There are a large number of strangely shaped bubbles rising from the algae, and on closer inspection, they are emerging from the leaves. This reminded Bai Ya of green cheek grass, and wondered if these seaweeds could also be used for human breathing. It would be nice if that were the case, and it would save you a lot of trouble. He was really afraid that he hadn't encountered any danger, so he let Miss Quan toss herself half to death with good intentions.

There was a sudden difference behind him, and Bai Ya turned his head sensitively. In the darkness over there, it was as if someone was moving. He subconsciously put on a vigilant posture, but the spring girl suddenly swam down, through the sea water at the edge of the air, and pounced on the ground.

She gestured to Bai Ya, presumably to signal his reassurance. Then, the fishtail of the Izumi girl snapped and flapped on the ground, and writhed and crawled into the depths where he could not see. Bai Ya was confused, so he had to watch this scene honestly. Fortunately, she came out in a short time, holding a gray sharp object in her hand, is it a shuttle? The spring girl jumped into the water with it and swam happily. Bai Ya couldn't see a clue, and couldn't help asking:

"What are you doing? There's ...... And what is it? ”

"It's my grandmother, she's weaving." As she swam, she replied to him in the water, "You must weave with air." It used to be at sea, but then it wasn't safe. At the bottom of the sea, we have made a place for weaving. ”

The insecurity she is talking about may be the increasingly active human beings. Bai Ya didn't ask much, but he didn't understand how the merman made a bubble like a bubble on the ground under this deep sea. Izumi gestured and explained to him that these places were created by the mermaids with the magic power unique to their own race and with the help of the seabed plants he saw that could release gas.

The place where she let Bai Ya rest before was a large underwater space created by the merman. They also used to rest and weave there, but they lived for too long, and the area became scarce and scarce, and it was difficult to provide for the livelihood of the people. After that, they migrated and abandoned it.

After she mentioned it, Bai Ya realized that the water area was indeed too barren. In contrast, a certain abundance can be seen from the variety of aquatic species in this area. It's just that apart from Miss Quan and her grandmother, who has not yet appeared, he has not seen any other signs of merman activity.

"Are there a lot of people here?"

"Not much. We are a small minority. Very small team. There are more, dozens of people, hundreds of people. ”

She was about to say more when a long cough suddenly came from behind Bai Ya. The voice was hoarse and dry, continuous, like an old horse, trying to exhale the last breath in its lungs. In a small space, it looks strikingly striking.

Miss Izumi hurried down. When leaving the body of water, Bai Ya could see a huge water ball in her hand. She carried the mass of sea water into the darkness with a hurry, and after a while, the cough was low and no longer continued. Presumably the owner who made the noise, the situation was relieved.

When she came out, her hands were empty. I don't know if the water was consumed, left inside, or if it didn't need to be brought out again. Bai Ya watched Miss Quan burrow back into the sea, and estimated that she could continue the conversation, so he asked:

"Inside...... What's wrong? ”

"Sharks don't have seawater, so they can't breathe in the air for a long time. It's going to be hard...... Perhaps, like a person in the water? ”

She made a nose pinching motion.

Bai Ya was a little confused:

"Why don't you move outward? For example, where I stand, weaving next to the water, I can go back to the sea at any time to breathe. ”

"It's not safe." Miss Izumi shook her head, "Will be discovered...... By those dangerous things. ”

She didn't continue the conversation, but continued to answer his earlier questions. She told Bai Ya that there were only a dozen mermaids living here. Similar to the grievances and hatreds of human beings, there have been many stories between the sharks, and now, they are already their own alliances. They didn't want to stay too long, and the rest of the small group was probably out on patrol at this time, surveying the situation within a radius of a few miles.

"You said that there are not many of you, but I have heard the legend of the merman in my hometown." Bai Ya pondered, "Maybe in the northern sea, there are still your kindred. I've heard their stories. ”

Miss Quan nodded: "Grandma said that the sea is very big, bigger than the land, much, much bigger. There aren't many sharks here, but there must be a lot of them in other places. Maybe more than you who don't have tails. ”

She spread her arms and gestured in a large arc.

"Yes. I've only heard that we rarely see you. ”

"People, a lot of people are dangerous, all bad. My people say...... When people catch us, they must weave cloth for us, they want us to cry, and we can't rest for a while. Miss Izumi replied wryly.

Weaving is a natural ability of the merman, and it is mastered by men, women and children. However, once you leave the sea where you live, the mana of the mermaid will decline, and the ability to weave will also be counted in it.

If you want the tears of the mermaid, it is even more difficult to strengthen the "people". Unlike humans, it is difficult for mermaids to cry because of ordinary sentimentality. Ordinary pain, excitement, and even all the emotions of excitement may not necessarily touch the shark's eyes. As for what the specific conditions are, Bai Ya is not clear. Miss Izumi just told him that it wasn't something that could be done easily.

Because of these two abilities that are difficult to use on land, the mermaids have been taken captive from their homes. As a result, they gradually developed the habit of avoiding human life. Now that many of their fellow citizens have died, Izumi explained vaguely that not all of them were the work of people. There are other races that are hunting them. Fat Cat Literature Network

It wasn't the first time she'd mentioned the unknown threat. Bai Ya was very concerned, but no matter how he asked, Miss Quan refused to share it with him.

"It's complicated, I can't say. If I speak in our language, I will be heard. Wait for them to come back and let them talk. ”

Indeed, Miss Izumi occasionally substituted a few mermaid words for some of the words, and he relied entirely on guessing.

"Okay. Don't kill me when your people come back—you dare to save me if you have a grudge against someone? Bai Ya couldn't force her, so he had to shrug his shoulders, "Did you say when you brought me here that my weapon is here?" Two scimitars, one black and one white, with jade embedded in the blades. They're special, and you shouldn't be mistaken. ”

He looked at Izumi with a blank squire. She didn't have time to speak, but he saw a figure looming behind her.

Suddenly, a stream of water rushed towards him. It's as menacing as an arrow, and it's clearly not very friendly. Fortunately, Bai Ya dodged the moment he noticed something unusual, and when he fixed his footsteps and looked at the place where he stood a moment ago, he immediately cursed: there was an ice spike inserted there, the sharp front end of which sank into the ground, and the tail was still vibrating dangerously.

If it weren't for the fact that the weapon was not on his body, Bai Ya would have drawn his sword a long time ago, how could he allow this unknown enemy to be arrogant. His forehead was bruised, but Miss Quan saw the clue, she hurriedly waved her hands and shouted to Bai Ya to let down her guard; Then the fishtail flicked and swam into the dim water. Through her, Bai Ya vaguely saw the figure of another merman, the other party was obviously more muscular, and in terms of body proportions, it seemed to be a man.

The spring girl and the male mermaid began to talk in a special language. Bai Ya pricked up her ears, the voice was similar to the pronunciation she pronounced when she introduced her real name, maybe a little wild, but more warm and pleasant like flowing water. It's just that the mellowness of the voice itself can hardly overshadow the fierce tone of the merman man. As he spoke, he excitedly gestured to something, and occasionally missed a glance, which also made people feel like pins and needles. I don't know what kind of vicious verbal attack this merman is using his originally gentle language.

It took a long time for the two sharks to seem to have reached a consensus. The male merman folded his arms and suspended not far away, his tail fin patting the water at once, as if he was still displeased, but he temporarily suppressed his emotions and died down. Taking advantage of his quiet time, Miss Quan swam back to Bai Ya and explained:

"My friend was upset...... I'll explain when everyone comes back. You don't run around, don't worry, don't hit people, they're all good, they're all my friends, my family. ”

“……”

Bai Ya looked at the ice spikes that were still stuck in the ground. This thing is still angular and looks very sharp, I don't know what kind of trick the good merman used to condense it.

Now was not the time to argue, he just nodded and stared back a few steps in their direction. The merman man did not move, and let him retreat into the darkness step by step.

It's still a vacuum, and you can still breathe normally. However, the dim and unclear vision under the lack of light still made Bai Ya uncomfortable. He didn't show it, gently adjusting his breath, his eyelids drooping slightly, trying to adapt to the dim environment.

His wrist was suddenly grasped. Bai Ya was startled, and his arms tightened. The hand didn't use any strength, just clasped lightly. It made him relax a little. From the place of contact, Bai Ya felt that this hand was quite thin. The skin is similar to that of Izumi Maiden, and it is the smooth touch of the mermaid as a creature of the sea, but it is drier and rougher than Izumi Maiden, with fine folds.

He had a guess in his mind and looked over with wide eyes. In the darkness, he couldn't see the other party's appearance clearly. Presumably this is Miss Quan's grandmother. I don't know how the old man can weave cloth flexibly in such darkness.

She gently patted the back of Bai Ya's hand and let go of it. Bai Ya could vaguely see the luster of metal in the black swaying shadow, and she picked up something and handed it to him.

The voice sounded like his knife. He didn't need to look closely, he could feel it immediately.

Bai Ya was stunned.

“…… Thank you. ”

He didn't hear an answer. Thinking about the dry cough he had heard earlier, Bai Ya recalled that Miss Quan had said that they couldn't make a sound in the air.

There was a brief silence. Bai Ya felt the old lady suddenly raise her hand. He didn't understand what she was going to do, so he didn't dodge for the time being, just stared in that direction vigilantly. She seemed to be pulling something in her hand, and Bai Ya felt a floating, cobweb-like lightness cover her head and drape it over her body. He was a little dazed, and the old lady just patted him on the shoulder with both hands—and maybe smiled, but he couldn't see it.

She didn't do anything else, and moved to the side. Bai Ya stretched out his hand and wiped it on his shoulder, the feel of this material was very smooth, softer than silk. This peculiar feeling is difficult to compare with any human craft that Bai Ya knows. It's like a merman's grandmother who cut off a section of water and cut it into cloth; Pluck a small piece of the sea and let the currents cover him meekly and obediently.

Come to think of it, this is the unique skill of the merman.

One after another, more and more sharks are returning here. Miss Izumi greeted them one by one and talked briefly in a whisper. Some people didn't say anything, and some seemed to be shaking their heads and pointing at the corner where Bai Ya was hiding.

What is certain is that all the mermaids, except for the spring girl, have a bad complexion.

Bai Ya tightened the handle of the knife. He counted his heartbeat and breathing quietly in the darkness, and soon he heard a merman shouting:

"Human, come out and speak."