The Beautiful Mermaid Is an Alpha

Wen Xushi was bound to a System riddled with bugs: 2506.

2506 said he had transmigrated into a novel as a male supporting character, an omega pretending to be an alpha. His eventual fate was to have the Imperial Tyrant order his entire clan wiped out, lose his family fortune, fall into the sea and die, then become a wandering ghost in another world. If he wanted to stop any of that from happening, he had to kill the future Imperial Tyrant, the sickly Crown Prince Yu Chi.

Wen Xushi, who had been raised as an alpha: ...You're hallucinating.

2506: !!! Believe me, dear Host!

*

On his first day in this world, Wen Xushi found a stranded mermaid. At first glance, the fish was absurdly beautiful. At second glance, he realized it was about to die.

A book said you shouldn't pick up strange men on the roadside. The same went for fish, so he politely asked the dying fish:

"Do you prefer steamed, braised, or... in a soup?"

The fish stared at him.

Two seconds later, it spoke: "Big brother, I'm hurt."

Wen Xushi: ...

2506 declared with absolute certainty: "Scan complete. The fish is not the Tyrant."

But out of courtesy, Wen Xushi asked the fish again, "What's your name?"

The fish lowered its eyes and said softly, "A Chi."

Great!

A Chi!!

Wen Xushi took in this refined mermaid.

Fish were hard to raise: fussy, picky eaters, and demanding. But... so well-behaved! Okay!

The servants looking after the fish: Yes, so well-behaved. (Smiling through gritted teeth.)

*

One day, Wen Xushi's gender was accidentally exposed. Overnight, his well-behaved fish grew a pair of legs. They were, well, very pale, very long, and very beautiful.

But... the fish bites!!!

Later, the imperial guards caught the scent of pheromones on Wen Xushi and rushed to line up outside his home, shouting:

"We welcome the Crown Prince back to the palace!"

Wen Xushi panicked and packed Yu Chi off on the spot. "2506, you have some nerve, daring to sabotage me!!!"

2506: Sniffle... your adorable little System had a tiny bug.

That night, Wen Xushi was on the verge of falling apart. He went out to drink, and in the darkness, a hand wearing a black fingerless glove covered his eyes from behind. Someone pulled him into their arms.

The familiar woody fragrance mingled with the sweet-and-sour scent of plum wine. The pheromones of an S-rank alpha washed over him.

Wen Xushi's heart lurched, but then the alpha said:

"Big brother, I'm hurt..."

No one knew that the Crown Prince, the sickly heir who had never appeared in public, was a merfolk.

Yu Chi's first public appearance ended in an ambush. Shot and thrown into the sea, he washed up on a deserted shore...

As he lay dying, he met someone.

But the first thing that person said was an outrageous question: "Do you prefer steamed, braised, or... in a soup?"

Bonus Scene:

Wen Xushi: You're not my type. I don't want you!

Yu Chi: Evolving a second personality...

Wen Xushi: ...Fine, I guess I could want you.

Yu Chi: Evolution paused.

Reader's Guide:

Merfolk gong x human shou

Agarwood x plum wine

The gong is reborn

There are some original worldbuilding details, but they're all in service of the plot. Just enjoy it as a sweet little romance.

The gong starts out as a coy, clingy mermaid, then becomes a devious beast in fine clothes. The shou becomes a dangerously unhinged flirt later on.

Content Warning (read this if you might not like the following):

The gong is a bit coy and clingy at first!

The mermaid is the gong!

-------The following is a preview of an upcoming novel-------

"After Losing My Memory, I Made It Real with My Love-Rival"

Warning: melodramatic A x B

Ruan Liuqing had lost his memory. When he woke, someone was standing by his bed, looking down at him condescendingly.

The look someone gives a dog.

"..."

He couldn't remember ever offending such an arrogant alpha, so he politely asked:

"Hello, may I ask your surname?"

Chu Yun: ...

"Your husband."

Ruan Liuqing believed him.

--

He moved into Chu Yun's villa, bringing nothing but himself.

That night, Chu Yun left him outside the bedroom. His eyes held a teasing glint. "We don't get along, so we sleep in separate rooms now. You were the one who suggested it."

Ruan Liuqing: Why?

"You won't let me mark you."

"..."

Ruan Liuqing believed him again. He pushed open the door, tilted his head up, and kissed the stiff alpha. "You can now."

Chu Yun ran away.

Everyone knew that the Chu and Ruan families of the capital had been family friends for generations, and had just as long a history of being at odds.

But now, the Chu heir was openly escorting the Ruan heir to all sorts of social events.

Chu Yun served tea, poured water, massaged his shoulders and rubbed his back. He did everything he could, and then some.

Watching the two of them kiss in a corner.

Friend No. 1: Wait, I think I've gone blind.

Friend No. 2: Don't go blind yet. I think I just saw two dogs making out.

Friend No. 3: !!! They really will do anything to gross each other out.

You can't keep a secret forever. The day the truth came out, Ruan Liuqing stood on Chu Yun's lower abdomen, his thumb stroking the dagger.

The alpha, in the middle of his rut, had red eyes. He raised a hand and gripped the beta's wrist, pressing the blade to his own throat.

"Ruan Liuqing, you really think you can bring yourself to kill me?"

"All you want is for me to beg you."

The beta looked the pitiful alpha up and down with amusement. His foot slid lower and pressed down hard.

"Then I'm begging you. Let me kiss you."

Reader's Guide:

A younger alpha gong who won't know what hit him until he pushes his luck too far x a beta shou with amnesia whose body tells the truth

Warning: melodramatic romance

Theme: No matter how cruel fate may be, hold on to the courage to keep moving forward.