The Lost Atlantis

The Lost Atlantis

I purchased a mermaid from the black market—a creature both mesmerizing and perilous.

But one day, I noticed it staring at me through the glass with a predatory gaze.

And every night since, I've fallen into a strange and unsettling dream.

01

To curry my favor, a subordinate brought me to Cloud Pavilion—the infamous underground auction house in Coldwater City.

I sat through the entire evening with an indifferent expression, utterly bored, feeling my entire body grow stiff.

I traced the edge of an antique dagger I'd acquired, a faint smile playing on my lips as I cast a sidelong glance at the subordinate who had invited me.

Just as my look made his knees go weak with fear, the display platform downstairs finally unveiled the last item of the night.

Cloud Pavilion was designed in an antique architectural style, with amber lanterns casting a refined glow throughout the interior.

The auctioneer downstairs made a mysterious shushing gesture, then lowered his voice to stoke the atmosphere. "The next item, I guarantee, will drive everyone here wild."

"It comes from Gamma Labs. Though it's a failed experiment, it is undeniably a masterpiece of creation..."

As he spoke, staff members wheeled a massive crate onto the auction stage.

The object inside seemed extraordinarily tall, with the thick curtain covering it leaving only a few feet of clearance to the ceiling.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it. I sat up with renewed interest, a sardonic smile curling at my lips.

So-called failed experiments were nothing more than playthings for the wealthy.

In recent years, human gene experiments had run rampant in the underground world, their origins unknown.

Half-human, half-snake monsters. Human children with feline faces. Fully beast-like werewolves...

All of them were so-called "failures."

But this item exceeded my expectations.

The red curtain fell, revealing the crate's true nature under the dim light—a cultivation tank filled with pale blue liquid.

Gasps rippled through the audience. Everyone was stunned by the sight before them, and I was frozen in place as well.

Because inside the cultivation tank, suspended in stillness, was a mermaid—one that showed no signs of genetic fusion.

This mermaid had a face of intense, breathtaking beauty, with an androgynous allure.

But his bare upper body made it easy to determine he was a male mermaid.

His frame was long and lean, his perfectly proportioned muscles concealing undeniable strength.

His lower half was a dark silver fishtail, about two meters long, covered in fine, translucent scales that shimmered like flowing light with every ripple of the water.

He seemed to be sleeping, his cold blue hair floating in the liquid amid rising bubbles, like the endless depths of the ocean.

The translucent fins hidden in his hair flickered in and out of view with the water's movement.

His features were exquisite and delicate, his face sharply defined. His silver-white lashes, like frost-laden branches, cast shadows over a complexion so pale it seemed almost lifeless.

He looked like a god who ruled the universe, yet had fallen from grace when his temple crumbled.

This wasn't a product of creation—this was the creator himself.

"I wonder what he looks like with his eyes open," I murmured absently.

But the next time I blinked, I found myself staring into a pair of deep blue eyes.

The gaze was faint, yet it instantly made me feel like I was being dragged into the ocean's depths, suffocating.

It was like plucking a blooming rose from a wall of thorns.

Captivating and dangerous.

The mermaid and I gazed at each other from across the sea of people downstairs and the one-way glass of the second floor.

I knew he couldn't see inside from out there.

But I was certain—he was looking at me.

His gaze carried no meaning, yet it pierced through the entire space, sending a chill down my spine, making me wary and uneasy.

And... secretly thrilling me.

I licked my lips, feeling dry and parched.

I loved the thrill of being challenged and then conquering.

I raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze without flinching.

Then, as the auction downstairs reached a fever pitch, with everyone nearly losing their minds and almost coming to blows—I lit the sky lantern.

I walked to the glass window, raised my hand, and traced his silhouette on the pane. Then, with a smirk, I mouthed silently to him, "You're mine."

Whether it was my imagination, as I glanced at him before leaving, I thought I saw the faintest curve of his lips—a sinister, contemptuous smile.

02

Mermaids—a species both mysterious and sinister, powerful and dangerous.

Sharp-edged and untamable,

They possessed a cold, calculating intelligence.

They came from the deep sea, profound and enigmatic.

Their bodies were covered in fine, translucent scales.

They had eyes that could see clearly in the dark, keen senses of smell, and the ability to produce hypnotic sounds.

These were the legends I had heard, but in real life, no one had ever seen a real mermaid.

I never thought I'd be the first to own one.

Though he was a genetically fused species, his flawless appearance made that single flaw almost negligible.

After bringing the mermaid home, I kept him in the pool where I raised my sharks.

The pool, though called a pool, was built beneath the villa and enclosed in tempered glass, more like a private aquarium.

In my spare time, I would feed my shark babies with disobedient people.

I wanted to see which was more ferocious—the mermaid or the sharks.

Though he was a genetically fused species, according to legend, mermaids were savage and untamed. The outcome was uncertain.

But after keeping them together for three days, none of the scenes I'd imagined occurred.

Instead, several of my subordinates, who regularly went to feed the sharks, were bitten by the aggressive creatures.

I stood before the glass wall, observing for a long time. The light filtered through the arched ceiling, casting rippling blue halos across the water, creating an eerie stillness.

Not only were the sharks, which usually patrolled the pool, nowhere to be seen, but the mermaid had also vanished.

Frowning, I pressed closer to the glass, trying to see deeper into the water, when a chill crept up my neck.

I jerked my head up.

Above me, on the bridge spanning the pool, the mermaid stood upright in the water, looking down at me with a gaze like a sea god judging his subjects.

His pale lashes hung still, obscuring the expression in his eyes, making me inexplicably uneasy—yet also sending my blood racing with excitement.

I tilted my head back, lazily waving at him, not caring if he could hear or understand me. "Come down. I don't like looking up at people... or fish."

He seemed to understand. With a flick of his silver-white tail, he was in front of me in an instant.

I pressed closer to the glass, tracing the outline of his stunning face with my finger. "You're incredibly beautiful," I said bluntly.

This time, I was certain he could hear and understand me.

Because as he stared at me with that burning gaze, he suddenly curved his lips into an enigmatic smile and said something—but I couldn't hear it.

Later, I asked him a few more questions, but he only looked at me with the same expression as at the auction, making no further moves. I was somewhat disappointed.

But thinking about it, he was a genetically "failed" product. Before this, he might have been human, or he might have been a fish.

Still, if he had been created from a human blueprint, and had a face like that... that would be quite a remarkable thing.

03

In the following days, I visited him a few more times. Sometimes he would just stare at me without moving, other times he would disappear entirely, leaving me thoroughly bored.

I had thought he would be a difficult beast to tame, but he had been subdued so quickly that I lost interest. I stopped visiting him.

Until the Mid-Autumn Festival. The full moon hung high in the sky, and I was drinking alone under its light when a subordinate reported that the mermaid had vanished. Drunk and unsteady, I stumbled down the stairs to the glass-walled pool.

As soon as I entered the bridge, I saw the mermaid staring at me through the glass.

Anger surged. "Have I been feeding too few people to the sharks lately? Those brats dare to lie to me?"

"And you—what are you looking at? Are you a mute fish?" I pointed at him furiously, striding toward him.

But the alcohol hit me hard, and I didn't notice the threshold at my feet. My legs gave way, and I fell forward.

I reflexively closed my eyes, but after a long pause, the expected pain never came.

I opened my eyes in confusion—and instantly broke out in a cold sweat, the alcohol evaporating.

Because I found myself floating in the water.

Directly in front of me was the staircase bridge I had just walked down, now separated from me by seamless tempered glass.

The next second, a pale hand reached from behind me, gripping my waist tightly.

04

Every nerve in my body was on edge.

The danger of my situation flooded my brain, heightening my senses.

Because I had been drinking at home, I was only wearing a thin jacket over a silk slip dress.

Now, the jacket was soaked through, clinging to the bare back of the dress. I could even feel the icy touch of something—not human skin—pressing against me.

Before I could wonder why I, who couldn't swim, was breathing freely underwater, the owner of that hand leaned in from behind, resting his head on my right shoulder.

His breath, carrying the moisture of the water, brushed directly against my ear.

The sensation was indescribable—dangerous, yet thrilling enough to make the nerves in my forehead pulse.

I was excited, but I didn't dare turn around. After all, I was dealing with a legendary creature known for luring humans to their doom.

Though he was just a genetic fusion, I had to take him seriously.

I fought to suppress the instinctive trembling that came with being in such a perilous situation, scanning my surroundings until I found a good angle. Through the dim light reflecting off the glass, I carefully observed what was happening.

In the reflection, I looked like a puppet on strings, floating motionless in the water.

My dark hair drifted like seaweed in the current, and my white silk dress defied science by billowing around me.

And the mermaid, who had somehow dragged me in here, loomed behind me like a shadow.

With his tail, he was nearly three meters tall, an enormous presence that trapped me in place.

One of his arms was wrapped around me, his cold blue hair mingling with mine as it drifted over my shoulder, creating an almost romantic scene.

In the reflection, he looked lazy and satisfied, his silver tail swaying freely in the water.

He lowered his head to sniff my neck, his sharp teeth grazing my artery, sending chills down my spine.

What did he want?

To eat me?

Countless thoughts raced through my mind, but none of them matched the situation.

Because the mermaid, with his sharp, webbed fingers, had casually torn through my jacket from behind and was now touching my back, tracing patterns on my skin.

I grew wary, watching his movements in the reflection closely, ready to strike first if he made a move.

But he didn't. Instead, he slowly lifted his head and met my eyes in the reflection.

My heart skipped a beat. He knew I was watching him!

His expression didn't change, but I felt something shift in the water around us.

My instincts screamed at me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

"What are you doing?" I blurted out.

But before I could say anything else, his other hand grabbed my jaw, forcing my head back and exposing my vulnerable throat to his gaze. Then, without warning, he kissed me.

I raised my hand to push him away, but suddenly, the strange buoyancy that had allowed me to breathe and float vanished.

The pressure of the water closed in on me, and the suffocation began...

My consciousness started to fade, my thoughts growing hazy.

For a moment, I wondered if this counted as cross-species harassment.

Then, I thought I heard the legendary song of the mermaid.

It was a deep, ethereal sound, like a call from the ancient sea.

Though I didn't understand the language, I felt like he was calling my name—Vera.

The air was being stolen from me, the oxygen growing thinner, the feeling of drowning intensifying.

Just as darkness began to close in, I heard my subordinates calling for me. Then everything went silent.

05

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the bridge—right where I had tripped.

Several subordinates were gathered around me, fussing over me.

I pushed them aside and looked at the empty glass wall. "When you came in, where was I?"

"On... on the ground," one of them stammered.

"Did you see the mermaid?" I asked.

They exchanged glances. "No."

I stared at the seemingly calm water for a long moment, then licked my sore lips. Without another word, I turned and walked away.

I called for a genetic fusion expert. The old man trembled as he looked at the bloodstained knife in my hand, hurriedly explaining the process of creating a mermaid.

I cut him off. "Skip the jargon. Just tell me—why could he pull me into the water? What kind of power is that?"

"I... I don't know, Miss Vera," the old man stammered. Then, hesitantly, he asked, "Could it be that you drank too much and dreamed it?"

I glanced at him and had him "politely" escorted out.

I sat on the sofa, deep in thought, then stood up and ordered everyone in the house to gather.

"Everyone—start fishing."

I stood before the glass wall, watching divers search back and forth.

Half an hour later, aside from some shark teeth that had fallen out during the seasonal shedding, they found nothing.

I stood there, radiating cold fury, and let out a bitter laugh.

I was certain the mermaid was still in the pool, but he was deliberately hiding from them.

What a silver-tailed mermaid. I had wanted to tame him, but he had tamed me first.

If only I weren't in the water, in his territory, I would have shown him what human cunning really meant.

I ordered the pool's food supply cut off, installed underwater cameras, and had everyone stay away from the area.

I watched the footage for days, but the mermaid didn't reappear.

Just as I was about to lose interest, he suddenly appeared on camera.

It was as if he could sense me watching. He stared directly into the lens, a faint, mocking smile on his lips. His expression was wild, predatory, and utterly sinister—like a malevolent god.

I fell silent for a moment, then had to admit one thing.

He was definitely provoking me!

I had risen to my position in Coldwater City, and it had been a long time since anyone had treated me like this.

I immediately ordered my men to capture him.

But by the time they reached the water, he had vanished again.

I stared at the empty screen and smiled. "Well then, let's see who tames who in the end."

06

That night, I—who usually slept soundly—had a strange and unsettling dream.

In the dream, I was a female general, tasked with leading a maritime Silk Road expedition.

When we reached Europe, a violent storm struck, and the ship was blown off course.

When the seas calmed, we found ourselves near a large Atlantic island close to the Strait of Gibraltar.

"General, we fished something up from below... Would you like to take a look?" my deputy asked hesitantly.

His expression piqued my curiosity, so I followed him below deck.

The crowd gathered in the cabin parted as I entered, revealing the object of his unease.

I was stunned. It was the mermaid I had bought from the black market.

But compared to his current state, this dream version was in a sorry state, covered in wounds.

The dream version of me, however, seemed remarkably unfazed. I walked over calmly, crouched before the dying mermaid, and lifted his chin with my hand, ignoring his hostile glare. I studied his face, then let out a wolf whistle. "A foreign sea creature? Not bad. You're my type."

...

Even though it was a bit embarrassing in front of everyone, it was exactly something I would do and say.

The mermaid was also a cunning one. Unlike the one in my pool, this dream version knew he was too weak to resist, so he let me handle him with lazy indifference.

I seemed to know exactly how to handle mermaids. I ordered a pair of iron chains—said to be made of some mystical metal—and instead of keeping him in water, I chained him to my bed.

I silently applauded my dream self. On land, this was my territory. Taming a wild beast was no problem.

I sat on the edge of the bed, holding specially prepared food for the mermaid, trying to coax him into speaking.

"Want some? If you do, tell me your name. I know you sea creatures can talk."

The mermaid lay on the floor, his eyes gleaming with cold murder.

But I ignored him, even daring to run my hand over his bare chest as I talked to myself. "Since you won't talk, I'll name you myself. My surname is Lin, and I'm called Vera. You'll take my surname too. Lin... Lin Yu? No, Lysander. Yes, that's poetic."

I nodded to myself, pleased. "I'm such a brilliant general. Look at that name—so artistic!"

The mermaid, his hands and tail bound, glared at me with murderous intent.

After I'd had my fill of touching him, I kindly reassured him, "Don't struggle. Being chosen by me is your fortune. Otherwise, with those injuries, thrown back into the sea, you'd be shark bait."

I paused, then shamelessly added, "That makes me your savior. Since you won't talk, you can repay me with your body."

I didn't know if the mermaid understood, but I was certainly amused by my own words.

Looking at his breathtaking face, I felt an itch I couldn't scratch. I grabbed his chin and planted a kiss on those thin lips hiding sharp fangs.

"Ow—" He bit me.

"Shy, are we?" I licked the blood from my lips and met his mocking smile, ready to go for another kiss.

But just as I reached out, the sky turned white.

—I woke up.

07

"Damn it—" I cursed as I opened my eyes, annoyed at being interrupted.

But when I caught sight of my surroundings, I froze.

I was in the same position as in the dream—practically on top of the mermaid.

His stunning face was inches from mine, so close that our breaths mingled.

But this time, I was in the water, in his territory, trapped in his arms.

A wise man knows when to yield.

I met his teasing gaze, looked at my empty hands, and gave him an awkward greeting. "Long time no see."

He raised an eyebrow, tightened his grip on me, and pulled me closer. The sudden loss of balance made me instinctively wrap my arms around his neck.

A low, husky laugh echoed through the still water.

I looked up, meeting his eyes, and saw the curve of his lips. I instantly understood what he was doing.

He was amusing himself with me, treating my nervousness and survival instincts as entertainment.

I forgot, for a moment, that I couldn't swim and was underwater.

Vera Lin never let a slight go unpunished.

Still holding him, I reached up and touched the translucent fin hidden in his hair. "You ruined one of my dresses. Touching you a little isn't too much, is it?"

I rubbed the fin between my fingers and gave him a sly smile. "Nice texture."

When he didn't react or show any aggressive behavior, my reckless side resurfaced.

I grew bolder, running my hand over his face and then down to his lips. He caught my finger between his teeth.

Under his predatory gaze, I laughed softly. "Why don't you bite harder? Haven't you eaten? Or does the mermaid know what it means to be gentle?"

As I spoke, my other hand wandered down his chiseled chest.

But I might have gone too far. I had overestimated my combat ability underwater.

Later, I would realize just how reckless I had been.

Because the mermaid was in heat, and I almost didn't survive my own foolishness.

I was still enjoying the feel of his skin when I noticed his deep blue eyes growing darker, more dangerous.

By the time I sensed something was wrong, his silver tail had already coiled around my waist.

"What are you doing?"

"Hey, where are you touching?"

"Wait, wait, wait—Brother! Mermaid brother! Don't tear my clothes! Let's talk!"

"Lysander! I'll stop! I'm sorry!"

"I really mean it this time!"

"..."

08

On a luxury cruise ship heading toward the Strait of Gibraltar, my subordinates were all walking on eggshells, afraid to provoke me.

In all my years of taming beasts—from hawks I'd broken over three months to crocodiles that ate people in one bite—I had never suffered such a humiliating defeat. This time, I had capsized in a ditch, and in the most embarrassing way possible. He kept dragging me into the water.

But every time I woke up, I was safely in bed, as if it had all been a wild, erotic dream.

I tried moving out of the villa.

But the seawater still flooded my mouth and nose at night.

I tried shooting him.

But no one had told me mermaids were bulletproof.

I was afraid to sleep.

Because every time I closed my eyes, I would first dream of being that female general.

She had it easy. Her iron chains were effective, suppressing the mermaid's ability to drag people into the water.

She spent her days either teasing the mermaid or on her way to tease him.

But I was the one suffering. Every time I dreamed halfway through, I would wake up to find the mermaid staring at me with that mocking expression.

Until the day the female general's fleet was about to return home, and the mermaid, who had grown accustomed to her wandering hands, finally spoke. A low, clear sound escaped his lips: "A—lan—this."

"What are you saying?" the female general asked, not understanding.

But I had been reading up on mermaids recently, and a thought struck me—he seemed to be saying: Atlantis, the kingdom of mermaids!

For the next few days, that name echoed in my mind.

By the time I came to my senses, I had already brought my people onto a cruise ship heading toward the Atlantic islands near the Strait of Gibraltar.

09

The journey mirrored the dream in an uncanny way.

As we sailed, the dream continued to unfold.

In the dream, I played with the mermaid's hair, calling him by the name I had given him. "Lysander, will you come with me?"

Lysander gave me a cold, disdainful look, lounging on my bed with an air of regal indifference.

I wasn't angry. My hands, as usual, wandered. "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."

Lysander naturally ignored me. I was just asking for form's sake.

After all, once something was in my hands, I never let it go.

I brought him back to the capital and kept him in the pond in my courtyard.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but shake my head. A mistake, a mistake. Putting him back in the water was like letting a tiger return to the mountains.

But as I lamented my error, I realized that the iron chains were incredibly effective. They seemed to be a tool specifically designed to restrain mermaids, preventing him from using his powers even in the water.

Lysander seemed to realize this too. His already cold expression grew even darker.

Anyone who came near him—except me, the one who had chained him—ended up injured.

The ancients really knew what they were doing. They understood how to restrain such creatures far better than modern people.

Just as I was marveling at this, the next scene in the dream answered my questions.

After returning from the sea, the emperor held a celebratory banquet for us at the palace.

As we passed through the imperial garden, I saw countless... sea creatures in the pond, their tails thrashing.

Even the lanterns lining the path were lit with the oil of these creatures.

A subordinate asked me, "General, since we've captured this foreign sea creature, why not offer it to His Majesty?"

I gave him a lazy glance, and he immediately bowed and retreated, keeping his head down.

But I didn't notice the fists he clenched behind his back.

10

At the banquet that night, I drank until I was thoroughly drunk.

By the time I returned to the general's residence, the world was silent.

Like on the Mid-Autumn Festival, I staggered to the edge of the pond, calling out Lysander's name like a rogue.

The water broke, and his blue hair—dry despite the water—emerged first, followed by his perpetually cold face.

I grinned, emboldened by the protection of the iron chains, and leaned down to take advantage of him.

Lysander pursed his lips and dodged.

That only fueled my drunken stubbornness.

I jumped into the pond with a splash, sending ripples across the water and splashing Lysander's pale, chiseled face.

I emerged from the water, clinging to him, using him to stay afloat.

He frowned, trying to wipe the water from his face, but I grabbed his hand.

I stared into his eyes, watching the droplets fall from his snow-white lashes into his deep blue pupils. "Has anyone ever told you that your eyes hold an entire ocean, and they make people want to drown in them?"

He looked down at me for a long moment, then, to my surprise, spoke.

His voice, like the deep sea, made me feel like I was standing in the vast ocean, even in this shallow pond.

But unfortunately... I didn't understand him.

I stared into his eyes, dazed, and gradually fell under their spell.

What happened next made me cover my face in shame.

No wonder this mermaid's revenge was so fierce—I had done such shameless things in my past life.

...

Fine, I admit it. I had been utterly shameless.

11

After the banquet, Lysander's cold shoulder grew even more pronounced.

At first, I felt a twinge of guilt, but my thick-skinned nature quickly won out. Every day, I brought him delicious food and drinks, trying to win his favor.

But the news that I had a foreign sea creature in my possession eventually reached the emperor.

Perhaps all emperors dream of immortality.

And sea creatures, according to legend, were not only valuable in every part but also had the power to extend one's life.

The emperor, whose youthful face belied his true age, had already bathed in the blood of these creatures.

How could he let go of Lysander, who seemed even more powerful and useful?

When I returned from a patrol in the northwest, the servants in my residence were all hanging their heads, barely daring to breathe.

I smiled bitterly, turned around, and rode straight to the palace. I knelt outside the gates for three days and three nights in the heavy snow.

When I finally saw Lysander, he was chained to a pillar in a mist-filled pool.

His cold blue hair was stained with blood, hanging by his cheeks. Around him lay the mangled bodies of the guards he had torn apart with his claws.

When he saw me, he merely lifted his eyes, glancing at me indifferently before looking away.

"As expected of the creature raised by General Lin. You share the same temperament," the emperor said, patting my shoulder with a warm smile. "But Vera, you refused to enter my harem, and I granted your wish. Now, will you rebel against me for the sake of this mere beast?"

I didn't answer, my expression blank. The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, and the emperor's smile faded as he realized I wasn't yielding.

His face darkened. "What, do you truly intend to rebel against me, Vera Lin?"

I bowed to him, my voice steady. "I wouldn't dare."

His expression softened, returning to its usual gentle, regal demeanor.

"Then, Vera, would you be willing to tame this foreign creature for me? Have him willingly offer his heart to me at the ancestral ceremony in five days."

I smoothed my robes, knelt on one knee, and replied as he wished. "I am willing."

12

For the next few days, I stayed in the palace where Lysander was imprisoned.

As I applied medicine to his torn webbed hands, he turned his head away, refusing to look at me.

I grabbed his chin, turning his face toward me, and kissed his pale lips. "Are you angry with me?"

I sighed. "You have every right to be. I was careless, bringing you from the sea only to end up like this."

"But don't worry," I said, stroking his face, misted by the water. "I brought you here, and I'll send you back the same way."

Lysander leaned against the wall, listening to me ramble without a word. He just looked at me with that cold, aloof gaze, as if to say, "Did I ask you to?"

But in the middle of the night, I heard the deep, resonant call of the sea, clumsily but accurately calling my name—Vera.

It was gentle, and a little reluctant.

13

The day of the ancestral ceremony arrived.

Lysander and I were escorted to the altar together.

He was quiet, not tearing apart anyone who touched him.

I performed the ritual of heaven worship with proper reverence, then, under the emperor's approving gaze, took the sword—the only one capable of cutting through the iron chains—and, to everyone's shock, severed Lysander's bonds.

With Lysander by my side, I fought my way out of the palace. As I fled, I glanced back at the emperor, standing on the steps. His expression was unreadable, but it sent a chill down my spine.

We escaped the palace and raced toward the river that connected to the sea.

If Lysander could reach the water, he would be safe.

The journey to Dragonbound River was suspiciously smooth, and I knew something was wrong.

What happened next was both predictable and dramatic.

I had been raised by the emperor since childhood, so when I felt a sharp pain in my chest and collapsed to the ground, I wasn't surprised.

At least I had pushed Lysander into the water before I fell.

But just before everything went dark, I thought I heard the ethereal, sinister song of a siren.

14

When I woke up, the blazing sun on the deck told me it was noon.

After days of cruising, we had reached the place where Atlantis was said to have sunk.

The sea here was eerily calm, with not a cloud in the sky or a seagull in sight.

I ordered my men to bring out the mermaid.

After the dream had become clearer and more complete, I found it harder to stay angry at him.

He, on the other hand, remained as regal and lazy as ever, watching me wrestle with my emotions.

It made me furious, and I ordered my men to release him into the sea.

Once in the water, he vanished like a shooting star into the galaxy.

I waited by the railing, growing increasingly restless, but he didn't reappear.

Finally, I called out, "Mermaid brother?"

"Lysander?"

"You're not really gone, are you?"

There was a hint of disappointment in my voice that I hadn't noticed.

Just as I was about to turn away in defeat, the water burst open, and Lysander emerged like a sea god from a myth.

His tail was hidden beneath the waves, his blue hair spreading across the surface like a water lily.

I turned back, taking in the sight, and couldn't help but tease him. "Why didn't you leave? Could it be you can't bear to part with me, mermaid brother?"

He gave me a sidelong glance.

Then, without any warning, I felt an invisible force pulling me, and I lost my balance, tumbling into the water.

In an instant, I went from a graceful beauty to a soaked mess. I couldn't help but sigh. You never learn, Vera. You're not a general anymore. Without the chains to suppress his powers, you're no match for him in the water.

I surfaced, coughing out the water I had swallowed.

Just as I caught my breath, I felt something wrap around my waist.

—His silver tail.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Answer me!"

"Ah—slow down! I'm afraid of water!"

Lysander granted me the ability to breathe underwater and dragged me through the depths.

But for someone with a fear of the deep sea—both in this life and the last—it was an unpleasant experience.

The deep water was dark and silent, stirring up an inexplicable panic in my heart.

And Lysander, ever the vengeful creature, seemed to find my fear amusing. The more I panicked, the deeper he took me.

15

Cursing under my breath, I let him drag me through the water for what felt like an eternity.

When he finally stopped, I cautiously opened one eye.

What I saw left me breathless.

Can you imagine discovering an entire civilization at the bottom of the ocean?

Before me, amid the currents and schools of fish, stood a massive architectural ruin.

The structure was circular, built in the Greco-Roman style.

There were palaces and arenas,

And at the center, a temple.

At the entrance stood two five-meter-tall mermaid statues, surrounded by neatly cut stone walls that shimmered with a silver light in the dark depths.

The palaces within were surrounded by walls of gold and silver, their interiors adorned with gold, gleaming brilliantly.

I stared at the sight, my eyes wide, and turned to Lysander. "Is this... the lost Atlantis?"

He seemed to be in a good mood, nodding in confirmation of my idiotic question.

As I marveled, he led me toward the central temple.

When we reached its edge, the water around us parted like the Red Sea, revealing a path for us to walk on.

I stepped onto the stone bricks, marveling at the strange sensation, when something felt off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Then I looked at Lysander and realized what it was.

He was walking beside me.

Yes, walking!

His tail had transformed into two human legs, and he was walking on the golden and silver bricks.

He seemed unaccustomed to using his legs, moving stiffly.

Under his murderous glare, I circled him, clicking my tongue. "Why are you being so formal? You even brought your own pants. Tsk, minus points."

"But those legs... they're really long. Hey—why are you dragging me?"

He grabbed me impatiently and carried me into the temple, placing me at its center.

There, a translucent box sat. Under his expectant gaze, I opened it curiously.

I expected some treasure, but instead, I found a female skeleton.

I asked him what this was about, but he just stared at the skeleton with a distant expression.

Confused, I studied it for a while longer before noticing something.

This box contained... what seemed to be me.

Because beside the skeleton, I saw a piece of broken armor—the same kind I had worn in my dream.

To be honest, seeing your own bones is a strange experience.

But based on what I knew, my body had been stripped of its flesh, leaving only the skeleton.

I turned to Lysander, indignant. "Why did you strip my bones? Sure, I might have forced myself on you a bit, but it was consensual! You didn't have to be so cruel!"

Lysander rolled his eyes, finally losing his regal composure.

Before I could argue further, a loud crash echoed from outside.

My heart sank.

What kind of commotion could be this loud in the deep sea?

Lysander and I exchanged a glance, and we hurried out of the temple.

To my surprise, I saw an unexpected figure.

The genetic fusion expert—the old man I had "politely" scared off.

He was fully geared in diving equipment, leading a crowd of similarly armed people standing before the temple.

"Professor Whitmore, here for a field trip?" I greeted him.

Whitmore, equipped with underwater communication devices, chuckled. "Though your manners leave much to be desired, Miss Vera, I have you to thank for leading me to this underwater kingdom. Otherwise, I might never have found it."

"Oh? Is that so?" I said, pulling out my gun—kept dry by Lysander's protective abilities—and giving him a sweet smile. "You're welcome."

Whitmore, a seasoned man, didn't flinch at the sight of my gun or the shadow cast by Lysander, who had transformed back into his mermaid form.

He looked at me approvingly. "Vera, you are my finest creation. But surely you don't think a genetic fusion can defeat its creator?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Whitmore smiled kindly, a sight that grated on my nerves. "Did you really think, Vera, that a woman could rise to the top of Coldwater City with nothing but her bare hands?"

"Without the rapid healing I gave you, without the dolphin genes I fused into your brain, you would have died in the power struggles of Coldwater City long ago."

"It's a pity. I thought you were my perfect