Chapter 77: I Am Not A Merman (XIV)

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Chapter 77: I Am Not A Merman (XIV)

【Additional Mission 2: Prevent Dipson from spreading the mutated genes.】

The moment Shang Ke heard the System’s voice, a shiver ran through his entire body. His final death mission had been issued.

Prevent Dipson from spreading the mutated genes? What mutated genes? Would it kill the System to give me a hint?

【System Hint: Dipson’s mutated genes can forcibly assimilate humans into other organisms. The transformation is irreversible. Attached is an image of Dipson’s mutated form—(:◎)≡. Please beware of suction, tentacles, and spray.】

Shang Ke: “…”

Seeing Dipson’s mutated appearance, Shang Ke could hardly believe that the soft-bodied, tentacled, human-faced squid monster was actually him. Just how ruthless did someone have to be to perform an experiment like that on himself?

Judging from the species, he seemed to have assimilated with a giant squid. As far as Shang Ke knew, giant squid were formidable creatures capable of fighting sperm whales. But giant squid were enormous—even juveniles could exceed three meters—while Dipson’s mutated body appeared to be only around thirty centimeters long. Had he secretly practiced some kind of bone-shrinking technique?

While Shang Ke was letting his thoughts wander, Qin Yuan approached with a dark expression, the chill around him still unmistakable.

“What’s wrong?” Shang Ke asked.

“Nothing.” Qin Yuan sat beside the bed and smoothed Shang Ke’s hair, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing slightly.

Shang Ke paused, then asked, “Did something happen with Dipson?”

“It’s fine.” Qin Yuan did not want Flame to worry, so he temporarily concealed the truth. This time, he had been careless. He had never expected Dipson to alter his own genes, transform into another organism, and successfully escape.

Based on the biological material Dipson had left behind, preliminary analysis suggested that he had assimilated the genes of some kind of mollusk. They would need further testing to identify the exact species.

Shang Ke had realized that no matter how this man’s appearance or identity changed from world to world, his essential nature never did. By now, Shang Ke could accurately read his mood from the smallest changes in his expression and body language. Judging by Qin Yuan’s current behavior, he had definitely encountered that human-faced squid already. Simply failing to catch Dipson would not have made him leak this much killing intent in front of Shang Ke.

After thinking it over, Shang Ke decided a warning was necessary. “Qin Yuan, dolphin genes can’t be used to forcibly modify human genetics. That kind of transformation is irreversible. If someone spreads the altered genes, the consequences could be impossible to predict.”

“Irreversible?” Qin Yuan immediately asked. “You mean this transformation only works one way? Once someone becomes another organism, they can never turn back into a human?”

“Yes.” Shang Ke nodded.

Qin Yuan fell into thought. A moment later, he stood. “Flame, get some rest. I’ll come back to see you later.”

Deep beneath a distant stretch of sea, the squid that Dipson had become convulsed violently, his human face twisted in agony. His enormous eyes were veined with blood, and low growls of pain and rage escaped his mouth.

To his horror, he discovered that he could no longer transform and was permanently trapped in the body of a squid. He could not accept it. Every ambition and aspiration he had ever possessed had become nothing more than an illusion, forever beyond his reach.

“Aaagh—!” Dipson released an unwilling howl, sending vibrations through the water and frightening the surrounding fish and shrimp into fleeing in every direction.

After a moment, Dipson stopped roaring. Crazed hatred flashed through his eyes. Qin Yuan, this is all because of you! Just wait. I will never let you off!

In the recovery room, Shang Ke seemed to sense something and looked toward the window, a faint unease stirring in his heart…

Once the experts’ test results came back, Qin Yuan confirmed that Dipson had assimilated with a giant squid. He ordered security to remain alert for any squid-like creature and capture it immediately upon discovery. At the same time, he had every squid removed from the waters surrounding the aquarium.

This deeply offended Wave, whose favorite food happened to be squid. Watching humans scoop them up one after another with fishing nets, he clamped down on one of the nets and stubbornly refused to let them steal his food.

Flame was the only one capable of keeping Wave under control, and with him absent, the aquarium staff were completely helpless.

None of them noticed a squid hidden among the coral. It had contracted its body until it was only about the size of a bowl, and its skin had changed color to blend perfectly into the surrounding reef.

“Wave.” Qin Yuan stood at the edge of the water and called to the troublemaking dolphin. “Let go of the net. Those squid can all be yours later. Don’t rush.”

Wave whined stubbornly and refused to let go.

Qin Yuan added, “If you still won’t let go, I’ll never take you to see Flame again.”

At the word Flame, Wave finally released the net with great reluctance, then glared at Qin Yuan as though saying, You’d better keep your word, or I’m telling Flame on you.

Qin Yuan stared at the dolphin’s naturally smiling face and felt absolutely no sense of intimidation whatsoever.

While Qin Yuan watched the staff work, a tentacle silently emerged from the water, crept onto the ground, and slowly extended toward his feet.

Qin Yuan suddenly felt something tighten around his ankle. The next instant, he was yanked into the water with a tremendous splash.

Wave reacted first and immediately dove underwater. Seeing Qin Yuan being dragged into the depths by a tentacle, he raced after him, followed closely by the lifeguards who had noticed the commotion.

Qin Yuan held his breath, drew the dagger from behind his waist, twisted around, and slashed viciously through the tentacle, severing it in two and releasing a cloud of blood into the water. Before he could swim upward, however, two more tentacles shot out from the darkness—one wrapping around his waist, the other binding his arm and preventing him from breaking free.

The oxygen in Qin Yuan’s lungs rapidly dwindled, and dizziness began to cloud his mind.

At that moment, Wave charged over and sank his teeth into the tentacle wrapped around Qin Yuan.

His eyes immediately lit up. This taste… squid! He bit down with even greater enthusiasm and quickly chewed through the tentacle encircling Qin Yuan’s waist.

The lifeguards arriving behind them saw that President Qin was in danger and rushed forward to help, only to be violently flung away the moment they approached. Then an enormous squid rose from the depths. Its body stretched more than ten meters long, and on its cylindrical head was an grotesquely distorted human face, with two huge eyes glowing a sickly green beneath the water.

The surrounding lifeguards were completely stunned and, for a moment, had no idea how to react.

In truth, they were given no chance to react. The human-faced squid struck first, lashing its long tentacles like whips and sending every lifeguard flying. The force was so great that most immediately lost the ability to move, while only a few still managed to send a distress signal to the surface.

Dipson stared sinisterly at Qin Yuan, still trapped in his tentacles, and twisted his human face into a grotesque smile.

Qin Yuan was already suffering from severe oxygen deprivation. His consciousness steadily faded, and the dagger in his hand began to droop weakly.

At that moment, a piercing alarm suddenly sounded elsewhere in the aquarium.

Shang Ke’s eyes snapped open in the recovery room as the unease in his heart abruptly peaked.

He forced himself upright and was just about to get out of bed when the two bodyguards Qin Yuan had left behind hurried into the room.

“Mr. Haiyan, something has happened in the aquatic area. President Qin appears to have been attacked. We need to take you away immediately.”

Qin Yuan was attacked?!

Shang Ke’s expression changed instantly. He shoved the two men aside and, ignoring their attempts to stop him, pulled the medical tubes from his body and rushed outside.

“Mr. Haiyan, your injuries haven’t healed yet! You can’t exert yourself like this!”

Shang Ke heard none of it. Reaching the end of the corridor, he leapt into a drainage channel and shot through the water toward the outer aquatic zone like a fish.

Blood began seeping through the bandages covering his body, but he no longer cared. He moved as swiftly as lightning, leaving a white trail through the water behind him.

In the blink of an eye, he reached Wave’s waters and immediately saw Qin Yuan entangled in the tentacles of a human-faced squid, the dagger slipping weakly from his hand.

Qin Yuan!

Shang Ke shot forward, caught the falling dagger, and sliced hard through the squid’s tentacle. Taking advantage of Dipson’s pain, he freed Qin Yuan, wrapped an arm around his waist, and swam upward while sharing air with him.

Qin Yuan slowly opened his eyes and looked tenderly at the person holding him. But when he noticed the cloud of blood spreading from Shang Ke’s waist, alarm and fury immediately filled his gaze.

The two silently looked at one another underwater, exchanging their concern without words. Just as they were about to reach the surface, Qin Yuan suddenly felt Shang Ke torn from his arms. The next instant, Flame was dragged far away by a tentacle. Its crushing grip ripped open the wounds that had nearly healed, and a vast cloud of blood spread through the water.

Qin Yuan’s eyes turned bloodred as he recklessly chased after Shang Ke.

Wave moved at the same time.

Before either could get close, the human-faced squid’s tentacles sent them flying.

Qin Yuan felt his blood surging violently through his body as though he were about to explode. Wave released furious whistles and charged the human-faced squid again and again.

Held tightly in the tentacle’s crushing grip, Shang Ke groaned in pain. Staring at the grotesque human face drawing closer, he forced out the name one syllable at a time. “Dip-son!”

A twisted smile spread across Dipson’s face, as though he were enjoying the sight of them struggling desperately to survive.

“Don’t celebrate too soon. A knockoff will never compare to the original.” A cold light flashed through Shang Ke’s eyes as faint white mist began rising from his body.

Dipson recognized the signs of transformation and immediately sent several tentacles shooting into the white mist to stop him. Yet the instant those tentacles touched the mist, they too began showing signs of transformation.

“One last thing you should know—dolphins are natural predators of squid.” Shang Ke’s voice disappeared into the white mist.

Dipson hurriedly withdrew his tentacles and stared uneasily at the white cocoon forming before him.

Dozens of seconds later, the cocoon dissolved into mist, and a dolphin nearly two meters long shot out and slammed heavily into Dipson’s eye.

Dipson recoiled in pain.

A giant squid transformed from a human could not yet compare with a true giant squid. But if Dipson had been willing to hide and bide his time until he fully mastered this body, there might eventually have been no creature in the ocean capable of opposing a giant squid with human intelligence. Combined with the genetic-mutation technology he possessed, he could even have created an army of monsters powerful enough to alter humanity’s future. It would certainly have been the path of a villain, but one perfectly suited to his madness and grand anti-human ambitions.

Unfortunately for him, after mutating, his first thought had not been to patiently endure, grow stronger, and become a proper supervillain. Instead, he had impatiently rushed over to settle a personal grudge.

Shang Ke dodged the flailing tentacles, swam above Dipson, and sank his teeth into the pointed top of his head.

Dipson’s tentacles thrashed wildly, striking Shang Ke again and again, but nothing could make him release his bite. Blood poured from the wound, and Dipson howled repeatedly in pain.

The water churned violently, sand and stones rolling everywhere until the once-clear pool became completely murky.

Shang Ke’s goal was not to bite Dipson to death, but to buy time. He knew Qin Yuan would soon return with reinforcements; the longer he held on, the greater their chances of winning. It was a strategy born of necessity. His injuries were too severe for agile, effective attacks, so all he could do was use the old turtle tactic—bite down and refuse to let go.

Tentacle after tentacle lashed across his body, leaving horrifying welts. It felt as though the bones inside him were being shattered, yet Shang Ke’s teeth remained firmly embedded in Dipson’s flesh.

Shang Ke’s consciousness gradually blurred, until even the pain seemed to go numb. Tears spilled from his eyes and vanished into the seawater.

Just a little longer. Hold on just a little longer…

Flame!

Shang Ke seemed to hear Qin Yuan calling for him anxiously. He fought to remain conscious and peered through the murky water, where dozens of figures were swimming toward him. Which one… is Qin Yuan?

Blood seeped from Shang Ke’s eyes, turning his entire world crimson.

Qin Yuan stared at Flame’s mangled body and blood-filled tears, his heart hurting so badly that he could barely breathe.

He raised his gun and fired at Dipson again and again.

Die. Die. Die!

Hatred filled Qin Yuan’s eyes, his face twisted with fury.

Dipson was riddled with bullets until the surrounding water ran red with blood. His enormous body began to wither, shrinking from more than ten meters long to only a few dozen centimeters.

Shang Ke’s jaws finally loosened, and his body slowly began sinking toward the bottom.

Qin Yuan threw aside the gun and rushed to Shang Ke, gathering his battered body into his arms as tears poured uncontrollably down his face.

Several lifeguards came forward and helped Qin Yuan bring Shang Ke to the surface. Wave circled anxiously around them, releasing one mournful cry after another.

“Flame! Flame!” Qin Yuan called his name again and again, but Flame lay completely silent in his arms.

He lay quietly on the ground with almost no intact skin left on his body. His spine was shattered, several broken vertebrae protruding through the flesh. The scene was so horrific that everyone present could barely bring themselves to look.

A lifeguard examined him for a moment, then looked toward Qin Yuan as though wanting to say something. In the end, he said nothing and merely let out a heavy sigh.

Flame was dead.

Indigo/EN: The stuff about their size and attack sperm whales are true. But I want to point out that all squid have this really big bone thing, so they couldn’t actually squeeze through narrow passageways or make tight turns unless they were absolutely tiny. Squid are not technically soft-bodied. They have hard bodies. But fantasy, so whatever.

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