Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 212: 2/3

The way that group of Primordial Elementals—let’s call them “cats” for now—moved was truly eye-opening for Yin Ren.

He was still baffled by what the other party had said. [There are other humans here.] Then he saw the group of cats waving their soft limbs, and the surrounding Other Side corridor began to spin rapidly. The cat legion followed one after another, entangling with the group of people and leapt into the vortex. The next moment, a brand-new tunnel appeared before everyone.

After one vortex came another, and physical distance became completely irrelevant. The people felt as if they were immersed in a kaleidoscope, with everything around them dazzling and bewildering. Although there was no ground beneath their feet, the cats leaped with determination. Though the paths were mostly similar, their strides were resolute.

The cats navigated with ease and took off in a certain direction.

Their destination was very close to the tunnel wall. As the cats approached the colorful edge of the tunnel, countless fragments writhed and merged, forming the outline of a hospice institution.

The wall tiles here were pristine and smooth, while over there the wall covering was corroded and peeling. Snow piled up on the windowsills, and rain tapped on the glass windows. At the same time, the courtyard’s floor tiles and weeds were stained red by the setting sun, reflecting a blood-red twilight. By the flower bed, a rocking chair gently swayed, and the “people” on it resembled dolls made of stitched cloth, with each inch of their skin belonging to a different person.

This small courtyard seemed to be pieced together from the impressions of countless people. Every detail was chaotic and fragmented, with only silence prevailing.

The atmosphere of this institution was gloomy, and combined with the chaotic scenery, it should have been frightening. However, the courtyard, benches, bushes… In every corner, there were tablecloths with cat patterns. They were so identical in style that it seemed like they were copy-pasted, and the colors were fresh and adorable.

Everyone in Shian looked at each other, unsure of how to react. Only Dr. Cat’s fur stood on end, revealing a subtly intriguing expression on its fluffy face.

Yin Ren somewhat understood it—when he was at the Fu residence, he saw those various paintings of Zhong Yi, and it was difficult to shake off that awkward feeling.

“The stains on them are identical to Gao Mengyu’s tablecloth.”

Zhong Chengshuo took two steps closer to Yin Ren.

“Lifeless objects cannot be brought in. These are probably their own imaginations.”

Since his hair couldn’t move now, Yin Ren simply grabbed Zhong Chengshuo’s hand and looked around.

Many cats didn’t follow the legion’s expedition. They coiled their soft limbs and collapsed lazily on the tablecloth, treating it as a comfortable nest. They spread out fourteen pairs of eyes on the ground, basking in the nonexistent sunlight.

Contrasting the physiques of these cats, Gao Mengyu’s cat was undoubtedly the fattest. Compared to the smallest cat in the courtyard, it was twice as big. At the moment, it was squeaking and chirping at the remaining companions, exhibiting the demeanor of a leader.

“Just a group of ‘Lonely’.”

Qi Xin crossed her arms, clearly unhappy to be challenged by such small creatures.

“They only grew stronger in recent centuries, but they do have some courage.”

As soon as she spoke, all the chattering “Lonely” cats in the courtyard simultaneously fell silent.

Led by Gao Mengyu’s cat, they lined up in front of Qi Xin according to their size, extending their soft limbs as if offering themselves to be cut or slaughtered.

Yin Ren almost burst out laughing.

“Lonely” Elementals? No wonder it got along so well with Gao Mengyu. There was indeed no hostility around. Whether it was due to lack of food or their nature, most of the “Lonely” cats were lazy and had nothing to do with animosity.

[I’m sorry!]

Gao Mengyu’s cat took the lead in apologizing, practically flattening itself like a pancake.

[We are just desperate. We truly mean no harm.]

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo understood, but the rest of the humans couldn’t communicate with them through thoughts. To them, the cats probably just emitted an unpleasant noise.

“In Gao Mengyu’s disappearance case, this creature accidentally slipped through a gap and ended up in the human world.” As a bridge between humans and Elementals, Yin Ren quickly intervened. “Zhong Chengshuo and I have had contact with it before, and it is quite friendly towards humans.”

Seemingly to confirm his statement, Gao Mengyu’s cat clutched the tablecloth and covered its hole-ridden body with it. Unfortunately, its limbs, resembling the convolutions of a brain, still extended outward. Against the backdrop of the cute cat pattern, its appearance became even more peculiar.

Huang Jin and Ge Tingting were utterly confused, but the expression of the senior member, Lu Xiaohe, loosened slightly.

She remembered Gao Mengyu’s case.

Lu Xiaohe took a few deep breaths, finally pulling her thoughts out of extreme mode. She made an effort not to dwell on the horrors of the creatures and instead took two steps forward, extending her hand towards the cats’ soft limbs.

The cat was overjoyed and lightly touched Lu Xiaohe’s hand with its soft limb before retracting it. Two sweet “meows” were squeezed out of the holes on its body.

Yin Ren helped with simultaneous translation. “It just said, ‘I rely on consuming the “loneliness” from fresh brain marrow to survive, and humans have been kind to me’.”

“Well, I remember the case files. They eat pig brains, right?” Lu Xiaohe smirked. “Pigs are social animals, so it’s not surprising they have these emotions.”

Qi Xin still had a stern expression. “No wonder. The Other Side is so barren, while you’ve grown so fat. It turns out there were humans specifically feeding you.”

[So, I don’t want to fight humans. After we discovered those humans, we’ve been avoiding them.] The cat said.

[They might have sensed that, thinking we’re easy to deal with, so they’ve been chasing after us. I want to communicate, but they don’t understand.]

Upon hearing Yin Ren’s translation, Lu Xiaohe lost her composure first. She took a big step forward and firmly grasped the cat’s soft limb. “There are other humans here? Who? Where?”

The cat was startled by her, tilting its whole body backward.

“That’s the question I wanted to ask.” Yin Ren looked at the fourteen bright red eyes. “You said there are humans here. What’s going on?”

[I don’t know. I don’t know much about humans.]

The cat admitted honestly.

[But they will definitely come and attack soon. You can go meet them.]

……

When the cat said “soon,” it truly meant soon. Less than three minutes after the cat spoke, before Lu Xiaohe could calm down her emotions, a powerful beam of light suddenly struck the courtyard.

Flashing, dazzling radiance burst forth, causing vibrations and shaking in the small courtyard, faintly showing signs of collapsing. The cats in the entire courtyard squealed and scattered, running in all directions.

Accompanied by a massive explosion, a tremendous Evil Force washed over them.

Qi Xin stood in place, observing coldly. Yin Ren instantly wanted to erect a barrier and protect everyone. However, magic couldn’t be used, there were too many people, and their true forms couldn’t be easily revealed. Lord Ghost King was tragically stuck in place, only managing to use his body to shield Zhong Chengshuo.

As the aftermath of the explosion lingered, their enemies officially made their entrance.

Among countless flickering fragments, three young figures appeared.

The woman at the forefront had long disheveled hair, and her red shirt was torn at the edges. She stood in the front, tall and strong, laughing wantonly, constantly twirling something shiny on her fingertip—Yin Ren’s pupils contracted, barely getting a glimpse.

It was a ring attached to a bracelet.

Following closely behind her was a female police officer. The police officer’s uniform was clean, and her short hair was neatly groomed. She had a serious expression, gripping a gun tightly with the muzzle aimed at the crowd.

Behind the two women was a young man. He had a gentle and kind appearance, exuding a scholarly aura. On his chest, there hung a relatively new Shian employee ID card.

“How fascinating.”

The woman with long hair laughed.

“I mean, if you want to create cognitive pollution, at least bring out people we actually know. What’s all this?”

Her voice was loud, clear, and real.

Three humans—three humans who moved effortlessly on the Other Side, even possessing means of attack. And the faces of two of them were in the files of this mission.

Unbelievable emotions kept accumulating, causing a brief burst of chaos—

“Zhong Chengfeng!” Yin Ren pointed at the female police officer and shouted, reaching out to grab Zhong Chengshuo. “Isn’t she your sister? Her face is exactly the same as in the photo!”

Huang Jin had a more practical target. He stared at the woman with long hair in shock. “Isn’t that Meng Huai, the one who went missing?”

Lu Xiaohe’s focus was a bit off track. She looked at the man wearing the employee ID card. “That’s that person! The one who went missing two years ago in the Shian office area… I remember he was in the rear command… It can’t be wrong…”

As she spoke, her eyes gradually brightened, revealing a mix of joy and hope. She instinctively wanted to move forward but was blocked and tripped up by Dr. Cat using its body.

“Are you all idiots?! It’s been almost thirty years. How is it possible that those people have nothing to do with this?!” It yelled sharply. “This could be cognitive pollution!”

“Well, the cognitive pollution is done quite well. The acting is quite convincing.” The woman who resembled Meng Huai remarked.

“It’s just unrealistic that cats can speak human language. How about it? Did they extract too much animation information? …Shall we all transform and see?”

A group of “Lonely” cats innocently curled up—they really hadn’t done anything.

While Meng Huai joked, she didn’t slow down her actions. After adjusting her posture for a moment, she said, “Chengfeng, assist!”

“Got it!”

The woman resembling Zhong Chengfeng, the female police officer, responded and fired her gun. This time, Yin Ren remembered. He grabbed Zhong Chengshuo and Lu Xiaohe, retreating several steps in succession.

Where the bullets hit, a series of dangerous explosions erupted once again, unleashing another wave of Evil Force. Qi Xin floated calmly in the air, having made up her mind to watch coldly.

…Strange.

Yin Ren twitched his nose, distinguishing the differences in the Evil Force between the two attacks.

Each time there was an explosion, there were always two Evil Force appearing in pairs. In just two waves of attacks, there were already four different types of Evil Force.

He couldn’t figure out the principle behind it for a moment. But one thing was certain—the enemies in front of them were using Evil Force as weapons.

“Be careful.” Dr. Cat at some point had snuck up next to him and nudged his feet. “The enemies on the other side could be illusions, and these cats could be illusions too. Or even earlier—after entering the Other Side, everything is an illusion. Theoretically, it’s all possible.”

It moved its whiskers solemnly.

“If you can avoid fighting, then don’t fight. Who knows who will get hurt in the end…”

“It’s not an illusion.”

Zhong Chengshuo lifted the back of the cat’s neck and politely threw it onto Fu Tianyi’s face. He opened his pitch-black eyes wide and looked at Zhong Chengfeng not far away.

“This so-called sister of his now looks a few years younger than his physical body.”

“Leave it to me.”

With that, Zhong Chengshuo lightly patted Yin Ren’s shoulder and walked forward on his own. Then he opened his empty hands and raised them above his head, assuming a standard surrender position.

Seeing this person who appeared to be her sibling approaching, Zhong Chengfeng hesitated. She fired a few more shots, but they all landed near Zhong Chengshuo’s feet.

Zhong Chengshuo chose the most open spot in the courtyard and calmly stopped in his tracks.

The next moment, the scenery behind him changed.

Imagined memories reappeared, with half of the Zhong family’s home appearing behind him.

The repaired walls, scratched floor, old dining table, slightly greasy kitchen, outdated cabinets, and a tacky TV wall… Various scenes slowly took shape behind Zhong Chengshuo.

The elderly Zhong Youde, with white hair, was wearing an apron and carrying a bowl of stewed beef and potatoes to the table. Cheng Xuehua was holding chopsticks, her figure thin and small, with deep wrinkles on her face, like a shriveled fruit.

Zhong Chengfeng’s gunfire ceased.

The female police officer stared blankly at the scene in front of her. Her lips slightly parted, and her serious expression cracked, revealing a touch of warmth and sadness.

“Dad, Mom…”

“Chengfeng!” Meng Huai warned.

“It’s not cognitive pollution.” Zhong Chengfeng slightly lowered her gun barrel, her eyes turning red. “Home… has changed a lot, and a lot has happened… even Mom and Dad…”

Zhong Chengfeng licked her lips, took a deep breath, and paid no attention to the tears streaming down her face. She turned the gun barrel and pointed it directly at Zhong Chengshuo.

“Who are you?”

Her voice carried a sense of urgency.

Zhong Chengshuo observed her up and down for a moment without immediately answering.

He turned to Meng Huai and raised his left arm in another direction.

This time, a memory appeared of the underground elevator and corridor of Shian.

“I don’t think you’re someone who easily gets passionate. Today, I brought you here to let you see the ‘basics’ of Shian—Phenomenon A-A3, Evil Spirit.” Li Nian’s figure appeared near the elevator.

It was the familiar Professor Li that everyone knew. He still had that serious expression, dressed in a stern manner like a head teacher, and the pale reflection of a wedding ring on his slender finger.

Since it was from Zhong Chengshuo’s memory, Li Nian’s eyes were looking into the void, directly facing Meng Huai on the other side. This gaze was like Medusa’s stare, and Meng Huai froze for a full two seconds.

“Shian B-level Special Investigation Team, Unit 9, Science Post, Zhong Chengshuo.”

Zhong Chengshuo took a step closer to the two frozen individuals and raised his hands again.

“We came to the Other Side to search for clues regarding the disappearance of Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, and He Huan.”

Upon hearing Zhong Chengshuo’s name, Zhong Chengfeng anxiously tried to approach, but she was stopped by Meng Huai. Unlike Zhong Chengfeng, Meng Huai’s face turned dark like the bottom of a pot.

“This is too fake. Li Nian clearly despises Shian the most,” she said. “These pieces of information can be deduced from our memories. On my end, my love life is fulfilling, and on Chengfeng’s end, her parents are healthy, as if wishes have come true… And your eyes lack a human touch. Sunken Society, right?”

[I told you it would be difficult to communicate with them.]

Gao Mengyu’s cat draped the tablecloth tightly as it whimpered and complained. Yin Ren touched its soft limbs, not knowing what to say for a moment.

He didn’t remember all the details like Zhong Chengshuo did. Moreover, there were many people present, and if he revealed his true form, it would be no different from launching indiscriminate attacks. The joy of being able to freely walk on the Other Side didn’t last long before that feeling of powerlessness resurfaced.

“If you need more evidence, I can accompany you… Lu Xiaohe?” On the other side, just as Zhong Chengshuo was about to continue negotiating, a figure stumbled forward.

Lu Xiaohe shook off the hands of Huang Jin and Ge Tingting and limped towards the other side. Her expression was somewhat twisted, filled with an overwhelming mix of emotions that ultimately flowed into her reddened eyes.

“Lu Xiaohe!” Seeing Meng Huai’s tightly gripped hand and Zhong Chengfeng’s restless gun barrel, Yin Ren couldn’t help but shout.

Just as he was about to catch up, he heard a trembling cry.

“Don’t come over!”

Lu Xiaohe continued to move forward without looking back.

“And you, Zhong Chengshuo, don’t come over either!”

Zhong Chengshuo maintained his imagination, frowning as he looked at Lu Xiaohe’s back. Yin Ren clenched his fist, completely focused on the other party, and noticed a slight movement in a strand of hair.

The two sides were not far apart, and although Lu Xiaohe walked slowly, it felt like she had been walking for a century.

“Shian B-Level Special Investigation Team, Unit 9, Science Post, Rear Command Lu Xiaohe.”

Lu Xiaohe stopped, only four or five steps away from the three on the other side. Her voice was so hoarse that it was chilling.

“I’ll get straight to the point. I reluctantly believe that you are Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, and that someone who disappeared from the Shian office area. Your current actions are the basic units of the Black Seal Non-Science Post, paired with the Red Seal Science Post, along with the Rear Commander.”

“Meng Huai used to be a member of the Emergency Management Department, so she should have a way to verify the authenticity of our human identities. No matter how harmful it may be, please test it on me—of course, if you are fake, I believe my teammates will also be able to tell.”

Meng Huai narrowed her eyes. “You’ve got quite the audacity. Do you know—”

“I’m running out of time.”

Lu Xiaohe interrupted her.

She stared fixedly at Meng Huai, and the members of Unit 9 almost simultaneously took a step back. Lu Xiaohe usually spoke gently and had an incredibly good temper. They had never seen her wear such an expression.

Desire, anticipation, eagerness… along with a deep and overwhelming fear of losing and being lost.

“We have come to investigate the disappearance of Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng twenty-nine years ago, as well as the recent disappearance of He Huan.”

She emphasized each word.

“He Huan is my mother.”

After saying this, countless emotions found an outlet—the suppressed fuse finally burned to its end, and the imagination behind her instantly exploded.

Her mother’s embrace during her childhood, the arguments and quarrels during her student days, the leaning on each other during their university years. Lu Xiaohe gradually grew up, her baby clothes turned into school uniforms, and the school uniforms turned into plain attire. Eventually, she tightly held the medical bill and accepted Shian’s offer.

At the same time, her mother transformed from a young woman to a plump figure, only to be consumed by illness, leaving behind a withered and emaciated appearance.

The two of them underwent changes, like waves and sand.

A variety of images constructed a wall in her imagination, almost filling the sky and the earth.

And in the center, the most vivid image was the day her mother disappeared.

Lush greenery and perfect sunlight.

She vanished just like that, while those who disappeared almost thirty years earlier stood here, and those who disappeared two years earlier were also present.

But what about her mother?

“You can calculate and find countless loopholes and engage in theoretical debates for three days and nights. But I can’t wait.”

Lu Xiaohe clenched her teeth. Behind her was her entire life. They flickered incessantly, layer upon layer, weighing her down to the point of suffocation.

“Take action, Ms. Meng Huai.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 211: Cat Legion

Gao Mengyu’s appearance remained the same, with her hair casually tied in a ponytail. However, she looked slightly plumper than before and had a gleam in her eyes. Lin Bei, as composed as ever, stood up and shook hands with Li Nian and Fu Xingchuan when they entered the reception room.

“We initially wanted to contact Yin Ren, but there has been no response from him,” she explained proactively.

“You mentioned before that anything related to ‘Qiqi’ should be kept confidential. Even within the ranks of Shian, communication should be handled by designated individuals.” Lin Bei sat back down elegantly, crossed her legs gracefully, and continued, “We’re not familiar with the internal hierarchy of Shian, so we had no choice but to bother the two of you.”

“Qiqi” referred to the peculiar cat creature that Gao Mengyu used to raise. It was classified as Phenomenon C-C19 at the time, known as the “Gap Cat”.

It possessed a strong cognitive pollution ability and could induce incomplete interstitial phenomena. Now it seemed highly likely that it was some kind of Elemental. The so-called induction of incomplete interstices was similar to a cat scratching desperately at a door—it wanted to return to the Other Side but couldn’t find a way.

That Elemental should have returned a long time ago, and Gao Mengyu’s cognitive pollution had already been cured for several months.

‘Interesting,’ Fu Xingchuan thought to himself.

“There’s no need to worry about bothering us.”

Minster Fu smiled.

“It’s perfect timing that you’ve come to us. Has Ms. Gao encountered any difficulties?”

Gao Mengyu felt a bit shy compared to Lin Bei, who worked in the field of self-media. After adjusting her emotions for a while, she tightly gripped the mineral water bottle in her hands.

“Well, recently, I’ve been having the same dream. In the dream, Qiqi—well, not the cat I currently have, but the bigger creature from before—keeps banging on the door and meowing outside, trying to squeeze its tentacles through the door crack. In the dream, I want to open the door and let it in, but it firmly clings to the door lock and won’t let me open it.”

She still refused to call it a “monster”.

“It meows outside the door but doesn’t allow you to open it?” Fu Xingchuan furrowed his brows.

“Yes,” Gao Mengyu nervously replied.

“At first, I thought I just missed it. But for the past few days, I’ve been having this dream every night. After that, I told Beibei about it, and she insisted that I contact Shian.”

Lin Bei nodded in agreement. “There might not be much to it from Gao Mengyu’s perspective, but as an observer, I find it quite unsettling.”

“A wise decision. It’s highly likely that ‘Qiqi’ is trying to communicate with Ms. Gao,” Fu Xingchuan said, rubbing his face.

“It seems like it’s advising Gao Mengyu against going out.” Li Nian pondered. “In the past, when faced with danger, its reaction was to hide Gao Mengyu in the gap. But now, it can only warn her like this.”

Gao Mengyu let out a soft “Ah” and revealed a faint smile. “Thank you both. So, should I go out less often in the future?”

“Well, the current situation is unstable, so it’s wise to be cautious.” Fu Xingchuan lightly tapped the table with his fingertips. “Apart from the recurring dream, have you noticed any other abnormalities in your life?”

Gao Mengyu hesitated for a moment, and a fleeting expression of wanting to speak but the expression as if she was holding back appeared on her face. She looked at Lin Bei, who nodded gently in response. Fu Xingchuan could sense her hesitation, but he remained silent, waiting for Gao Mengyu to speak up on her own.

As expected, after half a minute of wavering, Gao Mengyu let out a soft sigh.

“I’m sorry, but I lied to Shian back then.”

She lowered her head.

“When everyone helped me with my cognitive pollution, I… I didn’t wait until it was completely cured. I lied and said it was cured. At that time, I just wanted to keep a memento so that I wouldn’t forget about Qiqi.”

“And then?” Li Nian replied nonchalantly.

Gao Mengyu averted her gaze nervously. “After that incident, all the cats I saw had fourteen eyes. Other than that, there are no abnormalities. But ever since I dreamed about Qiqi a few days ago, I started seeing… seeing…”

She seemed to be carefully choosing her words and took a while to continue.

“I see something disgusting attached to some people’s bodies.”

After speaking, she took out her phone and showed the two ministers her drawings.

It looked like an… umbilical cord-like object. It was composed of countless twisted, vein-like tubes, hanging down from the void above and softly resting on a person’s shoulder.

“I can’t capture that feeling in my drawings.” Gao Mengyu hesitated. “Is this what Qiqi is trying to show me? It’s present on people of all ages and genders, and I can’t see anything special about them.”

“Let me continue.”

Lin Bei took over the conversation.

“Mengyu has drawn more than just this one. It looks like an umbilical cord, right? But when she first started sketching, just based on the outline, it looked more like an arm.”

Fu Xingchuan suddenly looked up.

Lin Bei tucked away a disobedient strand of hair and had a serious expression on her face. “Recently, there have been reports about ‘angel’s arms’ that have been widely talked about. Our studio recently signed related contracts, and we interviewed someone yesterday who could see these arms. Mengyu also saw this thing on him.”

“…Now I can confirm that it was your cat that made you see these things,” Fu Xingchuan muttered.

Shian’s instruments and techniques couldn’t detect them, so it was likely something from the Other Side.

“Ms. Gao, if you don’t mind, would you be willing to stay at Shian for a while?” Professor Li straightforwardly extended an invitation. “We need your abilities, and in this way, your ‘Qiqi’ will also feel more at ease. Shian will cover all your living expenses and housing during this period.”

“Uh, okay.”

Lin Bei breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good, so I don’t have to worry about this guy anymore. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now. I have a meeting this afternoon.”

“Wait.”

Li Nian called her back.

“Ms. Lin, earlier you mentioned that your self-media studio signed contracts related to the ‘angel’s arms’ and interviewed someone who can see the arms. Can you provide more specific information?”

Lin Bei was momentarily stunned. “Well… I can share the information, but everyone has been working on this topic recently, so I’m not sure how much help it will be.”

“Just tell us.”

“It’s about promoting the theme of ‘angel’s arms’ and linking it with ‘luck’ and ‘blessings’ to create a positive impression. However, this approach is quite common, and it wouldn’t be beneficial for self-media like us to spread negative associations.”

Lin Bei crossed her legs and clasped her hands on her thighs. When it came to her work, her tone instantly became composed.

“Basically, the goal is to make this topic popular and trending. With the current instability in society, everyone likes to see something reassuring. Several people I know are working on it as well.”

Li Nian neither confirmed nor denied anything. “I see… Do you happen to know which company is the most active investor in this field?”

“Don’t worry, this isn’t an official inquiry. Just my personal curiosity,” Professor Li added casually, noticing Lin Bei’s dilemma.

“Coral Reef Group,” Lin Bei replied. “They are also the ones who signed a contract with me this time.”

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

Li Nian nodded.

“You both have been very helpful.”

Watching the two women hurriedly leave, Fu Xingchuan chugged down a bottle of mineral water. “Coral Reef Group? Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Do you remember Gao Mengyu’s ex-boyfriend ghost called ‘Mr. Rose’? When he first appeared, he scared some employees of the Coral Reef Group.”

Li Nian tapped his temple with his slender index finger.

“And then there’s Bai Yongji, the quasi-Charon responsible for new media at the Coral Reef Group. If he hadn’t caused any trouble, he would be the one in charge of dealing with Lin Bei. Now they’re pushing the ‘angel’s arms’ matter. How interesting.”

Indeed, based on these events alone, the “Coral Reef Group” didn’t seem suspicious.

Mr. Rose’s mischief made their employees the victims. Bai Yongji’s kidnapping and modification of others had nothing to do with his job. As for the recent arm incidents, many new media players were paying attention to them, and there was no evidence of malicious intent from the Coral Reef Group.

It was a well-established local private enterprise in Haigu, known for dabbling in various products and trends. From household items to children’s animation and even mobile games for middle-aged and elderly people, Coral Reef was involved in all sorts of ventures.

Nevertheless, the repeated incidents associated with them raised some concerns…

“It’s subtle.”

With a click, Fu Xingchuan crushed the mineral water bottle.

“We can’t do anything about the Other Side,” he muttered a bit meaningfully. “But if someone interferes, we can’t let it go.”

“You want to investigate?”

“Let’s start by keeping an eye on things,” Fu Xingchuan said. “With so many trivial matters lately, we can’t afford another troublesome case.”

……

The Other Side.

Time didn’t pass here, and everyone’s biological clocks were in disarray. After enduring twenty-four hours, Qi Xin finally announced, with a touch of pity, that they could continue their journey.

The white room disappeared, and the group entered the endless tunnel that Yin Ren had seen before. Of course, except for Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, the rest of the people were only able to stay there with Qi Xin’s personal assistance.

Faced with this dizzying and spectacular sight, almost everyone held their breath, except for Lu Xiaohe, whose face showed a tinge of bitterness.

Her mother was here, but this place was too vast.

She had thought that coming to the Other Side would bring her some relief, but seeing the appearance of the Other Side only intensified the despair in her heart.

Countless fragments and colors stretched out like an endless sea.

Although they could imagine everyday objects here, even if Lu Xiaohe imagined computers and devices, they were just empty shells incapable of booting up or accessing data. Not to mention Ge Tingting, Huang Jin, and Fu Tianyi; their special abilities and spells were all nullified here. They were no different from ordinary people on the street and couldn’t conduct investigations on their own.

The Other Side, the Other Side. They truly seemed like they were dead, carrying only their ethereal souls.

She didn’t know what to do. They had come here to find someone, but so far, they hadn’t found any relevant clues.

Lu Xiaohe looked at Yin Ren with a hint of melancholy. Apart from waiting for Yin Ren to start searching, it seemed like there was nothing she could do.

As this thought arose, Lu Xiaohe’s face grew even more bitter.

“Everyone, take out your photos.” Qi Xin didn’t care about the psychological state of ordinary people. “Right now, I need you to adapt to walking on the Other Side. This photo is a crucial prop.”

Lu Xiaohe took out a photo of her and her mother and lowered her gaze.

In the photo, her mother had a healthy, round face. She held a young Lu Xiaohe in her arms, smiling brightly.

Lu Xiaohe knew that behind each photo should be personalized comments from five other individuals. These comments were individually written, and no one except the commentator and the owner of the photo knew the contents—this was explicitly explained when they were asked for the photos by Shian.

As a science post, Lu Xiaohe wavered for a moment. Would it count as some kind of protection if she received the blessings of her companions and the Great Celestial Master with this photo?

At this moment, Qi Xin grabbed the photo from Yin Ren’s hand and casually flipped through it. Lu Xiaohe followed her actions and turned to the back.

Only then did she notice that the edges of the photo were connected by thin black threads, which penetrated into the hard board behind the photo. Upon closer inspection, she realized that these hard boards were intricately woven with these black threads, emitting a faint black glow.

She wasn’t the only one who noticed this. Fu Tianyi tried to tear apart the photo and its base to see how long these black threads could stretch.

“Don’t tear it apart randomly!” Just then, Qi Xin reprimanded Fu Tianyi. “The photo is made with my hair connected to my original body. Otherwise, how do you think an inanimate object like a photo can enter?”

Fu Tianyi’s hand trembled, almost throwing the photo away.

This was a physical part of a Primordial Elemental, and if Qi Xin severed the connection, it would become the most powerful source of corruption within minutes.

Lu Xiaohe couldn’t care less about the commotion. She carefully read the handwriting on the back of the photo, trying to adjust her emotional state.

[Your mother will definitely be fine. Fu Tianyi] Fu Tianyi’s handwriting was pretty, indicating some practice.

[Xiaohe Jie, jiayou*! Ge Tingting] Ge Tingting’s writing was graceful and a bit youthful.

*It’s a ubiquitous Chinese expression of encouragement and support that doesn’t have a direct translation. The closest would be “refuel” (in this context), but I don’t think it quite fits.

[Wishing you success. Huang Jin] The font was neither good nor bad, just a common style.

[Lu Xiaohe, Lu Xiaohe’s mother, He Huan. Zhong Chengshuo] …It was still the human printer style she was familiar with.

[Leave it to me! Yin Ren] It was evident that Yin Ren’s handwriting lacked skill, but it had its own beauty.

On the other side, Qi Xin glared at Fu Tianyi again and continued explaining.

“There are comments behind each photo. Both the handwriting and the content are ‘you know, I know’ intelligence… Hmm, in human terms, you have established an encrypted connection between yourselves.”

She reluctantly provided the explanation.

“On the Other Side, if there is a disturbance at one end of the connection, it will naturally affect the intelligence, such as—”

Qi Xin mercilessly struck, a mist entwined around a certain limb, and she knocked Fu Tianyi unconscious with a “thump”. Dr. Cat was almost knocked off as well, and its tail puffed up.

At the same time, Fu Tianyi’s comment disappeared from Lu Xiaohe’s photo. She looked at the empty space in shock and then at Fu Tianyi, who remained motionless. Immediately after, Qi Xin lifted Fu Tianyi and woke him up amidst his sobbing.

As Fu Tianyi regained consciousness, the crooked comment reappeared, once again appearing on the back of Lu Xiaohe’s photo.

“Loss of consciousness will cause the connection to be severed, but there is another situation.”

Qi Xin tossed the weeping Fu Tianyi aside, and her misty form acted again, grabbing Zhong Chengshuo’s collar.

Zhong Chengshuo: “?”

This time, Qi Xin’s action was swift. Before Zhong Chengshuo could express his confusion, he disappeared from the spot. Yin Ren’s fur puffed up even more than Dr. Cat’s, but he couldn’t use his abilities. Lord Ghost King stepped forward a few steps, reaching out to grab Qi Xin by the collar.

Lu Xiaohe looked back at the photo.

On the back of the photo, Zhong Chengshuo’s comment became blurry and difficult to read. Moreover, the line of text was slightly tilted, leaning in a certain direction.

Like a pointer.

“The farther the distance, the weaker the connection signal. But in times like this, it can probably indicate the location of your companions… Alright, that’s the end of my explanation. You’re all clever people. You should know how to use this thing.”

Qi Xin clapped her hands with a face showing the relief of finishing an annoying task. In the next instant, Zhong Chengshuo appeared beside her with a swoosh, looking disapproving.

Yin Ren was still gripping Qi Xin’s collar with a gaze as sharp as a knife, seemingly contemplating how to slice this person into pieces.

“What’s with your expressions? If I throw away the cub, the cub will truly be lost.” Qi Xin remained calm while being held by Yin Ren, glancing at Zhong Chengshuo from the corner of her eye. “Or perhaps, Mr. Fear, do you have a different opinion?”

Zhong Chengshuo hugged his shoulder bag tightly, remaining silent.

“Is that all?” Lu Xiaohe anxiously asked. “Do we have a similar method for the missing people…”

“As long as Yin Ren becomes a mature Primordial Elemental, he will be capable of doing all the things you’re thinking of.”

Qi Xin didn’t give a direct answer, not even sparing a glance at Lu Xiaohe.

“Next is free activity time. Do whatever you want. I’m only responsible for bringing humans here, and I don’t care about anything else. If you encounter something you can’t handle, go back to the white room and wait.”

Lu Xiaohe clenched the photo tightly.

Indeed, there was no reason for Qi Xin to help humans with her abilities. Giving them an opportunity and a little guidance was already going above and beyond. In plain terms, this so-called journey to the Other Side was just an accessory for Yin Ren and the others—like a soothing toy that babies don’t want to let go of, a tiny lifeless object.

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were okay, but when it came to other Elementals, humans needed to remain highly vigilant and avoid contact if possible.

As Lu Xiaohe contemplated, a shrill howl echoed from the end of the tunnel. A pitch-black torrent piled up like a mountain, rushing towards them.

Yin Ren recognized this scene. It was a group of Elementals forming a cluster, surging forward in search of prey.

“By the way, let me introduce.”

Tour guide Miss Qi raised her hand, pointing towards the rushing black legion.

“This is a common phenomenon in the Other Side lately—group hunting. Due to food shortages, the weak unite to tear apart any solitary Elemental. Your photos all bear my aura, so they shouldn’t easily… huh?”

The massive legion surged forward, engulfing everyone from Shian. Countless tentacles wildly thrashed about, enveloping everyone and gathering high above their heads, dashing in a certain direction.

For a moment, screams from the people of Shian mixed together. Dr. Cat’s claws tightly gripped Fu Tianyi, who let out a yelp of pain.

What an audacious kidnapping! Even Qi Xin was stunned for a full three seconds.

Were these creatures driven mad by hunger, daring to provoke “Sorrow”?

She narrowed her eyes, and her main body was itching to make a move. But just as she was about to attack, Yin Ren’s voice could be heard amidst the cries—

“Qi Xin, stop!” he urgently shouted. “It’s an acquaintance!”

As soon as he was bound, Yin Ren felt a strange sense of familiarity.

He had definitely seen these soft, slippery, decaying-colored tentacles before. The points where the tentacles intersected formed grape-like shapes, with black and gray chunks of flesh riddled with holes. And around those chunks of flesh were embedded fourteen crimson spheres.

Hmm, he had indeed seen these things before, on a night when the moon was just right. Yin Ren quickly shifted his gaze, and sure enough—

Among them, an Elemental was holding up a tablecloth with a cat pattern using its tentacles. The tablecloth swayed as if it were a flag. With sharp and shrill sounds, its round “meow” cry was particularly grating, causing even Meiqiu to look around.

…Miss Gao Mengyu, your cat is here.

[What’s going on?!]

Before Qi Xin could speak, Yin Ren’s thoughts shot out.

The fourteen-eyed cat waved its tentacles and shook the tablecloth. “Meow!”

At the same time, its thoughts also infiltrated Yin Ren’s mind.

[They want to wage war against humans, but we don’t want to fight.]

It curled its tentacles in a pitiful manner.

Yin Ren was taken aback. [War? Do you have a way to fight in the human world?]

He glanced at the soft and squishy fourteen-eyed beings beneath him. These things had their own set of cognitive pollution and could indeed be formidable opponents.

But currently, everything was calm, without any major rifts. How would these things be able to reach the mortal realm?

Even if they could pass through the gap, without possessing a physical body, they could only hide within the gap and barely survive by traversing the interstitial space. When the time came, not to mention movement, food would be a problem.

[Not “that side”, but here.]

The “cat” responded earnestly.

[There are other humans here.]

---

The author has something to say:

Cat attack!

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 210: Visitors

While Yin Ren wandered outside and Zhong Chengshuo was consulting psychologist Qi Xin, the other people in the white room naturally couldn’t stay quiet.

After practicing continuously for several hours in the room, everyone could subconsciously imagine its existence and then had the freedom to move around comfortably. Fu Tianyi held Dr. Cat while everyone else gathered around him.

When the environmental pressure was high, having a soft and fluffy cat curled up in one’s arms was also a way to relax. Since this cat was their colleague and the most educated creature present, everyone could only watch attentively and dare not touch it.

“How did you come in?” Lu Xiaohe approached, her eyes fixed on her colleague’s fluffy tail.

“When the emergency situation was approved, you all were already rushing in.”

Qi Xin’s authority still held sway, and the black cat, unusually, didn’t show any strange behavior.

“While Qi Xin was holding the entrance, I jumped in by myself.”

“Emergency situation?”

As teammates, Fu Tianyi stroked the warm cat fur. Under normal circumstances, Dr. Cat would definitely swipe at him, but now it lay with its ears flattened, behaving obediently.

“Things have been unstable recently. The leaders of Yandu and Linnan haven’t left, so I’ve been staying at the Municipal Hospital…”

The inpatient department of the hospital was relatively quiet, and the garden was nice. Whenever Dr. Cat wanted to think quietly, it would always stroll around nearby.

“Recently, I’ve been considering matters related to the Primordial Elementals. Thanks to this kid Fu Tianyi, I also obtained higher browsing privileges.”

The black cat purred and explained.

“Do you know the essence of the abilities corrupted by Evil Force?”

Everyone looked at each other. Gaining special abilities from the influence of Evil Force seemed like a natural consequence. Apart from the science post that wasn’t busy, no one would contemplate such a question.

And this scientific post was not only not busy but not even human.

“Using Zhong Chengshuo’s analogy to the internet, if the biological brain is an independent device—the ‘Ghost Eye*’ branch is a mutation of observation ability. It’s like installing Windows or Android on an Apple system, which allows it to receive and process information that it couldn’t handle before.”

*Sixth sense, (or the ability to see ghosts).

“This is the most common corruption type caused by Evil Force. You have obtained the outermost perception ability of the ‘Elementals’, although they are only various incomplete fragments.”

Ge Tingting couldn’t help but nod. She, Huang Jin, and Liang Shan all belonged to this type. Those who possessed the ability of the “Ghost Eye” were the most numerous. They could gain strong clairvoyance or perceive information that didn’t belong to this world.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any combat power at all.

“The ‘Resonance’ branch that affects others’ emotions and the ‘Obstacle’ branch that distorts cognition are the basic abilities of Elementals. It can be said that when organisms are corrupted, they develop superpowers. In essence, the organisms merely absorb the fragmented flesh of Elementals, gaining a diluted version of their abilities.”

“What about the ‘Infinite’ and ‘Charon’ branches?” Lu Xiaohe keenly sensed the missing pieces.

The “Infinite” branch, with its skyrocketing information processing ability, and the “Charon” branch, capable of traversing between realms, were extremely rare in numbers but also belonged to the corrupted abilities category.

“Charon is the most special one. Elementals cannot directly operate in the mortal world, just like fish can’t stroll on the road. But what if an animal that lives on land unexpectedly acquires the ability to breathe underwater?”

“…The abilities are still the same, but the adaptability of these animals surpasses that of fish.” Lu Xiaohe suddenly realized.

“Yes, that’s why Elementals dislike Charons.” Dr. Cat licked his paws. “Now, only the ‘Infinite’ branch, to which I belong, remains.”

“I know. People from the Infinite branch have particularly strong computational abilities, and their intelligence experiences great leaps,” Fu Tianyi interjected.

“The principle is simple.” Dr. Cat’s pupils narrowed into slits, and its tail swayed. “The physical structure of my brain hasn’t changed, but through this network called the Other Side, I can access other devices—meaning, I can access human brains.”

“During this process, I can retrieve or input simple information to the connected devices.”

Huang Jin was dumbfounded.

No wonder. During the previous competition, this cat could convey thoughts and calm everyone down. And now, it had never seen the white room before, yet it could still… It turned out that this cat treated its brains as mining rigs, constantly extracting bitcoins.

“Thank you for the enlightening knowledge.” Huang Jin pressed his temples, unsure if his intelligence would be reduced because of this. “So, after all these detours, what does this have to do with the ’emergency situation’ you mentioned?”

“Recently, when I was connecting, I noticed that many people’s brains were experiencing malfunctions.” Dr. Cat’s voice turned serious. “The cause is unknown, but they all see an ‘arm’ that ‘only they can see’.”

“This is different from the physical ailments and corruption caused by Evil Force that I’ve seen before. It makes me very uncomfortable. To investigate the situation, I had to come personally. I can’t rely on you people without the Infinite ability to investigate. You wouldn’t be able to see shit!”

In the end, its feline demeanor became stronger again, indicating that its spirit had recovered somewhat.

“You can look for your people, and I’ll investigate my matters. Let’s not interfere with each other.” It emphasized firmly.

“That being said, you shouldn’t wander around recklessly.” Fu Tianyi patiently held his teammate. “That Qi Xin doesn’t seem like a good-tempered person. She won’t care about your well-being. If you want to investigate, let us assist you.”

“Hmm.” When Qi Xin was mentioned, Dr. Cat’s ears pressed against its head.

With no cat to pet, Huang Jin squatted in the corner with dwindling interest, looking at Ding Lizi’s photos again.

He didn’t bother thinking about what abilities and operational issues were all about. Ding Lizi had Yin Ren, the powerful Elemental, protecting her, so she should be fine. If they could return safely this time, he would…

But in the next second, Zhong Chengshuo and Qi Xin suddenly appeared in front of him, almost stepping on him.

Huang Jin, let alone his thoughts, almost stopped breathing. His angry reprimand of “What are you doing!” got stuck in his throat, almost choking himself.

However, as he listened to their conversation, he wished he had choked for real just now—

“Let me have a taste.” Zhong Chengshuo stared at Qi Xin intently, like a person who had been hungry for three days staring at a bowl of steaming porridge. There was no familiarity, only “I need to eat.”

Ms. Qi’s expression was worse than the bottom of a pot, and if her hair hadn’t been tied up, it would probably have stood on end. “How dare you!”

With his “normal vision” suddenly restored, Huang Jin was still not accustomed to reading people’s expressions. But he could tell that this woman’s tone contained faint fear. It seemed that even if Zhong Chengshuo had lost power, his past aura of Fear still lingered.

Huang Jin slowly moved his body, trying to slowly leave the center of the storm. However, before he could move far, Zhong Chengshuo grabbed the back of his collar. “I’ll find you later.”

Damn it.

Huang Jin instantly slumped in the corner, too lazy to struggle. He couldn’t afford to offend King Yama, and the combination of Fear and King Yama was even more terrifying. He dared not defy it.

How did he let himself be blinded by money and not firmly transfer to another team?

“I only need the amount of six arms.” Zhong Chengshuo turned his head back and continued bargaining with Qi Xin. “And when I get what I want, I’ll also give you something in return.”

“Why don’t you ask Yin Ren?!”

“He wouldn’t like it.” Zhong Chengshuo fell silent for a few seconds. “And I’m not sure about the effect. This is just an experiment—now that we’re all on the Other Side, we need your protection. We won’t harm you.”

Qi Xin stared at him warily, while Zhong Chengshuo met her gaze calmly.

“…Fine.”

She squeezed out her response through her teeth.

“Just this once.”

Huang Jin had no interest in hearing any secrets or gossip about powerful Elementals. He was just about to cover his ears when the scene in front of him completely transformed into a vortex. The information overload unique to the Other Side hit him again, and Huang Jin’s brain buzzed.

But before he could imagine the white room, the scene stabilized once again—

It was a windowless, dim basement. Numerous metal cans shimmered on two rows of shelves. Various specimens were hidden deep within the shelves with their hollow eye sockets peering in all directions. A modified interrogation chair made of an armchair stood in the corner with its restraints hanging like candle tears.

It clearly wasn’t a legitimate place.

In this small basement, there were only Zhong Chengshuo, Qi Xin, and Huang Jin as living beings.

“This… This is…” Huang Jin tried to make his voice tremble less.

He didn’t know what the hell kind of place this was! Could this also be an ability of an Elemental?

“Just consider it a private little room,” Qi Xin responded lackadaisically. “Hey, can we get started?”

Zhong Chengshuo silently walked to the table in the center of the room. He drew out the Evil Fruit, and the circulating red light almost blinded Huang Jin. However, this talented spirit smith had experienced many hardships. Even if Zhong Chengshuo pulled out Fu Xingchuan from his pocket, Huang Jin wouldn’t be surprised.

Hmm, the legendary Evil Fruit, and then?

Then, Comrade Zhong Chengshuo firmly grasped the legendary spirit weapon and stabbed it into his left shoulder.

Huang Jin: “???!!!”

He recoiled and almost sat on the ground.

Zhong Chengshuo’s brow furrowed slightly. Like a skilled butcher, he smoothly disassembled his arm along the joints in just two seconds. When the fair and sturdy arm was placed on the table, the blood belatedly seeped out.

“Qi Xin,” Zhong Chengshuo said.

Qi Xin’s face tensed, and the corners of her mouth turned downward. She hesitated for a while before a mist-shrouded gray-black limb emerged seemingly out of thin air. She gestured for a while, then snapped it directly, followed by mashing it into minced meat. Clumps of minced meat were manipulated by her, suspended in the air, and floated near Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder wound.

Just like a sponge absorbing water, they were quickly sucked clean by the wound.

Then, a short and thick baby’s arm protruded from the wound. It unnaturally expanded up and down, quickly transforming into an adult’s arm. Shortly after it fully regrew, Zhong Chengshuo, using the Evil Fruit again, disassembled it cleanly and placed it neatly next to the previous arm.

This cycle repeated six times.

As Huang Jin looked at the neatly arranged six left arms on the table, he stopped thinking.

Qi Xin was cutting her own body and using her flesh as food for the elderly, which he didn’t want to dwell on that matter. But Zhong Chengshuo’s style of eating-and-regrowing made it… difficult for him to accept.

After the seventh arm fully regenerated, Zhong Chengshuo moved his shoulder for a while. He looked up and down at the six arms on the table, and the Evil Fruit spun between his fingertips. “Huang Jin.”

“Here,” Huang Jin replied dazedly.

“As a spirit smith, you know techniques to maintain the vitality of limbs,” Zhong Chengshuo said with confidence. “I would like to ask for your help in preparing the procedure.”

Huang Jin struggled to turn his rusty mind.

Indeed, he knew those techniques. It was one of the fundamental skills of a spirit smith. Maintaining the vitality of biological material was essential to creating high-quality spirit weapons. But…

“But I’m a proper spirit smith,” Huang Jin said tremblingly. “Using human body parts to make spirit weapons… It’s still… a bit…”

“Not directly.”

Zhong Chengshuo lowered his eyes, and the glint of a knife flashed.

His movements were extremely swift. In an instant, the bone of that arm was smoothly removed. Before Huang Jin’s mind could fully react, only several piles of pristine white bones remained on the table.

Zhong Chengshuo skillfully sorted all the bones by size and rough categories. The human bones were neatly arranged together, resembling assembled parts to some extent. The peeled flesh and blood were piled on one side, clearly showing the structure of human fingers and wrists. Even Huang Jin, who had experienced many hardships, felt his scalp tingling.

This Zhong Chengshuo guy was truly not human.

While Huang Jin was desperately suppressing the urge to vomit, the fresh meat and blood were packed into a bag by Zhong Chengshuo. He handed it over to Qi Xin. Qi Xin had never encountered “leftover food” from Fear, so she took the bag and tightly held it in her hand.

“Animal bones are commonly used materials.”

Zhong Chengshuo turned to Huang Jin.

“These bones, could you please take care of them?”  

“Ah… Uh… Ah…” Huang Jin struggled not to look at the pile of bones while he remained tongue tied. “Wait, wait… Aren’t we unable to use spells here… I…”

“If it’s just a small area, I can adjust the environment.” Qi Xin hugged the bag. “Hurry up.”

Huang Jin pulled at his hair frantically. “But these are still human materials, and you’re a science post, so…”

“No. Although I am a science post, I’m also not human.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s face showed a subtly complex emotion that Huang Jin couldn’t decipher for a moment. All he could discern was a faint sense of melancholy and a peculiar determination.

“Animal bones are commonly used materials, aren’t they?”

Zhong Chengshuo adjusted his glasses. His newly grown arm was now covered by a phantom sleeve, and the bloodstains had been absorbed by the skin. His whole body was clean, as if nothing had happened.

Huang Jin dumbly responded in acknowledgement. In the illusory room created by Qi Xin, he instinctively dealt with the pile of bones.

Glistening white, hard, jade-like bones.

…Right, Zhong Chengshuo was a unique life form, a mixture of an Elemental and a human. His bones could still be used as materials. But what could they be used for? Huang Jin couldn’t think of anything, nor did he dare to imagine.

He just stared blankly as Zhong Chengshuo categorized the bones, leaving a segment of finger bone while packing the rest into an illusionary backpack. Bones stacked upon bones until they formed a small package.

“Alright.” Zhong Chengshuo nodded in satisfaction and slung the bag over his shoulder.

Qi Xin let out a breath and stuffed the bag of meat into her abdomen. Then, a sticky chewing sound came from beneath her clothes. After Huang Jin finished his eighteenth shiver, he wiped away the nonexistent cold sweat. “Is that it?”

“Remember to keep it a secret from Yin Ren.” Zhong Chengshuo nodded and stowed away the Evil Fruit. “If all goes well, I may need your help again.”

“But… What exactly are you planning to do?” Huang Jin once again pulled his hair frantically.

“I can no longer revert to ‘Fear’, and the combat power of a human body won’t help Yin Ren. And regardless of the human world or the Other Side, there is no knowledge that can guide me.”

“So, I need to research personally and find a way.”

Zhong Chengshuo opened his palm, the translucent white finger bone still warm, gently rolling in his hand. It resembled an ordinary lifeless object, much like Zhong Chengshuo himself, completely withdrawn.

Huang Jin released some of the tension in his breath. “That’s good, that’s good. No wonder you’re doing all this. It’s good to have a direction.”

“No,” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly replied.

“Huh? …Have you gone mad?!”

Huang Jin choked on his own saliva and coughed uncontrollably.

“You don’t even know if your own bones are useful, yet you did all this? You… at least should have a viable plan!”

“How can you wait until you know it will be successful before taking action when exploring the unknown?” Zhong Chengshuo looked at Huang Jin with some astonishment. “Even in the case of trial and error, there has to be a beginning. Everyone has to explore step by step.”

“Where did this ‘everyone’ come from?” Huang Jin covered his forehead, his tone fluctuating. “What kind of theory is this…”

“This is science,” Zhong Chengshuo replied.

“At this stage, it is my most powerful ability.”

Huang Jin opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to argue, but he couldn’t find the words to refute.

“Dr. Meiqiu is right. There are some experiments that only we ‘special researchers’ can do.”

Seeing that Huang Jin no longer spoke, Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the segment of finger bone.

“To fight against the Primordial Elementals, this is an excellent scientific research site.”

……

“Hey, why did you bring a shoulder bag?” Yin Ren wondered.

He proudly dragged along a long string of Elementals, returning with a full load. However, as soon as he returned to the white room, he noticed that his lover had an eye-catching shoulder bag. The bag wasn’t large, holding at most three bottles of mineral water. Judging from its style, it seemed like the kind of bag science posts would use during field studies.

Here, items could be constructed based on concentrated imagination, but specifically creating a shoulder bag seemed a bit excessive.

“For storing the Evil Fruit and materials,” Zhong Chengshuo explained, opening a corner of the bag and letting Yin Ren see the red light of the Evil Fruit.

Indeed, Zhong Chengshuo needed samples. There was a chance that this person had already gone out to collect them in his absence.

Yin Ren nodded and eagerly picked up the string of Elementals. “Look at this! Can it be used as a sample?”

The Elemental he held resembled a black, worm-like carrot. The carrot wriggled frantically, and the “roots” at the tip swayed incessantly. It was even thinner than the intruders in the Archive, likely a species at the bottom of the food chain.

Zhong Chengshuo took the black carrot in his hands.

The touch of the small Elemental was peculiar, soft with a bit of resilience, somewhat like jelly.

As soon as Zhong Chengshuo grabbed it, the carrot seemed to be immobilized, instantly stiffening and not moving at all.

“Strange, why is it so obedient?” Yin Ren turned his head and stared seriously at the carrot. “When I released my aura earlier, these little things were the fastest to flee… Well done, Zhong Ge. You’re still as sharp as ever.”

“Its reaction is indeed interesting and worthy of study,” Zhong Chengshuo expressed sincerely.

In the palm of his left hand, the finger bone was held tightly, pressing against the body of the small Elemental, still warm to the touch.

Yin Ren was exhausted to the extreme, but he had no doubts. He piled up the small Elementals and lay down next to Zhong Chengshuo, like a fierce beast returning from a hunt. Yin Ren stretched out his limbs and soon closed his eyes.

His black hair scattered on the ground, emitting a faint aroma of sandalwood. Zhong Chengshuo lifted a strand of black hair and lightly touched it with his lips. The black hair hung naturally, slightly cool to the touch, just like real hair.

“Rest well,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly.

……

Shian Building, top floor office.

Li Nian and Fu Xingchuan sat at their respective desks, staring at each other for a long time.

“Is it just my imagination, or do you really despise me so much? What’s with that look?” Fu Xingchuan put his feet up on the desk. “It’s only been a few days, and you’re already missing that kid, Xiang Jiang?”

“I miss the days when we could catch him,” Li Nian said with a stern face. “Did you change your socks? There’s a strong odor coming from your feet.”

Fu Xingchuan quickly put his feet down from the desk. “Sorry, sorry. I’ve been busy lately and completely forgot.”

Li Nian snorted.

When Fu Xingchuan returned, his appearance was drastically different. His leg had healed, his back was straightened, and his dark circles were gone. However, shortly after starting his work, the dark circles returned to Minister Fu’s face.

There was no other reason but the troublesome corruption source case. Not to mention, right after they sent away Unit 9, they encountered new complications.

A few individuals claimed online that they had seen an “angel’s arm” and felt “comforting love”. They even claimed to have developed spiritual vision. Although most citizens were uninterested in such grandiose fantasy talk, Shian still dispatched people to investigate.

But they couldn’t find any clues.

Even the most advanced cultivators couldn’t see any “angel’s arm”. Even when the interviewees pointed frantically at certain places, indicating “right here”, the instruments only detected emptiness.

One wave subsided, and another wave arose—all these energy-consuming, time-wasting disputes.

Without uncovering the truth, they couldn’t close the case. At the moment, the desks of the two ministers were piled high with documents, enough to bury a person alive.

“Let’s go to the canteen for lunch. I want to eat braised pigeon,” Fu Xingchuan complained, shuffling through papers. “Lao Li, we’re at that age where we should take care of ourselves—”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the intercom phone rang.

“Hello?” Fu Xingchuan answered with one hand, activating the speakerphone.

“Minister Fu? There are people who want to meet with you and Minister Li,” the subordinate reported diligently. “They are two ordinary female citizens. I told them that they needed to register their visit, but they insisted on seeing you first.”

“Ah?” Fu Xingchuan took several seconds to react. “We don’t have time right now. Let them register according to the rules.”

The phone fell silent; presumably the subordinate had covered the microphone and gone to communicate with the two women.

“They said they originally wanted to find members of Unit 9 but couldn’t reach them, so they decided to contact you directly.”

In a moment, the voice of the subordinate returned through the phone. There was a hint of helplessness in their tone.

Fu Xingchuan and Li Nian glanced at each other. “Unit 9? …What are their names?”

“Wait a moment.”

A few seconds later, the subordinate cleared their throat.

“…It’s Ms. Lin Bei and Ms. Gao Mengyu.”

---

Kinky Thoughts:

For those who forgot, these are the two characters in the first arc (case 1, the cat case).

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 209: Doubt

Yin Ren stepped out of that red door once again.

The terrifying sensation of weightlessness, the powerlessness to unleash his strength, coupled with the bombardment of a consciousness that made one lose oneself—in less than half a minute, he appeared again in the center of the white room, looking even more disheveled than the previous time.

At first, the members of Unit 9 were all on edge, but by the hundredth time the Great Celestial Master appeared in the center of the room, no one cast a glance anymore.

Except for Zhong Chengshuo.

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t need to practice, but it also wasn’t good to act alone without the team. After being rejected by Yin Ren, Zhong Chengshuo remained silent. He sat on the ground, hugging his knees, staring blankly as Yin Ren flashed back and forth.

Initially, Yin Ren could only stay “outside” for less than half a minute. With each attempt, the time he spent outside gradually increased, but it never exceeded five minutes.

Zhong Chengshuo had never seen Yin Ren in such a sorry state. Even after the battles with Mr. Qiu and Mr. Le, Yin Ren’s aura remained stable, without the current… helplessness.

Even Zhong Chengshuo was at a loss.

Even if Zhong Chengshuo wanted to help, he couldn’t turn bodily memory into explicit theory—just like a fish naturally knowing how to swim, even if it had exceptional intelligence, it couldn’t convey this instinct to humans through language.

So he could only watch.

In the beginning, when Yin Ren failed a dozen times, he would still smile a bit embarrassingly at Zhong Chengshuo. But later on, he wouldn’t even turn his head. His expression was filled with exhaustion and confusion.

Since Zhong Chengshuo’s “resurrection”, Yin Ren would occasionally glance at him, as if there was a red thread connecting them through their gaze. However, in these 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 57 seconds, to Yin Ren, he himself seemed no different from the other members of the group.

Zhong Chengshuo was surprised to find that he didn’t quite like this feeling. Whether it was Yin Ren’s persistence or his disregard, it was a subtle kind of sadness, like a black thread sticking to a piece of snowy white fabric.

So he shifted his body, moving closer to the center of the room. Close enough that when Yin Ren flashed for the hundredth time, he was right by Zhong Chengshuo’s feet.

One standing, one sitting, Zhong Chengshuo looked up at Yin Ren. However, Yin Ren only wiped the sweat off his face and strode toward the red door.

His figure was swallowed by the red door for the hundredth time.

Zhong Chengshuo felt a sense of melancholy as he took out a photo. Yin Ren was sleeping soundly in the photo. Even in his sleep, whenever Zhong Chengshuo leaned in, there would always be a warm strand of hair sticking to his skin, stretching lazily.

Zhong Chengshuo looked at his empty hands and tightened his fingers, lost in thought.

……

At this moment, Yin Ren was oblivious to Zhong Chengshuo’s unusual behavior. To be precise, he was too preoccupied with his own abnormality—forcing himself to immerse repeatedly in the Other Side’s environment, his perception had become completely tangled.

He tasted screams on his tongue, smelled the stench of rotting organs in his ears, and his nose was filled with the sickly sweet scent of expired sugar. The surroundings were a dizzying array of chaotic fragments. He couldn’t even figure out how to move, let alone find someone.

Yin Ren attempted to mimic his previous battles and block off his senses, but without Zhong Chengshuo’s guidance, he could only remain in a vegetative state for a few minutes.

It shouldn’t be like this.

He was the cub of “Fear” with the ability to move freely in this realm.

Yin Ren desperately tried to recall the grassy mountains and streams from a thousand years ago, then the cozy living room from a thousand years later. The impression of the “white room” that had been etched into his mind was fading. He forced himself to stay outside the red door, alternating between the “chaos” and the “emptiness” in his perception.

Over the years, Yin Ren had developed his own way of adapting to the unknown—

Pushing himself to the edge.

When facing imminent death, his hidden potential would naturally be squeezed out. This move had proven successful countless times in battles and hunts from a thousand years ago.

Information explosion, emptiness. Information explosion, emptiness… Yin Ren repeatedly opened and closed his senses, tempering his nerves time and time again. His mind was almost overwhelmed by the jumble of information. It felt as if he was being crushed into pieces and then pieced back together again.

…No wonder Qi Xin didn’t want to save people first. If Xiaohe’s mother had settled down, she would really want to escape from this place.

Yin Ren struggled to control his perception, as if steering a sinking ship in a raging storm.

Gradually, what lay before him was no longer a disorganized storm, but a merging of scenes.

Scenes belonging to others, scenes belonging to himself. Unseen scenes, scenes deeply ingrained in his memory. Light and shadow still appeared tangled, and Yin Ren felt as if he had fallen into the stomach of a colorful monster. The debris of the surrounding scenes rolled and ground against him, bringing a heavier sense of pain.

Amidst dizziness and intense pain, Yin Ren forced himself to think.

With his power, he could assist Qi Xin in protecting the city. Li Nian’s proposal for “sealing” also made sense… There were so many ways to find liberation, so why did he choose the most difficult one?

His mind was repeatedly battered by information, almost turning into a pulp.

Yin Ren became somewhat dazed for a moment. Amidst the vivid colors, his thoughts became increasingly elusive. He wasn’t sure if he had truly arrived on the Other Side or if he had fallen into a nightmare.

Even though he suppressed the thought of returning to the white room, various ideas of giving up continued to scream in his ears.

Right, he could cooperate with Zhong Chengshuo… Didn’t they work together so well in the previous battle against Mr. Le? In case of conscious corruption or emotional influence, he just needed to block off his senses and wholeheartedly trust… trust Zhong Chengshuo…

…

No.

Yin Ren abruptly snapped back to reality. Just as the first two notes of “Happy Birthday” played in his mind, he forcefully shifted his thoughts.

Although he came to the Other Side to fulfill his promise to Lu Xiaohe, did he truly have only that one promise to fulfill?

Not long ago, Zhong Chengshuo solemnly blew out a candle in front of him, and a warm glow flickered in those dark eyes.

[I hope that no matter what the future holds, we will be the best accomplices.] That person sincerely made a wish to him.

Becoming the most excellent humanoid weapon was indeed a method. Capable of fighting demons and disasters, proficient in various spells, and able to protect his comrades and transform into an eyeless blade.

But then what?

Perhaps Love would be sealed away, returning to the Other Side to balance Qi Xin. If he did that, would Qi Xin spare him and Zhong Chengshuo? Mr. Qiu was able to destroy Zhong Chengshuo’s physical body and take him away. When it came to battling the Great Primordial Elementals or self-preservation, these were the issues that Zhong Chengshuo needed to deal with.

Until the day Love and Sorrow vanished.

He would be responsible for the mortal realm, and Zhong Chengshuo would be responsible for the Other Side. It seemed fair, but it made Yin Ren extremely uncomfortable. He couldn’t forget the sight of that person losing his head, falling before him.

Like a wound, scabbing over, tearing away, and repeating the process. No amount of sweetness or warmth could heal it.

As soon as this thought arose, the debris of scenes around Yin Ren gradually turned blood red. His imagination quickly constructed the scene—the sunset and stone steps of that day appeared before him once again.

Whether it was the blood splattered on the walls or the moss between the stone steps, every detail was vividly present. Warm blood flowed over the stone slabs, and the stench of flesh and blood filled the air.

His memories of them were much deeper than that wretched white room.

How many times had he seen this scene?

Yin Ren reached out and touched the bloodstained wall. The scene froze with Zhong Chengshuo’s body stiffly leaning against the wall, covered in mangled flesh and blood. Even without a head, Yin Ren could still recognize that person from his figure alone.

Yin Ren crouched in front of the lifeless body, gently straightening Zhong Chengshuo’s disheveled and blood-soaked clothes. His lover’s chest wound was gruesomely torn open, and Yin Ren carefully closed it. But even after doing everything, the scent of death still lingered, viciously wrenching at Yin Ren’s heart.

Perhaps with revenge taken, the tragic state of Yin Village found peace in his heart. And in its place, this scene became a horrifying curse that sent chills down his spine with just a single glance.

This time, Yin Ren didn’t look away.

He gazed at the headless body—the bloodstains on his hands were as fresh as ever, not yet dried.

“The cart will find its way around the hill when it gets there*. Enjoying life in a timely manner is the most important thing. That’s always been my way of thinking. But if we split the responsibility in half and go on as we are… I don’t think that qualifies as the best accomplice.”

*(车到山前必有路) Idiom referring to things will eventually sort itself out.

That was the wish you made to me. How can I just brush it off?

Yin Ren traced the broken neck of the body. The severed flesh revealed a snow-white spine, resembling a pale seed.

“…A long time ago, I never used to consider the ‘future’.”

Yin Ren’s fingertips moved from Zhong Chengshuo’s mutilated neck to his ribs, feeling the lingering warmth of the skin. After a moment of hesitation, Yin Ren leaned forward and embraced him. Without the weight of a head, the body felt much lighter than he had imagined.

“But after awakening in this era, I’ve thought about the ‘future’ twice. The first time, I thought about how much I love you, and you’re human. If you were to grow old and die in the future, I would be devastated.”

“The second time, I thought about how much I love you, and you lost your original power. If there were another instance of feeling ‘powerless’… I wouldn’t even dare to imagine it.”

Yin Ren closed his eyes, and his nostrils were filled with the scent of blood and the moist smell of rocks.

And Zhong Chengshuo’s breath.

Pure and sharp like a mountain forest, with a faint hint of mint. It was Yin Ren’s favorite scent, but when mixed with the scent of blood, it transformed into a terrifying odor that chilled him to the bone.

“I think there might only be one way to be completely rid of this scene—”

Yin Ren tightly embraced the lifeless body, carefully closing off his senses. Between the sealed “shutdown” and the open “maximum firepower”, there were many subtle controls over his senses. He had forgotten how many times he had repeated this process, but Yin Ren was certain that he had vaguely found the invisible “knob” at its edge.

“—I must be able to build an indestructible ‘future’.”

Click.

The scent at his nose vanished, and the weight in his embrace dissipated like smoke.

It was as if he had found the correct password for a safe or tuned the radio to the right frequency. The environment around Yin Ren trembled lightly, and the lingering, excruciating pain dissipated into thin air.

……

“What are you trying to do?” Zhong Chengshuo said, stopping next to Qi Xin.

Yin Ren didn’t return for a long time, and it made Zhong Chengshuo’s knees stiff when he sat down. He had nothing to do but devote all his energy to worry and speculation, a feeling that didn’t need to be expressed in words.

Yin Ren didn’t know how to move on the Other Side, but Zhong Chengshuo did. Ten seconds after pushing open the door, he found Qi Xin, who was doing nothing.

“I made myself clear, didn’t I? I want ‘Fear’ to return.” Qi Xin floated in the air, casting a sidelong glance at Zhong Chengshuo. For some reason, she seemed reluctant to meet his gaze. “Of course, not referring to you.”

“…Can’t I do it?” Zhong Chengshuo was taken aback.

“You have integrated too well with humans. Anyway, you can’t.” Qi Xin lowered her eyes. “…But it’s understandable. You didn’t have thoughts before, so it’s inevitable that you wouldn’t grasp the gravity of things.”

Zhong Chengshuo stared at her for a while. “You remember what happened back then.”

“The period when you were hunted down was a grand carnival on the Other Side. Love, Joy, Disgust… They tore this place apart with gaps, just to trap you. Why, don’t you remember at all?”

“I only remember the pain.”

“Haha.” Qi Xin forced a laugh. “Forget about that. Old* Fear, you don’t seem like the type to engage in conversation with others.”

*[Lao] (老). I’m translating it because it sounds too weird given that I translated his “name”.

“Listen, even if you don’t have any abilities, at least none of the Elementals here—including me—can completely kill you. If you have something to say, go ahead and speak.”

As she spoke, her body instinctively tensed up.

“I feel like I’m useless,” Zhong Chengshuo said pensively.

Qi Xin: “Ah?”

Her defensive posture instantly crumbled, and a hint of confusion appeared on her face. What was this former dominant God of Death from the Other Side talking about?

“If Yin Ren only wanted to find the missing people, he wouldn’t have disregarded me as well. I can tell that Yin Ren wants to become the true Fear,” Zhong Chengshuo earnestly recounted.

Qi Xin gritted her teeth. This person’s account was irrationally infuriating, but she was indeed interested in this topic. “Go on.”

“At that time, I won’t be able to intervene in his battle with Love. Even if I were to forcefully join, I would only become a burden.” Zhong Chengshuo analyzed himself in detail. “Just the thought of it makes me feel somewhat sad.”

Qi Xin: “…” It was true that her essence was “Sorrow”, but seeking emotional advice from a Primordial Elemental seemed off somehow, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“I don’t think you need to be too sad.” Qi Xin cleared her throat. “I don’t know how things will turn out. That kid Yin Ren can only take it step by step. To be honest, he may not necessarily become the true Fear.”

“What do you mean?” Zhong Chengshuo’s expression immediately turned solemn.

Qi Xin casually pointed to a distance—a dozen or so steps away, two white Primordial Elementals were engaged in a fierce fight. One had already been mostly consumed by the other but was still struggling desperately. Judging by their appearance, those two little creatures were undoubtedly of the same kind.

“Normal Elementals should be born on the Other Side under the influence of ‘Satisfaction’. If there’s enough food after their birth, they can survive by feeding on emotions alone. Cannibalism within the same species only occurs in famine-like environments.”

“As for Primordial Elementals like us, we must inevitably kill the previous generation after being born… After all, resources are limited, and as long as the previous generation is alive, they will unconsciously absorb emotional nutrients, causing the new generation to quickly perish due to malnutrition.”

Qi Xin gestured casually.

“But according to your accounts, first, Yin Ren was born in the mortal realm without the intervention of ‘Satisfaction’, which is unprecedented. Second, he has yet to consume you, who occupies an empty position, but he is quite healthy.”

The more Zhong Chengshuo frowned, the tighter his brows knitted. “Are you saying that Yin Ren isn’t a normal Primordial Elemental?”

“Yes. I don’t know what he will become.” Qi Xin rolled her eyes, and the dark abyss of her eyes squeezed at the corners. “But he looks like Fear, his aura is that of Fear, and his destructive power is no different from Fear. To me, he is the cub of ‘Fear’.”

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent.

“As long as he can solve the problems on the Other Side, I don’t care about his bloodline purity. In the current situation, it seems like I don’t have a choice either,” Qi Xin said. “So no one can predict what will happen in the future, and it doesn’t matter if you mind.”

“Yin Ren’s condition is even more unstable than expected, and you don’t have a way to restore my powers,” Zhong Chengshuo dryly summarized. “I can’t possibly not mind.”

“I can’t help you, and I don’t care.”

Qi Xin averted her gaze.

“For the Other Side, you are now no different from a dead thing, Mr. Fear.”

Zhong Chengshuo raised his gaze. The two small white Elementals had finished their fight. The silhouette of one had disappeared without a trace, while the other floated lightly as if nothing had happened.

The one that had been consumed didn’t even leave a trace behind.

On the Other Side without Fear, only this kind of “death” existed. Even if he stood here now, he couldn’t interfere with anything.

Zhong Chengshuo took off the glasses made of “illusions” and raised his pitch-black eyes. When the tiny entity floated away, his hand reached towards his lower back. Beneath his loose white linen clothing, a touch of crimson was hidden.

Perhaps due to the infiltration of Yin Ren’s blood, the Evil Fruit wasn’t an illusion but was brought in for real. The crimson flowed on the blade was captivatingly beautiful. Zhong Chengshuo pressed his fingertip against the blade, and a trace of chill seeped from the razor-sharp edge.

Qi Xin couldn’t offer any effective advice, and the information from Shian was limited.

‘This couldn’t go on,’ he thought.

Since Yin Ren wouldn’t slow down, he had to catch up.

……

Yin Ren opened his eyes.

He found himself in an exceptionally wide tunnel with countless scenes and fragments crowded on the black-gray walls of the tunnel, like walls adorned with festive lights. This passageway resembled an ant nest, with no visible beginning or end, and branching out into innumerable forks. Everything in the world intersected here, dazzling to the point of breathlessness.

Like an endless celebration.

Yin Ren imagined a solid ground, and the next moment, he felt an appropriate weight under his feet. He wasn’t sure if this was the true form of the Other Side, but at least for now, his body was no longer in pain.

Yin Ren quickly recited a mantra, but things didn’t go as he wished. He couldn’t even produce a spark.

…Well, he had to take things one step at a time. Yin Ren curiously took a step forward, observing everything around him.

“Oh, right. Almost forgot about you.”

Just as Yin Ren took a step forward, he suddenly slapped his forehead. He took out the trembling Dog Thing from his pocket and tapped on its surface with his knuckles.

“You were scared to death, but Qi Xin already knew about your existence. So, do you have anything to say now?”

[Home! Home! Home!]

The excited thoughts of Dog Thing came through.

[Can I go home?]

“…Go. Now that Qi Xin is watching, it’s pointless for me to keep you here.” Yin Ren chuckled. He extended his hand, and the cellphone floated on its own in midair.

[Go home—!!!] Dog Thing cheered.

In an instant, a mass of black oozed out from the cellphone. Its surface appeared watery and leaden gray, covered in densely packed and regular pores. Around its round body, spider-like long legs emerged.

The thing floated lightly in the air, resembling a variation of Saturn with insect-like legs forming its rings. Those legs moved rhythmically, and the spherical body drifted in the air.

“So this is the ‘Anxiety’ with such a distinguished appearance.” Yin Ren rubbed the goosebumps on his arms. “Alright, stop lingering and go already.”

[Thank you.]

Dog Thing circled around Yin Ren with its small legs pedaling happily.

[Goodbye.]

Moving gracefully like a jellyfish, it drifted towards one of the branching paths in the tunnel. Yin Ren had no idea how these things navigated, and he shook his head with a smile.

Next, all he had to do was find Qi Xin. The beginning was always the hardest, and he had already completed the most troublesome step!

Yin Ren began to move along the tunnel.

In the first hour, he held his head high and walked with confidence.

In the second hour, his steps grew heavier, and his brows furrowed.

In the third hour, he lay down on the ground.

This place was too vast, like an infinitely flawed space. Trying to find Qi Xin here was more challenging than panning for gold in a riverbed with bare hands. But if he went back to the white room like this… Yin Ren felt a tinge of resentment, as if he were rolling back to the spawn point in a game.

Qi Xin shouldn’t have gone too far from the white room, right? After all, how was this damn place even supposed to be navigated?

Yin Ren lay on the ground, looking at the radiant colors in all directions with millions of white structures, unable to discern the way back.

…Oh well. If he couldn’t find Qi Xin within an hour, he would reluctantly roll back. If he stayed away for too long, Zhong Chengshuo would surely worry.

Yin Ren let out a long sigh and was about to get up when he saw something round and rolling quickly towards him from the distance. A circle of familiar, small legs surrounded it.

“Dog Thing?!”

[Ahhhhhhhh!!!]

Before Dog Thing even reached him, a string of screams pierced through Yin Ren’s mind. Startled, he jumped up and saw the massive pursuers behind Dog Thing—

Various black and gray entities twisted together, forming a black tornado. They jostled and raced straight towards Dog Thing. The legs of Dog Things were about to break, and its surface pores oozed a transparent liquid—whether cold sweat or tears, Yin Ren couldn’t tell.

[Help! Help! Help! Help!] Dog Thing shouted desperately. It squeezed into Yin Ren’s hand on its own, transforming into a cellphone. Immediately, the unfortunate cellphone started vibrating endlessly in Yin Ren’s hand.

Yin Ren: “You—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was engulfed by the swarm of black entities.

The familiar pain returned. Only this time, it was external, not internal. These damn things were devouring him!

Yin Ren turned around in horror, trying to escape, but these Elementals crowded around him, making it impossible for him to move an inch.

He attempted to imagine the white room, but these unidentified Elementals were releasing intense emotions, turning his mind into a chaotic mess, rendering him unable to focus.

Unable to escape and unable to use his abilities, was he going to sink in the gutter?! Yin Ren covered his head, fully convinced that if this continued for a few more minutes, he would be skinned alive.

Was this how Qi Xin “took care” of a cub?

…Wait a minute. He was the cub of “Fear”, the highest level of emotion in theory, so he could simply consume them.

Yin Ren thought and acted swiftly. He grabbed one of the slippery entities and took a bite. He didn’t know what emotion this was, but it tasted somewhat like tortoise jelly.

Not bad.

Yin Ren felt revitalized and started devouring them even faster. Tearing off a piece here, swallowing a whole Elemental there. Soon, as if realizing that using a mouth was too slow, Yin Ren instinctively unleashed his true form and consumed them with his entire being.

As his true form emerged, the Elementals froze in place as if under a petrification spell.

In the next second, they once again twisted into a black tornado, but this time, they dashed in the opposite direction.

“Thinking of running away?”

Yin Ren, who had already expended quite a bit of energy, had just satisfied his appetite. He directed his body forward and pounced, closely pursuing the black tornado while voraciously absorbing it.

Something inside him was awakening. His true form became lighter and faster, akin to darkness itself. Like a tidal wave, Yin Ren swept towards the horde of Elementals, and with a crashing black wave, only a few survivors remained. The rest were engulfed and vanished into the darkness.

He was satisfied with his meal, but it left an unsatisfying taste in his mouth.

After confirming that the surroundings were completely cleared, Yin Ren leisurely restored his human form. It was said that a full stomach would put one in a good mood. Lord Ghost King strolled for a while to aid digestion and decided to return openly and honestly. He tightly clenched Dog Thing in his right hand and carried a few leftover Elementals in his left hand, intending to bring them back for further study with Zhong Chengshuo.

It could be considered returning with a full load, and Lord Ghost King’s mood improved slightly.

Not far away, within a certain shadow, a pair of human eyes blinked without pause, with the pupils following Yin Ren’s movements.

“An evil being? A Primordial Elemental? Or…”

The person muttered to themselves.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen something this interesting.”

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Kinky Thoughts:

When I first looked up tortoise jelly (guilinggao) I thought it was grass jelly, but it turns out it’s made from turtle shells, commonly from the golden coin turtle in the past, which is currently critically endangered, but now from other turtles.

Personally, I rather eat grass jelly…

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