Chapter 82: I Love Slacking Off
Many people wanted to see what the Mermaid was like, how beautiful she was, whether her tail was dazzling, and if her singing could truly lure people into the deep sea.
Tao Ning was one of them, though her reasons were different.
She just wanted to see what the Mermaid looked like.
This was a futuristic interstellar romance. The female protagonist was a Mermaid, injured and stranded on the shore, rescued by a handsome Major General passing by, thus forming a bond between them.
The male protagonist, Gu Yuan, was a rare gentle male lead. He had various interactions with the innocent and naive Mermaid, patiently teaching her everything about human society’s rules, healing her injuries, and successfully soothing her anxiety despite the language barrier.
During a live interstellar broadcast where she had to choose a marriage partner, influenced by the imprinting phenomenon, the female protagonist chose the only person she trusted—Gu Yuan.
The only Mermaid in the entire Federation choosing Gu Yuan was seen by everyone as a match made in heaven. Their excellent genes were sure to produce even more exceptional offspring.
The reason Mermaids were so sought after wasn’t just their beautiful appearance, but also their genes, which far surpassed human psychic power.
Humans had only developed psychic power a few hundred years ago, with the highest level currently being double S-class. However, research indicated that Mermaids from the deep-sea planet had possessed psychic power for far longer than humans, and even their humming carried psychic energy.
Of course, this was the original world line. Since Tao Ning, an outsider, was needed to intervene in this relationship, it meant the world line had changed.
There were two significant changes.
First: The female protagonist wasn’t an innocent and ignorant Mermaid. She was the leader of the Mermaids on the deep-sea planet, and being found stranded on the shore was part of her plan to search for her missing people.
Second: The female protagonist, being a Mermaid, still retained her animalistic instincts. She had no concept of marrying someone and raising children; she only felt that a strange human was constantly pestering her.
So, she used her webbed claws, capable of tearing through mecha, to rip open the throat of the Federation’s youngest Major General.
The final outcome was that the female protagonist became a wanted fugitive and died on her way back to the ocean.
She refused to comply with human law, choosing imprisonment in a research institute, surrounded by watchful eyes, and forced to choose another mate decades later.
The Federation, having finally obtained a precious Mermaid, was naturally reluctant to execute her. After careful consideration, they decided to confine her.
The Mermaid leader would never stay in a cage, having her blood drawn daily for research, so she chose mutual destruction.
The current world line development had just reached the point where the female protagonist was injured and stranded, discovered by Gu Yuan on a patrol ship, and brought back to the ship.
The tremors Tao Ning felt in her dream were caused by the ship opening its bay doors to allow the patrol ship to dock and deliver the transport pod containing the Mermaid and seawater to the lower decks.
Arriving at the lower decks, Tao Ning’s first reaction was: huge.
The lower decks were vast, equivalent to dozens of large football fields combined. Accommodating a swimming pool-sized transport pod was naturally more than sufficient.
Almost everyone who could come from the ship had gathered, standing in front of the transparent transport pod, trying to see the mysterious figure swimming within the azure water.
Suddenly, everyone gasped in unison, catching a glimpse of a flash of ice-blue fishtail. Though only a fleeting glimpse, it sparked endless imagination.
This was the most beautiful creature humans had ever seen.
Its magnificence was beyond words; even the most eloquent writer would struggle to describe it.
Just a glimpse of the fishtail was captivating; it was hard to imagine how breathtaking the full view would be.
Tao Ning arrived quite late, the front rows already occupied. But even standing on the stairs, she saw the fleeting fishtail.
An ice-blue fishtail, estimated to be between 2.5 and 3 meters long, including the torso and tail fin.
The female protagonist, possessing a tail of this length, was definitely an adult, even at her peak fighting age.
Though the tail fin looked as thin as gauze, it was probably cold and soft to the touch. A single swipe of her tail could send a medium-sized mecha flying.
The female protagonist had done just that during her escape, one tail swipe per aircraft, one tail swipe per mecha, slippery and impossible to catch.
“Is that all?”
“Why didn’t she appear again? I want to see her again.”
Everyone waited expectantly, but they didn’t see the fishtail a second time. She had concealed herself in the seawater.
As creatures of the sea, they could hide themselves in the water, making them elusive.
Sighs of disappointment filled the air. After lingering for a while, everyone dispersed.
The water gradually calmed down, no longer rippled by the movement of the fishtail. The tail didn’t reappear, as if there was no life within the transport pod, quiet and still.
Tao Ning didn’t leave. She remained on the stairs, lost in thought, her pale fingertips tapping the railing.
Haste makes waste. She wanted to see the Mermaid, and she had a mission to complete.
But with so many people around, and being a stranger to the Mermaid leader, she couldn’t make the noise-sensitive leader show herself.
If she waited until the pirate attack a few days later, when the female protagonist would appear in panic, it would be too late to complete the mission.
The current Tao Ning hadn’t considered what to do if her assumption was wrong. It wasn’t so much that she only wanted to complete the task at hand, but rather that she seemed to be avoiding something.
She turned and headed towards the office of the second-in-command on the ship.
This First Academy graduation exercise was taking place on a remote planet. An entire ship full of students naturally needed protection, so the Federation dispatched two Major Generals, also using the opportunity for an assessment.
On this ship, the highest-ranking officer, besides Gu Yuan, was someone else.
It was Song Man, also a Major General, but with greater seniority and experience than Gu Yuan.
The Mermaid’s charm was almost irresistible. Song Man wasn’t in her office; she was on the fifth-floor railing, looking down at the calm water.
The transport pod placed on the lower decks was three stories high and filled with seawater, like a giant blue gem.
Even with her sharp eyesight, she couldn’t see through the seawater, only a blurry shadow within.
Compared to the Mermaids Song Man had seen before, the one Gu Yuan brought back seemed even more beautiful.
As Song Man stood by the railing, reminiscing, Tao Ning immediately noticed her presence.
So, An He, who had just found Tao Ning, saw the patient hiking up her wide hospital pants and puffing her way up the stairs.
Due to the exertion so soon after waking up, a blush crept onto her pale cheeks, truly resembling the nickname everyone jokingly called her in private—”Miss Rose.”
An He: “…” She had never seen her so energetic before.
Pushing through the surprised crowd, Tao Ning reached the fifth-floor railing. Before she could get close, she was stopped by Major General Song Man’s adjutant and guards.
“What are you doing here? This isn’t a place for students.” The guard glanced curiously at her hospital gown.
The guard who stopped her had been stationed with Song Man on remote planets for a long time and didn’t know who she was, let alone that she was the most seriously injured student in the exercise.
Tao Ning raised her voice: “Reporting to Major General, I have something to report to you, regarding the Mermaid you’re currently observing.”
These words successfully caught Song Man’s attention. She turned around, letting out a puzzled sound: “Zang Yuzhu?”
Tao Ning stood calmly, her pale lips slightly pursed: “Major General Song, it’s me.”
Song Man took a closer look, confirming it was indeed the person who had almost been given a death sentence, whose psychic sea was almost completely destroyed, yet she could still stand.
She waved her hand, signaling the guard to release Tao Ning.
Song Man asked, “Zang Yuzhu, shouldn’t you be resting in your ward? Why are you out here?”
Tao Ning didn’t answer the question, instead bringing up the matter she had just raised: “Major General, based on our research data on Mermaids, this species lives in the deep sea and doesn’t interact with humans. I believe we shouldn’t use a transparent transport pod and gather around discussing, lest we cause the Mermaid distress.”
No one expected her to say this, and even less expected her words to make sense.
Everyone was stunned. Song Man and the others subconsciously looked downstairs. Although most people had left, some remained, and others were still arriving, hoping to catch a glimpse.
The transport pod was made of transparent material, albeit very strong, impossible to break from either inside or outside. However, the constant flow of people was indeed inappropriate.
This area connected to various parts of the ship; they couldn’t seal it off and prevent people from passing through, as that would cause more trouble.
Song Man said, “We hadn’t considered this. You’re right. Our research on Mermaid habits is still limited. The Federation has received the news and ordered us to bring the Mermaid back safely, without any mishaps.”
With Song Man’s order, the transparent transport pod was coated with a color-changing material, making it impossible to see the contents from the outside.
The shadow that had been almost motionless on the coral at the bottom of the pod stirred. She lifted her eyes, looking at the bustling figures, thinking they wanted to see her.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of her crimson lips, and her webbed claws deliberately stirred the water.
Mermaids could hear sounds from thousands of meters away under the sea. No matter how subtle the sounds outside were, she could hear them clearly.
However, she couldn’t understand them, just as they couldn’t understand the Mermaid language. Their voices were also unpleasant.
To a Mermaid with an enchanting singing voice, almost no other sound was pleasant; they all seemed noisy and jarring.
However, the busy figures didn’t react to the change. They looked inside, their gazes not focusing on the interior, but nodding in satisfaction.
Mermaid: “?”
Then, they all left.
Mermaid: “??”
After a while, after several attempts, the Mermaid understood. These ugly two-legged creatures couldn’t see her anymore.
The Mermaid leader, who had been forced to stay put on the coral, swam a joyful lap. Staying still in one place was uncomfortable for a Mermaid. Once she found her people and returned to the ocean, she would never come ashore again.
Being on land wasn’t good at all.
Plop, plop. A few sounds came from above, as if something had been thrown in.
The Mermaid swam forward and grabbed one of the objects, examining it before discarding it disdainfully.
They were fish, still alive, their eyes wide with fear as they wriggled in the Mermaid’s webbed claws, trying to escape her grasp.
They were quickly released, darting away in a flash.
Fearing they would be caught and eaten by the ocean’s apex predator.
The Mermaid’s blue eyes didn’t even bother to follow them.
She didn’t like eating fish, any kind of fish. This had nothing to do with cannibalism; it was simply her unique taste.
All Mermaids knew that their leader preferred to eat the fruits that grew in the sea, followed by various starfish wrapped in kelp.
When the leader was young, some Mermaids teased her about her love for fruit, saying she was a Mermaid without bloodlust. As a result, she chased them down, her webbed claws tearing off many of their scales.
It was like a rain of scales, the seawater stained red.
After that, no fish dared to gossip about her. After she became the leader, the tribe members would even search for fruits to offer her as tribute.
Free from the intense scrutiny, the Mermaid swam back to the coral, bored, reached out a claw, broke off a piece of coral, and nibbled on it.
Eating coral was better than eating fish. Crunchy and sweet.
The soldiers who had finished their work were carrying buckets of material back when they saw Gu Yuan approaching. They stopped and saluted: “Major General Gu.”
Gu Yuan returned the salute, glancing at the now opaque transport pod. He asked, “What are you doing? Why apply a new coating?”
One of the soldiers replied, “Reporting, sir, this is Major General Song’s order!”
Song Man? Why would she suddenly give such an order?
Gu Yuan nodded in understanding: “I see. I’ll go ask her.”
After hearing Song Man’s explanation, Gu Yuan’s expression showed realization. He agreed, “I wasn’t thorough enough. I actually forgot. You’re more thoughtful.”
Song Man shook her head: “It was Zang Yuzhu who made the suggestion. I’m just a simple-minded soldier, not as meticulous as you young people. She’s truly a thoughtful child.”
Gu Yuan was surprised: “Yuzhu is awake? Where is she? I’ll go see her.”
Song Man said, “After she spoke to me, she fainted from exhaustion. I had my guards escort her back to her dormitory.”
Gu Yuan immediately put down his unfinished coffee, saying hurriedly, “I’ll go see her.”
His concern for someone was unusual for him, but no one found it strange because everyone knew Gu Yuan was a good family man.
Many people were injured during the exercise, but Zang Yuzhu was the most seriously injured, making it difficult for her to be with the others. Gu Yuan, distressed about his cousin, had arranged for her dormitory to be converted into a ward.
The person who had slipped out at some point was brought back. The accompanying doctor was checking her condition, shocked to find that the person who had been given a critical condition notice this morning was slowly recovering.
The doctor clicked her tongue, a thought inexplicably popping into her head: No wonder everyone said she was lucky.
Although she was a war orphan, Zang Yuzhu was truly fortunate. Less than half a month after being sent to the orphanage, she was adopted by the Gu family and raised like a precious jewel.
The First Academy was incredibly difficult to get into. To follow in her cousin Gu Yuan’s footsteps, she insisted on attending, rejecting the Arts Department and choosing a major that would allow her to go to the battlefield.
She couldn’t handle the hardships of the Mecha Department, nor the dirt of the Mecha Repair Department, so the Gu family had to help her choose the Command Department, which had lower admission requirements and was considered a support role.
The Command Department was a fringe major, on the fringes of the military.
The classes were all theoretical, focusing on analysis and coordination, with very few practical mecha courses, just enough to ensure they could operate one, but not with the same proficiency as Mecha Department students.
Moreover, truly capable warriors with combat awareness were far superior to commanders who hid behind the lines and analyzed. Where was the need for a commander? They were more of a burden.
And so, she had shown her incompetence during the graduation exercise.
And almost died.
If it weren’t for Gu Yuan’s insistence on searching, and going himself, she might have remained on that desolate planet forever, quietly decaying.
But she was lucky, she had survived.
Now, hopefully, this spoiled young lady would recognize her situation, stop being stubborn, and quickly transfer back to the Arts Department.
With her performance in this graduation exercise, she definitely wouldn’t be able to graduate.
Many people shared this thought, most on the ship felt the same way, somewhat feeling sorry for Gu Yuan.
The doctor leaned closer, preparing to examine the patient, and was startled when she unexpectedly met a pair of dark, unfathomable eyes.
Then she realized that Zang Yuzhu had woken up. Unable to speak, Zang Yuzhu could only urge her with her eyes to open the medical chamber.
The doctor skillfully opened the medical chamber, suddenly remembering a question: How did Zang Yuzhu, who couldn’t open the medical chamber herself, get out earlier?
The first thing Tao Ning said after waking up was: “How do I transfer majors to become an aquarium keeper?”
The pondering doctor: “?” Your brain really is fried, isn’t it?