The Little Mermaid Fell for the Jiaoren 4

Chapter 4: Feeding

One stalk, two stalks, three stalks…

Deng Xi was huffing and puffing as he pulled up the grass.

With every stalk of red medicinal grass he plucked, he would sneak a glance at the silver-tail, who was still tied up.

The silver-tail had his eyes closed, lying quietly as if he posed no threat at all. But that ferocious glare from earlier still left Deng Xi a little scared.

So he really is a mute.

No wonder he’s so badly injured.

The ocean was extremely dangerous. Without some unique skill, a weak merman couldn’t survive in the deep sea. Thus, the ocean had blessed the merman species with a heavenly singing voice.

They had a natural affinity for living creatures, and the enchanting sound of their casual singing also had the ability to heal and soothe.

It sounded impressive, but in practice, it was rather useless.

For example, when Deng Xi encountered large predatory sea creatures, he would sing to make them lose their appetite for him while he fled at top speed.

But the little mute couldn’t sing. If he encountered other big fish, he would probably be bullied pitifully before he could escape. The wounds on his body were likely from situations like that.

Deng Xi pursed his lips and pulled up the grass with even more vigor.

Ten stalks, eleven stalks, twelve stalks…

Deng Xi had nearly stripped bare the red medicinal grass around this patch of red coral. He was hungry and tired, so he stopped to rest for a moment, panting as he once again snuck a glance at the silver-tail.

Si Jisheng’s posture hadn’t even changed, as if he wasn’t concerned at all about being tied up or what Deng Xi was doing.

Deng Xi took a breath and hesitantly swam over to the silver-tail with a pile of red medicinal grass, no longer maintaining a safe distance.

After placing them on the ground, he took out a handful and began to wring them out over the silver-tail. The red juice was squeezed out, dissolving into the seawater like a pale pink sea mist.

By the time Deng Xi picked up the third handful of red medicinal grass, the pale pink “sea mist” finally drifted onto the silver-tail’s wounds.

The searing pain was instantly diminished. Almost all the wounds on his body were covered, and he even felt much more energetic, his exhaustion lessened.

After Deng Xi finished wringing the third handful and removed his hand, he met Si Jisheng’s open eyes. Because his anger had subsided, his silver eyes were no longer the slitted pupils that could instantly multiply his attack power.

Although Deng Xi was scared, his fingertips only trembled slightly.

He met Si Jisheng’s gaze for a moment, his gills fluttering faster and faster. His voice was so small it was almost inaudible. “I’m sorry.”

Si Jisheng’s eyelids twitched very lightly. His gaze remained cold, his expression blank.

Deng Xi’s face turned red after he spoke. He avoided the silver-tail’s gaze and continued to wring the medicinal grass.

He picked it up, then put it down.

He picked it up, and put it down again.

Deng Xi rubbed his cheeks, wondering why he felt so hot. His voice grew a little louder. “I was just angry. Consider this medicinal grass my compensation.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were…”

After hemming and hawing for a long time, Deng Xi couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.

In the perilous ocean, filled with countless secrets and dangers, the weak and powerless mermen survived by relying on their singing voices.

Earlier, in order to break free from the silver-tail’s grasp, Deng Xi had also used his voice to bewitch him, although the silver-tail had seen through it in the end.

Upon learning that his kinsman was a mute, Deng Xi was genuinely stunned. He couldn’t imagine how a merman who lacked a singing voice could survive.

Every time Deng Xi stole a glance at the wounds on the silver-tail’s body, he felt more and more that the silver-tail was extremely pitiful, to the point that he wasn’t as afraid of him anymore.

His kinsman must have been bullied many times to have grown accustomed to enduring pain without a single cry. It must also be because of this that he was on guard at all times, his combat strength far greater than that of Deng Xi, who had survived peacefully until now by relying on his merman abilities.

The little mute is so pitiful.

Under Si Jisheng’s merciless gaze, Deng Xi quickly finished wringing out the medicinal grass and retreated to a safe distance.

The little mute is also so fierce.

Then, to Deng Xi’s astonishment, Si Jisheng propped himself up and tore off the red medicinal grass that had seemed so securely tied.

How could he really just sit there and wait for death?

Deng Xi instantly flicked his tail fin and retreated even further. “I-I already apologized!”

The wounds on his body had stopped bleeding thanks to the medicinal grass, but it would still take some time for them to heal. Si Jisheng glanced at Deng Xi and swam toward the blue-tailed Jiaoren.

Deng Xi was terrified. “I didn’t want to tie you up either! It was you who choked me.”

Even with several broken bones in his tail, Si Jisheng still swam much faster than Deng Xi.

As the distance between them closed, Deng Xi gave up struggling and closed his eyes, holding out his hands in a gesture of refusal. “I was the one who carried you here, and I was the one who treated your injuries!”

“D-don’t come any closer!”

With a soft “pop.”

Something was sucking on Deng Xi’s palm.

Deng Xi cautiously opened his eyes.

It was a small red fish.

His blue eyes widened completely.

Si Jisheng had placed a small red fish in Deng Xi’s palm. The little fish was sucking on Deng Xi’s palm, its tail wagging happily, and the bubbles it blew were popped one after another.

Deng Xi’s eyes shone brightly. “Is this for me?”

Si Jisheng gave a slight nod.

The fish’s color was similar to the red coral, and it had been hidden very well. Deng Xi would have never been able to find it on his own.

Did he catch it the moment I closed my eyes? In the red coral? But I didn’t see any fish when I was pulling up the grass just now.

So amazing!

Deng Xi was already starving. He lifted the fish by its tail and took a big “chomp” on its body. Although the fish was small, Deng Xi’s mouth was even smaller.

When he bit into the fish’s body, the little fish was still thrashing its tail wildly in pain. Deng Xi bit down hard, and after a final two struggles, the little fish went still.

The surrounding seawater was stained red with the fish’s blood, and a faint metallic scent filled his nostrils. It was a cruel and bloody scene, yet it was also incredibly innocent.

The blue-tailed Jiaoren was clearly very skilled at this cruel and bloody way of eating. His nonchalant expression was enough to show Si Jisheng that he considered this normal.

The silver-tail’s brow furrowed even deeper. He took a long look at Deng Xi, at this blue-tailed Jiaoren who had grown up alone on a backward, fringe planet and had become like a savage who ate his food raw.

A merman’s teeth were not sharp. They were blunt and flat. Deng Xi chomped down a few times, trying to wolf it down, but he couldn’t even bite off a single piece of fish meat. While he was struggling, the fish meat, which had been chewed into a soft pulp in his mouth, was forcibly pulled out.

Deng Xi’s eyes were blank. In his slightly open mouth, one could still see his small canine teeth stained with blood.

The silver-tail used his sharp fingertips to easily slice open the fish’s thick, fatty belly, peeling out the edible meat and casually placing it by Deng Xi’s mouth.

Deng Xi blinked in confusion and tentatively took a bite. The silver-tail then pulled his hand back slightly. After Deng Xi bit into empty air, he placed the fish meat by Deng Xi’s mouth again.

After this happened several times, Deng Xi, who had missed every time, looked at the silver-tail angrily and met a pair of deep, silver eyes.

Suddenly, he seemed to understand the silver-tail’s meaning.

Si Jisheng was teaching Deng Xi.

You must eat slowly, not so fast.

Deng Xi tentatively took a small bite. Sure enough, the silver-tail didn’t pull his hand away this time. One small bite after another, until the entire fish was in his stomach, Deng Xi had transformed into a refined and elegant little merman.

After Deng Xi finished eating, the silver-tail turned and swam away without hesitation. Deng Xi subconsciously followed him. “Where are you going?”

Si Jisheng didn’t look back. His fan-shaped tail fin, twice the size of Deng Xi’s, allowed him to swim faster than Deng Xi even with an injured tail.

Deng Xi had to use all his strength to keep up with the silver-tail. “Don’t run, wait!”

“Pay attention to me!”

Si Jisheng suddenly stopped swimming and glanced sideways at the panting Deng Xi, his cold gaze filled with a warning.

Even without a sound, Deng Xi could understand the silver-tail’s meaning. He was saying, the deal is over.

Deng Xi opened his mouth, feeling a little lost and helpless.

But the silver-tail wasn’t wrong. The deal was over. They had no connection anymore. Why was he still pestering him?

The silver-tail started swimming again. This time, Deng Xi didn’t follow. He muttered to himself, What kind of trash kinsman is he? Running around when he’s so badly injured. He probably didn’t receive the inherited memories, otherwise he wouldn’t have needed me to take him to find the red medicinal grass.

Deng Xi’s little face scrunched up.

In this part of the sea, only that patch of red coral had red medicinal grass. Would he be able to find his way back after running off?

Besides, what if he encountered a large fish along the way? The little mute couldn’t sing, and with his body so injured, he wouldn’t even be able to escape!

Deng Xi shook his head. Wait, why am I so worried? The silver-tail wishes I would disappear immediately.

Whether he lives or dies, what does it have to do with me?

I don’t like the silver-tail’s big tail anymore!

Deng Xi turned around in a huff, then glanced back one more time.

Wait… isn’t that direction the great white shark’s territory?

Hmph!

I’m not going to save him!

Deng Xi didn’t swim far on his way back before he licked his lips. The tiny bit of fish blood remaining was licked into his mouth, sweet and fragrant with a hint of the sea.

He stopped and hesitated for a good while before chasing after the silver-tail in the direction he had left.

The silver-tail swam very fast, and Deng Xi wasn’t sure if he could catch up. As he swam, Deng Xi found himself back at the reef where he had found the little mute.

Beneath the surface of the sea, something was flashing in the dark. Mermen were naturally drawn to shiny things. Deng Xi swam closer irresistibly and picked up the small, glowing object.

It was a ring-shaped piece of metal. A small light in the upper left corner was flashing. Deng Xi fiddled with it curiously for a while, and without knowing what he had touched, a blue screen that he could see but not touch suddenly appeared in front of him.

And on the other side, in the Imperial Capital Star.

The military had finally made contact with the Marshal’s comm after he had gone missing.

Author’s Note:

Deng Xi: What is this?