The mermaid’s tail was soft and flexible, its scales shimmering gently.
Zong Lin kissed his transformed lover.
“Let’s go to the pool,” Shen Jie said.
As Zong Lin took too long, he hadn’t drunk much water, and his body was getting dehydrated.
Zong Lin carried him into the pool.
Merging consciousness and soothing wasn’t an easy task. Zong Lin’s consciousness was already chaotic and unstable. Even though it had calmed down somewhat, trying to melt his consciousness into water and soothe it as before was proving too difficult.
So, they could only resort to a simpler and easier method.
The structure of an alien’s body was different from that of an ordinary person, leaving Zong Lin feeling somewhat at a loss.
However, Shen Jie had always been a good guide.
Having lived for so long and seen so much, he understood many things to some extent.
Of course, what he understood the most was aliens.
He took Zong Lin’s hand and placed it on the special scales of his mermaid tail.
The reason they were special was that they were soft.
Even the hand that was accustomed to holding bone spears trembled when it brushed against the scales.
Shen Jie smiled faintly.
“Though it’s a bit different,” he said, “but, Lin Ge, you won’t despise me for it, will you?”
—-
The lights in the room had been turned off, leaving only darkness, with the moonlight silently seeping through the curtains.
The sound of water in the pool was like the ebb and flow of waves at the seaside.
The open-space design connected all parts of the room, providing a good view without obstruction.
The chubby bird woodcarving placed on the TV cabinet seemed as if its two bright red eyes were about to bleed.
Suddenly, it began to sway slightly, as if something was desperately trying to break free from inside.
However, the movement was so slight that it was almost imperceptible amidst the sound of the waves.
—-
The floor-to-ceiling glass window had shattered completely when Zong Lin forcefully entered earlier, allowing the gentle evening breeze to flow in.
Shen Jie was half-submerged in the cool water, his upper body exposed to the surface, tilting his head back to breathe. His damp, long hair cascaded along the edge of the pool, his face illuminated by the crescent moon and bustling starry sky.
He seemed to sense something, reaching out to grab it, but was gently pulled back by Zong Lin.
“Focus,” the other said.
The process of soothing consciousness wasn’t immediately effective.
Shen Jie still retained his mermaid form, although the scales on his arms had faded somewhat. Moonlight bathed his face, casting a faint blush.
Tiny diamond-like scales were embedded around his eyelids. He kept his eyes closed, unable to see the world clearly.
He could only feel.
Feeling, for any organism, is an indispensable ability.
But for Shen Jie, because he had felt too much, time had accumulated upon him like layers of dust, forming mountains, leaving everything seemingly trapped and numb.
Yet Zong Lin was the one capable of breaking through the dust, transmitting the most primal life force to him.
Blood flowed within, the heart beat fiercely, perception revived, and the world became vivid.
He reached out, embracing Zong Lin’s neck, resting his head against the man’s cheek, sensing that the man’s heart was beating in rhythm with his own because of him.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Lf fztjifv, jiibklcu abifgjcmf jcv qfgmfqalbc ab fzqjcv oegatfg.
What does the world of humans look like?
Tell me.
—-
Mgjuwfcar bo wfwbgs oibjafv lc atf qjijmf bo mbcrmlbercfrr.
Vfnfc sfjgr jub.
“Cylilas yjmxijrt, lcofmalbc njief abb tlut—Helmx! Helmx, jvwlclrafg tfwbrajalm jcv reqqgfrrjca jufcar! Vfcv tlw ab atf lrbijalbc mtjwyfg!”
Qtfc Ibcu Olc kbxf eq jujlc, atfgf kjr bcis atf yifjx ijybgjabgs iluta rtlclcu bc tlr ojmf jcv ybvs.
The infection value was critically high, and he knew he was running out of time.
The voice from the loudspeaker urged him to restrain himself, and his remaining consciousness also urged him to restrain himself.
Zong Lin had indeed long been accustomed to restraint.
He was orphaned, with no parents; the only person who cared for him like family fell into corruption when he was thirteen.
A green mist enveloped the entire orphanage, trapping over three thousand children and hundreds of volunteer caregivers inside, the smell of blood so strong it was as if hell had opened a portal to reality.
He emerged from hell, awakening his Rank Three ability, “Soul Devour.”
Afterward, he was admitted to a Ability Training Institute, where he learned how to control and use his abilities while coexisting with the screaming souls in his mind.
At sixteen, he joined a Cleaning Team, fighting in different mists.
For three hundred and sixty-five days a year, he spent over three hundred days outside battling, with only sixty days for rest and recovery.
Zong Lin didn’t reject this life; after all, someone had taught him long ago that the more power one gained, the heavier the responsibility they should bear.
Humanity needed heroes.
The city also needed powerful weapons to deter the aliens .
The offensive ability “Soul Devour” undergoes level evolution more easily than other sequences.
As a result, he grew faster than anyone imagined. It took him only three years to advance from Rank Three to Rank Two.
This came at the cost of undergoing several evolution experiments and devouring countless souls of creatures with the same level.
However, he would occasionally feel weary.
Just like this time.
Researchers in the laboratory came and went, trying to save him, yet inadvertently harming him in the process.
Because of the pain, sometimes he couldn’t control himself and ended up hurting others.
The strong smell of blood rushed into his nostrils, and the approaching transformation made him feel thirsty.
A premonition deep within told him that there was no need to persist any longer.
If he were to enter the nitrogen chamber at this moment, it would be better for everyone.
A calm and pleasing voice suddenly sounded through the speaker, breaking into his hazy consciousness.
“Please let me be your coordinator.”
“Mr. Zong, I promise, this will be the last time.”
The last time.
That phrase struck a chord within him.
Regardless, he had to give humanity one more chance, one last attempt.
It was his responsibility, an undeniable burden.
However, the incoming coordinator was excessively young, with an exceptionally outstanding face.
He frowned.
Too young.
He knew that the research institute had always shown favoritism towards ability users, arranging coordinators according to their preferences.
He didn’t have any preferences. But there were always people speculating about his preferences, wanting to use shortcuts to impose restrictions and manipulate him.
Therefore, he didn’t trust the young researcher who had come in at this moment.
Unexpectedly, the other party displayed skilled techniques in placing the suppressor on him, the hand holding the knife was extremely steady, and the movements to remove the bone armor were swift and decisive.
The suppressor was firmly fastened.
Electric current activated.
Was this the last attempt… was it successful?
The magnetic field constructed by the electromagnetic needle formed within the body, temporarily suppressing the fluctuations of the ability, then rebounding and erupting violently.
The light tubes shattered, the monitors fragmented.
The energy of the magnetic field was insufficient, and the suppressor ruptured.
“Get out of here!” he roared at the researcher.
The young researcher was thrown off by his uncontrollable power, crashing into the doorframe, blood spilling from his lips.
However, the laboratory door remained tightly sealed, with no signs of the heavy triple doors opening.
He realized what was happening and turned to look at the direction of the monitors.
The shattered monitors remained silent on the ceiling.
This place had become a true prison.
“It seems I won’t be able to leave for the time being.”
The researcher said.
The young researcher, barely propped against the door, shifted with his hand, gazing at him with those calm eyes. Unable to stand due to his injury, the scent of blood was strangely sweet.
His pupils dilated into points, and before he could react, he found himself standing in front of the other person.
“Mr. Zong, you seem like you want to eat me,” the researcher said, tilting his head slightly. “Okay, bite here. Gently, don’t break it.”
The other person seemed unaware of the danger, just making a joke.
That fair neck, however, had a strangely compelling allure to him.
There was something urging him deep within, coaxing him, tempting him. Though it was their first meeting, he yearned for this moment, as if he had been yearning for it for a long, long time.
He bit down.
—-
“Mr. Zong, although your infection levels are now relatively stable, there’s still a risk of losing control at any time.”
“You’ve seen all the suggestions we’ve given you. When not on a mission, the suppressor must be worn at all times at high intensity; remember to take the suppressant every day; go to the Gene Therapy Center for regular check-ups; and one last thing…” The doctor’s voice paused slightly.
Zong Lin sat in the chair, listening to the doctor’s words.
“Our expert team unanimously agrees that for stable infection levels, you need timely and moderate release. Perhaps, you could try finding a partner,” the doctor suggested. “If you have concerns or doubts about a romantic relationship, you could also try finding some suitable companions. I believe there are many people in the city willing to serve you, free of charge.”
He seemed to want to lighten the mood and made a small joke.
Zong Lin said, “There’s no need.”
The suggestion was well-intentioned, but it’s better not to suggest it again next time.
He bought a bouquet of lilies and went to the hospital to visit the researcher who saved him.
The other person lay in bed, his neck wrapped in bandages, his face pale, still not awake.
Zong Lin couldn’t remember what happened after he bit down.
But one thing he was clear about amid the chaos: he forcefully placed a soul mark on the other person.
Not only did the other person accept him, but he also comforted him with his soul, to the extent that he was injured by his superpower and remain unconscious to this day.
It was almost a week later when the other person woke up.
During this time, the research institute recommended him a bunch of potential partners, apparently not giving up on any treatment plan that could stabilize his infection level.
The moment he learned that the researcher had woken up, he rushed to the hospital.
The researcher’s name was Shen Jie.
When he opened the door to the hospital room, Shen Jie was watching TV, and on the screen was a report about his breaking of the S-level fallen area.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Shen Jie replied, “I’m fine. And Mr. Zong, how about you?”
He pursed his lips and said, “I’m fine. My infection level has stabilized. I came here this time to thank you…”
“No need to thank me,” Shen Jie interrupted him. “It’s what I should do. I promised you, the last attempt, didn’t I?”
Shen Jie still had bandages around his neck.
He stared at the bandages, unable to look away.
“I heard that Mr. Zong has been looking for a partner recently.”
The other person sat on the hospital bed, suddenly turned his head towards him and said, “If you’re willing, shall we give it a try?”
“What… what?” His voice faltered with surprise, and after a moment of silence, he asked, “…why?”
Why did he want to try becoming partners with him?
Why, when everyone else avoided him, would he attempt one last time for him?
Why didn’t he resist when I forcibly marked his soul, and why did he even soothe me in return?
Shen Jie lowered his head in thought for a moment before saying, “Although Mr. Zong and I have never met before, I’ve been watching you on TV for many years.”
“In a sense, Mr. Zong, you’re my idol. I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
“So, shall we give it a try?”
The young man’s affection came unexpectedly and ardently.
He looked into the other’s sincere and radiant eyes and couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
Little did he expect that one try would lead to seven years.
In the first week of their relationship, they held hands.
On the thirtieth day, they kissed.
In the seventh month, they registered as partners.
—-//
Now, it had been exactly seven years.
The gentle evening breeze blows.
The moonlight reflected on the swimming pool.
Zong Lin bent down to embrace his lover, holding him tightly in his arms and exerting all his strength to lift him from the deep ocean currents.
Once, the other was one of the countless beings who looked up to him, but then he was the last gentle place connecting him to the world.
“Come back with me. Let’s go home together,” he said.
Hear me out! WHAT if Zhong Lin was transmigrated too? But he does not have his memories like MC buut he knew him? Idk I’M so invested in this novel, love autor’s writing
Me too! The concept is very interesting 🙂
Omg their past sounds so sweet!!! 🤧
I need more occasional flashbacks like this it’s so cute <3 🫶🥹
god, 7 month, that was fast lmao
Hm, I’m really curious about the merman ..that… Hm
Umm Zhong Lin seems to have had a terrible existence in this novel