The Mermaid

Lu Li picked up his backpack and walked out of the classroom. The blackboard still read, "One week until the college entrance exams." Over the past few days, everything had gradually fallen into place. His continued use of the Tranquility Meditation Method had steadily increased his Spiritual Energy Derivation, and he had also been using his abilities to help train his body. That had brought considerable progress in every area. His current evaluation was as follows:

[Physical Evaluation: 1.52+0.51; Life Energy Derivation: 0.1]

[Soul Evaluation: 2.89; Spiritual Energy Derivation: 2.37; Shadow Magic: 6.837]

For the past two days, using the Tranquility Meditation Method had no longer increased his spiritual energy. In theory, his spiritual energy could match his soul evaluation, but various factors—including the meditation method—meant that 2.37 was already his limit. To grow stronger, he would either have to improve his soul or switch to a better, upgraded meditation method. Moon Shadow Dependent was already upgrading the skill based on the data Lu Li had sent back, but it might take some time.

As he walked home, Lu Li suddenly froze, excitement dawning on his face. He changed course and headed for his temporary hideout. After avoiding the few people around, he used a shadow to open the hideout's back door. Inside, everything had been tidied up, and there were some new tools, along with information posted on one of the walls.

Just then, he had received a notification from the game: his next instance was about to begin, and he should get ready. Lu Li changed out of his school uniform and into a black hooded top with long sleeves. He put a few useful small items into its inner pockets and waited for the instance to begin.

Time ticked by, second by second. Then a wave of intense nausea washed over him, as if something had wrapped itself around his body. The next moment, Lu Li vanished from the hideout.

Boom! Like a cannonball, Lu Li was hurled straight into the sea. Some force seemed to be restricting all his movements. The dialogue box transformed into a panel before him, displaying the instance information:

[ID YZ0135, you have joined this instance.]

[This game instance is: Attack on Mermaid.]

[Instance type: Multiplayer, Cooperative.]

[Instance description: The Mermaid Princess fell in love with a human Prince who had fallen into the sea. She has been secretly in love with him for a long time, but their different statuses have kept her from expressing her feelings. Now rumors have spread that the Prince will marry a Princess from a neighboring kingdom, and the Mermaid Princess can no longer hold back. She wants to be with the Prince and hold a wedding of their own. Since merfolk have difficulty on land, she has summoned you...]

[Instance objective: Help the Mermaid Princess and the Prince hold a wedding of their own!]

[Instance hint: Beware of third-party forces.]

[Instance completion reward: Three random modules, 500 Game Points!]

[Have a great game!]

Once Lu Li had finished reading, the instance information shrank into a dialogue box at the corner of his vision, and the force restricting his movement vanished. But by then, he was already sinking toward the ocean floor. Sunlight refracted through the water in dazzling colors, and the deeper he sank, the darker everything became.

Lu Li turned to look beneath him. A pitch-black abyss stretched below, and the immense pressure made his whole body ache. Each beat of his heart came with agonizing effort. From the dark depths came what sounded like whispers—madness-inducing, oppressive, terrifying. As Lu Li stared into the abyss, he felt something staring back at him.

Sea creatures gathered around him, apparently eager to find out what a human tasted like. Lu Li closed his eyes, stopped wasting oxygen, adjusted the pressure within his body, and controlled his arms and legs as he swam upward.

Then he saw someone approaching: a curvaceous figure with a swaying fish tail. She slid her hands beneath his armpits and helped him toward the surface. Then she leaned her head toward his, apparently intending to give him air. Seeing the scales and gills on her face, Lu Li shook his head. The merfolk woman didn't press him when she saw he wasn't willing.

She was incredibly fast. Before long, she had taken Lu Li through a hidden passage to an underwater cave. When he turned around, the merfolk woman had already flipped over and leapt back into the water. All he saw was her tail flicking above the surface.

A sound seemed to come from the cave ahead. Without hesitation, Lu Li started toward it. He followed a narrow passage and rounded a corner. Suddenly, the space opened up: he was in the center of an island, with a lake farther ahead. Sunlight streamed down from above, making the sea sand shimmer. Two people were already standing by the lake.

Their clothes were damp and clearly modern. Lu Li realized they were his teammates for the instance. He walked over, but neither of them greeted him. It seemed they didn't know each other, either.

One of them looked to be in his thirties. His distinctive combat uniform was coated in white sea salt, suggesting he had arrived first and had long since dried off. He stood off to one side with a cold expression. The other person sat cross-legged on the sand with his eyes closed, seemingly practicing some kind of cultivation. The seawater on his body was being shaken off bit by bit, leaving no trace.

Under the sunlight, the seawater on Lu Li's clothes slowly evaporated, leaving little flecks of white sea salt both inside and out. He felt as though he smelled thoroughly sour. His black clothes absorbed the heat, and the sun felt especially scorching.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the passage behind him. A woman, soaked through, came walking in. She tugged irritably at her clothes. It seemed everyone had arrived. Bubbles rose in the lake at the island's center, and a figure emerged from the water, her upper body breaking the surface.

She had wavy, blood-red hair and bright blue eyes like gemstones, filled with amusement. Three pink stripes marked each side of her delicate face. A pair of seashells covered her breasts, while everything below her waist remained hidden in the water, though she probably had a fish tail.

The mermaid smiled, revealing two small, sharp canine teeth. In a sweet voice, she said, "Honored guests, I am the Mermaid Princess, Ariel. My summoning spell isn't very precise yet, so you didn't quite land where I intended. Still, at least you're all right. I hope you'll help me..."

"But I imagine you must be uncomfortable, soaked in seawater. Why don't you come to my palace below and change into dry clothes? I've placed a spell on it so humans can breathe there. I'm sorry that the clothes I've collected are all women's clothes, though. That's because of my own circumstances..."

The Little Mermaid (Special Edition), coming your way! Last night, Xu Ming received a private message from the site and was genuinely thrilled. Thank you all for your continued support! And while I'm at it, please give the story a follow and vote for it!