The Merfolk’s Charm

From this perspective, it seemed that Tian University’s performance was only a notch above the Administration Bureau’s.

A flicker of worry crossed Huang Xiu’s mind regarding the weekend ranking settlement.

If things kept going like this, by the weekend settlement, Tian University would fall to the bottom—and that would be a disaster.

She couldn’t bear the thought of that so-called hundred-person dormitory.

‘Two more days… I hope everyone can put in some effort,’ she reassured herself.

In this kind of group competition, she could only strive to do her best; she had no control over those around her.

“Today’s military training ends here. You may now remove your Empty Bracelets. In a moment, the instructors will lead you to the cafeteria for dinner.”

As Leng Qianhua loudly announced the end of training, cheers immediately erupted from those who had persisted to the end.

Those who hadn’t made it through the training also left from the other formations, trickling back to their respective groups.

Some wore embarrassed expressions, while others looked completely indifferent.

Ying Zhiyu, returning to the formation, couldn’t help but praise as she passed Huang Xiu: “Xiuxiu, you’re really amazing!”

“Of course, or how else would I be your Xiuxiu?” Huang Xiu replied with a hint of pride.

Winning in the unqualified assessment—nothing made her happier than this.

This sense of achievement was even stronger than when she got first place in the retest.

Jia Qianrou walked over from afar, smiling. “Xiuxiu, I didn’t expect you to last until the end!”

Hearing this, Huang Xiu pretended to be angry. “Arou, do you think I’m that delicate?”

“Not at all,” Jia Qianrou laughed, then silently added in her heart, ‘Actually, you are a bit delicate.’

The delicacy she meant wasn’t the spoiled kind typical of ordinary girls, but a more endearing, intimate sort.

It manifested in Huang Xiu’s tendency to unconsciously act coy around those she was close to.

So Jia Qianrou finally added, “If it were possible, I’d actually prefer you to be even more delicate.”

“Eww!” Huang Xiu made a face. “I don’t want that. Alright, alright, I’m taking off the bracelet.”

With that, she raised her right hand.

The thick silver bracelet reflected the molten gold of the sunset, tinged with an unnatural golden-red.

She pressed the left hand against the bracelet, then clicked and pulled.

A small slit opened on the top of the bracelet. Huang Xiu pursed her lips and pulled downward with force.

Pfft…

Accompanied by a slight stinging sensation like a mosquito bite, the sharp needle of the bracelet separated from her flesh.

A few drops of agate-like blood clung to the needle.

Huang Xiu turned her wrist.

On her pale skin was a square indentation left by the bracelet.

In the center of the square were three tiny holes from which blood kept seeping.

With Huang Xiu’s healing ability, such a small wound would fully close within a minute.

But not all Specials had her regenerative power.

So volunteers came around with cotton swabs, handing them out to the Specials in the formation.

Huang Xiu turned her wrist and peered into the distance.

Senior Yun Ning and Senior Wen Erya were both walking toward her.

The two seemed to notice they had the same target.

They stopped, huddled together, and exchanged a few words.

Finally, Wen Erya changed direction, and Yun Ning continued forward.

“Junior, here’s a cotton swab.” Yun Ning handed over the swab soaked in iodine.

Huang Xiu took the swab and pressed it onto her wound, then asked with confusion, “Senior, what did you and Senior Wen talk about?”

“Nothing much,” Yun Ning said with a faint smile. “Senior Wen was just about to bring you a swab too. We discussed it, and I ended up coming.”

Huang Xiu nodded, not suspecting anything, and smiled. “Then Senior Wen needs to be quicker next time!”

She understood why the senior was so concerned—she simply wanted to reduce contact between Yun Ning and her. But understanding was one thing, comprehension another, and acceptance yet another.

She had clearly stated that she didn’t like Yun Ning. Yet the senior still went to such lengths to prevent him from approaching her.

This irritated her. But she didn’t know how to deal with that irritation, so she bottled it up inside.

The order of institutions during military training not only determined the quality of dormitories but also affected many other things.

Like the order of meals. The War Bureau, ranked first, ate first; Huang Xiu’s Tian University, ranked second, ate second.

And so on down the line. By the time the Special Higher Academy, the last, got to eat, it was already half past six in the evening.

Though the food wasn’t cold yet, evening training started at seven, squeezing their break time to just over ten minutes.

At 6:40.

Students from the other institutions had already finished eating, leaving only some veterans from the Special Higher Academy who ate late.

Li Xiushan put down his chopsticks and said seriously, “We absolutely cannot be last again!”

“With our performance this time, we should be able to jump to third place,” Bai Bai replied.

He and Li Xiushan had been in the same circle before. After entering the Special Higher Academy, they naturally became friends who did things together.

“That’s not enough. At least second place.”

Li Xiushan shook his head and looked at the others around him.

“Don’t you want to take a shower after training and then comfortably attend the evening session?”

The top two institutions had enough time after meals to even go back to their dorms and shower.

But for the bottom two, forget showering—even going to the bathroom was a rushed affair.

He, who was always particular, couldn’t stand this life.

“But reaching the top two is really too hard,” someone muttered.

The War Bureau was well-trained and performed well every time; Tian University was a bit lax, but their average strength was the best, and the S-rank was there too…

Neither of the top two was an easy target.

“There’s still a chance.” A cold glint flashed in Li Xiushan’s eyes.

“This week has been quiet. Next week, there will definitely be a combat-focused assessment. I plan to ally with the Administration Bureau, and together we’ll take down Tian University.”

“But the S-rank is at Tian University too!” someone worried.

In the strong-versus-weak competition, the S-rank showed a league of their own. The S-rank also lasted until the end in today’s assessment.

With such strength and willpower, the S-rank was intimidating.

“S-rank, so what?” Li Xiushan laughed.

“No matter how strong, the S-rank is just one person. The Administration Bureau alone has five times as many people as Tian University.”

“Add us from the Special Higher Academy as the spearhead, and even the S-rank will be drowned.”

Evening training ended at eleven o’clock.

Students from the four institutions left their evening classrooms and marched back to their dorms.

In Room 606 of the First Girls’ Dormitory.

Except for Huang Xiu, everyone else had changed into pajamas and were ready to sleep.

Seeing Huang Xiu carrying a red bucket and heading out, Jia Qianrou sat up in bed.

“Xiuxiu, why do you always not shower right after training, and only go so late after evening training?”

“Uh.” A trace of embarrassment flickered across Huang Xiu’s face.

The public shower stalls had no doors, and she was too shy to shower when there were many people.

“I’m just used to showering at night,” she made up an excuse.

“Showering too late at night increases dampness in the body, which can cause acne, bad skin, and even menstrual cramps!”

Zhong Zimei’s voice came from under the covers.

Hearing the words “menstrual cramps,” Huang Xiu’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked in disbelief, “Cramps? Ah, Zimei, you’re definitely pulling my leg!”

“Really.” Zhong Zimei poked her head out from the covers. “That’s what my dad and mom told me.”

“Is your family into traditional Chinese medicine?” Huang Xiu asked.

“No, my mom likes watching health programs on TV. I remember a so-called ‘old grandma doctor’ saying that.” Zhong Zimei nodded seriously. “Can’t be wrong. Trust me.”

“That old woman you mentioned—is she the one claiming to be both a Miao medicine inheritor and a Mongolian medicine heart-brain specialist?” Huang Xiu asked with a strange expression.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Zhong Zimei said happily. “That’s her. She’s really amazing.”

“She’s a fraud,” Huang Xiu retorted.

“I’m not discussing this with you. I need to go shower, or else it’ll drag on till one o’clock.”

With that, she grabbed her bucket and headed to the public bathroom.

After three days of testing, Huang Xiu had confirmed that after eleven at night, no one else would come to shower.

In the empty public bathroom, Huang Xiu hummed a little tune she’d made up and chose the farthest corner stall.

She took off her clothes, placed her dirty underwear and uniform in the basin.

Then she used the basin to cover the bucket, preventing water from splashing onto the clean clothes inside.

Once everything was ready, Huang Xiu, now in her natural state, turned on the faucet and began to shower.

Taking a shower was a great stress reliever.

Especially after a tiring day, a hot shower was a sheer delight.

Huang Xiu closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting the over-forty-degree water crash down like raindrops on her face.

Her hair got wet, clinging together like willow branches.

Hot water slid down her fair skin, and a faint steam filled the corner of the bathroom.

“La la la.”

Miss Xiu hummed her tune, turned off the faucet, squeezed some shampoo, and started washing her hair.

This was a habit she’d developed since childhood.

Back then, the orphanage was very poor, barely affording water and electricity bills.

So most kids would turn on the water only to rinse, and turn it off when applying soap or shampoo.

She ran her fingers through her hair, scrubbing gently.

Just then, a noise came from not far away—someone pushed open the door and entered the public bathroom.

Huang Xiu’s movements froze instantly, and she stopped humming.

The newcomer seemed to notice the light was on and paused at the door, confused.

Standing there cautiously, they called out, “Anyone here?”

The voice was soft and familiar; Huang Xiu immediately recognized it as Chen Molian.

To answer or not?

A fierce battle raged in Huang Xiu’s mind, and in the end, a sliver of wishful thinking won.

What if Chen Molian had only come to turn off the light because it was left on?

Maybe she’d leave soon.

Things turning out contrary to wishes was perhaps the most eternal truth.

Hearing no response, Chen Molian also breathed a sigh of relief, picked a random stall, and began showering.

Oh no.

Huang Xiu regretted not speaking up earlier, now stuck in this awkward situation.

She didn’t dare move a muscle, naked, listening to the sounds of showering from nearby.

Seeming to enjoy herself, Chen Molian even started singing.

The song had no lyrics, and the language seemed not to be Chinese, but a more syllabic unknown tongue.

The voice was clear and bright, with a slight sharpness.

At the same time, a strange crackling sound, like patting, hid beneath the singing, like drumbeats in the music.

Listening to Chen Molian’s song, Huang Xiu’s mind inexplicably flooded with strange images.

An endless ocean, colorful marine life, a vast city sleeping at the bottom of the sea.

In the city, half-human, half-fish merpeople swam back and forth.

‘Is this the Void Realm of the merfolk?’

Just as she thought this, the singing suddenly softened, changing from clear to melodious.

And it carried an inexplicable seductive power.

The images in her mind changed rapidly, finally turning into one after another indescribable, blood-boiling scenes.

Men and women entwined, passion thick…

Huang Xiu’s face turned scarlet, and a restless feeling she shouldn’t have surged up.

It made her body go weak and numb, filling her with fear.

“Mm…”

A breathy exhalation escaped her, and she forcefully punched the partition board to her right.

Bang!

The dull sound echoed clearly in the empty bathroom, and the seductive song abruptly stopped.

“Who?”

Huang Xiu knew she couldn’t hide any longer. Blushing, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out.

“It’s me!”

She spoke while looking at Chen Molian.

In the shower stall made of two wooden planks.

Chen Molian looked terrified, her left hand covering her chest, her right hand covering her… blue fish tail below.

Tap tap tap…

The showerhead sprayed water, hot water pouring over her body, the fish tail unconsciously slapping the ground.

“Xiujie? What are you doing here?”

Seeing it was Huang Xiu, the fear on Chen Molian’s face vanished, replaced by deep embarrassment and awkwardness.

“…”

Huang Xiu looked away. “You startled me just now—your singing scared me.”

“That was… the merfolk’s charm song.”

Chen Molian blushed. “I’m so sorry.”

“I thought no one was here, so I planned to relax while practicing my Ability Energy. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I was at fault too,” Huang Xiu said, not placing all the blame on Chen Molian. “I should have answered earlier.”