Chapter 11 - The Vanished Mermaid (Part 4)

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new player from the special species.”

“On the bus, he mentioned he was the player who caused all the forest-related instances to shut down the day before yesterday. Bold move.”

“Probably thanks to his item. That puppet of his looks incredibly powerful…”

“Didn’t you hear what the doll said? That puppet has its own consciousness. Its strength is undeniable, but it’s too dangerous. If it loses control for even a second, that doll might die.”

“I’m more curious if anyone will realize today’s instance is a live broadcast one.”

“Li Qi Feng and that little lunatic will probably figure it out. This is their third time entering a live broadcast instance.”

“Lucky them…”

The moment those sarcastic words were spoken, everyone around burst into laughter.

Luck, indeed. Perhaps this round will expose all their hidden cards.

Live broadcast… Luo Yiran really disliked this format. And he couldn’t help but wonder-was he overthinking it? The magician had been unusually quiet this time.

Luo Yiran wasn’t sure about other situations, but in his presence, the magician usually had a certain desire to perform, albeit not in a positive way. But this time, he had spoken very little.

So little that Luo Yiran couldn’t help but suspect what Cheng-Ge had said about the live broadcast-was the magician holding back because of it?

But on second thought, he was a good person. There was nothing in his behavior that he was afraid of others seeing.

“Ranran, I got three adjacent room numbers.” Xia Lang handed the room cards to the two of them. The cards were only slightly smaller than the doll, so Luo Yiran had to manipulate the magician to take them. He glanced at the one he received-Room 624.

“I’m in 623, and Cheng-Ge is in 625.” Xia Lang tucked his room card into a hidden pocket in his clothes. He glanced at the magician and whispered, “Ranran, if there’s anything inconvenient, just call out.”

The magician’s face under the bandages curved into a smile.

Luo Yiran manipulated the magician to lift him from the hat and cradle him in his arms. He then sat comfortably in the crook of the magician’s arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll tie him up before bed.”

Xia Lang mustered the courage to give Luo Yiran a thumbs-up.

The curve of the magician’s bandaged face remained unchanged. “Naughty.”

Cheng-Ge sensed something but didn’t pry. He just looked around and asked, “Shall we go watch the parade now?”

“Now.”

The mermaid was undoubtedly the key to this instance, so the mermaid parade was a must-see… especially for those who had chosen Task Two.

The group followed the crowd toward the most densely packed area. Amid the noisy throng, no one cast strange glances at the magician wrapped in bandages or the doll sitting leisurely in the magician’s arms. The crowd moved forward with excitement and joy, their occasional upward glances filled with anticipation.

Guan Cheng actually wanted to ask the crowd about the mermaid, but everyone was in a hurry to move forward, and no one paid him any attention.

“It’s… it’s really a mermaid!”

All three of them were relatively tall, but Xia Lang unexpectedly managed to squeeze to the front. He was the first to see the mermaid, and he stared dumbfounded at the street ahead, unconsciously murmuring, “So beautiful…”

“Want me to lift you up?” Amid the noise, the magician’s voice, not particularly loud, carried a teasing tone.

The doll looked up at the magician, meeting his gaze through the layer of bandages. “So there really are people watching us.”

In the midst of the clamor, the magician’s soft voice was easily drowned out. He chuckled, “How do you know?”

“The fact that you’re speaking now is telling me someone is watching,” the doll replied. Speaking softly in the noisy crowd was clearly to avoid being overheard by the viewers.

With the magician’s subtle reminder, Luo Yiran felt a slight decrease in his aversion to him. He manipulated the magician to place him on his shoulder and then looked ahead.

“What did that doll and his puppet say?” A girl in Central Square keenly noticed the doll conversing with the magician. Unable to hear clearly, she instinctively turned to those around her to ask.

“Can’t hear a thing. It’s too noisy where they are,” a man with long red hair, clad in a tight leather outfit, replied lazily. “Can’t make out the lip movements either. The puppet’s wrapped in bandages, and the doll-who knows what material it’s made of-barely moves its mouth when it speaks.”

The girl turned to look at the man who answered, only to be caught off guard by his heavy black eye shadow and purple lipstick. She froze for a second, then silently turned back.

At that moment, almost all the display panels merged into one, showing a massive transparent, lidless water tank being pulled by a vehicle-this meant that, at this point, most players were watching this scene.

The camera panned upward from the bottom of the tank, and the sunlight refracted faintly off the rippling water surface.

The water tank was exquisitely arranged-pristine white stones, deep green seaweed, and crystal-clear water that allowed everything to be seen through. In the center of the tank, a massive white shell lay open, and a silver-to-light-blue gradient fish tail swayed gently. The transition from the tail to the waist was seamless and translucent. The upper body was human, with smooth lines under a thin layer of gauze, the skin so pale it seemed almost transparent under the interplay of sunlight and water. Further up was a slender neck and soft, golden curls.

It was the face of a young man, incredibly innocent and tender, like a young prince who had lived in a castle untouched by the world. Especially those azure eyes, clear and sparkling, like gemstones formed from the sea.

That face was magnified on the screen, and all the players watching in Central Square were struck speechless.

A mermaid and a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

The impact through the screen was nowhere near as intense as being there in person.

The long street was so quiet that only the sounds of breathing and heartbeats could be heard. The magician could sense Luo Yiran gazing at the mermaid in the tank. He asked in a strange voice, “Young master, is it beautiful?”

“Yes, it is.”

Their voices weren’t loud, but in the silence, Xia Lang and Guan Cheng beside them could still hear. Xia Lang snapped out of his daze and patted his chest. “That’s terrifying.”

Guan Cheng was puzzled. “Terrifying?”

Xia Lang looked serious. “It’s male! Which means I almost fell for a guy just now.”

Guan Cheng: “…That is terrifying.”

Gasps of amazement gradually rose one after another. Everyone in Water City was chanting, “Idia.”

That was the name of the mermaid in the tank.

People cheered and followed the tank as it moved, and Luo Yiran and the others were swept along with the crowd.

Before they knew it, the three of them were pushed to the front, within arm’s reach of the tank.

The mermaid had been floating on the surface, its tail gently swaying in the water, creating ripples that spread across the tank. Its stunning blue eyes looked around with curiosity and innocence, until it glanced down and saw the magician, wrapped in bandages, with an equally exquisite and extraordinary little doll sitting on his shoulder.

The mermaid’s gaze lingered on the doll. After a moment, it dived into the water, its tail flicking lightly. In the blink of an eye, it swam to the same level as the doll, its nose pressed against the glass of the tank, its eyes unblinkingly fixed on the doll.

Up close, the mermaid’s breathtaking beauty was even more overwhelming. The crowd cheered, waving at the mermaid and shouting its name.

But the mermaid remained indifferent, its gaze locked on the doll.

From just an arm’s length away, Luo Yiran noticed that the mermaid’s eyelashes were a deep blue, and its eyes truly resembled a calm sea.

Beautiful-and with a strange kind of innocence.

The blond hair swayed gently, and where human ears would be, the mermaid had a set of silver gill covers. The gills opened and closed slightly with the flow of water. The doll watched for a moment, then smiled.

When the doll smiled, the mermaid smiled too. It opened its mouth, and tiny bubbles rose in the water. It mouthed the words slowly, one by one.

I.

Like.

You.

The magician’s fingers twitched.

Luo Yiran didn’t notice that the magician had momentarily slipped out of his control. After the mermaid said “I like you,” he raised an eyebrow in surprise and replied, “I don’t like fish.”

“……”

The mermaid seemed to understand. It lowered its eyes in disappointment, then turned and swam back up to the surface.

As the mermaid left, Xia Lang patted his chest in relief. “Ran-Ge, your charm is really something!”

Guan Cheng quickly glanced around, then grabbed Xia Lang and turned to Luo Yiran. “Let’s go, let’s get out of here.”

Luo Yiran looked up and immediately understood. He manipulated the magician to push their way out of the crowd. As the crowd surged, the magician’s clothes gradually wrinkled, and the low pressure around him became increasingly palpable.

By the time they squeezed out of the crowd, Xia Lang was still confused. “The mermaid parade isn’t over yet. Aren’t we going to watch?”

“Watch what?” Guan Cheng hissed, shaking out his clothes. “That mermaid specifically swam down to look at…” He paused, then continued, “To look at Ran. The people around us were all glaring with jealousy.”

“They have this weird, almost obsessive attachment to the mermaid.”

“The mermaid is like their private possession. They love it…” Luo Yiran glanced back and met several pairs of envious, hateful eyes. “…I think I’ve just made a lot of enemies.”

“I’ll protect you,” Xia Lang declared confidently.

The magician chuckled again.

Xia Lang had never liked the magician from the start, and now that he laughed right after his declaration, Xia Lang was even more annoyed. He looked at Luo Yiran, then mustered the courage to ask, “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing,” the magician replied lazily, dismissively. “I just think Water City has a unique charm. You should go and appreciate it.”

Xia Lang was about to retort, but Luo Yiran nodded in agreement. “The scenery is indeed beautiful.”

Xia Lang held back his words.

The scenery of Water City was indeed breathtaking, resembling a seaside town from the real world. The architecture had an exotic flair, and many women wore brightly colored long dresses that fluttered like butterflies as they walked.

“Beautiful women everywhere,” Guan Cheng remarked with a sigh. “This city is so vibrant. Looking at it for too long makes my eyes tired.”

Xia Lang glanced around and suggested, “Why don’t we explore a bit?”

Luo Yiran nodded. “Sure.” Since they’d already seen the mermaid, it wouldn’t hurt to wander around and maybe gather some information about it…

“Stop him!!!”

A voice suddenly rang out, sharp and desperate, cutting through the bustling crowd.

The crowd froze for a second. In that moment, Luo Yiran spotted a man in a black cloak darting through the sea of bright colors.

He was heading straight for the water tank where the mermaid was kept. When he was just an arm’s length away, a pale hand shot out from under the cloak, reaching desperately for the tank.

The cloaked man’s arm was covered in chaotic black tattoos. And in the center of the inked patterns, a single blue eye opened gently.

It lay amidst the tangled tattoos, embedded in the man’s arm, gazing out at the world with an innocent, guileless expression.