Chapter 3

Things were more severe than imagined—more and more explosions and violent tremors came from Zone S. Armed security personnel and guards arrived swiftly and ran to the doors. Elara listened as the sharp blare of the security alarm escalated—Level 1, 2, then 3… Finally, for the first time ever, it hit Level 4. Rumor had it that deep within Zone S was a high-density water chamber with a depth that reached several hundred feet. Aether Spire's most outstanding special-grade creature was sealed in there. The creature had recently responded to the outside world and displayed extreme aggression. The alarm blared louder. The light outside experimentation zone No.17 turned yellow, and the doors opened. The bioengineers inside were hastily packing their equipment and computers. Someone hurried out and said to Elara, "Please leave now. There's been an emergency." "What about No.17?" she asked. "He's a little out of control now. We've locked him in the observation zone." The bioengineer didn't go into detail. Just then, there came a crash and some shouts from the other side of the experimentation zone. The experimental subjects inside seemed to have suddenly lost control and gone on a rampage. It was as if they'd received some signal or summons—they assaulted the researchers with abandon. A strong tremor came from beneath their feet as if a savage beast was about to erupt from the ground. An announcement to retreat was made over the PA system, and the alarms continued blaring. Elara had never seen such a large-scale evacuation before. She'd just gotten to the escape passage when someone grabbed her and stuffed a metal briefcase into her arms. "Take this and pour the fluid into the experimentation chamber with the red warning light!" Elara frowned. She was about to reject the woman when she said fiercely, "This is an order!" She revealed the badge on her shoulder—she was on the director level, putting her three grades above Elara. A superior's order was like a military order at Aether Spire, where things were run like a military base. One had no choice but to obey. The woman tried hard to conceal the terror in her eyes as she shouted, "Hurry up and go!" Elara was forced to take the briefcase. "Yes, ma'am." As everyone else evacuated, water laced with the stench of blood gushed through the doors leading to Zone S. It soon reached Elara's ankles. She heard blood-curdling screams for help coming from deep inside. Some people fled while others screamed and cried. She was the only one who headed deeper inside. She'd never set foot in this world—the special-grade creatures zone. The long, narrow corridor was like a tunnel leading to Hell. The metal walls gleamed starkly, their gleam so sharp that it was almost as if they wanted to slash those who saw them. Her footsteps were the only sound in the cold, dark space. The experimentation chambers had been destroyed so thoroughly that it was hard to tell what they'd originally looked like. The silence was so thick that one couldn't help feeling on edge. Elara approached the place the woman had mentioned. The door was ajar, and she pushed it softly, seemingly opening a crevice to the abyss. She heard the sloshing of water in the darkness. It sounded like something had clambered out of the water. The electrical circuits had been destroyed, so there weren't any lights. Elara kept a hand on the wall to guide her as she cautiously explored the place in darkness. In the center of the vast darkness stood an enormous cylindrical water chamber. Behind the glass, an enchanting deep blue light shone. Elara opened the briefcase and took the vial of fluid from inside. She stepped onto the staircase beside the chamber, her every move marked by caution and wariness. Something was watching her in the dark. Its gaze was almost tangible as it glued to her back; she felt like she'd been licked by a serpent. She suppressed her terror and looked around, trying hard to identify the dispensing hatch. When she found it, she pushed open the metal cover, making a soft sound. Then, she followed the woman's orders and poured the fluid into the glass. Almost immediately, the chamber trembled violently, so much so that she couldn't even maintain her balance on the steps. It felt like the ground was being torn apart. Elara was caught off guard, and she lost her grip on the railing. Her body toppled backward uncontrollably. She was over 30 feet from the ground—she would die or be severely injured if she were to land on her back from this fall. Elara squeezed her eyes shut, not even in time to try to defend herself. However, the agony she expected didn't come. At that critical juncture, she felt an ice-cold sensation at her waist. It felt like something had grabbed her by the waist, but the feeling was so fleeting that it was more like a hallucination. The inertia made her head spin. Whatever had caught her flung her aside, making her fall to the floor. She was still alive! Elara looked up and saw a flash of light blue from the reflection on the glass chamber. It was a fleeting glance, but it made her freeze. Whatever she'd seen had been slender, ethereal, and almost like a dream. What was that? She sat there in a daze for a long time as her brain short-circuited. What was it that had saved her? At the same time, alarm bells rang in her mind. She saw a large hole in the chamber's glass; it was empty. The special-grade creature had escaped. Elara felt deeply uneasy. Suddenly, she heard a sharp clanking sound—it sounded like a metal chain being dragged across the floor—and it seemed amplified in the darkness. A chill ran down her spine. She could sense that a terrifying creature was watching her. Darkness surrounded her, and she felt like prey exposed to its predator's eyes. Her breathing grew louder, but she still heard the faint sound of something heavy crunching over the shattered glass. It was alarmingly close to her—something was approaching. Elara forced herself to calm down as she turned around to see what was behind her. She vaguely saw a slender silhouette amid the toppled equipment. The dim blue hue from the water chamber barely illuminated the cold eyes hidden in the darkness. She held her breath, feeling like her blood flow was slowing. She couldn't find the words to describe those eyes. She could only see half the person's head—the rest of their body was hidden in the darkness. Those silver eyes looked like gems, their radiant glow evident even in the pitch-black surroundings. Then, Elara smelled the metallic scent of blood. Nobody else was in the room, and she wasn't injured. That, coupled with the earlier sound of something crunching the glass, led her to conclude that this mysterious person was injured. They were probably bleeding profusely. After some thought, she held up her hands. "I mean no harm; I won't hurt you." Soothing and pacifying was what a keeper did best. She asked, "Are you injured?" She kept her voice gentle. The person remained silent, but it hinted at a compliance that allowed her to approach them. Elara got to her feet, keeping her hands in the air as she slowly approached the person. "Don't be scared. Look—my hands are empty." The eyes were filled with vigilance as they followed her every movement. She gasped when she got closer to the person—no, creature. It looked beautiful, even as it lay atop the shattered glass. Its soft, blonde hair rested on its shoulders, and its lips were rosy. Its skin was pale, which was characteristic of deep-sea creatures that barely saw the sun. It was so gorgeous that it was almost like a figment of her imagination—its features were so exquisite that it couldn't be human. "Are you injured?" Elara asked softly. She didn't want to scare the creature. It merely looked at her quietly. Something swirled in its eyes, but the darkness concealed it. She slowly reached out and told it that she meant no harm. "Don't be scared. I'm a keeper, so I can tend to your wounds and get you—" She abruptly stopped when she saw the creature's Adam's apple. That caught her off guard. Then, she saw its toned muscles and broad shoulders. Everything she saw made it clear to her that she was facing a man. Something flickered iridescently in the darkness. Elara's gaze followed it, and her mind went blank. It was a fishtail—long, slender, and huge as it spread over the floor. This was a merman.