The Coveted Beautiful Merman

■ Please read the notice below carefully before reading!

[Two-faced, scheming, domineering top who loves strong-willed partners x cold, venomous but pure-hearted beauty (merman) bottom]

In the fifteenth year of the Yanhe era, to satisfy the emperor's desire for eternal life, a bounty for merfolk appeared out of nowhere. Their scales, flesh, and hearts could all be offered as tribute.

But no trace of a living merman had ever been found for years. It seemed this species didn't even exist.

Pei Zhiqi was a rare northern-born military officer at court, and endured endless disdain and ridicule. As a result, he grew cold and guarded, pretending to want nothing to do with the world.

But even if he didn't go looking for trouble, trouble would come looking for him.

Shen Wenyu, the newly crowned top scholar, wrote an essay denouncing the northerners. Every line reeked of exclusion, earning him the emperor's favor and setting the two men on a path of bitter conflict.

Pei Zhiqi: What did I ever do to you? Shen Wenyu, are you even human?!

Shen Wenyu: Nope ^ ^

From a mine disaster to life-for-life bargains, a plague, and finally a shocking conspiracy that rocked the court, he seemed innocent and naive as he entered officialdom, but in truth, he was farsighted and had planned every move.

No one knew that behind the dense web shrouded in mist...

Lurked a bone-deep grudge, born of a heart cut out and scales torn away.

.

Myths are based on reality, and the bounty was no fabrication.

Because of his mother's bloodline, Shen Wenyu was underdeveloped, becoming the only merman in his clan unable to control his transformation.

The good news: He has legs.

The bad news: He can't touch water.

...Not unless he wants to turn into a very large fish.

When they were hunted yet again, the two men were driven to the edge of a cliff, with nowhere left to run.

At last, Pei Zhiqi decided to let go of their feud. With death at hand, he could at least bring their mutually tormenting relationship to an end.

The top scholar Shen Wenyu was breathtakingly beautiful, a rare and dazzling sight in this age. He glanced at the raging sea below the cliff, then, after a long pause, came close and hooked both arms around Pei Zhiqi's shoulders.

The beauty parted his lips and gave a hazy laugh.