Into The Sea

How terrifying…

The terrifying human toppled over like a puppet with its strings cut, collapsing softly to the ground right after speaking.

Lan Wu instinctively jumped back, casting a wary glance at the pitch-black forest around her. Her feet refused to move, frozen in place. She stood stiffly, weighing the odds of getting lost if she ran off alone.

After what felt like an eternity of internal struggle, she finally inched her way toward Ji Lingyue, heart pounding. Her voice trembled, barely more than a whisper. “Are you… are you alright?”

Ji Lingyue didn’t respond. Her eyes were tightly shut, her face flushed, and her chest heaved as if she were struggling to breathe. Something felt wrong. Lan Wu frowned, crouching down to feel Ji Lingyue’s forehead.

“She’s burning up…” she murmured, her gaze drawn to two small puncture wounds on Ji Lingyue’s neck.

So that was it. The snake’s venom. The snake had meant to use it on her, but it had ended up biting Ji Lingyue instead.

Maybe… maybe she acted so strangely because she was poisoned.

Lan Wu tried to reassure herself, a sliver of comfort amidst the unsettling situation. Carefully avoiding the bloodstained ground, she picked up the dagger and stared at the serpent’s headless body for a long moment.

Finally, steeling herself, she gritted her teeth and cut into its belly.

She located the gallbladder and, clutching it tightly, hurried back to Ji Lingyue. Pinching her jaw open, she forced the foul object into the unconscious girl’s mouth.

“Ugh!” Ji Lingyue’s eyebrows drew together as she instinctively tried to spit out the foul-tasting object. But Lan Wu held her mouth shut, forcing her to swallow the bitter bile.

Ji Lingyue’s eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry as she focused on Lan Wu’s beautiful face hovering above her. The mermaid’s dark eyes were fixed on her, a mixture of concern and anxiety in their depths. “How do you feel?” she asked urgently.

“I…” Ji Lingyue tried to speak, but her throat felt tight. A burning sensation spread through her body, and beads of sweat erupted on her skin, soaking through her clothes. She groaned, “Water…”

“Alright, alright, I’ll take you there.” Relief washed over Lan Wu. She gently lifted Ji Lingyue, slinging the girl’s arm over her shoulder, and hurried towards the sound of rushing water.

Even through the fabric, Lan Wu could feel the searing heat radiating from Ji Lingyue’s body. The girl’s burning breath brushed against the back of her neck, eliciting an involuntary shiver from her.

For a mermaid born of the cold, dark sea, the heat was nearly unbearable.

Lan Wu quickened her pace, and as soon as they reached the bank of a nearby stream, she gently lowered Ji Lingyue to the ground.

Ji Lingyue curled into a ball, her hand instinctively reaching for the cool water. She pressed her palm against the surface, her eyelashes heavy with condensation.

As a flicker of relief spread through her body, she crawled closer to the water’s and, without hesitation, slipped in.

“Wait!” Lan Wu cried out, rushing to the edge of the stream. But all she could see was Ji Lingyue’s limp form disappearing beneath the surface.

What… what is she doing?

Lan Wu stared for a few moments, growing increasingly anxious as the figure below remained still. Pacing back and forth nervously, she finally gritted her teeth and, with a loud splash, dove into the water, swimming quickly toward Ji Lingyue.

Her soft black hair spread out like seaweed beneath the surface. Her pale face began to take on the faint features of her mermaid self, a glimmer of deep blue flickering in her eyes. She grasped Ji Lingyue’s hand as it floated in the water and lifted her long lashes, only to meet the girl’s crimson gaze.

She froze for a moment, not having time to react before Ji Lingyue, frowning, leaned closer, wrapping her arms tightly around Lan Wu’s waist like vines.

Lan Wu lifted her head, her eyes half-closed and dazed, as Ji Lingyue’s soft, wet lips pressed against her chin.

A moment later, the still surface of the water erupted with a splash.

Lan Wu burst out, gasping for air, dragging a limp Ji Lingyue to the shore. Ji Lingyue clung to her weakly, her burning forehead resting against Lan Wu’s shoulder. Water droplets clung to her long eyelashes, making it seem as if she were crying.

Lan Wu’s was at a complete loss. Her hands hovered awkwardly in the air, too scared to touch Ji Lingyue, while her mind raced in chaotic confusion.

Could it be… could it be that the gallbladder didn’t work?

Judging by Ji Lingyue’s current state, Lan Wu had a sinking suspicion about the nature of the poison coursing through the girl’s veins.

This was bad. Very bad. She had witnessed similar behavior in the depths of the ocean, the mating rituals of dolphins and whales. But this… this was a human. A young, fragile human who looked barely more than a child. What was she supposed to do?

Lan Wu chewed on her lip, her brow furrowed in distress. Finally, she spoke, her voice hesitant. “Ah Ji?”

“Mmm…” Ji Lingyue responded with a soft moan, whimper, her head sliding down to rest against Lan Wu’s chest. Lan Wu gently pushed her back, surprised by how easily the girl yielded to her touch.

As Ji Lingyue’s body started slipping back into the water, Lan Wu hastily grabbed her by the collar and pulled her up. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked seriously, “Ah Ji, how old are you?”

Ji Lingyue’s eyes remained closed, didn’t respond.

“Ah Ji?” Lan Wu tried again, gently shaking the girl’s shoulder.

The movement drew a whimper from Ji Lingyue’s lips. She cracked open her eyes, her gaze unfocused.

“How old are you?” Lan Wu repeated.

Ji Lingyue stared blankly for a moment before croaking, “Ei… eighteen.”

Eighteen. Was that considered too young for a human?

Lan Wu frowned as she pondered this question, completely oblivious to the girl slowly inching closer. Before she knew it, Ji Lingyue was leaning in, her lips brushing against Lan Wu’s cheek.

Lan Wu flinched, her hand flying to her face in shock. But Ji Lingyue remained oblivious, her long, narrow eyes fixed on her with a gaze so innocent it bordered on pitiful.

Meeting Lan Wu’s startled eyes, Ji Lingyue slowly broke into a submissive smile. Tilting her head, she picked up Lan Wu’s hand and, with a flick of her tongue, gently licked it.