. It swam to Wen Ming and blew a string of bubbles:
“Gurgle…” Will they make Master pay for it?
Their family’s finances couldn’t handle any more trouble.
Wen Ming scanned MuMu up and down. The mermaid’s momentary transformation had seemed like an illusion…
His gaze finally settled on MuMu’s eyes—
Eyes that trusted him completely.
“It was them…” Qi Xuan suddenly pointed at Wen Ming and MuMu, who were looking at each other. “The water ball threatened Wen Corporation’s position, so he manipulated that mermaid to frame me!”
The viewing area fell silent…
Wen Ming didn’t respond.
The person closest to him whispered: “Admiral Wen… someone is talking to you.”
Wen Ming finally reacted, turning his head to look.
“…” Qi Xuan instantly regretted it.
Last time, he had merely commented on a mermaid’s ugliness and almost had his jawbone crushed by Wen Ming.
Provoking the former ruler of the battlefield never ended well.
“Well, what I meant was…” Qi Xuan backpedaled. “Although we’re competitors, our methods shouldn’t be so underhanded.”
“My mermaid has been looking forward to this competition.”
Wen Ming’s tone was light, but it made everyone around him hold their breath:
“Whatever your issue is, don’t disturb the competition.”
“Why are you bringing up your mermaid at a time like this?” Qi Xuan retorted. “My matters are much more important than a mermaid’s!”
Wen Ming finally looked at him.
Qi Xuan only saw “confusion” in those eyes.
As if asking: How could you possibly have anything more important than my mermaid?
The proud peacock, deeply offended, flew into a rage: “If I find evidence, I’ll sue you in interstellar court!”
Faint energy particles, like a giant beast, filled the air, looking down on everyone.
Qi Xuan, his neck stiff, felt a chill down his spine. After his outburst, he turned and fled the viewing area…
MuMu, who had only heard that last sentence: !?
Taking a mermaid to interstellar court just for puncturing a toy?
“Attention, mermaid owners.”
The announcer broke the tension: “We regret to inform you that a thunderstorm is approaching. To avoid the airship being affected by the heavy rain, please take your mermaids home as soon as possible.
The Mermaid Competition has been prematurely concluded.”
Nets entered the aquarium, retrieving the mermaids one by one.
The mermaids, unable to resist, were transported to a pool at the top of the aquarium, waiting for their owners to pick them up.
MuMu also pretended to be unable to resist, willingly entering the net.
The startled mermaids fluttered about: “The legged ones are playing tricks on us! We’re being taken out without even being fed!”
“Don’t worry.” MuMu, the only one who understood the announcement, explained. “We’ll be taken home soon and fed.”
The mermaids calmed down, waiting by the edge of the pool.
“Huh? The mermaids are so well-behaved today?” The staff member said in surprise.
He took off his diving suit and looked around:
Where’s Professor Yin?
The doors opened and closed as mermaid owners arrived at the top floor, retrieving their mermaids in cages.
The number of mermaids around MuMu gradually decreased.
“He still hasn’t come…”
The longer the wait, the more uneasy MuMu felt, its tail unconsciously swishing in the water.
“You were the one who told us not to worry.” Hua Hua swam over. “What are you worried about?”
“…What if he doesn’t come to pick me up and leaves me here?”
Hua Hua only understood half of what it said: “Leaves you here?”
MuMu anxiously scratched at the pool wall, its speech quickening:
“My soothing ability is weak, food and everything else costs star coins, and this mermaid competition ended early, no prize money…”
Hua Hua’s eyes widened: “You, you, you’re not worried about being abandoned, are you?”
MuMu pursed its lips, sinking half its face into the water.
Hua Hua shook its shoulders forcefully: “Is your head broken? Why would you worry about that?”
It snorted: “My little brother has to pay protection money every day, how dare he abandon me?”
“But, I’ve been abandoned.”
MuMu gently pinched Hua Hua’s bewildered face and added: “More than once.”
“Hua Hua—”
A girl ran towards them, pushing a mermaid cage.
“They’ve come to pick you up.” MuMu recognized Xiao Jun and his daughter.
Hua Hua slapped the water hard with both hands, splashing the little girl:
“Awoo!” Little brother, how dare you make me go hungry!?
“Alright, alright~” Xiao Yue wiped the water from her face with a smile, took out a snack, and offered it with both hands ceremoniously. “Let’s go home, Hua Hua!”
“Hmph!” That’s more like it. The protection money was a little late today, don’t let it happen again!
Hua Hua munched on the dried fish, flicked its tail, and jumped into the cage.
“Hua Hua is such a good mermaid!”
“Yes.” Xiao Jun echoed his daughter, fastening the cage latch.
“Woo hoo…” The blue mermaid half-crawled onto the platform, reaching out to grab Xiao Jun’s pants.
“MuMu?” Xiao Jun noticed. “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not your master.”
MuMu’s whines grew louder.
The staff member hurried over, pushing it back into the pool with a tool and scolding: “No grabbing people!”
“It’s okay, we know this mermaid.” Xiao Jun said.
Xiao Yue nodded repeatedly: “Yes! Don’t scold it, it’s just saying hello, right, MuMu?”
MuMu closed its mouth and tucked its hands into the water, hiding all potentially harmful parts of its body.
“MuMu is a good mermaid too!” Xiao Yue suggested. “Daddy, let’s take MuMu home with us!”
“No, it’s Uncle Wen Ming’s mermaid.”
Hearing the name “Wen Ming,” MuMu started whining again, staring at Xiao Jun expectantly.
Xiao Jun couldn’t help but explain: “Wen Ming’s mental seascape becomes unstable during thunderstorms. He’s probably injecting a soothing agent. He’ll be here soon.”
“I see.” The staff member thought he was talking to him. “I’ll stay with it until its master arrives.”
Xiao Jun scratched his head: “…Then we’ll trouble you. We’ll be going now.”
Xiao Yue waved at the mermaid: “MuMu, goodbye!”
MuMu watched them leave, resting its chin on its crossed arms at the edge of the pool.
Will Master come through that door too…?
Soon, MuMu was the only mermaid left in the pool.
The staff member glanced at the weather outside: “This thunderstorm came on so suddenly. Lightning can disrupt energy fields, and those with unstable mental seascapes might experience agitation today.
However, your master’s situation is far more complex than mere agitation.”
He turned to MuMu, rubbing his arms: “I heard your master almost had a mental seascape collapse on the battlefield. Tsk, thunderstorms are his nemesis…”
Before he could finish, the mermaid suddenly tensed.
MuMu stared intently at the door. If it had antennae, they would be vibrating violently.
Mermaids are very sensitive to energy.
Just like when Wen Ming approached a mermaid, it would struggle and dodge, sensing his terrifying mental seascape.
Now, MuMu could sense a turbulent energy from afar…
That energy surged erratically, completely different from Wen Ming’s usual quiet energy.
But MuMu could recognize it—it was Master!
Master, in dire need of soothing!
“Whimper!”
The blue mermaid’s whines became sharp as it anxiously scratched at the pool wall.
The staff member covered his ears in discomfort: “Quiet!”
The usually docile mermaid flared the fins on its elbows and crawled onto the edge of the pool…
“Get back!” The staff member quickly grabbed a pole, pressing one end against the mermaid’s shoulder. “Get back in the water!”
The mermaid continued to crawl forward, opening its mouth wide and crying out “awoo, woo, woo.”
The staff member tightened his grip on the pole and pushed hard—
“Crack!”
What happened in that second played out in slow motion in the staff member’s mind.
Just as he applied force, a hand reached out from behind him and grabbed the pole.
There was a freshly bandaged injection site on the arm.
Instantly, the staff member felt like he wasn’t pushing a mermaid, but a mountain.
The hand on the pole tightened, its knuckles prominent, and with a “crack,” the pole snapped…
This pole was a veteran of the Mermaid Center.
The end that touched the mermaids was covered in sponge, ensuring it wouldn’t hurt them while effectively controlling them.
And today, a four-finger-thick wooden pole had been easily broken with one hand.
The staff member’s grip loosened, his breath hitching as he looked at the broken tool:
Such terrifying strength…
“What are you doing to my mermaid?” The voice was icy cold.
The staff member stiffly looked at the newcomer, belatedly sensing the storm-like energy in the air.
It was clear that something was wrong with Wen Ming’s mental seascape.
He had snapped the wooden pole with his bare hands while in a “critical” state…
“I, I was just trying to get the mermaid back into the pool.”
The staff member’s uniform clung to his back with cold sweat: “The end of the pole has sponge, it definitely wouldn’t hurt your mermaid! I swear!”
He saw no wavering in Wen Ming’s dark eyes.
“No, no…” His survival instincts kicked in, and he threw the broken pole away, changing his words. “I swear I won’t touch your mermaid again!”
“Splash—”
MuMu shook its head, splashing water on their legs.
Wen Ming finally looked away.
The staff member, seizing the opportunity to breathe, pushed a mermaid cage forward: “Please put the mermaid in…”
But Wen Ming had already bent down and picked up the mermaid. His expensive, handmade suit was soaked, but he didn’t even frown.
“…” The staff member wisely pulled the mermaid cage behind him.
As soon as MuMu touched Wen Ming, it activated its soothing ability.
The usually unobstructed pathways of his mental seascape were filled with turbulent energy particles, making it impossible to see anything.
MuMu pushed forward blindly, finally reaching the depths of his mental seascape…
“Come out.” Wen Ming pulled its arm, bringing it back to reality. “Don’t soothe.”
A low-grade mermaid couldn’t withstand a turbulent mental seascape.
MuMu wrenched its hand free, hugged Wen Ming tightly, and entered the mental seascape pathways again:
“Awoo!” Too much energy leakage, what if the mental seascape tree withers! I have to soothe!
MuMu, pampered by Wen Ming, had become quite the domesticated mermaid.
Like Hua Hua puffing out its chest and demanding “protection money,” and Xiao Jun’s daughter obediently offering food, playing along;
MuMu believed that if it insisted on soothing, Wen Ming would also cooperate…
‘Where is this energy coming from? The surrounding energy particles have materialized, what’s going on? Is the Zerg attacking?’
‘The Admiral’s eyes are as red as a wild beast…’
‘Everyone, get into your mechs, the Admiral’s mental seascape is about to collapse!’
‘Heavens, quickly find a high-grade mermaid to soothe him!’
‘No, a mermaid will be crippled if it touches a collapsing mental seascape, best case scenario dementia, worst case death…’
“Splash!”
Wen Ming forcefully pulled the mermaid off him and threw it into the pool.
MuMu, caught off guard, was dazed by the impact.
It had never been treated like this by Wen Ming. It surfaced and cried out in distress:
“Awoo, awoo!” It’s not my fault we didn’t win the prize money! The organizers canceled the competition!
Wen Ming’s eyes were bloodshot, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead, as if he was enduring immense pain.
He grabbed the mermaid cage from behind the staff member and opened the door:
“MuMu, get in.”
MuMu turned its head and looked away: “Hmph.”
No!
The staff member watched their standoff, his eyelids twitching:
Am I seeing things? A human is arguing with a mermaid?
