Chapter 56 - Deeply In Love With You [Quick Transmigration]

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Chapter 56: Mutual Direction (3)

 

 

Zong Que gave him a brief glance before lowering his eyes again, focusing on his holographic screen without responding.

 

It was You Chu—the very man who had once falsely accused the former owner of his body of plagiarism. He now held a team leader position.

 

You Chu clearly hadn't expected the cold reception. He paused, then stepped into the elevator with a smile. "It's been a while."

 

The others behind him followed suit. Luo Xin and Liu Chao looked at the unfamiliar man who had greeted their mentor, then at Zong Que's unmoving expression, suspicion flickering in their eyes.

 

Zong Que remained silent. A few of those who entered with You Chu already looked visibly uncomfortable.

 

"Honestly, I never planned to pursue what happened back then," You Chu said, forcing a laugh. "We were friends once. After you left for the mother planet, I always felt a little guilty. It's great to see you back now."

 

He cleared his throat. "And about where you'll be working now…"

 

Just then, the elevator doors opened again. Zong Que lifted his eyes, checked the floor number, and stepped out without a word.

 

You Chu's sentence was left hanging in midair. He stood there, awkward and still, fingers tightening slightly at his sides. The man beside him couldn't hold back anymore. "A plagiarist, acting like the one who got plagiarized owes him an apology? Talented, maybe—but no morals. He'll crash sooner or later."

 

The words rang sharply through the hall, drawing attention from those who hadn't noticed before.

 

Zong Que's steps came to a halt. Luo Xin and Liu Chao quickly caught up with him, brows already furrowed as they glanced toward the speaker. "Doctor, was it that guy?"

 

Seeing that Zong Que had stopped, the voices behind grew louder.

 

"Even if you did invent the birth-pod technology, who'd dare use something made by a plagiarist like you?"

 

"A plagiarist?"

 

"You mean Zong Que? The one who got kicked out of the Central Research Institute?"

 

"He's the one behind the birth-pods?"

 

"They say that's why he was transferred back here."

 

"Doctor, don't let it get to you," Luo Xin whispered, already taking deep breaths but still reminding him softly.

 

Zong Que turned and looked at the man behind You Chu—the one hurling accusations. "Are you prepared to be held accountable for what you just said?"

 

"…What?" the man frowned.

 

Zong Que said nothing more. He turned and walked out of the research institute's main hall without once glancing at You Chu.

 

Beneath the sleeve of his coat, his hand was clenched tightly. You Chu exhaled, easing his expression as he clapped the shoulder of the man next to him. "Alright, alright, calm down. Just a little misunderstanding—nothing serious. Let's disperse."

 

"But Doctor, that guy's just riding on the Alliance's need for him, acting like the whole Research Institute isn't worth a damn," the man muttered, frowning.

 

"He just got back. It's normal that he's not familiar with everyone yet," You Chu said with a smile. "Come on, let's go."

 

The crowd in the hall gradually dispersed. As Luo Xin climbed into the hover car, his face was flushed red. "Doctor, those people couldn't see the truth if it smacked them in the face!"

 

"You can't blame them," Liu Chao said. "That guy who greeted you—if I saw him outside, I'd probably think he was a decent person."

 

"I'm more afraid of those who wear a smile but stab you in the back," he added. "Better a fool than a fox in sheep's clothing."

 

"Doctor, do you think he'll try to cause trouble for you later?" Luo Xin asked, having finally calmed down.

 

"You two handled it well," Zong Que replied, eyes still on the personnel list.

 

"You told us to stay calm," Luo Xin said a little sheepishly. Then, stealing a glance at Zong Que's composed face, he asked softly, "Doctor… did you ignore him on purpose? It felt like his smile got stiffer the longer you stayed silent."

 

"No," Zong Que replied.

 

That man would need to be dealt with—but he posed no real threat. He wouldn't be around much longer. There was no point acknowledging someone destined to disappear.

 

"Oh," Luo Xin murmured. If it wasn't intentional, then that meant Zong Que had simply acted like the man didn't even exist. Somehow, that felt even more ruthless.

 

…

 

The birth-pod technology was bound to become a blessing for the Alliance. On the way back, the head of the Feng family was still humming a tune, clearly in high spirits.

 

But before he could disembark from the aircraft, a high-priority alert marked in red came through.

 

"What's the emergency?" the Feng patriarch asked, sitting up straight as he answered.

 

"Grandfather," Feng Luan's grave voice came through. "The central communications unit just received a message from the Moon-Jade Sea. A merman claiming to be the leader of the Deep Sea merfolk is requesting to speak directly with the central authority."

 

"The Deep Sea merfolk's leader?" the elder inhaled deeply. "When is this talk happening?"

 

The leader of the deep-sea merfolk? So there really was more than one merman in the Moon-Jade Sea. Was this about the one who'd come to Planet A? Was he here to take him back?

 

"They say they're already waiting," Feng Luan replied.

 

"Notify the other two families. Give me three minutes," the Feng patriarch said, ending the call. "Speed up."

 

The aircraft accelerated and landed in front of an estate. As the old man stepped down, the butler was already waiting. "Master, the meeting room is ready."

 

Moments later, the heads of all three families appeared simultaneously on the screen. As they each drew in a breath and pressed the communication button, the screen lit up—with an ethereal figure seated on a rock beside the sea. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, silver tail shimmering, he looked like a deity of the moon. No artificial imitation could ever hope to match such beauty. Even these three patriarchs, men who had seen countless breathtaking faces in their lifetimes, could not deny that the merfolk's title as sea-bound spirits was well deserved.

 

But as the merman leaned in closer to the camera, his crystalline blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and he spoke.

 

"No one younger?"

 

His voice was magnetic, dreamlike—but his words were far from respectful.

 

"You're the merfolk leader?" the Feng patriarch cleared his throat and asked.

 

Trying to lecture a merman on respecting elders was pointless. According to legend, the leader of the merfolk wasn't chosen by age or wisdom but by strength. The very notion of respecting elders simply didn't exist in their culture.

 

"I'm the leader of the Silver Moon Tribe," Yue said with a gentle smile. "I heard you captured one of our merfolk?"

 

The three patriarchs stiffened. The Shen family head quickly spoke up, "You misunderstand. He wasn't captured—he came with us voluntarily. And we've done nothing to harm him."

 

"You locked him up," Yue said, still smiling, though the smile never reached his eyes. "And wanted to assign him a human mate."

 

Though strikingly beautiful, he was clearly not one to be trifled with. Patriarch Ye looked at his arms—smooth and flawless, yet concealing a strength unimaginable to humankind. "You've reached out to us," he said cautiously. "Surely this isn't just to demand your clansman's return?"

 

If that were the case, he could have taken him back in secret. There would be no need to stir such a spectacle or claim to be the leader of the merfolk.

 

Yue's eyes darkened slightly. He understood human cunning—and those who rose to power were often the craftiest of all. There was no point in subtlety here.

 

"You could say that," he replied. "I've come to ask whether you intend to renew the agreement made centuries ago."

 

At those words, the three patriarchs rose to their feet in unison. "What did you say?"

 

"Are you serious?!"

 

If a new agreement was to be signed, it wouldn't just involve one merfolk—but the entire species.

 

The deep-sea merfolk possessed tremendous power in the ocean. If that could be combined with human technology, evolution would accelerate exponentially. Could the most coveted hope of humanity—long dreamt of since the dark war—finally be realized in their generation?

 

Yue studied the shifting expressions on their faces. His silver tail flicked lightly in the water. He had learned much about human systems. Since they claimed to uphold protective laws, cooperation wasn't out of the question.

 

The merfolk were strong, yes—but they couldn't hide forever beneath the sea. Humans had already begun to venture into space. One day, they might also conquer the deepest oceans. When that time came, the merfolk would be powerless, completely at their mercy.

 

They were merfolk, yes—but they had human intelligence and reasoning. Only by integrating into human society—by passing their blood into future generations, by learning and adapting—could they survive. And striking a deal while the humans still needed them would bring the greatest gain.

 

"But the terms must be revised," Yue said calmly. "No coercion of any kind."

 

"Of course!" the Feng patriarch could barely contain his excitement. "Choosing a mate among humans must be entirely voluntary—by the merfolk's own will."

 

"Then come to the Moon-Jade Sea to sign the pact," Yue said as he leaned gently against the sea rock and slipped into the water. "I'll return here in seven days."

 

With a final flick of his tail, the silver light vanished into the sea, and he was gone.

 

As the communication cut off, the three clan heads stood in silence for a long moment, until one finally asked, "What do the merfolk stand to gain by forming an alliance with us now?"

 

"If the artificial womb technology matures, human evolution will accelerate rapidly," the head of the Feng family replied. "But even so, the children born of human-merfolk unions will still be far superior. They must be wary of humanity's growing power."

 

"A precaution, perhaps," sighed the head of the Shen family. "But it's mutual benefit in the end. All our grandsons have been competing fiercely over one deep-sea merman. We've said it's because the porridge is thin and the monks are many—but who doesn't want to win?"

 

Just one deep-sea merman, and everyone wanted to bring him home. Yes, it was for the future generation—but pride was very much on the line. No one wanted their heir to come in second place.

 

"It's still too few merfolk," said the head of the Ye family. "And centuries ago, the agreement specifically prohibited coercing merfolk ashore. It began well—but greed ruined everything, and a good thing turned into a disaster."

 

"You know," the Feng family head mused, "we do have merfolk blood in us."

 

The origins of the three great clans lay in unions with the deep-sea merfolk. The children born of those unions had superior physiques and appearances—and naturally, the highest rate of mermaid offspring.

 

What was once a genetic refinement was destroyed by greed. The dark war that followed left human physiology stagnant for years, and reproductive concerns ever-present.

 

Now, with artificial womb technology close to maturity, many of those problems might finally be solved—and the merfolk could take genetic evolution one step further.

 

"If news of this spreads, it'll attract dangerous attention," the Ye family head said with a frown. "The Alliance should send at least three military legions to the Moon-Jade Sea—just in case."

 

The wars and tragedies of centuries past could not be allowed to repeat.

 

"No need to rush," the Feng family head replied. "Station them along the coast, but don't enter the sea. The Silver Moon Clan is living up to its name—but surely they're not the only ones."

 

"Mm, fair point," the Ye family head muttered, adjusting his hat. "With so many merfolk out there, if my kid doesn't bring one back, I'll break his legs."

 

He ended the call. The Feng and Shen family heads exchanged a glance—clearly thinking the same thing.

 

Fine, let there be more contenders than merfolk, but if their heir couldn't bring one back after the agreement was made—then they might as well not have one at all.

 

Elsewhere, several young heirs—hard at work—suddenly felt an inexplicable ache in their knees.

 

…

 

Back at Zong Que's residence, he was reviewing the roster of talents to recruit into his laboratory. In the background, 1314's side emitted occasional bursts of noise—sparks, beeps, the works—never a moment of peace.

 

[What's going on?] Zong Que paused his work and asked.

 

1314 cleared its throat. [Host, you'd better prepare yourself mentally.]

 

[Mm.] Zong Que responded calmly.

 

[Your fish… might be coming ashore. He's already made contact with the three major families of the Alliance.]

 

Zong Que lowered his eyes and returned to his work. [That's good news.]

 

That fish, as expected, would never behave.

 

[???]

 

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