The Mermaid's Return - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Wake up.”

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was a sky full of stars.

Only after looking more closely did I realize I was in an undersea cave. Glowing deep-sea fish drifted all around me, creating the illusion of a starry sky.

I hadn’t drowned.

A protective membrane wrapped around me, allowing me to breathe.

Beside me, there was another human.

He looked to be in terrible shape. “You’re finally awake.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m the domestic guide for the Merman organization. Luxi.”

So he was one of the foreigners who had followed Old Man Zhang. He had an Asian face.

I tried to slow my breathing. “What exactly is going on?”

According to Luxi, they had experienced hallucinations similar to ours.

When they woke up, they were already in this undersea cave.

The mermen had imprisoned them here, studying the human body the way humans study animals.

They wanted to solve the mystery of what separated humans from them: legs.

“Humans are always so full of superiority, but in reality, what we understand is only the tip of the iceberg. How ironic.”

It seemed the mermen were far more intelligent than I had imagined.

A bad thought occurred to me. “How do they study humans?”

Luxi gave me a sidelong look. “Both men and women have to mate with them.”

Mate? Were they trying to alter genes through the most primitive method of reproduction?

“Then why are you still here?”

Luxi said, “I work with marine animal languages, so I can barely understand the mermen’s calls. I think that may be why they’ve kept me alive.”

“My companions all died after mating with them.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Black-Gold Merman who had abducted me swam into the cave.

Luxi lowered his voice. “From what I’ve observed, this merman is their leader. His name is Asuoya.”

Two other mermen followed behind Asuoya.

They were not as long as Asuoya, and their looks were a notch below his as well.

One of them headed straight for me.

I glanced at him. He was also in heat.

What was going on…

Did all mermen go into heat at the same time?

I couldn’t stop myself from backing away until my back hit hard stone. The merman floated in front of me, deliberately swaying his tail.

The scales covering his lower abdomen retracted, leaving what should have been hidden brazenly exposed.

Mermen seemed to have a vague concept of shame.

The male merman in front of me spread his arms and let out a low hum.

Luxi was still explaining. “This is how mermen court.”

I snapped in irritation, “Shut up!”

I had a small knife hidden behind my back. If it came to it, I would have no choice but to take them down with me.

“Bang!”

Asuoya gave a soft shout, and the merman who had been putting on that display was flung against the stone wall by a sound wave, his face twisting in pain.

Asuoya, meanwhile, stared at me with unhurried composure, as if my fear pleased him.

Another mermaid couldn’t resist moving closer to him, but he shoved her away roughly.

From beginning to end, his eyes never left me.

That look, like he was staring at prey, made my chest tighten.

Asuoya threw food to us, then turned and swam away.

The so-called food was seaweed, fish, shrimp, and crab.

All of it had been crushed into a paste.

Asuoya hadn’t done anything, but I was still inexplicably tense.

He was clearly in heat, yet he had rejected the mermaid’s advances.

What did he want?

Luxi grabbed the food with his hands and stuffed it into his mouth. “Eat. Staying alive matters most.”

When he saw that I still wasn’t eating, understanding dawned on him. “I know what you’re worried about.”

“You need to be careful of this lord. He’s set his sights on you.”

“Asuoya has a great deal of patience. He’s like a volcano waiting to erupt. When that moment truly comes, you won’t be able to withstand it.”

Luxi was right.

I frowned and forced the food into my mouth.

So if I wanted to survive, I had to escape before the volcano erupted.