"She" slowly extended her hands and tidied her long, black, kelp-like hair, which was wet from the water. Ning Wei observed the length of the black hair; it reached at least her buttocks.
"Her" arms were slender and fair, and her hands were so delicate and beautiful they could be used for manicures. Each finger was long and slender, and her knuckles were not particularly large.
"She" revealed only a little skin, yet she completely captured everyone's attention.
They were all secretly anticipating what a beautiful face would appear when she turned around, or perhaps a face so ugly it was the complete opposite of her figure.
Either way, it was worth everyone's anticipation.
Zhang Haiyang observed the shifting gazes of everyone present and was very pleased with the scene.
"Do you all want to see if her face is exquisitely beautiful or so ugly it makes you want to vomit?"
"Yes," came scattered responses.
Ning Wei noticed that the creature submerged in the pool lowered its head slightly, seemingly displeased to have its appearance used as a selling point.
It felt as though "she" had lost all dignity under Zhang Haiyang's control.
Receiving a response, Zhang Haiyang smiled and said to "her," "Quickly turn around and let everyone admire you."
Since Zhang Haiyang had spoken, "she" naturally complied.
With a splash, she landed in the water, and then a huge, dark fish tail emerged from the surface.
It turned out she had flipped around in the water, and supported by the enormous fish tail, her face was revealed to everyone.
As she emerged from the water, all her black hair fell onto her chest, concealing her private parts.
Yet, the tantalizing glimpse made her even more captivating.
Slowly looking up from the water, her countenance drew even more attention.
As expected, she was a remarkably beautiful woman with an oval face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. A single, crystal-clear drop of water trickled from her cherry-like lips.
Everyone fell silent, mesmerized by her beauty.
Combined with the glimpse of her fish tail, it sparked endless imagination.
Apart from Ning Wei's group, everyone present could not guess the true identity of this beauty.
Or rather, they dared not imagine, dared not think in that direction.
"Tell me, isn't she beautiful?" Zhang Haiyang's voice broke the silence.
Some nodded, others remained silent.
"Do you want to see what the underwater scene looks like?" Zhang Haiyang, like a magician, gradually guided everyone to look deeper.
"She" wore no clothes on her upper body, and what lay beneath was naturally a source of much speculation.
"If you want to see the underwater scene, you must welcome her with your most enthusiastic applause. Only applause can make her emerge from the water!"
People exchanged glances, having some inkling of the truth, and hesitated to make a move.
As a result, Ning Wei was the first to applaud. Under her lead, her teammates also began to clap, and Li Zi'ang and Bai Xue gradually joined in.
It was the first time they had heard such synchronized applause, and Ning Wei deliberately increased the volume, prompting others to follow suit.
The entire space echoed with applause. Zhang Haiyang, immersed in this ocean of clapping, was clearly enjoying himself immensely.
As the applause subsided, "she" slowly approached the edge of the pool. Her fair hands braced themselves on the floor, and water splashed again. Under the cover of the water, her entire body landed on the floor.
Everyone finally saw her true form – she was indeed a mermaid!
From the waist down, she had a large, dark grey fish tail. However, unlike common depictions, mermaid tails were usually flat, but this mermaid's tail was plump and rounded.
It looked remarkably like the river fish sold sliced in the market.
These were Ning Wei's internal thoughts. Everyone else, however, was captivated by the wondrous sight.
Mermaids had always existed in legends. The internet was full of fantastical tales, and countless photos and videos circulated, yet none were in high definition. People were half-believing, half-doubting.
Now, a real, living mermaid was before them. Did this mean they were a fortunate group, able to witness this miraculous scene with their own eyes?
Under everyone's fervent gazes, she lowered her head slightly, appearing very uncomfortable.
But she was so extraordinary that everyone couldn't help but scrutinize her.
Zhang Haiyang watched everyone with a smile. The moment he had been waiting for had finally come to fruition.
He knew that once the mermaid appeared, no one would fail to be enchanted.
"It seems everyone is very satisfied with what you've seen," Zhang Haiyang broke the silence again.
The crowd remained silent, listening intently to him.
Zhang Haiyang reached out and touched the mermaid's head. His wrinkled hand caressed her face as he appeared to relish the moment.
Everyone was lost in her beauty, seemingly forgetting a very important detail.
The young man who had been dragged into the water, ultimately becoming the headball prop for the walrus show, hadn't it been this beautiful mermaid who did it?
It was she who dragged the person into the water and drowned him; it was she who dragged the head to the surface.
Zhang Haiyang began to introduce this marvel to everyone.
She was indeed the legendary mermaid, but this mermaid was not caught from the sea; Zhang Haiyang had created her himself.
When the marine park was still open, he discovered the prototype of this mermaid. She had come to the park alone and stood in front of the jellyfish tank. The colorful lights illuminated her face, and that scene completely captivated Zhang Haiyang.
It was that single glance that caused her to remain at the marine park forever.
In Zhang Haiyang's words, being allowed to stay here to be transformed and become a member of the marine life was the highest honor, her good fortune.
Everyone scoffed internally, clearly despising his notion, but they outwardly maintained a facade of obedient listening.
Zhang Haiyang continued to speak of his grand undertaking. He had chosen this woman as his mermaid test subject, stating that she was not his first.
However, due to immature technology in the past, previous experiments had failed.
The one before them was his most successful test subject, also known as Mermaid One. She had forgotten the name she had carried for over twenty years, remembering only the name Zhang Haiyang bestowed upon her.
Mermaid One was merely a designation. Zhang Haiyang's new name for her was Hai Yu, meaning that the first time he saw her, he thought she was as beautiful as a sea anemone, hence he gave her this name.
Note Zhang Haiyang's phrasing: he said "bestowed."
One could guess this fellow truly considered himself the lord of the ocean, bestowing names upon newly created beings.
Ning Wei found his behavior utterly distasteful, but she knew it was not yet time to retaliate.