ET Chapters 6-10
Monster World (6)
[Uchiha Boba Milk Tea]: Blind student, you’ve discovered the crucial point.“…Perhaps?” Coach Wang suddenly became uncertain and looked at Zhou Yuan suspiciously, scanning him up and down. “How do you know?”
“I’ve been surfing the internet for over a decade. Is there anything in the world I don’t know?” Zhou Yuan’s gaze grew more profound, three parts cold arrogance and three parts disdain.
“What’s the third highest mountain in the world?” Coach Wang sneered, deciding to test him.
“Kangchenjunga,” Zhou Yuan replied with a proud expression.
“What color are my underwear today?” Coach Wang snorted and continued questioning.
“What kind of underwear would you wear with your eight legs?” Zhou Yuan said, then frowned, realizing something wasn’t right. Who would have thought that Coach Wang, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would go out without wearing underwear?
“…..” Coach Wang was speechless, wanting to speak but stopping himself. The conversation ended.
Lin Yebai glanced over and indeed discovered that Coach Wang wasn’t wearing pants, then quickly averted his gaze. Realizing he was being somewhat impolite, Lin Yebai frowned slightly, but fortunately, no one noticed this moment.
“Brother Lin, today we need to go out and find some food,” Zhou Yuan said, covering his growling stomach.
“Alright,” Lin Yebai was planning to go out exploring anyway.
“I still have instant noodles at home. I’ll bring them, and you can eat before heading out.” Coach Wang moved quickly on his eight spider legs, bringing a pack of instant noodles—a supermarket five-pack that came with a free noodle bowl.
“I don’t really like eating these anymore.” Coach Wang also brought a few eggs.
“I understand. Next time there’s a corpse, it’s still yours.” Zhou Yuan, with his sharp eyes, noticed that there were two more spider cocoons in Coach Wang’s room.
“I don’t eat them directly. The spider silk can absorb nutrients, just like growing plants.” Coach Wang only knew how to wrap people in silk and beat them with his iron fists. Usually, he relied on terrain advantages and sneak attacks to avoid being killed by his own kind.
Luck couldn’t be replicated. If he continued like this, he would eventually die at the hands of his own kind.
Fortunately, Mr. Lin appeared.
Coach Wang had successfully kept his head, attached himself to a powerful figure, and couldn’t be happier. Last night, after finishing his business, he had secretly laughed under the blanket, and there was still a silly smile unique to muscular men on his face.
The instant noodles hadn’t been opened. Zhou Yuan carefully checked them before cooking. There was also a nearly expired sausage at home. With two golden-fried eggs, a simple and delicious breakfast was ready!
Lin Yebai knocked on Coach Wang’s door and asked, “Can those fangs be removed?”
“Of course they can! If Brother Lin wants them, I’ll take them off right away!” Coach Wang’s tone was respectful yet enthusiastic, with a hint of excitement, as if he could rise to his tiptoes at any moment and perform a spring ballet.
Zhou Yuan, who was just about to serve Lin Yebai the instant noodles, suddenly felt a sense of crisis upon hearing this. Who would have thought that Coach Wang, who looked so straightforward with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would also start sucking up!
“I am Zhou Yuan, a useless shut-in with ten and a half years of experience, skilled in making instant noodles, fried rice with eggs, and ordering takeout.”
“Brother Lin, try my cooking~” Zhou Yuan placed the instant noodles on the table and handed over a pair of chopsticks, already planning to find some chicken, duck, and ribs to supplement Brother Lin’s nutrition after they went out.
“Not bad.” This was Lin Yebai’s first time eating instant noodles, and he gave it his full approval.
Zhou Yuan immediately beamed with joy. When they were about to leave, he took a kitchen knife and asked enthusiastically, “Brother Lin, I also want to learn knife techniques. I’ve only cut sausages before. Do you think I still have a chance?”
“Have.”
“Is one kitchen knife enough? Should I bring a boning knife too? A folding knife? Nunchucks?”
“Brother Lin, the teeth you wanted are ready!” Coach Wang pushed Zhou Yuan aside. He had already knocked out the sharp, pointed teeth from the mouth of the fanged aberrant, cleaned them thoroughly, and arranged them neatly to present to Lin Yebai.
“Good.”
These fangs were very suitable as hidden weapons. Lin Yebai accepted them and carried them with him.
Coach Wang closed the door and accompanied them.
The convenience store outside the residential area had already been emptied, so Zhou Yuan decided to check out the large supermarket. Most of the buildings were intact, but there were often dried bloodstains and dismembered limbs on the road, with flies buzzing around and rats running rampant.
Not long ago, this city had been a bustling scene of prosperity. Now it looked as if it had been ravaged by wild beasts. Looking around, not a single pedestrian could be seen.
Zhou Yuan found a truck. Lin Yebai sat in the passenger seat, while Coach Wang crouched in the back of the truck. They searched for supplies along the way, which also made transportation convenient.
“Has this truck been used to transport pigs? Why does it smell so bad?”
Coach Wang was quite envious that Zhou Yuan could be the driver, but unfortunately, with his spider belly and eight legs, he couldn’t fit into the truck’s driver’s seat.
“Coach Wang, make do with it. There are so many vehicles on the road, but this is the only one that can fit you,” Zhou Yuan consoled him.
“There’s pig manure in the back of the truck… sigh…” Coach Wang was very distressed.
Zhou Yuan’s driving skills were questionable. The vehicle stopped and started repeatedly, as if it had Parkinson’s disease, jolting Coach Wang to the point of constant complaints.
Lin Yebai remained expressionless, but he was amazed by the truck’s construction. This world was too incredible.
Zhou Yuan wanted to listen to some music to regain his driving feeling. He casually turned on the car radio and unexpectedly heard intermittent broadcast announcements:
“Our city… migration… shelter… underground…”
“Aberrants…”
Zhou Yuan pulled over to the side, switched to several different vehicles, and finally clearly heard the content on the radio:
“Residents of our city have experienced large-scale mutations. We have decided to temporarily relocate to underground shelters. Residents with normal consciousness should gather at Jiamao Square in the city center on August 4th…”
“Residents who have mutated have lost their humanity and feed on human flesh. Do not attempt to communicate with them under any circumstances. Residents who haven’t gone to the shelter should keep doors and windows secure and avoid going out at night if possible. Moonlight might be the source of the mutation…”
“We call the monsters after mutation ‘aberrants’ and classify them by combat power. Newly mutated monsters are primary aberrants with combat power slightly stronger than ordinary people. Don’t panic if you encounter them; they can be subdued.”
“Intermediate aberrants possess thinking abilities, are cunning and vicious, and will awaken innate abilities. They are extremely dangerous. It is recommended to stay away immediately.”
Zhou Yuan instinctively looked at Coach Wang—could this guy be an intermediate aberrant?
“What are you looking at? If I were an intermediate aberrant, would I be in this state?” Coach Wang was angry.
Lin Yebai glanced at Coach Wang’s neck, wondering if the points for intermediate aberrants differed from those for primary aberrants.
“I really am not…” Coach Wang shrank back with a wronged expression.
[Abyss Monarch]: A hint of disgust flashed in his deep eyes [Soft Cat Ears]: Old Wang can also knit sweaters and pants, keep him, baby [The Ordinary Me]: Stop calling him baby! The host is already an adult! [Great Emperor Huaji]: If only there was a way to feed food, baby eating instant noodles for breakfast has no nutrition! [Truth Supreme]: What’s wrong with all of you calling everyone “baby”! The host is already a grown adult. What’s wrong with eating some instant noodles! He enjoyed his breakfast so much this morning…Lin Yebai chose to temporarily close the barrage for three minutes.
“No high-level aberrants have been discovered in this city yet, though they have appeared in other cities, causing massive destruction…”
The car radio repeatedly played these few messages. Apart from Jiamao Square, it didn’t mention the specific location of the shelter, possibly for fear that aberrants would find out.
Although three days had passed since the specified time, Zhou Yuan still decided to check out Jiamao Square after collecting supplies.
“Even though the moon itself doesn’t emit light but only reflects sunlight, we can still see the moon during the day…”
Zhou Yuan suddenly remembered this point and looked up, spotting a pale red crescent moon on the horizon.
“Brother Lin, was the moon red last night? I didn’t notice.”
“Yes.”
Last night, the moonlight had been dim, faintly tinged with a bloody glow.
The aberrants had actively attacked, but Lin Yebai hadn’t paid much attention to it.
“Should I wear a hat?” Zhou Yuan began to worry.
“Here’s a green one…” Coach Wang, looking as if he had discovered a new continent, picked up a green hat from the ground and handed it to Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan put on the hat without hesitation, got into the car, and pulled his short sleeves down a bit, trying to block the moonlight.
Lin Yebai had already walked under the moon last night and wasn’t as panicked as Zhou Yuan. He asked Coach Wang, “Were there any signs before the body mutated?”
“You get very sleepy, extremely sleepy, like you can never get enough sleep,” Coach Wang scratched his head.
Zhou Yuan was halfway through a yawn and froze like a wooden chicken.
For a long time afterward, Zhou Yuan remained silent, as if he had lost half of his life, until they entered the mall and found a set of top-configured gaming equipment and two drones in the electronics section. Only then did he come back to life.
Some items had been taken from the mall, but since there had been a large inventory, quite a lot remained. The three of them searched on the same floor, pushing shopping carts to load things.
When they left the mall, Zhou Yuan was wearing a long coat, hat, sunglasses, gloves, and a scarf, covering himself from head to toe. Seeing Lin Yebai on the other side with a black umbrella, he suddenly felt like an idiot.
“It’s getting dark so quickly. We should hurry back,” Zhou Yuan looked at his phone. It hadn’t even been six hours since he woke up, and it was already getting dark.
Outside the mall, there was a larger truck. All the supplies they had found were transferred into it. Coach Wang finally escaped from the pig-transporting truck and squeezed into the new cargo hold, looking somewhat flattened.
The mall was quieter than the residential area. The truck hadn’t gone far when a black torrent rushed toward them.
“What is that?” Zhou Yuan floored the accelerator, his vision becoming blurry.
“Big rats,” Lin Yebai looked back.
“What rats?” Coach Wang couldn’t see from inside the cargo hold; he could only hear “squeaking” sounds.
The truck was already moving fast, directly in the path of the advancing rats. If they continued like this, they would eventually be caught up to.
Going in the opposite direction was impossible. There were tall buildings on both sides of the road, making it impossible to turn. They could only race against the rat swarm.
“Xiao Zhou, how many years did you spend getting your driver’s license?”
“The way you’re driving, weaving back and forth, mixing up the gas and brake pedals—are you trying to get us killed directly?”
The sound of countless teeth grinding together was getting closer and closer. Coach Wang couldn’t see what was happening behind them, and the rats hit the cargo door with a loud bang.
“I never got a driver’s license, but I’ve been playing racing games for seven years!”
“As long as there’s an intersection ahead, we’ll survive. Don’t worry!” Zhou Yuan said with absolute confidence.
Monster World (7)
“What racing car?” Coach Wang couldn’t hear clearly because the rat pack was too noisy.
“Drift racing car——” Zhou Yuan shouted loudly. Finally, a crossroad appeared ahead, and he made a stylish drift, successfully turning.
Coach Wang was hit by the shifting cargo and realized the truck had turned. A glimmer of joy from escaping death rose in his heart, and he praised loudly, “This driving skill, at least worthy of a noble drift prince……”
But the rats biting at the truck hadn’t decreased; they were hitting harder and harder. Coach Wang’s smile froze on his face. If this continued, the doors would be gnawed through.
“What’s happening outside?”
The unknown often amplifies fear. With only a door separating him from the rat swarm, Coach Wang felt he was about to be dismembered and devoured by the rats.
“Someone is controlling the rat pack.” Lin Yebai saw a humanoid rat lying on a mattress, being carried by other rats.
Its gender was indistinguishable. It had gray fur all over, with hands and feet transformed into rat-like appendages. Its face retained human features, and it dragged a rat tail behind. With a wave of its paw, countless rats surged toward the truck in waves.
Zhou Yuan also saw this scene in the rearview mirror and roared, “Why are you chasing me?”
“Is there a beautiful woman in the car?” The humanoid rat’s voice was shrill, but despite not being particularly loud, everyone in the car could hear it clearly.
Zhou Yuan and Lin Yebai exchanged glances.
[Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: Humans are truly evil [Literary Mentor]: No, no, no, those like this aren’t human, they’re rodent scum!“Seems there’s no beautiful woman, kill them all——” The humanoid rat was extremely impatient and waved its hand violently.
Countless rats rolled in front of the truck, fearless of death. Their crushed flesh and blood only made them more frenzied as they stepped on their companions’ corpses, completely blocking the way.
“Ahhhhhhh——”
The truck was forced to stop. Zhou Yuan pinched his own thigh hard, and his soprano voice exploded again.
Lin Yebai, quick-witted, covered his ears in advance, escaping the sonic assault.
“Quick! Drag that woman out for me!” the humanoid rat laughed shrilly.
Three or four large rats, about half human height, stepped forward toward the door. They immediately spotted long-haired Lin Yebai—yes, it must be her!
The door was dented in just two hits. Lin Yebai voluntarily got out of the truck, reminding Zhou Yuan, “Find a chance to drive the truck away. Be careful.”
“Brother Lin……” Zhou Yuan looked like he was facing a life-or-death separation, gripping the steering wheel tightly, hating the rats like never before.
Even though Brother Lin was skilled with a knife, there were so many rats. What if he got bitten or scratched? And he couldn’t help at all—he was so useless.
“Hee hee hee hee hee……” The humanoid rat laughed arrogantly, even swinging its long, thin tail. From a distance, it only saw a tall, slender person exit the truck, with long hair fluttering gracefully in the wind, exuding an extraordinary aura like a celestial being.
Since the person was so compliant, the large rats didn’t use force.
“Become my queen, and you’ll eat and drink well every day……” The humanoid rat spoke proudly, its eyes bloodshot, completely dominated by animal instincts.
Lin Yebai, holding his bone knife, had only walked a few steps when he coughed several times. His face grew increasingly pale, his long hair slightly covering his face, vaguely revealing delicate features.
The humanoid rat’s saliva dripped as it grew impatient. It actively got up from the mattress and approached its “queen.”
[Horse Can Run On The Arm]: Here it comes! Here it comes! It’s coming with points! [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: Here it comes! Here it comes! It’s bringing its rat head as a gift! [Blooming Wealth]: rat, rat, welcome [Man Upon Man]: Baby will chop you with one slash“Quiet.”
The humanoid rat squeaked a couple more times, and only then did the rat pack calm down.
With about thirty feet between them, Lin Yebai held a fang between his fingertips, hiding it behind his back.
The humanoid rat suddenly began to twist its body, its large belly swaying left and right as it opened its mouth and sang:
“Ah~ Shariva~”
“Oh~ Shariva~”
“Who~ sent you to my side~”
“It was the round bright moon~ bright moon~”
It sang while approaching Lin Yebai.
Its arms were soft, undulating like waves as it continued singing:
“I’m like those dew-covered petals~ petals~”
“Sweetly cherishing you~ cherishing you~”
Lin Yebai instinctively stepped back twice, gripping his knife handle tightly.
Though he couldn’t understand it, he was greatly shocked.
[Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: The whole cat is dumbfounded [The Ordinary Me]: Body is flexible, barely acceptable [Strong Man Lock Man]: Is this for real? Brother Ordinary, can you handle this? [Great Emperor Huaji]: donated 666 star coins“Uh……” Zhou Yuan never imagined such a thing would happen. Tears not yet dry, his expression was peculiar.
“Xiao Zhou, why is there singing outside?” Coach Wang was completely bewildered.
The humanoid rat became increasingly flirtatious, swaying and swaying, fully immersed in its singing and dancing. Looking closely with its slightly protruding eyeballs, “Damn! It’s a man?”
Monster World (8)
The closer he got, the more extraordinary the other’s aura appeared.
Even standing among the rat swarm, it was as bright as the sun and moon.
The contrast between the two was extremely brutal, with the rat-man looking like an inferior product that had crawled out of the sewers.
This was what it meant to pale in comparison.
How unfair the creator was! The rat-man’s eyes immediately turned red as it shrieked fiercely. “Ahhhh——”
Lin Yebai seized this opportunity to throw the fang using hidden weapon techniques.
The sharp fang transformed into a white shadow in the air, suddenly drilling into its open mouth, piercing through the rat-man’s throat. The shriek stopped abruptly.
Zhou Yuan’s ears hurt painfully from this sound, his whole body trembling. His neck felt sticky, and when he touched it, his hand was covered in fresh blood. With a splitting headache, he gripped the steering wheel tightly, attempting to restart the truck. If only he could find an opportunity to run over those rats!
Coach Wang was equally dizzy and disoriented, reinforcing the truck door with spider silk to prevent the rats from opening it.
Countless rats surged toward Lin Yebai. He leaped into the air, using a fat rat’s head as leverage to jump several meters, his posture graceful as he swung his blade toward the rat-man’s neck.
The hard gray fur blocked the blade’s force, leaving only a white mark.
Lin Yebai’s next strike hit the rat-man’s eyes. Despite its quick evasion, a line of blood appeared across its eyes, completely blurring its vision.
What had wounded it wasn’t the bone blade but the sharp blade intent.
With both throat in severe pain and eyes badly injured, the rat-man was furious. It immediately commanded the rat swarm, signaling them to bite these people to death.
Having lost its sight, the rat-man could only evade attacks by feeling, but no matter which direction it fled, it was locked by a cold murderous intent.
The gray rat fur all over its body stood on end under the threat of death, no less formidable than a suit of hard armor.
Seeing it couldn’t dodge, it began to lunge and bite everywhere, but each time Lin Yebai successfully avoided it.
To better protect itself, it opened its mouth again to issue commands. Because of the fang, the rat-man’s throat was severely injured, making its screech sharp and hoarse.
Some smaller rats actively piled up to form a high wall, surrounding the rat-man in a ring formation.
Lin Yebai temporarily couldn’t get close. Suddenly he heard someone shout, “Brother, quick, fall back!”
Lin Yebai jumped up, only to see an object the size of a fist thrown into the middle of the rat swarm——
With a thunderous boom, flames reached the sky.
A bloody, mangled shadow randomly chose a direction and fled in panic. Lin Yebai threw his blade, slicing the ball-like thing in half. The main god space notification sounded:
[Killed mid-level aberrant x1]
[Points +500]
[Obtained “Attribute Card” x1]
The rat-man must have died.
Countless rat corpses fell to the ground. The air was filled with the smell of charred flesh, faintly mixed with the scent of blood and dust, extremely choking.
The previously frenzied rats were terrified by the enormous explosion and, having lost their rat king’s control, scattered in all directions.
Lin Yebai had only exhausted too much internal energy without being injured, though he felt dizzy from the rat-man’s screams. He took the [Blue Bottle] pill he had exchanged for previously, and felt much better.
Not only did his physical strength recover greatly, but his internal energy also quickly replenished.
He still looked pale, with light lips. Compared to normal people, he lacked the proper color, making his black hair appear eerily striking. An aura of deathly stillness lingered around him.
[Magician’s Big Zen Staff]: My friend, that’s a weapon of the new era. Be extremely careful when you encounter it. [Soft Cat Ears]: Baby makes me so worried, are you sick? [One Needle From Me]: Based on my years of experience as an old Chinese doctor, the host has congenital deficiencies and severe depletion, seemingly with not much life left. Try to avoid fighting; otherwise, your life force will be extinguished, the oil will run out of the lamp, and no one can save you. [Lord of the Gods]: The medicine exchanged in the live broadcast room can promote recovery, but it still consumes your own vital energy. Be careful about how often you use it. [Lord of the Gods]: After completing the mission, you can exchange for vitality potions in the main god space to extend your lifespan, such as the Spring of Life produced by the Elven Kingdom. [Truth Supreme]: Spring of Life costs tens of thousands of points per bottle; it’s good except for being expensive. [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: Baby, don’t worry, when you leave the instance, this cat will take care of you!Lin Yebai kept the words of the live broadcast room audience in his heart, finding a way to survive, such as the Spring of Life.
Illness had made him his own doctor. He knew his physical condition all too well. Even if his injuries were healed by the main god space, he wouldn’t live more than a month.
In such an environment, it was almost impossible not to fight. He could only try to conserve energy and avoid injuries.
“Brother, are you alright?”
A car approached from not far away, and several tall, strong men got out and walked toward them. They were all heavily covered, just like Zhou Yuan.
Seeing someone facing the rat swarm alone, using the legendary lightness skill, moving like a wild goose with flowing black hair, like an otherworldly expert, they couldn’t help but lend a hand. Up close, he was indeed outstanding, with an immortal air, though his complexion was too poor.
Lin Yebai had already picked up his bone knife and discreetly put away the blood pearl from inside the rat-man’s skull.
“Thank you all.”
“Be careful with protection.” The leader wore sunglasses and had a young voice. He pointed to the dim moon in the sky, assuming Lin Yebai didn’t know about this, and specifically explained:
“The aberration is related to the moon. Don’t get exposed to it.”
[Sexy Spider Louis]: No amount of clothing can block the abyss corruption. [Konjac Vegetarian Tripe]: With this plane’s technological level, they should be able to make qualified protective suits. [White Umbrella]: Not looking directly at the moon and hiding in buildings can slow down the aberration speed; it won’t turn into beast form within ten years.Lin Yebai remembered the barrage content and thanked those people again, then opened the trunk door.
Zhou Yuan was slumped over the steering wheel, bleeding from both ears, unconscious, with his clothes torn by rats and dozens of wounds, large and small. The truck window glass was broken; the rats must have entered through there.
“Was he bitten? There was blood contact, so he’s likely to be infected. If his body shows signs of aberration, deal with him early.”
Despite saying this, they still took a medical kit from the car, and one of them skillfully treated Zhou Yuan’s wounds.
“What’s your name, brother? I’m Song Yao,” the leader said in a particularly clear voice, young but composed in his behavior.
“My surname is Lin,” Lin Yebai spoke very softly, lacking strength.
“We’re searching for survivors, planning to gather them together and transfer them to the northern shelter. Why don’t you come with us, Mr. Lin?” Song Yao asked.
Coach Wang remained in the back of the truck, not daring to show himself, extremely quiet.
“I’ll consider it and decide after he wakes up,” Lin Yebai looked at Zhou Yuan, who was tied up with rope by Song Yao.
“If he turns into a monster but can maintain rationality, he can still come to the shelter. Some of our companions have also become like this,” Song Yao said solemnly:
“Now that disaster has struck, we can only survive better by helping each other. We absolutely do not discriminate against any companions.”
“The rat king attacked the shelter, causing hundreds of casualties. It lost its humanity and was extremely cruel. Mr. Lin, by eliminating it, you’ve removed a major threat for us. Thank you.”
Song Yao’s expression was sincere as he led the others in a bow.
Lin Yebai was about to speak when he couldn’t suppress a coughing fit, his fingertips stained with spots of blood—his own blood.
Song Yao and the others fell silent, having hoped they would meet a practitioner of ancient martial arts who could change the situation at the shelter, but the other’s condition looked too terrible.
“Mr. Lin, there’s a medical team at the shelter. Is there anything you need help with?”
“Could you provide some common medications?” Lin Yebai’s voice was extremely soft.
When searching for supplies, he hadn’t found any medicine. If he fell ill, it would be fatal.
Song Yao nodded, and one of his companions immediately prepared a small medical kit and handed it to Lin Yebai.
“Thank you.”
“If you get surrounded next time, try to find a way to escape. You can pour some gasoline and light a fire. Not only people have become aberrant, but animals too, and they instinctively fear fire.” Song Yao had intended to persuade Lin Yebai to come along, but seeing the unconscious Zhou Yuan and the still-sealed truck compartment, he changed the subject.
“Time is limited, and we still need to search for others. Mr. Lin, if you want to go to the shelter, don’t go to Jiamao Square. Just follow the direction indicated by this mark.”
Song Yao drew a special mark.
Lin Yebai mentioned the morning’s incident:
“Near Tianxing Garden residential complex, there was a person with extremely long legs using a megaphone to call out for survivors. Is he also from the shelter?”
“Shelter personnel never act alone. It could be survivors who formed their own group, or more likely an aberrant with ill intentions. Exercise caution when making contact.”
Song Yao and his group hurriedly left. After a while, Coach Wang finally spoke up, “Mr. Lin, how are you doing now? Can I come out?”
“Come out.” Lin Yebai was checking Zhou Yuan’s pulse, which was extremely chaotic, sometimes strong, sometimes weak—a living person could hardly have such a pulse.
Seeing Coach Wang watching from the side, Lin Yebai slightly raised his eyebrows. “Give me your hand.”
Both were aberrants; perhaps their pulse patterns would have something in common?
After placing his fingers on Coach Wang’s wrist, Lin Yebai’s expression gradually became solemn. He gestured for Coach Wang to switch hands.
“Mr. Lin? What disease do I have?”
“Am I about to die?” Coach Wang was extremely nervous. Mr. Lin’s expression when checking Zhou Yuan’s pulse hadn’t been as grave as it was now.
“It’s a pregnancy pulse.” Lin Yebai instinctively looked at Coach Wang’s belly.
Monster World (9)
[Blooming Wealth]: Congratulations to Old Wang on having a son [Literary Mentor]: Look how happy Old Wang is, his clenched fists reveal his inner turmoil, his chattering teeth express the surging emotions of fatherhood, the throbbing veins on his forehead fully demonstrate a father’s loving heart… [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: I remember spiders can produce several hundred eggs at once [Sexy Spider Louis]: The higher the rank, the fewer eggs produced [Abyss Monarch]: Slightly narrowing his eyes, with a lazy expression tinged with nonchalance, his thin lips parted: “Monster spider offspring eat their mother after birth.” [Left and Right are Both Men]: Don’t you all care how he got pregnant?“Has there been any unusual movement in your abdomen recently?” Lin Yebai asked.
“There is indeed something, I thought I just ate too much.” Coach Wang’s face alternated between pale and flushed.
“……” Lin Yebai fell silent, specifically checking his own pulse, finding his life force weak and beyond medical help. It seemed his medical skills weren’t the problem; other imperial physicians would say the same.
Coach Wang began rummaging through the medicine box, attempting to find abortion medication, but found nothing.
The production lines had completely collapsed, making medicines extremely precious.
The medicines left by Song Yao were mostly for disinfection, anti-inflammation, fever reduction, and bleeding control. The box also contained a simple water purification filter, gauze, scissors, needles, and thread.
Coach Wang rubbed his belly, his expression alternating between fierce and gentle, as if engaged in an intense internal struggle.
Lin Yebai examined Zhou Yuan’s wound again. The bitten area had turned purple-black and was rapidly spreading to surrounding areas.
Ordinary medicines were ineffective. Lin Yebai had no better solution and could only wait for him to either pull through or transform into an aberrant.
“Looks like we don’t need to go to Jiamao Square anymore. Let’s hurry back home before dark. The number of aberrants out hunting will increase exponentially after nightfall,” Coach Wang said, no longer fixating on the pregnancy pulse issue. Getting home was now the most important thing.
If they couldn’t make it back and died on the road, there would be nothing left to worry about.
Aberrants instinctively avoided strong light. The Tianxing Garden residential complex, where the electrical circuits hadn’t completely failed, was much safer than the areas outside.
Coach Wang looked at Zhou Yuan with considerable concern, hoping he could recover from his critical condition. Mr. Lin wasn’t in good shape either; his complexion was worse than yesterday. Thinking about this, Coach Wang sighed, desperately wanting a cigarette.
The truck’s tires had been bitten through, forcing them to change vehicles. Coach Wang found an SUV nearby, squeezed himself into the driver’s seat, discovered it was barely drivable with sufficient fuel, and began transferring supplies from the truck. Some less important items remained in the truck.
Coach Wang loaded Zhou Yuan’s favorite gaming equipment and drone into the car. Despite finding the young man annoying at times, Coach Wang still hoped he would survive.
“Mr. Lin, what would you like to eat tonight?”
“We have Old Pickle Sour Cabbage, Braised Beef, Mushroom Chicken Stew, Fresh Shrimp Fish Cake, Black Pepper Pork Chop, and various other flavored instant noodles. We can add fried eggs, sausages…” Coach Wang began listing menu items.
No matter the circumstances, talking about food always eased the atmosphere.
To drive, Coach Wang had to contort himself awkwardly, squeezed into the driver’s seat with headlights and taillights on to illuminate the pitch-black road ahead.
“Braised Beef.” Lin Yebai chose a flavor he hadn’t tried before.
“Mr. Lin, I can’t see clearly at night. Do you remember the way back to the residential complex?”
“Yes.” Lin Yebai tried to recall the road signs he’d seen to guide Coach Wang back along their original route.
Coach Wang’s driving skills were far superior to Zhou Yuan’s. He drove at a slightly slower pace, avoiding various obstacles according to Lin Yebai’s instructions.
There were enormous skeletal structures stretching dozens of meters, abandoned vehicles, and collapsed buildings. The entire city’s electrical system was in a semi-paralyzed state; street lights would never turn on automatically again.
An unprecedented sense of confusion and despair weighed on their hearts, yet Coach Wang couldn’t even cry, steadily driving toward home.
Getting home would be good. They would sleep well tonight and deal with unpleasant matters tomorrow.
The sky had completely darkened. Tonight’s moonlight was brighter than yesterday’s, with a heavy bloodred tinge. In places beyond the reach of the car’s headlights, crimson beast eyes occasionally flashed by, greedily eyeing the passing SUV before quickly shifting their attention elsewhere upon sensing the presence of powerful fellow aberrants.
The return journey was peaceful. The SUV parked beneath their building. The surroundings remained pitch-black, too dark to see one’s hand in front of one’s face, though most apartment windows had lights on.
Coach Wang exited first, stretching his eight legs that had been squashed flat, then began checking the spider silk he had set up in the stairwell that morning.
The silk was all intact, suggesting there had been no intruders.
The stairwell lights had long since broken. Coach Wang hoisted Zhou Yuan onto his back and signaled for Lin Yebai to follow.
Coach Wang placed Zhou Yuan in the living room, wrapping him in spider silk with only his neck and head exposed to prevent him from suddenly losing his mind and hurting others.
“Mr. Lin, please rest a bit and watch Zhou Yuan while I bring up our things.”
“I have many legs and can run fast. I’ll be done quickly.”
Coach Wang scurried up and down, bringing everything into Zhou Yuan’s room, then moved the SUV to a more concealed location to prevent the long-legged person from noticing anything unusual.
“Mr. Lin, I’ll go cook the instant noodles. Please wait a moment.”
Lin Yebai remembered the [Attribute Card] he had obtained from killing the mid-tier aberrant and chose to examine it.
A white card flipped over, displaying a proud human-shaped giant rat gazing skyward, followed by several lines of text:
[Name]: Wang Qiang
[Race]: Aberrant (Rodent)
[Talents]: Command Rat Swarm, Tough Skin, Plague
[Description]: After transformation, possessed rare king-level talent but played an excellent hand terribly.
[Message]: If given another chance, Wang Qiang would definitely not choose to sing that “Tianzhu Girl” song.
Prompt: [Attribute Cards] can be exchanged for attribute points in the Main God Space
The instant noodles were quickly ready. Coach Wang had added beef sauce, filling the air with a delicious aroma. As he carried the noodles, he casually remarked:
“I don’t know why, but I still feel like that dead rat is following us.”
“Is it this?” Lin Yebai produced the blood pearl obtained from the rat king.
All aberrants had such a pearl inside their skulls. The blood pearl from a mid-tier aberrant was larger and more purely colored.
“Yes.” Coach Wang glanced at it twice before carefully taking it, confirming it was indeed this pearl emanating the rat king’s aura.
“What does it feel like?” Lin Yebai had sensed it with his internal energy. The blood pearl was a product of blood essence condensed to the extreme, containing other powers that were cold and sinister.
“I want to taste it… but this pearl is quite useful. Keeping it will likely ensure a peaceful night.”
Keeping the largest pearl, Lin Yebai gave the two previously collected blood pearls to Coach Wang. The blood pearls from low-tier aberrants seemed to have a less intense aura and carrying them had no noticeable effect.
“Thank you, Mr. Lin. I won’t stand on ceremony. I have nothing to repay you with, so please let me handle these daily chores.”
Coach Wang was genuinely hungry. Though they had found supplies, they hadn’t brought back the rat king’s corpse. Otherwise, encased in a spider cocoon and converted to nutrients, it could have sustained him for some time.
To guard against any sudden changes in Zhou Yuan, Coach Wang huddled in a corner of the living room, covering himself with curtains. Like other aberrants, he had photophobia.
The rat king ventured out in the evening and wasn’t afraid of light, perhaps because higher ranks gradually overcame this characteristic.
Zhou Yuan lay on the living room floor. Listening closely, one could hear his bones rapidly growing inside his body, his blood surging turbulently, his heart beating at a high frequency. Blood seeping from his skin saturated Coach Wang’s spider silk, wrapping him completely and forming a blood shell.
He twisted inside the cocoon, his extraordinarily flexible limbs gradually becoming less and less human…
“Xiao Zhou, you absolutely mustn’t die. What will happen to those hundreds of gigabytes of manga in your computer?”
“I have quite a few 18+ games too, with beautiful artwork, excellent production, and superior voice acting…”
Coach Wang, awakened by Zhou Yuan’s movements, kept watch nearby, cheering him on:
“Those rats aren’t scary at all. If you just hold onto your beliefs, you can defeat anything!”
“If it’s Zhou Yuan, he can definitely do it!”
“I’ve always had good feelings about Zhou Yuan… That month when my gym was about to go bankrupt, you paid for a year’s membership and helped me through that most difficult time…”
Coach Wang fully expressed his feelings, one sentence after another. When he finished, Lin Yebai finally spoke:
“Zhou Yuan, I’ll teach you knife techniques.”
A pair of delicate, snow-white arms extended from the blood cocoon, and a hoarse voice asked with effort:
“Where’s my cleaver?”
“I brought it back. It’s in the kitchen.” Coach Wang sighed in relief, his face breaking into a smile.
“Great.” Zhou Yuan tore open the blood cocoon, barely poking out his head when Coach Wang let out a scream.
“Ahhhhh!”
His eight spider legs contracted as he suddenly sprang to the ceiling.
Zhou Yuan originally had short hair, but now sported a head of long green hair.
And it wasn’t just hair—the tips had all transformed into snake heads, flickering their tongues.
[Sending You Away Thousands of Miles]: He’s turned green and also become stronger [Abyss Monarch]: A hint of surprise flashed through his deep eyes [Count of Hell, Cesar]: Medusa? [Truth Supreme]: The chosen one [Great Mememancer]: He must have undergone a deep transformation without realizing it [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: I think Xiao Zhou might have hated rats so much that he chose to evolve into their natural predator [Braised Spare Ribs]: But… Medusa isn’t a natural predator of rats Zhou Yuan had originally planned to mock the timid Coach Wang, but upon seeing countless slender snakes coiling around his own shoulders, he let out a scream as well:“Ahhhhh!”
Lin Yebai’s worldview and eardrums once again suffered a massive impact.
Coach Wang descended from the ceiling, keeping his distance from Zhou Yuan, his lips curling into a smile:
“See, wearing a green hat caused problems.”
“Is this really about a green hat? You probably don’t…”
The small snakes crawled and played on his shoulders and back, occasionally flicking their tongues to lick him. Zhou Yuan’s body stiffened as he momentarily lost his soul.
“They won’t bite you. We’re the ones who should be afraid,” Coach Wang said irritably.
Zhou Yuan tried to stand up and discovered his legs were gone.
A snake tail two to three meters long had burst through the blood cocoon. Just looking at the jade-green tail tip, it seemed somewhat cute.
“Damn…”
Zhou Yuan’s tail tip trembled slightly, slipping on the ground, unable to walk upright.
Coach Wang watched Zhou Yuan’s predicament, the weight lifting from his heart, and suddenly burst out laughing:
“Hahaha-hic…!”
Soon he was clutching his stomach, his expression changing dramatically, appearing to be in extreme pain.
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing his forehead break out in sweat and his eight spider legs barely able to support him, Zhou Yuan became concerned.
“My stomach… hurts so bad…”
Coach Wang began to regret laughing so loudly.
“Did you disturb the fetus?” Lin Yebai bent down, intending to check Coach Wang’s pulse.
“Huh?” The small snakes on Zhou Yuan’s head instantly curved into question marks, their tiny eyes filled with enormous confusion.
Monster World (10)
“Old Wang, he…” Zhou Yuan hesitated, staring blankly, unable to find words to begin.
“I need to spin silk now!”
Coach Wang rushed out of the room, returned to his own home, slammed the door shut, and locked it.
Zhou Yuan excitedly followed him, slipping a bit at first. He used both hands to support his tail to swim, quickly learning how to slide across the floor. He crawled to Coach Wang’s door and knocked:
“Old Wang, open up!”
“Old Wang!”
“Bang bang bang——”
“After all we’ve been through together, you won’t even open the door?”
“Are you having stomach issues?”
“Open the door, we’re worried about you…”
Having escaped death, Zhou Yuan couldn’t stop talking once he started. Like a hundred cicadas chirping at once, making noise incessantly.
“You pathetic piece of sh*t, get lost!” Coach Wang exploded in frustration, even slipping into dialect:
“Why do you have to meddle!”
“Keep knocking and I’ll come out and break your dick!”
Zhou Yuan smiled, feeling satisfied, then suddenly looked down in panic. He searched around his waist but found nothing, instantly becoming crestfallen. His previously excited tone faltered:
“My… dick… I… I…”
“No way? No way? How could someone not have…” Coach Wang said halfway, then suddenly realized he only had a spider’s abdomen and eight legs, and fell silent.
The two men, separated by a door, had never felt their souls so connected.
“Sigh…”
They sighed simultaneously, with profound weariness.
“I’ve got things to do. Go play by yourself.” Coach Wang’s side went completely quiet.
Zhou Yuan slithered back to his own doorway, collapsing against the doorframe like a boneless creature. He casually untangled the small snakes that had accidentally wound together in a knot, and looked at Lin Yebai:
“Brother Lin, what’s wrong with Old Wang? He’s not really pregnant, is he?!”
“I’m not sure.” Lin Yebai had only checked his pulse, and couldn’t be certain.
Zhou Yuan’s legs had transformed directly into a snake’s tail, and his hair had undergone this bizarre transformation as well. Pregnancy couldn’t be judged by normal standards.
Moreover, Zhou Yuan used to be handsome but frail. Now his skin was fair and delicate, his lips crimson, his features exquisite, and his eyes held an indescribable allure. Every movement carried a natural charm; he could be described as a peerless beauty.
At first glance, one might mistake him for a woman.
[The Ordinary Me]: Xiao Zhou is so cute, I really want to— [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: Was it fake before? My eyes see through too much [Great Mememancer]: Sometimes, gender transformation is the true beginning♂ of life [Sexy Spider Louis]: Am I the only one still concerned about Old Wang and his disturbed pregnancy? [Magician’s Big Zen Staff]: Amitabha, this poor monk is also concerned about Benefactor Wang“I wonder when Old Wang will come out.”
“Ah…”
Zhou Yuan sat directly on the ground, coiling his tail, and asked:
“Brother Lin, what happened to that big rat later? How did it die?”
Lin Yebai told him about the shelter and Song Yao, as well as how the big rat died—first blown half-dead, then sliced in two.
“Serves it right.” Zhou Yuan felt that Lin Yebai had thoroughly avenged him, then asked curiously:
“How do we find the shelter? Is it far from here?”
“Song Yao left markings. Following the direction they indicate, we can find the shelter.”
Lin Yebai drew the markings on the wall with his bone knife, waited for Zhou Yuan to memorize them, then wiped them away.
“Tomorrow we can go check out the shelter. If it’s reliable, it would be better to stick with the main group. If we encounter another rat swarm, we won’t be so vulnerable.” After speaking, Zhou Yuan looked down at his snake tail and sighed deeply.
“Looking like this… what will I eat from now on?”
“If rats can mutate, other domestic animals will also change. We won’t lack food.” Lin Yebai slightly closed his eyes, growing increasingly drowsy. As he spoke, his expression unconsciously became languid, and even the cold aura around him softened considerably.
He quickly regained alertness, his eyes darkening.
He had maintained constant vigilance these past few days, with extremely little time for rest.
But the drowsiness came too strongly, too strangely, dark and heavy like a beast that selectively devours its prey, instantly giving him an ominous feeling.
Lethargy and sleepiness were harbingers of becoming an aberrant.
[Soft Cat Ears]: Baby, rest well, everything will be fine [Truth Supreme]: Although abyssal transformation easily leads to losing sanity, if you can survive, it’s like the host got an enhancement in the first realm [Abyss Monarch]: frowns slightly, thin lips curling: “Constitution too weak, hard to endure.” [Sexy Spider Louis]: Would red or blue potions help in this situation? [Blooming Wealth]: Of course not, it’s up to baby to endure on his own [Lord of the Gods]: Everyone needn’t worry, fortune favors the virtuous [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: Since Lord Daren has spoken this way, baby will definitely turn danger into safety. Rest assured and sleep well, good night meow~ [Great Emperor Huaji]: Good night, baby After reading the barrage of comments, Lin Yebai’s thoughts gradually calmed.After his transformation, Zhou Yuan had become more sensitive to emotions. Originally thinking Lin Yebai was emotionless, he could now detect subtle changes.
Regarding the drowsiness, both instinctively avoided mentioning it.
What was meant to come couldn’t be stopped; talking about it would only increase anxiety.
Zhou Yuan’s voice had already changed to a soft, androgynous tone, indistinguishable between male and female. Now speaking quietly, it was quite alluring:
“It’s almost dawn, Brother Lin. You sleep for a while, I’ll wake you later.”
“Mm. Wake me when Old Wang comes out.”
Lin Yebai unconsciously adopted the livestream audience’s nickname for Old Wang, completely unfazed by Zhou Yuan’s voice.
Zhou Yuan had no mind to pay attention to his suddenly changed voice and began organizing the supplies that Old Wang had brought back, carefully categorizing food, daily necessities, miscellaneous items, and electronic products.
He tore open a sausage and took a bite, finding it tasteless as chewing wax. His body’s instinct told him this wasn’t the food he needed.
The small snakes all imitated him, taking small bites of the sausage, quickly finishing it. They then nuzzled and cuddled against Zhou Yuan’s palm, wanting another one.
Zhou Yuan imagined his hair getting fat and ignored the coquettish little snakes.
Due to the intimidating aura of the intermediate aberrant, this building was relatively safe, though screams and fighting sounds could be faintly heard from afar.
Lin Yebai slept deeply, his raven-like eyelashes casting shadows on his face. His complexion was unusually pale, like a lifeless jade statue of a deity.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes flashed with worry as he hugged his arms, his expression vacant.
In the past at times like this, Brother Lin would always be meditating. With his bone knife beside him, ready to fight at any sign of danger.
Even though Brother Lin appeared weak and sickly, sharing a room with him still gave one a sense of security.
What would happen tomorrow? Would they still see the sun the day after?
“Xiao Zhou, you’re on watch tonight. We’ll talk tomorrow, I’m too tired and need to sleep for a while.”
Coach Wang, finally finished and exhausted, opened his door, saw that Lin Yebai was already asleep, and spoke softly to Zhou Yuan before closing the door again.
When Lin Yebai woke, it was bright daylight. He was no longer in Zhou Yuan’s home but in an unfamiliar room, bright and clean, with several unusually lush green plants placed at the bedside.
A needle was inserted in the back of his hand, with a transparent thin tube delivering liquid, creating an uncomfortable, ice-cold sensation.
Lin Yebai was about to pull out the needle when Song Yao pushed open the door and, with quick reflexes, stopped him:
“This is glucose, to supplement your nutrition.”
“Mr. Lin, please wait until this bottle is finished before removing it.”
In the room, Song Yao wasn’t wearing glasses, and his mask was removed, revealing handsome features and a stern demeanor.
Lin Yebai remembered his voice but felt somewhat dazed.
Everything around had a sense of unreality, while the dream seemed more vivid.
In the dream, a blood moon hung high as he walked alone in the dark, cold wilderness, passing by countless powerful monsters. Not knowing where the end was, until he saw a throne standing majestically atop an altar built of white bones.