Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 129: A Few Steps Away

Sacrifice?

His partner died?

…Zhong Chengshuo was sacrificed? How could that be possible?

That person was fine, right in front of his eyes. Yin Ren’s almost paralyzed thoughts turned with difficulty. He resisted the dizziness and opened his eyes wide to see the orderly battle scene in front of him.

While his head was blank, his body was still moving on its own.

Yin Ren watched as he used a ghost control spell and quietly enhanced San Jie’s auxiliary magic. The golden light inside the skull was flourishing, and 14 genderless corpses with golden shadows surrounded the two cone-shaped monsters in the center.

“Great job!” Luo Wanxiang floated in mid-air using her jet propulsion device and gave the two a thumbs up.

Zhong Chengshuo was still concentrating on attacking the orange cone. He didn’t show off his skills like Luo Wanxiang but was like a lurking beast—most of the time was spent waiting and observing, and his shots were simple and direct, but he could always seriously injure the thing’s eyes.

Simple, but deadly.

With Yin Ren’s red light spell, the crimson highlights on the two cones grew in number. Lined with a circle of golden light from his spells, there was a bit more solemnity in this gloomy skull.

The situation had basically become stable. The two science posts caused continuous damage to the monster, and there were no giant insects rushing around. Ge Tingting and the others probably controlled them.

It was just that those little white monsters were still dishonest.

They took advantage of everyone’s attention on the cone monster, and some of them crawled towards San Jie and Yin Ren, while the rest trembled and penetrated into the darkness to follow the Yandu group that was blocking the bugs.

“Hu Tao, help Ge Tingting watch and warn them at any time!”

Yin Ren wouldn’t naturally miss this.

[1] Hu Tao replied weakly in the Coffin Nails group.

The former Great Celestial Master made a gesture, and a spell suddenly started, pushing the little monsters out wave after wave. The white monsters fluctuated layer by layer, like ripples on the ground. Occasionally, one or two daring ones would break through the ripples and wrap around Yin Ren’s toes.

However, Yin Ren’s skin was covered with a thick layer of evil qi, and the little monsters who had repeated their tricks were blown far away by the surging evil qi before they could touch his skin.

They crawled tremblingly and flew away with tears splashing, completely devoid of the creepy influence they had before.

As he felt the intermittent contact again and again, Yin Ren gradually developed a strange sensation.

He should know how to deal with these things, just like he should know how to yawn and blink.

It was difficult to express this feeling in words—a certain invisible and intangible “new organ” gradually awakened, trying to function awkwardly, like a newborn cub smelling the world for the first time.

The small monsters touched him lightly, one after another, and a layer of invisible and intangible barrier gradually formed around Yin Ren. This barrier was like eyelids, closely adhering to his skin. He felt like he was soaking in warm water, with his whole body feeling warm and comfortable.

The surrounding stench instantly dissipated, and the white monsters no longer looked so hideous.

With this barely discernible protection, the evil qi attached to his body seemed clumsy and superfluous, like trying to force a snake to shed its skin back on.

Yin Ren maintained this mysterious state, stepping on the crawling small monsters on the ground and slowly reducing the protective layer of evil qi. The small monsters’ eyeballs slipped into the gaps between his toes, cold and slippery, feeling like fungus.

The thick layer of evil qi gradually dissipated until it disappeared.

As he expected, with this new “protection”, even without the need for evil qi isolation, he wouldn’t be affected at all.

Thanks to these little things that crazily stimulated him, he seemed to have gained a whole new ability.

Yin Ren adjusted his breathing and once again confirmed that his emotions were very stable. Even if the white monster flooded his instep, he didn’t have the impulse to devour Zhong Chengshuo as before—to put it bluntly, he just wanted to find time to kiss Zhong Chengshuo when no one was paying attention.

How great.

Like a cat learning to extend its claws for the first time. In order to maintain this sensation, Yin Ren dared not be distracted. He worked hard to maintain it and walked in the cone’s direction, past Sang Jie. With only two science posts, Zhong Chengshuo and Luo Wanxiang, it was still somewhat difficult to restrain the two giants. Zhong Chengshuo was, after all, a mortal with a physical body, so Yin Ren had to pay more attention.

And there was nothing better than “battle” to train and control new abilities.

Zhong Chengshuo seemed to have eyes on his back. Yin Ren had just taken two steps when Zhong Chengshuo simply turned his head around.

Seeing Yin Ren walking freely on the white monster, Zhong Chengshuo looked somewhat surprised, but he just silently watched Yin Ren for a second without asking anything.

The rest of the battle was incredibly easy.

Whatever emotional influence the cone monster could have, for Yin Ren, it was just a stupid cone. With the three of them, Yin Ren, Zhong Chengshuo, and Luo Wanxiang, working together, not only were the monster’s eyes full of wounds, but dozens of cracks appeared on its orange shell.

One fatal weakness was thus compensated for, and Yin Ren was finally able to touch these things directly.

The “shielding influence” ability was useful, but it had to be driven by instinct and relied on grasping physical sensation. Yin Ren was very used to this kind of training method, and he just needed to go back and practice and study repeatedly.

So many years had passed that Yin Ren almost forgot what “ability growth” felt like. He was so happy at the time…

……

What does it feel like to be happy again?

He couldn’t remember at all.

[The competition didn’t end normally, right?] That voice said in his mind.

‘Yes, the competition didn’t end normally,’ Yin Ren thought slightly wearily.

What happened… afterwards?

From early morning until dusk, the two cone-shaped monsters went from being full of fighting spirit to being covered in wounds.

Everyone in Shian had reached their limit. Sang Jie was panting heavily, and her bone staff was dull and lifeless. Without power in her equipment, Luo Wanxiang had to limp and step on rotting flesh to continue fighting. According to Hu Tao’s feedback, the situation on the other side had also stabilized with some effort.

Zhong Chengshuo was still the same, showing no signs of fatigue on his face.

“Just one final blow left.” He evaluated the movement trajectory of the cone-shaped monsters. “The competition is about to…”

“Environmental disturbances detected. Scores recorded. Everyone evacuate!”

At this critical moment, Fu Xingchuan’s voice pressed in from all sides.

Before everyone could react, a crimson magical light illuminated the surroundings. The expensive Corpse Cage, worth millions, rotted away in an instant, leaving only yellow-white bones.

In the next moment, their vision suddenly distorted, and countless cracks like peeling wall paint appeared.

Without the cover of the Corpse Cage, the small monsters and the orange cones on the ground emitted smoke, and the latter burrowed into the cracks and disappeared.

The small white monsters weren’t so lucky. They screamed “Don’t want to die” and dissolved quickly in the air, leaving no trace of their remains.

Everything happened in just a few seconds. The space collapsed, and the three small teams with injuries all over their bodies regained their normal shapes and fell to the ground at the same time. The members’ injuries were different, but they all looked bewildered.

“There are hot towels in the cabinet on your right.”

Fu Xingchuan said to the nine people and the cat lying on the ground. As for the ghost, Hu Tao, she had already rushed out of the building when she heard the word “evacuate”.

Yin Ren couldn’t say whether he was disappointed or relieved when the competition was suddenly interrupted. He sauntered over to the cabinet, pulled out two hot towels, and draped one over his own neck before going to wipe the face of Zhong Chengshuo as per his request.

He needed to be the first to determine the extent of Zhong Chengshuo’s injuries.

Zhong Chengshuo stood still and obediently took off his glasses, allowing Yin Ren to wipe his face like scrubbing a statue.

Despite the cancellation of the competition, the surroundings were peaceful and clean. Yin Ren wiped his lover’s face, but the feeling of inner turmoil couldn’t be eased.

He couldn’t help but turn his head to observe the situation of the people around him.

Sang Jie and Luo Wanxiang simply put up two peace signs and gasped for breath while resting. Huang Jin and Ge Tingting moved to opposite corners, ignoring each other. Lu Xiaohe fell into a pile of machinery and groaned in pain while holding her waist. Fu Tianyi sat facing the wall, and the depression all over his body was visible to everyone…

In the center of the small room, the three masters were still arguing beside the bones.

Perhaps it was because Yandu’s performance in the group was so mediocre that the “#1 Evil Smith” couldn’t sit still. “Hey, Lao Fu, why did you stop without telling us? At least give us a heads up.”

“This doesn’t comply with the procedure.” Qiao Shang solemnly agreed. “There were no signs of alarm from the spirit weapons, so there was no need to be so anxious.”

“The ancestors have issued a warning, and the nearby space is abnormal. You all know Fu Wuya. He wouldn’t issue a warning for no reason.”

Fu Xingchuan took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but he didn’t light it.

“Now that the overall situation has been decided, if you’re uncomfortable, we can arrange other forms of extra matches.”

“But this warning doesn’t have any follow-up, and it’s not just about whether to have extra matches or not.” Zhou Gong’s smile was a bit forced.

“The B-level investigation team broke through the illusion array in the mountains. Isn’t that good? I’ve always felt that your B and C teams’ content seemed to be reversed from the beginning… Lao Fu, even if someone attacks, they should go after our B-level members first. Aren’t you too concerned about a group of C-level newcomers?”

Not far away, Yin Ren sighed inwardly. The three layers of defense inside and outside were just a test, and they all knew it.

Fu Xingchuan laughed and tried to smooth things over. “These are all our future talents. Didn’t I say before that these young people are a bit special and might have some new ideas? Let’s not forget that.”

Qiao Shang shook her head, looking unhappy. “We can talk about the extra match later, but the problem is your attitude… It only takes a few seconds to tell us. Are you really lacking those few seconds?”

Fu Xingchuan scratched his head and let out a sigh. “I really am lacking those few seconds.”

As he spoke, he didn’t look at anyone and just stared at a void; his expression was complicated.

Contrary to what they had expected, everything didn’t end smoothly. Even the “space anomaly” from earlier was just a false alarm.

The battle didn’t go wrong, and Zhong Chengshuo was still alive. The abnormalities in his body might be just a side effect of awakening a new ability, which filled Yin Ren with hope.

But the unbearable tearing sensation had not disappeared, and his mind still felt numb.

“Can we go eat first? Oh, maybe we should go back and clean up first.”

Yin Ren asked cheerfully, feeling in a good mood.

Maintaining the state of “isolating influence” required a lot of energy, and he was starving. After fighting in the corpse for so long, Zhong Chengshuo probably also wanted to take a nice hot bath.

Maybe they could wash together and have a kiss in the hot water.

“For now, let’s not separate.” Fu Xingchuan didn’t agree. “There might be some adhesive phenomenon in the space near the Corpse Cage, and there may be small gaps in the short term. When we reach the above ground, you can move freely.”

He had to say that this judgment was quite cautious.

…What went wrong? Why was his heart so resistant to “continue”?

Yin Ren thought blankly.

He remembered that they walked out of the door happily and followed the exhausted team upward.

He remembered they stepped on the upward stairs, and the old wooden smell drifted in the corridor.

He remembered they walked towards the exit, where there was no door panel. Through the arched doorway, they could see the red and green evening sky. The two masters of Shian walked in front, while Fu Xingchuan personally guarded the end of the team. The figures in front were folded into sections by the steps, and the wind from the outside carried the fragrance of the mountains and blew down along the steps.

He remembered holding Zhang Chengshuo’s wrist, speeding up, and walking in front of him. Everything was ordinary, just like the end of every small adventure. The Fu residence was nice, but Yin Ren had already started to miss home.

“What do you want to eat tonight? I want to have some night market cold noodles. I don’t know if the cook here can make it.”

“I asked about the recipe when I bought groceries,” Zhong Chengshuo answered seriously. “I can tell the kitchen staff.”

…Where did it go wrong, exactly?

The environment was so peaceful, yet Yin Ren felt more and more suffocated.

[Don’t resist the memories.] The voice appeared again, clearer than before.

Memories.

Memory fragments…

Yin Ren suddenly realized something—something spewed out from the darkness and hit his consciousness directly.

It was the end of a “memory.”

The tired team climbed up the steps, only a few steps away from the arched doorway. A chaotic day was about to end, and the beautiful sunset was right in front of them. They would rest well for the night and compete in other ways tomorrow.

In order to quickly familiarize himself with his newly acquired ability, Yin Ren still maintained the “isolation” state. As long as he became stronger, the people he cared about would be in a little less danger… That was what he thought at the time.

His “isolation” did indeed isolate the influence of those abnormal monsters.

But it also isolated other things, such as the malicious surveillance of the sniper in the abandoned amusement park.

Familiar gunfire sounded, and Yin Ren’s mind was almost blank.

It was that guy.

Someone was shouting, but he couldn’t hear clearly, and the colors in his field of vision became blurry. Just like in the abandoned amusement park, Yin Ren desperately threw himself towards Zhong Chengshuo, trying to shield him from that person.

But what he touched was a warm and moist sensation.

It wasn’t a spell that was cast, as there was no hint of magic in the air. It was an ordinary bullet… a high-powered, purely scientific projectile with tremendous killing force.

It hit the center of Zhong Chengshuo’s chest and exploded inside his body.

Everything happened too quickly. Zhong Chengshuo touched his bloody and mangled chest; a look of shock still on his face, as he turned his head to look at Yin Ren. He seemed to want to say something.

Yin Ren pressed both hands on Zhong Chengshuo’s chest and activated one healing spell after another in vain. He blocked the direction from which the bullet came and instantly shattered several pieces of wall to build a safe shelter, then frantically tried to stop the bleeding.

A huge sense of unreality engulfed him.

If it was just the heart… If it was just the heart, then there was still hope. Shian had a lot of futuristic medical technology that was ahead of its time. They must have contingency plans for this kind of pure gunshot wound. Everything was not over yet…

But he had to stop the bleeding first. That was the only thing he could do…

Zhong Chengshuo struggled to stretch out his hand, his palm full of blood covering Yin Ren’s hand.

That person’s palm was still warm.

“This place really gives people a headache. It’s a pity that some people’s cleverness backfires. With just a little teasing, they come out in a hurry…”

A light and brisk voice sounded from the depths of the darkness. It was vague, like there was a layer of water film in between.

“Well, on second thought, you can’t hide in there forever. It’s just dying a little earlier now.”

There were a few gunshots again.

Yin Ren’s eyes were instantly covered with blood, and the hand that Zhong Chengshuo was holding onto his back twitched.

This time, the bullet bizarrely changed its trajectory and shot out from the wall behind Zhong Chengshuo.

This time, it hit Zhong Chengshuo’s head directly, ruthlessly exploding it.

Yin Ren’s body was splattered with hot blood and broken flesh. He stared blankly at the headless body in front of him, almost all the blood in his body was frozen.

Is it all a dream?

Just a surreal nightmare?

The ancient Ghost King forgot about those bizarre abilities, forgot about his own earth-shattering power. He stood dazed in place, like an ordinary person.

Not far away, the blood-red sunlight slanted through the archway. They shone red on the blood on the ground through the shattered “wall shelter”.

“Zhong…”

The blood on his hand was still warm.

It seemed that someone was injured around him and shouting loudly, but Yin Ren didn’t hear it…or rather, he heard it but didn’t understand.

He clenched the familiar body with trembling fingers.

However, countless semi-transparent black tentacles spread out from the wall, wrapping around Zhong Chengshuo’s body like sea anemones and violently pulled him into the wall.

Just like sinking into the water.

Yin Ren didn’t care if anyone was watching around him, and subconsciously wrapped his hair around—at least, he had to keep that person here.

At the critical moment, Yin Ren’s hair tightly wrapped around Zhong Chengshuo’s body as he spoke, refusing to let go. A small part of Zhong Chengshuo’s body remained outside, wrapped in wriggling, translucent tentacles.

Faint laughter came from inside the wall.

“That guy is really deceiving people. This one is indeed an ‘ordinary person.’ As for you… aren’t you an evil?”

As soon as the words fell, there was a sharp pain.

The hair that grabbed Zhong Chengshuo was cut off in unison, and he couldn’t feel Zhong Chengshuo’s body temperature anymore. The next moment, the tentacles suddenly retracted, accompanied by a distorted explosion, and the wall quickly returned to its original state.

Only a pool of blood and debris, and a few broken nylon straps remained in front of him. Zhong Chengshuo’s hard skin fell near the base of the wall, and the pages gradually soaked with blood.

His lover had completely disappeared.

Yin Ren stared at the wall, for a few seconds, or perhaps a century. He turned his head dazedly and looked at the door a few steps away.

Almost insane sadness and hatred overwhelmed Yin Ren’s mind, breaking through the icy coldness in his heart. He used his last bit of reason to press his temple with one hand.

He can’t lose control here. He can’t lose control here.

Absolutely cannot lose control here.

Whether it was Zhong Yi or an evil, if even his identity as an “Evil Spirit” was exposed, how could he get Zhong Chengshuo back?

‘…He had to snatch him back,’ Yin Ren thought in a daze.

Yin Ren watched his fingers touch his temple, and the magic suddenly started. Faced with bone-deep despair, he knew what to do.

The radiance of the magic illuminated the pool of blood, and Yin Ren decisively sealed his memories of the past few hours.

……

“How exactly did your partner sacrifice himself?”

The voice repeated the question.

“I remember.”

Yin Ren replied.

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Kinky Thoughts:

WTF?

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 128: Chaos

“A powerful ancestor predicted that the appearance of the Primordial Elements in the world is a sign of the end of the world… Ah, appearing in this place doesn’t count as an appearance, right?”

San Jie’s voice was gradually drowned out by blistering murmurs. Strange silver stars appeared around the scene in front of Yin Ren. He instinctively looked at Zhong Chengshuo, who held his shoulders.

The surroundings were quiet, and there was no unusual presence of either evil qi or Evil Force.

What happened just now…?

[Take it easy. Take your time. What happened after that?] A weird voice sounded deep in Yin Ren’s mind, as misty as a cloud of smoke.

Who’s talking?

Yin Ren shook his head vigorously. The dim space in front of him revealed faint shadows.

He blinked, and everything in front of him returned to normal. Luo Wanxiang’s hair was strung up a bit by her goggle strap, and the decoration on San Jie’s body shone with a fine light, and her cloudy pupils looked fixedly at Yin Ren.

The subtle voice in his head dissipated without a trace.

“Not feeling well?” Zhong Chengshuo asked while still holding his phone, which was recording, in his hand.

“It’s okay. Perhaps I’m just a little hungry.”

The trance for a moment was like dew on a lotus leaf, and it disappeared in an instant. Yin Ren took a breath and looked at the seemingly endless dry esophagus in front of him.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then took a slow step to stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhong Chengshuo. Zhong Chengshuo got closer, and his gaze behind the lens became a little softer.

“You’re right. We shouldn’t go this way. It’s better to be stable.” Yin Ren involuntarily murmured. “Why don’t I go talk to the Linnan’s people and we turn around?”

“We’ve already gone so far. If we turn around, it’ll be too inefficient. Skirmishes are all about adaptability.” Zhong Chengshuo stuffed a chocolate chip into Yin Ren’s mouth.

Yin Ren subconsciously looked at his lover. Under the gentle gaze of the man, everything seemed to return to normal.

Every time he gave Yin Ren food, Zhong Chengshuo would look over with unwavering eyes, his gaze pure with the intention of “giving you food.” This reminded Yin Ren of a long time ago, when he had encountered countless animals with whom he couldn’t communicate. “Sharing food” was undoubtedly their highest expression of goodwill.

Zhong Chengshuo made him think of them.

Yin Ren touched his lips. Seeing the way Zhong Chengshuo was staring at him without blinking, he couldn’t help but want to kiss him.

Since they had already kissed and Zhong Chengshuo was a clean freak, he didn’t seem to dislike it. When the people from Linnan weren’t paying attention, he would definitely kiss him properly while sober.

Yin Ren then licked the chocolate chip in his mouth; it was indeed his favorite brand.

He was very familiar with the sweet and bitter taste, and it always made him feel at ease. The melted cocoa butter slid across the tip of his tongue and was swallowed into the darkness of his esophagus.

At the same time, in the larger and more unpredictable esophagus—

“Yin Ren, Yin Ren!”

The next moment, Lu Xiaohe’s voice exploded in his ears. Her cheerful voice was full of urgency. “Be careful Don’t touch those things directly!”

The scene in front of him suddenly changed, giving Yin Ren a jolt.

What’s going on?

It was like waking up from a dream. The unique flavor of chocolate was still on the tip of his tongue, but what he saw in front of him was no longer the clearly lit esophagus but a huge rotten cranial cavity.

Luo Wanxiang’s mechanical ball hung from the highest part of the cranial cavity, emitting a strong light that illuminated the hellish scene.

Yellow-white bones were exposed behind the flesh, and half-rotten brains flowed slowly. Above this fetid waterfall, the skull bent into a huge dome. Looking “downstream”, the mucus flowed silently, overflowing over the huge reef-like teeth.

The corpse’s cranial cavity was completely opened up and empty.

It was supposed to be the location of the brain, but there were so many unknown things around that it looked more like a tree root. They were soaked in gray and rancid brain matter, forming an ominous swamp. Unknown insect corpses overturned in the “swamp” and became hills.

The overwhelming white monster crawled all over the skull cavity, and in the middle of the empty skull cavity, a huge orange cone full of holes floated. Countless eyeball structures protruded from the holes, each looking in different directions.

A disgusting murmur came from the cone, making people’s heads go numb.

They had seen such a sight in the Archive. This thing had floated through Guo Laifu’s street of consciousness with great fanfare. Yin Ren searched his memory blankly, but he couldn’t remember how it appeared at all.

No, that wasn’t right. He remembered…

They… They proceeded along the esophagus without any danger and met Shian’s arrangement at the throat.

There were complicated runes floating on the rotten flesh, and under the guidance of the brilliance of the runes, all the “attachment” monsters who had left gathered there. The white hyphae limbs were overwhelming, and they penetrated deeply into the corrupt muscle tissue, blocking the passage of the head of the corpse cage tightly.

The runes flickered, and the little monsters piled up frantically. Accompanied by the unpleasant sound of space squeezing, a crack gradually appeared in the void.

From the outside world, its size was far from being called a “gap”, but for them at this moment, it was already huge enough.

Piles of white little monsters trembled and moved, their eye structures splashing tears. They looked like they were hiding from the orange cone, yet they also seemed to be deliberately leading it towards the members of Shian.

The scenes were clearly imprinted in his memory.

…Why didn’t he remember it just now? What’s the matter with this weird sense of fragmentation?

Yin Ren thickened his evil qi layer on the surface of his body to ensure he wouldn’t touch those monsters. San Jie cut her wrists and drenched the human bone necklace with blood. She held it aloft, chanting something under her breath as if she were singing.

Zhong Chengshuo dutifully stayed behind; his whole body was tense, ready to fight at any moment. Perceiving that Yin Ren was looking at him, Zhong Chengshuo tilted his head and slightly blinked at him.

[After that?] The wonderful voice passed through Yin Ren’s mind again, blurred like an illusion.

There it is again.

There was no abnormal feeling in his body. It may be the remnants of some kind of environmental technique. It was imperative to deal with the battle in front of him. Yin Ren concentrated and prepared to summon his ghosts.

“Let’s go!”

Luo Wanxiang, who was lying on the ground, shouted.

Wait, lying on the ground?

The sense of absurdity like waking up from a dream struck again, and Yin Ren was stunned on the spot.

The surrounding environment became much dimmer. Yin Ren slapped his cheeks hard, but still didn’t find anything wrong. Not to mention the influence of the evil qi, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of magic around.

But he seemed to be “fragmented” again, and a large part of time was missing.

Is this the ability of the cone monster? …Why does it seem like other people are fine?

No, the other people aren’t “fine”.

The cranial cavity was still the same, and Luo Wanxiang was indeed lying on the ground, but her mouth was full of blood, and she couldn’t speak loudly. Her gaze was no longer clear, as if she had been affected by something. Even so, she still raised her arms high, trying to attack the conical monster with a laser.

San Jie covered her ears and knelt on the ground. Tears kept flowing out of her blind eyes while her bone rod was deeply inserted in front of her.

The situation was so weird that Yin Ren couldn’t help but feel a chill in his back.

Fortunately, Zhong Chengshuo was still standing behind him, and the breath was warm and familiar.

“Don’t be in a daze. Ge Tingting also encountered a cone monster over there!”

In the unilateral headset, Lu Xiaohe reminded them with a hoarse voice.

“Fu Tianyi’s situation isn’t good, so it’s best to let them join us. Yin Ren, Hu Tao is over there. You have to order her to cooperate! …Damn it, I should have followed Xiao Zhong’s suggestion…”

[Hehe, I thought that kid from the Fu family was powerful, but it turned out he’s just an amateur*. He can’t even keep up with his own spirit weapons, which is almost depleted.]

*Three-legged cat (三脚猫) Idiom referring to someone who has only a superficial or limited level of skill or ability in a particular area, especially in a way that appears clumsy or unskilled.

At the same time, Hu Tao’s message was jumping on the screen. She made no secret of hiding her gloating tone.

[It’s not impossible for me to help with the rendezvous. That cat said it would take about five minutes… These guys are too cowardly and just running for their lives at this level!]

[Lu Xiaohe’s judgment is correct. You should also be careful and don’t touch those things.] This time, before Yin Ren had finished thinking about the situation, the reply in his hand was sent out without authorization.

What’s going on?

The whispering voice lingered in his ears from time to time.

[And then what happened?]

[And then what happened?]

[And then what happened?]

The weird sense of reality tearing came in waves, and Yin Ren’s thinking was half a beat slower than his movements.

He wanted to look back and call to Zhong Chengshuo, but he couldn’t move his body. As the tearing sensation intensified, he felt like a ghost attached to his own body, watching helplessly as it moved, fought, and conversed.

This time, it was Zhong Chengshuo who took a step forward and walked to Yin Ren’s side.

“I can’t continue to be lazy. My grades will be affected,” Zhong Chengshuo said in a low voice. “That thing can’t affect me. I can cooperate with you.

‘No, it can’t be like this,’ Yin Ren thought.

The situation was weirder than he expected. If it was just the arrangement of Shian, it would be at most the extent of “releasing monsters to affect emotions”—what he felt now was too evil and was definitely not a normal “attack”.

He wanted to call out to Zhong Chengshuo and suggest that they use more of their strength to quickly leave this ghost of a place.

But in the rancid skull cavity of the Corpse Cage, he heard his voice say, “Okay.”

His voice even added happily, “I’ll be your glasses, and you’ll be my hair… Just remember to take it easy, okay?”

Zhong Chengshuo hummed and drew out the baton he had used in battle with Yin Ren. He shook his hand casually, and the body of the baton staggered, revealing a sharp blade. Fine talismans were engraved on the sharp blade.

It could only cause physical damage to evil things, but it wasn’t a rare spirit weapon, so it was just right to use it publicly.

The moment the weapon was in place, Zhong Chengshuo rushed towards the giant object not far away. Luo Wanxiang yelled after him as she tried to stand up.

“Okay, so you were hiding your true abilities before, huh?”

She got rid of her broken goggles.

“It’s not hiding.” Zhong Chengshuo swung his blade in an arc and explained sincerely, “I’m just physically strong. Without mechanical protection like you, I can get injured easily.”

“Fine, fine.” Lu Wanxiang said, “Don’t talk nonsense. Hurry up!”

The two science posts became the front. Yin Ren “watched” himself stand behind San Jie.

San Jie’s hands and wrists were all cut, and her face was pale. Yin Ren watched as he used a spell to stop her bleeding. “Use your ancestors to suppress them.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll support the offensive… First, I will help them ‘see’.”

“Beetles are approaching at 9 and 10 o’clock. A group of beetles is approaching! Protect the battlefield!” In his unilateral headset, Lu Xiaohe shouted hoarsely. “Damn it, Shian went all out this time…!”

“Fu Tianyi and the others are almost here. Shian must have a way to drive away insects and monsters. Adjust your strategy according to the next step.”

Zhong Chengshuo made a quick slash. The blade scraped against the bulging eye of the cone-shaped monster. Luo Wanxiang’s laser shot without hesitation, causing the cone-shaped creature to let out a louder screech.

Yin Ren cast a spell in the empty space, and countless crimson light spots emanated from his palm, sticking to the orange-red cone-shaped creature.

These light spots were entities that burned, visible even to the science post. They were ideal for marking the slow-moving giant.

The orange-red cone-shaped creature was covered in sporadic red light, and on Zhong Chengshuo’s lenses, a constellation-like outline gradually appeared. Zhong Chengshuo took off his glasses, turned his head slightly, and smiled at Yin Ren with some awkwardness.

No… Stop…

He didn’t know why, but this thought seemed imprinted in Yin Ren’s mind, causing a burst of pain. His internal organs seemed to be frozen, and he wished that time would stop.

Can’t go on like this…

Yin Ren tried to make other moves to disrupt the situation. As the battle gradually progressed, he was eager to release some of his Evil Force, wrapping everyone up in his hair and forcibly taking things off the established track.

However, in that strange sense of tearing, he was just a “bystander” who couldn’t even manipulate his evil qi.

Everything, from the large scattered light point spell to the flow of evil qi in his body, seemed to be proceeding according to a script in an orderly manner. Yin Ren’s heart was filled with nameless anger three feet high, but his body beat calmly, unable to even produce a cold sweat.

“3 centimeters… 2 centimeters… 0.8 centimeters… Yandu’s people are coming! Be on guard!”

Bang!

A large, rough piece of horsehide wrapped into a package resembling a shell smashed through the rotten flesh and wetly hit the ground.

Another cone-shaped monster followed closely, darting into the skull like a dart, and was then instantly marked by Yin Ren’s crimson light spots. At the same time, the two people from Unit 9 and the Yandu group scrambled out of the horsehide in bewilderment.

Although, Huang Jin looked at the scene outside, he briefly made a move to try to climb back in.

In front of him, the blade of Zhou Chengshuo’s police baton was cutting towards the giant cone-shaped monster, followed closely by Luo Wanxiang. The two science post members formed a barrier and confronted the strange creature.

“What are your combat countermeasures? Synchronize it!”

“Auntie Tao’s physical fitness is not good, so the Yandu group will go and deal with the insect swarm first!”

Lu Xiaohe was talking while Dr. Cat was screaming. His ears were jumbled with voices, and the brilliance of countless spells flashed through the darkness. In the fishy and chaotic space, two orange-yellow monsters were like warning lights, painfully piercing the eyes.

Yin Ren looked at his hands, and flickering black spots appeared in his vision.

It shouldn’t be like this. It shouldn’t continue…

……

“Don’t rush. Take your time. What happened next?”

The voice, very close to Yin Ren, was coaxing him carefully.

“Keep remembering. How exactly did your partner sacrifice himself?”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 127: Calm

Following Fu Xingchuan’s movements, the corpse cage shook slightly.

Those little white monsters were still crawling on the ground, shaking out strange afterimages. They seemed to have sensed something, lost interest in everyone present, and slowly crawled into the depths of darkness, receding like the tide.

The shaking stopped. Luo Wanxiang let out a sigh of relief.

She snapped on a portable light and illuminated the small flesh cavity like day.

Luo Wanxiang’s short hair was messed up, and there were traces of mucus on her goggles. Her situation was barely okay. Her work clothes were probably made from waterproof materials, as the damage wasn’t serious. Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t help but take a few more looks.

The mechanical ball next to Luo Wanxiang smoothly broadcasted steadily. “Terrain fine scanning progress 96%… 99%… Scanning complete. Navigation route has been pushed.”

“We’ll go through the esophagus. Any anomalous spaces or unidentified organisms will be detected by my AI,” Luo Wanxiang announced as she handed the map over to the other three people. “As long as there’s no issues with the route, we should be able to leave here within two hours.”

Yin Ren hummed, not making any comments.

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute!”

Lu Xiaohe opened the communication and shouted into the headsets.

“Their close-range data is very detailed, but we have the big topographic map.” Lu Xiaohe coughed several times. “Zhong Chengshuo, send her the data from my additional scans. I’ll be able to contact Ge Tingting and Huang Jin soon… Hey, what’s up with this signal data?”

[Meow.]

There was a thin cat cry deep in his ears, causing Yin Ren to raise his brows.

A few steps away from him, San Jie covered her head, causing the ethnic ornaments she was wearing to collide with each other, making a soft rattling sound. Her hair was braided into a thick black braid at the back of her head, and when she lowered her head like this, the thick braid slid in front of her.

“In my head…. There’s a cat meowing…” After being attacked by the white monster, her spirit hadn’t been stable.

Yin Ren comforted, “Don’t be nervous, I heard it too.”

Zhong Chengshuo, who didn’t hear it, took out his hardcover notebook with interest and recorded the discovery—Luo Wanxiang had no special reaction. The cat’s meow was probably only heard by cultivators. When they returned home, he would study this with Yin Ren.

As he was writing, the tip of Zhong Chengshuo’s pen stopped subconsciously.

The concepts of “returning home” and “doing things together” for those two were now as natural as breathing… and it was a wonderful feeling.

“Cognitive coordinates are confirmed. Contact established. Lu Xiaohe, write down the signal band. I’ll help you establish communication later.” In the unilateral headset, Dr. Meiqiu’s purring voice was clear.

“How did you do that?!” Lu Xiaohe drew a cold, deep breath.

Zhong Chengshuo had the same question.

In addition to being a person with the “Infinite” branch ability, Meiqiu was still a true domestic cat in terms of lifespan, habits, and physical traits. It couldn’t withstand such a high load, let alone use human techniques, but it could influence human cultivators in some form.

Dr. Cat, well aware of its advantages, purred contentedly. “Why should I tell you?”

The subtle sound of teeth grinding came from Lu Xiaohe’s communication.

“We haven’t even hit the road yet, but the three rear commanders are already in a heated discussion,” Yin Ren leaned in and whispered. “They’re really competitive.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “The two million bonus is enough for you to eat 10,000 times at your favorite BBQ buffet, which means you can eat one meal a day for 27 years.”

Yin Ren stood at attention in an instant, showing a very serious look.

“Very good. Now the number of people on both sides is equal, and there’s a rear commander following each field.”

While Dr. Meiqiu of Yandu showed off, there was a sense of urgency in Lu Xiaohe’s voice. She took a sip of water and cleared her throat.

“Then the rear commanders of the respective teams are responsible for short-range intelligence judgments, and I’m responsible for information communication and general route coordination between the two teams. In this way, everyone can get points, and there won’t be any duplication of work.”

Linnan’s AI Commander: “Roger that.”

Dr. Cat disdainfully commented, “Why are you so nervous? Anyway, even if I don’t win, I have enough money to spend in my life.”

Lu Xiaohe took a deep breath. “Anyone who has objections can say so in advance.”

Meiqiu: “No objections. Your judgment is fine. I’m just not happy listening to human orders.”

“Crack.”

In the unilateral headset, there was the sound of Lu Xiaohe crushing a can angrily.

Luo Wanxiang leaned against the wall of flesh and scratched her head. “Anyway, that’s the way it is. Let’s follow the big map and leave…”

Zhong Chengshuo poked Yin Ren in the back.

Yin Ren was thinking about something, so he didn’t respond for a while. Zhong Chengshuo looked at the other’s long, waterfall-like hair and decided to use the wonderful touch he had experienced just now…

Comrade Xiao Zhong opened his arms, wrapped his arms around Yin Ren’s shoulders, and then rested his chin on it. Sure enough, his adrenaline and dopamine were secreted at the same time, and they were once again mixed into an electrified excitement and resistance.

Luo Wanxiang’s face twitched for a moment, and it was clear that she was struggling for a bit before finally deciding to pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

Yin Ren, on the other hand, was literally taken aback. “Zhong Ge?”

Zhong Chengshuo turned his head sideways, and a small goosebump appeared on the side of Yin Ren’s neck, and then it gradually turned light red.

“I have an objection.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice was too small to be heard. “You let me be lazy, but I’m a bit stifled.”

Yin Ren couldn’t help but stretch out his hand and rub the other’s warm hair. “…Go on.”

After receiving confirmation, Zhong Chengshuo quickly raised his voice. “We can’t go through the esophagus.”

Lu Xiaohe and Luo Wanxiang said “Ah?” at almost the same time.

“This is not an ‘escape game’, it’s a ‘skirmish’.” Zhong Chengshuo spoke without letting go of Yin Ren. “Whether it was bugs or other traps before, strictly speaking, it was an inherent part of this environment.”

The mechanical ball carrying the AI floated beside Zhong Chengshuo, and a flashing red light rushed straight to his face.

Zhong Chengshuo subconsciously let go of Yin Ren and wanted to stand up straight and speak as before… Ah, no, no, he had to be as lazy as possible.

Thinking of this, Zhong Chengshuo clung to Yin Ren again. Imitating Yin Ren’s relaxed appearance, he scattered his weight on his lover and worked hard to implement the lazy plan.

“The previous time was mostly an ‘adaptation period’ for us to get used to the environment and try to take action. Now that everyone’s actions are relatively clear, it’s time for Shian to take action—in a real skirmish, there will definitely be enemies.”

Luo Wanxiang shivered.

Zhong Chengshuo was lying on Yin Ren’s shoulder. His eyes behind the glasses seemed to absorb all light, while Yin Ren’s face was so beautiful to the point of abnormality. Coupled with the stench of corpses coming from all directions, the scene not only didn’t look sticky and ambiguous but was eerie.

She previously thought Zhong Chengshuo was just an add-on.

Yin Ren looked outstanding and was adept at handling things. On the other hand, Zhong Chengshuo only had various scattered props with little spiritual reaction. He was probably in a supporting role similar to a “human scientific encyclopedia”.

But now, even as a science post, she could detect an almost intuitive “something’s wrong”.

Luo Wanxiang: “You mean, those messy things are just the appetizers of the environment, and next, Shian may take the initiative with a ‘hostile attitude’?”

Zhong Chengshuo hummed naturally as if it were a matter of course that “Shian may be hostile”.

“Individual actions are fine, but we’re now taking a joint route. In order to ensure the difficulty of the competition, Shian may proactively set up ambushes on the ‘main road’.”

“Since it’s joint, I suggest going the opposite way. We go in the direction of the abdomen, rendezvous with the Yandu branch, and concentrate our strength on puncturing a hole to leave.”

“But there are too many uncontrollable factors with that approach,” Lu Xiaohe, who had been listening all along, didn’t directly refute the idea. “Aside from the difficulty of meeting up, the outside corrupt organizations are unstable. If we deviate from the natural passages within the human body, we might not be able to respond well if we’re attacked…”

“Linnan is well equipped,” Zhong Chengshuo replied as he stared at Luo Wanxiang’s bulging pockets.

……

Ten minutes later, Zhong Chengshuo was walking towards the esophagus with his head down.

His proposal was rejected, and the reason for the rejection was simple—San Jie was blind, and it was too risky to act rashly. Luo Wanxiang said she wanted to take it step by step. Since the owner of the equipment was unwilling to cooperate, they could only proceed slowly in the direction of the oral cavity.

However, Miss Luo, the mechanic, didn’t deny Zhong Chengshuo’s point.

She asked the mechanical ball to patrol in front over and over again and only dared to move when she was sure it was okay. Lu Xiaohe and Meiqiu were busy setting up Ge Tingting’s and the others’ communication, so the surrounding area suddenly became quiet.

Under the lighting of the mechanical ball, the narrow and rotten esophagus was like a dark tunnel.

Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze swept towards Yin Ren as always, but this time the other party didn’t look back at him. Zhong Chengshuo followed Yin Ren’s gaze and found he was looking at San Jie’s bone necklace.

Before he had time to ask, Yin Ren had already stood beside San Jie. “You also encountered that kind of white monster? It’s so scary. I almost collapsed.”

The “palpitations” in his tone were so real that Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t tell if they actually came from the heart or not.

“We have also encountered people from Sunken Society who can ‘Resonate’ before, and it feels quite similar… That kind of monster also has special abilities?”

Yin Ren’s tone was just right, with the casualness of “chatting casually with comrades in arms”, making it difficult for people to refuse.

Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes lit up. Something close to happiness rose in his heart—before he could figure out how to be polite, his social master took the lead.

Sure enough, the comrades of the Linnan branch fell for the trap.

“It’s not a specific ability.” San Jie shook her head honestly. “You got it backwards. It’s not that they are like people with the ‘Resonance’ ability, but that the ‘Resonance’ branch is like them… There are records in my house. They appeared two thousand years ago, but the earliest special abilities in people only appeared a thousand years ago.”

Speaking of this, she was a little lost.

“The records in my family are too complicated and messy, so they haven’t been fully recognized by the officials yet… But my grandparents won’t lie to me.”

“Do you have research on ‘those things’?” Lord Ghost King asked. “Your response was much better than mine just now. I don’t think they harassed you much… Ah, if it’s confidential, then pretend as if I didn’t ask.”

Luo Wanxiang, who was walking in front, turned her head and looked at Yin Ren warily.

“It’s okay, Luoluo. We’re living creatures in this world. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.” At this moment, Sanjie’s eyes seemed unimpaired again, as her dull gaze turned towards Luo Wanxiang.

There was a hint of majesty in her voice.

For fear of missing something, Zhong Chengshuo turned on his cell phone and started recording as he stared at the girl dressed as a shaman.

“They are neither creatures nor evil things. We are just aware of their existence.” San Jie introduced in a slightly hoarse voice.

“People with strong psychic abilities or lunatics can vaguely sense them. They can influence people’s emotions, causing them to shout, laugh, or achieve enlightenment and bliss. Some people don’t eat, drink, or sleep, just to enhance their spirituality and experience the joy of spiritual communication… but if they make a mistake and come into contact with the wrong ‘type’, there are also those who become insane and commit suicide.”

San Jie made a prayer gesture and let out a long sigh.

“There was an old man who told me before that if you walk to a place that doesn’t exist, you can see them. If you dream too deeply, you will see them. If you touch them rashly, your mind will be destroyed. As for how to resist the influence…”

Zhong Chengshuo looked past Yin Ren and gazed eagerly at Sang Jie, wishing he could record the conversation in place of his phone.

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I can’t ‘teach’ you how to resist their influence.”

San Jie touched the bones of her ancestors on her chest, and her tone became a bit more reverent.

“I can resist them to some extent, thanks to the protection of the spirits of my ancestors’ remains in heaven. I have no right to lend them.”

Oh, it’s this kind of arcane and mysterious explanation again. Zhong Chengshuo had an expression as if he had been punched.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t borrow the human bone necklace for research…

Yin Ren looked at his lover, whose face was cloudy and gloomy, and continued amiably, “Is that all? It’s quite interesting. Let’s talk about it more, even if it’s just some stories.”

San Jie was also a member of the special investigation team in Shian. She shook her head. “Now is not the time to tell stories, but I can tell you one thing…”

“They neither live nor die, and our elders call them ‘Primordial Elementals’.”

“A powerful ancestor predicted that the appearance of the Primordial Elementals in the world is a sign of the end of the world… Ah, appearing in this place doesn’t count as an appearance, right?”

She nervously pinched the corners of her clothes.

---

The author has something to say:

Xiao Zhong: I don’t know how to be lazy.

Xiao Zhong:

Xiao Zhong: Just imitate Yin Ren.

Xiao Yin: ?

Of course, if you count inflation, you can’t get BBQ for 27 years…! But such calculation is still shocking. Two million is really a lot.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 126: Those Things

Even if a cat had a Ph.D., with the nape of its neck being held, it was still subjected to the whims of fate.

Dr. Cat was well-behaved. It hung softly in Yin Ren’s hand, looking like a black cloth bag. It didn’t mind being held while it grumbled and complained. Mr. Meiqiu swore all kinds of indecent words and attacked all humans present indiscriminately—it could be seen that humans weren’t ashamed to talk about cat bell*, and the same applies in reverse.

*Literally refers to a cat’s collar, but metaphorically refers to something that reveals or exposes the true nature or intentions of a person or thing. || In this context, Meiqiu is cursing up a storm, just like humans would do when angry, so regardless of species, it seems they’re the same in this aspect.

On the contrary, Yin Ren couldn’t listen to it anymore. His smile gradually stiffened, and he carefully put down the cat that was crazily spewing vulgar words.

Dr. Cat wasn’t stupid and didn’t run away immediately. It climbed up high, looking down at the four shallow humans with its black tail swishing back and forth.

“Do you want to act together?” Yin Ren pretended as if nothing had happened. “It’s more efficient and in line with Shian’s cultural spirit.”

Zhong Chengshuo kept his mind on his new task of “being lazy”. He took a step back and half-hid behind Yin Ren, acting professionally. Luo Wanxiang looked them up and down and murmured something.

“We have no problem. It’s just this cat… Ah no, this Mr. Doctor belongs to Yandu…” She scratched her head.

Dr. Cat had already started licking his paws and washing his face.

“I’m going to find my companion.”

It raised its turquoise eyes, and its two pupils widened roundly in the shadows.

“The emotions of the two men are stable, and the communication facilities on their bodies are in operation. They must have contacted their rear commander.”

It took a few seconds for Yin Ren to realize that “men” was referring to him and Zhong Chengshuo.

“The rear commander of Linnan is also a portable AI. If I join you, the distribution of rear commanders will be seriously unbalanced.” Dr. Cat bowed his head, stretched out his hind feet, and licked the fur on his stomach vigorously.

“But it’s dangerous to run around.” Luo Wanxiang reminded as kindly as she could.

Dr. Cat: “Bugs react slowly. I usually eat them as snacks… Are you humans afraid of crispy fried chicken if it were magnified hundreds of times?”

Yin Ren swallowed reflexively, causing the black cat to twitch its ear and glance at him.

“Of course, insects are a good source of protein. You can also play with them before eating. You should give it a try.”

Yin Ren couldn’t help but recall the rich insects nearby for a while and choke on his saliva.

Zhong Chengshuo patted him on the back and turned to the cat. “Your companions are near the kidney. Just in case, please keep in touch with us… Do you need additional equipment?”

Rear commanders often required mechanical equipment assistance, but there were no mechanical traces on this cat, so he didn’t know how the Yandu group usually communicated.

After the competition, it would be nice if this cat could be bribed with some canned food. Zhong Chengshuo especially wanted to do an interview with it.

“If necessary, I will take the initiative to contact you,” Dr. Cat replied in a sharp voice. “I don’t want equipment. I’m here because I’m thirsty… Quickly, share me some clean water.”

The humans looked at each other. Zhong Chengshuo took the lead by taking out a disposable water cup and poured half a glass of water.

Dr. Cat drank it clean in one breath. It looked at Zhong Chengshuo for a while, then flicked its tail and ran away silently.

Even if it was a small animal that swore a lot, cute animals were always reassuring. After the commotion caused by the black cat, Sang Jie finally calmed down. Her blind eyes turned in the direction Dr. Cat had left, but she didn’t know what she had “seen”.

As she turned around, Yin Ren secretly snorted.

Sang Jie’s symptoms of being harassed by the little monsters were mild, and it seemed that it wasn’t because of her “talent”.

Compared to when she was in the Fu residence, she had a more exaggerated bone necklace around her neck.

The necklace was undoubtedly made of human bone, and it had a history of more than two hundred years. The bones were carved with fine runes and emitted a faint aura that was much the same; most likely, they belonged to her ancestors.

The white monsters were repulsed by these bones, and only a few were willing to get close to Sang Jie.

Yin Ren found something interesting. The decision to “merge” was right.

……

The abdomen of the corpse.

It didn’t take long for Ge Tingting’s “rational plan” to slowly collapse.

If they moved forward haphazardly, their bodies would become smaller. If they didn’t constantly discern auras while walking, they could be easily attacked by giant insects that suddenly appear. However, having experienced the battle royale in Gengsheng Town, Ge Tingting had adapted well to these little things.

But there were no teammates in Gengsheng Town who were dragging her down…

Originally, she secretly expected Fu Tianyi to use his high combat abilities, but as a result, the elite of the Fu family collapsed first.

Time reversed half an hour ago.

Not long into the action, in addition to scavenging insects, they encountered misshapen monsters and also peculiar white creatures.

They emitted a faint, menacing aura as the translucent white hyphae spread around; their eyeball-like structure was always wet. These monsters were constantly wriggling in the crevices of the carrion, swimming around maliciously.

Ge Tingting accidentally touched a little bit of it, but she didn’t have any strange reactions. If anything, she became even more passionate about this competition—she was determined to become stronger and stay in Shian, where she would never have to worry about food, clothing, or good treatment.

This enthusiasm was so big that it became a bit abnormal, and it almost turned into fear of “What if I get fired”, but in general, it had a positive effect.

Auntie Tao and Huang Jin weren’t too different. They just took out their phones and stared at someone’s picture on the screensaver intently.

Huang Jin’s state was worse though; he was out of his mind.

Fortunately, Comrade Huang Jin, had been bitten by a snake, feared even rope for ten years*. After his emotions were amplified by the fleshy xanthium and Kong Wanqing, the “tranquility charm” was replaced with an “explosive spirit weapon” and became the thing that the spirit smith was best at making.

*(一朝被蛇咬十年怕井绳) Idiom referring to once someone has experienced a traumatic event, they will be very cautious and fearful in similar situations in the future (AKA once bitten, twice shy).

He dipped his fingertips in blood and drew a tranquility rune on his arm. The fresh blood exuded a faint red light. Under the red light, Huang Jin tried to take a few deep breaths and finally didn’t collapse on the spot while holding the screensaver of Ding Lizi.

Even though he seemed to want to.

A few steps away, someone else had collapsed…

Fu Tianyi almost fell. He barely leaned against the flesh wall and slid woefully to the ground. Among everyone in the group, he was the most affected.

The rookie of the Fu family had scattered hair and dirty clothes and had long since lost his initial composure. He leaned close to the wall, hugging his knees, while breathing heavily to the point of no return.

“Be careful of overbreathing.” Auntie Tao stared at the phone as she reminded him sternly.

As if ignoring the situation, Fu Tianyi‘s pupils trembled wildly, and his breathing echoed constantly in the darkness. The more he lost control, the more the white monsters crawled onto him. He took out several strange and odd-looking spirit weapons to drive them away, but they were completely ineffective.

Half a minute later, this person was covered in what looked like three feet of snow, full of little writhing white monsters.

Ge Tingting tried to use foreign objects to pull off the white monsters, but those objects simply passed through and had no effect. She didn’t want to touch them directly, so she grabbed Huang Jin’s sleeve and dragged him in front of Fu Tianyi.

“Put a tranquility talisman on him.” The tranquility talisman couldn’t peel off those little monsters, but looking at Huang Jin’s state, it had some effect on maintaining sanity.

If she saw someone dying without trying to save them, her points would certainly be deducted, was what Ge Tingting was thinking.

Huang Jin didn’t save him immediately. He looked at Fu Tianyi faintly as several white monsters circled Huang Jin’s neck. Their white eyes poked into his collar.

“He’s very attached to his family, almost having a worship-like reverence for the Fu family.” Huang Jin observed Fu Tianyi’s thoughts and said, “This attachment makes him particularly nervous, afraid of losing at home—the more he worries about the future, the less he can perform at the moment. That’s what this kind of person refers to, right?”

Ge Tingting: “…Draw the tranquility rune and leave him alone.”

Huang Jin’s tone was off. While he was usually a bit harsh, he had never been so direct before.

“Do you still want to take him with us? Be careful. He can hurt us.” Huang Jin still hadn’t started drawing the runes and kept muttering loudly. “We’re not monsters like Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, so it’s good to take care of ourselves.”

“How do you know the result if you don’t try?” Ge Tingting hurriedly explained, “This is a competition, not a mission. We’d better take it seriously.”

“Why are you acting so serious? Have you forgotten what Shian did to you? You’re not an adult in the strict sense yet they sent you to such messy hellholes.”

“I don’t understand. If I have committed a crime, I may grumble privately if I get punished, but you don’t even have any criminal responsibility. Why do you have to seek out suffering? Are you such a masochist?”

The resentment in Huang Jin’s tone became more obvious. His breathing became faster, and a stream of tears fell from the white monster on his body.

Ge Tingting was startled.

She knew that Huang Jin was in the wrong state, but just now, the thought of “What should I do if I’m abandoned by Shian” swarmed up. Something in her heart seemed to be ignited, and it exploded and scattered in an instant. From an angle that Ge Tingting couldn’t see, the white monsters on her body had accelerated its squirming.

Some words tumbled out of her heart and went on a rampage in her head, trying to find an outlet…

“You have the skills to survive, and as long as you don’t mention it, no one will be able to see your abnormality! If you hadn’t committed a crime, you could easily find a job and make a living. What about me?”

The AI’s voice was extremely calm, but Ge Tingting’s facial features were a little distorted.

“What about me?” she asked again, holding up her phone. “Low education, communication barrier, no money, or even any skills. My fate can be seen in just a glance. Without this, I can’t even communicate with you normally. Shian is the best opportunity of my life!”

“Do you think I’m not aware of the danger? Do you think I’m not afraid of death? There’s no reason for Shian to take care of me for nothing. The only way to ensure safety is to keep training, learning, and becoming stronger. Even climb higher and never be eliminated!”

Vaguely, Ge Tingting had a feeling of stepping into air.

Her reluctance to the current situation continued to turn into panic about being abandoned, and the little white monsters gradually marched towards her.

“There has to be a limit to being brave. When a person dies, that’s it.” Huang Jin clenched his phone tightly. In the muddy darkness, Ding Lizi’s photo on his screensaver was particularly conspicuous.

“It’s easy for you to preach. What right do you have to educate me like this? Weren’t you the one who wanted to die back then?”

Ge Tingting knew that she shouldn’t have said this, but her head was buzzing, and she just wanted to pour out the emotions that she couldn’t carry. She couldn’t control the movements of her fingers at all.

Huang Jin stood straight, made a long face, and stopped painting the tranquility charm. “Alright, do whatever you want. If someone brings up some nonsense, they can deal with it themselves. I don’t care anymore—this Huang kid is just being dramatic.”

The white monsters on her shoulders and neck kept tightening, as if they were adding a white collar to her. Eventually, it kept going up and was about to completely cover Ge Tingting’s eyes.

This whole time, Auntie Tao was unusually quiet. The white hyphae had entered her mouth, but she stared at the phone screen as if it had nothing to do with her, without even blinking. Symbolizing a snowman, Fu Tianyi was still curled up in a corner of the flesh wall, and his breathing gradually became irregular.

“Meow—”

A sharp cat call cut through the darkness.

The black cat leaped out from the shadows and stepped lightly on the white monsters. Dr. Cat swept the ground with his tail, his fur standing on end, as he let out a hostile hiss.

The little monster, under some unknown influence, took a few steps back and shrank.

“Humans, look into my eyes!”

The black cat let out a huge purr, and the sound directly hit everyone’s heads. The low-frequency, soft purr was like a warm flannel blanket rubbing against the tight nerves.

As if their entire bodies were soaked in warm water, Ge Tingting suddenly relaxed, and most of the nameless fire suddenly dissipated. Huang Jin’s face looked a lot better, and Auntie Tao’s eyes became focused.

“Meiqiu. The enemy just now… Is it emotional amplification…?” Fu Tianyi struggled to stand up.

“I knew that there were ‘those things’ here,” Meiqiu said in a low voice. “Highly social animals like you are troublesome with too many messy emotions.”

Ge Tingting and Huang Jin subconsciously wanted to look at each other, but the two realized something and staggered their gaze awkwardly.

Outside the Corpse Cage.

“The cat of the ‘Infinite’ branch is a very capable science post. How interesting.” Fu Xingchuan touched his chin. “You did a lot of research, right?’

The Yandu’s branch coach, Zhou Gong, scratched his chubby face and smiled benevolently.

“We didn’t study it specifically. It was just luck. We accidentally discovered that the abilities of the ‘Infinite’ branch are not easily interfered with by the abilities of the ‘Resonance’ branch… Those little things have abilities that are somewhat similar in nature to ‘Resonance’.”

“Isn’t this a foregone conclusion? Does Yandu want to win that badly?” Fu Xingchuan raised his eyebrows. They all knew about the “things” in the Corpse Cage.

“Oh, how can you say that? I just did a little homework.” Zhou Gong laughed even more heartily.

“I see.”

Qiao Shang, the “#1 Priestess” who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke up.

“Fu Xingchuan, the Corpse Cage is a good topic. I thought you would focus on insects and small evil creatures… By making ‘those things’ a test question directly, how did you convince those above?”

Fu Xingchuan scratched the back of his head.

“Sang Jie is a shaman practitioner, and her family has always been aware of ‘those things’. Meiqiu is an Infinite ability user, and due to the mutual restraint of abilities and species differences, he can immunize against the effects of ‘attachment’. We also have several interesting kids on our side.”

“They will collide, and there may be new discoveries—all of you are people who have been specially trained in the Archive. ‘Attachment’ is the weakest among ‘those things’, isn’t it?”

Qiao Shang frowned. “That’s right, but it’s still too early for them.”

“That’s not necessarily true. The enemy doesn’t care if it’s too early or not.” Fu Xingchuan rubbed the stubble on his chin and said in a brisk tone, “Just an intuition that things will be changing soon.”

Qiao Shan looked over suspiciously, but Fu Xingchuan didn’t continue speaking.

He just stretched out a hand and pressed it on the corpse.

“Not bad, the temporary teams are basically formed. The real assessment can now begin.”

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