Be Careful, Scum Dad! Mommy Is Back!
Chapter 383: Oh no, got slapped in the face

Chapter 383: Chapter 383: Oh no, got slapped in the face

Shang Lvxing’s position wasn’t far from Lu Xining. She was drawn in by Shang Yueling’s raised voice, turning her head in their direction and noticing the blood still beading at the corner of the man’s mouth.

Lu Xining arched her brow. Had he been ambushed?

The man’s lips bore the only obvious wound, but his previously crisp suit now looked somewhat disheveled. At a glance, he seemed no different from the other men around him.

Shang Lvxing said coldly, "It’s none of your concern."

Ji Muye’s gaze rested on Shang Lvxing’s figure, a knowing look flashing through his eyes. He understood—Shang Lvxing was purposely creating an illusion, blurring his differences from the crowd to confuse onlookers.

Sure enough, when Lott’s gaze swept over the room from the stage, it didn’t linger long on Shang Lvxing. But when Lott noticed that Ji Muye and Lu Xining had no signs of disarray in their attire, the glint of suspicion in his eyes deepened significantly.

Lu Xining, in that moment, pieced together the full picture of the situation. It was already too late to create any fabricated traces now.

Fortunately, Lott only spared them a glance before directing his attention back to the center of the banquet hall.

"Distinguished guests, while the ’Night Games’ are delightful, one must not overindulge. Up next, we have prepared an even more exciting spectacle for you. Please make your way to the sidelines and clear a space in the center. The show is about to begin."

The attendees, hearing Lott’s instructions, cooperated and shifted to the sides.

Sofas were arranged around the edges of the banquet hall for guests to rest, and the attendees eagerly found seats, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for the upcoming "game."

The more thrilling the entertainment, the more it stirred the darkness buried deep within these people’s hearts.

Lu Xining originally planned to sit with Li Mai, but noticing the men flanking her in a jovial embrace, she decided not to intrude.

She casually chose a seat near the edge. Ji Muye and Shang Lvxing flanked her from either side, causing Zhuang Tian and Shang Yueling, who couldn’t take their eyes off them, to grind their teeth in frustration.

But at this moment, Lu Xining couldn’t be bothered to consider their emotions. Her focus was entirely drawn to the object on the stage.

Lott still stood on the same stage as before, now holding a remote control device in his hand.

Suddenly, the section of floor where the crowd had been standing earlier slid apart, and a transparent water-filled structure rose from below.

Under the bewildered and curious gazes of the guests, the lighting in the banquet hall dimmed once more.

All beams of light converged on that transparent enclosure.

Then, suddenly, an ethereal, otherworldly song graced Lu Xining’s ears. It wasn’t human—it floated like celestial sound, directly striking the soul.

The sound of many sharp intakes of breath echoed around her.

"Is that... a mermaid?"

"What a stunning boy! That fish tail and those scales are so lifelike—it’s like a real mermaid!"

"The Royal Cruise lives up to its name. Their performances are unquestionably leagues above anything I’ve seen elsewhere. I wonder if this mermaid is for sale... I’d love to keep him at home, just to admire."

Aquariums often feature mermaid performances, but compared to the obvious disguises of those performers’ tails, the boy mermaid inside this transparent tank looked far more genuine.

From the moment he appeared, he captured everyone’s attention.

Ji Muye’s eyes shifted sideways to observe Lu Xining, who was completely focused on the boy inside the tank. His face darkened.

Lu Xining’s gaze remained glued to the scales on the boy’s body. They’re too real!

A bold idea inexplicably surfaced in her mind. In a world where laboratories carried out experiments to benefit humankind, there were also unscrupulous research facilities conducting inhumane experiments harmful to humans.

Under the center light of the banquet spotlight, everything about the fish tail inside the tank—without the slightest trace of human manipulation—swayed naturally.

The boy’s eyes, filled with naive bewilderment, scanned the crowd. At first, his gaze showed fear towards the onlookers, but later, curiosity replaced his initial trepidation, making the spectators’ hearts race uncontrollably.

Someone couldn’t help but exclaim, "This mermaid’s eyes are so pure! Like an angel."

"I can’t take my eyes off him. I wish I could dive into that tank and play with him," another guest murmured with obsession etched across their face, their gaze filled with a yearning desire to possess, as if already plotting how to take him home.

The boy inched closer to the glass edge of the tank, his webbed hand gently pressing against the surface. All of a sudden, his gaze locked onto Lu Xining, and he gave her a shy, innocent smile.

Lott, noticing the enthralled expressions of his audience, smiled in satisfaction.

Raising the microphone in his hand, he spoke again, "Dear guests, this is tonight’s second act: The Song of the Mermaid."

Rather than a simple introduction, Lott wove a plausible backstory into the performance.

"As legend has it, deep in the ocean dwelled an ancient Mermaid Clan whose song was said to possess the power to heal illnesses. When humankind caught wind of these miraculous abilities, they began hunting the mermaids, pushing the clan to the brink of extinction."

A holographic projection appeared over the transparent tank, simulating an ocean scene that seemed to envelop the audience.

The boy mermaid frolicked joyfully amid the water, weaving in and out. As his hand nearly brushed against the people surrounding him, instinctively they all reached out, yearning to touch him.

That ethereal singing floated back into their ears, a melody they had never experienced before.

The immersive atmosphere hooked the audience completely, dragging their thoughts alongside Lott’s narration, their eyes gleaming with increasing longing and fascination.

Lu Xining glanced at the expressions of those around her—it was as though she was witnessing members of some strange, secretive cult.

"It’s auditory hypnosis," Ji Muye lowered his voice to inform her.

On her other side, Shang Lvxing, also still lucid, chimed in softly, "The initial stimulant also contains a special compound. Look at the microphone in Lott’s hand—the light in the center is part of the control mechanism."

The two lowered their voices further to warn Lu Xining, urging her not to look directly into the boy mermaid’s eyes.

Lu Xining responded in a grave tone, "Make sure to act the part."

Ji Muye and Shang Lvxing understood her intent and, when Lott’s gaze swept over them, mimicked the others, appearing equally entranced by the mesmerizing performance.

Their expressions now mirrored those around them perfectly.

Seeing that everyone seemed completely engrossed in the scene he had created, Lott’s smile grew wider.

"One day, the last surviving mermaid prince ventured onto land, hoping to use his song to summon his kin. But upon discovering that all were buried in the depths of the sea, he sat upon a rocky shore, weeping sorrowfully. His tears transformed into pearls..."

A mysterious sight unfolded.

The boy began shedding tears, and they truly turned into pearls. Gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd.

Sensing the timing was right, Lott transitioned to reveal the true purpose behind tonight’s performance, his words dripping with seductive temptation.

"Legend has it that eating mermaid flesh can restore one’s youth. Would you dare to try?"

Lu Xining, unaffected by Lott’s manipulative allure, felt her lip twitch in disbelief at his audacious spiel. Did he really take people for fools?

Surely no one would believe such nonsense from Lott?

But reality soon proved otherwise.