Chapter 111: Mermaid Lament and Werewolf (1) “Let them do their best…

"Dark Web".

Si Ling knew no more about it than ordinary mortals. When she saw this word, the two labels that came to her mind most easily were the same as those of most ordinary people: sin and mystery.

So this task was very novel to Si Ling. She flipped through the information handed to her by Lucifer with great interest, and was extremely curious about why the dark web was related to the mermaids.

When she read the detailed case file at the back, Si Ling's heart silently opened.

Originally, she had imagined that the scenarios were nothing more than illegal captivity - for example, humans secretly smuggled mermaids and kept them as private collections or in oceanariums; or they were used for some cruel research in order to achieve achievements in fields such as biology and medicine; or... She also imagined that perhaps they were made into specimens or jewelry. After all, living mermaids are difficult to keep, but they look very valuable when made into specimens or jewelry.

However, these case files show that mortals' "innovation ability" is much stronger than hers.

According to historical records, humans first discovered mermaids in the 1960s and 1970s.

In the first twenty years or so, the destination of the captured... or kidnapped mermaids was exactly as Si Ling had imagined. Medical research and private collection were the two main directions. Although specimens and jewelry also existed, since dead mermaids were far less beautiful than living ones, and it was difficult to see the materials used in jewelry, this part was relatively less.

During this period, because medical research and private collections were relatively niche and secretive, the mermaids were annoyed by this, but because the number of mermaid victims was extremely limited, it did not attract much attention within the community.

But later, on the one hand, the human world's economy developed rapidly, people's basic food and clothing needs were met, and their spiritual and material pursuits began to expand rapidly; on the other hand, the development of science and technology also gave humans the ability to further explore the ocean, and the difficulty of catching mermaids was greatly reduced.

These two conditions combined spelled bad news for the mermaids. Si Ling's data showed that the number of mermaids disappearing in 2024 had increased twentyfold compared to 1994.

The mermaids had noticed this a long time ago. They had tried to avoid it and had all the mermaids live within the barrier as much as possible. However, maintaining the barrier required continuous mana support, and it was inevitable that some of it would fail. They had also tried to fight back, including sending spies and assassins to kill people, but on the land full of human technology, these marine creatures had no advantage.

However, the spies they sent out did discover a lot of useful things, and the most horrifying parts of the information were basically obtained through their investigations.

...Si Ling then observed that over the years, kidnapped mermaids had been forced into various psychological and physiological experiments, forced into pornographic trades to satisfy niche fetishes, and teased, tortured, and killed in the private entertainment venues of the wealthy. In some high-end restaurants catering only to a select few, they were even served as premium ingredients, with chefs removing the meat from the upper and lower bodies of the mermaids separately, euphemistically calling it "sashimi combo." Even more alarming, to ensure freshness, the mermaids were often still alive during the extraction process.

This description was still too hellish even for Si Ling, who had spent thirty thousand years in hell. She had to look up halfway through reading it, feeling the chill all over her body, taking a deep breath, and said, "I don't understand..."

Lucifer looked at her: "What don't you understand?"

Si Ling shook his head in astonishment. "Mermaids are not only half human, but they can also sing, and the lyrics are common human language. From a human perspective, this makes them a very close species to humans. What's the difference between eating their 'sashimi' and eating human flesh?!"

In the public's perception, humans are averse to eating the flesh and blood of their own kind. This aversion exists not only because of moral values, but also because of DNA memory.

In records of ancient famines, people sometimes see the term "exchanging children for food." This certainly proves the existence of cannibalism, but it also shows that it was not something that everyone was accustomed to. Using this one term is enough to let future generations understand how miserable the situation was at the time.

Therefore, Si Ling could understand why these people could do such a thing, but he didn't understand why they could do such a thing.

Lucifer shrugged. "I know you have a saying in China that 'man is born good,' but I don't quite agree. I believe people are born with both good and evil, and it's the existence of morality and law that effectively suppresses the evil. In other words, it's an acquired influence, and suppression is not the same as eradication."

He stopped short of saying that, but it was enough for Si Ling to understand what he meant: these suppressed evils have always existed, and where there are no legal constraints, the evil of human nature will be released.

The powerful can easily transcend legal constraints, and mermaids are indeed not within the jurisdiction of the law.

Therefore, for some people who want to abuse their own kind, mermaids are a good choice; for people who have special tastes and desires, mermaids can just satisfy them.

Xuan Chi's face was filled with confusion. "Such a heinous act, and Satan and your God...what's his name? Don't you care?"

"Satan and Jehovah." Lucifer smiled. "The mermaids live far away in the deep sea and have their own culture and religion, so they are not under the jurisdiction of the Western Gods."

Xuan Chi then asked, "What about their own gods?"

"...This is a bit of black humor," Lucifer said. "Logically, if humans commit evil acts against merpeople, their gods, whether Jehovah or Satan, would acquiesce if they wanted to intervene. But the truth is, their gods only care about matters within the sea. Once they reach the land, or even aboard human ships, their divine power is useless."

"..." Xuan Chi was speechless. Si Ling laughed out loud: "What's the point of this god coming? I see you have a good relationship with the Mermaid Queen. Haven't they asked for help before?"

Lucifer said in a complicated tone, "Mermen are a bit like vampires in this respect. They are both very proud, so they won't easily ask for help in matters like this. If you hadn't asked for help first, they probably would never have asked me for this."

"Okay." Si Ling nodded and asked, "Who are we going to kill this time?"

Lucifer handed her another folder. "Fisher Technology was founded by the Fisher family. While it's ostensibly a tech company, it actually thrives on kidnapping mermaids. The online mermaid trade is practically monopolized by this company."

Si Ling: "In other words, if we destroy this family, it will be equivalent to solving the crisis facing the mermaids."

"That's right." Lucifer nodded. "Regarding the personnel involved in the mission, my suggestion is to issue it as a regular mission. After all, they are a pretty big family. But if you have any concerns, we can make other plans."

"It's okay, let's all go together." Si Ling agreed to Lucifer's proposal easily, but he didn't forget to ask, "Did the mermaid agree to our conditions?"

"Yes, the contract is on the back of Fischer Technology's documents, signed by Queen Anna herself," Lucifer said succinctly. "The mermaids promise that if you can defeat Fischer Technology, they will send their elite troops into the ruins of Atlantis to help you find the original records of the prophecy. Any mermaid casualties in the process will be borne by them."

As he spoke, he took out a pen from his suit pocket and handed it to Si Ling: "If you are sure you want to do this task, please sign. Either of you can sign it."

Si Ling pulled the contract out of the folder, turned his head to look at Xuan Chi, and asked him what he thought. Xuan Chi said, "I have no problem."

"Okay." Si Ling uncapped the pen and signed her name. The contract was in triplicate: one for her, one for Lucifer, and one to be given to the mermaids.

Lucifer took the contract she had signed and said, "I will release the mission tomorrow morning. You can take these materials back and read them first."

"OK, thanks."

After leaving the principal's office, Si Ling and Xuan Chi went to the library to learn as much as they could about the mermaids. Then, they went to an internet cafe in the human world to learn about Fischer Technology, the Fischer family, and the dark web.

It is difficult for ordinary people to find the entrance to the dark web. Si Ling was able to enter smoothly thanks to the information provided by the mermaids, which contained clear web addresses and the correct operations required.

After clicking through layer after layer of obscuring information, the real webpage appeared in front of her. Si Ling clicked on the "On Sale" page. Although she thought she was mentally prepared, the scene that came into her eyes still made her gasp.

...Among the "products on sale", there are only a few live mermaids sold directly, and the unit price basically ranges from tens to millions of US dollars.

In addition, Si Ling also saw the "Sashimi Double Combination" mentioned earlier in the information. Orders can be placed directly on the website, sold by the gram, and cold chain transportation is provided 24 hours a day worldwide.

The "Mermaid Battle Royale" project is a game launched in a private sea area. Humans can hunt mermaids within a specified time. The ticket price of $100,000 includes diving equipment and basic ammunition. Additional money can be spent to purchase other necessary equipment.

"Mermaid Island"... seems to be a place similar to "Lolita Island", except that the victims are replaced by mermaids instead of children, both male and female;

"Mermaid Lament" is a "performance" where people watch mermaids being tortured and killed. Since most mermaids can only sing and not speak, even their desperate screams are expressed in mournful songs. According to the information displayed on the page, the number of mermaids "participating" is fixed at three, but if anyone is willing to pay, additional mermaids can be added...

Si Ling was just feeling shocked when a pop-up advertisement popped up. The advertisement was for a large-scale event that was open for registration: the Mermaid Feast.

It is called a feast, but it is actually a vacation project lasting several days. The whole project includes all the "activities" mentioned above, and there are more abundant "mermaid delicacies". The service staff are also mermaids.

The ad's provocative tagline reads: "Let them serve you, flatter you, and then listen to their lamentations."

...The implication is that they will kill all the mermaids at the end of the project to give the participants a final sensory stimulation.

The ad also said: "This will be an experience you will never forget."

"Shit." Si Ling finished reading the advertisement with his scalp tingling, and leaned back in his chair with dull eyes. "It's too perverted and makes me uncomfortable."