Chapter 371: Chapter 370 Father
The situation, once again, exceeded everyone’s expectations. According to the previous plan, Li Ang and others, who were lying in wait for the Mermaid, should have eliminated this insidious creature immediately. However, upon hearing even more explosive news, even the two Spellcasters, who were utterly loyal to the Governor, could not bring themselves to speak of killing the Black Fish outright. For nobles, bloodline and the continuation of that bloodline are of utmost importance, second only to the mission of preserving the family’s glory. Even if the offspring in the Black Fish’s belly was a bastard—a child of a human and a monster—it was not something that mere servants like Spellcasters could dispose of at will.
The young Spellcaster hesitated before glancing at his Master. After receiving a nod from the latter, he whispered to Li Ang, "Revered Monk, I will go and consult the Governor."
Li Ang nodded, shifted half a step aside, and let the young Spellcaster run out of the secret chamber. At this moment, the Governor was likely with his wife and son at the other end of the mansion, under the protection of other Spellcasters, quietly waiting for the outcome from Li Ang’s side.
Since the young Spellcaster had gone to find the Governor, Li Ang was not in a hurry. He casually leaned on his scythe and asked, "You speak the language of the Rune Kingdom quite well. Did someone from the Mermaid tribes teach you?"
The Killing Field Game System came with a translator, but from the Mermaid’s lip movements and the two Spellcasters’ reactions, she was speaking the official language, not some unintelligible chirping.
"No," the Black Fish shook her head. "My tribe hates humans, detests everything about them. Only the Priest in our tribe, my tutor, was willing to record human culture. However, she refused to teach me, probably fearing I might become curious about humans. I learned your language after arriving in this city by transforming into water vapor and eavesdropping on human conversations. In human terms, Mermaids are a naturally intelligent species with a strong ability to learn. Moreover, I am the genius of my tribe."
Genius? Li Ang neither agreed nor disagreed, continuing to ask, "The Priest was your tutor? Are you the equivalent of a princess among Mermaids?"
"If you consider the tribe a kingdom, then I am indeed a princess." The Black Fish nodded. Though she lay sprawled on the ground, she exuded an air of pride and haughtiness. "According to human societal standards, Peter probably can’t compare with me in terms of status. But I don’t mind that, just as Peter doesn’t care about my background. We love each other."
While the Black Fish was indulging in self-absorption, a series of rapid footsteps echoed from the hallway. Li Ang didn’t need to peek out the door; he could guess the identities of the newcomers from their footsteps. Moments later, the young Spellcaster entered the room with a colleague who wore an expressionless face. They first produced a pair of stone handcuffs to restrain the Mermaid, then took out a glass funnel and a test tube. They held down the struggling Mermaid and forcibly poured a Purple Potion from the test tube into her mouth using the funnel. The players watched indifferently as the stone handcuffs, likely an item for imprisoning Spellcasters, and the Purple Potion, probably capable of weakening a Spellcaster’s abilities, were used. One had to admire the noble family’s substantial resources.
After drinking the Magic Potion, the Mermaid quickly weakened. She hung her head listlessly, breathing with difficulty, her handcuffed hands drooping to the floor.
TAP, TAP, TAP.
The footsteps in the corridor sounded again. This time, the Governor arrived at the secret chamber with his wife and son, surrounded by several Spellcasters. The Governor first glanced impassively at the Mermaid on the ground, momentarily startled by her ugliness, before nodding slightly to Li Ang to express his thanks. "Thank you very much, Revered Monk. The matter is now resolved. You may go to my secretary to claim your reward. The Taylor Family always repays its debts and will not forget your contribution."
The implication was clear: he wanted Li Ang and the other Eastern Monks to leave, as the Taylor Family needed to handle their domestic issues in private.
Upon hearing the Governor’s assurance, John Joyce, Julia, and the others desperately tried to make eye contact with Li Ang. Damn it! In their minds, for a family like the Taylors in this era, a Black Fish carrying their bloodline was an unbearable scandal. These Eastern Monks knew about it and, by all rights, should have been silenced—killed and buried in some unknown place. Yet now, the Governor had no intention of killing them and even planned to pay them as agreed (which meant helping them clear out the church). If they didn’t leave now, when would they?
"Is there something wrong with your eyes? Why do you keep winking at me like that?" Li Ang glanced at his teammates, who were frantically signaling him with their eyes, and chuckled. His confidence unwavering, he said to the Governor, "Your Excellency Governor, I believe it would be better for me to remain here. I can serve as a third party, offering opinions and suggestions to resolve the issue. Besides, there are certain things in the coastal waters east of the Rune Kingdom that interest me..."
Li Ang didn’t elaborate, but his teammates understood. The "things he was interested in" likely referred to the sixth shard of the Magic Mirror (the first and second had been collected, while the third, fourth, and fifth were near Mori City).
Hearing Li Ang’s words, the Governor’s face remained expressionless. He stayed silent for so long that John Joyce and the others could hardly bear it and were about to intervene when the Governor finally spoke, slowly saying, "Then you may stay."
"Phew..." John Joyce and the others sighed in relief, stepping back to make way for the Governor’s Spellcasters. Throughout this, Julia clearly noticed Peter’s strange expression, presumably because the young Spellcaster had already informed the Governor’s family of the situation.
"Well then," the Governor began, seating himself on a chair brought by his subordinates. He sat erect before the Black Fish and asked indifferently, "Tell me about this child of yours."
With some effort, the Black Fish raised her head and stated coldly, "It is mine and Peter’s child."
The Governor tapped his fingers on the armrest, neither confirming nor denying, without even glancing at his son, who was timidly staring at the floor. (Meanwhile, Li Ang had somehow procured a chair, crossed his legs, and was gleefully watching the unfolding noble family drama.) After a brief silence, the Governor said slowly, "The Sailors who took Peter from the deserted island told me his shirt was open, but his trousers and belt were perfectly intact."
"Heh," the Black Fish sneered. "What do you take me for? Some shameless animal? I would never do such a thing!"
"Then what happened?" the Governor retorted with a sneer. "The immaculate conception of a Saint Heir? If you don’t speak now, I’ll have you put on a chopping block and your belly cut open like any other fish."
"..." The Black Fish fell silent for a moment. She glanced at Peter, who was still staring at the floor, then took a deep breath as if to steel herself and stretched her neck forward.
Her actions put the Spellcasters on edge. They drew their weapons, wary of a sudden attack or an attempt by the Mermaid to conceal herself. However, the Black Fish merely kept retching. Under everyone’s gaze, her waist and abdomen began to swell, followed by her chest, neck, throat, and finally, her mouth... much like King Piccolo from the *Dragon Ball* manga.
UGH!
In the end, the Mermaid spat out an egg.
To be precise, it was an egg with a transparent shell, filled with a clear fluid and... a large clump of pink roe.
"Fish lay eggs externally," the Black Fish stated, her expression indifferent. "The embryo develops outside the body, relying entirely on the nutrients within the egg. The reproductive method of Mermaids is external fertilization. In the sea, I performed a... traditional service for Peter, through his trousers. And that’s how I became pregnant."
The scene fell silent. Everyone stared at the egg, dumbstruck.
Only Li Ang, after a brief moment of reflection, looked at the equally shocked Peter, clapped his hands, and said with a laugh, "Congratulations, your wife laid an egg!"