The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 90

Chapter 90: I Love Slacking Off

Emotions surged like waves, engulfing Tao Ning in a warm and soft feeling that was hard to resist.

Her lowered eyes flickered, glancing to the side. Tao Ning couldn’t see Callista’s eyes, only her dreamy, delicate ear fins.

Callista’s appearance was remarkably human-like, but there were always subtle details that revealed she wasn’t.

Her other hand, resting on the edge of the pool, was also lifted by Callista, slowly, as if wanting to caress Tao Ning’s face.

Before it could touch Tao Ning’s warm cheek, it was caught and held by another hand, slender fingers closing around it.

A human hand grasped a Mermaid’s hand, the pearl bracelet on her wrist sliding down, creating a strangely beautiful image.

Callista blinked. The last time she had felt this way was when she failed to influence Tao Ning with her psychic power.

She had the keen instincts of a predator and rarely made mistakes.

This meant she had been seen through again.

Tao Ning held her hand, pressing it down, her lips close to Callista’s ear fin, replying in Mermaid language, “You say you like me, so will you choose me during your mating season?”

The gentle voice echoed in her ear, each word burrowing deep, tempting her to listen more intently and agree to any request.

The Mermaid’s crimson lips pursed slightly. If she didn’t do this, her promise would slip out.

Wouldn’t that mean being bound to this human for life?

Mermaids only recognized one partner in their lifetime. If the other party died prematurely, the remaining Mermaid would wait for death in the long years that followed.

However, more often than not, the Mermaid would remove her reverse scale, choosing to die early.

Callista fell silent, the force around Tao Ning’s neck loosening, her eyes like water, seemingly deep in thought.

The wrist held in Tao Ning’s hand twitched involuntarily. Tao Ning subconsciously loosened her grip, and Callista immediately seized the opportunity, slipping away like a fish.

Callista’s brows furrowed slightly: “You’re imitating me.”

Tao Ning didn’t deny it. She had indeed learned from her. Mermaids could infuse their voices with psychic power to influence the minds of others.

Right in front of Tao Ning, Callista sank into the water, her platinum hair spreading like seaweed.

Her tail fin stirred the water with a splash before she disappeared beneath the surface.

Ignoring the Mermaid’s teasing and irresponsibility, the scene itself was quite pleasing to the eye.

Tao Ning wiped the water from her face, chuckling softly. She knew this would be her reaction.

The ocean-bound leader wasn’t ready to settle down for anyone yet, and anyone she encountered along the way could be used.

She sat by the pool, lost in thought, before slowly standing up and walking out.

After she left, a figure emerged from the water, glanced at the closed door, and then submerged again.

Since everything was readily available, Tao Ning wouldn’t waste the Gu family’s kindness in providing the medicine kit.

They were still on their way back to the First Star System. The students hadn’t yet graduated and were busy training, rarely lingering outside.

Moreover, with two Major Generals and several officers on board, it wouldn’t look good to be lazing around in the dormitories instead of training diligently.

Even the most socially inept students followed suit, the training grounds always full, everyone brimming with enthusiasm.

If a high-ranking official happened to visit and observe the students’ training, taking a liking to someone and recruiting them, it would be a wonderful opportunity.

Therefore, among the students participating in the exercise, Tao Ning was the only one strolling around freely.

“Yuzhu?”

Tao Ning, walking alone down the long corridor, heard a voice behind her and turned around.

Gu Yuan’s expression relaxed as he strode towards her: “Yuzhu, I heard you were sick today, and I haven’t had time to visit you… Why are you walking around outside instead of resting in your room?”

In the Federation, Gu Yuan lacked nothing in terms of status, prestige, and reputation. He was a Major General, and any harm that befell him would be thoroughly investigated by the Federation.

Zang Yuzhu, on the other hand, was just a spoiled young lady with a mediocre reputation. They weren’t on the same level.

There was no benefit in antagonizing Gu Yuan now. Reaching this conclusion, Tao Ning’s expression subtly changed, appearing to the newcomer as a young girl smiling upon seeing him.

Tao Ning said, “It’s too stuffy inside, I came out for a walk.”

Gu Yuan: “I’ve been busy with official duties these past few days and forgot to consider your feelings. It’s just the right time, how about I accompany you to the cafeteria for dinner?”

It was unclear where Gu Yuan learned this behavior, using such a gentle tone even with his sister. How could Zang Yuzhu not misunderstand?

She already considered herself his fiancée, and Gu Yuan always verbally rejected her, but never denied it in front of her.

Thinking back, it was unclear who had instilled this fiancée identity in her.

There was a significant age gap of more than ten years between them. When Zang Yuzhu arrived at the Gu family, she was only eight, while Gu Yuan was already nineteen, preparing for the First Academy entrance exam.

A person’s character was often shaped by external influences during their formative years. Now, she was Zang Yuzhu, and she couldn’t judge the original host’s character.

Stepping out of that identity, from Tao Ning’s perspective as an outsider, she only saw the influence of third parties everywhere.

Tao Ning: “You should have said so earlier, I just finished eating. By the way, Cousin, when are we going home? I can’t wait to return to the First Star System. It’s so boring on the ship, I feel restricted no matter what I do.”

520 agreed: [Yeah, you’d be stuck to the wall if you got punched twice, so why bother trying?]

Gu Yuan said helplessly, “I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay put. We’ll reach the next jump point tomorrow, and after that, we’ll be closer to the First Star System. You must go to the hospital then, don’t avoid treatment. I’ll handle everything for you.”

Tao Ning: “You’ll handle everything for me? That’s too much trouble.”

Is that handling it like the “Zang Yuzhu failed to inform her teammates and left the team early, resulting in the team’s injuries” incident?

Gu Yuan: “It’s not trouble if it’s for you.”

520 cringed: [You better stop talking, you’ll face the consequences if you provoke the widow who just got rejected. ]

Tao Ning finally couldn’t take it anymore and asked 520, “What’s that crunching sound you’re making?”

[Oh, I got paid yesterday,] 520 took another bite, its electronic voice muffled, [so I bought some watermelon-flavored data segments. They’re delicious and crunchy.]

Tao Ning’s patience plummeted.

What further depleted her patience was Gu Yuan finally asking the question he had been holding back: “I heard from Major General Song that you can speak Mermaid language. You never told me about this.”

Tao Ning: “Well, it’s quite strange. I injured the back of my head that time, remember? When I woke up, my mind felt clear, and learning became easy. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

Gu Yuan’s train of thought was derailed. He thought for a moment: “I have heard of such cases. The human brain is fascinating, and injuries can sometimes lead to unexpected changes.”

Tao Ning said casually, “So it’s actually a real thing? I listened to her speak a few times, analyzed the pronunciation of common phrases, and just like that, I learned Mermaid language.”

If that were the case, it would indeed be quite remarkable, considering Zang Yuzhu’s learning abilities.

“That’s amazing. Are there any side effects? Let me take a look…” Gu Yuan raised his gloved hand.

“Bang!” A loud crash echoed from nearby, as something heavy fell to the ground.

A full water bottle rolled towards them. Before it reached Tao Ning’s feet, she bent down and picked it up.

An He, under their gazes: “…”

Looking at the water bottle in Tao Ning’s hand, then at the puzzled Gu Yuan, An He felt her vision darken. She quickly stuffed the bag attached to the bottle’s neck into her pocket.

With unsteady steps, she approached them.

“Good evening, Major General Gu, Zang.”

Tao Ning smiled politely: “Good evening, An.”

Gu Yuan couldn’t continue his questioning in front of an outsider, so he simply offered a few words of concern before turning to leave.

Before leaving, he glanced at An He, who was looking at Zang Yuzhu.

Tao Ning walked back with An He. Nearing their dormitories, An He took a deep breath, preparing to say what she had been hesitating to say all along.

Tao Ning said, “Thank you for what happened just now.”

An He replied instinctively, “You’re welcome… I didn’t do anything, what are you thanking me for?”

Tao Ning’s smile widened: “How could you have done nothing? If it weren’t for your water bottle appearing out of nowhere, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to hold back.”

An He: “Ah?”

Hold back? Hold back from doing what?

Although she didn’t quite understand, since Zang Yuzhu had said so, An He replied, “You’re welcome?”

Watching Zang Yuzhu turn the corner and disappear from sight, An He let out a long sigh, looking at the water bottle in her hand.

Because of the clumsy way it had fallen, the water bottle, which had been with her for years, now had a dent in the bottom and more visible scratches.

After a long while, a soft voice whispered, “Was that too obvious just now?”

Back in her room, Tao Ning went straight to the medicine cabinet. These were common medications, and the one Zang Yuzhu used most frequently was…

520: [Oh! With my years of sharp observation as a member of the Department of Fate, I’ve figured it out!]

Tao Ning, rummaging through the medicine kit, was startled by the sudden exclamation. She continued searching and pulled out the remaining vitamins from the paper bag.

Pouring the pills into her palm, she brought them close to her nose, smelling only a faint fruity scent, no different from ordinary vitamins.

520, impatient from Tao Ning’s silence, couldn’t wait any longer and said, [Aren’t you going to ask what I’ve figured out?]

Putting the pills back, Tao Ning decided to take one of each item from the medicine kit and put them into her storage space button.

This space button was originally intended for Zang Yuzhu’s mecha, but her mecha had been destroyed in the attack, leaving the space empty, which was convenient for Tao Ning.

After finishing, Tao Ning sat at the desk, opened the Starnet, and then slowly asked, “What did you figure out?”

520, finally having the chance to show off, said triumphantly, [That An He likes you! You definitely didn’t notice!]

Tao Ning replied calmly, “Oh? Really?”

Her eyes remained glued to the screen, quickly scanning the pages. She was searching for information about the attack from over a decade ago, hoping to find some clues, but the results were disappointing.

It made sense. The attack that killed the original host’s parents wasn’t small, and for the sake of public opinion, the Federation wouldn’t disclose too many details.

She could only approach it from other angles.

Tao Ning’s fingers moved, switching to searching for the White Raven organization.

This was a space pirate organization that had existed for decades. Their base of operations was unknown, their movements unpredictable, and they were extremely secretive. They specialized in opposing the Federation, surviving by robbing Federation supplies and plundering nearby star systems.

At their peak, they almost occupied the entire Ninth Star System, establishing their own nation and confronting the Federation.

Due to the sudden appearance of Zang Xin, they ultimately failed. The Ninth Star System, which had been within their grasp, was liberated, and the White Raven leader fled in defeat.

However, the previous leader had died three years ago due to a psychic sea outburst, and the current leader was his son, also a ruthless character.

An organization that the Federation had struggled to eradicate for years must have hidden strengths beyond what was known publicly.

Tao Ning’s hand paused on a certain page. It was a news report from two years ago about the successful rescue of an entire ship of hostages, with Gu Yuan being praised as the hero.

For successfully rescuing dozens of hostages from the White Raven organization, Gu Yuan was awarded the rank of Major General, becoming the most promising young officer in the Federation.

Clicking to the next page, it was also about Gu Yuan.

It described his successful infiltration of a remote star system for several months, severely crippling the Black Sea organization, destroying their long-hidden black market, and seizing a batch of illegal drugs banned by the Federation for many years.

These two incidents occurred within half a month of each other. Gu Yuan, who had achieved two consecutive feats, filled the only vacancy in the election due to public demand, despite not being due for promotion so soon.

Putting aside the timing of these two achievements, which conveniently occurred right before the election, giving him the necessary merits, even his competitors had to admire his good luck.

Staring at the report about crippling the Black Sea organization, Tao Ning suddenly thought of something.

The Black Sea and White Raven organizations were originally founded by two brothers, who later split due to disagreements, each becoming a king in their own right, and both becoming the Federation’s top enemies.

After several generations of leadership changes, the blood ties had long faded, and the two organizations became mortal enemies, fighting for territory.

In recent years, the decline of the Black Sea had emboldened the White Ravens. From a logical standpoint, this rise and fall seemed normal.

But Tao Ning wasn’t someone who believed in coincidences.

Every world had its own rules, and in this world, she had to play by its rules. If she went too far, like directly killing Gu Yuan, Tao Ning could easily be logged out.

In a world where the strong preyed on the weak, different methods were required.

Besides, letting him die quickly would be too easy. Zang Yuzhu’s reputation was tarnished, and her body injured, so Gu Yuan should also be disgraced and lose everything he was proud of.

The excitement of finally having some juicy gossip about the host gradually subsided, and 520 realized: [You knew all along? When did you find out?]

Tao Ning said, “She likes Zang Yuzhu.”

520 was confused: [Aren’t you Zang Yuzhu?]

Tao Ning closed her smart device and stood up: “Wrong, I’m Tao Ning.”

It was time to rest. She needed to wash up and sleep.

The next day, Callista woke up earlier than usual. Tao Ning had just opened the door when she saw the bored figure by the pool.

She had gathered a pile of pearls, imbuing each with her psychic power, making them stick together to form a small pyramid.

Callista had never seen images of the ancient Earth pyramids; she simply found this shape amusing.

It showed how bored the leader was while waiting, bored enough to play with pearls.

Hearing the noise, the newly built pearl pyramid scattered with a clatter. Callista reached out and gathered them all back.

Seeing her slightly evasive gaze, Tao Ning greeted her proactively: “Good morning, Lita.”

Hearing this tone, Callista assumed the matter was over, and her tone also lightened: “Good morning.”

Then Tao Ning fell silent, turning to her preparations, no longer chatting like she usually did.

Watching the busy figure moving around, Callista felt a strange discomfort for the first time.

Unconsciously, Callista’s eyes were glued to Tao Ning’s back.

There wasn’t anything particularly interesting to see, not as captivating as the scenery of the ocean floor. In the end, this was just an upright-walking human.

Thinking of this, Callista wondered if this human possessed some special ability, like how Mermaids could attract others with their singing.

Suddenly, a faint, familiar blue flashed before her eyes.

Callista suddenly exclaimed, “Why are you wearing my scale around your neck?”

Tao Ning glanced down at her collarbone, where an ice-blue scale hung, shimmering and beautiful.

Callista said proudly, “Do you like the scale that much? Why? Is it because I gave it to you?”