Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 226: Nameless

“We came to investigate nearby.”

Zhong Chengshuo hugged the red-eyed black cat in his arms. Meiqiu was clawing and dancing at his feet. “Turn back! You look too strange!”

“No, I have to conceal my identity.”

Right now, Love believed that the cub was Zhong Chengshuo, which was the most convenient state. Yin Ren retracted his claws and blissfully squinted his eyes. Zhong Chengshuo held him tightly in his arms, and he felt a bit drowsy.

“I’ll go get something to eat… After you guys are done, I’ll make my move,” Yin Ren said.

Meiqiu needed the protection of the tranquility charms on Zhong Chengshuo’s body. It looked at Yin Ren with some trepidation, muttering curses as it continued to observe—

The group emitted no aura, and there was no movement on the surface of the giant hemisphere. Countless arms drooped softly on the surface, and only the deep inside of the sphere emitted a slow and heavy sound.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Meiqiu carefully pried open the arms with its paw and pressed its forehead against the surface of the hemisphere, investigating something unknown.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Zhong Chengshuo tightly embraced Yin Ren, focusing his attention on the arms themselves. He would gently push aside his mask, lean closer, and sniff those dead-like arms. After sniffing, Zhong Chengshuo would bury his nose in Yin Ren’s fur and take a couple of sniffs.

He would occasionally furrow his brows, squeeze the dead flesh of the arms, and pinch the tip of Yin Ren’s tail, making a serious comparison.

Thud. Thud, Thud.

Yin Ren was sprayed with Zhong Chengshuo’s warm breath while his gaze attentively scanned the surroundings. He decided to pick out the fattest arm. When Meiqiu and Zhong Chengshuo reached the safe zone, he would snatch that section of the arm and run.

“I can also get you a sample.” Yin Ren yawned. “You two hurry up. I’m hungry.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “’Satisfaction’ will come later, and we’ll leave when it does.”

After speaking, Zhong Chengshuo hesitated for a moment and added, “Why don’t you eat ‘Satisfaction’?”

“I considered it. But it’s walking around fine, and it would be impolite for me to just go and cut a piece off,” Yin Ren said. “It never did anything to offend me, so I’ll pass.”

Zhong Chengshuo stopped in his tracks. “You’ve considered it.”

“Yes, why not?” Yin Ren flicked his tail. “After all, it’s so big and looks quite delicious.”

Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He took out a small bottle from his backpack. Inside the bottle was a viscous liquid, resembling melted brain matter. The liquid swirled faintly like honey in a glass bottle, emitting a subtle silver glow.

The flesh of “Satisfaction”.

Yin Ren wasn’t surprised. This small bottle, compared to the body of “Satisfaction”, was no more than dandruff to humans.

“This is the flesh that naturally sheds from it.” Zhong Chengshuo removed the stopper and gently placed it near the black cat’s nose. “Are you sure you can eat it?”

Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was a bit strange.

Yin Ren twitched his nose. The brain-like substance in the bottle emitted a faintly fishy smell that smelled like pheasant meat soaked in spring water, with a much stronger flavor than the bland and tasteless small Elementals. It would be even tastier if it were grilled with garlic on tin foil, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the means.

Yin Ren: “Hmm, it smells edible.”

Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He opened the bottle and carefully dipped his finger into it, offering a small amount to Yin Ren. Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo with a puzzled expression, and his tail stopped swaying.

“Give it a taste,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly. “In theory, it’s safe, but if it doesn’t taste good, remember to spit it out.”

Yin Ren looked at the fingertip presented before him. The brain-like gelatinous substance didn’t spread like water. It shrank like mercury and trembled on Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip.

It would be a waste to refuse food that was served right to him.

Yin Ren curled his tongue, and the bit of flesh instantly disappeared from Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip. The delectable and oily texture burst on Yin Ren’s taste buds, akin to the finest foie gras paired with caviar, perfectly balanced in taste.

After eating Elemental salad for so long, tears almost welled up in Yin Ren’s eyes. The lower-level Elementals tasted like bland jelly or salad, and the flavors of Joy and Disgust were just average, similar to biting into a bland pancake. Yin Ren had no particular impression of them.

Fear… The taste of Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren had no desire to savor it. He had only gulped it down without a second thought before. If it weren’t for the need to heal, Yin Ren would have no appetite for Elementals.

“Satisfaction” was unexpectedly delicious. It truly brought a satisfying taste.

After just a few bites, his wound was a little warm and recovered a thin layer.

Zhong Chengshuo looked intently at Yin Ren, and even his breathing stopped. “How is it?”

“Can I have some more? It’s delicious. My injuries are healing quickly.” Yin Ren’s eyes were moist, and he sighed. “If we abandon morality, I would indulge myself on Satisfaction. Why do humans need morality?”

In the round eyes of the cat, Zhong Chengshuo’s gradually solemn expression was reflected.

He poured the remaining flesh into his palm. “Go ahead, eat.”

“What about the samples?”

“…Eat.” Zhong Chengshuo brought his hand closer.

With its spiky tongue, it swiftly licked Zhong Chengshuo’s palm, cleaning up every bit of residue. Yin Ren licked his lips and looked eagerly at the surrounding arms.

“I will call upon the Lonelies to collect more together.” Zhong Chengshuo petted his furry lover; his palm was slightly sweaty and strange. “But remember, never attack ‘Satisfaction’.”

“Why?”

“Because ‘Fear’ doesn’t consume ‘Satisfaction’. Isn’t that obvious?”

Dr. Cat looked at the two with a displeased expression in its cat eyes.

“Back then, ‘Fear’ and ‘Satisfaction’ didn’t have sentiency. Devouring is the instinct of ‘Fear’. If Satisfaction is so delicious, Zhong Chengshuo would fight with it every day.”

“Previously, Zhong Chengshuo also tried it. Satisfaction was beyond his diet and couldn’t even help him heal his wounds. The Other Side maintains ecological stability not through a sense of morality.”

Yin Ren: “…”

Yin Ren had long known that he wasn’t a normal “Fear”. However, with only Zhong Chengshuo as a reference in the world, he was unsure how abnormal he truly was.

“I understand. If I attack Satisfaction, it will only make Love more vigilant.” Yin Ren sighed. “Don’t worry, I never planned to make a big fuss about it. But for you two—instead of my own matters, it’s better to first investigate ‘Love’ thoroughly.”

“Mm.”

The arms of “Love”, the arms of Yin Ren’s “Evil Spirit” form, waved again in front of Zhong Chengshuo.

Until they obtained definite results, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t want to make irresponsible guesses. He touched Yin Ren’s ears and remained silent.

Even when transformed into a cat, Yin Ren’s ears still bore small, delicate wounds. Zhong Chengshuo lowered his head and gently bit one of the black cat’s ear tips.

Yin Ren: “?”

“It’s nothing,” Zhong Chengshuo mumbled, throwing the empty bottle that Yin Ren had finished into his bag.

“I remember the values roughly. Let’s go,” Dr. Cat said.

According to the agreement, today was the day Zhong Chengshuo helped collect data on “Love” for him. Next, it would assist Zhong Chengshuo in analyzing Yin Ren’s data. Meiqiu licked its paw and quickly arranged the plans in its mind.

They timed it perfectly. The moment Dr. Cat finished washing its face in place, Satisfaction approached from a distance. It remained beautiful, as magnificent as the boundary between day and night, gently washing over everything on the Other Side.

It quickly reached the edge of the white network.

Dr. Cat raised its tail high, preparing to enter Satisfaction as usual and hitch a ride to leave. Zhong Chengshuo released Yin Ren and casually stroked the warm back of the cat.

Just as Yin Ren was about to rub against his lover for warmth, he suddenly felt that something was wrong—

Thump, thump, thump.

The vibrations within the hemisphere under its paws suddenly increased several times.

Thump, thump, thump.

Without Zhong Chengshuo’s protection, countless arms around Meiqiu suddenly awakened. They shot towards the cat like bullets, and one arm exerted great force, instantly piercing through Meiqiu’s abdomen.

Everything happened in an instant.

Just as the small body of the cat was about to be crushed, Yin Ren swiftly rushed forward and bit the back of Meiqiu’s neck. Ignoring the hunting arms, he headed straight towards Zhong Chengshuo.

Zhong Chengshuo quickly snapped back to reality, struggling to stabilize his body. It was as if they were in a malfunctioning washing machine inside Satisfaction; everything was spinning madly. Zhong Chengshuo held onto both cats, crouching in the depths of the unfathomable Satisfaction. Meanwhile, Yin Ren formed a layer of red veil around him, acting as a buffer against the other Elementals within Satisfaction. They collided and bumped alongside the other Elementals, providing some cushioning effect.

The abnormality within Satisfaction finally subsided after a full two minutes. By now, it had taken everyone far away from the white network. Yin Ren didn’t even bother to look at the surroundings. Just as he regained his balance, he used a flesh and blood spell to return to their base.

“Hey, why so early today?”

Fu Tianyi curiously raised his head, but his smile instantly vanished when he saw Meiqiu in Yin Ren’s arms.

“Qiu—?!”

Dr. Cat lay in Yin Ren’s arms, barely alive. Most of its soft abdomen was missing, leaving only a black-red cross-section and scattered organs. In the outside world, it would have surely perished long ago. But on the Other Side, it walked towards death at a slower pace.

Yin Ren didn’t have time to pay attention to Fu Tianyi. He gently placed Meiqiu on the ground. “Meng Huai!”

“The situation isn’t ideal.” Meng Huai’s expression shifted slightly. “The injuries and lesions aren’t severe. Its internal organs are completely missing, which is a fatal wound. Delaying treatment will only make it suffer, especially considering it’s a science post…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but the underlying message was clear to everyone.

Fu Tianyi didn’t care about the minced meat on his hands. He stumbled and rushed to Meiqiu’s side. Just a few months ago, he lost his partner, and now, he was about to lose his rear command.

“What happened?” Fu Tianyi’s eyes reddened as he looked up and stared at Yin Ren in a daze. “Didn’t it team up with Zhong Chengshuo for the mission? Didn’t it come back with you? Both of you were there; you were both there…”

Yin Ren squatted beside the black cat, expressionless. The Lonely cats crowded closer but dared not get too close, trembling as they watched.

The black cat lay limply on the ground, twitching its tail and limbs. Its bloodied wound beneath it grew larger.

Ignoring the others, Yin Ren spoke suddenly.

“Meng Huai, make some room. I’m going to treat it.”

Meng Huai remained silent, sighing and stepping back a bit to cooperate. Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, stood still. He alternated between looking at Yin Ren and Meiqiu lying on the ground and furrowing his eyebrows tightly.

In his judgment, Meiqiu couldn’t be saved.

But in his judgment, Yin Ren would never give up.

Sure enough, Yin Ren, regardless of exposing his identity, let his crimson robe flutter and immediately began casting a flesh and blood spell for self-healing—

The version of Elemental healing magic was ineffective.

The black cat struggled to breathe. Its tail and limbs were twitching uncontrollably, and the pool of blood beneath it grew larger.

Yin Ren still refused to give up. He began reciting various healing techniques accumulated over thousands of years. His hands were stained with blood and flesh as he quickly adjusted and formed intricate hand seals. Gentle waves of energy, like drizzling rain, created continuous ripples in the room.

The young offspring of the Lonely cats used their soft paws to play with those ripples, only to be pressed down by the older Lonelies.

Meng Huai’s gaze gradually shifted towards Yin Ren. Her admiration turned into surprise, which then transformed into astonishment. She had only known that Yin Ren had an inexplicable connection with the Elementals, but after he saved everyone’s lives, Meng Huai decided to turn a blind eye to it.

What kind of situation was this?

It was definitely not the level of evil creatures or Primordial Elementals. If the target of his treatment were a cultivator, these spells would be enough to revive the dead and return flesh and bones. Many of them were difficult and ancient, and Meng Huai found it challenging to even identify them.

Unfortunately, his patient was a cat who had no regard for humans or the divine.

…So it was still futile.

Hope in Fu Tianyi’s eyes was completely extinguished. He leaned against the wall, clenching his fists tighter and tighter.

Yin Ren pursed his lips and paused for a moment. “Zhong Chengshuo.”

“I’m here.”

“Take us to your imaginary base. Bring Fu Tianyi, Meng Huai, and Gao Mengyu’s cat as well.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s eyebrows twitched, and he glanced at Fu Tianyi without saying a word. He took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and before everyone could react, five “people” suddenly disappeared from the room.

When Meiqiu was placed on the table in the basement, it was already on the verge of death.

The pain in its abdomen was too intense. Over the course of this long time, the intense pain had turned into a cold numbness.

Dr. Cat lay on the cold tabletop and couldn’t help but recall the past. If it hadn’t accidentally come into contact with a source of corruption several years ago, it might be wandering on some road right now. It had also witnessed stray cats being run over on the street before.

That appearance probably wasn’t much different from its current state.

Dying all alone, being observed by outsiders.

Death on the Other Side was truly prolonged, akin to the human execution method of Lingchi. If it weren’t for constantly thinking about its data, Meiqiu would have wanted to take a bite at Yin Ren, asking him to put an end to its suffering.

Even the treatment location had to be specially changed. What was the point?

“Qiqi, remember the scenes before you. I’ll need complete focus for what comes next.” It heard Yin Ren’s voice.

“Meow.” Gao Mengyu’s cat quickly responded.

“There’s one method we haven’t tried! Zhong Chengshuo, you’ve used that method before—you once infused power into my body and into your own flesh. This kind of physical transformation isn’t bound by cognition. Teach me.”

Ridiculous! Meiqiu’s mind suddenly generated several small papers filled with ideas.

Fresh Elemental flesh was far more powerful than that of evil spirits. This undoubtedly meant death for the cat.

“You’d better try a little first,” Zhong Chengshuo said without refuting. “Its body is too weak, and this aspect of research is still blank. Come, touch its wound first…”

The next moment, a surge of power flowed into Meiqiu’s body.

Pain!

The blood in its veins felt like it had been replaced with strong acid. Not to mention fusion, Meiqiu’s agony instantly multiplied by a thousandfold. It screamed and writhed on the tabletop, retching uncontrollably and convulsing as if it had just been electrocuted. In the midst of the violent thrashing, its abdominal wound split even wider, and fragments of its internal organs scattered all over the table.

“…Stop tormenting it!” Fu Tianyi’s muffled and indistinct voice drilled into its ears. “I know you mean well, but Meiqiu—”

“Meiqiu, I know you can still hear me.” Yin Ren quickly retracted the Evil Force. His voice came extremely close. “If you don’t want to give up, meow once. If you want to give up, meow twice.”

‘It’s so painful,’ Meiqiu thought.

But it was already halfway through its research project…

“Meow.” It let out a soft whimper.

“Magic techniques are completely ineffective. We can only resort to physical transformation,” Yin Ren murmured seriously. “Back then, I survived, and Zhong Chengshuo’s body survived. There must be…”

“Power difference,” Zhong Chengshuo suddenly interjected.

“What?”

“When I merged with the baby, I consciously suppressed my power, so the physical body didn’t collapse.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice carried his usual calmness. “But I couldn’t control the power I gave you back then. How did you deal with it?”

Then, Zhong Chengshuo added in a low voice, “I didn’t mean to harm you back then.”

Yin Ren: “When was that… Hmm, I used my own power to suppress it with all my might.”

At the end of his sentence, Yin Ren’s voice abruptly stopped, as if he realized something.

Meiqiu’s ears suddenly perked up.

It remembered Zhong Chengshuo had split his power as the old Fear, which happened to be half of its own… It seemed that half of that power was suppressed by Yin Ren’s own power, which prevented it from killing Yin Ren on the spot.

It’s over. It didn’t have the same power as the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi back then.

“Power difference. Yes, power difference.” Yin Ren’s tone, however, became joyous. He covered Meiqiu’s wound with his hand. “Meiqiu’s body is weak, and the power of Fear’s flesh is too strong for it… Qiqi, come here.”

“You give me a piece of flesh, and I’ll treat you. I’ll also give you ten times the food.”

“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat was ecstatic.

Something else flowed into Meiqiu’s body.

It still hurt, but this time the pain seemed bearable. Under Yin Ren’s control, it became gentle and docile, slowly merging into its body in a submissive manner. Whether it was intentional on Yin Ren’s part or not, the whole process was excruciatingly slow.

After the pain subsided, a strange and lingering soreness followed.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, Meiqiu suddenly felt dizzy, and its body felt incredibly strange. The numb-like, intense pain disappeared, replaced by a strange sense of discord.

It finally lost consciousness.

……

“…Meiqiu, Meiqiu.”

Yin Ren’s voice sounded exhausted.

“Dr. Meiqiu, can you hear me?”

“Meow…” Meiqiu managed to squeeze out a cracked sound.

It extended a paw in a certain direction, catching a scent that was indescribable. There was food there, and it was thirsty and hungry, feeling dizzy.

Something was brought to its mouth, and Meiqiu hastily swallowed it.

Soft, slightly cold, and extremely delicious. It felt like drinking a large bowl of warm sheep’s milk; even the tip of its tail felt warm. Meiqiu regained strength, struggling to climb up from the table and barely seeing what was in front of it.

A small piece of flesh limb, with the owner of the limb standing not far away; its fourteen eyes looking over curiously.

“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat friendly greeted.

Meiqiu shook its head. Since regaining consciousness, its vision was very distorted—like at this moment, when it didn’t tilt its head, it saw Fu Tianyi, Yin Ren, and Zhong Chengshuo. The first two had expressions of joy and subtlety, while the last one seemed contemplative.

It struggled to control its vision and saw its own reflection on the table.

In the blurry reflection, there was a black cat with fourteen eyes.

Meiqiu: “…”

It survived, but it was no longer a cat in the conventional sense. Its Infinite abilities were still present and even stronger, but the increase was limited.

Ignoring Fu Tianyi, who was weeping as he hugged it, Meiqiu analyzed the situation with all its strength—

Living creatures in the human world, having merged with the fresh flesh of Elementals, possessed Elemental characteristics but were not entirely Elementals. In a sense, this could be seen as an upgraded version of “corruption from Evil Force”.

This time, it was lucky. If Yin Ren hadn’t been there to help suppress it, it might not have been able to bear the corruption of the Lonely flesh. Regardless, from the perspective of the outcome, Yin Ren’s attempt was very successful.

Back then, if Yin Ren had also survived like this…

Meiqiu struggled to turn towards Zhong Chengshuo, who sensed its multiple gazes and nodded slowly.

Not long ago, it had just sorted and categorized Yin Ren’s racial doubts with Zhong Chengshuo.

Why didn’t Yin Ren undergo the birth through Satisfaction? His form, abilities, and habits differed greatly from “Fear”.

Why could Yin Ren walk in the human world without merging with any body?

…The Fear cub, a special individual. Perhaps their line of thinking was wrong from the beginning.

The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had been corrupted by Evil Force even in the womb, making him a walking living evil. Thousands of years ago, he had only relied on his own strength to withstand the more terrifying and powerful corruption of the Elemental flesh.

He had always been a human “severely corrupted by the Other Side”.

But just an individual.

If a mortal was heavily corrupted by an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become “Charons”, “Resonators”, “Inifiniters”… If an evil being was corrupted by the power of an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become an “Evil Spirit”.

So, what if a human—a living human—for some unknown reason, survived the corruption of the Evil Force, and then survived even more pure and powerful corruption from a Primordial Elemental flesh?

That person was forced to tame that power, make it their own, and continue to grow…

Such a special phenomenon, as of yet, had gone unnoticed by anyone, and therefore it didn’t have a name.

…It seemed that this time, they would be able to bring out a significant discovery.

Meiqiu slowly curled up on the table, wearily closing its eyes.

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Kinky Thoughts:

End of the arc. Summary below. There’s just one more arc left.

With Joy taken care of, Yin Ren had proven himself to Qi Xin. Qi Xin decided to help Yin Ren and, working together with Shian, open up a passage to the Other Side so they could rescue the missing people.

However, the premise was that Yin Ren would become the new Fear and restore order back to the Other Side, which now no longer has a life or death cycle.

With a passage secured, Unit 9, along with Meiqiu and Fu Tianyi, transverse to the Other Side. While Yin Ren trained and adapted to the Other Side, not wanting to be left behind and be protected, Zhong Chengshuo developed his own methods.

Since he was the original Fear, using his bones and essence, he created a Karma Lantern that imbued the power of the old Fear. Meanwhile, while training to adapt and become the new Fear, Yin Ren stumbled upon Gao Mengyu’s cat that had returned home. It belonged to the species of “Lonely” cats, and it led them to their base.

Apparently, the Elementals are waging war against the humans on the Other Side. It is then revealed that Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, who disappeared 28 years ago, along with a Shian employee who disappeared two years ago through a gap, were able to survive on the Other Side with sentience. They attack Elementals in order to obtain their flesh and blood, as magic and weapons don’t work unless they are conjured up through one’s own mental abilities.

Having reunited with the missing people from 28 years ago, they developed a plan to rescue Li Xiaohe’s mother and the other people who had disappeared due to Sunken Society’s plans.

Meanwhile, on the human side, Xiang Jiang summoned a corpse centipede to terrorize Haigu in order to instill fear and superstition in the populace. This gives rise to Love’s “angel’s arm”, giving it influence over the population of Haigu.

Those people were being held captive in a base made by Love, surrounded by a cocoon. They are stored there in order to feed the Other Side while in a semi-comatose state, similar to what Bai Yongji did by merging humans and furniture together.

The rescue mission almost went perfectly until Hu Tao arrived. Under Love’s influence, Hu Tao believes her serial murderer husband is hiding on the Other Side and demands that Unit 9 find him. Ultimately, Yin Ren was able to convince her to let go, and, no longer having an obsession, Hu Tao dissipated, finally peacefully at rest.

As they escaped, Yin Ren was seriously injured, almost falling into Love’s trap. The missing people were rescued and transported out from the Other Side. With that, Yin Ren (to recover after being seriously wounded during the escape), Zhong Chengshuo (to study more about the Other Side), Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi (not by choice), and Meiqiu remained on the Other Side in order to deal with Love.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 225: Bad Idea

“Do you feel happy now that you know I’m still alive?” a female voice said cheerfully.

Li Nian opened his bloodshot eyes wide and looked up at the ceiling. He had fallen asleep on his office chair without realizing it. Upon waking up, his neck hurt as if it had been broken.

Li Nian reached out to support himself on the edge of the desk, but his stiff arm disobeyed him and accidentally knocked over a tall stack of files.

There was a clatter of chaos.

Fu Xingchuan tumbled off the sofa with a thud; there was still a trace of saliva at the corner of his mouth. The talisman in his hand was almost crushed. “Who is it?!”

“You always claim to dislike noisy people, but Xiao Fu is even more lively than me.” An arm wrapped around Li Nian’s shoulder, and “Meng Huai” chuckled.

The warmth felt so real.

Noticing Li Nian’s tense body, Fu Xingchuan quickly understood the reason. “Lao Li, you…”

“I’m fine,” Li Nian said stiffly, pouring himself a cup of strong tea.

The angel’s arm was considered a “good thing” for most dependents. Deceased loved ones, absent lovers, unattainable objects of obsession… It would take on their appearance and accompany them in the most genuine way.

From the current perspective, it didn’t do anything harmful to humanity. In many reports, it even helped many people who were in a slump by comforting them through their loved ones.

Under normal circumstances, this kind of news might not have much influence. But with the recent frequent anomalies, everyone was living in fear and unease. Under the vigorous promotion by the Coral Reef Company, this phenomenon had almost become the mascot of Haigu.

Thinking about this, Li Nian’s headache worsened.

“Are you angry?” “Meng Huai” leaned in carelessly. “You wanted to wake up at this time. I just helped you wake up earlier. Your phone has been vibrating for a while.”

Li Nian ignored the person behind him and organized the documents on the desk. The sky outside the window was faintly bright, with stars sparsely embedded in the clouds. The streets in the early morning were particularly quiet, and the lights in Haigu were sparse.

“You can continue sleeping; I’ll sort out the documents.” Li Nian adjusted the desk lamp a bit brighter.

Fu Xingchuan plopped back onto the sofa and sighed. “Be careful that we don’t suddenly both die here.”

“Meiqiu provided the latest investigation data about the angel’s arm. I have to categorize and distribute it to various laboratories for analysis as soon as possible.” Li Nian’s expression was no different from a dead person’s. “Every minute counts.”

Fu Xingchuan looked at Li Nian worriedly for a while, then scratched his head irritably after a long silence. “Forget it. I’ll go out and buy some breakfast. You can come downstairs later to eat.”

“It’s not yet bright outside, and there are no breakfast stalls at the entrance,” Li Nian said flatly.

“Who said there isn’t…” Fu Xingchuan stopped halfway, pressed his temples, and gave a bitter smile.

“Yeah, I forgot,” he murmured, “It’s gone. Recently gone.”

“Like I said, every minute counts.” Li Nian spread a document in front of him and began typing on the keyboard.

On his shoulders, those hands were always supporting him.

Detestable yet endearing.

He hated this damn illusion and despised himself for being unable to resist it. No matter how he repeated in his mind how sinister and malicious this thing was, at his most exhausted and dazed moments, the familiar warmth and weight on his shoulders would always bring him peace of mind.

And at that time, Li Nian would always involuntarily have this thought—

It gave him a sense of liberation.

A person could deceive others, but it was difficult to deceive their own brain.

Fortunately, this thing hadn’t invaded deeply. It could only generate consciousness disturbances in the brain, but it couldn’t leak information. Li Nian took a few more sips of tea and opened the window, attempting to let the cold wind wake him up.

The Shian Tower was extremely tall, and the air was crisp and fresh. Li Nian took a deep breath, and white vapor emerged near his mouth and nose.

“Winter has arrived.” “Meng Huai” stood by his side as if she had never left. “Haven’t you noticed?”

Downstairs in the tower.

Ge Tingting stood frozen in place. The low temperature made her nose turn red.

After returning to Shian, she quickly resumed her daily routine of waking up early to study. Previously, she liked to buy a warm roujiamo to start her day. There was always an old man pushing a cart selling roujiamo near Shian, and they tasted great.

The warm white sesame bun was crispy on the outside, filled with perfectly seasoned fatty and lean meat and finely chopped marinated eggs, and finally drenched in meat sauce. One bite, and the delicious meat and egg mixed with the tender meat patty, which was slightly scalding. In autumn and winter, paired with a cup of hot soy milk, it kept her energized until noon.

But today, the old man selling roujiamo never showed up. There were only a few ruffians belching and casting malicious glances in her direction.

Ge Tingting’s expression remained unchanged, but she had already formed a hand seal.

Just as the leading man was about to approach, a rough voice suddenly sounded behind Ge Tingting.

“Little miss, the grandpa who sells roujiamo isn’t here.” Qin Lele was wearing running clothes and stopped beside Ge Tingting. “How about eating jianbing? There’s a jianbing shop at the intersection.”

“Qin Ge,” Ge Tingting smiled.

Qin Lele had a crew cut and a solid, muscular body. The ruffians only glanced at him before they left, cursing.

“Little miss, you were too strong just now. You might get punished.” Qin Lele let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat off his neck. He was sweating profusely, as if he had just been pulled out of hot water. “My master said I should become stronger and not abandon my martial arts training. Now I think that having a sharp mind might be important… I still have a long way to go.”

Ge Tingting replied seriously, “No, I still have a long way to go compared to everyone else.”

“Really? Unit 9 is so amazing.”

“Yes.” Ge Tingting nodded earnestly.

“In that case, I’ll have to urge Bin Ge. He’s been taking days off lately,” Qin Lele drooped his brows, “Even if I can’t become too powerful, our Unit 8 shouldn’t be too weak… Xiao Ge, your brain is sharper than mine. Can you teach me how to persuade him?”

Ge Tingting recalled for a moment. Lao Bin from Unit 8, Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from N University, had a higher degree than Zhong Chengshuo.

For someone like her, who barely completed compulsory education, that field was considered divine. But before Ge Tingting could refuse, Qin Lele started talking like pouring beans.

“Bin Ge hasn’t been in a good state recently. I’ve seen him lose several kilograms. He can’t even finish his meals in the cafeteria and has been drinking. I don’t think he’s been injured… Last time, we saw a monster together! But in the subsequent checks at Shian, they couldn’t find anything. I can’t figure it out.”

Qin Lele scratched his head vigorously.

“His brain is better than mine. It shouldn’t be like this.”

Ge Tingting: “He might have been scared and is in a particularly bad mood. Did he have something he liked before? You can mention it to him more.”

She tried her best. The sixteen- or seventeen-year-old Ge Tingting felt her forehead sweating.

Qin Lele looked as if he had found a treasure. “Oh, Bin Ge loved studying mold in the sewer the most! He even said he would publish it in some international journal. It’s very impressive. Yes, I’ll get him more mold…”

Ge Tingting: “…”

It sounded very impressive, but she didn’t understand any of it.

But was it really okay to give him mold? Ge Tingting had just decided to dissuade him, but Qin Lele had already run off.

Mold in the sewer…

Ge Tingting held onto the jianbing and instinctively looked towards the sewer.

In the gaps between the cement bricks, it was pitch black, occasionally brushed by withered leaves. Ge Tingting took a bite of the jianbing, walked along the sewer, and stepped on the crackling dried leaves.

One gap, two gaps, three gaps… Finger-thick gaps disappeared one by one behind her.

Until one of them turned white.

Ge Tingting instantly froze—beyond that gap, a pair of human eyes appeared, along with the murky gaze only seen in corpses.

In that moment of eye contact, those eyes curved, as if laughing.

At the same time, there was a chilling rustling sound from the sewer, accompanied by the squishy sound of flesh being squeezed. The sewer cover moved slightly, making continuous knocking sounds. The aura of an evil creature surged like a sudden downpour, chilling Ge Tingting to the core.

The corpse centipede.

It had come out again to shake people’s hearts, and this time it was particularly close to Shian. This thing seemed to see Ge Tingting as an ordinary girl. Its bloodshot eye was rolling around in the gap of the sewer, emitting a chilling aura that made one’s whole body shudder.

Ge Tingting stopped chewing and was expressionless.

Yin Ren’s aura was much stronger than this thing. She didn’t know how many Primordial Elementals she had chopped up. Her heart was calm, like still water.

Judging from the difference in power, she couldn’t defeat it. Moreover, this thing only frightened people and didn’t attack. It would run away when it sensed danger, and there wouldn’t be enough time to find someone to capture it. But to let it go like this…

Ge Tingting looked left and right, picked up a disposable chopstick from the roadside, and fiercely stabbed it into an eye.

In an instant, the sewer cover stopped moving, and that eye quickly disappeared into the darkness. Ge Tingting threw away the chopsticks with an expressionless face and took another bite of her jianbing—within that short moment, her jianbing had become slightly cold.

This thing may be strong, but it only wanted to cause chaos, and its behavior was nothing more than that.

Unfortunately, the city sewer was like a maze, making it hard to catch… The sewer…

Ge Tingting bit into the jianbing, and her eyes suddenly lit up. She turned her head and dashed in the direction where Qin Lele had disappeared.

“Qin Ge, wait!” She turned the AI to maximum volume. “I also want to see Bin Ge—wait for me—”

She suddenly had a straightforward idea of luring the snake out of its hole.

“To deal with that monster—only your Unit 8 can do it—”

……

The Other Side.

Ever since Fu Tianyi, this unlucky guy, was left behind, he had turned into a sponge of knowledge, being twisted and turned by Meng Huai every day, striving to improve more of his techniques on the Other Side.

Sometimes, Fu Tianyi would steal glances at the other two big shots from the corner of his eye.

Yin Ren seemed more like a giant loner taken in by Meng Huai—going out every day to hunt, returning with a string of leftover small Elementals, regardless of wind or rain. He didn’t confide in Meng Huai, and she didn’t ask much either.

Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, had become elusive. Sometimes he would lock himself in a small room, and occasionally he would go out, but nobody knew where he went. Zhong Chengfeng had asked a few times, and the answer was always “researching cases”. Since he occasionally took Meiqiu with him when going out, everyone could barely feel at ease.

However, when Zhong Chengshuo was around, there would always be two figures, one white and one red, cuddling in a corner.

Like indicator lights, sometimes both the red and white were present, sometimes only the red, and sometimes there was nothing at all—

When he was full from eating outside, the red-robed Great Celestial Master would find a corner to rest his eyes. If Zhong Chengshuo was there, he would rest his head on his lover’s thigh and curl up. If Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t there, Yin Ren wouldn’t specially lean against anything and would simply rest in the corner.

Regardless of whether the other three people were talking loudly or softly, no matter how they chattered and communicated, the loner would sleep soundly.

Perhaps a thousand years ago, the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi lived like this. Resting among the noisy and chaotic abnormalities, waking up to continue hunting, living like a wild beast.

But Yin Ren’s wounds healed very slowly.

Over these days, his body, which was originally one-third damaged, had become one-quarter. Many wounds were still oozing blood, making it unbearable to look closely.

Perhaps Zhong Chengshuo was still looking for a suitable treatment method, Fu Tianyi thought as he made meat paste. Perhaps there were some special cyber herbs on the Other Side that needed the ancient Fear to explore.

Unfortunately, before he could imagine for a few minutes, he was hit on the head—his Elemental meat paste exploded into a mess in his hands.

“I’m sorry!” Fu Tianyi covered his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

He instinctively looked towards the corner—right now, it was empty.

……

Yin Ren also left the stronghold on time today.

He had already grown accustomed to flying on the other side, feeling a strange sense of exhilaration. If it weren’t for the pain in his wounds all over his body, he could have felt even more at ease.

Not knowing if she was afraid of being eaten herself, Qi Xin threw him a remark of “Let’s meet after you recover” and disappeared without a trace. Yin Ren had been out catching small Elementals to eat these past few days, but no matter how much he ate, something just didn’t feel right.

It was like a person who hadn’t eaten for three days and three nights frantically eating a low-fat salad, as if they were eating a lot, yet it felt as if they hadn’t eaten anything at all.

The powerful Primordial Elementals weren’t easy to mess with, so he needed to be more cunning—under the organization of Love, they patrolled around the white network, making a small move that affected the whole. Before regaining his strength, Yin Ren didn’t want them to sense his movements.

But when it came to finding food, Yin Ren was no worse than any other existing creature.

Today, he quietly approached the vicinity of the white network. Compared to when they were rescuing people, there were more Elementals near the white network now. Yin Ren held his breath and carefully maneuvered around those Elementals.

He had only one target, and that was the enormous hemisphere at the center of the white network.

If he was going to eat, he would eat the best. The most dangerous place was also the most reasonable cafeteria.

With the experience from last time, Yin Ren was able to hide more smoothly this time. He used the shadows of one cocoon after another to carefully maneuver around the white silk threads and crawled towards the central giant hemisphere. The surface of the hemisphere still had a large number of white arms remaining. From this angle, it looked somewhat like hand-pulled noodles.

This thing contained the power of Love, so the nutrients were definitely not lacking.

He still needed to conceal his identity. Yin Ren transformed himself into the appearance of a black cat that wouldn’t attract attention. He hooked his claws onto the nearest web, and the tip of his tail transformed into winged sickles as he swiftly flew towards the thickest arm.

“Meow meow!!!” Before the blade reached, there was a sharp meow from within the cluster of arms.

Yin Ren was startled, causing his claws to nearly miss the pivot point. He curled up his body and nervously looked toward that white area.

Meiqiu was standing right below the arm from earlier with its fur standing on end and its round eyes filled with fear.

An illusion?

Meiqiu was so close that there was no way he wouldn’t sense its presence! Just as Yin Ren was about to slip away, he was grabbed by the scruff of his neck—

The one who made the move was a young man dressed in red with a wooden mask on his face. He was covered in purification charms and had a familiar satchel by his side. This person had extremely fast hand movements, grabbing hold of Yin Ren with one hand and holding a notebook and pen with the other.

Although he was dressed like Fu Tianyi, Yin Ren recognized this person’s characteristic movements, even if he turned to ashes.

“Zhong Chengshuo, let go!”

Yin Ren awkwardly clung to the white network.

“What are you guys doing here?!”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 224: Arms

Upon returning to the human world, the individuals were immediately covered with blankets by the staff of Shian. Without the enhancements from the Other Side, everyone who returned was naked.

Once separated from the environment of the Other Side, their bodies suddenly felt heavy. It was as if waking up from a drunken stupor, surrounded by a subtle dullness and a sense of unreality. Lu Xiaohe almost fell to the ground, but she managed to support her mother and stand firmly on her feet.

The next step was a continuous process from the hospital to the conference room. Lu Xiaohe sadly realized that she had become very accustomed to this route.

The surviving missing people, the survivors from the Other Side, and many more awaiting rescue were all repeatedly questioned. After leaving the Other Side, Lu Xiaohe spent almost three days in the conference room.

However, this time, she was no longer as anxious and restless as before.

Her mother lay peacefully in the hospital, with all her vital signs improving. Lu Xiaohe had never felt so relaxed; even if the world was crumbling before her, it couldn’t destroy her good mood.

……

That being said, the world wasn’t much different from destruction.

“The mild sources of corruption from Sunken Society have rapidly spread to other cities, and a monster with the ‘Resonance’ abilities has appeared in Haigu. The monster, suspected to be guided by Xiang Jiang, is active through the underground system and has yet to be captured by Shian.”

In the underground conference room, Li Nian calmly explained the current situation.

In front of him, the screen displayed various reports and discussions. The cunning corpse centipede never engaged in direct confrontation with Shian personnel. It would only occasionally show up in the middle of the night and quickly escape, letting everyone know that there were still “gods and ghosts” in this world.

With frequent gruesome murders and people’s unstable mental state, combined with the reshuffling of the worldview involving “monsters” and “angel’s arms”, the Shian personnel weren’t necessarily faring any better than those on the Other Side.

Lu Xiaohe couldn’t help but glance at Li Nian a few more times. When they were rescuing the survivors, Li Nian maintained a serious expression until the end. After confirming that he hadn’t missed anyone, he silently left.

When Xiao Zheng returned, he naturally mentioned Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng’s situation. Upon hearing that Meng Huai wanted to stay behind, Li Nian only paused his pen for a moment, not lifting his head. No one knew what he was thinking.

In comparison, Fu Xingchuan was much more straightforward. Upon realizing that Fu Tianyi hadn’t come out, he had a worried smile on his face.

“Now the whole country knows about the ‘angel’s arms’. The good news is that besides ‘knowing that it represents protection’, the situation hasn’t further deteriorated. Those who tried to establish a cult were all arrested. The bad news is that this information is still spreading, and we still don’t know what Love’s purpose is.”

Fu Xingchuan’s dark circles returned, even heavier than before.

“It doesn’t seem too serious?” Back in the human world, Ge Tingting could only rely on her phone to voice her thoughts.

The monsters didn’t destroy cities like in disaster movies, and the corruption sources remained at their initial levels, but there was now a mischievous corpse centipede causing trouble.

Li Nian glanced at Ge Tingting. “It’s precisely because it doesn’t appear serious that it is serious. Why do you think Shian is blocking the information and keeping the metaphysical practitioners hidden underground?”

Ge Tingting shook her head honestly.

“A major disaster can be resolved quickly. But with this continuous series of events, it becomes more difficult to clean up. The unstable environment inevitably affects people’s beliefs. Spreading information about gods and ghosts at this critical juncture will lead to a significant shift in people’s perceptions.”

“Society has its own order, and the law is also evolving, all based on the premise that ‘the majority of people do not believe’. The existing order and laws cannot withstand such abrupt changes… If things continue like this, societal chaos will only spiral out of control.”

Huang Jin silently pondered the possibility of evacuation. Since Ding Lizi’s eyes had also recovered, maybe he could take her to a deserted island for a year or so after he received his prize money.

Fu Xingchuan: “Our top priority now is to rescue those who are still trapped on the Other Side. Regarding this matter, I have a few proposals…”

While Fu Xingchuan spoke, Lu Xiaohe, unusually, became absent-minded.

Assisting Yin Ren with the help of Shian might be too ambitious. This was a battle at the level of a Primordial Elemental. In the past, she would probably have blindly followed the leader—helpless situations were just helpless situations.

But she once believed that her mother’s terminal illness was beyond human power.

Shian had its own arrangements, but she was still the rear commander of Unit 9. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were still her front-line team. The current her sat at the table, on equal footing with Shian’s two top human fighters.

Could she be even more “outrageous”?

“Our top priority should be addressing the root of the problem.” Lu Xiaohe deliberated before speaking up.

Fu Xingchuan was in the middle of speaking, but he looked at this usually obedient employee with a hint of surprise. Nevertheless, he interrupted his speech and nodded at Lu Xiaohe.

Lu Xiaohe interlocked her fingers and furrowed her brows slightly. “Addressing the corruption, tracking the monster, and rescuing the missing people—Shian has always been in a passive response. Sunken Society is using this method to buy time because it knows that compared to everything on the Other Side, Shian will prioritize the ‘human world’. If we don’t come up with an alternative, we will continue to be passive.”

“Wait.” Huang Jin hurriedly spoke up. “You don’t mean to have Shian support the Other Side, do you? Yes, Meng Huai and the others have developed some spells, but it still requires a significant number of personnel to perfect them! If we withdraw the cultivators from outside now…”

Lu Xiaohe shook her head. “I am a science post, and I can only speak from the perspective of a science post. It appears that Shian does have a clear potential ally—one that won’t cause manpower pressure or attract attention.”

“At present, the science post is relatively relaxed, so I suggest that the available senior science posts and the laboratory support Zhong Chengshuo. He already has considerable knowledge of the Other Side, and being a former Primordial Elemental, his thinking is certainly broader than that of humans.”

Lu Xiaohe’s tone was very solemn.

“This is my judgment as the rear commander.”

Fu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow and stroked his stubbled chin. Li Nian lowered his eyes, adding another layer of shadow to his already troubled expression.

Only Comrade Huang Jin persistently challenged. “If Zhong Chengshuo is on the Other Side, will Qi Xin readily assist us in opening and closing the door?”

“We don’t need to have direct contact with him.” Lu Xiaohe turned her head. “We just need data exchange, and there will always be a way.”

“Are you sure he will assist the human world?”

Hearing this, Li Nian finally spoke quietly.

“Yin Ren is currently being trained by Qi Xin. The likelihood of Zhong Chengshuo, as a fellow Primordial Elemental, providing support is higher.”

Lu Xiaohe: “Uh…”

“Zhong Chengshuo isn’t a human. At this critical moment, asking him to turn around and study the human world may not be what he desires. Your proposal is good, but unfortunately, the reasoning is insufficient.”

“I…” Lu Xiaohe’s voice trailed off sadly.

Yes, Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t human. When they were together, she always seemed to forget that. To explain to Shian, she needed to find a way to present it as feasible…

Fu Xingchuan cleared his throat, preparing to continue explaining the rescue plan. Just then, his phone started vibrating like crazy.

Minister Fu answered with a troubled expression, but after a few sentences, his face gradually froze, and his eyes turned to Lu Xiaohe.

“Miss Gao, you dreamt of Zhong Chengshuo and a black cat? He was clinging to the window and said he wanted to talk to Shian?”

“Hold on, don’t go back to sleep… Wait!”

……

Zhong Chengshuo firmly clung to the window.

He held onto the windowsill with both hands, looking sincere, while Dr. Cat sat steadily on the windowsill—both of them looking towards Gao Mengyu inside the house.

Gao Mengyue had long grown accustomed to this dream. Since she discovered that it was the real Qiqi outside her door, she no longer feared the recurring dream. Over time, she even learned to pet the cat’s soft limbs in her dream while reviewing knowledge points for the postgraduate entrance examination.

But today, her dream had two unexpected visitors.

“I just called the people from Shian, and they will send someone soon.” After getting Qiqi’s affirmation, Gao Mengyu opened the window. Dr. Cat leaped into the room, surveying the small apartment.

“I see. It seems feasible to enter dreams in a physical sense.” It lay down on Gao Mengyu’s desk with its tail swaying from side to side. “Those ‘Lonely’ cats are quite useful.”

In recent days, the Lonely cats had been crawling all over the human stronghold—their fleshy limbs flailing in fear of the large number of corpses in the cold storage. Despite this, most of the Lonely cats didn’t dare go out due to the constant surveillance of the forces of Love.

Only Gao Mengyu’s cat took advantage of its physical strength and dived into “Satisfaction” every day, tirelessly warning Gao Mengyu.

At first, Dr. Meiqiu just hitched a ride and collected data on its own. Who would have thought that today, even this Old Fear had infiltrated its fleshy limbs and smuggled himself into “Satisfaction”.

Although she knew it was a dream, Gao Mengyu still poured a glass of water for Zhong Chengshuo and opened a can of meat for Meiqiu. Gao Mengyu’s cat, Qiqi, entered through the door and comfortably sprawled in the middle of the room.

“Where’s Yin Ren?” she politely asked.

Zhong Chengshuo: “He’s recuperating.” More accurately, he was scavenging for food and then running away.

Gao Mengyu had no knowledge of the situation on the Other Side. “Are you saying that you want to talk to Shian and everyone is fine?”

“Everyone is fine. I just have something I want to discuss with them,” Zhong Chengshuo said, pushing his glasses up. “You mentioned bringing someone. Who would that be?”

“It’s me.” Fu Xingchuan appeared in the center of the room.

This should have been a handsome entrance, but it was a pity Minster Fu stepped on a sprawled-out Lonely cat. Gao Mengyu’s cat let out a loud “meow” as several fleshy limbs fiercely struck Fu Xingchuan’s back.

Startled, Fu Xingchuan and the cat instantly engaged in a one-on-one battle inside the apartment.

Zhong Chengshuo patiently held his cup of water, waiting for the two to calm down. Dr. Cat, on the other hand, calmly began licking its paws, ignoring the man and Lonely cat that was wrestling.

“…So, what do you want with Shian?”

After about half a minute of struggling, Fu Xingchuan sat down on the ground, panting heavily.

“I want data,”

Zhong Chengshuo sincerely looked down at Fu Xingchuan and started to count on his fingers.

“All the research materials of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi; the ghost fetus data recorded by Shian in the Archive regarding the Guo Laifu case; and the blood sample analysis data of Shian on me and Yin Ren, especially the latter—the more detailed, the better.”

Fu Xingchuan: “……” While he didn’t fully understand this science post, he could sense a hint of meaning.

Whether it was Shian, the Primordial Elementals, or Zhong Chengshuo himself, they all believed that Yin Ren was the cub of “Fear”. Why did Zhong Chengshuo suddenly request this data again at this critical juncture?

Back then, “Fear” split off its power to Yin Ren, giving birth to a brand new “Fear”. Later, Zhong Chengshuo, as the old Fear, merged with a human, and Yin Ren developed as the cub of Fear. Most of the process had also been observed in the memory world.

The subtle rejection between the two also corresponded to the characteristics of the Primordial Elementals that Meng Huai discovered on the Other Side.

Even if there were deviations, they could be attributed to individual differences. Fu Xingchuan pondered but couldn’t come up with any worthwhile insights.

“Why do you suddenly need all this?” Fu Xingchuan asked decisively. “If you want to study yourself and regain your powers, I can understand that.”

“When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call it a duck*.” Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the cup in his hand. “This method may be effective, but it doesn’t apply to biology.”

*Quote from James Whitcomb Riley.

Zhong Chengshuo once had spoken one-on-one with Qi Xin about the peculiarities of Yin Ren. At that time, she had made it clear that she didn’t care who Yin Ren was and only wanted to solve the problems on the Other Side. However, in their previous encounters, although Qi Xin didn’t say much, she clearly showed fear and concern towards Yin Ren.

“Now Yin Ren is focused on gaining power, so there’s no time to worry about trivial details, but I cannot afford to overlook them.”

Zhong Chengshuo looked at his own hands.

What if Yin Ren was meant to be a bird that flew in the sky but now clumsily tried to imitate swimming? What if Yin Ren’s fatal weakness was different from “Fear”? What if Qi Xin had discovered something before him and betrayed them at the crucial moment, leading to a disastrous outcome?

“I used to think that as long as I provided strong support, I could help him. Now it seems that it’s far from enough…”

Even though he had retrieved the authority of “Fear” through the Karma Lantern, that hollow feeling of powerlessness hadn’t disappeared; it had become even more apparent.

Fu Xingchuan observed this ancient Primordial Elemental.

The sleeves of his white-lined robe were slightly long, with a few folds piled up near the cup. Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brow, showing genuine distress.

The first time Fu Xingchuan saw Zhong Chengshuo, this person exuded an air of “ease and confidence” from head to toe. But now, he seemed somewhat helpless, resembling a young person in their thirties.

“Alright, I understand.” Fu Xingchuan snorted. “Shian will provide you with all the data you need, and we will arrange for people to come here to exchange information with you. If necessary, you can access the highest-level laboratories and researchers.”

“But I heard that Meiqiu has been researching the ‘angel’s arm’ recently. If needed, please assist him,” Fu Xingchuan added meaningfully.

“No problem.” This time, Zhong Chengshuo responded quickly.

“Lu Xiaohe just mentioned it recently, that we should support your possible research.” Fu Xingchuan smiled. “Your team seems to have good coordination.”

“Please thank her for me,” Zhong Chengshuo said, bowing his head sincerely.

With a helpful assistant acquired, Meiqiu’s tail curled up straight, and it contentedly started purring.

Fu Xingchuan nodded to the two of them and disappeared on the spot. Not far away, Gao Mengyu took off her earphones and closed the graduate entrance exam materials in her hand. “Have you finished discussing?”

“Almost. I just have one more question.”

The black cat jumped onto Zhong Chengshuo’s knee and looked at him with its round eyes.

“Even if you’re incredibly bored, you wouldn’t negotiate with Shian without any clues. Hey, do you have some kind of lead?”

Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, and the reflection of the black cat appeared in his eyes.

“It’s just an insignificant conjecture,” he said.

Indeed, it was an insignificant conjecture. Taking advantage of Yin Ren being away for treatment, Zhong Chengshuo locked himself in a solitary space of imagination, thoroughly chewing on every memory related to Yin Ren, hoping to find even the tiniest clue.

And he did find something.

It was just a subtle feeling.

A long time ago, in the Archive, he encountered the most beautiful monster in the world. Zhong Chengshuo remembered the mottled red veil, the sea-like black wings… and the hundreds of pale arms protruding beneath the veil.

It was their first day of interaction, and he had gently pressed his hand against that enormous palm.

And not long ago, while curled up amidst a sea of wings, a pale arm suddenly attacked, narrowly brushing past him.

Their auras were undeniably similar.

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The author has something to say:

The final unveiling begins.

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