Chapter 4

Legend had it that merfolk were otherworldly creatures that had crossed dimensions and arrived from a cold, twisted world. Elara had seen a merman when she was younger but had forgotten his appearance because she'd been delirious from her high fever. All she remembered was that he was beautiful. That was the day her life had changed forever. The waves had overturned the cruise ship she and her family had taken. She'd later heard that the sailors had heard an enchanting song right before the shipwreck. Everyone had fallen into a trance, their eyes staring at nothingness as they jumped into the water. Some people had screamed, and some had shouted. Some had cried at the top of their lungs. Elara had sunk into the icy depths of the water and watched as unknown creatures dragged the people around her deeper. She'd tasted the blood in the salty seawater, expecting herself to be the next victim. She had thought one of the savage predators would tear her to shreds and eat her up. However, that was when she saw a beautiful figure shoot toward her from the distance. It had made a sound, sending the grotesque carnivores around her scattering. Elara had swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater in her shock. Someone had grabbed her wrist when she was on the verge of death before pulling her into a cold embrace. She remembered the blonde hair spreading before her like a veil flowing with the water's movements, dazing her. The creature had flicked its tail, looking like a shooting star that had descended into the ocean. The merman had saved her life and kept her on a deserted island. They had spent seven cold yet beautiful days there. He seemed to adore her. On her first day on the island, all Elara had done was cry. The merman had brought her food, but she was too overwhelmed by her fear to appreciate the gesture. She ignored his goodwill. On the second day, Elara had fallen sick and developed a fever. The merman had kissed her like she was a precious treasure and fed her the food he'd brought after chewing it up. The third, fourth, and fifth days passed in a delirium. Elara had barely been conscious. On the sixth day, she'd been awakened by a series of gentle, wet kisses. The merman had kissed her ear while uttering love-filled words in a language she couldn't understand. His kisses had come with nibbles; his sharp teeth had pierced through the soft skin on her ear, making her tremble. She'd thought he wanted to eat her and had immediately burst into tears of fright. The merman's kisses and bites had left several marks on her soft, supple skin—like a carnivore's teeth marks. He'd observed them, looking captivated. Then, he'd laughed in pleasure and wrapped his tail around her waist, dragging her into the water as if wanting to frolic with her. He'd thought he was pleasing her and making her happy, but it only made her wail louder. She'd been terrified. His adoration had spilled from his gemstone-like eyes, and he'd put his feelings into action. He'd clung to Elara and touched her, keeping her close as he kissed her. He was as beautiful as an angel, yet he terrified her as if he were a devil. The merman didn't understand human social cues, or that one had to take things slowly when expressing their love for another. He'd kissed and bitten Elara based on his animal instinct, and he'd caressed her hair gently. He'd even stayed on land for long hours because of her; he'd held her like she was his precious toy. For days, she'd been surrounded by iciness, wetness, and the fear of the unknown. The merman occasionally dragged Elara into the cold seawater and kissed her; other times, he would wrap his tail tightly around her. She was the toy he'd treasured. The fear of death lingered in her mind, constantly keeping her on edge. She never stopped worrying that the merman's razor-sharp teeth would one day pierce her neck. However, that never happened. The merman took good care of her, keeping her safe, save for the marks he left on her. On the seventh day, Elara was saved by a military helicopter while asleep. The merman had saved her life, leaving her with memories she would never be able to erase. However, she had later developed a high fever, leading to her forgetting the merman's face. … Elara snapped out of her memories. The merman before her, Eryndor, had grabbed her sleeve and stared into her eyes, his gaze captivating. His fingers were cold and wet, and an almost translucent web formed between them. His skin was pale and flawless. To her surprise, he could speak. "Please save me." His voice was slightly husky, and it sounded like a haunting aria. She immediately hurried forward and carefully helped him up. He took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her shoulders, his actions intimate and affectionate. He let out a soft, satisfied sigh. His tail had been torn down the middle, and a broken chain had been cast aside nearby. It made it clear the nasty things the research base's engineers had done to him. Elara was stunned. "Did they… did they pierce your tail with a chain?" Eryndor leaned against her shoulder as if silently agreeing with her words. He seemed tired, yet his actions were gentle and affectionate. His wet hair clung to Elara's neck, which was an odd sensation. She didn't resist him. Instead, she asked cautiously, "Are you okay? Are you injured anywhere else?" He frowned slightly at her words. Then, he lifted his arm to show her a bone-deep wound. She was shocked. "That's terrible!" She was so panicked that she had no idea a surveillance camera hidden in the corner above her was recording everything she was doing. Someone pointed at the surveillance monitor. "Who is she?" No one in the observation room answered him. The special-grade bioengineers exchanged looks, stunned by how docile Eryndor acted around Elara. He was a terrifying creature, and he'd never acted like this before. What baffled them most was the fact that he'd injured himself. He'd slashed himself deep enough to reveal his bone before showing it to Elara with a pitiful act. He seemed to be trying to win her sympathy. It was unbelievable. Suddenly, the screen flickered and was swallowed by black-and-white static, as if the signal had been cut. Eryndor had noticed them. He'd always hated being monitored. Only one man was dressed casually in the observation room. He said coldly, "Find out who was supposed to pour the sleep-inducing agent into the SP chamber today." … "I can't carry you." Elara gave up after a few attempts. The top half of Eryndor's torso was identical to a human's, but his tail was close to ten feet. That wasn't something she was capable of carrying. He blinked, his eyes hinting at dazedness. Her heart softened at this, and she caressed his head. "I'll go get something to help. Wait here for me, okay?" He was docile, unaggressive, and affectionate. However, he refused to let her go, even tightening his grip on her wrist. Elara winced and said, "It hurts." Eryndor immediately released her and looked down at her wrist, which was starting to turn red. He put on an innocent look. She couldn't help laughing. She looked into his eyes and soothed him as she always did with her experimental subjects. "I'll be back soon, okay? Trust me." He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her doubtfully. She met his gaze head-on. After a while, he backed down and said in a low voice, "You'd better not be lying to me." "I'm not," she reassured. Unfortunately, she didn't factor in the possibility of things later spiraling out of control. Elara had promised Eryndor that she would find something to help him. However, when she left Zone S, she found that the area had been cordoned off. As she walked out the doors, she turned a corner and bumped into the woman who'd told her to pour the fluid into the chamber. The woman grabbed her and looked at her like she was a ghost. Her face twisted from her fear as she cried, "Didn't you go in there?" Elara frowned. "I did." "Why are you still alive, then?"