From a young age, Lin Feng had known that the mermaids’ fate was one of utter destruction. They would take one inevitable step after another toward extinction.
The mermaids had discovered long ago that by devouring human genes, they could fully transform into that person, inheriting their memories and emotions. It wasn’t until the death of the last male mermaid that they truly put their plan into action.
Even with their long lifespans, the mermaids could not escape the fate of death without offspring.
By borrowing human technology and science, they had restarted the Dual-Female Plan that humanity had abandoned years earlier.
It was their only hope.
“You view it as technology that must never be used except as a last resort, but to the mermaids, it is their one and only hope,” Lin Feng said slowly to Zhao Shuqing as she sat across from her. “The mermaids have reached their most desperate situation, which is why… they decided to come ashore.”
Zhao Shuqing sat attentively in front of her, listening as Lin Feng described the deep, serene ocean and the fate of that final male mermaid.
Biologically speaking, he had been Lin Feng’s father, but she had no real impression of him. He had spent his entire life confined to the ocean depths, tasked with breeding and awaiting death. Over his more than four hundred years, he had produced over thirty baby mermaids, with Lin Feng being the last.
No wonder Lin Feng had such a poor grasp of familial bonds. In that complex environment, distinguishing relatives must have been nearly impossible.
“What did you do after coming ashore?” Zhao Shuqing asked her.
Lin Feng shook her head slightly and said apologetically, “I don’t know.”
Zhao Shuqing looked puzzled. “Aren’t you part of the plan too? Didn’t they tell you anything?”
Lin Feng fell silent for a moment before lifting her gaze to meet Zhao Shuqing’s. “After they decided to come ashore, they locked me in the deep sea. They seemed to have special plans for me, so aside from knowing their goal was reproduction, I truly know nothing else.”
Zhao Shuqing frowned, sinking deep into thought.
Lin Feng had told her so much about the mermaids today—secrets Zhao Shuqing had never known. Though they possessed intelligence equal to humans, the mermaids’ sparse numbers had led them to prefer the ocean, abandoning science for the most primal animal instincts. When the global catastrophe struck, their fragile, singular breeding grounds collapsed in an instant, driving them toward extinction.
The storm outside seemed even fiercer now, rain battering the room’s windows like slaps, relentlessly pounding at Zhao Shuqing’s fragile nerves.
The room was utterly quiet, filled only with the howl of wind and rain, and the breathing of the two women.
A dull ache throbbed in Lin Feng’s lower abdomen. She lowered her head and pressed at it, but the pain persisted. She had no idea what those two people had done to her in surgery; she only knew she was feeling worse by the day.
Earlier, she had thought that just seeing Zhao Shuqing alive would be enough. But now that she had, Lin Feng wanted to change her mind.
If only she could stay by Zhao Shuqing’s side forever.
She was just a greedy fish.
Lin Feng’s face paled, her downcast lashes trembling faintly. She had no idea what Zhao Shuqing was thinking, but she knew they could never be together.
Xu Tang had been right from the start. Once Zhao Shuqing learned the truth, the two of them could never be together.
“Zhao Shuqing…”
Without lifting her head, Lin Feng asked softly, “Will you hate me?”
Zhao Shuqing glanced at her but said nothing.
A faint sob broke the silence in the room. Lin Feng rubbed at her reddened eyes and looked up at Zhao Shuqing—the woman she loved sitting right there before her, yet her expression was icy cold.
Tears welled in Lin Feng’s eyes, dulling the bright sparkle in them, filling her gaze with sorrow. Zhao Shuqing’s heart ached, but she forced her face to remain calm. “Before I start hating you, tell me—how many mermaids are there among humans?”
Lin Feng didn’t dare hold anything back. She revealed every secret she knew about the mermaids.
By the time Zhao Shuqing finished listening, she could no longer maintain her composure. She even shot to her feet, her face full of horror.
“You’re saying that if a mermaid eats a person’s body, she can completely become that person?” Zhao Shuqing asked her.
Lin Feng had never witnessed a mermaid eating a human, but she nodded anyway. “There might be some initial discomfort, but mermaids have strong learning abilities. It wouldn’t take long for them to perfectly impersonate a human.”
“…How could this be?” Zhao Shuqing’s brows knitted tightly as she murmured, “Doesn’t that mean human society is full of mermaids now?”
“Probably not,” Lin Feng explained. “There aren’t that many of us. Even if every single one came ashore, it would only be a few tens of thousands. We prefer living in groups, so we all choose to surface in the same places. If there’s one mermaid near you, it means there are countless others in that area already.”
Zhao Shuqing’s scalp prickled at the words. She had always thought of mermaids as the pure, wondrous creatures from fairy tales. Now she learned they were simply intelligent, malevolent beasts.
They lured sailors with their songs, devoured their bodies, took on their appearances, and silently blended into their worlds.
It was terrifying.
The thought made Zhao Shuqing’s skin crawl. She looked at Lin Feng, hesitating for a long time before asking, “Is there… a disguised mermaid near me too?”
“Yes.” Lin Feng nodded cautiously. “Xu Tang is a mermaid.”
“Xu Tang…”
Zhao Shuqing felt dizzy. She gripped the armrest of her chair and sat back down, clutching half her head as she asked, “Was she… eaten by a mermaid during some accident, or… has she always been a mermaid disguised as human?”
Zhao Shuqing still clung to a faint hope—that Xu Tang had simply met with misfortune at sea and been replaced. But Lin Feng’s words shattered that illusion.
“She’s always been a mermaid,” Lin Feng told her. “She’s been involved in many of the mermaids’ plans.”
Zhao Shuqing closed her eyes.
She had always thought her relationship with Xu Tang was solid. They’d known each other for years without so much as a single argument. Yet she also realized that her own inability to return home was surely due to Xu Tang’s meddling.
And Gu Yao…
Zhao Shuqing suddenly remembered her. Ever since Xu Tang stopped answering calls, Gu Yao had vanished too—just like Shen Qingming, disappearing without a trace.
“Are Gu Yao and Teacher Shen mermaids too?” Zhao Shuqing asked urgently.
Lin Feng gave her a suspicious look, thought for a moment, and replied, “Gu Yao isn’t. She was human right up until I left. As for Teacher Shen… he has deep ties to the mermaids. He might have become one by now.”
Zhao Shuqing recalled how, right after Shen Qingming’s recovery, the hospital room always carried a faint fishy smell. His habits had changed dramatically too—not just his inability to use chopsticks, but his sudden craving for seafood.
Perhaps that’s when Shen Qingming had been devoured.
And this overseas lecture trip? It was probably Shen Qingming and Xu Tang’s doing together.
They had wanted to keep her isolated from the events.
The conversation left Zhao Shuqing feeling deeply uncomfortable all over. She never would have imagined so many mermaids lurking right under her nose.
Seeing Zhao Shuqing’s face alternate between pallor and flush, Lin Feng grew very worried and softly called her name.
Zhao Shuqing rubbed her temples, refusing to look at her.
“Don’t talk to me right now,” Zhao Shuqing said, her face grim. “I need time to think.”
Lin Feng watched as Zhao Shuqing rose and moved to sit at the head of the bed, lost in thought. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and pain twisted both her stomach and abdomen.
She quietly pressed her belly, enduring the agony.
Zhao Shuqing took no notice of Lin Feng’s distress. Her mind was consumed with the revelation that Shen Qingming and Xu Tang were mermaids—and per Lin Feng’s account, many others likely were too.
If eating someone allowed a mermaid to assume their identity, what if their targets were people in high positions? Those with real power?
A casual word or gesture from them, passed down the chain, could alter national policies and destinies.
Lin Feng had said the mermaids’ plan had been underway for nearly twenty years. They might have already infiltrated the political core.
Zhao Shuqing’s head throbbed. She couldn’t be sure their goal was limited to reproduction.
If they only wanted human tech to breed baby mermaids, they wouldn’t need such elaborate schemes. What Zhao Shuqing feared was that their aim went beyond procreation—they wanted to replace humanity.
Once the terrifying idea took root, she could no longer sit still. She needed to return home, confront Xu Tang face-to-face.
“Lin Feng.”
Having sorted through her thoughts, Zhao Shuqing turned to Lin Feng, who sat obediently in the chair beside her. Ignoring the unnatural pallor on her face, she said urgently, “I need your help with something.”
Lin Feng stared straight at her, her tone resolute. “Okay.”
As long as Zhao Shuqing was willing to speak to her, she would do anything.
Ever since a strong, stowaway woman had appeared on the shoreline, this coastal metropolis had seen a string of bizarre incidents over the past few days.
The relentless storms had brought gale-force winds and massive waves. Aside from essential personnel, nearly everything had shut down per regulations. Yet amid the chaos, people swore they heard enchanting songs drifting from the sea.
The melodies were mournful yet captivating, often echoing along the shore after midnight.
At first, someone posted a video online from overseas. In it, a pale figure sat on the dark shoreline in the distance.
She had light-colored long hair and faced the surging ocean waves, singing. Even through the hazy rain and fog, her gray silhouette was visible.
“Look at that—who sings to the sea in a storm? Staged for views?”
“If it’s staged, it’s way too risky. One wave and she’d never surface again.”
“Ah, I know this spot. When does this woman usually sing? I’d brave the rain to film it.”
“For real? They say the bigger the storm, the earlier she appears. Perfect—gale tonight at dusk.”
“Brave souls get the best views. Waiting for your next vid!”
Comments like these flooded in. No matter the country, there was no shortage of thrill-seekers.
Soon, the user uploaded an unedited new video.
The wind and waves were ferocious; dense rain slanted wildly. The filmmaker stood atop the seawall, while down below on nearby rocks sat that slender woman from the storms—her back to the camera.
“I can hear her singing!”
The filmer’s hand shook with excitement. She zoomed the blurry lens to maximum, revealing the woman’s back… and the massive, black mermaid tail.
