Chapter 45 - Deeply In Love With You [Quick Transmigration]

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Chapter 45: Purpose (1)

 

 

The experiments continued step by step, and Zong Que's visits to the seaside grew less frequent. Life should have returned to its previous, unchanging rhythm—until one morning, as he rose, he found a pearl resting outside his window.

 

It was large, perfectly round, and gleamed with a dazzling luster in the morning light.

 

It was a pearl from the deep sea—something that would never appear here by chance.

 

Merfolk of the deep could transform their tails into legs and walk ashore, but centuries of old grievances meant they would never approach humans lightly. That merman's courage was remarkable.

 

Zong Que picked up the pearl, tucked it into a drawer, and upon leaving, didn't head for the institute's main gate, but directly entered the surveillance room.

 

At night, only a single light remained lit at the institute's entrance; the rest lay cloaked in darkness. Reviewing the footage, Zong Que saw that indeed, there had been soft, furtive sounds beneath his window at a certain hour—but no figure appeared on the camera, only the glint of a pearl placed carefully on the outer sill.

 

Unseen. That merman possessed powers beyond human knowledge.

 

Deleting the surveillance footage, Zong Que left the institute and began his morning exercise as usual, deliberately taking a path opposite the beach.

 

1314, watching the direction of the shore, whispered tentatively: [Host, you accepted his gift. Aren't you going to meet him?]

 

[Drawing too close to humanity brings disaster to both sides.] Zong Que exhaled lightly.

 

[But if you accept gifts without meeting him, isn't that just stringing him along like some heartless playboy?] 1314 protested.

 

For the sake of seeing the beautiful little merman again, even it was willing to fight!

 

Zong Que's pace did not slow. [Under these circumstances, it would more properly be called harassment.]

 

1314 was instantly choked into silence, almost pounding its paws against the ground. Why, oh why, had it chosen such a logically cold-blooded host? Goodbye, its beautiful merman—forever!

 

That day's gift was not a one-time occurrence—it became a routine. Each morning, Zong Que would find new offerings outside his window: a pearl, a golden button, a piece of jade, or a particularly beautiful seashell.

 

Such treasures from the deep sea, if left outside, could easily draw suspicion. Yet perhaps because Zong Que collected them quietly each time, the gifts continued, day after day.

 

Until one morning, he found a fish—barely alive from dehydration—left outside his window.

 

[Oh, this is just like a worried cat hunting to feed its master!] 1314 was deeply moved.

 

Zong Que, using a tissue, picked up the fish and gathered the nearly overflowing trove of gifts into a bag before heading outside.

 

Most of the institute was still asleep. The seaside rock remained as it always was, with the crimson dawn spreading over the ocean. The horizon was quiet, not a ripple of the merman in sight.

 

Zong Que tossed the fish back into the sea. Just as he was about to place the bag of gifts onto the rock, 1314 suddenly shrieked: [Host, watch out!]

 

The waves surged, rolling toward him in an instant.

 

Before the might of nature, no matter how much humans evolved, there remained an undeniable sense of helplessness.

 

Zong Que's body was swept into the sea, pulled downward by a gentle vortex.

 

Through his opened eyes he saw the surface of the water growing distant. Zong Que held his breath to avoid flooding his lungs, conserving his strength to endure until the vortex's force relented.

 

In the depths, a silver tail flicked through the water like a shooting star across the night sky. In a flash, it was near.

 

An arm encircled his waist. Silver hair floated weightlessly, and the immense strength of the sea—so irresistible to humans—was nothing more than a breeze before the merman's power. With a sweep of his tail, the vortex stilled.

 

Tiny bubbles of breath leaked from Zong Que's lips. Gazing at the merman who had drawn so near, he saw a flicker of worry in those shimmering eyes. The merman's lips brushed his own lightly.

 

The breath passed to him was enough to sustain him, yet the kiss lingered far longer than necessary. As their breath mingled, another soft breath was transferred. But just as Zong Que sought to ascend, the merman tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

 

The tail that seemed so light and delicate in the water held a strength that could not be underestimated.

 

Finally, Zong Que closed his eyes and bit down lightly on the merman's lips. Only then did Yue, startled, release him in a flash, his handsome features tinged with a hint of grievance. With a flick of his tail, Yue gently lifted him back toward the surface.

 

Water sprayed everywhere as Zong Que broke through. His breathing was heavy. Brushing wet hair from his forehead, he looked at the seemingly innocent merman holding him and said, "Thank you."

 

"I saved you. Shouldn't you repay me with your life?" Yue smiled—gentle, dazzling.

 

But the Moon-Jade Sea had never before known such towering waves, nor would they have targeted only his spot.

 

"Human courtship doesn't work like that," Zong Que said, feeling the currents shifting around them.

 

Though he floated now at the surface, he knew the merman could drag him under at any moment. In the ocean, he stood no chance.

 

"Courtship?" A puzzled glimmer stirred in Yue's deep eyes.

 

"If someone chooses to be with another merely out of gratitude for saving their life, that's not love," Zong Que explained calmly.

 

"As long as we stay together, it's enough," Yue said, his eyes brightening. The merman pressed a wet, cool kiss against Zong Que's cheek, voice deepening slightly. "You haven't appeared for so long. I was a little angry."

 

Zong Que lowered his gaze slightly. So that was why he had been dragged into the sea.

 

The ways of the merfolk were different from those of humans—and this merman was far more dangerous than he had imagined.

 

"Let me go ashore first," Zong Que bargained.

 

"No," Yue said, tightening his arms around him. A smile curved his lips as his delicate, beautiful frame pressed closer to Zong Que's soaked clothes, the chill of the sea clinging to him. "You've been avoiding me. If I let you go, you'll only run away."

 

"Why do you want to see me?" Zong Que asked, studying the merman before him, who looked almost like he was trying to act spoiled. His gaze grew a shade deeper as he reached out and gently lifted Yue's chin.

 

This merman posed a real threat to his life.

 

At the human touch, a ripple passed through Yue's eyes, and he leaned in closer, almost nuzzling: "Because you're beautiful. Every part of you is beautiful."

 

"So you're courting me?" Zong Que's hand idly caressed the side of Yue's neck.

 

Much knowledge about the deep-sea merfolk had been lost, but the days of endless gifts and the way this merman constantly displayed his beauty made one thing clear: their courtship behavior resembled that of certain species in the natural world, where males vied for attention by showcasing themselves.

 

Male merfolk could bear offspring, and they cared little whether their partner was male or female.

 

A faint heat rose under his touch, and Yue's deep blue eyes quivered slightly, growing even more profound. His gaze was direct and burning: "Zong Que, I like you."

 

Zong Que, I like you.

 

Zong Que, I like you.

 

Zong Que's fingers paused. He had heard those words before—not once, not from one person alone.

 

The merman before him was undeniably beautiful, his allure unique and unlike anyone else's. Yet the emotion in those eyes, bathed in the morning light, was hauntingly familiar.

 

"Would you be willing to return to the sea with me?" Yue asked, his silver tail lightly swaying, his voice low and mesmerizing.

 

Male merfolk could bear children, but that didn't necessarily mean they would be the ones carrying them.

 

Zong Que seized Yue's arm, ignoring the merman's look of wounded surprise. He pried himself free from Yue's embrace and rode the waves back to shore.

 

Water splattered as he landed. His soaked body shivered slightly under the sea breeze.

 

Looking back at the merman still lingering in the water, Zong Que said:

"The gifts you gave me must have fallen to the seabed. Fetch them for me. I'll come to collect them tomorrow."

 

"Mm!" Yue's eyes lit up like stars, and with a delighted splash, he dove beneath the waves.

 

1314 couldn't help but think: their host was truly... no, not a red flag, but a walking blue disaster.*

 

[T/N: 紅，不，藍顏禍水 literally translates to "Red—no, blue beauty calamity."

紅顏禍水 (hóng yán huò shuǐ) is an idiom meaning "a beautiful woman who brings disaster" — the idea that someone's beauty causes political or personal ruin. It comes from historical/mythological tales (e.g., Daji, Yang Guifei). The phrase 紅顏 (red beauty) traditionally refers to a beautiful woman.

The system started to say "red," i.e., the traditional female version. Then corrects itself to 藍顏禍水, a play on words replacing "紅顏" with 藍顏, implying a male beauty who causes trouble, as 藍 (blue) is often associated with males in contrast to 紅 (red), which is associated with females.]

 

Zong Que returned to the institute soaking wet but didn't alarm anyone. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, he entered the laboratory just as usual.

 

He was well-accustomed to the monotony of experiments, and his hands moved skillfully, without a single misstep.

 

Yet halfway through, he suddenly asked: [In the Source World, are there soul transmigrations where one doesn't carry over memories?]

 

[Yes, if couples are doing missions together, one party may have their memories sealed.] 1314 replied, then asked, [Host, why the sudden question?]

 

[In that case, aren't they afraid that the one who forgets might fall for someone else?] Zong Que asked.

 

1314 answered swiftly and with great certainty: [No need to fear. If two people are bound by a red thread when entering a low-level world, they'll be fiercely protective of each other. Anyone trying to intervene would only meet their own end first.]

 

There was deep wariness in its tone.

 

Zong Que's hands stilled above the experiment. He had spent a lifetime with Lin Heng. Though he had never truly felt the thrill of love, he had known physical attraction. That person had been special to him.

 

Because they had spent so much time together, he knew Lin Heng's every move, every expression, every detail.

 

That moment of resemblance earlier had made him wonder if he was beginning to experience longing—but no, time surged forward relentlessly; it never allowed anyone to turn back.

 

What he saw in that resemblance was not just Lin Heng. There was someone else, too.

 

Coincidence?

 

Three lifetimes of "coincidence" stretched the meaning of the word beyond belief.

 

[Host, what's wrong?] 1314 asked.

 

[I remember one of your features detects anomalies in souls.] Zong Que said, removing his gloves.

 

[Yes! Just one million starcoins for a precise soul scan—nothing can hide.] 1314 quickly explained. [Host, whose soul would you like to investigate?]

 

Was it finally getting a sale?!

 

[Yue.] Zong Que uttered the name.

 

[The mission target?] 1314 sounded puzzled. [But mission targets from the Source World are always thoroughly screened. Their souls shouldn't have any problems.]

 

[Never been an exception?] Zong Que asked.

 

1314 answered, [There have been, but that level of anomaly would never get close to a small system like me, or a small host like you. You wouldn't run into one in a million lifetimes. Host, you should focus on doing missions instead of daydreaming about miracles.]

 

A being more advanced than the system?

 

Perhaps, in the beginning, Zong Que had not believed in things like souls. But the vastness of existence proved otherwise—after all, he himself was living proof.

 

He was not hoping for miracles. He was simply curious: if it was as he suspected, then what was the other party's true goal?

 

Love? He had given that person what he wanted in their previous life.

 

Hosts selected by the system could continue completing missions indefinitely, living in near-immortality. But beings even higher than systems—those could break free entirely, living with true freedom and eternal existence.

 

To stand atop the planes, wielding supreme authority—Perhaps, at first, such things would feel exhilarating to an immortal being. But over time, as everything became easily attainable, the world would inevitably grow dull.

 

Human emotions have a threshold. Stimulation raises it, and repeated exposure dulls the senses. Greater and greater stimuli are needed to evoke any feeling.

 

When everything lies within easy reach, and boredom sets in, one single, truly challenging thing is enough to ignite that dormant threshold once more.

 

Was Yue a native soul of this world? Or one who had surpassed the system? Was it a coincidence—or the result of someone being stirred back to life?

 

Zong Que realized he was getting a little interested.

 

[Host, are you still going to run the scan?] 1314 asked, ready to launch it at a moment's notice.

 

[No, thank you.] Zong Que replied, pulling up a holoscreen to log new experimental data.

 

1314 nearly collapsed into a pile of scrap metal right on the spot: [Why? Why? Why?!]

 

Why had it said so much?! Now it had no job, no cat, no purpose—was its only fate to lie flat and rot?

 

Yes! Lying flat forever!

 

It was later that very day that Zong Que made a breakthrough in his experiments.

 

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