ET Chapters 11-15
Monster World (11)
“You’ve been asleep for three days.”
“Zhou Yuan would be very happy if he knew you were awake.”
Song Yao’s gaze fell on Lin Yebai’s forehead, unconsciously lingering there.
Over the past three days, Lin Yebai hadn’t changed much, except for the silver character that had appeared on his forehead, unlike any known writing system.
Song Yao had never seen such an anomaly on anyone else.
Lin Yebai lightly touched his forehead, his fingertip landing precisely where the character was located, and the scene from his dream reappeared before his eyes.
A blood moon hung in the sky, with an empty throne below.
Cold winds carrying the stench of blood swept across the wasteland, grotesquely twisted monsters, dismembered limbs… everything felt too real to be just a dream.
In comparison, the clean and tidy room seemed thin and insubstantial.
“How do you feel?” Song Yao asked.
“Acceptable,” Lin Yebai glanced several times at the needle in the back of his hand. Song Yao noticed that the bottle was nearly empty and called someone to remove the IV.
A man with fluffy fox ears and a bushy fox tail pushed open the door. He wore a white coat with one hand in his pocket and maintained an expressionless face. After making eye contact with Lin Yebai, his cheeks turned crimson, even the corners of his eyes flushed pink. Despite maintaining his serious demeanor, his tail began to wag involuntarily.
“This is Xiahou Yun, he used to be a surgeon,” Song Yao said.
He voluntarily added, “He likes good-looking people. As long as they’re attractive, he reacts this way.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Lin Yebai showed an understanding expression.
Even so, the doctor’s tail was wagging unusually fast.
“Your constitution is very weak… the fact that you’re still alive is, frankly, quite strange.”
Xiahou Yun was probably once a serious person. He maintained little expression, with a slightly deep voice and a subtly alluring tone at the end of his sentences that was barely perceptible if one listened carefully. He asked earnestly:
“According to Song Yao, Mr. Lin, you can face mid-level aberrants head-on without being at a disadvantage?”
“Just lucky,” Lin Yebai found it difficult to take his eyes off Xiahou Yun’s tail.
The fox tail was pure white without a hint of discoloration, and looked very fluffy.
And it kept wagging back and forth.
“Would you like to touch it?” Xiahou Yun glanced at his disobedient tail.
“May I?” Song Yao immediately reached out.
“You may not.” Xiahou Yun’s tail skillfully dodged Song Yao’s hand.
Song Yao grabbed at nothing and asked in surprise:
“I thought you couldn’t control your tail?”
“I’m not controlling it…” Xiahou Yun raised an eyebrow slightly.
Song Yao began to ponder.
After removing the needle, Xiahou Yun pressed a cotton swab against the puncture, making eye contact with Lin Yebai:
“As your current attending physician, I need to better understand your body.”
Song Yao gave a light cough.
“Why are you still here?” Xiahou Yun seemed surprised.
“Should I be under the bed?” Song Yao felt it necessary to keep an eye on Xiahou Yun to prevent this experienced player from corrupting Mr. Lin.
“What bed?” Zhou Yuan happened to enter from outside, very curious.
“Brother Lin, you’re awake!” He immediately glided to the bedside, carrying a plump hen in his hand. Like showing off a treasure, he turned the chicken around, smiling.
“This chicken is really heavy, weighing dozens of pounds. I’ll make chicken soup for Brother Lin tonight.”
The hen was several times larger than an ordinary chicken, nearly half a person’s height, with its bottom dragging on the ground. Suddenly, it froze, then strained hard and pushed out a gigantic egg.
[I Am a Little Green Dragon]: That survival instinct! [The Ordinary Me]: The list of things I can hit on just grew! [Truth Supreme]: No way, sir, even a hen…you would.. [The Ordinary Me]: I was talking about the fox tail guy, but I guess this works too…Lin Yebai had just awakened, and the livestream automatically activated. Familiar viewers quickly appeared.
“Cluck cluck! Cluck cluck!” The hen raised its neck and crowed.
Zhou Yuan was deeply moved, looking at the hen with extremely benevolent eyes.
“This chicken can still lay eggs. Nice, we can keep it and have eggs to eat every day…”
“Let me know when you kill it. I can help debone it and research what differences exist between this hen and normal chickens,” said Xiahou Yun, looking at the hen with sincere friendliness.
“Sure, when it stops laying eggs, we’ll stew it. One pot probably won’t be big enough,” Zhou Yuan agreed with a smile. After Xiahou Yun left, he rubbed his arms and whispered to Lin Yebai.
“I don’t know why, but whenever I see Dr. Xiahou, I feel a chill.”
Song Yao had other matters to attend to. As soon as Xiahou Yun left, he followed, putting on a mask and sunglasses before exiting.
“Brother Lin, you were asleep the whole time. We couldn’t wake you up no matter how we tried, so we were very worried and brought you here,” said Zhou Yuan.
“Are you still tired?” Zhou Yuan asked.
Lin Yebai shook his head. After waking up, his perception and hearing had expanded several times. It was as if a layer of gauze had been washed away from the world, bringing everything one step closer to reality.
Just as Zhou Yuan said, he also felt that Xiahou Yun was not as simple as he appeared on the surface.
Xiahou Yun’s gaze contained not only elements of appreciation but also an almost obsessive curiosity that instinctively made one feel wary.
“There’s no way to tell Brother Lin’s aberration direction. Only this mark appeared…”
“Erlang Zhenjun was like this too. Maybe it’s the Heavenly Eye.”
Zhou Yuan’s gaze fell on Lin Yebai’s forehead. The silver character had a flowing light on its surface, adding a sense of majesty.
It had to be said that this mark complemented Lin Yebai perfectly, enhancing his originally aloof and lofty temperament, making him seem even more transcendent, like a deity walking among mortals.
Lin Yebai was also familiar with Erlang Zhenjun; perhaps the two worlds shared commonalities in their mythological legends.
“Old Wang isn’t here?”
“He said he had something he couldn’t get away from, so he didn’t come to the shelter. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone else.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with Old Wang. He won’t let me into his room either.”
“Could it be…”
Zhou Yuan once again displayed a profound, wise look in his eyes, supporting his chin.
“Not letting me in, what could be the reason?”
“We’ll know once we investigate,” Lin Yebai used the hair tie offered by Zhou Yuan to bind his long hair, planning to return to the Tianxing Garden residential complex.
“Brother Lin, have you noticed any changes in your body? Like increased strength? Or invulnerability, fire-breathing, water-spitting, invisibility?”
Zhou Yuan was very curious, feeling that this mark must be extraordinary.
“No,” said Lin Yebai.
Lin Yebai picked up the bone knife, and Zhou Yuan immediately followed. Just as they exited, they ran into Xiahou Yun.
He was holding a thick book titled “Work Log,” having just written the last line, and couldn’t find the cap for his pen, so he casually tucked the pen behind his fox ear. Upon seeing Lin Yebai, his eyes lit up, as if looking at a rare treasure.
“Everyone who has undergone aberration shows animal characteristics, more or less. You are the only exception.”
“Currently, there are three possibilities.”
“First, humans have a new direction of aberration, perhaps related to characters, but the numbers are rare.”
“Second, you haven’t completely aberrated yet, and will eventually become like us.”
“Third, see this hen? It’s merely grown in size but hasn’t sprouted eight wings or four legs. In animals, the direction of aberration tends to be simpler, without changing their initial form…”
“Are you implying something?” Zhou Yuan frowned.
“Cluck cluck! Cluck cluck!” The hen also called out twice in agreement. Its throat seemed to be blocked by something. It stretched its neck, shook its head, and spat out a flame.
“Cluck cluck!” The hen proudly puffed out its chest.
“So it’s actually a precious fire-breathing chicken…” Zhou Yuan stroked the hen’s wing, marveling at it.
“…” Xiahou Yun was momentarily speechless.
“Farewell,” Lin Yebai led Zhou Yuan away.
Zhou Yuan had originally planned to leave the hen at the shelter, but now, because of the hen’s fire-breathing ability, he became even more fond of it and carried it along, occasionally checking on it.
In case of danger, could it breathe out a sea of fire?
Xiahou Yun watched helplessly as the hen was carried away, wanting to say something but holding back.
“Mr. Song, we’re going out for a while.”
Before leaving, Lin Yebai ran into Song Yao and took the initiative to speak.
“Be careful. Try not to go out at night, and stay in well-lit areas.”
“I hope Mr. Lin will join us in the migration.”
Song Yao still hadn’t given up on the idea of keeping Lin Yebai.
Compared to Xiahou Yun, people like Lin Yebai and Zhou Yuan were purer and more loyal.
“The terrain here isn’t ideal. The sea level is rising, and this place might be submerged in the future,” Song Yao said seriously.
“Thank you, I’ll consider it,” Lin Yebai still politely declined.
“Brother Song, I’m taking this chicken back with me. I’ll catch a few more for you tomorrow to add to your menu.”
Zhou Yuan smiled, causing several people to become momentarily distracted. Among the many aberrants in the shelter, Xiahou Yun and Zhou Yuan were the most attractive.
Xiahou Yun’s white coat constantly gave people a sense of pressure. Most people met him because they were injured, lying on the examination table, being cut open and stitched up by him. The anesthetic was never enough, and Xiahou Yun operated directly, becoming the embodiment of a demon.
Zhou Yuan was different. His personality was simple, sunny, and cheerful. It seemed like nothing could make him sad, and there wasn’t a hint of darkness in his heart. In this environment, he shone like the sun.
Unfortunately, his hair was too terrifying, and only Lin Yebai dared to approach within three meters of him.
Zhou Yuan’s driving skills had improved significantly. The car radio was on, and this time it was broadcasting the shelter’s migration notice:
“This city is not suitable for long-term residence as it’s impossible to grow crops on a large scale to make the shelter self-sufficient. Heavy rain is expected soon, and the roads will be quickly damaged by aberrated animals and plants…”
“We have reached an agreement with the northern shelter and decided to migrate as soon as possible. We hope everything goes smoothly.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan asked.
“Brother Lin, should we join the shelter and migrate with them?”
“Let’s observe for now,” Lin Yebai wasn’t familiar with the shelter.
“I think it’s okay. It would be better if Old Wang could come with us…”
Zhou Yuan began to talk about his recent daily life. He and Song Yao had been searching for survivors in the city, rescuing people and bringing them back to the shelter.
However, his snake-tailed appearance made it difficult for people to trust him, often making the terrified civilians even more frightened.
He had given up on search and rescue and decided to join the resource collection team instead.
The shelter was indeed not far, less than an hour’s drive away.
The residential complex was messier than a few days ago. Dried bloodstains could be seen every few steps. Most plants had withered, leaving only a few abnormally tall plants with twisted limbs and bleached bones entangled in their roots. The once vibrant leaves were now covered with black and red patterns, like a series of ghostly faces.
At the entrance to their building, the corridor was completely blocked by spider webs.
“I wonder if Old Wang is home?”
Zhou Yuan used his snake tail to clear a path for people to enter, letting Lin Yebai go first before following and then repairing the gap to minimize the opening.
“Old Wang, look what good stuff I brought back!”
Zhou Yuan was still holding the hen.
Old Wang wasn’t home; the door was locked from inside.
Zhou Yuan half-squatted, letting a small snake crawl into the keyhole. After fiddling with it for a bit, the door opened.
[Watermelon Patch Sinner]: New lock-picking method acquired! [Braised Spare Ribs]: Snake shocked! Unexpectedly can be used like this?A black shadow crawled out from the door crack, only to be pinned down by Zhou Yuan’s tail.
Monster World (12)
Zhou Yuan looked down and discovered it was a palm-sized spider.
With eight legs, it resembled Coach Wang remarkably.
The little spider, pinned down by the tip of Zhou Yuan’s tail, suddenly emitted a childish voice:
“Mommy! Mommy!”
“Huh?” Zhou Yuan’s pupils quaked, his entire body turning to stone.
Lin Yebai looked down, trying to see where the spider’s mouth was, but the small spider was just a black lump, with only its legs being clearly visible.
“You’re not our mommy!”
“Mommy said if someone knocks on the door, never open it. Close it quickly!”
Several pairs of eyes appeared in the door crack, along with other childish voices that sounded like two or three-year-old children, speaking in sweet, high-pitched tones:
“We didn’t open the door, it opened by itself!”
“Oh my goodness, they’re different from mommy, they don’t have eight beautiful legs!”
“Are they disabled? How pitiful.”
[Literary Mentor]: The children’s innocent and adorable language brightens the previously gloomy space, their sympathetic gazes warm the heart. If everyone gives a little love, the world will become a beautiful place. [Blossoming Wealth]: Hahahahahaha [I Forever Love Puppies]: Savage babies, laughing in advance!Lin Yebai and Zhou Yuan exchanged glances, wanting to speak but stopping themselves, their feelings complicated.
A spider crawled out from the door crack, all eight legs trembling in fear, yet still gathering courage to shout very loudly:
“Release Seventh Baby now!”
However, the voice was so milk-sweet that it had no authority, only making them want to laugh.
“……” Zhou Yuan looked down at the spider under his tail tip. So this was Seventh Baby.
His hand holding the hen tightened slightly as he suppressed a smile.
“Plop-—–”
A lump of chicken poop fell to the ground.
“Cluck-cluck! Cluck-cluck!” The mother hen crowed proudly and loudly.
“That’s not an egg!” Zhou Yuan frowned, thinking this chicken didn’t look very intelligent and would be better stewed.
The chicken’s powerful crowing frightened the little spiders in the door crack, making them all burst into tears:
“Wuwuwu——”
“There’s a monster!”
“It’s so loud!”
“It’s… it’s so scary……”
“Wuu-wuu-wuu…… how can there be such a… terrifying… hiccup… monster!”
Seventh Baby, pinned under Zhou Yuan’s tail, was even more frightened, curling into a ball with a small milky voice stammering:
“Don’t eat me…… I don’t…… taste good……”
“Sob…… sob……”
“Big bully…… quick…… quick let go of Seventh Baby!”
The spider that had crawled out from the door crack was crying while trying to move Zhou Yuan’s tail. Just as it was about to succeed, Zhou Yuan flicked his tail, trapping both spiders at once.
“Waaaaaaaaa……”
The little spiders cried even louder.
“Mommy! Mommy……”
“I want mommy……”
Lin Yebai glanced at Zhou Yuan with a somewhat reproachful look.
“Cough..….” Zhou Yuan looked down; he hadn’t meant to do this, but these little spiders were really fun.
So cute, without a brain.
[Luhua Peanut Oil]: These little spiders are too adorable! [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: They can talk already? Shocked.jpg [Sexy Spider Louis]: Abyss King-larval stage-they all have inherited memories, wonder whose offspring Old Wang is [Succubus-Crinara]: Abyss Demon Spider-Queen Mother? Or one of those slumbering beings? Could it be you, Louis? [Hell’s Three Headed Dog]: I remember Louis used to have eight legs [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: Scared me so much I dropped my melon [Left and Right Are Both Men]: Louis, come out and say something [Sexy Spider Louis] donated 10,000 star coins Lin Yebai had already suspected that the live stream audience wasn’t just humans. Suddenly learning that some viewers might be Coach Wang’s ancestors made him feel somewhat strange.“Why isn’t mommy coming home yet……”
“Has mommy abandoned us?”
“Wuu-wuu-wuu…… Mommy! I want mommy……”
The little spiders were crying heartbrokenly. Zhou Yuan wore a loving expression as he lifted his tail, releasing those two little spiders, speaking gently:
“If mommy doesn’t want you, Uncle Zhou wants you.”
“Good children, come to Uncle Zhou’s arms……”
“Don’t cry anymore, good children, you’re breaking uncle’s heart.”
The little spiders looked at Zhou Yuan in confusion, their tone innocent:
“Uncle, you’re so strange!”
“Uncle, why do you only have one leg? So pitiful……”
“Uncle, what’s that on your head?”
Just as Zhou Yuan was organizing his thoughts, a sharp shout came from the hallway:
“Zhou Yuan, what are you doing!”
“Cough.”
Zhou Yuan instinctively wiped the smile off his face, looking honest.
“Brother Wang, your children are too cute, I was just talking to them, didn’t do anything.”
“Mommy, Mommy!”
“Mommy! I missed you!”
Discovering that mommy had returned, the little spiders all came out from the door crack, hiding behind Coach Wang, timidly looking at Zhou Yuan and Lin Yebai.
“……”
Coach Wang’s rugged face suspiciously reddened. After organizing his thoughts, he finally spoke:
“How dare you tarnish my reputation out of nowhere!”
“These are all wild spiders I adopted, not my children,” Coach Wang added.
The little spiders instantly fell silent, crystal tears rolling down, shattering into eight pieces as they hit the ground.
“Mommy, Mommy……”
“Wuu-wuu……”
“Haven’t I already told you all that I picked you up from the garbage bin?” Coach Wang clenched his fist, maintaining a tough guy’s expressionless face.
“Waaaa——”
The little spiders cried heartbrokenly.
“Mommy…… wuu……”
“I want mommy to hold me…… hiccup……”
They still hid behind Coach Wang, sobbing and sniffling, and even hiccuping while crying.
“If you’re not our mommy, why do our legs look just as long and beautiful as yours?” asked one observant little spider.
“The upper body is different, mommy has hands but we don’t,” another little spider said in a soft, pitiful voice.
“Brother Wang, it’s fine, this is great, the children are so cute. We’re happy for you……” Zhou Yuan tried to say something to ease the awkward atmosphere, asking:
“What do they eat? Can you feed them all by yourself?”
“I eat meat!”
“I eat bugs!”
“I eat everything……”
The little spiders, realizing that mommy knew the strange uncles, also let down their guard and answered proactively.
“Such good children! Uncle loves good children the most!”
Zhou Yuan displayed a kind smile, then asked Old Wang:
“How many children do you have in total?”
“Seven!” the little spiders answered in unison.
“Not bad, Old Wang…… as expected of you!” Zhou Yuan gave a thumbs up.
“As expected of you,” Lin Yebai also added.
“……” Coach Wang fell silent.
Could it be that this matter could no longer be concealed?
He had originally thought it would become an eternal secret once Lin Yebai and Zhou Yuan left, but now……
“Since things have come to this point, I won’t hide it anymore, it’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
Coach Wang lowered his head, not daring to look directly at the other two, his tone heavy:
“I hope you won’t disclose this to outsiders. Only the three of us know about this matter.”
[Truth Supreme]: Understood, only the three of you know about this [I Am a Little Green Dragon]: Understood, only the three of you know about this [Man Upon Man]: Understood, this matter……Monster World (13)
“Understood, only the three of us know about this.”
Lin Yebai repeated the sentence that viewers in the livestream were frantically spamming. The comments were scrolling by so fast that in just a few seconds, at least a hundred identical messages had flashed past. This news… couldn’t be contained anymore.
The viewers of the All Heaven Live Broadcast Room didn’t seem to be in this world, so Old Wang’s secret was still safe.
“Old Wang, don’t worry, we share a life-and-death bond. I absolutely won’t tell anyone,” Zhou Yuan promised, very sincerely.
Even though he and Old Wang occasionally disagreed, when it came to major principles, they always remained unified.
“That’s good.” Coach Wang sighed in relief. Carrying the secret alone had been quite difficult to bear; after telling them, he felt much better.
“This chicken?” Coach Wang looked at the hen. Why was it so big? It wasn’t even trying to escape, just squatting there dumbly, not seeming very bright.
The mother hen, under Coach Wang’s eager gaze, struggled to lay an egg, looked back to confirm it was indeed an egg, then proudly puffed up her chest and crowed:
“Cluck-cluck!”
“Cluck-cluck!”
“She just laid an egg, that’s her second one,” Zhou Yuan happily picked up the egg and handed it to Coach Wang.
“Next time I’ll catch a few more to raise at home so the children can get some nutrition.”
“How did you catch it?” Coach Wang was surprised.
“This chicken is too fat to move.”
“Look, if you put her on the ground, she won’t walk away.”
Zhou Yuan demonstrated, and sure enough, the hen didn’t move—her short legs couldn’t support her massively increased weight.
“Not bad, we can keep her in an enclosure,” Coach Wang said, somewhat satisfied.
“You didn’t come back empty-handed, did you?” Zhou Yuan asked curiously.
“I brought something else, it’s downstairs.” Coach Wang turned to go get it, with the little spiders forming a line behind him.
“Mommy, Mommy, which garbage bin did you find us in?”
“The one in the residential complex,” Coach Wang still didn’t plan to tell the little spiders the truth.
It was too embarrassing.
The awkwardness level was lethal.
“Mommy, we’ll behave, please don’t throw us back in there.”
“Mommy, you’re the best.”
The little spiders clung affectionately to Coach Wang’s spider legs.
“I won’t,” Coach Wang lowered his head, his eyes filled with maternal love.
Suddenly realizing his two friends were still there, he immediately verbally corrected the little spiders’ mistake:
“How many times have I told you, don’t call me Mommy!”
“Okay, Mommy!”
“Mommy, we understand!”
The little spiders obediently agreed.
“Ah, I said don’t call me that, why are you still calling me that? Don’t call me Mommy!” Coach Wang clenched his fist, gritting his teeth.
“Mommy… sob…” The little spiders started crying again.
“Why are you shouting at the children like that! Don’t cry, don’t cry. Uncle Zhou loves children the most, come here to Uncle Zhou.”
Zhou Yuan opened his arms wide, revealing a flat chest.
However, the little spiders still clung to Coach Wang’s spider legs, too afraid to go over.
“Uncle Zhou is nice, but unfortunately he’s disabled, so pitiful,” one little spider said.
“Yes, yes,” the others agreed.
Coach Wang fell silent. Zhou Yuan fell silent. Lin Yebai fell silent.
Finally, Coach Wang took the little spiders downstairs to get the things, while Zhou Yuan opened his apartment door for ventilation.
“Ah, time spares no one.”
“When I first met Old Wang, he was a vigorous young man in his prime. Now, in such a short time, he’s already a mother of seven…”
Zhou Yuan let out a deep sigh, his eyes growing calm and melancholic.
Lin Yebai wanted to speak but hesitated. Since arriving in this world, he’d often felt this way—emotionally conflicted, wanting to say something but unable to organize his thoughts, ultimately remaining silent.
[Brother Jie, No—Don’t]: <Seven Babies in One Birth: Confused Mommy Pampered to Heaven> [Ukrainian Roast Suckling Pig]: <Sweet Wife Cute Babies: Daddy Don’t Try to Run> [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: <Contract Wife: Demon Entanglement” [Literary Mentor]: <About How Adding Book Title Brackets Makes Things Sound Grand> [Abyss Monarch]: Raised an eyebrow and said coolly: <Spider Cuties: Demon Daddy, Where Are You Escaping To?> [Sexy Spider Louis] donated 6666 star coins [Super Rich Tangerine Seat] donated 6666 star coins [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: This cat will eventually die laughing in this livestream Soon, Coach Wang returned carrying a two-meter-long beetle, with the little spiders neatly following behind.“Is this what the children eat? Will it be enough?” Zhou Yuan couldn’t believe it.
“If it’s not enough, I’ll catch more,” Coach Wang replied quite calmly.
Zhou Yuan suddenly felt Coach Wang’s silhouette grow larger, reminding him of an essay he’d studied before—”The Silhouette.”
Perhaps this was what being a father meant.
“What’s the plan now? Go to the shelter, or stay here?” Zhou Yuan asked.
“You know my situation, going to the shelter isn’t realistic,” Coach Wang sighed.
“Indeed, but staying behind alone isn’t safe,” Zhou Yuan began to worry.
If the little spiders stayed at home, they could face danger.
Coach Wang was decent among low-level aberrants, but if they encountered a mid-level aberrant, one wrong move and they’d be finished.
“We’ll see,” Coach Wang said.
He looked worriedly at the lively little spiders, wondering how long they could survive in this perilous world.
“Mommy, you eat too,” The little spiders brought over a beetle leg.
“Such good children,” Coach Wang took the beetle leg and patted each little spider.
“Uncle Zhou, eat,” A little spider hospitably offered Zhou Yuan one.
“So thoughtful,” Zhou Yuan praised them endlessly.
Soon the little spiders looked at Lin Yebai and were perplexed.
This two-legged uncle didn’t talk much, but they instinctively sensed he was more dangerous than Uncle Zhou—cold and intimidating, like a big monster.
What should they call him?
Lin Yebai noticed the little spiders’ confusion and spoke up:
“Uncle Lin.”
“Uncle Lin, eat bug,” The little spiders said in their childish voices, bringing over the biggest beetle leg.
“Don’t be polite, it’s quite aromatic when grilled, tastes like chicken,” Coach Wang said.
He started the fire and skillfully placed the beetle leg on the grill, brushing on seasonings.
“Smells delicious.”
Zhou Yuan quickly shifted his gaze to the mother hen in the corner. It had been a long time since he’d had roast chicken, and with such a big bird, the taste must be excellent.
The mother hen shrank back a little, truly having no more eggs for the day.
“Where did you catch the bugs?” Zhou Yuan wanted to catch a big one too.
After removing the outer shell, the inner meat was white, tender, and delicate, giving off a strange aroma when grilled. Brushed with cumin, salt and pepper, and chili powder, the flavor was delicious and chewy. Once you took a bite, you couldn’t stop.
[Blooming Wealth]: Tears flowed from my mouth [The Ordinary Me]: Beetles are really quite good [Charcoal Grilled Great Demon Dragon]: I’m hungry, heading to the insect battlefield now [Lord of the Gods]: On my way [Insect Emperor Ursas]: Got it, relocating now“Central Park. I also saw a two to three-meter koi fish, not sure how it tastes, but I didn’t dare get in the water.”
“I dare! I’m a great swimmer, I’ll go catch it this afternoon to nourish the children,” Zhou Yuan proudly lifted his head.
“I’ll join you,” Lin Yebai hadn’t seen a two to three-meter koi before.
“Mommy, Mommy! We want to go play outside too,” The little spiders were extremely eager.
“You’re still too small, there are big monsters outside that eat children,” Coach Wang wasn’t trying to scare them—it was true.
“We really want to see the outside world, Mommy, we’ve never been out…”
The little spiders all hugged Coach Wang’s legs, whining cutely.
“Mommy, please, take us out to play, okay?”
“How many times have I told you, don’t call me Mommy,” Coach Wang’s forehead veins began to throb.
“But… Mommy, I want to go out and play.”
“Me too.”
“Mommy… you’re the best.”
The little spiders spoke in childish voices, using Coach Wang’s legs as slides.
“Old Wang, just let the children go,” Zhou Yuan couldn’t help but persuade him:
“It’s still daylight, if we come back early, nothing will happen.”
Coach Wang looked at Lin Yebai; compared to Zhou Yuan, Mr. Lin made him feel more secure. Seeing Lin Yebai nod, he finally agreed to take the little spiders out to play.
“Mommy, you’re the best person in the world!”
“Don’t call me Mommy, call me Daddy.”
“Okay, Mommy…”
Coach Wang finally waved his hand in defeat.
“The children are still young, teach them gradually,” Zhou Yuan patted his shoulder encouragingly:
“Hang in there, good brother.”
Coach Wang wasn’t comforted at all. He completely distrusted Zhou Yuan’s driving skills, so he squeezed into the driver’s seat himself and let Zhou Yuan sit in the passenger seat.
Lin Yebai sat in the back with the little spiders.
The little spiders were very curious, crawling around inside the car.
“By the way, Brother Wang, the mangas you mentioned last time, and the rated 18…”
“Don’t mention that in front of the children, I’ll give it to you when we get back,” Coach Wang said.
“Brother Wang is so generous,” Zhou Yuan gave a thumbs up.
“Uncle Zhou, what are mangas?”
“And what is rated 18?”
The little spiders were very curious, and Coach Wang glared at Zhou Yuan in reproach.
“Nothing important, would you like Uncle Zhou to teach you a song?” Zhou Yuan cleared his throat:
“Come on, sing with me…”
“In this world, only mothers are good~ A child with a mother is like a treasure…”
The little spiders immediately loved the song when they heard it and sang along with Zhou Yuan. Their soft, childish voices, still somewhat babyish, filled the car with a unique warmth style.
“Zhou Yuan, if you keep this up, I’ll kick you out and make you crawl behind the car,” Coach Wang’s rugged face flushed red. His entire body was large and strong, muscles knotted, like an iron tower.
“Come on, Brother Wang~”
Lin Yebai felt more relaxed, with traces of a smile appearing in his eyes.
It was the first time the little spiders had seen Uncle Lin with such a gentle expression, and they stared at him blankly.
Maybe having only two legs wasn’t so ugly after all.
The entire city was covered in a layer of gray, plants had withered and died, the streets were eerily quiet, and dried dark bloodstains could be seen everywhere.
Despite this, the little spiders were still enjoying the view.
They soon arrived at Central Park, which had a scenic lake where nearby residents often came after dinner to feed the fish, resulting in quite a few koi.
Zhou Yuan threw in an expired pack of instant noodles, and a huge splash erupted from the water’s surface. An enormous fish head emerged—the bald head alone was two meters long, with a mouth full of white fangs.
Seeing the humanoid figures on the shore, a strange light flashed in the fish’s eyes.
Monster World (14)
The next second, the giant fish charged directly onto the shore!
Beneath its enormous body were four stout legs!
“Holy mother!” Zhou Yuan felt his young mind severely shocked. He curled his tail and quickly ran away.
Lin Yebai, with his excellent lightness skill, had already flown dozens of meters away with a few leaps.
Coach Wang sprinted frantically with all eight legs, moving at incredible speed.
The little spiders were still in the car and hadn’t gotten out, so they were temporarily safe.
“Split up and meet back at the park!” Zhou Yuan shouted loudly.
Actually, before he said this, Lin Yebai and Coach Wang had already chosen different directions.
The giant fish turned its dead white eyeballs around and ultimately chose the direction where Lin Yebai was.
It instinctively felt that eating this little snack would yield the greatest reward.
[The Ordinary Me]: A strange species has been added♂ [Watermelon Patch Sinner]: I really didn’t expect this fish to have legs [Beautiful Life]: What do fish legs taste like? [Lord of the Gods]: Xiao Bai might know [Soft Cat Ears]: Run faster, baby!The fish was at least ten meters long. Originally a red and white koi, its red scales were now eerily vibrant, and its white scales had turned yellowed and dim. Sharp spines grew from its back, and its mouth was full of fangs, making it indescribably ferocious and bizarre.
Fortunately, the entire livestream had this kind of style. Coach Wang with eight legs and Zhou Yuan with a head full of snake hair were equally visually shocking, so everyone was used to such sights.
After waking up, Lin Yebai’s physical strength hadn’t changed much, and he began to think about how to kill the giant fish behind him.
Compared to the fish’s enormous body, the bone knife wasn’t even as long as its fangs.
The giant fish opened its bloody maw and viciously bit down—
Kachak—
Lin Yebai had just avoided it, and the fish’s upper teeth hit its lower teeth, biting nothing but air.
Using too much force, its teeth ached at the roots.
After several attempts like this, the fish’s eyeballs turned red, staring fixedly at Lin Yebai’s figure. Today it would definitely eat this little snack!
Perhaps it hadn’t fully adapted to life on land yet. Although its four short, sturdy legs could support its weight, the prolonged lack of water still left it foaming at the mouth and panting heavily.
Lin Yebai didn’t pull too far ahead, maintaining a steady pace, easily avoiding the fish each time it lunged to bite him.
Gradually, Lin Yebai began looking for obstacles, deliberately leading the fish to crash into them.
With its large size and eyes positioned on both sides of its head, even if it spotted something ahead, it couldn’t dodge in time.
It successively crashed through several trees and then broke a row of street lamps.
Its scales were tough, and the minor damage from the obstacles was negligible.
The fish instead found pleasure in the destruction process, crashing into everything in its path without hesitation.
Lin Yebai looked at the bright red words on the warning sign ahead—
[High Voltage, Danger!]
Without hesitation, he led the fish toward the electrical station sparking with electric flashes.
Before the fish could crash into him, he turned aside in time, deliberately keeping a distance.
To the fish, this seemed like just futile struggling from its little snack.
With a sweep of its tail, it violently struck the high-voltage station. Instantly, it became entangled in the toppling power lines. Countless components scattered, electric light flashed, and the fish’s body fell to the ground, convulsing violently.
Lin Yebai watched from afar, feeling relieved.
So this was the power of electricity? Indeed very dangerous.
Experiencing such painful things for the first time, the fish rolled its eyes back, lay with its four legs in the air, wavering between life and death.
By the time the electric flashes dissipated, the fish was giving off a tempting aroma.
Its tail tapped slightly, barely clinging to life.
[Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: Narrowing eyes, licking paws, smiling devilishly “What a tempting body!” [Abyss Monarch]: Frowning slightly, speaking coldly “Are you imitating me?” [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: Tail swaying coldly, a flash of cold light in eyes “Are you telling me what to do?” [Charcoal Grilled Great Demon Dragon]: Where can I catch a fish with four legs? [Great Emperor Huaji]: Crocodile [South Sea Crocodile King]: Don’t set your sights on my descendants. With just one command from me, countless armies across the universe will raze your dimension to the ground [Charcoal Grilled Great Demon Dragon]: I’m coming [South Sea Crocodile King]: How could it be this emo—Lin Yebai seemed to glimpse various amusing incidents happening in distant worlds through the livestream comments. He quickly lost interest in the barrage of messages as a flock of black crows, attracted by the aroma, flew toward where the giant fish lay.
After the electric flashes completely dissipated and seeing that they were unharmed, Lin Yebai approached the fish’s head. He stabbed the bone knife into its eye and found it somewhat difficult to pull out. After several stabs, he finally received a system notification.
[Killed mid-level aberrant x1]
[Points +500]
This time the fish didn’t drop an [Attribute Card]. Lin Yebai cut off the fish’s head and spent quite some time before finding the blood bead inside.
This blood bead was the size of a fist and somewhat heavy. The blood essence inside was so concentrated it nearly overflowed. Lin Yebai suddenly felt a hint of hunger, as if the blood bead was something barely edible to him.
His body instinctively needed it but also extremely despised it, as if feeling that a mere blood bead was unworthy of his noble status. Before the mark appeared, he hadn’t had this feeling.
After the long chase, he had now left the central park and stood on the street. Beside the wide road were various commercial buildings, identical structures that created a sense of confusion.
There were hundreds of crows, a mass of black, perched on the giant fish. They were also two or three times larger than ordinary crows, with particularly sharp beaks, quickly pecking through the hard scales and feasting heartily.
Lin Yebai cut off a large chunk of undamaged fish meat. The crows didn’t fight him for it, showing remarkable human-like understanding as they ignored each other.
[Iron-Mouthed Fortune Teller]: I calculate with my fingers that Xiao Yebai is lost [Magician’s Big Zen Staff]: Amitabha, finding our way in this kind of world is too difficult for us [Literary Mentor]: Some people appear otherworldly and exceptional, but in reality, they get lost at the slightest inattention Actually, Lin Yebai could find his way back by following the traces left by the fish, but it would be a shame to leave the fish meat here.He looked at the lead crow, which had golden eyes that stood out prominently among the other black-eyed crows.
“Help me guard this for a while, and I’ll share the next prey with you,” Lin Yebai tried to communicate with it.
The golden-eyed crow’s eyes revealed human-like contemplation as it looked at the mark on Lin Yebai’s forehead, then nodded.
It glanced at a small crow nearby, letting out a few low caws. That small crow reluctantly pecked at a large piece of fish meat, struggled to swallow it, and then flew toward the sky.
The small crow had eaten too much and flew unsteadily, swaying up and down. After flying quite some distance, it gradually found its rhythm.
The golden-eyed crow gave a disdainful look, exchanged a glance with Lin Yebai, indicating that he should wait a moment.
[Blooming Wealth]: Is this what they call communicating with the eyes? [I Am a Little Green Dragon]: Coach, I want to learn that too [Big White Rabbit Milk Candy]: What did the little crow go to do? Curious [Luhua Peanut Oil]: To get a takeout box“Are you human?”
The long-legged man he had seen once in the residential area emerged from the other side of the street.
His limbs were excessively thin, his appearance ordinary, and his gaze fierce. Looking down at Lin Yebai, he made one feel very uncomfortable.
He had been watching for a while, starting from when the fish was electrocuted.
This sickly-looking young man before him had extraordinary skills and some quick wits. Although he hadn’t mutated yet, it was only a matter of time.
The long-legged man spoke flatly, with a tone of condescension:
“A talented person like you should join our World’s Number One Leather Factory.”
“What factory?” Lin Yebai suddenly felt it sounded familiar.
“World’s Number One Leather Factory,” the long-legged man repeated.
“I don’t understand,” Lin Yebai recalled that the last fanged aberrant he’d killed had dropped a card with “World’s Number One Leather Factory” written on it. What exactly did a leather factory do?
What kind of terrifying entity would call itself “World’s Number One”?
“Are you provoking me?” The long-legged man’s expression turned cold, and he sneered:
“Hand over the blood bead and join us voluntarily, and you might still be spared.”
“Don’t be ungrateful. If you don’t agree, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” A suddenly appearing voice was exceptionally clear. Song Yao, wearing sunglasses and a mask, had parked his car nearby.
The crisp, pleasant sound of guns being loaded came from inside the car, with all barrels aimed at the long-legged man, targeting his head and heart.
“I’ll apologize and leave immediately,” the long-legged man’s attitude changed abruptly as he smiled kindly and bowed to Lin Yebai in apology.
“Zhang San, I heard you were also organizing search and rescue? Now we suspect your rescue procedures aren’t up to standard. Come with us.” Song Yao waved his hand, and several people exited the car with handcuffs, walking toward Zhang San.
“Times have changed. Trying to constrain me, Zhang San, with old laws is impossible! I’ll search and rescue when I want, rob when I want. If we really fight to the death, I might die, but not all of you would survive either.”
The long-legged man smiled arrogantly, his gaze sweeping across the necks of the others before finally landing on Lin Yebai, smiling ambiguously.
Those who were looked at by him instantly felt as if they had been targeted by some terrifying monster, instinctively feeling afraid.
Lin Yebai also looked at the neck of the long-legged man Zhang San. That head should be worth 500 points; he needed to find a way to get it.
“Come on, handcuff me, take me back. I’d like to see who dares,” Zhang San approached, his expression provocative as he extended his hands, inviting the others to cuff him.
The crows, having eaten their fill, were perched neatly on nearby withered branches, watching the commotion.
Song Yao lacked confidence when facing Zhang San.
Zhang San was much stronger than other aberrants, definitely a mid-level aberrant, more difficult to deal with than the rat king. Every surviving human was now extremely precious and couldn’t be risked.
“Damn it! I hate show-offs the most!”
The speaker’s voice was androgynous, strangely seductive despite carrying anger, and it made people’s minds wander.
Simultaneously, a large rock was thrown from behind, flying straight at the back of Zhang San’s head.
Even though Zhang San avoided it, he was still furious.
Until he turned around and saw a heavenly beautiful green-haired girl with a human upper body and a snake’s tail.
In some corner of Zhang San’s heart, he was instantly captivated.
Monster World (15)
“Confirmed with a glance, I’ve met the right person~”
Zhang San heard a BGM playing in his mind, his heart pounding wildly.
Was this what love at first sight felt like?
He frantically searched his memories, suddenly recalling lines from romance dramas he’d occasionally watched. Finally, with a twisted smile and a charming look, he said:
“Woman, you have successfully captured my attention.”
Zhou Yuan’s snake tail swayed as he leaped up, aiming his fist between Zhang San’s legs.
“***! I’ll break your chicken off!”
Zhou Yuan, a hardcore gamer who loved anime girls and was a complete straight male, heard Zhang San’s words and his anger skyrocketed. His snake-hair flew wildly as countless small snakes hissed and flicked their tongues.
“As expected from the woman I’ve chosen, so fiery!” Zhang San stepped back two paces, easily avoiding the attack, his smile growing even more seductive.
Zhang San was the epitome of a sleazy man with an offensive gaze. Zhou Yuan kept verbally berating him while targeting his lower regions.
Zhang San, believing his flirting was working, grew more excited. Hitting meant affection and scolding meant love—these were just ways the other person expressed their feelings! As a mature man, he naturally had to play along.
…..
The situation seemed to be taking a strange turn.
The onlookers collectively fell silent.
Although Zhou Yuan was indeed beautiful, full of charm, and had an androgynous voice, his chest was flat, and his manner of speaking was clearly masculine.
Anyone who spent just a few minutes with him would see through his beautiful appearance, making it impossible to develop any romantic feelings.
Even if occasionally struck by his smile, one look at his hissing snake-hair would prevent anyone from making such arrogant, domineering remarks.
The two fought intensely, with Zhang San intentionally going easy on Zhou Yuan, making it a balanced battle. Compared to the fights with the Rat King and the Big Fish, Zhang San’s control over his power seemed more masterful.
He possessed rich combat techniques, unlike those aberrants who had no strategy and didn’t know how to use their own strength.
The distance between them imperceptibly widened. Zhang San suddenly took a long stride, shaking off Zhou Yuan, and looked back at everyone with a smile:
“You bastards, hehe, see you next time.”
His legs were two meters long, and his jumping ability was particularly outstanding. He leaped up and looked like he would successfully escape.
Zhang San’s retreating figure was arrogant, his entire demeanor radiating cockiness.
Lin Yebai immediately threw several fangs that transformed into white shadows in the air, pursuing Zhang San.
The others couldn’t see clearly what had happened. They only saw Lin Yebai raise his hand, and the fangs flew several meters away with only the sound of air being cut.
Throwing projectiles seemed to be extremely draining, as Lin Yebai looked even weaker, pale and sickly.
“Is that all? Is that all?” Zhang San smiled crookedly, looking down on the small fangs. His body was very special, and ordinary attacks couldn’t…
The next second, Zhang San’s body stiffened. His buttocks suddenly experienced intense pain as the fangs penetrated deeply, instantly causing blood to flow freely.
His expression turned to horror as he covered his backside, blood dripping through his fingers.
He had been so close!
If it had been slightly off, the fangs would have pierced his…
The thought was terrifying, and Zhang San shuddered.
[Truth Supreme]: As his body trembled, everything became meaningless [Literary Mentor]: The phrase “Is that all” seems defiant and kingly, portraying Law-Defying Rogue Zhang San’s unrestrained nature, but actually contains both joy and sorrow, filled with realistic tragedy. [Supreme Double Martial Vein]: Where did the fangs hit? I can’t see clearly [Leeuwenhoek]: Missed by an inch [Super Rich Tangerine Seat]: cat sighs [Strong Man Lock Man]: Brother Ordinary, what do you think of this Zhang San? [The Ordinary Me]: I’ll just say those who know, know. I won’t explain much for those who don’t. Some things are better kept to yourself. Think about it carefully.Zhang San shuddered, looking somewhat warily at Lin Yebai, covering his backside as he frantically fled.
Song Yao fired his gun, but the bullet hit Zhang San’s back and bounced off without causing any injuries.
Zhang San ran away with a twisted posture, quickly disappearing into the alley.
“Next time aim for his d*ck when you shoot, guaranteed to work…”
Zhou Yuan sighed. He always considered thorough elimination as a golden rule. A lawless rogue like Zhang San must be killed to be truly at ease.
He looked at Lin Yebai and asked with concern:
“Brother Lin, are you alright?”
“Manageable,” Lin Yebai said, feeling a bit tired and hungry.
500 points had gotten away, leaving him with a sense of loss.
The small crow from earlier had flown back, carrying a string that seemed to have something attached to it. It landed near the golden-eyed crow, and the two crows chattered with each other.
The small crow, having received its instructions, flew to Lin Yebai and gave him the item. The black string was attached to a whistle of unknown material, feeling cold and hard to the touch, like metal or jade.
“If there’s prey, I can summon you?” Lin Yebai looked at the golden-eyed crow.
“Caw——” The golden-eyed crow nodded and called out, its gaze full of dignity. But a crow’s call always sounded inauspicious, immediately bringing to mind scenes of brooms chasing away crows.
After Lin Yebai took the whistle, the golden-eyed crow flapped its wings and took flight, with the other crows following closely behind, flying westward like a moving black cloud.
Black crow feathers fell from the sky, and darkness spread everywhere. Even in daylight, it was difficult to see the sun. Under layers of dark clouds, the entire city was shrouded in an atmosphere of death.
“Today’s been quite a harvest.”
Unable to catch up with Zhang San, Zhou Yuan’s mood had calmed as he looked at the severed fish head and smiled.
“Such a big fish, we can eat for several meals.”
“Yes. Mr. Lin, I would like to take some back to the shelter, if that’s alright?” Song Yao first sought Lin Yebai’s opinion.
“Sure,” Lin Yebai nodded, letting Zhou Yuan take the previously cut fish meat back.
Aberrants fed on flesh and blood, constantly craving fresh meat after their mutation. Aberrants like Zhou Yuan who retained their rationality preferred to hunt mutated animals for food.
The shelter had a large population, and whatever they caught was never enough to share. The remaining fish meat, inconvenient to carry and difficult to preserve, was perfect to give to them.
“This Zhang San must have other aberrants behind him, planning something… Delay breeds danger, so we’ve decided to withdraw as soon as possible.”
“Mr. Lin, you’re welcome to join the shelter anytime,” Song Yao said, looking at the fish’s corpse, increasingly wanting to recruit Lin Yebai.
“Mm.” Lin Yebai nodded slightly. By now, the sky had quickly darkened, with the blood moon appearing and disappearing, and daylight shorter than previous days.
“And who is this?” Song Yao asked before getting into the car, looking at the eight-legged spider man who had been silent all along.
The man had rough features and a sturdy build. His upper clothing was bulging, with the outlines of spiders vaguely visible, at least five or six of them, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
Stuffing spiders in his clothes—was it to train his willpower? Or a personal hobby?
The spiders occasionally crawled inside his clothes, but his expression remained calm and steady, completely unaffected. He was definitely a tough man among tough men.
“My friend, Coach Wang,” Zhou Yuan introduced.
“Pleased to meet you,” Song Yao extended his hand.
Coach Wang also reached out, both men harboring wariness toward each other, touching briefly before separating.
To transport the fish meat, Zhou Yuan exchanged for a larger truck nearby and placed a thick fish leg in the cargo area.
“Brother Song, I’m leaving first. It’s getting dark quickly, you should head back early too.”
“Alright,” Song Yao waved.
This time Zhou Yuan was driving. After they had gone some distance, Coach Wang finally spoke:
“You can come out now.”
The little spiders emerged one by one from Coach Wang’s upper clothing, chattering:
“Mommy, Mommy! It’s so stuffy hiding in clothes!”
“Mommy, the big monster was scary. I won’t come out to play next time.”
“Is the big monster dead?”
“Yes, it’s dead.” Coach Wang didn’t want to expose the little spiders to people. They could talk, which made them especially unique.
“Mommy, how did the big monster die?” The little spiders were extremely curious, gathering around Coach Wang.
“Call Daddy,” Coach Wang patiently corrected.
“Yes Mommy, how did Daddy die?” The little spider obediently changed its wording.