Scale

Si Jinyan's injuries healed quickly. A few days later, he could move as normally as ever.

Everyone here seemed used to it, but Chi Li felt puzzled. As a top-tier Alpha, he knew his recovery abilities were better than most people's. Si Jinyan's level of recovery was a little beyond normal.

Today, someone Chi Li had not seen in a long time suddenly appeared in the hospital room.

It was the doctor Chi Li had met when he was sent to the research institute. This doctor seemed quite familiar with Si Jinyan, and the moment he entered, he started criticizing Si Jinyan for being too reckless.

Si Jinyan did not get angry. After listening for a while, he finally interrupted him impatiently.

Only then did Lu Jiu look at Chi Li by the bed and greet him first. "Long time no see. Do you still remember me?"

Chi Li nodded. "Long time no see. I remember you."

Lu Jiu looked at Si Jinyan. "Shall we do an examination first?"

Si Jinyan nodded.

Lu Jiu smiled at Chi Li. "Could I trouble you to step outside for a moment?"

Lu Jiu looked to be only in his twenties, like a college student who had just graduated. His smile was approachable, but when he looked at Chi Li, there was a trace of sharp scrutiny in his gaze behind his lenses.

During this time, Chi Li had been by Si Jinyan's side taking care of him. Si Jinyan had never asked Chi Li to leave during previous dressing changes. Now, Si Jinyan said nothing, and Chi Li nodded, knowing they had things to discuss that outsiders were not supposed to hear.

The moment the door closed, Lu Jiu said angrily, "You were far too careless. Don't you know your current constitution can't withstand you pushing yourself like this? What if you suddenly lost control? There were so many people there, and it was broadcast live across the entire Empire. There was no way to suppress it."

Si Jinyan frowned. "I knew what I was doing. I hadn't lost control to that extent yet."

Lu Jiu still wanted to say more. He opened his mouth, but in the end only said, "Let me see your injury. Have the Scales emerged?"

Si Jinyan uncovered the wound on his back. The bullet wound had already healed, but what had grown over it was not human skin. Instead, there were four or five fine silver-black Scales. They did not seem fully hardened yet and glimmered with a soft sheen.

Lu Jiu frowned deeply. "He didn't see them, did he?"

Si Jinyan knew Lu Jiu meant Chi Li. "No. I hid them while changing the dressing."

Si Jinyan could control how much of his body was covered in Scales, just as he could freely shift between a Mermaid tail and human legs. But for Scales that grew in response to this kind of physiological stimulation, he could only make them disappear briefly.

Lu Jiu injected him with a dose of medicine. "You were too reckless."

Lu Jiu said, "Ever since you became unable to properly control your pheromones, the stability of that part of your Mermaid blood has also been affected. You should know that you can no longer use Mermaid abilities casually, especially in crowded places, to increase your speed or resist attacks."

Si Jinyan's identity as a Mermaid had always been a secret in the Empire.

A few years ago, Si Jinyan suddenly developed Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome, often suffering pheromone rampages. At the same time, his Mermaid state was affected as well. In Mermaid form, Si Jinyan was far more likely to lose control than usual.

When a Mermaid, with a body a hundred times stronger than a human's, could not control his reason, he was no different from a ticking time bomb.

"I know," Si Jinyan said.

Lu Jiu's voice rose several decibels. "You know? So you didn't reinforce the muscles the bullet would hit, and instead let it shoot straight into your body and took it head-on? Do you know you could have died if it hit your heart?" If he had reinforced his body, that bullet could not have hurt Si Jinyan at all.

The heart was not actually a Mermaid's most vulnerable spot. After searching through ancient texts for years, Lu Jiu finally discovered that Si Jinyan was missing a Merfolk Core. It was the most important Scale on a Mermaid's body, growing close against the soft heart. With its protection, the fragile heart was no longer a Mermaid's weakness.

The Merfolk Core was said to be able to "cure all diseases." The books also recorded that weapons infused with a Merfolk Core would become "the sharpest sword" and "the strongest shield."

But Si Jinyan did not have that Scale. Lu Jiu discovered this because Si Jinyan had nearly died from several bullets fired at his heart.

Si Jinyan had no impression of this Scale.

But Lu Jiu knew that this Scale had been there since a Mermaid's birth. Unless a Mermaid willingly stripped it away, it would not disappear. Even upon death, it would only completely turn into an ordinary Scale as its power faded.

After Lu Jiu finished the examination, Si Jinyan got dressed and said calmly, "I knew what I was doing."

Lu Jiu calmed down. "You shouldn't have gone to save him. We could find countless Omegas to treat you. As long as the compatibility rate is above ninety percent, we succeeded once already. We can succeed countless more times. You should be more rational next time. Even if you don't save him, your people won't blame you. There will always be some sacrifices when stopping rioters."

Si Jinyan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly at those words. When Lu Jiu said the first half, a thought flashed through Si Jinyan's mind: perhaps he would never find another one.

The thought passed in an instant, but Si Jinyan recalled that when he saved Chi Li, the same thought had crossed his mind. His body had acted on instinct before his mind could react.

Lu Jiu recorded data on every aspect of Si Jinyan's physical condition, then gave him several more reminders before leaving.

After Lu Jiu left, Chi Li finally asked Si Jinyan, "How was it? Did something happen?"

Si Jinyan pulled Chi Li into his arms. Si Jinyan sat on the edge of the bed, while Chi Li sat between his legs, his head buried against Chi Li's nape. Sometimes, Si Jinyan would take advantage of that position to kiss Chi Li's gland.

Chi Li had noticed that Si Jinyan had become especially fond of this position lately.

Si Jinyan's voice was low. "It's nothing."

Perhaps Lu Jiu was right that he was losing control more severely. Lately, Si Jinyan often had the urge to coil Chi Li's legs with his fish tail, drag Chi Li into the deep sea, watch him struggle, watch him beg with reddened eyes, then bite down on Chi Li's fair nape and merge with him.

The blood in his body grew scorching with the thought, and the kiss Si Jinyan placed on Chi Li's gland gradually changed in nature.

But today, they were interrupted halfway through.

There was a knock at the door, followed by Geng Ji's boisterous voice. "Open up! I know you two are in there!"

It was Geng Ji's first appearance since that day.

Chi Li stiffened in fright. He was standing in front of the desk, and his legs nearly gave out beneath him. Si Jinyan caught him from behind.

Chi Li turned around and looked at Si Jinyan nervously and pitifully.

Si Jinyan hastily finished.

When the door opened, Geng Ji saw Si Jinyan's dark expression and smelled the suggestive pheromones in the air.

Geng Ji thought, This is bad. "Who knew you two would be so busy in broad daylight..."

As he spoke, he pulled the person beside him behind his back to hide him. "Don't corrupt the kid."

Chi Li opened the windows to air out the room. When he turned around, he noticed that Geng Ji had brought someone with him. He looked about twenty and resembled Geng Ji somewhat. The boy was very beautiful, with the delicate refinement of a porcelain doll, and was much smaller than Geng Ji. He looked like an Omega, but Chi Li could not smell his pheromones.

Geng Ji pulled the boy over. "Let me introduce you. This is my little brother, Geng Xing."

Geng Ji then said to Si Jinyan, "I told him you were hurt, and he insisted on coming to see you."

The boy called Si Jinyan "big brother," but seemed somewhat reserved around Chi Li.

Si Jinyan rubbed Geng Xing's head.

The boy seemed extremely dependent on Geng Ji and had to follow him everywhere.

Only when Geng Ji looked at Geng Xing did his gaze soften as though it could melt someone.

That afternoon at dinner, Chi Li saw Geng Ji holding Geng Xing on his lap and feeding him medicine. There was also a piece of cake beside them, and something strange flickered through Chi Li's heart.

Later, Chi Li learned that Geng Xing had once been kidnapped. The kidnappers had killed their hostage and removed Geng Xing's gland. Geng Xing had been unconscious for a month, and when he woke, something was wrong with his memories. His intelligence was only that of a child a few years old.

During that time, Geng Ji had nearly gone mad. He tortured each of the people who had kidnapped Geng Xing to death before gradually returning to normal.

That night, while Chi Li and Si Jinyan were taking a walk downstairs, they unexpectedly saw two familiar, indistinct figures in a corner of the garden.

Chi Li's hearing was excellent. He heard intermittent, choked sobs. They belonged to Geng Xing.

When he realized what they were doing, Chi Li's eyes widened.

Just as he was about to look again, his vision was blocked. Si Jinyan covered Chi Li's eyes with his hand. Beneath his palm, Chi Li's lashes brushed against it like tiny fans. There was an unreadable displeasure in Si Jinyan's voice. "Watching so intently?"

Chi Li blushed, then seemed to think of something. Surprise mingled with hesitation in his voice. "They were...?"

Si Jinyan gave a quiet "Mm" and pulled Chi Li back.

Chi Li had not yet recovered from his shock when Si Jinyan pulled him into another small grove.

Si Jinyan kissed him. Chi Li was still distracted, and Si Jinyan was displeased. His pheromones spilled out and wrapped around Chi Li. "Focus. Don't think about anyone else."