Chapter 127: It’s Too Big Like This
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
When Ji Yu left, she said she was going to fetch an experienced elder mermaid to help Lin Xu understand his situation. But when this so-called “elder mermaid” appeared before him, Lin Xu began to suspect she had used the wrong word.
The mermaid who approached had a gentle, beautiful face. By pre-apocalypse human standards, she looked no older than thirty. Her long, light brown hair flowed down her back, and her upper body was covered by a sheer, milky-white veil that also draped over her pale golden tail.
As she stopped in front of him, she offered a nod and a soft smile. “Mr. Lin, hello. My name is Shen Yuan.”
“Hello,” Lin Xu replied, nodding in return. Ji Yu motioned for her to sit down.
Shen Yuan sat beside him and lowered his eyes to glance at the dragon resting its head nearby, allowing Lin Xu’s tail fin to swish back and forth across its body.
He sized up the dragon’s length, width, and height, then glanced at Lin Xu’s own tail and slightly rounded abdomen. A nearly imperceptible crack appeared in his otherwise calm expression.
Though Ji Yu had already told him the dragon was Mr. Lin’s mate, Shen Yuan was still stunned upon seeing the size difference between them with his own eyes.
It took him a moment to compose himself before speaking. “Mr. Lin, I haven’t had direct experience with offspring between mermaids and dragons. I can only offer you advice based on general knowledge. What would you like to ask?”
Lin Xu looked at him and began with a question that wasn’t directly about the egg in his belly. “How is gender and reproductive ability determined among mermaids?”
Above the tail, mermaids had human-like upper bodies with visible male and female differences, and they seemed to use corresponding pronouns. However, regardless of gender, they all wore the same kind of sheer long robes that covered their torsos and part of their tails. Since mermaid tails were longer than human legs, their robe hems would often trail on the ground when they came ashore.
Lin Xu had passed through a shallow sea district earlier and noticed a few male mermaids with slightly rounded lower bellies—seemingly pregnant—leaving him uncertain.
Shen Yuan explained, “A mermaid’s gender is determined by the human portion of our body. Whether we can carry eggs depends on what’s beneath the scales of our tails—either a reproductive cavity or a protruding organ. This isn’t always obvious, which is why mermaids usually ask each other before forming a bond.”
That explained why the mermaids hadn’t reacted with surprise when discovering Lin Xu was pregnant. They’d simply been curious who his mate might be.
“Alright,” Lin Xu nodded, following that line of questioning into more pressing territory. “Does the egg need to be incubated? And after it hatches, does it need to be nursed?”
The dragon lifted its head slightly, reminded of the faint scent of milk Lin Xu had given off after his false pregnancy.
“In the oceans of Thales, we don’t incubate eggs,” Shen Yuan replied, pausing slightly. “The shallow sea temperatures are stable, and the energy in the water is abundant. Life absorbs that energy naturally and grows. Generally, the egg hatches within three to five days. After that, nursing isn’t necessary. However, some mermaids do begin to lactate in small amounts. I’m not sure how things might differ outside of Thales.”
Not only could mermaid eggs absorb energy from seawater—mermaids themselves lived off the energy in the water and from sea crystals. Only occasionally, out of curiosity or craving, would they hunt fish or small island animals to roast and snack on.
“And what about the gestation period?”
“Growth inside the womb also requires energy. When I was pregnant, if I lived in the shallows, it took six months. In the deeper sea, it only took about five to five and a half.”
In other words, the amount of energy absorbed affected the egg’s growth speed. Lin Xu guessed that the egg had likely been conceived after their trip to ancient Earth, when he had already begun using a large amount of crystal cores and dragon stones to replenish energy. The egg shouldn’t be lacking in nourishment.
Still, it had dragon blood in it too. Dragons also grew by absorbing energy. He didn’t know whether this egg would have higher demands. Lin Xu placed a hand gently over his belly. Just days ago, he’d been in space, panicked over what kind of monster the egg might hatch into. And now he was already worried it might go hungry.
Lun Yuesheng also seemed concerned about that. “Mr. Lin, your body used up a lot of energy while you were unconscious. I’ve observed that the egg inside you is trying to feed energy back to you. That might keep it in your belly longer than normal.”
The dragon let out a soft, rumbling whine and nudged Lin Xu’s tail.
Ji Yu said, “You don’t need to worry about energy while you’re in Thales. But once you leave, Mr. Lin, be sure to take plenty of high-purity sea crystals with you to keep replenishing.”
“Different types of sea crystals have different effects,” Shen Yuan added. “I know a few that help with stabilization. Mr. Lin, where will you be staying? I can send them to you.”
Ji Yu added, “We haven’t finalized that yet. Mr. Lin, let us know your needs, and we’ll do our best to meet them.”
Lin Xu said simply, “The dragon is coming with me.”
Ji Yu nodded. “Oh, in that case, we’ll need to find somewhere bigger. This shallow sea district might be too cramped. Mr. Lin, would you consider staying at my home again? The same room as before. There’s plenty of open space around the area.”
Lin Xu gave a nod. He didn’t have high standards when it came to living conditions. Most mermaid dwellings looked about the same to him. As long as he could bring Heinrich along, that was enough.
Shen Yuan glanced in the direction of Ji Yu’s home. The dark, oppressive seawater pressed against the white sands, sunlight unable to pierce through.
“Your place is far,” she said. “Wait a moment. I’ll have someone bring the sea crystals—you can take them directly.”
With that, Shen Yuan flicked her pale golden fishtail and swam upward. Her lips parted, and a long, song-like chant resonated through the water, rippling out toward the distance.
Ji Yu turned to Lin Xu and explained, “We use this method to communicate over long distances too, but the information it can carry is more limited than mental energy exchanges. Plus, it’s hard on the throat, so we don’t use it often.”
After Shen Yuan finished singing, they waited a while. She used the time to go over a few pregnancy precautions with Lin Xu—not that anything was urgent. Mermaid bodies were naturally resilient, and even with an egg, they didn’t require too much special care.
Still, it was recommended that pregnant mermaids float near the surface often to bask in the sun, eat fish with bones for calcium, and stay relaxed during delivery. If Lin Xu was still on Thales by then, Shen Yuan said she could come help. If not, the best thing was to find clear water, submerge, and let the birth happen naturally.
Soon, four merfolk arrived at Blue Sea Plaza in response to Shen Yuan’s call. Each carried seaweed-woven pouches filled with heavy pink and purple sea crystals. Three of them looked quite young, their efforts to carry the bags clearly straining them. As they neared, a strong male red-tailed mermaid at the back stepped forward, took the bags from them, and waved them off to play.
The three younger mermaids gleefully swam in loops before dashing toward Shen Yuan, tails flicking with joy. Shen Yuan smiled, pulling the playful children in front of Lin Xu.
“Mr. Lin, these are my kids. Come on, say hello to Mr. Lin.”
The three young ones—one female, two male—clung to Shen Yuan’s shoulders and greeted Lin Xu enthusiastically. Lin Xu smiled lightly and gave them a polite nod.
The little mermaids turned their curiosity to the massive dragon resting below them. “Who’s that?” one of them asked.
Lin Xu chuckled. “That’s Heinrich. He’s my husband.”
“Can we go play with him?” the little female asked, eyes bright with excitement.
“Um…” Lin Xu hesitated. “He’s not really the playful type, but you can go say hi. He doesn’t bite.”
Given permission, the small mermaids cautiously but delightedly approached the enormous silver dragon. As expected, Marshal Chu had no interest in playing. He didn’t even lift his head—just beat his wings lightly, letting the mermaids play hide-and-seek beneath them.
Just then, another red-tailed mermaid—about the same age as Shen Yuan—swam over and set down several bags of sea crystals. He draped an arm casually over Shen Yuan’s shoulders and nodded politely to Lin Xu.
“Mr. Lin, I’m Shen Yuan’s mate. Xian Huo.”
Xian Huo had a bold, powerful look—deep bronze skin and a bright red tail that shimmered brilliantly in the pale blue water. But what caught Lin Xu’s attention even more was the color and pattern of the children’s tails; they looked almost nothing like either parent’s.
He glanced toward the trio of playful mermaids beneath Heinrich’s wings. One tail faded from pale gold to fiery red. Another had golden tiger-like stripes over a red base. The third was solid white.
Lin Xu couldn’t help but ask, “How do you know what color a mermaid’s tail will be?”
Shen Yuan offered an apologetic smile. “It’s hard to say. Besides these three, I have four other children, and their tails are all different. The oldest has a pink-gold tail. My youngest son envies it a lot, but he inherited Xian Huo’s complexion and build in his human form. He insists that a pink-gold tail doesn’t match his vibe at all.”
Lin Xu nodded, thoughtful.
After saying their goodbyes to the mated couple, Heinrich easily picked up several heavy bags of “prenatal care” crystals with his dragon claws, and he and Lin Xu headed for their temporary deep-sea lodging.
On the way, Lin Xu remained preoccupied with wondering what color the baby in his belly might have. He still didn’t know if it would be a mermaid. If it was, what would black and silver blend into? His mind ran through endless combinations until he imagined a tail colored like a chessboard—black and white in a perfect grid—which startled him out of his daydream.
“Mr. Lin?” Ji Yu asked beside him.
Lin Xu shook his head. “It’s nothing. Let’s keep going.”
Ji Yu noticed that Lin Xu’s expression seemed a little stiff. She wasn’t sure if it was because the deep sea was darker and colder than the beautiful shallow waters. Casually, she grabbed a glowing creature and placed it in Lin Xu’s hands for some light.
Lin Xu glanced down at the ugly anglerfish shoved into his palms. A fat head with a long stalk extended from its forehead, ending in a glowing bulb that lit up its bizarre, gangly body. Well… okay then.
When Lin Xu returned to his previous room, he immediately let go of the fish, which had been squirming nonstop in his grip. The glowing jellyfish floating gently throughout the room were far more pleasant to look at.
The sea crystals Shen Yuan had sent were stacked neatly in the corner. The doorway was far too small for Heinrich’s dragon head to squeeze through, so he could only peer in through the translucent wall after Lin Xu pulled aside the gauzy crystal curtain.
“Rrrroowr—”
Ji Yu brought Lin Xu a set of merfolk robes to replace the shredded remains of his spacesuit.
While changing, Lin Xu drew the curtain closed, but it was barely a minute before the dragon let out a mournful howl from outside. With a sigh, Lin Xu hastily fastened the robe and swam out.
The moment Heinrich laid eyes on him, they lit up with joy. Before he could say anything, Lin Xu spoke first. “Heinrich, open your mouth.”
“Urrr…”
Lin Xu tossed a few chunks of sea crystal into the dragon’s mouth. “Can you turn back into your human form?”
Chewing the crystals, Heinrich let the energy slide down his throat. “I tried. It didn’t work.”
“How did your father switch between human and dragon forms?”
Heinrich thought for a moment, his massive face taking on a contemplative look. “I remember he didn’t do anything special. It was like… he just thought about it. But I couldn’t manage it.”
“It’s fine. There’s no rush,” Lin Xu murmured as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the dragon’s snout.
I want to hold Lin Xu too. Like this… I’m too big.
With another sigh, Lin Xu fed him a few more sea crystals.
—
There was no sunlight in the deep sea, no way to tell day from night. Lin Xu had no idea how Ji Yu kept track of time, but she always seemed to know when night was falling above the surface. She gently reminded him to rest and warned against overexerting himself during pregnancy.
Lin Xu curled up on the large clamshell bed. Outside, the dragon coiled protectively, keeping watch until Lin Xu finally closed his eyes. The soft sounds of the current lulled him into sleep. Down here, where the sun never reached, his mind found a strange sense of peace.
But then, everything changed. The attacker slipped silently into the room. Lin Xu didn’t stir—not until a hand landed on his shoulder. He woke with a sharp intake of breath and immediately grabbed the intruder’s wrist. His tail twisted, ready to strike, but something cold wrapped around him, pinning him down before he could land the blow.
He struggled, trying to rip the assailant off him, but the other held fast. They rolled across the clamshell bed and slammed against the hinge at the back. With a heavy snap, the upper shell came crashing down, sealing the two of them inside.
A muffled grunt came from the attacker. Lin Xu finally blinked fully awake, heart pounding from the instinctive reaction.
“Heinrich!” he shouted.
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