Lu Yan decided to buy a ticket to the Mermaid Club despite considering various factors and marked the landlord as suspicious. It was a privilege of the Action Department to flag individuals possibly contaminated for further investigation. S City, a city of extravagance, boasted the nation's earliest stock market, where many rose to instant riches and where money could buy anything. Therefore, a club dedicated to admiring pollutants, the "Mermaid Club," seemed understandable.
His ticket was for a boat, and according to the landlord, the club operated on an island near S City, open for half the month every month. Guests, holding tickets, boarded a boat on the 15th at 7 AM. Inside the club, food, drink, and stay were free, but special experiences required payment. As the club was in the Onan Special Administrative Region, the landlord advised Lu Yan to bring his pass.
With three days left until the 15th, Lu Yan planned to handle the transfer of Director Hu's grandson. Though transferring a non-relative child to his household was troublesome, Lu Yan trusted the Prevention and Control Center would manage it. Yet, to his shock, Du Weiwei revealed after checking records, "Mr. Lu, records show that Dr. Hu's son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and wife all passed away in a car accident six years ago."
Dr. Hu, usually cheerful and kind, always spoke fondly of his family, making Lu Yan believe they were a happy, enviable unit. It left Lu Yan stunned. Whenever Dr. Hu mentioned them, other doctors in the operating room would smile in agreement.
Du Weiwei sighed, "After awakening, Dr. Hu's mental state became somewhat abnormal. However, after a psychological assessment, it was deemed non-threatening, allowing him to join the Action Department."
Many awakened individuals had unstable mental conditions; it was no jest. Most carried sedatives or specific medications. Even the composed Lu Yan had taken a few mints during work.
On the 15th morning, Lu Yan arrived punctually at the designated port with a small suitcase. He considered informing the Action Department or the Prevention Center but handling pollutants seemed a gray area without clear rights.
He merely reported and embarked alone. Upgraded with the Action Department's exclusive phone, capable of detecting nearby pollution levels and monitoring personal abnormalities, it was far more convenient than the previous device, albeit costly at 200 contribution points.
The luxurious cruise ship, adorned with neon mermaid symbols, stopped at the pier early morning. Unexpectedly, there were numerous passengers of all ages and genders, well-off individuals with a hint of luxury and refinement, contrasting Lu Yan's casual appearance.
After verifying ticket authenticity, Lu Yan boarded without presenting any documents as there were no overnight accommodations, only restaurants and entertainment on several decks, all free for visitors. It was no wonder the tickets, priced at a million, were in high demand.
"The Mermaid Club must be quite lucrative," Lu Yan remarked to the system. The system confirmed the profitability due to a hidden dark industry. Furthermore, it warned that the club's security consisted of awakened individuals.
Not all of them joined the Action Department. Some preferred freedom but accepted supervision, while others had criminal records or unstable mental conditions and couldn't pass the assessment.
There were always those who, after gaining powers beyond ordinary people, sought privileges beyond the law, like using hypnotic talents on the wealthy or venting rage through violence.
Lu Yan was handsome, almost like a perfectly proportioned CG model. His mere presence attracted countless glances, causing the system to ask, "Do you consider beauty a flaw?"
Lu Yan responded, "No, I know it's something many desire." Despite occasional annoyances, he mostly enjoyed the privileges his looks brought him, the kindness of people around him, and the extra meat from the canteen aunties.
However, the system warned him seriously, "Beware of Mermaid enthusiasts." To the Mermaid Club's attendees, beauty was indeed a flaw.
After politely rejecting the sixteenth person who tried to strike up a conversation, Lu Yan's cruise finally sailed into a pink sea. Around him, there were plenty of astonished exclamations: "The water in the Mermaid Bay is actually pink!" The sunset cast a rose-gold hue over this pink expanse.
A slightly salty sea breeze brushed past, and on the rocks, beautiful mermaids sang out loudly. Their tune wasn't exactly melodic, but it held a captivating charm. These mermaids were a mix of males and females, most adorned with lovely fish tails.
Lu Yan had keen eyesight. As the ship drew closer, he could even make out the scales growing on their lower abdomens. These weren't fake fish tails; they were genuine, extending from their lower bodies and shimmering in the sunset.
The fish inside Lu Yan seemed to stir restlessly. This was the real song of sea nymphs. Many listeners were enraptured, seemingly recalling their happiest memories, some even shedding tears of joy.
Lu Yan, too, was affected, albeit briefly, before snapping back to reality. He checked his phone, glancing at the pollution index: 120. Undoubtedly, the mermaid establishment was within a contaminated zone. Those singing on the rocks were probably pollutants.
What puzzled Lu Yan was that these mermaids were neither restrained nor hostile. Early disembarked tourists gleefully rushed over, taking pictures with these beautiful beings.
Throughout, the mermaids wore perfectly curved smiles. Lu Yan's hand found solace beneath his loose T-shirt, where a concealed knife lay.
The system chimed in: "You know, this kind of pollutant's song can indeed make people instantly recall the best moments of their lives."
"I admit, I shouldn't sneak a peek at your mind at a time like this. But being all-knowing, even catching a glimpse, I can't pretend not to see... I thought I'd see your 727-point high school exam score or the scene of you becoming the head surgeon at K City's First People's Hospital. At the very least, it might have been your childhood birthdays with your mom."
The system sighed softly: "But I never imagined you'd see that dragon wagging its tail at you... Isn't that a bit too twisted, host?"
Lu Yan replied expressionlessly, "Shut up."
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