Shu Tang has always had a unique aura of cannon fodder about her, easily leading those around her to envision her as the kind of disposable character who dies in the first episode of a horror story.
People warned her that the haunted house was dangerous and advised her not to go, but like typical cannon fodder, she responded, “What? A discount of 20 yuan? I’ll pack up and move in right away!”
Everyone told her to run away from the ghost, but as cannon fodder, she said, “What? Don’t run? I’d rather lie down and have a nice sleep.”
Such disregard for others’ warnings usually leads cannon fodder characters to their demise in the very first episode, often referred to as just setting the mood.
But now, the mood-setter, oblivious and out of touch till now, finally has to face reality.
The Scallop Symposium begins.
Shu Tang attentively listened to the reports of 17 scallops:
Among them, five scallops were heavy weapons experts, proficient in submarines, fighter jets, and armored vehicles, speaking with authority;
Another five were specialists in new materials, discussing high-density defensive materials and crafting all-around protective “turtle shells”;
The remaining seven scallops were even more brilliant, discussing the projection of drugs into the air and the inclusion of medication in marine animal feed, aiming for an ecological cycle.
Out of a 300-page report, 280 pages were dedicated to how to approach Subject 001, and only the last 20 pages discussed the illness.
Shu Tang, the mood-setter, belatedly realized that there seemed to be some discrepancies in her understanding.
In Shu Tang’s eyes, although Little Rose was a bit strong, she was very introverted and good-looking. Shu Tang always viewed her as a mermaid princess.
—This view was nowhere near the concept of a “monster in the forbidden land.”
So, despite some suspicions, she didn’t quite believe it.
That was until Shu Tang saw a video of Little Rose tearing apart a probe ship with her bare hands.
She started to feel uneasy.
She couldn’t help but look around nervously.
Nervously, she asked Scallop 17 beside her, “This is fake, right?”
Scallop 17 glanced at her, seemingly surprised that someone still out of the loop had made it into the core group.
Scallop 17 advised her to speak less and do more, not to overreact.
Shu Tang continued to listen carefully to everyone’s discussion, as words like “forbidden land” and “Subject 001” flooded into her ears, and her last bit of doubt was confirmed.
Shu Tang was not very brave; she just possessed a unique cannon fodder quality, which mostly kept her living in her own world, with her own set of logic.
But at the end of the day, she is just an ordinary person.
She was born in a safe area and had no special experiences in her previous life. Suddenly, she found herself living in close quarters with such a terrifying entity for so long—
To put it metaphorically:
Imagine a zombie virus outbreak.
Every day, Shu Tang, walking home, encounters a group of zombie colleagues.
Shu Tang thinks to herself, “Ah, another group of drained office drones.”
Then she seamlessly blends into the zombie crowd, skiving off unnoticed.
Until one day, she realizes that they are not just metaphorical zombies; they are real zombies, and she’s the only living person.
As the last person on Earth to know the truth.
Shu Tang looks around nervously, very frightened.
Others might look for ways to escape and scram immediately.
But Shu Tang would be scared while still skiving off.
Then gradually, she feels pretty good mingling with the zombie crowd—no need to clock in at work, no need for pointless social interactions with silent colleagues, improving relations considerably.
She decides to just lie down and accept her fate.
Above is Shu Tang’s entire mental journey after discovering the truth.
Shu Tang should have immediately found Chen Sheng to resign and flee for her life.
But after being scared for a while, she quickly establishes an equation:
Monster = Little Rose = Tuna God = Scallop Opener = Automatic Walking Machine = Fish Tail Nice to Touch
The cat then relaxed.
Her attitude wasn’t completely unchanged.
At least now, she nervously thinks: If Little Rose’s fish is undercooked in the future, she might as well bear with it and stop nitpicking.
And that fierce fish tail, would a soft brush not be suitable? Should she switch to a stainless steel brush?
No one knows Shu Tang’s complex psychological activities. The symposium of 17 scallops continues.
By the time Shu Tang finally accepts reality, she snaps back to her senses and looks up to see the video from the day the mermaid’s psychic powers erupted.
Shu Tang sees the panicked fleeing crowd; the torn cages; the myriad defenses; the monster in the Bastille, looking up with those pitch-black eyes.
Fierce and terrifying.
A very impactful scene.
If Shu Tang still couldn’t connect mermaids and various forbidden legends before seeing this scene, then the screams of the crowd dispersing brought her back to reality completely.
However, when Shu Tang was confronted with the icy cold truth, her initial reaction wasn’t real fear: it was her inner self, hiding in the dark corners, truly the embodiment of the “monster” in the forbidden area.
She stared at the screen, at the small blue umbrella the monster never let go of.
She knew how the small blue umbrella was broken.
Therapists analyzed the monster’s mental state on the screen, pronouncing with a cold and serious tone:
“Subject 001 has strong aggression, including a tendency to initiate attacks, judging from the wavelengths of the mental energy surge…”
“Weapons starting with M22 are no longer effective against him; if there is a next time…”
“He has positioned himself in opposition to the human race, and while we focus on treatment, we must not forget that prevention is our top priority…”
Her ears were filled with these chaotic sounds.
She wanted to say: That day, little Rose was just going to meet her, merely waiting with an umbrella, not intending to attack anyone;
She wanted to say that little Rose couldn’t understand many words and was very sensitive, and if everyone pointed their weapons at him first, showing hostility, it was impossible for him not to fight back;
She wanted to say that the little Rose in the video, besides walking forward, harmed no one.
…
But when Shu Tang opened her mouth, she realized her voice was too soft; the bustling noise of the large conference room drowned her out as soon as she spoke.
In their eyes, he was a monster that underwent a terrible mutation, naturally peculiar and terrifying.
“He” lived in the abandoned forbidden area, rejecting the outside world with coldness, yet possessing a formidable power that threatened everyone’s survival, like a sinister “monster” in the darkness.
People reluctantly tried to rescue “him,” yet harbored deep-seated prejudices.
…
Sitting in a corner of the conference room, Shu Tang found herself inappropriately recalling the embrace from that morning.
When she embraced “him,” even though his body temperature was so cold, she felt very grounded and secure, which uplifted her mood for the entire day.
Now, everyone spoke of “his” existence with fear, analyzing him as if he were a peculiar monster, a dangerous weapon prone to accidental discharge.
They even exercised rich imagination, speculating about “his” motives.
At this meeting, Shu Tang heard about a malevolent monster, harboring animosity towards humans and continuously evolving.
Shu Tang had a lot to say.
But when she gathered the courage to stand up and rebut, the meeting ended.
She didn’t even get a chance to speak.
17 therapists left the conference room in groups.
With a “thud,” the door closed.
She sat in the conference room, lost in thought for a long time.
Just yesterday, Shu Tang felt a bit anxious.
She realized that Little Rose was no longer the pitiful child in need of her help, nor was she Little Rose’s only therapist anymore.
She had found a pitiable creature and wanted to secretly claim it as her own.
Suddenly, she discovered that many people were looking after “him,” caring for “him,” and in great numbers.
Shu Tang was no longer the only person Little Rose could rely on.
This made the little cat hesitate, wary and uneasy.
Subconsciously, she wanted to fit in among those 17 scallops, to prove that she was still reliable.
Thus, from the moment she was added to the work group, she showed a renewed passion, engaging with colleagues, diligently writing reports, wanting to perform well and gain insights at the report meetings.
But when the meeting ended, she suddenly realized that things were not as she had imagined.
The monster in the forbidden zone was indeed the center of attention, but that didn’t seem like concern.
Everyone described her pitiable creature as a monster with three heads and six arms.
She felt bewildered and wanted to subconsciously argue against it.
But it was like shouting into the abyss, wanting to tell the world that the “monster” was not so bad after all; “he” could open scallops very quickly, catch fish, and lead her to the Sea of Tears, being the best fish in the world.
But her voice vanished before it could emerge, disappearing into the dark void.
…
She stood up, packed her things, and walked outside.
By then, it was already very late.
Shu Tang was supposed to go back to the dormitory with Old Wu. Colonel Chen had arranged a dormitory for her among the therapists, which would definitely make it easier for Shu Tang to integrate.
However, probably due to the disagreement in the meeting, Shu Tang suddenly lost interest in integrating into the new work collective.
Shu Tang stood at the door for a while, then asked Old Wu to take her to the nearby market.
When Old Wu drove a car over, Shu Tang felt unsurprised.
She had come to understand that Old Wu might not just be an “assistant.”
All of this was a bit world-shattering for Shu Tang.
In the span of one day, Zone 01 had become a forbidden zone, Little Rose had turned into a monster, the assistant seemed not so simple, and even the sudden job confirmation opportunity didn’t seem to be due to good luck.
For an ordinary person, the impact was indeed significant.
But Shu Tang had an indestructible logic that could assimilate everything into her own framework; she was just momentarily bewildered in the car, then quickly digested everything.
It is well known that cats are like fierce tigers.
And little rose, strong as it may be, is still part of the rose family.
Shu Tang was still determined to visit the restricted area to see the little rose. She followed her plan and went to the market to buy rock sugar and red dates, and carefully selected a particularly tasty looking old hen with Old Wu.
In the logic of a feline traditional Chinese medicine practitioner: how does being a “monster” change anything? A pale face simply indicates a deficiency in qi and blood and needs to be replenished.
…
Inside the Bastille surrounded by blue roses.
The monster thought Shu Tang wouldn’t show up today.
Maybe for a day, or two days.
Maybe for a few months, or years.
But the monster in the restricted area seemed very calm.
After nightfall, the monster returned to its lair.
Just as it was about to close its eyes and sleep—
It heard a knock at the door.
The monster was quiet for a while.
It heard Shu Tang’s voice:
“Little rose, open the door, it’s raining outside!”
The mermaid’s pale lips parted slightly, stunned for a while.
When the door opened, a drenched cat was seen.
She was carrying big and small bags, and also holding a lively chicken in her arms.
The umbrella had tilted to one side during the struggle with the chicken.
The rain had soaked her completely, making her look somewhat comical.
The mermaid lifted the drenched cat inside.
Most of the time, this monster was easy to talk to. But there were exceptions: for example, if Shu Tang hurt herself or did something dangerous, the monster would lift her up and bring her back, becoming very fierce and serious.
The monster had never cared for such a light, fragile creature before, and it was very worried that Shu Tang might accidentally die. Especially after Shu Tang told the mermaid about what it means to catch a cold and get sick, in the mermaid’s eyes, a strong wind or a heavy rain could easily claim Shu Tang’s life.
So, when the mermaid saw the drenched cat, its dark pupils noticed her soaked body, and its gaze immediately became terrifying. Even the atmosphere changed, like a storm hidden beneath a calm sea.
Shu Tang immediately remembered how she had tricked the mermaid last time: she lied that getting rained on could cause a cold and lead to death—now, she herself had come back in the rain, and she immediately became anxious.
But for some reason, the mermaid didn’t lift her up and scold her, not even angrily.
—Perhaps worried that Shu Tang would be scared of him, the mermaid simply lifted Shu Tang onto a stool and then silently turned and walked away.
His silhouette seemed to suppress some anger.
“He” made a fire in the corner and then lifted her to dry beside the fire.
Shu Tang dared not tell the mermaid that she had lied to “him” last time, and she was somewhat apprehensive about “him,” which made her worried for a while.
Throughout the process, the mermaid remained silent, just staring at her with pitch-black eyes, his pale lips tightly pressed, and his jawline tense.
He looked very angry, but for some reason, he did not scold her as usual.
Even after giving her a piercing look for a while, he said nothing and simply turned to add more wood to the fire.
This monster from the deep sea seemed somewhat helpless at this moment.
Suddenly, Shu Tang felt very intrigued.
She stared at the mermaid, watching over and over.
Actually, before leaving the forbidden area, Shu Tang had already felt this strange atmosphere.
A helpless indulgence.
—
It was probably since Shu Tang finished that bedtime story and began to realize something.
This monster did not want to show its ferocity, to frighten and repel her, so it chose boundless tolerance: no longer contradicting her, even turning a blind eye to some of her bad habits, and obediently following her words.
Returning to this Bastille, Shu Tang was initially a bit nervous.
But now, that nervousness had all vanished.
She felt the other’s boundless indulgence, and immediately forgot that little bit of fear and anxiety.
Cats are very curious animals, especially fond of bouncing on the edge of danger. Taking a step back would make the cat’s eyes in the dark light up, and then it would dart forward several meters.
Thus, the cat did not hold back amidst the other’s concessions, but decided to do something even more dangerous.
She approached the mermaid.
He remained silent, did not dodge, just looked down at her for a moment.
Shu Tang reached out and touched the mermaid’s cheek.
The mermaid still silently looked at her.
Then, Shu Tang slowly moved her hand to the fin behind his ear, which she had long stared at but never touched because she was afraid of the mermaid scolding her.
The deep-sea monster’s body stiffened.
The fin behind the ear involuntarily wanted to open and erect its sharp curve.
But with great willpower, the mermaid forcefully restrained this impulse.
Clearly, this restrained instinctive behavior made the mermaid’s muscles tense all over his body, and his gaze became very dangerous.
“He” stiffly lowered his eyes, his pitch-black eyes staring fixedly at her.
However, the mermaid did not resist, nor did he make any moves.
He even allowed her to touch his ear fins.
She curiously touched and touched again, feeling that the texture was somewhat similar to the tail fin of a fish, cool to the touch and very comfortable.
The audacious little cat continued to touch for a long time.
She was completely unaware of the tension in his muscles, the prominent veins under the fins, suppressed and ready to burst.
Reluctantly, she let go of her hold and was about to step back when—
The monster, which had been silent and seemingly tame all evening, moved.
She was like a kitten caught by the back of the neck, effortlessly swept into the mermaid’s embrace without any resistance.
Shu Tang tried to struggle but was pinned down by a firm hand and could not move.
And he remained silent.
It was extremely dangerous to get close to such a deep-sea creature, as both its size and explosive power naturally exerted a dominating pressure.
She realized it too late and became slightly afraid.
So she whispered, “Little Rose, what are you doing?”
The mermaid did not respond but simply looked down, slowly scrutinizing the overly presumptuous kitten of the night.
Shu Tang felt a chill down her spine under his gaze.
Especially with her whole body pressed against the mermaid’s chest, his heavy breathing at her back.
Perhaps it was the pheromones, but her heartbeat quickened.
She dared not meet his eyes.
He saw Shu Tang obediently sitting still, not daring to move.
It was as if he had finally tortured her enough with his gaze.
He then slowly shifted his gaze away.
Shu Tang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, a towel was draped over her.
The mermaid bowed his head and held her.
Clumsily, he began to wipe her hair.
To touch her, the mermaid had practiced for a long time. He started with rocks, then seashells, and finally a rubber duck. After making sure he wouldn’t crush the rubber duck, the mermaid gradually learned how much force to use.
The kitten was nervous at first as he wiped her hair, holding her in his arms. She already knew how terrifying the mermaid’s strength could be.
Moreover, their closeness made her uncomfortable. She always tried to look away and attempted to escape whenever she felt the urge, but each time, she was firmly held down by his hand and could not move.
But soon, there was nothing left to complain about.
Although the clumsy monster occasionally hurt her hair accidentally, the mermaid quickly mastered the technique, and no longer pulled at her long hair with his gaze lowered.
Thus, she gradually relaxed, tilting her head back to let the monster dry her hair.
Suddenly, she called out, “Little Rose,” and the tall mermaid stopped, looking down at her,
Seemingly with a slight frown.
It seemed to ask: Did I hurt you?
But it hadn’t. The kitten just called out to him once, then settled back into silence. For the time following, it remained quiet, constantly gazing up in admiration at the smooth jawline and Adam’s apple of “him.”
…
You are so kind.
But in the whole world, only I know.