Volume 3: Deep Blue Sea
At noon, the bamboo raft sailed into a rare open area. In the dense jungle, this open space without towering trees appeared particularly striking. Within a radius of a kilometer, there were no towering trees, and looking down, not even slightly taller trees could be seen. Through the clear rainwater, one could faintly glimpse the lush grass swaying gently beneath the water’s surface, thriving amidst the ripples. In the span of a day and night, various types of fish had swum into this newly formed ocean. Among the lush green grass, the shadows of various aquatic creatures appeared and disappeared.
The bamboo raft came to a halt in the middle of this peculiar and open circular area. The long-lost sunlight generously unfolded, bathing the region without towering trees in its warmth. The water surface shimmered lightly, resembling a green veil gently swayed by the breeze. The scene was as beautiful as a still image, with the bamboo raft seeming to float in the air. Only the ripples spreading from the edges of the bamboo raft, driven by the movement of the mermaid’s fishtail, indicated that all of this was not an illusion. The mermaid continued to sing a song that no one understood, holding the small fishing rod in its hands, and displaying no signs of discomfort towards unfamiliar surroundings and people.
“Take a break.” Shu Xun stood at the front of the bamboo raft, looking down at the empty and flat grassland underwater. On this fiercely competitive planet where even plants urgently needed space for growth, especially on rare land, the silent competition between plants never ceased. So, what was special about this circular piece of land underfoot that made the vigorously growing giant trees stop in their tracks, leaving only a faint green grass to grow? Was there a deliberate choice to let this area bask in sunlight every day, or were there factors preventing the growth of giant trees?
Although Ye Qian and Meng Muyu didn’t say anything, it was evident that they both recognized the uniqueness of this area. Apart from the absence of any giant trees, this area was remarkably close to a perfectly circular shape. There was a high likelihood of human intervention as the cause, and if it wasn’t the indigenous people, then it could very well be the fleet missing in the Water-Blue Starfield.
The bamboo raft, being a spiritual tool, was not afraid of ordinary water and fire, so lunch was also a rare feast. When the aroma of the fish soup began to waft from the pot, the mermaid, who had been sitting at the edge of the bamboo raft all along, swayed its fish tail slower and slower. Eventually, it stopped, quietly turning its head to gaze in the direction of the pot. If anyone happened to glance its way, the mermaid would immediately turn its little head to look innocent, as if it hadn’t been peeking.
In addition to the stewed fish soup, a chicken was roasted over the fire—a rare bird species that wasn’t too large but had exceptional speed, making it somewhat challenging to catch. However, in front of Shu Xun, there was no delicious food that couldn’t be caught.
As the aroma of the roasted meat spread, the mermaid could no longer resist. With a flick of its tail onto the bamboo raft, it then crawled over, stopping at a position not too far from the fire. It wore a pitiful expression, looking at its tail’s bandaged wound, then at the small fishing rod in its hand, and finally, it turned its attention back to the pot.
The mermaid hesitated for a while, its gaze constantly shifting between the small fishing rod and the pot. It was evident that it was contemplating the possibility of exchanging its small fishing rod for the fish in the pot. Shu Xun and the others remained silent, curious to see if this tricky little fellow had any unexpected moves up its sleeve.
Holding the small fishing rod in its hands, the mermaid crawled back and forth, arched its little tail, and suddenly, its eyes lit up. The previous indecision disappeared, and it seemed like it had come up with a brilliant idea. The mermaid swung the small fishing rod onto its shoulder, determinedly heading towards the pot. Its gaze swept around the individuals gathered around the pot, and finally, it chose Shu Xun, the closest one. Climbing up Shu Xun’s clothes with agility, it perched itself on his shoulder. Then, to the astonishment of everyone watching, it swung the fishing rod with precision, hooking it into the pot.
Shu Xun and the others were left in stunned silence.
In the live broadcast: “…”
Watching the mermaid earnestly fishing from the pot, Shu Xun couldn’t help but chuckle. He then picked up a piece of fish and hung it on the mermaid’s fishing hook. The mermaid’s eyes immediately brightened. It reeled in the fishing rod skillfully, and finally, the mermaid got to eat the boiled fish it had longed for. It seemed that it had never tasted cooked food before. After taking a bite, it excitedly swayed its tail, and to express its gratitude, it vigorously rubbed its chubby face against Shu Xun’s cheek, almost plastering its bun-like face on his.
Ye Qian reached out with chopsticks, directly grabbing the mermaid’s waist and placing it on a nearby low table before placing a piece of fish in front of it. The mermaid, with its tail held high, maintained its composure for a moment as if she believed that food not earned through its own efforts should not be consumed. However, its eyes never left the plate. When Little Bliss, flapping its wings, landed on the edge of the plate, the mermaid’s tail instantly straightened. Just as Little Bliss was about to climb onto the plate, the mermaid swiftly flicked its tail, sending Little Bliss flying. It then quickly occupied the porcelain plate.
After lunch, the mermaid lazily leaned against the table leg, satisfied with a full burp. It even patted its round belly with its tail, enjoying the moment. Shu Xun ruffled his hair, gazing deeply at the mermaid for a while. The mermaid seemed a bit uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny. In the end, it silently shifted a few times, moving itself to the other side of the table leg, blocking Shu Xun’s view.
Meng Muyu watched as Shu Xun ruffled his hair, feeling a subconscious chill throughout his body. In an instant, memories of his recent experience where Shu Xun deduced his identity through a few words flashed through his mind. Observing the mermaid still burping contentedly, Meng Muyu thought that this cheeky little fellow had probably revealed too much. Though he felt a slight sympathy, Meng Muyu was more focused on the clues. “It seems that mermaids are indeed one of the natives of this world, and their intelligence should be quite high. At least, a mermaid in its larval state has remarkable intelligence.”
Shu Xun nodded in agreement. “It appears that mermaids are indeed one of the natives of this world.”
“One of them?” Meng Muyu was slightly taken aback, looking at the mermaid. “Indeed, he shows no fear of us, nor any curiosity. So, it seems that there is at least one highly intelligent life form in this world, bearing a striking resemblance to humans. Moreover, they do not seem to be hostile to mermaids.”
“Not only that, the mermaid’s understanding of us is not comprehensive. He may know about tools like fishing rods but might not know how to use them, leading to getting hooked on his tail. He doesn’t show surprise or fear upon seeing us, and even in a situation where communication is impossible, he acts as if it’s expected. This suggests that what he knows might only be hearsay, and it’s likely embellished. What baffles me is why, in such a dangerous world, a lone mermaid would roam, considering that competition in the ocean should be even more intense.”
Ye Qian glanced at the mermaid hiding behind the table leg. “Unknown variable, just let it go.”
Meng Muyu sighed and looked up at the sky. “The unknown also means clues. Ye Qian, where’s your brain? It seems less reliable than the mermaid.”
Ye Qian pointed at Meng Muyu. “This one can be thrown away too.”
Shu Xun blinked and then nodded seriously. “Good idea!”
Meng Muyu felt a sense of impending doom. The next moment, he was pushed into the water by Shu Xun. Stabilizing himself in the water, Meng Muyu then looked towards the position of the bamboo raft. There, Shu Xun elegantly half-squatted on the raft, pointing to the underwater space. “Please, wise boss, check the area underwater.”
Meng Muyu glanced at Shu Xun, then at Ye Qian, and finally shook his head, sighing. “It seems I also need to find a companion sooner. Otherwise, in a two-against-one situation, I’ll definitely lose.” Muttering to himself, he dove underwater.
Due to the unique terrain of this continent, the higher it goes towards the interior, the higher the elevation. After a morning of sailing, the depth of the rainwater here has noticeably decreased, estimated to be only a dozen meters deep. Shu Xun watched as Meng Muyu dived deep into the water, gradually approaching the area where the lush grass had once been. His eyes held a hint of contemplation.
Meng Muyu, being a game developer, possessed judgment skills about the environment not weaker than those of Shu Xun and Ye Qian. Sometimes, in game development, it is necessary to set certain clues or guides, so developers often discover clues earlier than regular players. As Meng Muyu approached the grassy area beneath his feet, he found it increasingly strange. Similar to what he had seen from the bamboo raft earlier, there were no towering trees or even slightly taller shrubs underwater. Only lush green grass swayed gently with the water ripples. At this moment, Meng Muyu was only a few meters away from the water’s surface, able to clearly sense the slow movement of water near the bottom. Meng Muyu frowned deeply; he distinctly felt that the direction of the grass’s movement was not consistent with the water flow!
Almost simultaneously, a sharp light flashed in Shu Xun’s eyes as he stared at the underwater. Swiftly, he raised his hand, pinching his fingers, and the fishing rod in the mermaid’s hand was now in Shu Xun’s hand. The fishing rod instantly enlarged and was swiftly cast out by Shu Xun. The speed was so fast that onlookers could barely see a blurry afterimage. In the next moment, Shu Xun had already retrieved the rod, pulling Meng Muyu rapidly out of the water. Accompanied by splashing water, Meng Muyu returned to the bamboo raft.
The underwater grass seemed to pause for a moment, but as Meng Muyu left, it resumed its gentle swaying.
Meng Muyu’s clothes were soaked, and he regained his composure. “The direction of the grass’s movement is wrong. It doesn’t sway with the water ripples; there might be something inside.”
Shu Xun looked down at the underwater grass. “Is that really grass? Or is it some animal’s fur?”
Even the calm Meng Muyu couldn’t help but shudder at this suggestion. He immediately looked towards the vast expanse of underwater grass, feeling uneasy.
In the tense atmosphere, Shu Xun felt a tug on the fishing line. Turning his head, he saw that the mermaid had already grabbed the fishing line and hoisted it over its shoulder, determinedly crawling forward. Its small body tilted at an angle, showing a fierce determination not to give up on retrieving the fishing rod.
Shu Xun loosened his grip on the rod, and the mermaid, holding the shrunken fishing rod, rolled twice before energetically climbing up again. Climbing to the edge of the bamboo raft, it gazed at the underwater world with determination, finally locking onto a large fish. Imitating Shu Xun’s previous sharp demeanor, the mermaid swung the small fishing rod with precision. The fishing rod, in a blink of an eye, emitted a burst of light, and the fishing line extended, accurately hitting a large fish in the water. The mermaid swiftly reeled in the rod, and the large fish was pulled onto the bamboo raft. The fish displayed lively movements, only to be knocked unconscious by the mermaid’s tail.
The live broadcast room fell into a stunned silence, with everyone displaying looks of astonishment. The items created by Shu Xun had extremely strict usage restrictions, to the point where most items couldn’t even be used by Ye Qian and Meng Muyu. Yet, a seemingly palm-sized mermaid demonstrated such rapid mastery. Could it really be that simple for a highly intelligent life form? Achieving such a level requires not just high intelligence, but also an exceptionally strong mental power, something that even adults might find challenging, let alone a mermaid in its juvenile state!
