Chapter 70: I Am Not A Merman (VII)

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Chapter 70: I Am Not A Merman (VII)

While Shang Ke drifted in and out of consciousness, information about dolphins gradually surfaced in his mind, allowing him to understand many things. Although the plague two hundred years ago had killed countless dolphins, it had not driven them completely extinct. Just as humans had theorized, the survivors had evolved. Their reproductive abilities had undergone an extraordinary evolution, allowing them to perform species assimilation with most living creatures—in other words, to transform into a species of their choosing.

Strictly speaking, Flame and Wave could no longer be considered pure dolphins. They had retained the appearance of dolphins only because of the influence of atavistic genes. If Shang Ke had never appeared, the original Flame might eventually have assimilated with any number of aquatic species, while Wave might have died not long after birth.

The main reason humans had found no trace of dolphins for more than two hundred years was that most of them had already transformed into other species, preserving only dolphin genes within their bodies. Every so often, those genes would reactivate, resulting in the birth of an evolved dolphin displaying the species’ original appearance. These dolphins possessed the strongest reproductive abilities and could also greatly increase the fertility of other species.

Shang Ke sensed some sort of change taking place in his body. As his consciousness gradually returned, he slowly opened his eyes…

After Flame transformed into a white cocoon, Qin Yuan was both worried and bewildered. To avoid causing a disturbance, he told no one what had happened and merely brought in equipment to monitor the changes inside. Yet some invisible force seemed to block the instruments, preventing them from seeing through the cocoon. The only thing that gave Qin Yuan some reassurance was that the equipment could still detect signs of life within it.

For several days, the white cocoon showed no visible changes.

The research institute questioned Qin Yuan about Flame’s whereabouts, but he brushed them off by claiming that he had taken Flame out for some fresh air. Naturally, that answer earned him severe criticism, but he did not care. Given his international prestige, wealth, and status, the authorities did not dare do much to him.

They dared secretly experiment on Flame, so why couldn’t he let Flame go out to sea and “get some fresh air” ?

One day, while Qin Yuan was reviewing documents in his office, the alarm on his wrist device suddenly sounded. He immediately stood and hurried toward the aquarium.

After unlocking the electronic door, Qin Yuan quickly entered the facility.

Just as he was about to approach the pool, he abruptly stopped, astonishment spreading across his face.

The white cocoon that had once floated in the water had now unraveled into a vast spread of silver threads covering the surface like an enormous silver lotus leaf. At its center lay a naked young man, curled into himself like an unborn child sleeping within the womb. Soft black hair fell beside his face, and droplets of water clung to his fair skin, making him look extraordinarily beautiful beneath the shimmering reflections of the pool.

Who is he? Where is Flame?

Qin Yuan held his breath and quietly approached the pool. His gaze passed over the young man’s shoulder and landed on the Crimson Skyfire blazing across his chest—the unmistakable mark that had belonged to Flame.

He is… Flame?

Qin Yuan stared at the sleeping young man in disbelief, his mind going completely blank for a moment.

At that moment, the silver threads covering the water began dissolving into mist and disappearing little by little into the air. Without their support, the young man’s curled body gradually relaxed and slowly began sinking beneath the surface.

Qin Yuan immediately jumped into the water and gathered the young man into his arms. The instant his hands touched that warm body, an unfamiliar sensation rose within him. Looking down, he saw the young man’s delicate features clearly reflected before his eyes.

His palm unconsciously slid across the young man’s back. The smooth, jade-like texture of his skin made Qin Yuan reluctant to let go.

“Flame…” Qin Yuan murmured in a voice filled with both surprise and delight, his fingertips tracing the young man’s features while his heart pounded uncontrollably.

Qin Yuan lifted the young man into his arms and carried him toward his residence with unusually light steps. Once inside his bedroom, he laid him on the bed, braced his hands on either side of him, and carefully examined him from head to toe. As if confirming something for himself, he ran his hand over his neck, shoulders, arms, waist, and legs… Every part of him was indistinguishable from a real human.

Looking at the young man on the bed, the feelings Qin Yuan had never been able to define finally became clear. He liked Flame—wanted him intensely. If Flame had remained an ordinary dolphin, Qin Yuan would have protected him forever. But now that he had transformed into a human, it was an enormous and unexpected joy.

Qin Yuan leaned down, gently kissed the young man’s lips, and whispered, “My Flame…”

Warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and into the spacious bedroom. The person on the bed slowly opened his eyes and looked around in a daze. Once he realized where he was, brief confusion appeared in his gaze.

Shang Ke sat up and looked down at himself. His unmistakably human body made him wonder whether he had somehow transmigrated again.

After sorting through the information in his mind, he finally understood his current condition. This was a unique ability of evolved dolphins—species assimilation. Stimulated by the drugs administered from outside, his body had transformed from a dolphin into a human.

He had originally thought he would spend this entire life as an ordinary dolphin. He had never expected to turn out to be a dolphin capable of transforming between species.

When Qin Yuan entered, he found Shang Ke sitting on the bed and staring blankly at his own hands, apparently still trying to process the situation.

Sensing Qin Yuan’s arrival, Shang Ke raised his head. His clear blue eyes seemed to brighten everything around him in an instant.

Warmth surged through Qin Yuan’s heart, and he quickly walked over.

The moment Shang Ke saw him, habit took over. He sprang upward, instinctively attempting one of his elegant backflips.

He had barely gotten off the bed before a pair of large hands caught him. Qin Yuan’s amused voice followed. “Flame, you’re not in the water right now. Be careful or you’ll fall.”

Shang Ke opened his mouth to say something, but the only sound that emerged from his throat was still similar to a dolphin’s call.

Looks like… I’ll need some practice before I can speak normally.

Shang Ke wrapped his arms around Qin Yuan’s neck and hung from him like a koala.

Qin Yuan silently thanked his luck that Flame’s weight had dropped to a normal human level after transforming. If he still weighed over a hundred kilograms, even Qin Yuan’s strength would not have been enough to handle him suddenly jumping into his arms.

Perfectly content to keep holding him, Qin Yuan asked gently, “Are you hungry? I’ll prepare something good for you.”

Shang Ke nodded, rubbed his own stomach, then reached over and felt Qin Yuan’s. Mm. I may not have abs as firm as his, but at least I don’t have a belly.

Qin Yuan watched his every movement, constantly finding something unintentionally amusing about him. It was nearly impossible not to smile.

“Let me get you dressed first.” Flame had only just become human and surely knew very little about human life. Qin Yuan was more than willing to become his teacher, whether for everyday common sense or matters of affection. Just thinking about it made him rather look forward to the experience.

Qin Yuan set him down, took a shirt from the wardrobe, and personally helped him put it on.

Shang Ke happily let himself be served, smiling all the while as he decided to become a calculating dolphin who looked like a pure white lotus on the outside while remaining thoroughly black-bellied within.

Once Shang Ke was dressed, Qin Yuan took his hand and led him out of the bedroom toward the dining room.

Worried that Shang Ke might not be able to tolerate cooked food yet, Qin Yuan prepared sashimi for him, while his own meal consisted of herb-roasted meat rolls, small pancakes, and soup.

Sitting beside Qin Yuan, Shang Ke looked at his sashimi, then at Qin Yuan’s steaming roasted meat.

This is blatant discrimination!

While Qin Yuan was drinking his soup, Shang Ke reached over and stole one of his small pancakes. After finishing that, he used his fork to steal a piece of roasted meat from Qin Yuan’s plate.

When Shang Ke prepared to spear a second piece, Qin Yuan stopped him. “Don’t eat too much yet. Let me give you a physical examination first. Once we’re sure there’s nothing wrong, you can eat whatever you like.”

Shang Ke did not insist. His situation was unusual, after all. Getting food poisoning simply because he had been greedy would be far too tragic.

Seeing how obedient he was, Qin Yuan rubbed his head approvingly.

After the meal, Qin Yuan took him to the medical room for a full examination. The initial results showed that his body structure and constitution were indistinguishable from those of an ordinary human. Anything more specific would require further testing.

“Flame, can you still turn back into a dolphin?” Qin Yuan asked.

Shang Ke thought for a moment, then nodded. Now that he had successfully transformed once, he felt that he should be able to switch freely between dolphin and human forms in the future.

The corners of Qin Yuan’s mouth lifted slightly. He was extremely satisfied with that answer.

The two returned to the aquarium, and Shang Ke whistled toward the water. Before long, Wave surfaced, looked first at Qin Yuan and then at Shang Ke, and immediately began glancing around in confusion.

Strange. I clearly heard Flame calling. Why can’t I see him anywhere?

Shang Ke crouched down and waved at Wave with a smile. What are you looking for? I’m right here.

Wave stared wide-eyed. His first reaction was not that Flame had transformed into a human, but that Flame had actually grown hair on his head!

Why would he do something so terrible to himself?!

Wave felt as though his entire sense of beauty had suffered a devastating blow.

Seeing the sparkling water, Shang Ke found the temptation difficult to resist. He flexed his limbs, bent his legs, and was just about to jump when Qin Yuan pulled him back.

“Wait. Don’t get in just yet.” Qin Yuan wrapped an arm around his waist and led him in another direction.

Where are we going? Shang Ke looked up at Qin Yuan questioningly.

“I arranged an identity for you. Your name is Haiyan, and you’re a keeper at the aquarium,” Qin Yuan explained.

Haiyan? ‘Hai’ from Wave and ‘Yan’ from Flame? Could you possibly put any less effort into naming me? Would it kill you to ask my opinion first? I already have a name!

Qin Yuan brought Shang Ke into the main hall. The staff could hardly believe their eyes when they saw the habitually stern and unsmiling President Qin holding a young man so intimately.

Their attention immediately shifted toward Shang Ke. His appearance was strikingly beautiful, especially his extraordinarily clear eyes, which resembled two flawless blue sapphires.

Seeing everyone stare fixedly at Flame, Qin Yuan became faintly displeased. He spent about three minutes giving them a basic introduction, then promptly took Shang Ke away without giving anyone the slightest chance to get friendly with him.

Qin Yuan suddenly regretted introducing Flame to other people so quickly. He should at least have waited until Flame had become more familiar with human life. Yet at the same time, he badly wanted everyone to know his Flame—to know that this precious person belonged to him.

Qin Yuan looked down at the person in his arms, genuinely uncertain how to express just how much he adored him. Ever since Shang Ke awakened, Qin Yuan had been almost unbearably excited. His naturally cold expression simply prevented anyone else from noticing.

“Flame,” Qin Yuan called softly.

“Mm?” Shang Ke lifted his head. A shadow fell over him, followed by warmth against his lips as the two shared their first deep kiss in human form…

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