Someone had heard the singing?
Zhao Shuqing immediately thought of the beach she’d seen in her dream. Back then, the group of mermaids had drawn her gaze with their beautiful, enchanting songs. Even though it had all been a dream, reflecting on it now sent a chill of fear down her spine.
She hadn’t felt the slightest bit of fear in the dream. She’d only wanted to swim over and take a closer look at those beautiful mermaids—nothing at all like her usual self.
If Lin Feng hadn’t held her back…
Lin Feng?
Why had Lin Feng appeared in her dream?
Zhao Shuqing frowned. Could it be that she’d been thinking about her so much during the day that she’d dreamed of her at night?
She couldn’t puzzle out the question, so she set it aside for the moment. Grabbing the jacket from beside her bed, she threw it on and got out of bed. The moment she opened the cabin door, she saw quite a few people hurrying through the corridor—some researchers, some ship staff.
“What’s going on?” Zhao Shuqing grabbed a passing colleague. Seeing the anxious look on the woman’s face, she quickly asked, “Did something happen on the ship?”
“Yes, it’s… it’s Sun Chengzhou,” the colleague said hurriedly to Zhao Shuqing. “Someone said he went up to the deck last night, and then… then he was gone.”
“‘Gone’ what do you mean?” Zhao Shuqing frowned.
“I mean… dead,” the colleague said, her face drained of color. “Sun Chengzhou is dead. No one knows why he ran up to the deck in the middle of the night. By the time anyone found him, he was already gone. Now I’m off to report it to Group Leader Xu.”
Zhao Shuqing’s eyes widened in shock. She released her colleague’s arm and watched her hurry away. Glancing around, Zhao Shuqing decided to head to the deck herself.
Sun Chengzhou might have been petty and hot-tempered, but he was a legitimate oceanography PhD. How could a perfectly healthy man just drop dead like that?
And on the scientific expedition team’s ship, no less. That made it an accident at minimum—they had to investigate thoroughly.
When Zhao Shuqing arrived on deck, a crowd had already gathered. The staff were holding everyone back from getting too close. From a distance, she could just make out a white sheet draped over the forward section of the deck, a vague human shape visible beneath it.
“Too terrifying, it’s really too terrifying…”
A nearby female researcher was wiping away tears while her colleagues comforted her. Several staff members clustered around her as well. Zhao Shuqing narrowed her eyes slightly and edged closer.
“Last night after work, when I was heading back to my quarters around midnight, I saw Sun Chengzhou in the corridor,” the woman recounted in a low voice. “I said hello to him. I asked where he was going, and he said he had something to do and left. I was seasick and couldn’t sleep, so I came out for some air—and that’s when I saw PhD Sun collapsed on the deck, soaked through.”
Soaked?
“Soaked?” someone nearby echoed in confusion. “There were some waves last night, sure, but nothing that should’ve drenched the sheltered deck. How did he end up soaked head to toe?”
“No idea.”
“What does the ship captain say?”
“He’s checking the surveillance footage. Should have results soon, right?”
The crowd murmured uneasily for a bit before someone frowned and said, “Why would Sun Chengzhou leave his room in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”
“I heard he thought he heard someone singing, so he went out. Not sure if it’s true.”
“Yeah, I heard it in the corridor too. They say he went out because of the singing. Could that be what killed him?”
“But what on the open ocean would sing like that?”
The group fell silent at once, exchanging glances before murmuring, “A mermaid?”
“Did a mermaid’s song lure him out there?”
“Was Sun Chengzhou killed by a mermaid?”
“Does that mean the mermaid in our lab could kill too?”
Zhao Shuqing’s brow furrowed tightly at their words. She wanted to refute them but didn’t know where to start.
Truth be told, it wasn’t just them—even she had wondered if Sun Chengzhou’s death was connected to the mermaids. She glanced at the shrouded sheet in the distance, then decided to head to the lab first to check on Lin Feng.
In the corridor, Zhao Shuqing ran into Xu Tang coming the other way. Several people surrounded the group leader, whose face was grim.
Zhao Shuqing stepped aside. Xu Tang glanced at her but didn’t greet her before striding quickly toward the deck.
Zhao Shuqing let out a breath of relief and headed in the opposite direction.
In the lab, two researchers were bustling about anxiously. They’d heard the news from outside, and when they saw Zhao Shuqing arrive, they hurried over.
“Dr. Zhao, is PhD Sun really dead?”
“I heard he went out because he heard singing. Could a mermaid have lured him?”
“Did the mermaids get mad because we caught one? Are they picking us off one by one?”
Zhao Shuqing snapped, “You’re all educated professionals. How can you spout this nonsense without solid evidence?”
The two researchers exchanged uneasy looks.
Zhao Shuqing softened her tone, reassuring them. “I’m upset about PhD Sun too, but it just happened—we don’t know the details yet. It might have nothing to do with the mermaid. Don’t panic. I’m going to check on Lin Feng first.”
She climbed up to the platform, where Lin Feng was swimming idly back and forth in the water, looking quite relaxed.
Spotting Zhao Shuqing, Lin Feng surfaced and swam over slowly. Propping herself up with both hands, she sat on the edge of the platform and flashed Zhao Shuqing a smile.
Lin Feng was already strikingly handsome, but that smile aimed at Zhao Shuqing was breathtaking. Her eyes, like sapphires, curved prettily.
Zhao Shuqing steadied herself before crouching down in front of Lin Feng and reaching out to gently touch her face.
Lin Feng loved it when Zhao Shuqing touched her. She tilted her head, gazing at her with those beautiful eyes, seemingly curious why Zhao Shuqing was visiting so early—and looking so worn out.
“Shuqing…”
Lin Feng pronounced Zhao Shuqing’s name clearly, her eyes questioning what was wrong.
【Don’t go over there.】
【Don’t get close to the mermaids…】
What flashed through Zhao Shuqing’s mind were the two sentences Lin Feng had spoken to her in the dream, in that clear, cool voice. They sounded just like this one.
No—identical.
Could mermaids truly enter people’s dreams?
Zhao Shuqing frowned but ignored Lin Feng for the moment, turning to the researchers who’d followed her up. “Any abnormalities with Lin Feng last night?”
The two exchanged a glance. “We came on shift at midnight. She was sleeping then and didn’t wake up until about an hour ago.”
“Did anyone come to the lab in between?”
“No.”
“Any strange singing?”
“N-No.”
Zhao Shuqing nodded. “I understand.”
Understand what?
The researchers grew urgent. “Dr. Zhao, what’s really going on? Did the mermaid kill PhD Sun?”
Zhao Shuqing glanced back at Lin Feng and murmured, “We’ll have to wait for Group Leader Xu’s official word.”
Lin Feng watched her blankly, blinking slowly.
The morning passed in a haze of unease. It wasn’t until lunchtime that Xu Tang appeared in the ship’s cafeteria.
“Everyone, since we’re all here, I have something to say.” Xu Tang stood in the middle of the cafeteria. Once she had everyone’s attention, she continued, “This morning, researcher Sun Chengzhou’s body was discovered. The ship’s doctor has done a basic examination, and we’ve reviewed all the surveillance footage from last night through this morning.”
“I know you’re all wondering,” Xu Tang said solemnly. “Let me assure you: Sun Chengzhou died of sudden cardiac failure. It has nothing to do with any mermaid rumors.”
“Sudden death?” someone questioned. “Perfectly fine, and PhD Sun just drops dead?”
Xu Tang replied, “High-intensity work and irregular sleep schedules can cause sudden cardiac arrest. We’ll need onshore forensic analysis for the full details.”
“But why was he soaked?”
“He died in the latter half of the night, when the sea winds are stronger than during the day. He was right by a lifeboat—the sloshing water from it drenched him. That’s reasonable.”
“But people said he heard strange singing before going out?”
“There was no strange singing. The ship has twenty-four-hour shifts, and the captain’s quarters can confirm it—plus the footage has audio. Anyone doubtful can go to the surveillance room and listen. It’s just waves, nothing else.”
Xu Tang scanned the room. “That’s the situation. If you have questions, come to my cabin. Don’t spread baseless rumors.”
She added, “Sun Chengzhou’s death saddens me. Failing to ensure proper rest is my failing. We have three days until we return home, so non-urgent work can wait—rest comes first. If anyone feels unwell, see the ship doctor immediately.”
With that, Xu Tang left without eating. The crowd exchanged dubious glances, unsure whether to believe her.
Zhao Shuqing shoveled down a couple bites of food, dumped her tray and chopsticks in the return bin, and hurried out. At the corner, she spotted Xu Tang talking with the ship captain.
“Senior Sister.”
Zhao Shuqing stayed put, not approaching rashly.
Xu Tang glanced at her, murmured something to the captain, and dismissed him. Only then did Zhao Shuqing walk over.
“What is it?” Xu Tang asked, arms crossed, eyeing her sidelong. “Didn’t you hear me back in the cafeteria? Need me to repeat myself?”
“No, Senior Sister,” Zhao Shuqing explained. “I believe you, but I still think there’s something fishy about this.”
Xu Tang studied her for a moment, then said, “Come with me.”
Zhao Shuqing blinked in surprise and hurried after her.
