IETSTSMLARA | He Wants a Mermaid | 66
Now is not a time to question whether his pregnancy rate is low or not; he’s already pregnant.
Just now, he had boldly declared he would have a whole soccer team, and now he was pregnant with three.
Cheng Qi’s expression was off, and Ye Jingfan turned around and immediately noticed. He lowered his head and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Cheng Qi: "..."
He was indeed feeling uncomfortable. With three lives growing inside his belly, how could he be comfortable?
There’s a huge difference between just talking about it and actually being pregnant. It was quite miraculous. He felt a newfound appreciation for how amazing his mother must have been.
Cheng Qi’s lips trembled, feeling both aggrieved and emotional. “I think I’m pregnant...”
He felt a mix of joy, grievance, and wonder, a whirlwind of emotions, and he just wanted to cry.
The live broadcast on StarNet hadn’t been ongoing, but the fact that the newly married mermaid was suddenly about to cry in front of everyone sparked a lot of concerned inquiries.
“What happened?”
“Is something wrong, Marshal?”
“...”
“Pregnant?!” Ye Jingfan stared at Cheng Qi’s belly, clearly in disbelief. “How could this be? We’ve always...”
Cheng Qi glared at him and whispered, “That night in the bathtub...”
For once, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Ye Jingfan’s face. However, he continued to gaze at Cheng Qi’s belly, wanting to touch it but afraid he might hurt him with his strength. “Is it really true? How do you know?”
“Lin Su said so.” Cheng Qi looked toward the expert, never expecting that he also had the skill to check pulses.
“His complexion is a bit sallow, which isn’t just from overindulgence. He has occasional bouts of dry heaving,” Lin Su explained with a smile. “I’ve only made a preliminary confirmation. To be completely certain, we need to use instruments for a thorough examination.”
“Okay, thank you very much.” Ye Jingfan lifted Cheng Qi up without worrying about toasting the guests at the wedding, and directly left with him.
Their conversation naturally drew the attention of the onlookers, and upon hearing the word "pregnant," the crowd burst into chatter, abandoning any thoughts of the post-wedding toast.
“Is he really pregnant? How did His Highness Lin Su know? Could it be some kind of telepathy between mermaids?”
“His Highness Cheng Qi is incredible, getting pregnant so quickly. Look, even Marshal Ye is overjoyed!”
“Isn't it the Marshal who's incredible? Haha, they just got married, let’s see what the future holds.”
The aftermath of the wedding was full of joy. Although Lin Su had mentioned Cheng Qi's pregnancy, most people were waiting for the hospital’s test results.
“One human and two mermaids, there’s no mistake.” The doctor spoke with excitement, having not seen a multiple pregnancy in many years. Deep-sea mermaids were indeed remarkable.
Several hospital experts confirmed the pregnancy, and there was no more doubt. However, Ye Jingfan temporarily suppressed the news, holding Cheng Qi’s hand and asked, “Do you... want to keep them?”
As a new father, Ye Jingfan was naturally overjoyed, but he remembered Cheng Qi’s initial resistance to having children. These three babies were an unexpected blessing. He wanted to see them born but was concerned that their other parent might not be as eager.
For someone who was usually decisive, Ye Jingfan found himself in a rare moment of indecision.
“They're here already. Those are three lives; how could I...” Cheng Qi turned his head away.
He was just feeling overwhelmed, he did not reject the lives growing inside him.
“Just this once, it won’t happen again!” Cheng Qi said through gritted teeth.
Ye Jingfan's eyes lit up, and he smiled for the first time in a long while: “Thank you, Qiqi, thank you.”
"Don't call me such a girly name!" Cheng Qi was extremely angry. Being called that was truly embarrassing!
The news of Cheng Qi being pregnant with triplets quickly spread across the entire StarNet, bringing in a flood of congratulations.
"Our Highness Cheng Qi just said he wanted to have a whole soccer team, and now he’s already over a quarter of the way there. Impressive!"
"The starting lineup is eleven, but with substitutes, it's twenty-three. So, he's about an eighth of the way there."
"I'm so jealous of Marshal Ye. Adorable mermaid babies—looking forward to it..."
"Highness Cheng Qi, you worked hard."
"I can’t wait!"
The StarNet was filled with blessings. After the wedding ended, Jiang Tang, showing no mercy to the mermaid, grabbed Lin Su by the collar and pressed him onto the sofa. "You didn't figure out Cheng Qi’s pregnancy just by looking, did you?"
Lin Su's wrist-checking gesture had been strange, reminding Jiang Tang of an ancient medical practice he’d encountered before.
This practice relied on observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking to diagnose without instruments. It was truly magical, but much of its knowledge had been lost over time, making it difficult to master even if one tried.
However, Lin Su had been so confident in his diagnosis, even specifying the number of babies, matching the instrument's results exactly.
Lin Su looked down at the hand gripping his collar. When he looked up, his eyes were already slightly wet. "You're so fierce..."
Jiang Tang didn't really use much force on him. Besides, if this mermaid really tried to resist, he wouldn’t be able to.
But even knowing that Lin Su was probably faking it, Jiang Tang still wondered if he had been too harsh.
Was he really that fierce?
“Sorry.” Jiang Tang released his grip on Lin Su’s collar, straightening it as he did so. “Are you hiding something from me?”
Although he had been the one in the right, he now felt oddly guilty.
Lin Su patted his own leg and smiled. “If Mr. Jiang sits on my lap and gives me a kiss, I’ll tell you the truth.”
Jiang Tang’s hand, which had naturally been in his pocket, began to scratch nervously. “Why are you, a mermaid, so unreserved?”
“How else would I get what I want?” Lin Su rubbed his chin and laughed. “If I followed Mr. Jiang’s reserved approach, it would take us two years to kiss, another two to hold hands, and yet another two to hug. Reaching the final base would be almost impossible. We’re not kids in love; adults don’t need to be so reserved.”
Moreover, the more reserved the other person was, the more fun it was to break through that.
Jiang Tang swallowed hard. “Can’t you ask for something else?”
Sitting on the mermaid’s lap was too embarrassing!
“Nope.” Lin Su patted his own leg in invitation. “Come on, you only get one chance. If you miss it, even if Mr. Jiang throws himself into my arms next time, it won’t count.”
Sometimes Jiang Tang really wondered who the mermaid was between them. Taking a deep breath, he plopped down on Lin Su’s lap, stiff as if he were a kidnapped bride forced to sit beside a bandit.
Lin Su laughed, then pointed to his face. “There’s still one more thing.”
Jiang Tang cupped his face and, as he leaned in for a kiss, even grazed his teeth over Lin Su’s skin, leaving a mark.
However, before he could pull away, the mermaid turned his head and captured his lips, wrapping him in an embrace and showering him with kisses and kneading him.
When the kiss finally ended, Jiang Tang was slightly breathless. The mischievous mermaid, who had taken full advantage, now touched the spot where he had been bitten, looking pitiful. “Mr. Jiang has changed. At first, when I just had a small cut on my finger, you were so worried. Now you bite right into my beautiful face. Sigh...”
System 06 diligently recorded the entire scene.
Jiang Tang looked at the faint bite mark, barely visible, and thought he must have been out of his mind. “Let me put some ointment on it.”
He tried to get up, but Lin Su, quick as lightning, pressed him back down on his lap. The mermaid, who had been acting as if he was on the verge of disfigurement just moments ago, smiled and said, “It’s not that serious. Don’t you want to hear my secret? You should sit down and listen properly.”
Jiang Tang agreed that he should sit down to listen, but he wanted to sit somewhere else, not in this uncomfortable spot where his bottom felt like it was on pins and needles.
However, he knew that if he refused, this extremely mischievous mermaid might go back on his word and not share the secret at all.
“Go ahead.” Jiang Tang took a deep breath, trying to suppress the burning in his ears but failing. “I’m listening.”
“Actually, I wasn’t originally a mermaid,” Lin Su began, recounting to Jiang Tang the same story he had told Cheng Qi.
Although the identity of a mermaid was prestigious and convenient, Lin Su had too many secrets that couldn’t be explained by the identity of a newly surfaced deep-sea merman.
The people on StarNet were more accepting, at most calling him a genius, but Jiang Tang would be the person closest to him for the next several hundred years.
Lin Su couldn’t keep explaining things constantly and couldn’t reveal the existence of his original world either. Thus, claiming to come from another world, like Cheng Qi, made the most sense.
“The technology there isn’t as advanced as here. There are distinct genders, and the population is quite large,” Lin Su explained with a smile. “Naturally, that world doesn’t have mermaids. When I first arrived in this world, I was terrified. I suddenly had a fishtail, and then there were scary great white sharks...”
“I remember you seemed pretty happy riding a whale,” Jiang Tang pointed out a flaw in the story.
“Well, later on, I established a friendly and close relationship with marine creatures,” Lin Su laughed. “I think my social skills are pretty strong.”
Jiang Tang couldn’t argue with that.
Lin Su recounted the entire story, and by the time Jiang Tang finished listening, he was still reeling from the shock.
Lin Su might be a mermaid now, but the soul inhabiting this body wasn’t originally a merman; it was a regular man.
“So, you were pretending pretty well at the beginning,” Jiang Tang pointed out, his ability to grasp the key points as sharp as ever.
Lin Su: “…”
System 06 chimed in earnestly: 【Host, you can’t be too reckless. Too much recklessness can lead to consequences later on.】
This wisdom came from the experiences of many hosts across numerous worlds.
At moments like this… Lin Su sincerely said, “I was wrong.”
Admitting his mistake quickly was the best way to douse any rising anger before it could fully ignite.
When a beautiful mermaid admits his mistakes so pitifully right in front of you, Jiang Tang felt like his rising anger wasn’t doused by a bucket of water but rather by a giant wave crashing over him.
Jiang Tang: “…”
“At first, I pretended because I thought you were cute and wanted to pursue you,” Lin Su said affectionately. “But I hadn’t managed to win you over yet, and if I scared you away, all the pretending would have been for nothing.”
“I liked you from the beginning,” Jiang Tang said seriously.
“Was it because I was a mermaid or because I am me?” Lin Su asked, looking him in the eyes.
Jiang Tang thought back to his feelings. Initially, it was probably because Lin Su was a beautiful mermaid, but at some point, that changed.
“Now it’s because you’re Lin Su,” Jiang Tang said earnestly, biting his lip slightly. “Even if you weren’t a mermaid now, I would still want to be with you.”
He found it difficult to say such things, but that only made his words all the more sincere and precious, filled in his whole heart.
Deep-sea mermaids were incredibly rare, and perhaps at the beginning, Jiang Tang was particularly interested in Lin Su because of his identity as one. Even someone as smart as Lin Su had realized this from the start.
"I feel really..." Jiang Tang began, wanting to apologize, but he was interrupted. This handsome and beautiful mermaid was adept at using his assets. With just a gentle smile, he could captivate anyone's heart completely.
"Are you still angry now?" Lin Su asked.
Jiang Tang shook his head. "No, I’m not angry anymore."
They both had their flaws, but as long as they could accept each other, there was nothing left to be angry about.
"Is that so? If you’re not angry, then give me a kiss." Lin Su kissed the corner of Jiang Tang's lips and continued, "You see, Cheng Qi is already carrying little mermaids for Marshal Ye. Should we also try hard to see if we can put little mermaids into Mr. Jiang’s belly?"
His words made Jiang Tang's face flush red, and he stammered, "That’s not possible! I’m not a mermaid!"
Unfortunately, his refusal was ineffective because this mermaid was always looking for ways to take advantage.
Their own wedding was still in the planning stages. After witnessing Cheng Qi’s wedding, Jiang Tang felt that while he could afford to lose in terms of spectacle, he couldn’t lose an ounce of pride.
After all, the grandeur of a military wedding was hard to surpass.
Before the wedding, Jiang Tang fully reviewed the data Qin Yue had obtained from the black market organization.
He was normally reserved and calm, Jiang Tang's ears only turned red when he was extremely embarrassed or angry. This time, however, his face was flushed with rage, and his entire body trembled with fury.
"Those bastards!" Jiang Tang took several deep breaths, but it wasn’t enough to calm him down completely.
It wasn’t until Lin Su soothed him that he managed to take a slow, deep breath and said, "The atrocities those people committed deserve the most severe punishment, but some of the experimental data they obtained could significantly advance our current stalled experiments."
However, every time he thought about how those data were acquired, he felt a wave of nausea rising within him.
“Their methods are reprehensible, but their ultimate goal is the same as ours,” Lin Su said, crossing his legs. “In the end, we need to quickly resolve the issue with mermaids and complete this experiment thoroughly.”
Human desires are endless, and the real problem lies in the continuous advancement of technology and the declining population. The longing for mermaids embedded in people’s bloodlines can sometimes become twisted, and to push society forward, this issue must be addressed.
“I will complete the experiment as soon as possible,” Jiang Tang understood the responsibility on his shoulders.
Enhancing the mermaid bloodline and increasing the pregnancy rate were imperative. Even the modification of mermaids was not out of the question, but once the technology became available, its usage needed to be strictly regulated.
“I’ll help you.” Lin Su reached out and ruffled Jiang Tang’s meticulously groomed hair into a mess.
Jiang Tang tried to stop him but failed, almost bursting with frustration. Yet, the mermaid asked, “Are you still mad about earlier?”
This sudden interruption broke Jiang Tang’s train of thought and shifted his mood. This mermaid really knew what he was doing!
“How do you plan to help me?” Jiang Tang asked seriously as he tidied his hair.
“Didn’t your lab just lose an assistant? I can fill that position for you,” Lin Su tilted his head and smiled.
With his appearance of innocence and fearlessness, anyone other than Jiang Tang would probably think he was being reckless.
But Lin Su’s mastery of ancient medicine was excellent, his understanding of mecha theory had progressed rapidly, and he could even effortlessly solve complex formulas that baffled professionals. Being an assistant was more than within his capabilities.
“Having my own mermaid work for me is considered a disgrace for a human. That’s the opinion anyone would give if you asked them on the street,” Lin Su said, intertwining his fingers as he looked at Jiang Tang. “But what do you think?”
Jiang Tang paused, considering the societal norms and expectations, but then looked at Lin Su with determination. “I think it would be the greatest loss to the empire to allow talents like you to be buried because of your status. I am willing to hire you as an assistant in my laboratory." Jiang Tang stretched out his hand to him.
"I believe that letting someone with your talent go to waste because of their identity would be the Empire's greatest loss. I’m willing to hire you as an assistant in my lab," Jiang Tang extended his hand towards him.
He already had many negative comments regarding his treatment of mermaids, adding one more wouldn't make much difference.
Lin Su placed his hand in Jiang Tang’s and said, "Thank you for the trust, Professor. I will not let you down."
As a noble mermaid, Lin Su could have spent his life being pampered, living as a beautiful and idle companion.
However, Lin Su preferred to keep control over his own destiny. He was fundamentally different from the mermaids of this world.
The news of Lin Su joining Jiang Tang’s laboratory sparked widespread opposition. Some questioned Jiang Tang’s ability to care for a mermaid, with attempts even made to strip him of the right to have a mermaid.
Others doubted Lin Su’s capabilities, questioning how a mermaid who had only recently come ashore could undertake such an important and precise role.
Amid this public uproar, Qin Yue and Ye Jingfan arranged a meeting with Lin Su and Jiang Tang.
“I must say, Your Highness is quite audacious,” Qin Yue said with a polite smile.
“But to break the current stalemate, this is an excellent opportunity,” Lin Su no longer appeared as the innocent and naive mermaid from their first meeting.
Even though he was intentionally restraining himself, Ye Jingfan's gaze towards him had changed.
"Indeed. To change the current perception of mermaids as weak, we need a breakthrough figure. With the power of the Marshal and myself, we can only suppress such voices temporarily. Are you ready for what lies ahead?" Qin Yue addressed Lin Su as an equal.
“I will obtain experimental results as quickly as possible,” Lin Su said, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. “Also, I intend to participate in the upcoming Imperial Mecha Tournament.”
With this move, Lin Su aimed to challenge the perception that mermaids were weak, both intellectually and physically.
By competing and excelling in the tournament, he intended to show that mermaids were not as fragile as people believed.
"If we fail, the Empire may be deprived of the right to possess mermaids, and you will be permanently separated from Dr. Jiang," Ye Jingfan said solemnly.
"I think I've mentally prepared for that while sitting here," Lin Su smiled lightly.
Qin Yue looked at the smile on his face, his eyes slightly deepened. He had to admit that when this man truly revealed his charm, he would attract more than just himself.
Under the temporary suppression of the empire's highest power, Lin Su successfully joined the laboratory as he wished.
The researchers here were familiar with him, and at first, there was a sentiment of indulging in mermaid mischief and opposition, but when this mermaid, whom they thought they should cherish, truly immersed himself in the experiments, they found it difficult to simply regard him as just a mermaid.
His indigo-blue hair, almost black, was tied behind his head with a ribbon. He wore a white lab coat that fit his slender figure extremely well. However, what extinguished the sentiment of opposition was not his appearance, but rather his seriousness and ability in every move and action.
Perhaps he was not familiar with the operations here at first, but by the second day, he was able to handle them with ease. He knew everything that needed to be accessed, and he could give extremely novel and useful suggestions for the bottlenecks they encountered in their experiments.
"Assistant Lin, can you help me check the problem with this culture dish? All the cultured strains inside have died," a researcher asked naturally.
Lin Su adjusted the cultured dishes in his hand to the appropriate environment and walked over. Carefully observing with the instrument, he said, "The manganese potassium in the dish changes its properties at 36°C. Try replacing it with a more stable sodium hydroxide."
The person nodded and thanked him before lowering his head to continue his cultivation.
"Assistant Lin, can you see if there's anything that can be changed?"
"Assistant Lin..."
Among the group of researchers, Lin Su seemed so at ease, causing Jiang Tang to unconsciously chase his figure whenever he occasionally lifted his gaze.
Perhaps as he claimed, he wasn't always a mermaid, but there were still many secrets hidden within this person, waiting for Jiang Tang to explore.
Originally, Jiang Tang was solely responsible for the data from the black organization. The source of such data was inherently not suitable for other researchers to understand the process.
Jiang Tang used to feel a great deal of psychological pressure, but after Lin Su got involved, the pressure seemed to be shared, like having someone to share the burden. This person wasn't just an assistant; he could even keep up with the progress of Jiang Tang's experiments.
Jiang Tang then realized that he needed more than just an assistant; he needed someone with similar capabilities who could understand his thoughts.
Lin Su had naturally conducted experiments and research before. He had spent several lifetimes immersed in laboratory experiences. However, the subjects he had studied had never involved mermaids, which occasionally led to stagnation in his research.
Deep-sea mermaids had excellent physique, but the subsequent mermaids were weak and delicate. This was no longer just due to postnatal pampering.
When obtaining data from the dark organization failed to advance the experiment, Lin Su shed a few drops of his own blood.
Naturally, no one knew about this matter. Sacrifice was inevitable in the process of experimentation. Even if human trials were not used, there were still small animals like mice, rabbits, and frogs used as substitutes.
To Lin Su, a few drops of blood from a mermaid were really not a big deal.
In the human world, blood was drawn for testing in tubes, and there were even blood donations.
However, unfortunately, if the humans in this world found out that he had shed blood during the research, the entire laboratory would likely be accused of harming mermaids.
So it was better to do such things secretly; sometimes, well-intentioned lies were necessary.
With the thorough analysis of the blood, Lin Su compared his data with the blood data collected from modern mermaids in the past, and many problems were solved easily.
Jiang Tang looked at the new experimental progress report, clearly impressed. However, his gaze couldn't help but keep drifting towards Lin Su, especially when there was no one around, he inspected carefully, only feeling relieved when he found no signs of injury.
"What are you looking for, Dr. Jiang?" Lin Su cooperated well during the inspection, raising his hand when needed, showing no signs of guilt whatsoever.
After all, with an S-level physique, healing even a needle-sized wound was a piece of cake.
"Did you injure yourself?" Jiang Tang asked seriously.
Lin Su smiled, "It's nothing serious."
A thousand-mile dam could collapse from the nibbling of ants, trust could be eroded in the same way. Playing around was one thing, but there were some things he couldn't lie about.
This statement was akin to admitting it, which made Jiang Tang somewhat angry. His tone cooled down, "Where are you injured?"
"Here," Lin Su pointed to his chest with his fingertip.
Jiang Tang's breath hitched, and he reached out to undo Lin Su's buttons, tearing them off in his urgency.
All his focus concentrated there, causing him to not hear the sound of the door opening.
The sound of a cup dropping to the ground echoed, and Jiang Tang instinctively turned around, only to see a researcher frozen in place with a cup in hand, water and shards scattered on the floor, their face full of astonishment.
Before Jiang Tang could say anything, the researcher quickly retreated, "You guys are busy, I didn’t see anything."
Damn, their esteemed Dr. Jiang was actually eager to undress the mermaid?
Even though he said he hadn't seen anything, the emotions revealed in his eyes were crystal clear.
Jiang Tang cursed his clumsy tongue countless times, "No, it's not like that!"
Listen to his explanation!
"Dr. Jiang is too fond of his mermaid; it's only natural for him to want to be close even during work," Lin Su chuckled softly.
Jiang Tang felt powerless, continuing to pull at Lin Su's clothes with a mixture of sorrow and indignation until he saw that fair and well-defined chest, but he couldn't find even the slightest hint of injury.
He looked up, "But you said..."
Lin Su showed him his fingertip, "Here, who would use their heart's to draw a few drops of blood, are you stupid?"
Seeing his plump fingertip, Jiang Tang knew he had been teased again, bordering on exasperation.
He sneered and directly bit Lin Su's chest and said, “I’ll use it.”
The sound of glass shattered behind him, another researcher’s voice said, "I... just came to get a culture dish. You two continue, I didn’t see anything."
"This really has nothing to do with me," Lin Su said. He hadn't expected anyone to come to the warehouse, let alone two people.
Jiang Tang looked up, meeting Lin Su's innocent face, and took a deep breath, "Can this misunderstanding be cleared up?"
Lin Su chuckled softly, pushing him against the wall, "We're engaged anyway, why bother clearing it up? Didn't those three days already show the Empire how eager Mr. Jiang is?"
His pupils also had a hint of indigo, but as black as the deep sea, causing Jiang Tang's pupils to shrink slightly. "You dare bring that up!" he exclaimed.
"Since there's already a misunderstanding, let's just let it be," Lin Su said, smiling as he lowered himself, cupping his face with one hand and kissing his lips.
Their gazes locked, all their thoughts concentrated on each other, unable to spare even a fraction for anyone else.
Even if more researchers came, and more cups were shattered, Jiang Tang was completely unaware.
Rumors spread faster than floods, especially those explosive ones. Basically, by the time Lin Su and Jiang Tang left the warehouse, the entire research institute knew about their intimate encounter inside.
Jiang Tang: "..."
"It's really embarrassing to listen to."
Lin Su, who was walking beside him, was calm and composed as usual. However, as soon as they arrived at the workplace, his face awkwardly gained a hint of shyness.
Everyone thought Dr. Jiang was really formidable; just look at how bashful His Highness the mermaid looked—surely, he must have been bullied.
Although Jiang Tang was astonished by his quick change of demeanor, he quite enjoyed this feeling of being secretly protected.
Wait, was he actually becoming addicted to being protected by his mermaid... Oh well, when you're overshadowed by a mermaid, anything goes.
"Let's focus on our work," Jiang Tang sighed deeply.
Due to the misunderstanding, Jiang Tang rarely forgot the cause of this incident.
It wasn't until he lay in bed at night, being hugged tightly by the mermaid from behind, pressing against his chest, that he remembered the sequence of events. "Oh right, you got injured... Don't touch me!"
All his questions were overwhelmed by the drowsiness of his brain. And afterwards, every time Jiang Tang brought up that incident, he either got kissed or hugged.
Then, Lin Su would teasingly rub his chin and say, "Mr. Jiang, are you doing this on purpose? Do you want me to kiss you again?"
Jiang Tang's face turned as red as a tomato, his heart racing. "N-no, of course not!"
That damned mermaid!
After that, every time Jiang Tang wanted to say something but hesitated, he couldn't bring himself to mention that incident, yet he would still end up getting kissed and questioned about the reason.
Lin Su blinked his beautiful eyes and said, "I think you'll speak up, so I have to shut your mouth."
Jiang Tang felt that this mermaid was simply being unreasonable.
Despite the ongoing turmoil outside, their relationship grew increasingly intimate.
The Empire's Mecha Tournament began a month after Lin Su joined the laboratory.
The tournament allowed anonymous participation, both to trust the empire's mecha operators and to protect the participants themselves, preventing them from exposing their identities and facing potential accidents outside of the competition.
Of course, even with anonymous participation, the implantation of the competition chip into the body eliminated the possibility of mid-game substitutions, ensuring fairness.
Although news of Lin Su's participation was concealed from most people within the country, it wasn't hidden from familiar faces, especially from Ye Jingfan, who helped him pass the initial mecha identity evaluation.
The Marshal knew about it, and since Cheng Qi couldn't participate due to pregnancy, he knew as well. He cheered Lin Su on in a video call, "Brother, you carry the hopes of the whole village!"
"Understood," Lin Su gave him an OK gesture, relieving Cheng Qi's worries.
"He will definitely take first place," Cheng Qi said to Ye Jingfan after the video call, his words full of trust.
Although Lin Su was a mermaid, Marshal felt something was off, "He has taken courses on mecha and has good physical fitness, but mecha operation isn't just about those two aspects; it requires repeated training."
When he sent Lin Su into the mecha competition, Ye Jingfan didn't think he could win first place. Just achieving a decent ranking would be enough to prove that mermaids were not far behind humans.
Cheng Qi looked at him with a mysterious expression, "Are you jealous of my big shot?"
Marshal felt like stripping off his clothes and personally stepping onto the field.
The mecha tournament was divided into morning and evening sessions, with each participant playing a maximum of two games per day, lasting a week in total.
The initial battles took place on the Star Network, where regardless of the model's compatibility, the mechas' endurance, firepower, and usage were all standardized.
The Empire was vast, with a population several times larger than other countries. Even with the age limit set at under fifty, there were three million registered participants.
With such a massive number of participants, the first round naturally couldn't consist of one-on-one battles. Instead, it utilized a free-for-all mode. Three million people gathered in the vast expanse constructed by the Star Network, and when the time was up, the mechas that could still stand in the field qualified to continue the competition.
Every four years, the empire initiated this battle. Even though it initially took place on the Star Network, there were still casualties due to mental exhaustion.
Jiang Tang had witnessed the scene last time and knew how fierce the competition was. He became increasingly worried about Lin Su's participation.
He should have stopped his mermaid, but just by looking into Lin Su's eyes, he knew he couldn't. This mermaid... no, this man, when he truly decided to do something, no one could stop him unless he himself gave up on that decision.
"You don't need to worry about the laboratory. If you can bring the championship trophy of the Mecha Tournament back, it will be the greatest glory," Jiang Tang cradled Lin Su's face, leaned in, and kissed him on the lips. "I believe in you."
He believed in him. There was nothing Lin Su couldn't accomplish.
The initial screening tested the most basic operational abilities.
The field was vast, but filled with three million mechas, it didn't seem as expansive.
A command seemed to come from the sky, and all the mechas started up, their radiance almost piercing the sky as the battle began in earnest.
The Star Network broadcasted the most intense scenes, and although the mechas were almost identical, it was clear who was superior and who was inferior.
"Reporting from here is Mecha No. 076. It has cleared out all the mechas around it, barring without any mishaps, it is highly likely to advance from this first round of screening."
"And here we have Mecha No. 43692. Its operation is extremely excellent, almost textbook level. We can speculate that it may be a participant from the Bright Mecha Academy."
"Mecha No. 536972 is extremely fierce. The mechas around it look as if they've been caught like chicks by an eagle, or rather, it has also become a chick now. The sudden appearance of Mecha No. 666666 may not be prominent, but it pierced its core like an arrow..."
"Over here, Mecha No. 937593! Oh my god, it just annihilated three mechas in an instant. If this were on the battlefield, those three would have no chance of survival. Could it be the dark horse of this competition? Let's wait and see."
"... "
The time for battle was only fifteen minutes, seeming incredibly brief. However, the battles on the field often lasted only moments. In real combat, no one would spare you the time to warm up.
As a spectator, Cheng Qi was busier than the commentators, "This Mecha No. 076 must be our big shot... no, it's probably Mecha No. 43692. It seems better than the one behind it. This one, this one... Ye Jingfan, look at Mecha No. 536972, wow, look at our big shot's heroic stance!!!"
The heroic stance of that mecha was pierced through its core.
Ye Jingfan's lips twitched, "Quite a heroic stance."
His words were straightforward, but there was a hint of sourness.
Cheng Qi glared at him, "Even if you don't consider my emotions, shouldn't you consider the emotions of the child in my belly?"
The Marshal was formidable outside, but in front of his wife... he had to yield, "Your big shot is the most formidable."
Marshal Ye was filled with the survival instinct of a married man.
Why hasn't Professor Jiang married that mermaid yet?
After the initial fifteen-minute battle, only one hundred thousand fully functioning mechas remained out of the initial three million.
The remaining mechas were renumbered, but this time they needed to input their own names. Whether it was their real name or a nickname, it would accompany the person into the finals.
Lin Su exited the mecha and opened the naming panel for the next stage. He entered the words "Ginger Brown Sugar", wiping out the previous string of sixes from his identification.
The morning session had ended, and the afternoon session hadn't started yet. Lin Su glanced at his schedule for the afternoon and just as he opened the nutrient capsule, he saw Jiang Tang waiting outside.
"Mr. Jiang, I'm not wearing any clothes," Lin Su joked.
Jiang Tang looked him up and down, relieved to see nothing amiss, and replied, "I see."
They had hugged and kissed each other so many times, and had been in the pool and bathtub together. The feeling of shame gradually faded away.
Lin Su chuckled, "Congratulations, Mr. Jiang. Your ability to keep a straight face while coming especially to see a mermaid naked is quite impressive."
Jiang Tang pursed his lips, turned his head away, his earlobes turning red from embarrassment. "There's no such thing."
This mermaid...
System 06 chimed in: 【Host, aren't you afraid of exceeding Dr. Jiang's psychological limit with such teasing?】
Constant teasing could either cause an explosion or trigger a meltdown.
Lin Su, now wearing clothes, hugged Jiang Tang from behind and spoke gently, "I know you care about me the most, Mr. Jiang. I was just joking with you earlier."
With his gentle tone, Jiang Tang couldn't stay angry. His earlobes blushing even more, he replied, "As long as you know."
"I know. It's always been me coveting Mr. Jiang... How could Mr. Jiang possibly covet me, right?" Lin Su whispered into his ear.
Jiang Tang's mind was in chaos. He couldn't understand how this person always managed to say things that made his heart race. Unable to mimic his teasing, he forcibly changed the subject, "What was your ranking?"
Although it was a chaotic battle, StarNet would rank contestants based on their performance, giving them an advantage that field battles couldn't match.
Lin Su pondered for a moment before replying, "I should be in the top ten thousand. It's the first round of competition, there’s no need to stand out too much."
It's better to let others fight amongst themselves first.
1 Comments
Thanks for the update
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