ISWTDB Ch121.1

Chapter 121.1: The Interstellar Mermaid (4, 5, 6)

As if enchanted, Cecil leaned in and gently sucked on Ying Zhao’s lips. It was just as sweet as he remembered, with a taste of happiness that made Cecil’s heart race uncontrollably.

Ying Zhao, smiling, cooperated by opening his mouth, allowing his lover to take the lead, feeling the gentle conquest of his man.

The passionate kiss lasted a long time. Mermaids can breathe through their gills, so it was Ying Zhao who ran out of breath first.

He leaned against Cecil without hesitation, teasing, “If you keep this up, I’ll start to think you’re getting back at me for kissing you unconscious the first time we met!”

Remembering that moment, Cecil blushed in embarrassment, but his heart was filled with sweetness. He could feel that the person beside him genuinely liked him.

“Sweet Cecil, I love how passionate and forward you are. But you need to take care of your health first. I don’t want to take advantage of a sick man!” Ying Zhao’s eyes were full of affection as he gazed gently at his lover, savoring the warmth of their embrace.

Cecil understood the unspoken message in Ying Zhao’s words and blushed, but he felt a sense of joy. He didn’t feel that their embrace was any different from the usual behavior between mermaids and their partners. He tightened his arms around Ying Zhao, satisfied, and gently nodded.

“Cecil…” Ying Zhao nuzzled Cecil’s nose but refrained from kissing him again. Although he loved being close to his partner, Ying Zhao knew that Cecil’s health was poor, and restoring it took priority.

Standing up, Ying Zhao left the pool and returned with a variety of nutrient fluids and some recovery medicines.

He seriously instructed Cecil, “These were prescribed by the doctor to help you recover quickly.”

“Since your body isn’t in great shape, drinking nutrient fluids will help you absorb nutrients better. I chose various flavors, not sure which one you’d like.”

“And because of your health, you’ll need to stay in this nutrient-filled pool for a while. Once you’re better, I’ll replace it with seawater.”

“I’ve taken a month off from the military. After all, my mermaid isn’t well, and I have to take care of him myself. This way, I can be with you every day until you’re fully recovered.”

Ying Zhao busied himself with various tasks, fussing over the little details. Cecil’s eyes followed him everywhere, his heart overflowing with happiness.

After a while, Ying Zhao returned to Cecil, holding his hand and apologetically saying, “I’m sorry, Cecil. Once you’re better, I’ll prepare a feast for you and won’t make you drink nutrient fluids anymore.”

“I’ve also spoken to my adjutant. We’re going to expand the house and build a large pool outside for you. We’ll divert seawater so you can swim as much as you like.”

At this, Ying Zhao smacked his forehead in frustration and said, “Oh right! I need to have more mermaid-related equipment built to make your life easier. I forgot to tell the workers earlier, but I’ll go do that now! So, my dear, please be patient for a little while, okay?”

As he spoke, he gently kissed Cecil’s forehead. Cecil pursed his lips, thinking, How could this be considered enduring?

After so many years, no one had ever treated him this way, holding him in the palm of their hand, giving him so much care and tenderness.

Yet for some reason, his eyes felt a sting of sourness. This kind of happiness, Cecil had never even dared to dream of.

But now, it seemed to truly belong to him. Everything felt like a dream, and he was so afraid that if he fell asleep, he’d wake to find the dream gone.

“Cecil, Cecil!” Ying Zhao softly called his lover’s name, sensing his unease. He quickly kissed the corner of Cecil’s mouth and rested his head gently on Cecil’s shoulder, murmuring, “I like you so much, really like you so much.”

Cecil’s eyes reddened, and he couldn’t hold back from asking the question he had always buried deep in his heart. “Why are you so good to me? Why me?”

Why choose someone like me, when there are so many better mermaid?

Hearing this, Ying Zhao raised his hand to gently stroke Cecil’s hair. Then, cupping Cecil’s face, he made sure Cecil looked directly into his eyes and said sincerely, “Don’t overthink, Cecil. I love you! You may feel like we’ve only just met and don’t believe I could love you so quickly, but maybe it’s because of our past life. Maybe we were already in love in our past life, and when I dreamed that you were in danger, I came to find you. But I’m sorry—I found you so late! Cecil, can you forgive me?”

Forgive me for coming into your life so late.

Cecil took a deep breath, fighting back the tears in his eyes, and tightly embraced Ying Zhao. At a time when there was no light in his life, Ying Zhao had come to his side.

It was as if a ray of sunlight had pierced through his life, giving him hope for happiness and a future. So maybe he could try to believe that he had truly found the happiness meant for him.

But if one day, Ying Zhao no longer wanted to be with him, no longer loved him… Cecil thought he might go mad. No matter what, this man had already become someone he couldn’t let go of.

Under Ying Zhao’s careful care, Cecil recovered quickly. In less than half a month, he no longer looked as thin and frail as when they first met.

The medicines Ying Zhao gave Cecil were the best, so the wounds on Cecil’s body had mostly healed as well. Just two days after bringing him back, Ying Zhao had already completed the paperwork for Cecil’s guardianship. As for the partner registration, that process would take a bit more time to complete.

Knowing that he was now completely free from the research institute and belonged to Ying Zhao filled Cecil with immense joy, and he even kissed Ying Zhao of his own accord.

Ying Zhao could feel the love in Cecil’s eyes when he looked at him, and Cecil enjoyed being close to him.

However, perhaps due to his past environment, Cecil cherished their time together so much that he was careful not to be too bold in front of Ying Zhao.

So whenever Cecil initiated affection, it made Ying Zhao feel happy. When Cecil kissed his lips, Ying Zhao returned the kiss deeply. Even though he would end up breathless, Ying Zhao still felt utterly content.

As the days passed, the two of them grew even closer. Watching his lover’s health improve day by day, Ying Zhao felt relieved but also worried.

After all, when he had read the original story, Ying Zhao had clearly seen that Cecil died two years after being with the original owner.

Although their relationship had started a year earlier due to Ying Zhao’s time-traveling, he didn’t want his time with Cecil to be so short.

In this interstellar era, the average lifespan of a human could reach 200 years. Mermaids, though their lifespan was shorter, could still live up to 150 years.

For someone like Cecil to die at 35 was clearly not normal. So Ying Zhao was deeply concerned that his lover might have some hidden health issues.

He specifically had his system, Xiao Bai, run a diagnostic, and the result was surprising: while Cecil’s tail fin was somewhat damaged, his bloodline was incredibly noble.

In fact, the reason Cecil looked the way he did was because he wasn’t an ordinary mermaid. Cecil was the last known deep-sea mermaid in the world.

Years ago, researchers discovered several mermaid eggs in the sea, and after expanding their search, they found, further away, a black mermaid egg with many white cracks.

The researchers had never seen a black mermaid egg before, and they thought it was likely deformed. The cracks suggested it was damaged and might not hatch successfully.

But since mermaids were so precious, the egg was still brought back to the research institute, where they decided to hatch all the eggs, including the damaged one.

Most of the eggs hatched into beautiful, soft natural mermaids, except for the black egg, which hatched into Cecil—a mermaid with a defective tail and an ugly appearance.

Not only was his tail pitch black, but his teeth and claws were sharp, and even his face had markings, shocking the researchers. However, because mermaids were so rare and valuable, they still raised Cecil.

What they didn’t know was that deep-sea mermaids naturally looked this way. They carried ancestral genes, which gave them sharp claws and teeth, and their tails were mostly dark in color.

In fact, the darker the tail, the more noble the bloodline. As for the dark red hair and eyes, those were traits unique to the rulers of deep-sea mermaids.

Deep-sea mermaids had strong bodies, unlike the fragile natural mermaids. But they matured late—over 30 years old—unlike natural mermaids, who reached adulthood at 16.

After hearing Xiao Bai’s explanation, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but wonder: if his lover was so powerful, why had he died young, and why had he ended up in such a terrible situation?

Xiao Bai pieced together some fragmented data from this world and concluded that deep-sea mermaids had a little-known trait—they were a species of romantic legend.

Upon reaching adulthood, deep-sea mermaids must quickly find their soulmate. After bonding with their partner, their entire body will be reshaped. So, before finding their true love, their bodies are only slightly better than natural mermaids, not considered particularly strong.

However, once they have bonded with their soulmate, they unlock inherited memories, gaining not only vast knowledge but also a physical strength far beyond that of humans, reaching a level comparable to the highest 3S-tier human constitution.

As for the rulers among deep-sea mermaids, after their bodies are reshaped, they can even command the winds, summon rain, and control the ocean. These are the true kings of the sea.

But if they fail to find their soulmate within five years of reaching adulthood, their life force will gradually wither, and eventually they will die.

This is one of the reasons why deep-sea mermaid have become fewer and fewer, even vanishing from the world. People no longer even know such a species once existed.

Whether the remaining deep-sea mermaid have truly disappeared or are hiding in the depths of the ocean remains unknown.

Upon learning this truth, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. It seems that no matter which world his lover is in, they are always extraordinary. He wonders what expressions those who judge by appearances would have if they learned that his lover is a king of the deep-sea mermaid.

In the original timeline, although Cecil had been with the original owner, Ying Xiao, they did not love each other and did not bond. Therefore, for Cecil, it did not count as finding his true love, which explains why he left this world when he turned thirty-five.

But now, Ying Zhao’s lover is already with him, so he should be able to escape the fate of an early death.

As for bonding with the one he loves, Ying Zhao didn’t find it difficult. As long as his man’s body recovered a bit more, he would naturally satisfy any desire his lover had.

What delighted Ying Zhao the most was learning from Xiao Bai that after a deep-sea mermaid awakens, their tail can transform into human legs.

Once fully awakened, their lifespan can reach two hundred years, comparable to the average lifespan of interstellar humans. This means they can be together for even longer.

With this thought, a surge of joy filled Ying Zhao’s heart. Without realizing it, he grasped Cecil’s hand, their fingers interlocking as they leaned against each other. Ying Zhao leaned down, intending to kiss his lover on the lips.

At the mere touch of Ying Zhao, half of Cecil’s body went numb. He found himself increasingly unable to resist the other’s approach.

This person was simply the sweetest poison in the world, addictive. Their faces grew closer, and just as the atmosphere was becoming perfect, Ying Zhao’s communicator suddenly rang.

Ying Zhao frowned unhappily, glancing at Cecil beside him, who also looked disappointed. He had no choice but to handle the call.

After all, he had already informed the military that he had important matters to attend to and should not be disturbed for the time being. So the person calling must either have an urgent issue or hold a very high position.

Sure enough, when he checked the caller’s ID, it was none other than the original owner’s father, the current marshal of the empire—Ying Xiaolin.

Ying Zhao only knew from the original owner’s memory that his father was a very strict and serious military man. Beyond that, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.

Ying Xiao’s mermaid mother died in childbirth, and Ying Xiaolin never remarried. As a result, father and son had always depended on each other, though their relationship was not particularly close.

Ying Xiaolin had fulfilled his duties as a father, but due to his rigid personality, he rarely showed warmth, which made their interactions rather impersonal.

From a young age, Ying Xiaolin had instilled in the original owner the importance of defending the nation and fighting for the glory of the Ying family, which had been passed down through generations.

Because of this, even though the original owner had no interest in mermaids and was inherently soft-hearted, he had to maintain a cold and stern demeanor in front of others, unable to truly be himself.

Now, however, Ying Zhao was more concerned about the fact that Ying Xiaolin was the original owner’s only child. Ying Zhao knew that if he wanted to be with his lover, he would first have to pass the marshal’s approval.

After all, if he bonded with Cecil, they would not have any offspring in the future. Ying Zhao was certain that the marshal had already received this news from the research institute. He wondered what his father’s purpose for this communication might be.

Ying Zhao knew he couldn’t back down on this issue. Glancing at Cecil beside him, he decisively answered the call.