Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Capital Planet, 2:00 p.m.

After a brief jump, the Federation Legion’s warships split into two groups: the main force returned to their respective border bases, while one contingent followed Helunen back to the Capital Planet.

It was late night by the time they arrived. Guided by cruising markers, the warship docked at the military port.

Helunen transferred to a dedicated hover vehicle, navigating the crisscrossing star rails that streaked across the dark sky.

If Luo Ci had hatched from the egg and looked out, he would have seen a metropolis of steel towers below, where twisted, wild plants grew unchecked, separated by metal barriers from the residential zones nestled within.

The star rails glittered at varying altitudes, with hover vehicles occasionally zipping past like fleeting meteors.

After half an hour of travel, the hover vehicle stopped before a pale gray mansion.

From the outside, the mansion appeared unassuming—dignified yet understated—but it was actually constructed from high-density materials, making it exceptionally sturdy and secure.

To welcome its master, the mansion was brightly lit, with the butler leading a retinue of servants waiting in the portico.

Noticing the mermaid egg in Helunen’s arms, the butler approached. “You must be tired from the journey. Shall I take it?”

Helunen loosened his military jacket. He had considered handing the mermaid egg to the butler, but then thought better of it. He had carried the egg all this way; it was light as a feather. “No need. Is what I asked you to prepare ready?”

The butler nodded. “Everything is prepared as per your instructions.”

Since the mermaid egg would be staying for a while, Helunen had no intention of neglecting it. He had contacted the butler during his return journey to explain the situation and instruct him to prepare a suitable pool for the mermaid egg.

Helunen rarely stayed at the mansion and had few demands regarding living conditions. The butler had long regretted having few opportunities to prove himself, but now, his chance had finally arrived.

Moreover, this was the first time the Marshal had actively brought back a living creature to raise. Whatever the reason, the butler was determined to serve meticulously. If the little mermaid could foster a deeper bond with the Marshal, perhaps the Marshal might grow more attached to this home.

It was a win-win situation.

Inside the egg, Luo Ci, deep in sleep, hugged his tiny tail and blew a glistening bubble.

Who was thinking of him?

Helunen gestured with his chin. “Lead the way.”

The butler guided him to the prepared room. Hoping to foster a closer bond between the little mermaid and his master, he had deliberately chosen a room closest to the master bedroom for the pool.

Though the mermaid egg was no larger than a hand, a simple fish tank would have been more than enough. Yet, the butler had prepared a nearly hundred-square-meter mermaid pool for Luo Ci.

Considering the potential aggression of mermaids, the pool was constructed with professionally tested materials.

The mermaid pool was spacious and brightly lit, with a virtual light screen overhead that simulated the natural sky and sun. The pool’s system was linked to Helunen’s light brain, allowing him to control the water temperature and humidity at any time.

Though he knew the butler was diligent, Helunen still asked, “Was the water tested?”

The butler quickly replied, “Yes, it’s confirmed to be the same seawater as BK723. The water was circulated half an hour ago.”

Only then did Helunen place the mermaid egg into the pool.

The pool’s base was elevated from the ground. He had initially considered stepping down to place the egg but worried his clothes might contaminate the water. Instead, he found a gentle slope at the pool’s edge and carefully guided the egg in.

The pure white mermaid egg resembled a soft, glutinous rice dumpling, gliding smoothly into the water with the current.

Watching Helunen’s meticulous care, the butler grew even more convinced that a bond between the little mermaid and the Marshal was inevitable.

Inside the egg, the viscous fluid stirred slightly, like a calm lake disturbed by a gentle breeze. The once-tranquil liquid rippled, and as the peace was disrupted, the little mermaid awoke from his slumber.

Still groggy, Luo Ci stirred in confusion. His partially formed ear fins twitched sensitively, picking up faint voices outside.

Who was speaking?

His heart hammered wildly. Pressing close to the eggshell, he held his breath, listening intently. Two people were clearly conversing—one voice deep, calm, and pleasant, while the other sounded older, speaking at a slower pace.

Luo Ci opened his mouth, suddenly feeling a surge of panic. At first, he had lain comfortably in the viscous fluid, needing no food and sleeping for long stretches. But lately, whenever he woke, he noticed the fluid thinning, stirring a sense of impending danger.

Now, with strangers nearby, his fear magnified. Their language was unfamiliar, and he couldn’t tell if they meant him harm—

The little fish-cub’s ear fins quivered as he hugged his tail tightly, curling into a ball.

What should he do?

Anxiously listening to the voices outside, his heart raced with unease.

He pressed his lips together, afraid to draw any attention.

His tail flicked gently in the thinning fluid, which had grown more diluted—likely because he had absorbed most of its nutrients. The reduced resistance meant he could move more freely, but it also signaled that his food source was nearly depleted.

He knew he couldn’t hide here forever. The unfamiliar voices only deepened his sense of urgency.

Luo Ci swallowed small mouthfuls of the fluid, but his stomach still ached with hunger. The remaining nutrients were now barely enough to sustain him—he had to find a way to break free.

Sulking, he buried his chin in his tail fin and blew bubbles.

Like a little ostrich, unwilling to engage, he just wanted to bury his head in the sand. Even if dug out, he’d still be reluctant.

*Sigh*… If he quietly broke through the shell and left, surely no one would notice, right? Surely not.

Helunen didn’t linger by the mermaid pool for long—he had a mountain of paperwork awaiting him.

After instructing the butler to keep an eye on the mermaid egg, he left the pool, took a brief shower, and began tackling the accumulated work on his light brain.

The butler had the servants prepare a fruit platter and brought it to him. “The Pulitzer Medical Center contacted me recently. They’ve sent over a new batch of developed medication and hope you’ll visit when you have time.”

Helunen asked, “Any progress?”

The butler shook his head. “They didn’t specify.”

“Understood,” Helunen murmured. “I’ll make time.”

Once the butler left, Helunen finished his work and checked the time—it was already past 4 a.m., nearly dawn, yet he felt no drowsiness. His restless mind was the culprit, his frayed mental energy refusing to settle.

A scan of his current mental state would reveal a landscape riddled with cavities, the corrosive voids still spreading. The danger loomed like a submerged volcano, its eruption impossible to foresee.

Helunen paid little attention to his physical condition. Since sleep eluded him, he pulled up the materials Yivain had compiled.

Admittedly, as an expert in rare species, Yivain’s research was thorough.

With mermaids absent from the scene for nearly a century—their last recorded activity dating back a hundred years—visual materials were scarce.

Mermaids, a fantasy species, were among the rarest and most extraordinary creatures in the galaxy, renowned for their immense strength, ferocity, and devastating power. Records showed hundreds of planets, large and small, ravaged by their wrath.

According to the materials, mermaids possessed extraordinary mental energy, capable of commanding other marine species and seemingly drawn to pristine, untouched planets.

Heluren pulled up the footage. Though the images were grainy and fleeting, the mermaid's silhouette was unmistakable—its powerful tail effortlessly coiled around a shark, conjuring thick fog to disorient entire fleets, its piercing sonic waves triggering tsunamis thousands of meters high, obliterating entire cities in an instant.

If it weren't for the scarcity of mermaids, forming a pod of mermaids would probably be even harder to deal with than the Baháʼí.

Thinking that the creature hatching from the mermaid egg he brought back would be something like this, Helunen pressed his temples. He kinda regretted it.

Time passed quickly, and dawn was breaking. Before leaving, Helunen passed by the mermaid pool—located right next to his room—and slowed his steps, thinking he’d check in.

But then he heard a tiny cracking noise—

Helunen froze, his head snapped toward the sound.

Luo Ci knew he couldn’t keep playing ostrich any longer.

He lay in the egg, waiting and waiting, until the surroundings finally fell silent. Fighting against the overwhelming drowsiness that came with being a youngling needing 18 hours of sleep, he wracked his tiny brain to figure out how to break free from the walls.

Covered in a white membrane, he couldn’t open his eyes. After much effort, he managed to pry them open just a slit, and after adjusting for a while, he gradually made out the inky darkness.

The darker the place, the easier it was to catch any trace of light.

He noticed that the top of the wall seemed thinner, with a faint ray of light seeping through.

Luo Ci’s eyes lit up, but his hope quickly fizzled.

Most of his body was submerged in the gooey slime, leaving him with limited space to move. His arms were encased in the membrane, connected to the inner wall, making it impossible to free them. He pouted, wriggling uselessly for a long time, only to exhaust himself completely.

Ugh, why am I so weak?

Fortunately, Luo Ci didn’t stay discouraged for long. He realized that even without using his hands, he could rely on the buoyancy of his tail to float up. The tight space actually helped—as soon as he floated slightly, his head easily reached the top.

The little mermaid tried using the buoyancy to ram the top, and sure enough, it gave a little.

With each impact, the egg wobbled. Luo Ci tried to balance himself while continuing to strike upward.

The translucent area was indeed more fragile than the rest. After a few light bumps, accompanied by crisp cracking sounds, a tiny hole appeared at the top.

He tested flicking his tail, stretching and curling it to float, then spreading it out to rise with the buoyancy. At the peak, he coiled his tail like a seahorse, coiling for a final thrust.

The world held its breath as a clear crack formed on the pearly shell, spreading inch by inch down the surface.

The egg trembled slightly, the crack at the top widening gradually.

Through the small opening, a tiny, curled-up figure could faintly be seen inside.

*Crack—*

Summoning all his strength, Luo Ci gave one final push, and the top of the eggshell finally shattered, causing the mermaid egg to lose balance and topple onto the ground.

Sweet, sweet air rushed into his nostrils in big gulps, and the membrane covering his body, now exposed to the air, became brittle and peeled away.

Lying atop the shattered eggshell fragments, Luo Ci felt a surge of pride, wiggling his pudgy tail in triumph.

He’s awesome!

But the mermaid’s keen senses soon made him realize the atmosphere around him was dead silent.

Slowly, he peeked up and met a pair of calm, sharp eyes.

The man had a tall, battle-hardened physique, clad in a pitch-black military uniform. His sharply defined features perfectly complemented his cold, arrogant demeanor.

Little mermaid: -o-

Sticky egg goo clung to the little mermaid’s lips as he blew a big wobbly bubble, which popped with a soft *plop*.

Since Luo Ci had been curled up with his knees tucked in the egg, from Helunen’s perspective, the tiny, pearly-skinned merbaby was cradling his not-yet-fully-developed tail, tilting his pink-haired head cutely, and even blowing a bubble at him.

Helunen: …Yeah, real terrifying

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