Mermaid Identity (First Update)

When Chi Li returned, it was not yet four in the afternoon. Yet when he pushed open the door, Si Jinyan was already sitting in the living room. At this hour, Si Jinyan would usually still be at the Federation government.

Chi Li's heart skipped a beat, and an inexplicable unease rose within him.

The more he learned, the more he realized how dangerous Si Jinyan was, as though a ticking bomb were concealed at his side at all times.

Chi Li knew he could not panic. He quickly adjusted his emotions and greeted Si Jinyan. "Marshal."

Si Jinyan shifted his gaze from the news on his optical computer to Chi Li, his tone calm. "You're back?"

Chi Li nodded, then consciously walked over to the sofa and sat down beside Si Jinyan.

After brewing tea for Si Jinyan, the butler brought over a slice of chocolate layer cake and set it on the coffee table before Chi Li.

Chi Li picked up his fork. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Si Jinyan lift his teacup while the crisp, formal news broadcast discussed the war conflict in the Gagole Region.

Si Jinyan suddenly asked, "How is Grandma's health?"

Chi Li said, "About the same as before. But the medicine the Marshal gave her last time worked very well. Grandma said it was better than the medicine she took before."

Chi Li smiled at Si Jinyan, his obedient eyes curving into two little crescents.

Si Jinyan's gaze darkened. He reached out and wrapped an arm around Chi Li's waist, pulling him closer to his side. In a calm voice, he said, "Then next time, we'll go see her together."

Chi Li paused at those words, then smiled again. "Okay."

"But," Chi Li seemed to think of something and lowered his eyes slightly, somewhat awkwardly, "our home is very small, and the hallway isn't as clean as it is here. The Marshal might find it a little uncomfortable..."

Si Jinyan rubbed Chi Li's head. "Have you considered bringing Grandma here?"

Chi Li looked up at Si Jinyan blankly, clearly not expecting him to say that. After a moment, he said uneasily, "It would cause trouble for the Marshal, and Grandma might not be used to it either..."

Chi Li looked conflicted, as though he was genuinely tempted yet afraid of causing Si Jinyan trouble, while also harboring some uncertainty over Si Jinyan's words.

Chi Li continued explaining his considerations, his expression sincere. Yet Si Jinyan, who was watching him, only looked increasingly grim.

The next second, Chi Li's chin was forced upward. Si Jinyan gripped his chin and roughly kissed him on the lips.

Right there in the living room, Si Jinyan smeared the unfinished cake over Chi Li's body, like a beautifully wrapped gift. After enjoying the process of wrapping it, he then enjoyed slowly unwrapping the gift and devouring it bit by bit.

The butler and maid did not reappear, but the sensation of being watched kept Chi Li's nerves taut.

The redness in Chi Li's eyes was real, as was the panic on his face, as was his arousal.

The more he was like this, the more intense Si Jinyan became.

Chi Li said hoarsely, "Let's go upstairs, back to the bedroom..."

He did not know that his pitiful, aggrieved appearance instead stirred the beast's desire to torment him.

Si Jinyan directly picked him up and, maintaining that position, carried him up the stairs one step at a time and back to the room.

Chi Li buried his head against Si Jinyan's neck. Unlike Si Jinyan's steady footsteps, Chi Li's toes trembled and curled together slightly.

Late that night, Si Jinyan left one permanent mark after another, though he knew those marks would still disappear before long.

Chi Li's consciousness was hazy. He would never know how many permanent marks Si Jinyan had once tried to leave on him.

Previously, Luolan Research Institute had anticipated the issue of permanent marks and conducted experiments using alpha and omega biological genes. The result was that permanent marks could also be forged.

However, none of them had expected that Si Jinyan, whose public identity was that of an alpha, was actually an Enigma. In the face of the unknown variable that was an Enigma, the previous research data became unstable and dangerous.

Because he had only recently been injected with the forgery agent, the omega pheromones produced by Chi Li's gland were abundant and potent, enough to resist Si Jinyan's marks. Even in his hazy state, Chi Li did not feel pain as he had last time.

A few days later, Chi Li and Si Jinyan went to the Federation Central Government.

Ever since returning from his last meeting with the intelligence department, Chi Li had been observing and waiting for an opportunity to act.

He discovered that when Si Jinyan held group meetings, it was the most advantageous time. There were fewer people in the office then, giving Chi Li ample time to investigate and cover his tracks.

Chi Li had already made a plan several days earlier. He would take advantage of one of Si Jinyan's group meetings and use the optical computer in Si Jinyan's office as a medium to infiltrate the Federation government's database.

In advance, he activated the microchip implanted beneath the skin of his left wrist after the previous meeting. Its primary interference function could briefly control surveillance within several kilometers and insert surveillance footage Chi Li had edited beforehand. The altered footage would show only Chi Li sitting on the sofa reading the entire time.

The harsh training he had received in the mercenary corps and military had made Chi Li proficient in nearly every skill useful for gathering intelligence.

He operated the optical computer rapidly. After entering a string of special keys, he was able to conceal the traces of his browsing activity.

To Chi Li's surprise, he had only hacked into the third level of the research institute's system when he found data related to Si Jinyan's identity.

Chi Li opened one of the files. It contained a recorded video.

At first, the video was dim and blurry. Chi Li could only make out what appeared to be a massive object inside a glass isolation chamber.

He sped up the video, and the camera focus zoomed in on the object at twice the speed.

Yet as the camera drew closer, an inexplicable unease rose in Chi Li, and his heart gradually began to pound faster.

The instant he saw what it was, Chi Li's breath caught, his heart slamming viciously against his chest again and again.

A human body and a fish tail—a species found only in myths. The silver-black tail was real and enormous, hanging naturally in the water. It was perhaps several meters long, every section of muscle filled with powerful, savage strength waiting to erupt.

Its jet-black scales reflected a metallic sheen. Yet even without any light shining upon them, the dense, sturdy, evenly overlapping scales still glimmered with an eerie silver radiance beneath the water.