Apocalypse: System of lotteries



[The frogs returned to your side. Foodie stared at the sizzling, oily shark meat and looked at you, Ming. "This shark tastes exactly as I dreamt it would. I adore it, believe it or not." Foodie took a bite of the morsel you tossed, spinning in place and croaking, "Hot!"]

[Da Vinci leaned in mysteriously, "Ming, I've found you a new bride. You must cherish her this time, especially since she's an endangered species."]

Da Vinci had done this many times before. It had become second nature to him. If a day came when he didn't capture something, that would be truly peculiar. Checking the inventory: 

[Lorelei Slov]

[Level 34 Water Elemental]

[…]

[Weakness: I'm unsure if mermaid flesh is edible, but she can certainly be played with.]

Ming shook his head; the weakness never disappointed. He then released Lorelei, who collapsed onto the ground. Startled, she gazed at him, rolling backward, her body coated in sand. Continuing her roll, she dove into the waves. At that moment, her lower half submerged, her upper half afloat. She looked cautious gazing at the man ashore. Yet her eyes, as they beheld the roasted shark, were filled with pure longing.

[Da Vinci looked at you disappointedly, "After all the effort to bring her here, how could you let her escape?"]

[Foodie focused on your hand, urging, "Don't stop, feed me. In the face of deliciousness, women only slow down our dining pace. Ming, you should learn this from me."]

Ming cut a piece of meat and popped it into Foodie's wide-open mouth. He glanced at Lorelei, the mermaid. Truly, if you ignored her lower half, her features were quite unique. Yet combined with her tail, she was nothing less than a protected species.

It did strike him as odd—a deserted island suddenly inhabited by a mermaid.

"Um... hello..."

At last, the mermaid, Lorelei, mustered the courage to speak.

Ming nodded, "Hello."

Lorelei hesitantly asked, "Um... why did I suddenly appear before you?"

Ming tore into the grilled fish, "Indeed, I've been wondering the same. How did you suddenly appear in front of me?"

"..."

Confused, Lorelei frowned. How did she find herself before this stranger?

After a moment of silence, she mustered courage again, "Um... are you a good man?"

"I suppose so?"

Ming continued devouring the shark meat, thinking it tasted quite delightful.

"You won't deceive me, right?"

"Deceive you? What benefit would I gain from that? To claim the scales on your body?"

"True. It's just me left now."

Swallowing hard, Lorelei admitted, "I'm a bit hungry. Could I have something to eat?"

[Da Vinci watched as you sliced off a piece of shark meat, tossing it towards the mermaid. He observed her leap out of the water to catch it. Feeling disheartened, he thought, "I brought you a bride, not a dog."]

[Foodie jumped up, catching the morsel you tossed. He looked at Da Vinci, wondering, "You meant the mermaid is like a dog, not me, right?"]

After swallowing the meat, Lorelei shyly complimented, "Your grilled meat is delicious. Could... I have another piece?"

"Um..."

Ming sliced off another piece and threw it her way, chuckling, "I'm curious, with the vast ocean at your disposal, how did you become so famished?"

"I can't bear to harm the animals," Lorelei admitted, wiping away the juice from the corner of her mouth and licking her fingers. She asked timidly, "May I have some more?"

Ming raised an eyebrow. "So, you can't bear to kill, but it tastes good, doesn't it?"

He was genuinely curious about how this woman ended up here. Using his "Hawk's Eye" ability, he discerned she was a creature of a different kind. Ming questioned, "You can eat, but do you have any money?"

"Eh?"

Startled, Lorelei momentarily drew back into the water. She asked cautiously, "Are you a robber?"

Ming, observing his own attire, thought to himself, "You'd be more accurate if you took me for a veterinarian."

Reading the subtle changes in his expression, Lorelei quickly apologized, "I'm sorry... I might be overly cautious. You see, I've been robbed before."

"So, you have no money then?" Ming questioned, gazing at the mermaid.

She nodded and added, "I can... do something else for you."

[Foodie turned to you, "Ming, that's enough. Let's play a bit and send the mermaid home. Her family must be worried."]

[Da Vinci interjected, "An opportunity like this doesn't come every day. We must make the most of it!"]

[Foodie retorted with a glare, "Ming, I usually hold my peace, but today is too much. Never mind the fact that she eats a lot, but you must know, this will never work out. Look at her lower half. She's a fish, with no legs."]

"~~"

Lorelei broke the silence, "Um... may I... have some more?"

"Hmm," Ming mused, noting that the mermaid must have been here for a while and might be well-acquainted with the surroundings. 

"Thank you," she responded, swimming closer. "Might I take a seat?"

Ming glanced at her fishy lower half and replied, "If you can manage it... of course."

"Very well." 

Lorelei approached the campfire, swaying her waist.

[Foodie observed Lorelei's graceful movements, advising Ming, "Stay grounded. Do not be enchanted by her alluring figure. Take a cue from me; remain rational."]

[To Foodie's astonishment, as she swayed, the scaly fishtail transformed into two long legs. Dropping a piece of meat from its mouth, it cautioned Ming, "Do not be blinded by her beauty. Remember, she's but a fish, a large white fish at that."]

[Merlin, observing the three other creatures staring at the mermaid, brushed past her ankle, causing her to faint. "Dancing during dinner? Such lack of manners."]

[Da Vinci and Foodie, along with Napoleon, gave Merlin a reproachful look. "You're heartless. She's merely showcasing her talents to earn her keep. It's not easy."]

Ming rose and crouched beside the unconscious mermaid, checking her breathing. Relieved, he realized she was still alive. 

It seemed Merlin's poison merely induced a faint. She'd be alright soon, and they could save on a meal.

...

As Kubo parked the vehicle, David and the others stepped out, utterly astounded by the scene before them. Waves crashed forward, and only the tree crowns of a distant grove were visible above the waterline.

Hawkins remarked, "It seems we must make preparations soon."