Shapeshifters

Then the scene shifted, presenting a sight seen only in fairy tales. Under the protection of the merpeople, Su Ying seemed to be sitting in a transparent submarine, and after an unknown distance, she finally arrived at the dwelling place of the merpeople. The architecture of the merpeople resembled gigantic shells or had giant tentacles like sea anemones; against the backdrop of seaweed, it was colorful and extremely splendid. I believe that even the most beautiful coral reefs known to humans could not compare to a fraction of what was before my eyes. While introducing the place to Su Ying, the merpeople also told her some interesting anecdotes about the ocean. Occasionally, curious fish swam by. Finally, I heard Su Ying’s silver bell-like laughter. I thought, seeing such a scene would dispel any worries, let alone for Su Ying, who was still a child at the time. The merpeople also seemed particularly happy, taking Su Ying on a tour around the sea. “All this is real, definitely not her imagination.” Perhaps because the scene was too beautiful, Lu Yun couldn’t help but whisper in my ear. “Don’t ruin the atmosphere!” I was still somewhat annoyed at Lu Yun for not helping earlier. After traveling in the sea for quite a while, judging from the number of times the light shifted from bright to dark and back, I was sure it had been over a week. The merpeople provided Su Ying with many foods she had never seen before; some were sweet, coral-like things, others were small fish. Of course, the merpeople couldn’t cook in the sea, but these fish tasted just as good raw as they would cooked. Although I wouldn’t get hungry, I could still feel a bit of the sensation. Now I understand, I could only feel what Su Ying’s memory retained. On a clear day, the merpeople brought Su Ying to a deserted beach. Upon hearing she had to part ways, Su Ying couldn’t help but cry. The merpeople quickly comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, I will always protect you.” The words were said so gently that even I was moved. The voice was so sincere, it naturally instilled trust. “But…” Little Su Ying sobbed. “You have to go home eventually. Your parents should be fine now, if you don’t go back soon, they’ll worry, thinking you might never return.” Su Ying seemed convinced but still cried incessantly. “I’m scared…” “No need to be scared, I promise you, I will always protect you and not let anyone bully you.” “Really? Then… then come back with me,” Su Ying smiled through her tears, innocently. “I can’t, I’m a merperson, I can’t go back with you.” “You’re lying! I don’t want to go back!” Su Ying cried out in urgency. “Don’t cry, I’m not lying to you. Let me tell you a secret, merpeople can turn into humans. There’s a legend about a place where merpeople can become human. Though the location has been lost, I believe I can find it. I’ll go find it right away and then come to protect you. You go home first, wait for me, I will keep my promise.” In the end, little Su Ying was found by the beach patrol and rescued, and the memory ended there. I opened my eyes to find myself back where I started, as if I had just woken from a dream. Lu Yun was smiling at me, while Su Ying was still unconscious. “The root of her psychological issue has been found,” Lu Yun laughed, “Because she was too frightened after the shipwreck as a child, and the subsequent experiences were so bizarre, her brain took normal protective measures, what’s called the ‘drawer phenomenon,’ temporarily sealing the memory, but it still occasionally surfaced in her subconscious, causing memory confusion, which is quite normal.” Lu Yun told me, “I tried to sort through her memories again, and now she’s fine.” After a while, Su Ying woke up, tears still on her face, but her smile was the brightest I had ever seen on her. “That feeling was truly unique, wonderful,” she said to Lu Yun, “Thank you for letting me relive those memories.” Her voice was very gentle. “You did remember some of it before, didn’t you? About those memories?” I asked. “Yes. I often see them in dreams, sometimes when swimming or bathing, fragments would come to mind, but never as complete as this. Now, I’ve clearly remembered it all.” Her hands were quietly placed on her knees, no longer fidgeting with her hair, her face calm and content, her gaze very determined. “Do you remember everything now?” “Yes.” “Looks like the whole matter has come to a conclusion.” I steadied myself, stood up, and glanced at Lu Yun. The magician appeared again (5) “What?” Su Ying asked, puzzled. “Though some details are still unclear, it’s safe to say the whole thing is indeed related to the merpeople. And the ruins of Zhidan Garden, I’m almost certain it’s the place the merperson who saved you mentioned, where merpeople can turn into humans.” I couldn’t help but get excited, my voice trembling. I had finally uncovered the truth of the event, which had been hidden in Su Ying’s mind all along. “I knew it, it must be!” Su Ying clenched her fists excitedly, and I heard her murmur as if to herself, “He must have come, I knew he would.” I think she was referring to that mysterious merperson. “So, what do we do next?” Lu Yun asked. She had done what I asked her to do, but she was evidently intrigued by the matter. “Well…” I looked at Su Ying, unsure of what to say. I hadn’t expected to find the answer in Su Ying so quickly, but should we really help her find the merperson? I pondered for a moment when suddenly the doorbell rang. Su Ying, as I knew her, wasn’t very sociable, usually without even a phone call, so who could be visiting her now? Su Ying herself seemed puzzled as she went to open the door. “Hi, Su Ying, long time no see!” The voice was familiar, could it be… Oh no! My heart sank, realizing the trouble. Standing at the door was Shui Sheng, holding a bag of something, and behind her was a stranger, a middle-aged man. It was all because I had been preoccupied with the archaeological matters of Zhidan Garden these past few days, and one strange event after another, I had almost forgotten that I was just temporarily renting Shui Sheng’s house. Now, wouldn’t I be homeless again?
Shu Sheng peeked out, saw me here as well, and was utterly astonished. He asked, “Nado, how come… you’re here too?” I felt somewhat embarrassed and before I could answer, Lu Yun suddenly rushed forward from the side, pulling Su Ying behind him, his face pale with anger, and sternly demanded, “What are you?” The intimidating aura emanating from Lu Yun sent a shiver down my spine. Shu Sheng’s expression also changed, but he feigned ignorance, exchanged a glance with the middle-aged man, and then asked Lu Yun, “What… are you talking about?” Lu Yun raised a hand, his fingers quickly forming another mysterious hand sign, and I immediately felt dizzy. Although I was blocked by Lu Yun, I was still affected; one could imagine the impact on the two directly facing him. Could it be that illusionary arts are really connected to Tantric practices? What exactly is the mystery behind these hand signs? Posture, speed, frequency, resonance, or perhaps… confusion? In an instant, numerous terms flashed through my mind. Su Ying was evidently affected too; we exchanged a glance simultaneously and then turned our gaze towards the two at the door. Shu Sheng still acted nonchalant, but his face had turned slightly pale as he forced a smile, “What… what’s going on?” However, the middle-aged man behind him suddenly seemed to melt, his hand appearing to flow down to below his knees before snapping back into shape with an unnatural twist that we all noticed in that brief moment. Seeing this, I couldn’t hide my shock and blurted out, “A sea creature!” The texture and color were exactly like those of the sea creatures Su Ying had shown in her memory, identical without a doubt.