TRWSB – Chapter 160 The Merfolk Mix-up

In the Laboratory

Qi Shaorong was researching a new type of cosmetic, while Zhuang Hao played assistant at his side.

“I didn’t expect Hailing, that guy, to actually give the Merfolk Heart to Liuyun! Looks like I misjudged him,” Qi Shaorong said.

Zhuang Hao curled his lip in disdain, “That guy’s cunning. He just tossed something he couldn’t use to Master Biqin.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“Speaking of which, who would’ve thought Master Biqin turned out to be a mermaid? I heard merfolk are great singers! Rumors really can’t be trusted. I mean, if they all sing like Bi Liuyun, then it makes sense why merfolk became the royal family of the seas. Thousands of merfolk singing terribly in unison… now that’s a lethal weapon.” Zhuang Hao sighed dramatically.

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“Help me grind this batch into powder,” Qi Shaorong said, tossing a pile of pearls at Zhuang Hao.

Zhuang Hao nodded confidently. “Don’t worry, leave it to me!”

One heavy strike from Zhuang Hao and the entire mortar cracked. The lab table followed, splitting into pieces.

Qi Shaorong turned to stare at Zhuang Hao. “What the hell are you doing?”

Zhuang Hao gave an apologetic look. “Sorry… I misjudged my strength.”

“With how useless you are, and you still want to sell yourself? Dream on!” Qi Shaorong stood akimbo, clearly angry.

Zhuang Hao grinned brightly. “I’m so touched you’re still willing to keep me around, despite my incompetence.”

Qi Shaorong looked him over. “Enough with the nonsense. Clean this mess up.”

“Right away!” Zhuang Hao said.

Qi Shaorong asked, “By the way, what’s your current power level?”

Zhuang Hao smiled. “That magic core you gave me? It belonged to someone just a step away from Saint level. I only absorbed a part of it, though—most of the power is sealed within me. The seal’s a bit unstable, so sometimes the energy leaks.”

“If I knew it was that powerful, I wouldn’t have given it to you!”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Qi Heng walked in. Qi Shaorong looked up. “Ah Heng, what brings you here? It’s not even mealtime yet.”

Qi Heng shook his head. “Not yet. But… a few fish have shown up.”

Zhuang Hao perked up. “Wait, I thought that brain-dead mermaid from last time was just joking. Are there really more showing up? Is Princess Ariel of the merfolk really that popular? I mean, that dumb little princess didn’t seem like anything special.”

Qi Heng replied, “No, this time it’s a bunch of old merfolk. They don’t seem like impulsive types either. And they don’t look like they’re here to stick up for Princess Ariel.”

Qi Shaorong looked stunned. “So, Princess Ariel’s not just attracting young fish, but old fish too?”

Qi Heng shook his head. “They’re not here for Ariel. They’re here to ‘revitalize the merfolk race.’”

Qi Shaorong: “Revitalize the merfolk? Sounds exhausting. If they have that much free time, they should be out making money.”

Qi Heng nodded. “I think Liuyun feels the same way.”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Before Qi Shaorong’s group even reached the main hall, they heard the impassioned speeches of the merfolk elders echoing through the corridor.

Qi Shaorong suddenly got a strange feeling—it hit him: these merfolk elders sounded just like multi-level marketing recruiters from his past life.

Zhuang Hao noticed. “Shaorong, you okay?”

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Meanwhile, Bi Liuyun stood smiling politely before the elders. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand a word of what you’re saying.”

“Little Lord, you are the future king of our merfolk! You are the hope of our race. Please return to the sea kingdom with us!”

“You are the one we’ve waited a thousand years for!”

“…The chosen one!”

“…The savior!”

“…The king!”

“Uh, sirs, I think you’re mistaken. I’m human. Really. Not a fish,” Liuyun said with utmost sincerity.

As he faced the eager elders, his mother’s words echoed in his mind: To be burdened with too much hope is a tragedy.

“Why would a noble merfolk claim to be a lowly human?” one white-bearded elder said in anguish.

Bi Liuyun: “…”

Zhuang Hao stood in the doorway with arms crossed, glaring at the elder. What a jerk! Saying something like that right in front of us.

“Elder, you can’t say that! What’s wrong with being human? Humans are beautifully proportioned!” Liuyun narrowed his eyes, thinking, These merfolk are really biased. If they knew I’m half-human, would they flip out?

“You must have spent too long with these two-legged vermin,” another elder said solemnly. “Humans are deceitful, ugly creatures.”

Qi Shaorong chuckled at the door. “Merfolk are pretty great too—when you’re hungry, just chop off your tail and braise it. Dinner’s served.”

The elder snarled, “That’s too much!”

Zhuang Hao stepped in. “He was just joking! You’re old, you should be more tolerant.”

The elder turned to Liuyun. “Little Lord, you must stop associating with these lowlifes. It’s beneath you.”

Liuyun: “…”

“Elder, I think you’ve got the wrong guy. I’m just a regular human. Look at me—head to toe, 100% man-shaped.”

“Please don’t deceive us! Why would you choose to be lowly when you could be royalty?” the elder said, baffled.

Liuyun looked at the group. “I am human. And I don’t think that’s a lowly thing.”

Qi Shaorong piped up, “Aren’t you guys rushing this whole ‘chosen one’ thing? Just picking someone off the street?”

“He has…”

“Grand Elder, maybe we should test him,” a shorter-haired elder interrupted. “He really doesn’t give off the noble aura of merfolk royalty.”

“True.” The elder pulled out a crystal. “Please, place your hand on this.”

“Sure thing,” Liuyun replied, pressing his palm against it.

Nothing happened.

“Grand Elder, I think we messed up. He’s not even a merfolk.”

The elder frowned. “That explains it. No way would merfolk royalty mingle with humans.”

“Since it’s a misunderstanding, please see yourselves out,” Qi Shaorong said.

The elders shuffled out one by one.

Qi Shaorong turned to Liuyun. “What was that about?”

Liuyun grinned. “Nothing much. I had a ton of those detection crystals growing up.”

“They’re expensive, right? You were loaded?”

“Yeah… but it’s not like I could spend it. I’d have traded a dozen of those stones for a single piece of grilled meat. Sadly, all I ever had was fish.”

Later, Hailing knocked on the door. Qi Heng opened it.

“Looking for Liuyun?” he asked.

Hailing nodded. “Yeah, is he in?”

“He is, but he’s taking a beauty nap.”

Hailing frowned. “When will he be up?”

Qi Heng shrugged. “No clue.”

He extended a hand. “One million per incense stick of waiting.”

Hailing stared. “Did prices go up?”

Qi Heng nodded. “Yup. Inflation.”

Hailing scowled. “Do you charge everyone like this?”

Qi Heng grinned. “Of course not. You’re a VIP.”

“A VIP, so it’s extra expensive?” Hailing deadpanned.

“Exactly.”

“…Fine.” Hailing handed over a diamond card.

Qi Heng beamed. “VIPs are truly special. Come on in.”

As Hailing entered, Qi Heng looked at the card and thought: If only more suckers like him came around, we could just sell admission instead of cosmetics. What a missed opportunity!

Hailing caught him staring. “What are you looking at?”

Qi Heng smiled sweetly. “Oh nothing, just thinking the world would be a better place if there were more people like you.”

“Like me?”

“Don’t worry,” Qi Heng assured him. “I’m not into you. Just your wallet.”

Hailing looked puzzled. “Do you… look down on me or something? Am I that bad?”

“You’ve got a lot of issues. Want me to list them?”

“Go ahead.”

Qi Heng nodded. “Well, first, I heard you’re a sea creature. Isn’t your brain waterlogged? Second, you eat fish every day—that’s gotta cause nutrient deficiency…”

Hailing: “…”

He laughed awkwardly. “Actually, our sea tribe’s developed quite a varied cuisine.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, like us sea dragons—we can create dry zones underwater using fire magic to cook proper meals.”

Qi Heng’s eyes widened. “That’s amazing! Creating dry zones in the sea sounds tough.”

“It’s not easy,” Hailing admitted. “But for the sea dragon clan, it’s doable.”