The Top-Tier Alpha Is Lured and Captured by a Green Tea Merman - Chapter 29

After he finished speaking, Song Yan was called away by the director of the research institute.

Watching him leave, Chen Ci muttered, “Commander Pei, whatever you do, don’t go looking for him. He isn’t a good person. If there’s anything you want to know, you’re better off asking me; I certainly don’t know any less than he does.”

Glancing at Song Yan’s lean back, Pei Yan turned his head to ask, “Why do you say that?”

As if thinking of something terrifying, Chen Ci choked for a moment and leaned into Pei Yan’s ear, lowering his voice.

“That man is cold-blooded and perverted. I worked with him for a period during our residency. He was obsessed with live research—he loved the way animals struggled under his hands when he cut them open… especially when warm blood splattered onto his face; he could actually laugh. The excitement flickering in his eyes was no act. Fortunately, he was promoted later; otherwise, I’d be living in fear every day that he’d stab me and turn me into a research subject just because he was in a bad mood…”

“Holy crap, is he even a normal human being?” He Bai exclaimed, startled. “There must be something wrong with his psyche.”

Chen Ci nodded in agreement and looked at Pei Yan. “So, Commander Pei, you must never get close to him.”

Pei Yan remained silent for a moment. Hearing this, it seemed Chen Ci had not participated in the mermaid research. It appeared he would still have to start his investigation with Song Yan.

Following the main group, Pei Yan entered the Imperial Military Headquarters for a tour, but it was all very brief. The Alliance leaders were primarily interested in seeing the new medicine developed by the research institute.

The Imperial side, naturally knowing they had ulterior motives, did not dampen their spirits and straightforwardly led them into the institute.

The director brought out the medicine. From its appearance, it was just a small bottle of pale red liquid, but Pei Yan knew it had been developed atop the corpses of countless merfolk.

At some point, Song Yan came to his side and said with an ambiguous tone, “Commander Pei, do you want to know what this medicine is made of?”

Pei Yan lifted his gaze. “If I ask now, will you tell me?”

As if he had discovered something incredibly interesting, Song Yan grinned. His eyes flickered with madness as he stared intently at Pei Yan, leaning his upper body forward slightly. “Not now, but I would welcome it in private.”

Pei Yan: “…”

This man truly had a problem with his head.

Being ignored didn’t anger Song Yan; instead, he picked up a scalpel from a nearby table.

He Bai was startled and gave a quick tug, pulling Pei Yan to his side to get him away from the freak.

Chen Ci, meanwhile, shielded Pei Yan, staring wide-eyed. “What are you doing?”

Song Yan glanced at them, scoffed, and gripped the blade tightly, slicing it across his palm. Blood immediately welled up and dripped to the floor, forming a crimson line. It looked as though he hadn’t held back at all.

Everyone was shocked by his actions, and even the director couldn’t understand his behavior. “Song Yan, what are you doing?!”

Song Yan didn’t reply. Instead, he snatched the medicine from the director’s hand, popped the cap, and downed it in one gulp.

When he finished, he casually tossed the bottle onto the ground, and glass shards shattered everywhere.

“Song Yan!” the director shouted, incensed and confused.

Song Yan’s expression remained indifferent. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from his palm, then flipped his hand over to show everyone. His palm showed no trace of any wound whatsoever.

Everyone present was stunned. They hadn’t expected the medicine’s effect to be so potent—it was practically instantaneous.

If this medicine could be mass-produced for the battlefield, there would never be any more casualties during combat!

It was as if it had been tailor-made for military use.

The Alliance leaders immediately wanted to discuss cooperation with the institute, and Pei Yan had no chance to intervene.

Fortunately, the institute stated that the cost of the medicine was too high and the production process too complex to achieve mass production at the moment…

After the exchange ended, the sky had grown dark.

Ignoring the crowd of leaders who hadn’t yet dispersed, Song Yan simply took off his white coat and left the scene.

His superior’s face had turned the color of pig liver. He had thought that no matter how ignorant Song Yan was, he would at least know not to humiliate him in front of so many people. He hadn’t expected this…

Luckily, no one teased him about the incident, and after some brief pleasantries, everyone left.

Pei Yan took the opportunity to slip away while He Bai wasn’t looking. Chen Ci had originally wanted to invite Pei Yan to dinner for a reunion, but in the blink of an eye, he was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t help saying, “He sure slips away fast.”

Following the faint pheromones left in the air, Pei Yan searched everywhere, but after circling back and forth, he still couldn’t find the man.

“Commander Pei, you really did come.”

Suddenly, a voice containing a hint of a smile came from behind him.

Pei Yan’s eyes widened slightly; he hadn’t heard a single sound!

He immediately turned around, putting distance between himself and Song Yan.

Noticing his wariness, the corner of Song Yan’s mouth quirked. He got straight to the point: “Commander Pei, you must have seen the secret rooms in the research institute, right?”

Pei Yan’s eyes sharpened. “How do you know that?”

“You don’t need to worry about how I know,” Song Yan said calmly. “If you want, I can even help you expose this whole thing.”

Pei Yan furrowed his brows. “Exactly what are you trying to do?!”

“I’m not trying to do anything. The medicine has already been developed by me anyway; I don’t care about what happens next.” Song Yan spread his hands, his eyes filled with excitement as he looked at Pei Yan. “However, right now, I am very interested in… Commander Pei’s body.”

Thinking he was talking about the unique Enigma scent on him, Pei Yan took a half-step back. “I am just an ordinary Alpha.”

“No, no, no.” He extended his index finger and wagged it solemnly. “You aren’t ordinary. Your body is undergoing a transformation; it’s very suitable for research.”

“Transformation?” Pei Yan froze for a moment. “What do you mean?”

Upon hearing this, Song Yan stood dazed for a few seconds, his eyes wide as if in disbelief. Then, he suddenly clutched his stomach and burst into loud laughter.

“So you didn’t know? How pitiful.”

Song Yan wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and clicked his tongue, leaning toward Pei Yan to sniff him. “The scent of a merman on your body is very strong.”

“I might have picked it up in the research institute,” Pei Yan said, moving his body away inconspicuously.

Of course, it was also possible that it had seeped in while he was fooling around with Xie Yu last night.

“It’s not that,” Song Yan shook his head. “It’s a scent emanating from your own body. When I first met you, I almost thought you were a merman.”

“But I only realized today that you are transforming—transforming from a human into a merman. Because the scent on you is somewhere between the two, it smells wonderful…”

As he spoke, he took a deep breath, looking ecstatic.

Pei Yan’s heart skipped a beat, but he still chose to believe in Xie Yu. He said coldly, “Nonsense!”

“You can choose not to believe me, but you are currently transforming and need the comfort of a merman. You might as well observe the person beside you; he can’t leave you now.”

Pei Yan: “…”

“Do you want to make a deal with me?” Song Yan tempted him.

“What kind of deal?”

“I’ll help you expose the Royal Family, and you let me conduct research. Of course, I’ll be a bit gentler; I won’t treat you like I do those other animals.”

Pei Yan pursed his lips. “How can I trust you?”

“Tomorrow, every major platform in the Empire will publish this story.”

“!!!”

“When that time comes, I hope Commander Pei can take the initiative to find me.”

He handed Pei Yan a business card with an address written on it. “Just come here.”

Pei Yan hesitated for a moment, then took it and tucked it into his pocket.

Song Yan smiled. “Then I shall ask Commander Pei to wait quietly for tomorrow.”

“Fine.”

With that, the two parted ways. Pei Yan drove home, thinking back on Song Yan’s words the entire way.

He didn’t believe he was turning into a merman, nor did he believe Xie Yu would do that to him. Xie Yu had no reason to force him to become a merman.

But Song Yan had spoken with such certainty that Pei Yan’s resolve wavered for a moment.

The next second, he slammed his hand against the steering wheel. Rather than sitting here doubting everything, it was better to just ask Xie Yu directly to settle things, lest a gap be created between them because of a stranger.

When he arrived home, Xie Yu greeted him warmly, hugging him like a puppy. “Brother, you’re back.”

Pei Yan patted his head. “I have something to ask you.”

Xie Yu didn’t let go of the hug. “What is it?”

“…”

Pei Yan pursed his lips and pulled at his hand. “Come to the study with me.”

Xie Yu didn’t understand why, but he obediently followed him upstairs.

The study door closed with a click. Xie Yu turned on the light and asked curiously, “What did Brother want to talk to me about?”

Pei Yan turned around, looked into Xie Yu’s eyes, and said syllable by syllable, “I am asking you, is my body… transforming?”

Hearing this, Xie Yu froze. “Who told Brother that?”

“Never mind that. I am asking you, is it?”

Xie Yu quietly met Pei Yan’s gaze. After a long silence, he said, “Yes.”

Pei Yan’s heart shuddered. He couldn’t help but retreat several steps, then rushed forward to grab Xie Yu by the collar. His eyes were bloodshot as he gritted his teeth and hissed, “Why? Why are you transforming me into a merman?!”

Xie Yu opened his mouth, the words reaching his lips before he swallowed them back down. He simply said, “Because I want to turn Brother into the same species as me, so you can return to the deep sea with me and we can be together forever.”

“But we are fine just as we are now!”

Pei Yan didn’t understand why Xie Yu insisted on turning him into a merman. He had his own life, his own family, and friends. He could never abandon everything for the sake of one person.

He would never engage in such a self-destructive act.

Xie Yu reached out to caress Pei Yan’s cheek, a strange light flickering in his eyes as he revealed his endless possessiveness for the first time. “It’s not enough. It’s far from enough. I want Brother to have an eternal lifespan like mine and stay with me forever!”

“You’re insane!!” Pei Yan roared. “I have my family and friends! How could I possibly throw all that away just to be with you?!”

“If the price of being with you is this, then we might as well break up!!”

As soon as those words were spoken, Xie Yu’s eyes instantly became bone-chillingly cold. The temperature in the study plummeted, and the slightly warm air dropped below freezing in an instant.

He grabbed the back of Pei Yan’s neck and forced him closer, his tone laced with danger. “Brother, don’t think about escaping me. You can only stay by my side.”

“Im-pos-si-ble!”

Pei Yan’s attitude was resolute.

He could not accept turning into another species, having a tail and scales like a merman. Even if he gained eternity, so what? Living out his own ordinary life was enough for him.

No one could arbitrarily strip him of his rights as a human being. It wasn’t about discrimination; he simply couldn’t accept it. To him, it felt like a violation of the natural order of humanity.

He could not accept it!

Xie Yu also refused to yield an inch. “Brother, you belong to me alone.”

Pei Yan was furious, shoving him toward the door. “Get out of this house! I don’t want to see you again!”