The Little Mermaid and the Merman Hooked Up - Chapter 4

One, two, three…

Deng Xi was huffing and puffing as he plucked the grass. Every time he pulled a strand of red medicinal grass, he would steal a glance at the silver-tailed merman he still had tied up.

The silver merman lay quietly with his eyes closed, looking as though he posed no threat at all. However, that fierce look from before still left Deng Xi feeling a bit frightened.

So he really is a mute.

It was no wonder he had sustained such heavy injuries. The ocean was a very dangerous place. If a fragile mermaid didn’t have any unique skills, they wouldn’t survive in the deep sea. Thus, the ocean had blessed the mermaid race with voices like those of angels. They possessed a natural affinity for other biological creatures, and the enchanting tones of their singing had the power to heal and soothe.

It sounded impressive, but in reality, it was quite a clumsy skill. For example, when Deng Xi encountered a large predatory marine creature, he would usually sing to make them lose their appetite for him while he fled at top speed.

But the “little mute” couldn’t sing. If he ran into other big fish, he would probably be bullied piteously before he could escape. His injuries were likely sustained in exactly that manner.

Deng Xi pursed his lips and began plucking the grass with even more vigor.

Ten, eleven, twelve…

Deng Xi had almost plucked all the red medicinal grass near the red coral until the area was bald. Hungry and exhausted, he stopped to rest for a moment, panting as he stole another glance at the silver merman.

Si Jisheng’s posture hadn’t even changed, as if he didn’t care at all that he was tied up or what Deng Xi was doing.

Deng Xi took a breath and sluggishly swam over to the silver merman’s side with a pile of red medicinal grass, no longer maintaining a safe distance. He placed them on the seabed and took one bundle to squeeze over Si Jisheng’s body. The red medicinal juice was pressed out, merging with the seawater like a pale pink sea mist.

By the time Deng Xi picked up the third bundle of medicinal grass, the pale pink “sea mist” finally drifted onto Si Jisheng’s wounds. The stinging pain was instantly reduced, almost all the wounds on his body were covered, and his exhausted state even seemed much more refreshed.

When Deng Xi finished squeezing the third bundle and pulled his hand away, he met Si Jisheng’s open eyes. Since his anger had subsided, his silver eyes were no longer the vertical slits that could instantly multiply his aggression.

Although Deng Xi was afraid, he only felt a slight tremor in his fingertips. He locked eyes with Si Jisheng for a moment, his ear gills fanning faster and faster, his voice so small it was almost inaudible: “I’m sorry.”

Si Jisheng’s eyelids twitched slightly, but his gaze remained cold and expressionless.

Deng Xi’s face flushed after speaking. He avoided the silver merman’s gaze and continued squeezing the medicinal grass.

Pick it up, put it down. Pick it up, put it down again.

Deng Xi rubbed his cheeks, wondering why they felt so hot. His voice grew a bit louder: “I only said those things because I was angry. Think of these herbs as my compensation to you.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were…”

Deng Xi stammered for a long time but couldn’t finish the rest of his sentence.

In the dangerous sea, hidden with countless secrets and crises, the only thing a weak mermaid could rely on to survive was their voice. Previously, in order to escape from Si Jisheng’s hands, Deng Xi had used his voice to bewitch him, though he had ultimately been found out.

Upon learning that his kinsman was a mute, Deng Xi was truly stunned. He couldn’t imagine how a mermaid who lacked a voice was supposed to survive.

Every time Deng Xi caught a glimpse of the wounds on Si Jisheng’s body, he felt that the silver merman was more and more piteous, to the point where he wasn’t even that afraid of him anymore.

His kinsman must have been bullied many times to have become so accustomed to enduring pain without uttering a single cry. It must also be because of this that he was constantly on guard, his combat ability far stronger than Deng Xi’s, who had lived a stable life relying on his mermaid abilities.

The little mute is so pitiful.

Under Si Jisheng’s cold gaze, Deng Xi quickly finished squeezing the medicinal grass and beat a hasty retreat to a safe distance.

The little mute is also very mean.

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

How could he possibly sit still and wait for death?

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

The bleeding from the wounds on his body had stopped due to the medicinal grass, but it would still take quite a while for them to heal. Si Jisheng glanced at Deng Xi and swam toward the blue-tailed merman.

Deng Xi was terrified. “I didn’t want to tie you up either, but you were the one who choked me!”

Even with several broken bones in his tail, Si Jisheng still swam much faster than Deng Xi. As the distance closed, Deng Xi gave up on struggling and closed his eyes, reaching out his hands in a defensive gesture. “I was also the one who brought you here, and I was the one who treated your injuries!”

“D-Don’t come over!”

Pop—

Something was nibbling at Deng Xi’s palm.

Deng Xi opened his eyes cautiously. It was a small red fish. His blue eyes widened completely.

Si Jisheng placed the small red fish into Deng Xi’s palm. The little fish nibbled at his palm, its tail fin wagging happily, and the bubbles it exhaled were popped one by one.

Deng Xi’s eyes were incredibly bright. “Is this for me?”

Si Jisheng nodded slightly.

The color of this fish was very similar to the red coral, and it had been hidden deep within. By himself, Deng Xi would never have been able to find it.

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

So impressive!

Deng Xi was already starving. He grabbed the fish by its tail and took an “awoo” bite out of its body. Although the fish was small, Deng Xi’s mouth was even smaller.

When he bit into it, the small fish was still thrashing its tail wildly in pain. Deng Xi used some force with his teeth, and after two final struggles, the little fish went still.

The surrounding seawater was stained red with fish blood, and his nose was filled with a faint scent of blood—cruel and bloody, yet utterly innocent.

The blue-tailed merman was clearly very experienced with this savage way of eating, and his calm expression was enough for Si Jisheng to see that the other felt this was normal.

The silver merman’s brow furrowed deeper as he took a long look at Deng Xi, this blue-tailed merman who had grown up alone on a backward, fringe planet and had already become a blood-drinking savage.

A mermaid’s teeth were not sharp; they were blunt and flat. Deng Xi was wolfing down his food, but he couldn’t bite off a single piece of fish meat. Just as he was struggling, the soft fish meat he had bitten into was forcibly pulled out of his mouth.

Deng Xi’s gaze was dazed, and his blood-stained little canine teeth could be seen through his slightly open mouth.

The silver merman used his sharp fingertips to easily slit open the fatty belly of the fish, peeled out the edible meat, and casually placed it by Deng Xi’s mouth.

Deng Xi blinked in confusion, then took a tentative “awoo” bite. Si Jisheng pulled his hand back slightly. After Deng Xi bit into the air, the merman placed the fish meat by Deng Xi’s mouth once more.

After this happened several times, Deng Xi, who had missed every bite, looked at the silver merman in anger, only to lock eyes with a pair of deep silver pupils.

Suddenly, he seemed to understand the silver merman’s meaning. Si Jisheng was teaching Deng Xi. Eating should be done slowly; you can’t eat so fast.

Deng Xi took a small, tentative bite. Sure enough, the silver merman didn’t pull his hand away. Bite by small bite, until the entire fish was in his stomach, Deng Xi had transformed into a refined and elegant little mermaid.

Once Deng Xi finished eating, the silver merman turned and swam away without hesitation. Deng Xi instinctively followed. “Where are you going?”

Si Jisheng didn’t look back. His fan-shaped tail fin, which was 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 him. “Don’t run, wait!”

“Talk to me!”

Si Jisheng suddenly stopped swimming and looked sideways at the panting Deng Xi, his cold gaze containing a warning. Even without making a sound, Deng Xi could understand his meaning: The deal is over.

Deng Xi opened his mouth, feeling a bit lost and at a loss for what to do. But the silver merman wasn’t wrong. The deal was over, they had no connection anymore—why was he still pestering him?

The silver merman began swimming again, but this time Deng Xi didn’t follow. He muttered in his heart: What a lousy kinsman. He’s so badly injured yet he’s still running around. He probably hasn’t received the heritage, otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed me to take him to the red medicinal grass.

Deng Xi crumpled his little face. This area of the sea only had that one patch of red coral with red medicinal grass; would he be able to find his way back after running around?

Besides, if he ran into any large fish on the way—the little mute couldn’t sing, and his body was in such bad shape—he wouldn’t be able to escape!

Deng Xi shook his head. Wait, why am I so worried? The silver merman wished I would disappear immediately. Whether he lived or died had nothing to do with him. He didn’t like the silver merman’s big tail anymore!

Deng Xi turned around in a huff, then looked back once more.

Wait… that direction seemed to be the territory of the Great White Sharks.

Hmph!

I’m not saving him!

Deng Xi hadn’t swum back for very long before he licked his lips. The small amount of fish blood remaining was licked into his mouth, tasting fishy and sweet. He stopped and agonized for a long while before chasing after the direction the silver merman had left in.

The silver merman swam very fast, and Deng Xi wasn’t sure if he could catch up. As he swam, he returned to the reef where he had picked up the little mute.

Under the surface of the sea, something was flashing in the dark. Merfolk were naturally fond of shiny things. Deng Xi couldn’t resist swimming closer and picking up the little glowing object.

It was a ring-shaped piece of scrap metal with a small light flashing in the top left corner. Curiously, Deng Xi fiddled with it for a while. Not knowing what he had touched, a blue screen that was untouchable but visible suddenly appeared before him.

On the other side, at the Imperial Capital Star.

The military had finally made contact with the optical computer of the missing Marshal.