Harker had to step aside as the workers brought in a large metal trolley carrying a cubic thing that was 8 feet on all sides. This cube was covered by a white cloth, but Harker could hear the splashing of water so he assumed it must be a tank. Curious, he followed them.
The workers left the pearl cultivation area and continued pushing the trolley all the way outside the factory. Then, they approached the corporate building.
Why would they be bringing this tank to the corporate side of the company? Harker wondered, and decided to blend in by pretending that he was with the guys delivering this cube. No one paid attention to him and the guards let them carry it all the way to the elevator. One of the workers pressed the button for the 34th floor.
Once it dinged, they pushed the cube all the way to a large doorway with snake heads. There was only this door on this floor, and nothing else.
Harker's eyes widened and he lowered his cap quickly, making sure that he always stayed hidden behind the other workers.
This office could only be the CEO's office. Mr. Xi's office.
As big, burly bodyguards opened the door, it revealed a room that was just as luxurious as its owner. It looked more like a fancy ballroom or throne room in a castle. Around the office, thick mahogany was carved with beautiful patterns and ornaments and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling.
The desk had a marble bust statue of Mr. Xi himself. and had a clock encased in pure gold. There were also jade and pearl trinkets on shelves either as decoration or collection. The walls were decorated in finely polished mahogany, the floor was a lush blue-green carpet, matching the curtains on the windows, with golden trimmings around the edges of the frame.
A fireplace with a large painting above it of the Xi family.
Mr. Xi Jiaoshe stood tall and proud, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. His wife sat on a chair, while their young daughter who only looked 7 years old in the picture stood between her mother and father.
Only Mr. Xi was smiling.
Lady Aixiang looked dull and lifeless, the complete opposite of how she was when Harker met her. No matter what happens, the woman always manages to wear a fake smile. But here she looked like she had her soul sucked out of her.
Xi Hua looked grumpy, her eyebrows scrunching up into two V's. Her plump red lips were pursed into a pout, like she didn't want to be there or she didn't get what she wanted.
Harker wondered why Mr. Xi would ever want a painting with his family looking so unhappy to be with him, and even post that painting in his office for everyone to see.
The man himself was simply smoking from a traditional opium pipe. Green smoke flew out from his lips as he smiled that discomfitingly wide smile.
"Good morning, Princess Jinzhu. I hope you slept well today."
He was talking to the cube. The workers took off the white cloth and revealed that under the tanks…..
Was indeed a sleeping mermaid. She had golden hair and a golden tail that reminded Harker of carp. She also had long whiskers on her face just like the carps, and that her hair of the same color as her tail resembled those spiky dorsal fins they had.
She was wearing some sort of golden clothing that only covered up to her collarbone, and revealed her bare shoulders. It looked shiny, like armor.
No, it wasn't clothing. It was actually large fish scales, covering her from the stomach up to her bust.
'I thought they were supposed to be shark people. I don't know of any shark breeds that have gold scales.'
A holographic screen appeared in front of him that no one else could see.
[Well, another translation for 'jiaoren' could also be 'flood dragon people'. The carp was often likened to being the dragon of the sea in China, and it holds a very special meaning. It symbolizes perseverance as it was able to swim against the currents of the Yellow River. The scaly armor makes it seem like a warrior filled with courage for battle.]
'Wow, thanks for the random trivia.' Harker said internally. 'Since when can you read my mind?'
[Oh, sorry, Master Harker! I just wanted to answer your question.]
'Nah, it's fine. This is more convenient instead of scaring people by talking to an eyeball with bat wings.' Harker thought.
So these jiaoren's were actually closer to carps than sharks. But then again, they could also do the teeth-retracting thing and the claws which made them resemble a shark more. So perhaps they could be both.
The sleeping princess however showed no signs of being that violent shark or that 'warrior' carp that was compared to a dragon. She looked weak and frail.
And once she opened her eyes, she had a meek and gentle aura about her.
"Yawn….. Ni you lai dou wo kule ma?" She asked Mr. Xi in a soft manner.
But Mr. Xi clicked his tongue. "Ah, don't be rude, Princess. Is that any way to talk to your protector?"
"Dui, women de baohu zhe he yuzu." She said in a deceptively polite tone.
But when Harker asked Yan to translate for him, the holographic screen showed:
["Right, our protector AND jailer. You told us that you would protect us, but it was only so that you could take advantage of us."]
"It's a small fee compared to the safe life I have given the jiaoren's right? No oil spills, no hunters, no sudden BOOM! from explosions and dynamite fishings…. What more could you possibly want? All we ask is for you to shed a few tears for us."
["For eternity. You want us to wallow for eternity. Just so you could drown in gold pearls."]
Mr. Xi laughed. "Existence itself is worth wallowing for eternity. And besides, I'm not drowning in gold pearls. Regular jiaroens with no royal blood can't cry gold pearls. And you…."
"Well, you're the only one remaining who could do that. So you had to excuse me if you'd have to be tired all the time in order for me to continue my protection of your people."
The golden mermaid princess clenched her fist, her hair rising up and becoming even more spikier. Just like the young merman from earlier, her teeth retracted and changed into sharp crooked ones. Then, she bared these fangs at Mr. Xi—
Harker saw the workers go and wear something that looked like headphones, and became puzzled. But he quickly covered his ears once he realized
Still, it wasn't enough.
"WAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
She let out a loud shriek that made Harker's eardrums burst. Then, he started bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth— all the 7 orifices of his head!