Unwritten Mythos

I

That day, the rain fell in relentless sheets.

In the depths of a forgotten alley, a man in his early twenties lay sprawled in the mud, his face badly beaten to the point that it was unrecognizable, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood mixed with rainwater, seeping through the torn fabric of his clothes.

Then the steady rhythm of approaching footsteps broke through the sound of the rain.

A shadow loomed over the fallen man, and when he squinted up, he saw a young woman, her expression as unreadable as the dark clouds above. "Let me guess, you're having a bad day."

The man tried to speak but only blood came through his cough.

Mei, without a hint of urgency, crouched beside him and produced a small vial of iridescent liquid. "You know, they say saving a life is like building a thousand bridges. But who counts, right?"

She held the vial just out of his reach, her tone was almost bored. "Do you want to live, or not?"

"Figures," Mei said, handing him the vial. "Drink this, or not. Makes no difference to me."

Mei stood, already turning away. "Good luck with... whatever this is."

She walked off, leaving the man lying in the rain, his fate as uncertain as the storm above.

The young man saw the bottle and, summoning his remaining strength, crawled over to it. He picked it up, examining the clear Potion water inside.

This color...

It doesn't matter what it is.

He took a deep breath, pulled off the lid, and tilted his head back, drinking it down.

Ugh, gulp, gulp, gulp.

"Cough, cough!"

Fishy!

Bitter!

It felt like drinking mucus and bile from a fish.

"Aw... ew!"

He retched, but nothing came up. Then, his body began to tremble and contort violently.

"Ah... This is!!"

"Aaaah!!!"

The young man's screams echoed through the rain-drenched alley.

...

Across the road, beneath the shelter of an awning, Mei stood, tapping away at her cellphone screen. "Judging by its condition, it's safe to say whoever consumes it probably won't die."

"Second experiment: Deep-sea fish combined with black dog blood. The resulting potion is clear and luminous. Consumption induces scale and gill growth, along with varying degrees of spinal and rib curvature."

"Remaining properties remain unexplored. The initial test was conducted on a rainy day."

"Number 002: The Deep One."

"Remember that for future reference."

"001, take care of your pal."

Having finished speaking, Mei pocketed her cellphone and strolled away. A crow perched nearby yawned lazily before taking flight, disappearing into the alley.

"Such a hassle. I didn't come here to be a babysitter."

...

Beiling City, there is an an old house opposite the police station.

Mei pushed open the door, shedding her raincoat. "The rainy season is just perfect. Even a trip to buy cigarettes can yield a little 'experimentation'."