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Chapter 76: I Am Not A Merman (XIII)

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The self-recovery rate of dolphins was indeed impressive. The skin and flesh he lost did not need the assistance of medicines to regrow, healing slowly by itself. It was just that, since the damage was so extensive and physically large, his recovery speed was a bit slow. Furthermore, since he was missing quite a bit of blood, he would frequently show signs of weakness and dizziness.

Currently, the only creature capable of providing Shang Ke blood was Waves. But, the amount of blood needing to be transfused to each time was rather large. To Waves, who was not even a year old, it carried quite a high risk. The medical personnel did not dare to arbitrarily take blood. One dolphin was already seriously injured, if something happened to the other one, the dolphin fans of the world would rebel.

However, Flames has brushed so near to death so many times that the medical personnel finally decided to try using human blood as a substitute. After putting it through all sorts of tests, they discovered that Flames’ blood and human blood were highly compatible. In fact, his blood was very compatible with most mammals, but human blood was the most ideal.

Qin Yuan guessed that it probably had to do with Flames choosing to turn into human.

The medical personnel started to transfuse human blood into Flames after receiving permission from the higher-ups. The human blood donor was Qin Yuan. He did not wish for anyone else’s blood to be flowing through Flames’ body.

At first, they only dared to transfuse small quantities of blood, but after making sure there were no unusual side-effects, they progressively increased the amount.

However, what no one expected was for Flames to uncontrollably shift into human form after receiving a human blood donation. Everyone who watched the transformation process was dumbstruck, most of them not knowing anything about the dolphin gene’s ability to transform.

Flames was a normal dolphin one moment, and the next, he had turned into a young human male. He was entirely naked, and from chest to waist and along his back, large pieces of skin were missing, revealing the flesh below. The red flesh and his surrounding white skin contrasted grotesquely, shocking their vision momentarily.

Shang Ke couldn’t help but moan in pain. The wounds that had started to heal once more bled due to the transformation.

Qin Yuan’s heart contracted and he quickly applied the medical cotton to his injuries. Then he ordered his assistant to explain the situation to the medical personnel, and to prohibit them from speaking about it.

Upon hearing Qin Yuan’s order, Shang Ke fought down the pain and weakly smiled at him, “Publicize the information that the dolphin gene can raise fertility to the world.”

Although the transformation this time was one he was completely unprepared for, since he had transformed already, he would tell Qin Yuan of the decision he had made a long time ago.

Qin Yuan hesitated, then nodded and agreed. Having the World Health Organisation on their side as Flames’ and Waves’ defender would be immeasurably advantageous. Although he could return them to the sea, because they didn’t have a pod to return to, they were in danger of becoming the target of capture for all parties currently in power. And from that point on, it would be harder to keep them safe.

After speaking aloud the decision he made, Shang Ke received notice that the mission was completed. When the mermen were created, the system had not alerted him, the banner only now appearing. This reminded him of a movie where the male main character loved the sea and all marine animals. Later, he met a girl that he fell in love with, but between the sea and the girl, he still chose the former in the end.

He had once told his beloved girl, “When you are submerged in the depths of the sea, the water will no longer seem blue and the sky from before becomes a memory. You are lying there in the silence, determined to die for them, and only then would a mermaid appear. If your love is pure and sincere enough, they will stay together with you, and they will forever carry you away.”

Shang Ke felt that his current situation was very similar to the main character’s, using death in exchange for a new life. The only difference was that he has not been carried away yet.

Relying on his willpower alone, formidable and trained by all sorts of abuse, he stubbornly trudged along and finally completed the additional mission at that moment. Ten years of detain time, as long as he doesn’t purposely court death, he could at least stay in peace for a few years.

“Qin Yuan, am I really ugly right now?” Shang Ke paid attention to his appearance for the first time, possibly ever. Although he had the perfect expression pack, with the extent of his injuries, he couldn’t possibly emit anything other than the beauty of red braised pork, could he?

“You’re not ugly.” In Qin Yuan’s eyes, there was nothing living that was more beautiful than Flames. Especially those sapphire eyes of his, which even when enduring pain from torment, did not lose their luster, instead, becoming more beautiful than ever.

Three days later, Qin Yuan had finished organizing information and would officially announce the important usage of dolphin genes to the public. Not only that, but he would also announce the existence of the merfolk, and according to their constitution, speculate whether they might very well one day become the key to solving humanity’s reproduction problem and persuade everyone to show them enough respect.

Under the premise of revealing the dolphin genes, hiding the mermen was not necessary. He wanted the entire world to participate and complete the research into humanity’s reproduction crisis, as well as make them slowly accept merfolk as a new species and give them their proper right to exist.

In order to reinforce the results, he specially invited the two married couples who had provided sperm and eggs, so that they could see the two different children with their own eyes.

Although the two mermen were very cute, these two couples were still unable to accept them.

Qin Yuan told them, “You two should feel proud and fortunate, because you two are the first humans to have merfolk children, meaning, you are the parents who have brought forth the merfolks. In the future, you and your children will be recorded in history as the start of a new generation.”

Only then did the two couples release the tension in them, not because they might be recorded in history—although that did give them a boost. What was more important was that Qin Yuan made them feel that their children were not a heresy, but a special and new form of life.

The outside world was going rather crazy from the announcement.

Dolphins can raise humanity’s fertility rates? The legendary merfolk were truly created?

Among all the information, the part that was most shocking was no doubt about the dolphin’s ability to transform into other organisms.

No wonder Dipson had to get his hands on Flames, no matter what methods he used. Flames’ appearance was enough to change the history of humanity. He was not only the key to resolving humanity’s fertility problem, but he was also the one who gave rise to merfolks.

After the information was announced, the intelligent and cute dolphin in people’s mind turned into a legendary existence in a single night.

However, this ‘legend’ was currently still fighting a battle against pain, so everyone’s passion somewhat cooled due to his unstable situation.

Only then did they remember that Flames was injured by human research. As such, someone started to call into question Qin Yuan’s decision to announce it to the world, if it would only bring Flames even more severe injuries. Everyone universally believed that live experimentation was a heartless action. They thought it was something that humans invented in the name of exploring things in their natural state, and was a cruelty to carry out on any organism.

Dipson was the model example. The things he did to Flames raised people’s hackles. Nobody could comprehend his extreme actions. He could have used gentler methods to slowly further his research, but he just had to walk down the road he did and the result was that he didn’t get anything good.

“This Dipson’s IQ must be faulty.” Someone online mocked.

His judgment quickly obtained several million people’s approval.

Despite all the disapproving voices online, everyone understood the significance of the dolphin gene to humans. There was no way the research could be stopped. They only wished that they would treat the dolphin well, and not like a dead object to hurt without regard.

The information that Flames could turn into a human was temporarily placed on hold from announcing. Qin Yuan told the public that dolphins have the ability to change into other organisms, but he did not display the process of their transformation. Even with millions of people thinking about it, no one considered the possibility that dolphins could turn into humans.

Not long afterwards, Dipson was caught near the border of an underground factory, the one who caught him being a smuggler. It was clear to what extent of the population he had angered.

Dipson was quickly sent into Qin Yuan. Although he was battered and exhausted, he was just as arrogant as before.

“Qin Yuan, with your methods, there will simply never be any short term results!” He spat arrogantly, “As of now, I have the most comprehensive research results out there. If you are willing to support my research, then I will share the results with you.”

Qin Yuan coldly stared at him without a word in return.

The surrounding people gazed at him pitifully.

But Dipson did not notice them, and continued, “Qin yuan, if you cooperate with me, I guarantee you won’t regret it. The dolphin gene’s potential is really too great, it’s not as simple as just raising fertility.”

“I have no interest in that. All I want is to tear you apart from limb to limb. That is all.” Qin Yuan’s tone was very calm, as if he was just remarking on how he disliked being vegetarian. 

Dipson did not sense the killing intent in Qin Yuan’s words, still babbling on and promoting his research in an attempt to persuade Qin Yuan to cooperate with him. It lasted until Qin Yuan had him shackled to the operating table and he finally realized the dire situation he was in.

“What do you want to do? I am the top expert in the country’s research institute, you don’t have the qualifications to punish me!” Dipson angrily shouted.

Qin Yuan picked up a sharp dagger, his finger lightly streaking across the blade. The reflected silver light that seemed to make his cold expression even colder.

Dipson finally felt afraid at seeing that, he trembled as he spoke, “You can let me go and I will be willing to give all of my research results to you.”

Qin Yuan gestured at his neck area with the dagger a few times.

Dipson’s eyeballs continued to look down at it, fearing that Qin Yuan would directly land a slice on him.

After a good while, he clenched his teeth and spoke, “Fine, I will let you have a look at the results of my experiments right now!”

Qin Yuan paused and confusion flashed through his eyes. Then, his pupils contracted as he watched in mild amazement at what was happening.

He watched as yellow silk fog started to emerge from Dipson’s body, layers twisting around him until he was completely wrapped up.

Although the color of the silk fog was different, Qin Yuan knew what was going on. Dipson was undergoing the same species change as Flames.

What genuinely surprised Qin Yuan was that Dipson was actually crazy enough to directly experiment on his own body.

He didn’t know how much time passed before the silk fog slowly evaporated. By the time vision was clear, Qin Yuan was furious to find that the person who was originally shackled to the operation table was gone without a trace!

Qin Yuan’s expression abruptly changed and he loudly ordered, “Block all exits and run a full scan of the laboratory. Don’t let anything living out!”

A jumble of footsteps sounded as everyone started to search the place.

No one noticed that a cuttlefish-shaped organism had slipped into a pipeline and made its way out of the laboratory through the groundwater channel, vomiting bloody mist as it quickly fled for the waters outside.

His entire body turned dark red and grew far larger than a normal cuttlefish. The eight tentacles lengthened and moved with ease, with two of the front tentacles each growing five fingers. The truly horrifying portion was his head, where a twisted human face protruded in place of an eye, his two eyes flickering a cruel. green light… 

【Additional Mission 2: Prevent Dipson from spreading the mutated gene.】

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