Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Beautiful Tail”

Key plot points and events

Chi Li praises Si Jinyan’s silver-black fish tail, openly affirming its beauty despite Si Jinyan’s painful history of being treated as a monster and exploited for his genes. Encouraged by the praise, Si Jinyan transforms and wraps Chi Li in his tail, seeking further admiration and intimacy. They kiss and reminisce about their shared past, including the scale Si Jinyan once gave Chi Li and the years during which its presence kept them spiritually connected.
Si Jinyan realizes that the scale has protected Chi Li, enhanced his recovery, and allowed him to sense when Chi Li was in extreme danger. Their discussion then turns to Chi Li’s plan to continue going on missions. Although Si Jinyan strongly opposes the idea because he fears Chi Li being injured, he agrees to review the plan and make it safer.

Character developments

Si Jinyan’s emotional vulnerability becomes clear. Chi Li’s sincere praise helps counteract years of rejection, exploitation, and disillusionment. He openly acknowledges that he and Chi Li have fallen in love and asks Chi Li to admit his feelings. Though Chi Li gives no direct verbal answer, his willingness to remain close and accept Si Jinyan’s affection suggests mutual love.
Chi Li also becomes more aware of the scale’s significance and of the hidden reasons behind his unusual physical abilities. He recognizes that the country he trusted may have been exploiting Si Jinyan, deepening his concern for him.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes healing through genuine acceptance, contrasting sincere love with the false “kindness” Si Jinyan experienced in the past. It explores fate and enduring connection through the scale, which symbolically and physically links the two men despite their separation. Trust, emotional restraint, and the difficulty of openly acknowledging love are also central. The chapter further highlights the conflict between personal affection and duty, as Chi Li insists on continuing missions while Si Jinyan fears losing him.

Character interactions

Si Jinyan playfully displays his tail and allows Chi Li to touch its scales, turning an old source of shame into something beautiful and intimate. They share affectionate kisses and physical closeness while discussing their forgotten history. Si Jinyan interprets Chi Li’s continued tolerance and closeness as evidence of love, while Chi Li does not deny him. Their final disagreement over Chi Li’s missions shows their contrasting priorities: Chi Li accepts danger as necessary, whereas Si Jinyan responds protectively but ultimately compromises by agreeing to help make the plan foolproof.

Chapter Summary: “Parting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan receives negotiation terms from Yao Di’s forces, who immediately provide the location of their supposed base: a shabby, abandoned building fifty kilometers away.
• Although the location appears suspiciously exposed and likely trapped, Si Jinyan recognizes Yao Di’s arrogance and predicts that the meeting will involve an ambush rather than an outright massacre.
• Si Jinyan reveals the plan: Chi Li will go in his place and allow himself to be captured, while the soldiers use the opportunity to locate the hostages and delay the enemy until reinforcements arrive.
• Si Jinyan secretly mobilizes the Imperial Shadow Army, an elite force whose authority he controls through one of two military tokens left to him by the previous emperor.
• The opposing side gives them only two hours to arrive, confirming their attempt to catch them unprepared.
• Before Chi Li leaves, Si Jinyan repeatedly checks him and kisses him goodbye. Chi Li is startled and emotionally affected but ultimately does not reject him, responding with concern for Si Jinyan’s safety.
• Chi Li and Geng Ji travel by spacecraft, while their infiltrating forces prepare to enter the base later. Si Jinyan and several soldiers take a covert route to avoid detection.
• At the abandoned building, Liasuo is waiting. When Chi Li announces that he has come to negotiate for Si Jinyan, Liasuo orders him blindfolded and taken underground.
• Chi Li is imprisoned in a specially constructed metal cell. Rather than being alarmed, he realizes his early capture may make it easier for the group to locate the hostages and assess the base.
• Liasuo attempts to provoke Chi Li by threatening to torture him and use recordings of his suffering to lure Si Jinyan out.
• Chi Li counters by claiming that he can help force Si Jinyan to continue serving Yao Di, while secretly using the conversation to gather information.
• Liasuo insults Chi Li’s relationship with Si Jinyan and inadvertently reveals his own hatred and discomfort toward his identity as an Aberrant Form. Chi Li realizes that his suspicion about Liasuo is correct: Liasuo was once human and may possess mermaid-related abilities.
• Liasuo recognizes that Chi Li has been manipulating him for information and becomes enraged.

Character Development

• Si Jinyan demonstrates strategic confidence, emotional vulnerability, and deep concern for Chi Li. He accepts the danger of the plan but struggles to part with Chi Li, revealing how strongly attached he has become.
• Chi Li remains calm, perceptive, and strategically minded after being captured. He willingly takes the risk of serving as bait and quickly turns Liasuo’s arrogance against him.
• Liasuo is shown to be cruel, insecure, and psychologically disturbed by his transformation into an Aberrant Form. His taunts toward Chi Li expose his self-loathing and loss of humanity.
• Yao Di remains an indirect but powerful presence. His ambition, arrogance, and fear of Si Jinyan shape the entire confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Trust and sacrifice: Chi Li and Si Jinyan rely on one another despite the danger, with Chi Li risking capture and Si Jinyan risking emotional loss and military exposure.
• Love amid conflict: Their farewell kiss marks a shift in their relationship, revealing mutual affection beneath their previously restrained interactions.
• Strategy versus brute force: Si Jinyan’s plan depends on deception, timing, infiltration, and exploiting the enemy’s assumptions rather than attacking immediately.
• Identity and dehumanization: Liasuo’s reaction to being called a beast reflects the psychological damage caused by the Aberrant Form experiments and the conflict between his former humanity and altered body.
• Arrogance and manipulation: Yao Di and Liasuo both underestimate their opponents, allowing Chi Li and Si Jinyan to exploit their pride.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Chi Li share an emotionally charged farewell, with Si Jinyan kissing Chi Li and warning him to be careful.
• Chi Li and Geng Ji cooperate in the infiltration plan, separating from Si Jinyan’s covert group.
• Chi Li confronts Liasuo during the attempted negotiation. Liasuo tries to intimidate and emotionally manipulate him, while Chi Li remains composed and manipulates Liasuo into revealing information.
• Their exchange exposes Liasuo’s transformation, insecurity, and possible mermaid abilities, ending with Liasuo realizing that Chi Li has been deliberately provoking him.

Chapter Summary: “Collecting Pearls”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li is held captive by Liasuo and learns that he and the other prisoners are intended to become experimental subjects. Their cries of pain reveal that experiments are already underway nearby.
• Bai Qi unexpectedly visits Chi Li. He claims to have prevented Yao Di from experimenting on Chi Li immediately, since Yao Di wants to use him to lure out Si Jinyan.
• Bai Qi secretly communicates with Chi Li in Mermaid Language, revealing that he knows Chi Li can understand it. He tells Chi Li not to act rashly and gives him instructions for an emergency ritual: sacrifice what he cherishes most to summon an ancient Mermaid entity.
• Chi Li is later injected with a substance and has an active tracker implanted in him, allowing Si Jinyan’s group to locate him and track the facility.
• He is taken to a laboratory and injected with another unknown substance. The researcher calls him “the best host so far” before Chi Li loses consciousness.
• During unconsciousness, Chi Li dreams of a silver-black-tailed Mermaid and an Eggy being tortured and pierced by chains. The dream causes him intense grief, though he cannot fully remember the Mermaid’s identity.
• Si Jinyan and his allies successfully infiltrate the facility and rescue Chi Li. Si Jinyan kills the researcher responsible and learns that Chi Li showed no rejection response to the injection, though the consequences remain unknown.
• Si Jinyan explains that a traitor’s actions helped them locate Chi Li sooner. Geng Ji is evacuating people while Si Jinyan goes after Yao Di.
• A pearl falls from Chi Li’s hand. Si Jinyan recognizes it as a pearl formed from one of his own tears, revealing that Chi Li has been secretly carrying and treasuring it.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly suspicious and cautious, especially around Bai Qi, whose hidden motives and knowledge of Mermaid Language make him dangerous and unpredictable. Despite his imprisonment, Chi Li remains observant and strategically focused on the rescue operation. His attachment to Si Jinyan is also revealed through his careful preservation of Si Jinyan’s tear-pearl.
• Bai Qi: Shows that he possesses secret knowledge about Mermaid Language and Chi Li’s abilities. His claim that he wants nothing in return remains doubtful, while his cryptic instructions suggest he has a larger plan.
• Si Jinyan: Demonstrates fierce protectiveness and ruthlessness by rescuing Chi Li and killing the researcher who experimented on him. His tenderness returns when he discovers Chi Li has kept his tear-pearl, exposing the emotional intimacy between them.
• Yao Di and Liasuo: Their role as leaders or agents of the experimentation operation becomes clearer. They intend to exploit Chi Li to force Si Jinyan into the open.
• The researchers: Their experiments appear connected to finding or creating a suitable “host,” though the substance injected into Chi Li remains unexplained.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and hidden agendas: Bai Qi’s secret intervention and coded communication suggest that alliances are unstable and motives are concealed.
• Sacrifice and emotional attachment: Bai Qi’s ritual instructions emphasize sacrificing what one cherishes most, while Chi Li’s pearl symbolizes the value of love and personal devotion.
• Captivity and exploitation: The prisoners are treated as experimental materials, highlighting the dehumanizing cruelty of the facility.
• Memory and identity: Chi Li’s dream hints at forgotten trauma, possible past relationships, and buried knowledge about Mermaids and Eggys.
• Love expressed indirectly: Chi Li’s silent act of keeping Si Jinyan’s tear contrasts with Si Jinyan’s open affection, showing their relationship through both restraint and tenderness.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Li and Bai Qi: Their tense conversation combines apparent cooperation with secrecy. Bai Qi speaks in both the Imperial Tongue and Mermaid Language, leaving Chi Li unsure whether he is helping or manipulating him.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Their reunion shifts from urgent medical concern to affectionate teasing. Si Jinyan is touched by Chi Li’s hidden collection of his tear-pearl, while Chi Li is embarrassed that his private sentiment has been discovered.
• Si Jinyan and the researcher: Si Jinyan’s violent confrontation with the researcher reveals his anger over Chi Li’s abuse and his willingness to eliminate threats.
• Chi Li and his dream figures: The anguished vision of the chained Mermaid and Eggy creates an emotional connection to a forgotten past and foreshadows revelations about Chi Li’s identity and history.

Chapter Summary: “Mutation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li and Si Jinyan separate during the assault on Yao Di’s base. Si Jinyan goes after Yao Di and Bai Qi, while Chi Li works to rescue the others.
• Bai Qi deliberately lures Yao Di into a private meeting under the pretense of performing divination. He uses the opportunity to stall Yao Di while Si Jinyan’s forces infiltrate the base.
• Yao Di discovers Bai Qi’s betrayal and nearly strangles him, but Si Jinyan breaks through the guards and rescues Bai Qi.
• In retaliation, Yao Di opens the hidden chambers and releases the Aberrant Forms—mutated creatures that hunt by instinct and are especially drawn to pure Mermaid blood.
• The creatures overrun the base, forcing everyone to flee. Chi Li carries Bo Lang to safety with help from a young guard, while Si Jinyan initially tries to reach him despite the danger.
• Bai Qi leads Si Jinyan through a hidden passage and explains that the Aberrant Forms crave the genes injected into them. He warns that Yao Di must not be allowed to survive, since he may uncover Chi Li’s secret and use the Mermaid scale against him.
• Yao Di activates the base’s self-destruct system, destroying the facility and its evidence. Bai Qi notes that Yao Di has likely already transferred the data.
• After escaping, Si Jinyan finds Yao Di alone on the mountainside. Yao Di attempts to inject himself with a highly purified mutation serum, apparently intending to transform or strengthen himself.
• Si Jinyan stops him, breaking his arm and knocking away the syringe. As Aberrant Forms climb up the mountain, Si Jinyan restrains Yao Di and leaves him with Bai Qi while going to find Chi Li.

Character Developments

• Bai Qi: Reveals the extent of his long-term manipulation and planning. He knowingly risks his life to set his “chessboard” in motion, remaining composed even while being strangled. His concern for Chi Li’s safety shows that his schemes are not purely self-serving, though his methods remain calculating and opaque.
• Si Jinyan: Acts decisively and protectively, rescuing Bai Qi and prioritizing Chi Li’s safety. He recognizes Bai Qi’s manipulation but is forced to follow the plan because it is already unfolding. His determination to find Chi Li overrides every other concern.
• Yao Di: His paranoia, possessiveness, and obsession with power intensify into outright madness. Even when cornered and facing death, he remains focused on control, the “throne,” and mutation. His attempt to inject himself shows his desperation to survive or gain greater power.
• Chi Li: Demonstrates courage and responsibility by rescuing Bo Lang and helping others escape. His importance to the conflict becomes clearer because his hidden Mermaid identity makes him a target for the Aberrant Forms and for Yao Di’s future schemes.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and control: Bai Qi’s elaborate strategy contrasts with Yao Di’s increasingly unstable attempts to control others through fear, power, and genetic experimentation.
• Mutation and unnatural power: The Aberrant Forms represent the destructive consequences of tampering with genes and forcing biological transformation.
• Sacrifice and protection: Characters repeatedly risk themselves for one another, particularly Si Jinyan’s urgent efforts to protect Chi Li and Bai Qi’s willingness to endanger himself to advance the larger plan.
• Fate and strategy: Bai Qi views events as pieces on a chessboard, suggesting a conflict between carefully engineered destiny and the unpredictable consequences of human ambition.
• Obsession and madness: Yao Di’s fixation on betrayal, authority, and genetic power drives him toward self-destruction.

Character Interactions

• Yao Di and Bai Qi: Their confrontation exposes Yao Di’s sense of betrayal and Bai Qi’s cold confidence. Bai Qi appears physically helpless but retains psychological control.
• Si Jinyan and Bai Qi: Their uneasy alliance is shaped by mutual distrust. Si Jinyan understands that Bai Qi has manipulated events, yet still relies on his guidance to escape the base.
• Si Jinyan and Yao Di: Their final confrontation emphasizes their opposing views of power. Yao Di assumes Si Jinyan wants the throne, while Si Jinyan rejects this interpretation and treats Yao Di as irredeemably insane.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Though separated, they remain connected through communication devices. Si Jinyan’s concern grows when contact fails, reinforcing their emotional bond and his determination to reunite with Chi Li.

Chapter Summary: “Revenge”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan, Bai Qi, and the unconscious Yao Di are trapped on a mountain summit as Aberrant Forms close in from every direction.
• Bai Qi urges Si Jinyan to leave aboard the spaceship, warning that Yao Di likely has a hidden contingency and that the creatures are targeting them.
• Si Jinyan refuses to stay, but clarifies that his actions are not for Bai Qi’s sake. He leaves to find Chi Li, relying on their promise to escape together once everything is over.
• Chi Li periodically contacts Si Jinyan to reassure him that he is safe. With help from Bai Qi’s guard, Chi Li and the surviving members of the group escape the base before it self-destructs.
• During the rescue, they discover prisoners and former companions sealed inside laboratories, horribly mutated. At their request—or in accordance with their presumed wishes—Bo Lang kills them quickly rather than leave them to suffer.
• The mission ends in devastating loss: of eighteen mercenaries, only seven survive.
• Meanwhile, Si Jinyan remains on the mountain in his mermaid form, fighting through the surrounding Aberrant Forms.
• Inside the spaceship, Yao Di regains consciousness and accuses Bai Qi of manipulating Si Jinyan to avenge Yao He’s death.
• Yao Di claims Si Jinyan will eventually discover Bai Qi’s deception and hate him. He also threatens that Bai Qi will suffer the same fate as himself.
• The chapter ends as black, tumor-like scales spread across Yao Di’s body, suggesting that his transformation or rejection of the injected substance is accelerating.

2. Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Demonstrates determination and emotional loyalty by leaving the relative safety of the spaceship to search for Chi Li. His focus has shifted from the broader conflict to protecting and reuniting with the person he loves.
• Bai Qi: Appears relieved that his long-standing revenge is nearing completion. Though he thanks Si Jinyan, his relief also hints at the emotional burden of finally confronting Yao Di.
• Chi Li: Acts responsibly under pressure, guiding the survivors to safety and keeping Si Jinyan informed so he will not worry. His relationship with Si Jinyan is reinforced through mutual trust and their promised future together.
• Yao Di: Reveals that he has understood much of Bai Qi’s plan and remains psychologically manipulative even while physically collapsing. His madness, pain, and mutation show the consequences of his actions and experiments.
• Bo Lang: Displays the painful authority of a commander forced to make merciful but traumatic decisions. Killing the mutated prisoners deeply affects him, emphasizing his attachment to the fallen members of his corps.

3. Significant Themes

• Revenge and its consequences: Bai Qi’s desire to punish Yao Di has driven the chapter, but Yao Di warns that revenge may also destroy Bai Qi’s relationships and identity.
• Loyalty and love: Si Jinyan’s decision to search for Chi Li shows that personal bonds are more important to him than simply escaping danger.
• Mercy amid horror: Bo Lang’s execution of the mutated prisoners presents death as an act of compassion when survival has become unbearable.
• Sacrifice and loss: The rescue succeeds, but the mercenary corps suffers catastrophic casualties, showing that victory comes at an enormous cost.
• Transformation and dehumanization: The prisoners’ mutations and Yao Di’s growing scales reflect the physical consequences of experimentation and the loss of humanity caused by unchecked power.

4. Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Bai Qi: Bai Qi warns Si Jinyan to leave, while Si Jinyan rejects the idea that he is acting for Bai Qi. Their exchange reflects mutual understanding but also emotional distance.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Their communication is brief but intimate; Chi Li repeatedly reassures Si Jinyan, and Si Jinyan’s actions are motivated by his promise to reunite with him.
• Chi Li and Bo Lang: Chi Li supports the injured Bo Lang during the escape, while Bo Lang emotionally guides Chi Li through the necessity of killing the mutated prisoners.
• Bai Qi and Yao Di: Yao Di confronts Bai Qi with accusations of manipulation and revenge. Bai Qi remains controlled, watching as Yao Di suffers, while Yao Di attempts to frighten him by invoking Si Jinyan and Chi Li.

Chapter Summary: “Worry”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a brief pause after fighting the Aberrant Forms, Si Jinyan contacts Chi Li, mainly because he wants to hear Chi Li’s voice and reassure himself that he is safe.
• Chi Li reports that he is escorting injured people slowly toward safety. Rescue teams have taken some survivors away, but manpower is limited because they are also dealing with the Aberrant Forms.
• Si Jinyan is surrounded by an enormous swarm of Aberrant Forms. He realizes that Yao Di must have secretly cultivated hundreds of them over the years, making the situation far more serious than expected.
• Si Jinyan has already killed more than a hundred creatures, but the battle continues relentlessly. His physical exhaustion becomes increasingly apparent, with dark patterns appearing beneath his skin and pale gold showing in his eyes.
• Although he claims the situation is merely troublesome, Si Jinyan understands that the rescue teams lack the experience and equipment necessary to handle the monsters effectively.
• He urges Chi Li to leave by spaceship, find Lu Jiu, and obtain the materials needed to deal with the Aberrant Forms. Chi Li refuses to abandon him and says he will contact Lu Jiu himself and return if necessary.
• When Si Jinyan briefly stops responding, Chi Li panics, fearing that something has happened to him. Si Jinyan eventually answers with a forced laugh, attempting to hide his exhaustion.
• Chi Li takes a gun and ammunition given to him by Geng Ji and begins moving toward the mountain where Si Jinyan is fighting, determined to find him despite Si Jinyan’s order to stay put.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Reveals deep concern for Chi Li while concealing the severity of his own condition. His repeated questions about whether Chi Li is tired or injured show his protective instincts. Despite being surrounded and exhausted, he remains focused on Chi Li’s safety and tries to send him away from danger.
• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly anxious as he recognizes that Si Jinyan is hiding how badly he is doing. Rather than obeying Si Jinyan’s instructions to remain safe, Chi Li chooses to go to him, demonstrating loyalty, courage, and emotional attachment.
• Yao Di: Though absent from the immediate action, Yao Di’s threat is emphasized through the vast number of Aberrant Forms he has secretly created.
• Lu Jiu and Geng Ji: Their expertise and resources become important to the survivors’ chances of dealing with the Aberrant Forms. Geng Ji has already equipped Chi Li to defend himself.

Significant Themes

• Worry and emotional dependence: The chapter centers on Si Jinyan calling Chi Li simply to hear his voice, while Chi Li’s panic grows when Si Jinyan becomes silent.
• Protection and sacrifice: Both men try to protect the other—Si Jinyan by pushing Chi Li away from the danger, and Chi Li by refusing to leave him alone.
• Hidden vulnerability: Si Jinyan masks his exhaustion and danger behind calm reassurances, while Chi Li senses the truth despite his words.
• Overwhelming danger and limited resources: The endless Aberrant Forms, insufficient rescue personnel, and lack of proper equipment highlight the scale of the crisis.
• Trust and partnership: Their communication remains a source of emotional strength, and Chi Li’s decision to seek Si Jinyan out shows that their bond overrides direct orders.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan repeatedly checks on Chi Li’s condition during the battle, while Chi Li asks whether Si Jinyan is in trouble.
• Si Jinyan tries to convince Chi Li to retreat and contact Lu Jiu instead of coming to help.
• Chi Li refuses to accept this separation, promises to obtain help, and rushes toward Si Jinyan after detecting the fear and exhaustion hidden in his voice.
• Their brief exchange conveys mutual concern: Si Jinyan prioritizes Chi Li’s survival, while Chi Li prioritizes staying with and protecting Si Jinyan.

Chapter Summary: “Death”

Key plot points and events

• Chi Li returns alone toward the collapsed area after contacting Lu Jiu. Si Jinyan tells him that more than a hundred Aberrant Forms are surrounding him and insists that Chi Li stay away, since his presence would attract even more creatures.
• Chi Li initially waits at the mountain’s foot, helps the rescue team understand the Aberrant Forms’ weaknesses, and receives new equipment. However, his concern for Si Jinyan eventually drives him up the mountain.
• Near the fog-covered mountain, Chi Li is attacked by Liasuo, whose body has been horribly mutilated by the Aberrant Forms. Driven by hatred, jealousy, and desperation, Liasuo repeatedly reopens his own wounds and covers Chi Li in blood before Chi Li shoots him.
• Liasuo dies still gripping Chi Li, while a huge number of Aberrant Forms converge on Chi Li. Chi Li fights back but becomes severely wounded and is eventually buried beneath the creatures.
• Si Jinyan senses that Chi Li is in danger and abandons all restraint. His fin-like wings and fishtail emerge, allowing him to slaughter the Aberrant Forms and shield Chi Li.
• Si Jinyan finds Chi Li barely conscious and repeatedly reassures him that he has come to take him home. Chi Li, recognizing that Si Jinyan is close to losing control, recalls the ancient Mermaid Language Bai Qi taught him.
• Chi Li reaches into his own chest, searching for the scale connected to Si Jinyan’s heart, and silently recites the Mermaid Language. His consciousness fades as he enters a strange, watery white haze, recalling a similar experience from the past.

Character developments

• Chi Li: His determination to protect and recover Si Jinyan overcomes his fear and practical judgment. Despite catastrophic injuries, he remains focused on preventing Si Jinyan from losing control and appears willing to sacrifice himself to save him.
• Si Jinyan: His concern for Chi Li breaks through his usual self-control. Seeing Chi Li injured unleashes his monstrous Mermaid form, revealing both his immense power and the emotional vulnerability beneath his restraint.
• Liasuo: His final appearance shows him consumed by resentment and obsession. Though nearly dead, his regenerative ability keeps him moving, and his fixation on Chi Li drives his last attack.
• Relationship between Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Their bond is portrayed as deeply emotional and mutually sacrificial. Chi Li risks death to reach Si Jinyan, while Si Jinyan’s first priority is protecting Chi Li and taking him to safety.

Significant themes

• Love and self-sacrifice: Both men repeatedly endanger themselves for the other, suggesting that their relationship is stronger than fear, survival instinct, or physical pain.
• Guilt and responsibility: Si Jinyan remains burdened by his connection to the creation of the Aberrant Forms, while Chi Li believes Si Jinyan’s suffering is partly connected to his own past.
• Loss of control versus humanity: Si Jinyan’s transformation represents the danger of his suppressed nature, but his ability to recognize and comfort Chi Li shows that his humanity remains intact.
• Death and rebirth: Liasuo’s death, Chi Li’s near-fatal condition, and the mysterious watery vision suggest a transition or possible transformation rather than a simple ending.
• The lasting impact of the past: Memories of Luolan’s laboratory and Si Jinyan’s years of suffering connect the present crisis to old trauma and unresolved guilt.

Important character interactions

• Chi Li and Si Jinyan communicate through the audio channel, with Si Jinyan trying to keep Chi Li away and Chi Li refusing to abandon him.
• Liasuo confronts Chi Li in a final, violent act of jealousy and hatred, forcing Chi Li to kill him.
• Si Jinyan rescues Chi Li from the Aberrant Forms, catches his weapon-bearing wrist, and gently repeats that he is there.
• Chi Li responds to Si Jinyan’s transformation by using the ancient Mermaid Language, apparently attempting to calm him, affect their bond, or prevent him from completely losing control. The chapter ends before the result is revealed.

Chapter Summary

• Chi Li makes a desperate supernatural bargain: In a misty, dreamlike realm, Chi Li encounters a mysterious, red-and-black-scaled figure with a black fish tail and a face resembling Si Jinyan’s. The figure tells him Chi Li is not the owner of the scale he carries, but agrees to save its owner—Si Jinyan—in exchange for Chi Li’s life or another equivalent price. Chi Li accepts immediately, asking only whether he may speak to Si Jinyan again if fate allows.
• A mysterious restoration of warmth: After the bargain, Chi Li’s consciousness sinks into darkness and cold. He hears Si Jinyan crying and calling his name, along with another familiar, weak voice. Something warm is placed inside his chest, gradually replacing the surrounding cold before he loses consciousness completely.
• The crisis ends: News reports reveal that the Aberrant Form crisis has concluded, aid has arrived in Country E, and former Emperor Yao Di had spent years creating anti-human weapons. The larger conflict appears to be over, though Chi Li has been unconscious for a month.
• Chi Li awakens: Chi Li opens his eyes in Si Jinyan’s island home. Si Jinyan rushes to him, overwhelmed with relief and tears after believing Chi Li might never recover. Chi Li struggles to believe that the scene is real, remembering the bloodshed, Aberrant Forms, and Si Jinyan’s apparent emotional collapse from the battle.
• Reunion between Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Si Jinyan repeatedly assures Chi Li that they are both alive and that everything is over. He clings to Chi Li, touches him constantly, and refuses to leave his side, revealing how deeply traumatized he has been during Chi Li’s month-long unconsciousness. Chi Li comforts him with gentle humor about the pearls produced by Si Jinyan’s tears.
• Si Jinyan’s care and protectiveness: Si Jinyan checks Chi Li for discomfort, adjusts his pillows and blankets, holds him tightly, and insists on feeding him himself. His actions show intense fear of losing Chi Li again, as well as tenderness and devotion. Chi Li accepts the care, recognizing Si Jinyan’s emotional fragility.
• Butler Yuan’s survival is clarified: Chi Li is surprised to see Butler Yuan, since he had previously believed Si Jinyan executed him due to a misunderstanding. Si Jinyan explains that Yuan was transferred to the Empire to work with Qiu Rui and monitor affairs while Si Jinyan was away. The misunderstanding is resolved.
• Character developments: Chi Li demonstrates selflessness and courage by willingly sacrificing himself for Si Jinyan. Si Jinyan, usually controlled, is openly vulnerable, grieving, and dependent on Chi Li’s survival. Their reunion confirms the depth of their emotional bond, while Chi Li’s continued uncertainty hints that the consequences of the bargain may not yet be fully understood.
• Themes and interactions: The chapter emphasizes sacrifice, love, survival after catastrophe, and the fragile boundary between reality and death. Chi Li and Si Jinyan’s intimate reunion contrasts with the violence of the preceding crisis. Their physical closeness, shared tears, and quiet caregiving show that their relationship has moved beyond fear and misunderstanding toward mutual dependence and emotional openness.
• Ending: After being fed and cared for, Chi Li says he wants to take a bath, marking his first ordinary, bodily concern after awakening and suggesting a gradual return to normal life.

Chapter Summary: “Self-Reproach”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After waking from a month-long unconscious state, Chi Li insists on walking independently rather than being carried or treated as helpless. He walks around the room and reconnects with reality through the fresh air and sunlight.
• Si Jinyan prepares a bath and continues caring for Chi Li, revealing how thoroughly he has looked after him during his recovery.
• While bathing together, Chi Li asks Si Jinyan how he managed the aftermath of losing control. This leads Si Jinyan to confront Chi Li about the dangerous “transaction” he made to save him.
• Si Jinyan admits that he had been unable to protect Chi Li and has spent the past month blaming himself. Chi Li responds that Si Jinyan would have made the same choice if faced with the last possible hope.
• Chi Li comforts him through affection, and their emotional reconciliation becomes intimate, easing some of the tension between them.
• Later, Chi Li notices that Si Jinyan’s fish tail appears more beautiful than before. The chapter reveals that Si Jinyan’s heart scale has regenerated because of Chi Li, while the removal of the scale inside Chi Li’s body has accelerated Chi Li’s already-failing life.
• In the following days, Chi Li learns that the Aberrant Forms surrounding them mysteriously turned to ash, allowing their escape. Reinforcements later eliminated the remaining creatures. Both Chi Li and Si Jinyan suspect that the event was connected to the mysterious transaction, but neither openly discusses it.
• Geng Ji and the others survived. Si Jinyan has also stayed away from the base while caring for Chi Li.
• Chi Li learns that Bai Qi is currently governing the Empire, apparently through the emperor’s temporary replacement.
• When Chi Li finally returns to the base, he realizes he has forgotten something important: Eggy. Si Jinyan’s hesitation when asked about Eggy makes Chi Li fear that something has happened.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Regains physical strength and independence after his month-long recovery. He remains perceptive and begins questioning the cost of the bargain that saved Si Jinyan. Though he tries to lighten Si Jinyan’s guilt with affection, his growing concern over Eggy shows his emotional vulnerability.
• Si Jinyan: His intense protectiveness becomes clearer. He has spent the month caring for Chi Li and blaming himself for failing to protect him. His emotional restraint breaks when he confronts Chi Li about risking his life, revealing deep fear of losing him.
• Bai Qi: Gains political authority by becoming the person effectively governing the Empire, suggesting a significant shift in the political situation.
• Eggy: Though absent from the chapter’s events, Eggy’s unexplained absence becomes a major source of suspense at the end.

Significant Themes

• Self-reproach and guilt: Si Jinyan’s inability to protect Chi Li weighs heavily on him, while Chi Li begins wondering what price he personally paid for saving Si Jinyan.
• Sacrifice and survival: The chapter emphasizes the dangerous exchange between the two characters and raises questions about whether survival truly came without a cost.
• Love expressed through care: Si Jinyan’s constant attention and Chi Li’s attempt to comfort him demonstrate their mutual devotion.
• Recovery and reality: Chi Li’s walking, bathing, and feeling the breeze symbolize his gradual return to physical and emotional reality.
• Hidden consequences: The mysterious destruction of the Aberrant Forms, the regenerated heart scale, Chi Li’s shortened lifespan, and Eggy’s disappearance all suggest unresolved consequences.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li resists Si Jinyan’s overprotectiveness, insisting on caring for himself.
• Si Jinyan tends to Chi Li in the bath, where their conversation shifts from physical care to emotional confrontation.
• Si Jinyan embraces Chi Li and confesses his guilt; Chi Li reassures him that he would have made the same choice.
• Chi Li initiates intimacy to ease Si Jinyan’s pain, though Si Jinyan soon takes control of the encounter.
• At the chapter’s close, Chi Li cautiously questions Si Jinyan about Eggy, while Si Jinyan’s silence and stiffening body intensify the tension.

Chapter Summary: “Precognition”

Key plot points and events

• Chi Li notices Si Jinyan’s unusual sadness and takes his hand, reaffirming his desire to face the future with him.
• Si Jinyan brings Chi Li to a previously inaccessible laboratory, where they find Eggy’s egg cracked, motionless, and apparently lifeless.
• Si Jinyan explains that when he returned to the base after rescuing Chi Li, Eggy had followed him there—possibly through its spiritual bond with Chi Li—despite having already stopped breathing.
• Eggy briefly cries before undergoing a sudden hatching. Its shell becomes transparent, revealing a tiny merfolk-like child, but the egg fills with blood and a scale falls out.
• Eggy weakly calls Chi Li’s name. Si Jinyan realizes that Eggy has given Chi Li one of its scales, which is now inside Chi Li’s body.
• Chi Li learns that young merfolk possess precognitive abilities. Eggy had foreseen this event and knowingly sacrificed itself to protect Chi Li.
• Si Jinyan reveals that he, too, once foresaw a future separation from Chi Li and had long intended to give Chi Li his own scale as a means of protecting him and preserving their connection.

Character developments

• Chi Li fully acknowledges that his feelings for Si Jinyan exceed friendship and are deeper than what he once felt for Jin. He becomes determined to share everything with Si Jinyan rather than face danger alone.
• Si Jinyan’s sorrow and protectiveness become clear. His grief over Eggy is tempered by his understanding of its deliberate choice, while his own past precognition reveals how long he has prepared to protect Chi Li and reunite with him.
• Eggy is shown to possess remarkable foresight, loyalty, and self-sacrificial love. Even after death—or apparent death—it acts to save Chi Li and fulfill a choice made long ago.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and protection: Eggy gives up its scale and life to shield Chi Li, while Si Jinyan has similarly planned to sacrifice his own scale for Chi Li’s safety.
• Love beyond friendship: Chi Li’s near-death experience forces him to confront romantic feelings for Si Jinyan.
• Fate and choice: Although Eggy and Si Jinyan foresee painful events, their actions demonstrate that prophecy does not remove agency; they consciously choose how to respond.
• Connection and reunion: The merfolk scales symbolize protection, spiritual bonds, and the hope that separated loved ones can find each other again.
• Grief and acceptance: Chi Li struggles with Eggy’s apparent death, while Si Jinyan helps him understand that Eggy acted knowingly and without regret.

Important character interactions

• Chi Li and Si Jinyan hold hands as Chi Li senses his sorrow, symbolizing their growing emotional intimacy and mutual reliance.
• Si Jinyan guides Chi Li to Eggy and explains the sacrifice, forcing them both to confront the loss together.
• Eggy’s final call for Chi Li establishes its emotional bond with him.
• Si Jinyan comforts Chi Li by explaining Eggy’s precognition and reveals his own long-standing desire to protect Chi Li and remain connected to him.

Chapter Summary: “Pearl Necklace”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three months after Eggy’s near-death condition, Chi Li continues visiting the incubation room daily. Eggy’s heartbeat has recently returned, suggesting it may be recovering despite the severe damage caused by giving Chi Li its scale.
• Si Jinyan has withdrawn from managing the base. Lu Jiu takes control of the island and begins developing a pharmaceutical company with Si Jinyan’s financial support. Geng Ji, Geng Xing, and Qiu Rui also become connected to the island, while Butler Yuan returns to working as a butler.
• Butler Yuan summons Chi Li home because Si Jinyan has been in his susceptible period for several days. Chi Li discovers him feverish, surrounded by a nest made from Chi Li’s clothes, and emitting an overwhelming amount of pheromones.
• Si Jinyan reacts instinctively to Chi Li’s arrival, wrapping him in his tail and clinging to him. During the encounter, he expresses insecurity and accuses Chi Li of not wanting him.
• Chi Li reassures Si Jinyan while wearing the pearl necklace made from Si Jinyan’s pearl. Si Jinyan possessively identifies the pearl—and Chi Li—as “mine.”
• Si Jinyan’s susceptible period lasts ten days, during which Chi Li remains with him. Once Si Jinyan’s fever finally subsides, Chi Li notices his vulnerable, uncertain expression.
• At that moment, Lu Jiu calls with the news that Eggy appears to have moved. Chi Li and Si Jinyan immediately become alert and watch the live video feed.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Remains deeply devoted to Eggy and refuses to abandon hope for its recovery. He is also attentive to Si Jinyan’s emotional needs, recognizing that the susceptible period amplifies Si Jinyan’s insecurity. Although Si Jinyan’s instinctive behavior frightens him slightly, Chi Li continues to reassure and care for him.
• Si Jinyan: Has successfully withdrawn from his former public role but remains emotionally dependent on Chi Li. During his susceptible period, his animal instincts and possessiveness become pronounced. His fear that Chi Li may not want him reveals a continuing lack of security beneath his powerful exterior.
• Eggy: Shows the first clear signs of recovery after months of apparent stagnation. Its renewed heartbeat and movement suggest that it may survive and eventually hatch.
• Lu Jiu: Becomes responsible for the island and begins building a pharmaceutical business, demonstrating greater independence and ambition.
• Qiu Rui and Butler Yuan: Transition into new roles after Si Jinyan’s retirement from public affairs. Qiu Rui becomes a sought-after adviser, while Butler Yuan returns to intelligence-related work before serving as Si Jinyan’s butler.

Significant Themes

• Devotion and hope: Chi Li’s daily presence beside Eggy emphasizes his refusal to give up, even when survival seems unlikely.
• Instinct versus emotional vulnerability: Si Jinyan’s susceptible period brings out his predatory instincts, but also exposes his fear of rejection and need for reassurance.
• Possession and belonging: The pearl necklace symbolizes Si Jinyan’s emotional claim on Chi Li, while Si Jinyan’s declaration that Chi Li is “mine” reflects both intimacy and possessiveness.
• Recovery and new beginnings: Eggy’s apparent movement, the restructuring of the island, and the characters’ new roles suggest that life is gradually stabilizing after the previous crisis.
• Interdependence: Chi Li and Si Jinyan care for one another physically and emotionally, while the broader group reorganizes itself around shared responsibilities.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Li and Eggy: Chi Li visits Eggy constantly, monitoring its condition and serving as a source of emotional and pheromonal support.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Their reunion during Si Jinyan’s susceptible period is intense and physically charged. Si Jinyan’s clinginess and jealousy are met with Chi Li’s reassurance and acceptance.
• Chi Li and Butler Yuan: Butler Yuan alerts Chi Li to Si Jinyan’s worsening condition and entrusts him with the medicine and food.
• Chi Li, Si Jinyan, and Lu Jiu: Lu Jiu’s call interrupts their recovery and immediately redirects their attention to Eggy’s possible movement, creating a moment of shared hope and urgency.

Chapter Summary: “New Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Eggy, the cracked silver-white egg being incubated in culture fluid, begins moving more frequently. His heartbeat remains weak but stable, giving Chi Li and Si Jinyan hope that he is developing normally.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan visit Eggy after several days apart. Seeing signs of life in the egg eases their anxiety.
• Si Jinyan reflects on how long he had hoped Chi Li would accept their relationship and their unusual family circumstances. Chi Li recognizes that he has come to accept every part of Si Jinyan and their future child, regardless of their identities or origins.
• Eggy begins making bubbling sounds, causing Chi Li to worry that he is struggling to breathe. Si Jinyan calmly reminds him that Eggy is a fish and can breathe in water.
• Eggy’s consciousness is shown through a dreamlike sequence. He remembers spending time with Chi Li and Si Jinyan, surrounded by their voices and pheromones, and instinctively searches for them whenever Chi Li’s voice disappears.
• The egg’s cracks spread, and Eggy finally hatches. He emerges as a tiny mermaid with silver-white hair, a silver-white tail, dark-gradient fins, small arms, and a piece of eggshell in his grasp.
• Eggy recognizes Chi Li and Si Jinyan by their scents and calls out “Father” in immature Mermaid Language.
• While Si Jinyan prepares to remove Eggy from the culture fluid and Chi Li readies a nursery nest, Eggy unexpectedly leaps out of the vessel himself and lands safely in the prepared nest.
• Lu Jiu arrives just in time to witness the astonishing sight of the newly hatched mermaid.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: His anxiety over Eggy’s condition reveals how deeply attached he has become as a parent. He also confirms his complete acceptance of Si Jinyan and their unconventional family, moving beyond past misunderstandings and concerns about identity.
• Si Jinyan: He displays both emotional vulnerability and protective composure. His admission that he had long wished for Chi Li’s acceptance shows the depth of his feelings, while his calm explanations and preparations demonstrate his readiness to care for Eggy.
• Eggy: He develops from a fragile, seemingly lifeless egg into a conscious and affectionate child. Even before hatching, he recognizes and seeks his fathers’ voices, pheromones, and presence. His instinctive leap into the nursery shows surprising vitality and independence.
• Lu Jiu: Though largely observing the process, his shocked reaction emphasizes how extraordinary Eggy’s birth is.

Significant Themes

• Family and acceptance: Chi Li and Si Jinyan embrace their family despite the unusual circumstances surrounding their identities, biology, and relationship.
• New beginnings: Eggy’s hatching symbolizes the creation of a new life and the couple’s transition into parenthood.
• Love as recognition and belonging: Eggy identifies his fathers through their voices and scents, suggesting that emotional bonds exist even before physical birth.
• Hope after hardship: The egg’s survival and hatching represent the couple’s relief and optimism after prolonged anxiety and uncertainty.
• Mutual vulnerability: Si Jinyan’s confession and Chi Li’s response show their relationship becoming more emotionally open and secure.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li urges Si Jinyan to check on Eggy, while Si Jinyan reassures and supports him physically and emotionally.
• Si Jinyan tells Chi Li that his acceptance has fulfilled a long-held hope; Chi Li responds by affirming that he accepts Si Jinyan and their shared future completely.
• Chi Li worries about Eggy’s breathing, and Si Jinyan responds with rational reassurance.
• After hatching, Eggy reaches toward both fathers and calls them “Father.” Si Jinyan answers him in Mermaid Language and prepares to retrieve him, while Chi Li prepares a safe nursery.
• Eggy’s leap into the nest allows him to join his fathers independently, turning the long-awaited hatching into a joyful and remarkable family moment.

Epilogue Summary: “Si Chi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A silver-white mermaid hatchling emerges and is placed in a newly prepared nursery, where he explores his surroundings and settles his eggshell on a miniature shell-shaped bed.
• Lu Jiu arrives to confirm that the hatchling is healthy and unusually lively. He plans to document the mermaid’s development as an important scientific breakthrough.
• The hatchling cautiously approaches Chi Li, seemingly concerned about Chi Li’s former coldness and past illness. After confirming that Chi Li is healthy, he attempts to reconnect with him.
• Chi Li responds gently, and the hatchling calls him “father.” Though their interaction is initially awkward, the hatchling becomes visibly delighted when Chi Li acknowledges him.
• Si Jinyan introduces himself as the hatchling’s “other dad.” The baby immediately embraces him, and Si Jinyan affectionately plays with him, even imagining teaching him to hunt when he grows older.
• Once Lu Jiu confirms that the hatchling can safely leave the nursery, Si Jinyan lifts him out of the water. The baby then chooses to be passed to Chi Li, settling naturally on his shoulder.
• Chi Li is overwhelmed by the hatchling’s warmth and tenderness, revealing a softer, bewildered side of himself.
• The adults discuss naming the child. Although “Eggy” remains his affectionate nickname, Chi Li and Si Jinyan combine their surnames to create “Si Chi,” a name the hatchling happily accepts.

Character Development

• Chi Li: He begins cautiously and somewhat awkwardly, aware that he had previously been distant toward the hatchling. His gentle response and emotional reaction to holding Si Chi show his growing affection and emergence into fatherhood. His usual restraint gives way to vulnerability and tenderness.
• Si Jinyan: He is openly affectionate and playful, quickly embracing his role as a father. His teasing humor and instinctive care for the hatchling demonstrate his warmth and confidence, while his joy at seeing Chi Li bond with the child reveals his investment in their family.
• Lu Jiu: He acts as the responsible observer and scientific authority, ensuring the hatchling is healthy and documenting the significance of his birth. His joking complaint about being called “Uncle” adds lightness to the scene.
• Si Chi/Eggy: Though newly born, he shows strong emotional awareness, especially toward Chi Li. He is initially wary but becomes affectionate once reassured, learns human speech rapidly, and confidently chooses to accept the name “Si Chi.”

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The hatchling’s interactions with both fathers establish him as a cherished member of their family.
• Healing and reconciliation: His concern for Chi Li’s health and Chi Li’s gentle response symbolize the healing of earlier emotional distance and past pain.
• Fatherhood: Both Chi Li and Si Jinyan begin to define their roles as parents—Si Jinyan through playful affection and Chi Li through a quieter, emerging emotional bond.
• Identity and shared heritage: The name “Si Chi” unites both fathers’ surnames, symbolizing the child’s connection to them equally.
• New beginnings: The hatching marks the start of a new family chapter, combining scientific wonder, emotional renewal, and hope.

Character Interactions

• The hatchling cautiously reaches toward Chi Li through the glass, leading to their first hesitant father-son exchange.
• Si Jinyan lightens the moment by introducing himself as the second father and playing with the baby.
• Lu Jiu provides medical reassurance and joins in the naming discussion.
• The hatchling’s decision to move from Si Jinyan to Chi Li strengthens the emotional bond between him and Chi Li.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan jointly name him, and the hatchling’s enthusiastic acceptance confirms his sense of belonging with both fathers.

Chapter Summary: “Bond”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being given the name Si Chi, the newborn mermaid fishling asks Chi Li to take him back to the water house.
• Si Chi retrieves part of his eggshell from the nursery tank and gives it to Chi Li, urging him to eat. The eggshell is highly nutritious, and Si Chi believes Chi Li needs it because of his previous injuries.
• Chi Li accepts the gift, making Si Chi extremely happy. When Si Chi realizes the piece is too small to nourish Chi Li, he anxiously looks toward the remaining eggshells. Chi Li reassures him that he has recovered and thanks him for the gift.
• Lu Jiu examines Si Chi and is amazed by the newborn’s exceptional vitality, especially because losing a scale does not appear to have harmed him.
• Lu Jiu reflects on Si Jinyan’s past loss of his Core Scale, his experiments at the hands of the Empire, and his long struggle with pain and loss of control. He suspects Si Chi might suffer similar consequences, but Si Jinyan firmly insists that his son will not be like him.
• Chi Li interrupts the discussion to announce that Si Chi wants to watch television. The family returns to the villa, where they watch a spy film together.
• Even though Si Chi is only hours old, he rapidly learns from the movie. He appears to practice language and imitate physical movements, demonstrating the remarkable learning ability of the Mermaid species.
• Chi Li begins adjusting his expectations about raising a mermaid child, recognizing that ordinary human standards of infant development do not apply.
• Si Jinyan reveals that he has recovered many memories. He remembers events from Si Chi’s earliest existence, including when Chi Li was pregnant and the unborn child first sensed him.
• The chapter ends with Si Jinyan recalling the powerful, unusual bond he felt with the child even before Si Chi was born.

Character Developments

• Chi Li becomes more emotionally receptive to Si Chi. Though initially confused by the eggshell gift, he accepts it and recognizes it as an expression of filial concern. He also starts adapting to the extraordinary nature of his mermaid family.
• Si Chi is established as affectionate, intelligent, and unusually perceptive. He worries about Chi Li’s health, offers him nourishment, and quickly demonstrates advanced learning and imitation abilities.
• Si Jinyan shows confidence in Si Chi’s future and draws a firm distinction between his own painful history and his son’s fate. His recovered memories also deepen his connection to both Chi Li and Si Chi.
• Lu Jiu remains scientifically minded but is increasingly challenged by the miraculous vitality and regenerative abilities of the Mermaids. His observations lead him to question what he previously believed possible.
• Si Chi’s bond with Si Jinyan and Chi Li is shown to have existed before birth, suggesting that Mermaid familial connections are instinctive and profound.

Significant Themes

• Familial love and bonding: Si Chi’s gift of eggshell, his concern for Chi Li, and his prenatal connection with Si Jinyan emphasize that family bonds are formed through instinct, care, and shared life rather than only through time spent together.
• Healing and recovery: The eggshell symbolizes nourishment and reciprocal care, while the discussion of Si Jinyan’s restored condition raises questions about whether trauma and physical damage can be overcome.
• Nature versus human expectations: Chi Li must abandon ordinary assumptions about newborns when faced with Si Chi’s rapid learning, intelligence, and physical abilities.
• Inheritance and identity: The chapter explores what Si Chi may inherit from Si Jinyan—both his extraordinary abilities and potentially his vulnerabilities—while suggesting that Si Chi’s path may be different.
• Science confronting the unknown: Lu Jiu’s observations show the limits of conventional scientific explanations when confronted with Mermaid biology and regeneration.
• Memory and rediscovery: Si Jinyan’s recovered memories reconnect him with important moments from the past and reveal that his relationship with Si Chi began long before the child’s birth.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li and Si Chi: Their exchange over the eggshell establishes mutual affection. Si Chi acts as a caretaker toward Chi Li, while Chi Li responds with patience and gratitude.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Chi Li relies on Si Jinyan to interpret Si Chi’s behavior. Their closeness is reinforced while they sit together watching the movie, with Si Jinyan physically supporting and holding Chi Li.
• Si Jinyan and Lu Jiu: Lu Jiu questions Si Jinyan about the consequences of losing his scale, but Si Jinyan gives little information and confidently protects Si Chi from comparisons to his own past.
• The family of three: Watching television together marks a moment of domestic peace and normalcy, despite their unusual circumstances.
• Si Jinyan and unborn Si Chi: The closing memory reveals that their connection began before birth, when Jin first sensed the child and recognized an extraordinary bond between them.

Chapter Summary: “Mermaid Civilization”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter explains the mermaids’ unique method of preserving civilization: their knowledge and history are inherited biologically through their bloodline rather than recorded in books or technology. As long as the bloodline survives, their civilization remains intact.
• Mermaids once lived briefly on the human planet, where they gradually became legends. One mermaid descendant was drawn to a mysterious “star” and left behind the fusion of human and mermaid civilizations in the form of a black mermaid egg—Eggy.
• After Eggy sheds his scales, both Eggy and Chi Li fall into a month-long sleep, while Si Jinyan disappears into another spacetime to recover from his injuries.
• Si Jinyan’s inherited mermaid genes awaken, flooding him with the knowledge of countless generations. During this time, he meets the powerful mermaid-like being who helped create his body and gave Eggy the patterns on his shell.
• The being reveals that Si Jinyan’s fate, Chi Li’s death, and the incidents involving the Aberrant Forms may all have been deliberately arranged rather than caused by fate.
• He urges Si Jinyan to become stronger so he can protect Chi Li and offers him immense power, including the ability to stand above civilizations and influence fate.
• Si Jinyan refuses the offer. Although tempted, he decides that having Chi Li is enough and rejects immortality and supreme power.
• The mysterious being explains that he seeks an inheritor because his endless life has left him profoundly lonely and has caused him to question the meaning of his existence. He suggests that Eggy could inherit everything from him.
• Si Jinyan refuses to let Eggy become part of this cycle, saying Eggy can remain asleep until his natural death and choose an inheritor only if he later wishes to.
• After returning to the base, Si Jinyan becomes unusually quiet. Lu Jiu observes that he spends an entire night silently watching Eggy in the incubation room.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Gains the full inheritance of mermaid civilization and learns the truth behind his origins and his connection to the mysterious being. His anger at being manipulated grows, but he demonstrates strong resolve by rejecting unlimited power and choosing his existing relationship with Chi Li instead.
• Chi Li: Though absent and still asleep, he remains central to Si Jinyan’s motivations. Si Jinyan’s desire to return to and protect Chi Li is what allows him to resist temptation.
• Eggy: Is revealed to be more than a child or biological anomaly; he is the potential inheritor of the mysterious being’s vast power and civilization. His continued sleep becomes an emotional and philosophical issue.
• The mysterious mermaid-like being: Is established as an ancient, nearly omnipotent figure burdened by immortality and loneliness. His desire for an inheritor is driven less by malice than by fear of eternal isolation and eventual collapse.
• Lu Jiu: Serves as an observer of Si Jinyan’s changed behavior, noticing his silence and concern for Eggy without knowing what occurred.

Significant Themes

• Inheritance and civilization: The chapter contrasts human records with mermaid biological inheritance, presenting civilization as something that can survive through bloodline and memory.
• Power versus personal attachment: Si Jinyan rejects godlike power because his love for Chi Li is more important to him than immortality or control over fate.
• Immortality and loneliness: Endless existence is portrayed not as a blessing but as a source of isolation and existential despair.
• Free will versus manipulation: Si Jinyan realizes that major events in his life may have been orchestrated, intensifying his desire to make his own choices.
• The cycle of succession: The mysterious being seeks a successor to preserve his civilization and relieve his loneliness, suggesting that even the most powerful beings are trapped in cycles of inheritance and replacement.
• Parental protection and sacrifice: Si Jinyan’s thoughts about Eggy reveal his willingness to let the child follow his own natural path rather than forcing him into an unwanted destiny.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and the mysterious being: Their confrontation is the chapter’s central interaction. The being attempts to persuade Si Jinyan to accept supreme power, while Si Jinyan challenges the motives behind the offer and ultimately refuses.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: They do not meet directly, but Chi Li’s presence dominates Si Jinyan’s thoughts. His love for Chi Li gives him the strength to reject the offered destiny.
• Si Jinyan and Eggy: Their relationship is shown through Si Jinyan’s silent vigil. His decision to let Eggy remain asleep rather than inherit overwhelming power reflects both affection and respect for Eggy’s autonomy.
• Si Jinyan and Lu Jiu: Lu Jiu notices the emotional change in Si Jinyan after his return, though Si Jinyan does not explain what happened.

Chapter Summary: “Bai Qi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan’s missing heart scales are restored, curing the instability caused by their loss. During this process, he learns Bai Qi’s true identity.
• Bai Qi is a descendant of the Mermaid Priesthood, the only clan whose members retain the power of foresight into adulthood. He abandoned his clan and endured Divine Punishment to avenge Yao He.
• Bai Qi now lives at a mountain estate once visited by Yao He, maintaining a simulated version of the dead emperor through an electronic voice and a chessboard. The voice repeatedly tells him that Yao He is still “here,” allowing Bai Qi to cling to an illusion of his presence.
• Si Jinyan confronts Bai Qi, questioning whether his sacrifices were worthwhile now that Yao Di is dead and Bai Qi has secured the throne. Bai Qi’s body is deteriorating, his tail has been permanently damaged, and he continues exhausting his life through prophetic abilities.
• Bai Qi explains that Yao Di originally brought Si Jinyan to Luolan because of rumored experiments there. Yao He later took Si Jinyan away from his younger brother and treated him with care, though his motives were not entirely selfless.
• Si Jinyan accuses Bai Qi of deliberately suppressing his memories. Bai Qi could have restored them, but instead helped preserve Yao He’s idealized image as a benevolent father and emperor, ensuring Si Jinyan would remain loyal to the Empire.
• Si Jinyan reveals a previously hidden connection to the Mermaid Royal Family. His royal aura becomes evident through a powerful spectral fish tail, confirming Bai Qi’s suspicions and overwhelming him with royal pressure.
• Before leaving, Si Jinyan tells Bai Qi to protect the Empire Yao He died defending. After Si Jinyan departs, Bai Qi collapses while clutching the chessboard, finally breaking down in grief.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Gains physical stability and a clearer understanding of his manipulated past. His feelings toward Yao He have become cold and conflicted; although he acknowledges the emperor’s former kindness, he no longer accepts the idealized image imposed upon him. He also discovers or reveals his royal lineage and takes responsibility for protecting the Empire.
• Bai Qi: Is shown as physically ruined, emotionally dependent, and consumed by grief. Despite understanding Yao He’s moral complexity and selfish motives, he remains devoted to him. His loyalty has cost him his clan, his tail, his vitality, and possibly his life.
• Yao He: Appears through memories and an artificial voice as both a caring guardian and a manipulative ruler. His affection for Si Jinyan coexisted with political calculation, while his relationship with Bai Qi was also shaped by his desire to control prophetic power.
• Yao Di: Though absent, his ambition and role in Si Jinyan’s suffering are clarified. His experiments and exploitation helped set the larger conflict in motion.

Significant Themes

• Love, loyalty, and sacrifice: Bai Qi’s devotion to Yao He persists despite knowing that Yao He used and manipulated him.
• Memory and identity: Si Jinyan’s memories were intentionally distorted, raising questions about whether loyalty built on false memories can be genuine.
• Power and political exploitation: Both Yao He and Yao Di treat extraordinary individuals as tools for imperial interests, even while showing them personal affection.
• Grief and denial: Bai Qi uses the chessboard and artificial voice to preserve an illusion of Yao He’s continued existence, illustrating his inability to accept the emperor’s death.
• Responsibility versus freedom: Si Jinyan resents the role forced upon him but ultimately accepts the duty of safeguarding the Empire and its people.
• Royal blood and destiny: Si Jinyan’s hidden connection to the royal lineage changes the understanding of his identity and strengthens the chapter’s focus on inherited power and obligation.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Bai Qi: Their confrontation exposes Bai Qi’s manipulation of Si Jinyan’s memories and forces both characters to face the consequences of Yao He’s schemes. Si Jinyan remains emotionally detached, while Bai Qi responds with guilt and grief.
• Bai Qi and Yao He: Their relationship survives only through memory and technology. The artificial voice imitates Yao He’s affection, but its mechanical repetition emphasizes that Bai Qi is clinging to something irretrievably lost.
• Yao He and Si Jinyan: Yao He once gave Si Jinyan warmth and protection, but also shaped his memories to secure his loyalty. Their bond is therefore both paternal and manipulative.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Chi Li’s royal aura helped Bai Qi recognize Si Jinyan’s concealed connection to the Mermaid Royal Family, linking the two characters’ identities and revealing an important part of Si Jinyan’s origins.

Chapter Summary: “Jin’s Observation Records”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan’s memories have returned, and the pheromone-related loss of control he once suffered is improving. Chi Li is relieved but does not press him for an explanation.
• Despite claiming to be fully recovered, Si Jinyan continues to experience intense desire and tries to persuade Chi Li to be intimate with him more frequently. Chi Li initially refuses, though Si Jinyan’s vulnerable, affectionate behavior eventually affects him.
• A package arrives from Bo Lang. Inside is a metal box containing old notebooks titled “Jin’s Observation Records.”
• The notebooks were written by Chi Li’s father, who once directed the Loran First Research Institute and personally cared for the newly hatched Si Jinyan.
• The records describe Si Jinyan’s hatching, unusual intelligence, aloof personality, and gradual bond with Chi Li’s former identity, Luo Chi. Chi Li’s father had come to regard Jin as his own son.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan read the records together. Fishy initially listens and asks questions but eventually falls asleep.
• Bo Lang explains that Chi Li’s uncle had hidden the notebooks in his storage room and left instructions that they be given to Chi Li once everything had settled down.
• After receiving the records, Si Jinyan apologizes for the suffering and deaths connected to the scandal surrounding his abduction and the humanoid-modification project.
• Chi Li reassures him that he has never blamed him. The two embrace, and Chi Li’s grief and melancholy are eased by their closeness.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Becomes more emotionally open and affectionate. Beneath his playful possessiveness, he carries guilt over Chi Li’s fathers’ deaths and the consequences of his own past. The records also reconnect him with his origins and his early relationship with Chi Li.
• Chi Li: Shows greater emotional security in his relationship with Si Jinyan. He treasures the notebooks as one of the few remaining links to his fathers and demonstrates maturity by refusing to blame Si Jinyan for events caused by others.
• Fishy: Continues to grow rapidly and display curiosity about the adults’ lives, though he remains childlike and easily falls asleep.
• Bo Lang: Acts as a trustworthy friend by preserving and returning the notebooks, while also teasing Chi Li about his relationship with Si Jinyan.

Significant Themes

• Memory and identity: The observation records connect Si Jinyan’s present self to his origins and to Chi Li’s former identity as Luo Chi.
• Family and belonging: Chi Li’s father treated Si Jinyan like a son, while Si Jinyan and Chi Li’s bond echoes the family connection established in childhood.
• Grief and healing: The notebooks revive Chi Li’s sadness over his fathers, but emotional support from Si Jinyan helps him process that loss.
• Guilt and forgiveness: Si Jinyan feels responsible for the tragedy surrounding Chi Li’s family, while Chi Li distinguishes him from the people who deliberately caused the disaster and forgives him.
• Intimacy and vulnerability: Their playful sexual tension contrasts with deeper emotional trust, showing how both characters express love through physical closeness and honest reassurance.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan flirts persistently with Chi Li, using vulnerability rather than force to win his attention.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan read the notebooks together, sharing a meaningful connection to their past.
• Fishy interacts with both men as a curious child and reinforces the domestic, familial atmosphere.
• Bo Lang contacts Chi Li to confirm delivery and lightheartedly teases him about his relationship.
• The chapter ends with Si Jinyan apologizing and Chi Li embracing him, transforming shared sorrow into mutual comfort.

Chapter Summary: Epilogues: The End

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Chi becomes intensely attached to Chi Li, sleeping curled against him and refusing to give him space.
• Si Jinyan grows jealous of his son’s closeness to Chi Li. He removes Si Chi from the bedroom and places him in his own room, arguing that the child is old enough to become independent.
• Chi Li recognizes Si Jinyan’s jealousy and teases him, comparing his behavior to a tipped-over vinegar jar. The couple ultimately decides that Si Chi should attend school and begin integrating into society.
• Luo Yu, Emperor of Luolan, helps select prestigious schools for Si Chi. He feels guilty for having failed to protect Si Jinyan in the past and tries to compensate by offering opportunities and affection to Si Chi.
• During a visit, Luo Yu jokingly offers Si Chi the throne. Chi Li becomes alarmed, while Si Chi later admits that Luo Yu seems lonely and genuinely wants to make amends. Chi Li decides they should visit him more often.
• Si Chi enrolls in a top military academy. He excels rapidly, mastering the curriculum and defeating older students until the lack of challenge begins to bore him.
• He reunites with Geng Xing, whom he had once regarded as a sheltered and delicate omega. At the academy, Geng Xing reveals himself to be an exceptionally skilled and coldly focused marksman.
• Si Chi learns that Geng Xing had orchestrated his own kidnapping, though real enemies unexpectedly became involved. The incident exposed Geng Ji’s hidden feelings, guilt, and protectiveness toward him.
• Years later, Geng Xing drunkenly confesses the truth to Si Chi. Rather than being horrified, Si Chi finds the story thrilling and compares Geng Xing’s schemes favorably with Chi Li’s past exploits.
• Meanwhile, Si Jinyan and Chi Li enjoy a honeymoon among ocean islands. Surrounded by dolphins, they hold hands and their matching rings touch, symbolizing their enduring bond.

Character Developments

• Si Chi grows from a clingy child into an exceptionally talented and independent young warrior. His intelligence, charisma, and appetite for excitement become clear, as does his ability to understand emotional situations—particularly Luo Yu’s loneliness.
• Si Jinyan reveals a playful, possessive, and jealous side as a father and partner. Although he once fought to keep Si Chi, he eventually accepts that the child must grow up and leave home.
• Chi Li remains affectionate, perceptive, and emotionally steady. He indulges Si Chi while also recognizing the need for independence, and he gently manages both Si Jinyan’s jealousy and Luo Yu’s guilt.
• Luo Yu is portrayed as lonely and remorseful. His attempts to care for Si Chi reflect his regret over failing Si Jinyan, while Si Chi’s warmth gives him a renewed sense of family.
• Geng Xing undergoes the most dramatic recontextualization: beneath his beautiful, gentle appearance lies a calculating, daring, and morally unconventional personality.
• Geng Ji is shown as deeply protective and emotionally conflicted, with the kidnapping bringing his concealed feelings for Geng Xing to the surface.

Significant Themes

• Family and growing independence: Si Chi’s transition from a dependent child to a student and future adult illustrates the necessity of allowing children to leave the family sphere.
• Jealousy and affection: Si Jinyan’s jealousy is treated humorously, emphasizing both his possessiveness and his deep love for Chi Li.
• Redemption and reconciliation: Luo Yu attempts to repair his relationship with Si Jinyan by caring for Si Chi, showing how love can be expressed even after past failures.
• Hidden identities and unexpected strength: Geng Xing’s transformation from seemingly fragile child to elite marksman and mastermind reinforces the contrast between appearance and reality.
• Love as enduring partnership: The final image of Chi Li and Si Jinyan together on their honeymoon, wearing matching rings, confirms the lasting stability of their relationship.
• The end of childhood: Si Chi’s schooling marks the family’s movement into a new stage of life, while the parents learn to balance devotion with letting go.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Si Chi compete humorously for Chi Li’s attention, with father and son trading insults over their mutual clinginess.
• Chi Li teases Si Jinyan but ultimately supports his decision to encourage Si Chi’s independence.
• Si Chi and Luo Yu form an affectionate grandfather-grandson relationship, with Si Chi recognizing Luo Yu’s loneliness beneath his generosity.
• Si Chi and Geng Xing develop a connection based on mutual admiration, shared talent, and an appreciation for danger and unconventional behavior.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan’s final interaction—holding hands while surrounded by dolphins—provides a quiet, romantic conclusion to the story.