Yeah, I was figuring he'd make the call for running interference instead of pitting mermaid on mermaid to try to break anyone through.

Now, to ask after other bs that we see once in series: would any fog-clearing talisman(s) have any effect in this situation? I'm talking about the level of what he used before they found the false xuanwu's cave, when he sends the silly thing out floating and suddenly it breaks through the fog/mist and oh, look, there's a cave over there, let's investigate! Reasoning being: to try and again reveal more of what's waiting, to take away surprise elements from the mermaids living or outside of his control, and further spur the people into leaving if they can.

Question further: are they under a similar compulsion where they are out on the water to Get To Lighthouse as what the PCs were feeling in trekking this way?