Chapter 226
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“We came to investigate nearby.”
Zhong Chengshuo hugged the red-eyed black cat in his arms. Meiqiu was clawing and dancing at his feet. “Turn back! You look too strange!”
“No, I have to conceal my identity.”
Right now, Love believed that the cub was Zhong Chengshuo, which was the most convenient state. Yin Ren retracted his claws and blissfully squinted his eyes. Zhong Chengshuo held him tightly in his arms, and he felt a bit drowsy.
“I’ll go get something to eat… After you guys are done, I’ll make my move,” Yin Ren said.
Meiqiu needed the protection of the tranquility charms on Zhong Chengshuo’s body. It looked at Yin Ren with some trepidation, muttering curses as it continued to observe—
The group emitted no aura, and there was no movement on the surface of the giant hemisphere. Countless arms drooped softly on the surface, and only the deep inside of the sphere emitted a slow and heavy sound.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Meiqiu carefully pried open the arms with its paw and pressed its forehead against the surface of the hemisphere, investigating something unknown.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Zhong Chengshuo tightly embraced Yin Ren, focusing his attention on the arms themselves. He would gently push aside his mask, lean closer, and sniff those dead-like arms. After sniffing, Zhong Chengshuo would bury his nose in Yin Ren’s fur and take a couple of sniffs.
He would occasionally furrow his brows, squeeze the dead flesh of the arms, and pinch the tip of Yin Ren’s tail, making a serious comparison.
Thud. Thud, Thud.
Yin Ren was sprayed with Zhong Chengshuo’s warm breath while his gaze attentively scanned the surroundings. He decided to pick out the fattest arm. When Meiqiu and Zhong Chengshuo reached the safe zone, he would snatch that section of the arm and run.
“I can also get you a sample.” Yin Ren yawned. “You two hurry up. I’m hungry.”
Zhong Chengshuo: “’Satisfaction’ will come later, and we’ll leave when it does.”
After speaking, Zhong Chengshuo hesitated for a moment and added, “Why don’t you eat ‘Satisfaction’?”
“I considered it. But it’s walking around fine, and it would be impolite for me to just go and cut a piece off,” Yin Ren said. “It never did anything to offend me, so I’ll pass.”
Zhong Chengshuo stopped in his tracks. “You’ve considered it.”
“Yes, why not?” Yin Ren flicked his tail. “After all, it’s so big and looks quite delicious.”
Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He took out a small bottle from his backpack. Inside the bottle was a viscous liquid, resembling melted brain matter. The liquid swirled faintly like honey in a glass bottle, emitting a subtle silver glow.
The flesh of “Satisfaction”.
Yin Ren wasn’t surprised. This small bottle, compared to the body of “Satisfaction”, was no more than dandruff to humans.
“This is the flesh that naturally sheds from it.” Zhong Chengshuo removed the stopper and gently placed it near the black cat’s nose. “Are you sure you can eat it?”
Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was a bit strange.
Yin Ren twitched his nose. The brain-like substance in the bottle emitted a faintly fishy smell that smelled like pheasant meat soaked in spring water, with a much stronger flavor than the bland and tasteless small Elementals. It would be even tastier if it were grilled with garlic on tin foil, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the means.
Yin Ren: “Hmm, it smells edible.”
Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He opened the bottle and carefully dipped his finger into it, offering a small amount to Yin Ren. Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo with a puzzled expression, and his tail stopped swaying.
“Give it a taste,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly. “In theory, it’s safe, but if it doesn’t taste good, remember to spit it out.”
Yin Ren looked at the fingertip presented before him. The brain-like gelatinous substance didn’t spread like water. It shrank like mercury and trembled on Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip.
It would be a waste to refuse food that was served right to him.
Yin Ren curled his tongue, and the bit of flesh instantly disappeared from Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip. The delectable and oily texture burst on Yin Ren’s taste buds, akin to the finest foie gras paired with caviar, perfectly balanced in taste.
After eating Elemental salad for so long, tears almost welled up in Yin Ren’s eyes. The lower-level Elementals tasted like bland jelly or salad, and the flavors of Joy and Disgust were just average, similar to biting into a bland pancake. Yin Ren had no particular impression of them.
Fear… The taste of Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren had no desire to savor it. He had only gulped it down without a second thought before. If it weren’t for the need to heal, Yin Ren would have no appetite for Elementals.
“Satisfaction” was unexpectedly delicious. It truly brought a satisfying taste.
After just a few bites, his wound was a little warm and recovered a thin layer.
Zhong Chengshuo looked intently at Yin Ren, and even his breathing stopped. “How is it?”
“Can I have some more? It’s delicious. My injuries are healing quickly.” Yin Ren’s eyes were moist, and he sighed. “If we abandon morality, I would indulge myself on Satisfaction. Why do humans need morality?”
In the round eyes of the cat, Zhong Chengshuo’s gradually solemn expression was reflected.
He poured the remaining flesh into his palm. “Go ahead, eat.”
“What about the samples?”
“…Eat.” Zhong Chengshuo brought his hand closer.
With its spiky tongue, it swiftly licked Zhong Chengshuo’s palm, cleaning up every bit of residue. Yin Ren licked his lips and looked eagerly at the surrounding arms.
“I will call upon the Lonelies to collect more together.” Zhong Chengshuo petted his furry lover; his palm was slightly sweaty and strange. “But remember, never attack ‘Satisfaction’.”
“Why?”
“Because ‘Fear’ doesn’t consume ‘Satisfaction’. Isn’t that obvious?”
Dr. Cat looked at the two with a displeased expression in its cat eyes.
“Back then, ‘Fear’ and ‘Satisfaction’ didn’t have sentiency. Devouring is the instinct of ‘Fear’. If Satisfaction is so delicious, Zhong Chengshuo would fight with it every day.”
“Previously, Zhong Chengshuo also tried it. Satisfaction was beyond his diet and couldn’t even help him heal his wounds. The Other Side maintains ecological stability not through a sense of morality.”
Yin Ren: “…”
Yin Ren had long known that he wasn’t a normal “Fear”. However, with only Zhong Chengshuo as a reference in the world, he was unsure how abnormal he truly was.
“I understand. If I attack Satisfaction, it will only make Love more vigilant.” Yin Ren sighed. “Don’t worry, I never planned to make a big fuss about it. But for you two—instead of my own matters, it’s better to first investigate ‘Love’ thoroughly.”
“Mm.”
The arms of “Love”, the arms of Yin Ren’s “Evil Spirit” form, waved again in front of Zhong Chengshuo.
Until they obtained definite results, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t want to make irresponsible guesses. He touched Yin Ren’s ears and remained silent.
Even when transformed into a cat, Yin Ren’s ears still bore small, delicate wounds. Zhong Chengshuo lowered his head and gently bit one of the black cat’s ear tips.
Yin Ren: “?”
“It’s nothing,” Zhong Chengshuo mumbled, throwing the empty bottle that Yin Ren had finished into his bag.
“I remember the values roughly. Let’s go,” Dr. Cat said.
According to the agreement, today was the day Zhong Chengshuo helped collect data on “Love” for him. Next, it would assist Zhong Chengshuo in analyzing Yin Ren’s data. Meiqiu licked its paw and quickly arranged the plans in its mind.
They timed it perfectly. The moment Dr. Cat finished washing its face in place, Satisfaction approached from a distance. It remained beautiful, as magnificent as the boundary between day and night, gently washing over everything on the Other Side.
It quickly reached the edge of the white network.
Dr. Cat raised its tail high, preparing to enter Satisfaction as usual and hitch a ride to leave. Zhong Chengshuo released Yin Ren and casually stroked the warm back of the cat.
Just as Yin Ren was about to rub against his lover for warmth, he suddenly felt that something was wrong—
Thump, thump, thump.
The vibrations within the hemisphere under its paws suddenly increased several times.
Thump, thump, thump.
Without Zhong Chengshuo’s protection, countless arms around Meiqiu suddenly awakened. They shot towards the cat like bullets, and one arm exerted great force, instantly piercing through Meiqiu’s abdomen.
Everything happened in an instant.
Just as the small body of the cat was about to be crushed, Yin Ren swiftly rushed forward and bit the back of Meiqiu’s neck. Ignoring the hunting arms, he headed straight towards Zhong Chengshuo.
Zhong Chengshuo quickly snapped back to reality, struggling to stabilize his body. It was as if they were in a malfunctioning washing machine inside Satisfaction; everything was spinning madly. Zhong Chengshuo held onto both cats, crouching in the depths of the unfathomable Satisfaction. Meanwhile, Yin Ren formed a layer of red veil around him, acting as a buffer against the other Elementals within Satisfaction. They collided and bumped alongside the other Elementals, providing some cushioning effect.
The abnormality within Satisfaction finally subsided after a full two minutes. By now, it had taken everyone far away from the white network. Yin Ren didn’t even bother to look at the surroundings. Just as he regained his balance, he used a flesh and blood spell to return to their base.
“Hey, why so early today?”
Fu Tianyi curiously raised his head, but his smile instantly vanished when he saw Meiqiu in Yin Ren’s arms.
“Qiu—?!”
Dr. Cat lay in Yin Ren’s arms, barely alive. Most of its soft abdomen was missing, leaving only a black-red cross-section and scattered organs. In the outside world, it would have surely perished long ago. But on the Other Side, it walked towards death at a slower pace.
Yin Ren didn’t have time to pay attention to Fu Tianyi. He gently placed Meiqiu on the ground. “Meng Huai!”
“The situation isn’t ideal.” Meng Huai’s expression shifted slightly. “The injuries and lesions aren’t severe. Its internal organs are completely missing, which is a fatal wound. Delaying treatment will only make it suffer, especially considering it’s a science post…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but the underlying message was clear to everyone.
Fu Tianyi didn’t care about the minced meat on his hands. He stumbled and rushed to Meiqiu’s side. Just a few months ago, he lost his partner, and now, he was about to lose his rear command.
“What happened?” Fu Tianyi’s eyes reddened as he looked up and stared at Yin Ren in a daze. “Didn’t it team up with Zhong Chengshuo for the mission? Didn’t it come back with you? Both of you were there; you were both there…”
Yin Ren squatted beside the black cat, expressionless. The Lonely cats crowded closer but dared not get too close, trembling as they watched.
The black cat lay limply on the ground, twitching its tail and limbs. Its bloodied wound beneath it grew larger.
Ignoring the others, Yin Ren spoke suddenly.
“Meng Huai, make some room. I’m going to treat it.”
Meng Huai remained silent, sighing and stepping back a bit to cooperate. Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, stood still. He alternated between looking at Yin Ren and Meiqiu lying on the ground and furrowing his eyebrows tightly.
In his judgment, Meiqiu couldn’t be saved.
But in his judgment, Yin Ren would never give up.
Sure enough, Yin Ren, regardless of exposing his identity, let his crimson robe flutter and immediately began casting a flesh and blood spell for self-healing—
The version of Elemental healing magic was ineffective.
The black cat struggled to breathe. Its tail and limbs were twitching uncontrollably, and the pool of blood beneath it grew larger.
Yin Ren still refused to give up. He began reciting various healing techniques accumulated over thousands of years. His hands were stained with blood and flesh as he quickly adjusted and formed intricate hand seals. Gentle waves of energy, like drizzling rain, created continuous ripples in the room.
The young offspring of the Lonely cats used their soft paws to play with those ripples, only to be pressed down by the older Lonelies.
Meng Huai’s gaze gradually shifted towards Yin Ren. Her admiration turned into surprise, which then transformed into astonishment. She had only known that Yin Ren had an inexplicable connection with the Elementals, but after he saved everyone’s lives, Meng Huai decided to turn a blind eye to it.
What kind of situation was this?
It was definitely not the level of evil creatures or Primordial Elementals. If the target of his treatment were a cultivator, these spells would be enough to revive the dead and return flesh and bones. Many of them were difficult and ancient, and Meng Huai found it challenging to even identify them.
Unfortunately, his patient was a cat who had no regard for humans or the divine.
…So it was still futile.
Hope in Fu Tianyi’s eyes was completely extinguished. He leaned against the wall, clenching his fists tighter and tighter.
Yin Ren pursed his lips and paused for a moment. “Zhong Chengshuo.”
“I’m here.”
“Take us to your imaginary base. Bring Fu Tianyi, Meng Huai, and Gao Mengyu’s cat as well.”
Zhong Chengshuo’s eyebrows twitched, and he glanced at Fu Tianyi without saying a word. He took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and before everyone could react, five “people” suddenly disappeared from the room.
When Meiqiu was placed on the table in the basement, it was already on the verge of death.
The pain in its abdomen was too intense. Over the course of this long time, the intense pain had turned into a cold numbness.
Dr. Cat lay on the cold tabletop and couldn’t help but recall the past. If it hadn’t accidentally come into contact with a source of corruption several years ago, it might be wandering on some road right now. It had also witnessed stray cats being run over on the street before.
That appearance probably wasn’t much different from its current state.
Dying all alone, being observed by outsiders.
Death on the Other Side was truly prolonged, akin to the human execution method of Lingchi. If it weren’t for constantly thinking about its data, Meiqiu would have wanted to take a bite at Yin Ren, asking him to put an end to its suffering.
Even the treatment location had to be specially changed. What was the point?
“Qiqi, remember the scenes before you. I’ll need complete focus for what comes next.” It heard Yin Ren’s voice.
“Meow.” Gao Mengyu’s cat quickly responded.
“There’s one method we haven’t tried! Zhong Chengshuo, you’ve used that method before—you once infused power into my body and into your own flesh. This kind of physical transformation isn’t bound by cognition. Teach me.”
Ridiculous! Meiqiu’s mind suddenly generated several small papers filled with ideas.
Fresh Elemental flesh was far more powerful than that of evil spirits. This undoubtedly meant death for the cat.
“You’d better try a little first,” Zhong Chengshuo said without refuting. “Its body is too weak, and this aspect of research is still blank. Come, touch its wound first…”
The next moment, a surge of power flowed into Meiqiu’s body.
Pain!
The blood in its veins felt like it had been replaced with strong acid. Not to mention fusion, Meiqiu’s agony instantly multiplied by a thousandfold. It screamed and writhed on the tabletop, retching uncontrollably and convulsing as if it had just been electrocuted. In the midst of the violent thrashing, its abdominal wound split even wider, and fragments of its internal organs scattered all over the table.
“…Stop tormenting it!” Fu Tianyi’s muffled and indistinct voice drilled into its ears. “I know you mean well, but Meiqiu—”
“Meiqiu, I know you can still hear me.” Yin Ren quickly retracted the Evil Force. His voice came extremely close. “If you don’t want to give up, meow once. If you want to give up, meow twice.”
‘It’s so painful,’ Meiqiu thought.
But it was already halfway through its research project…
“Meow.” It let out a soft whimper.
“Magic techniques are completely ineffective. We can only resort to physical transformation,” Yin Ren murmured seriously. “Back then, I survived, and Zhong Chengshuo’s body survived. There must be…”
“Power difference,” Zhong Chengshuo suddenly interjected.
“What?”
“When I merged with the baby, I consciously suppressed my power, so the physical body didn’t collapse.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice carried his usual calmness. “But I couldn’t control the power I gave you back then. How did you deal with it?”
Then, Zhong Chengshuo added in a low voice, “I didn’t mean to harm you back then.”
Yin Ren: “When was that… Hmm, I used my own power to suppress it with all my might.”
At the end of his sentence, Yin Ren’s voice abruptly stopped, as if he realized something.
Meiqiu’s ears suddenly perked up.
It remembered Zhong Chengshuo had split his power as the old Fear, which happened to be half of its own… It seemed that half of that power was suppressed by Yin Ren’s own power, which prevented it from killing Yin Ren on the spot.
It’s over. It didn’t have the same power as the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi back then.
“Power difference. Yes, power difference.” Yin Ren’s tone, however, became joyous. He covered Meiqiu’s wound with his hand. “Meiqiu’s body is weak, and the power of Fear’s flesh is too strong for it… Qiqi, come here.”
“You give me a piece of flesh, and I’ll treat you. I’ll also give you ten times the food.”
“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat was ecstatic.
Something else flowed into Meiqiu’s body.
It still hurt, but this time the pain seemed bearable. Under Yin Ren’s control, it became gentle and docile, slowly merging into its body in a submissive manner. Whether it was intentional on Yin Ren’s part or not, the whole process was excruciatingly slow.
After the pain subsided, a strange and lingering soreness followed.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Meiqiu suddenly felt dizzy, and its body felt incredibly strange. The numb-like, intense pain disappeared, replaced by a strange sense of discord.
It finally lost consciousness.
……
“…Meiqiu, Meiqiu.”
Yin Ren’s voice sounded exhausted.
“Dr. Meiqiu, can you hear me?”
“Meow…” Meiqiu managed to squeeze out a cracked sound.
It extended a paw in a certain direction, catching a scent that was indescribable. There was food there, and it was thirsty and hungry, feeling dizzy.
Something was brought to its mouth, and Meiqiu hastily swallowed it.
Soft, slightly cold, and extremely delicious. It felt like drinking a large bowl of warm sheep’s milk; even the tip of its tail felt warm. Meiqiu regained strength, struggling to climb up from the table and barely seeing what was in front of it.
A small piece of flesh limb, with the owner of the limb standing not far away; its fourteen eyes looking over curiously.
“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat friendly greeted.
Meiqiu shook its head. Since regaining consciousness, its vision was very distorted—like at this moment, when it didn’t tilt its head, it saw Fu Tianyi, Yin Ren, and Zhong Chengshuo. The first two had expressions of joy and subtlety, while the last one seemed contemplative.
It struggled to control its vision and saw its own reflection on the table.
In the blurry reflection, there was a black cat with fourteen eyes.
Meiqiu: “…”
It survived, but it was no longer a cat in the conventional sense. Its Infinite abilities were still present and even stronger, but the increase was limited.
Ignoring Fu Tianyi, who was weeping as he hugged it, Meiqiu analyzed the situation with all its strength—
Living creatures in the human world, having merged with the fresh flesh of Elementals, possessed Elemental characteristics but were not entirely Elementals. In a sense, this could be seen as an upgraded version of “corruption from Evil Force”.
This time, it was lucky. If Yin Ren hadn’t been there to help suppress it, it might not have been able to bear the corruption of the Lonely flesh. Regardless, from the perspective of the outcome, Yin Ren’s attempt was very successful.
Back then, if Yin Ren had also survived like this…
Meiqiu struggled to turn towards Zhong Chengshuo, who sensed its multiple gazes and nodded slowly.
Not long ago, it had just sorted and categorized Yin Ren’s racial doubts with Zhong Chengshuo.
Why didn’t Yin Ren undergo the birth through Satisfaction? His form, abilities, and habits differed greatly from “Fear”.
Why could Yin Ren walk in the human world without merging with any body?
…The Fear cub, a special individual. Perhaps their line of thinking was wrong from the beginning.
The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had been corrupted by Evil Force even in the womb, making him a walking living evil. Thousands of years ago, he had only relied on his own strength to withstand the more terrifying and powerful corruption of the Elemental flesh.
He had always been a human “severely corrupted by the Other Side”.
But just an individual.
If a mortal was heavily corrupted by an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become “Charons”, “Resonators”, “Inifiniters”… If an evil being was corrupted by the power of an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become an “Evil Spirit”.
So, what if a human—a living human—for some unknown reason, survived the corruption of the Evil Force, and then survived even more pure and powerful corruption from a Primordial Elemental flesh?
That person was forced to tame that power, make it their own, and continue to grow…
Such a special phenomenon, as of yet, had gone unnoticed by anyone, and therefore it didn’t have a name.
…It seemed that this time, they would be able to bring out a significant discovery.
Meiqiu slowly curled up on the table, wearily closing its eyes.
Kinky Thoughts:
End of the arc. Summary below. There’s just one more arc left.
With Joy taken care of, Yin Ren had proven himself to Qi Xin. Qi Xin decided to help Yin Ren and, working together with Shian, open up a passage to the Other Side so they could rescue the missing people.
However, the premise was that Yin Ren would become the new Fear and restore order back to the Other Side, which now no longer has a life or death cycle.
With a passage secured, Unit 9, along with Meiqiu and Fu Tianyi, transverse to the Other Side. While Yin Ren trained and adapted to the Other Side, not wanting to be left behind and be protected, Zhong Chengshuo developed his own methods.
Since he was the original Fear, using his bones and essence, he created a Karma Lantern that imbued the power of the old Fear. Meanwhile, while training to adapt and become the new Fear, Yin Ren stumbled upon Gao Mengyu’s cat that had returned home. It belonged to the species of “Lonely” cats, and it led them to their base.
Apparently, the Elementals are waging war against the humans on the Other Side. It is then revealed that Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, who disappeared 28 years ago, along with a Shian employee who disappeared two years ago through a gap, were able to survive on the Other Side with sentience. They attack Elementals in order to obtain their flesh and blood, as magic and weapons don’t work unless they are conjured up through one’s own mental abilities.
Having reunited with the missing people from 28 years ago, they developed a plan to rescue Li Xiaohe’s mother and the other people who had disappeared due to Sunken Society’s plans.
Meanwhile, on the human side, Xiang Jiang summoned a corpse centipede to terrorize Haigu in order to instill fear and superstition in the populace. This gives rise to Love’s “angel’s arm”, giving it influence over the population of Haigu.
Those people were being held captive in a base made by Love, surrounded by a cocoon. They are stored there in order to feed the Other Side while in a semi-comatose state, similar to what Bai Yongji did by merging humans and furniture together.
The rescue mission almost went perfectly until Hu Tao arrived. Under Love’s influence, Hu Tao believes her serial murderer husband is hiding on the Other Side and demands that Unit 9 find him. Ultimately, Yin Ren was able to convince her to let go, and, no longer having an obsession, Hu Tao dissipated, finally peacefully at rest.
As they escaped, Yin Ren was seriously injured, almost falling into Love’s trap. The missing people were rescued and transported out from the Other Side. With that, Yin Ren (to recover after being seriously wounded during the escape), Zhong Chengshuo (to study more about the Other Side), Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi (not by choice), and Meiqiu remained on the Other Side in order to deal with Love.
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“We came to investigate nearby.”
Zhong Chengshuo hugged the red-eyed black cat in his arms. Meiqiu was clawing and dancing at his feet. “Turn back! You look too strange!”
“No, I have to conceal my identity.”
Right now, Love believed that the cub was Zhong Chengshuo, which was the most convenient state. Yin Ren retracted his claws and blissfully squinted his eyes. Zhong Chengshuo held him tightly in his arms, and he felt a bit drowsy.
“I’ll go get something to eat… After you guys are done, I’ll make my move,” Yin Ren said.
Meiqiu needed the protection of the tranquility charms on Zhong Chengshuo’s body. It looked at Yin Ren with some trepidation, muttering curses as it continued to observe—
The group emitted no aura, and there was no movement on the surface of the giant hemisphere. Countless arms drooped softly on the surface, and only the deep inside of the sphere emitted a slow and heavy sound.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Meiqiu carefully pried open the arms with its paw and pressed its forehead against the surface of the hemisphere, investigating something unknown.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Zhong Chengshuo tightly embraced Yin Ren, focusing his attention on the arms themselves. He would gently push aside his mask, lean closer, and sniff those dead-like arms. After sniffing, Zhong Chengshuo would bury his nose in Yin Ren’s fur and take a couple of sniffs.
He would occasionally furrow his brows, squeeze the dead flesh of the arms, and pinch the tip of Yin Ren’s tail, making a serious comparison.
Thud. Thud, Thud.
Yin Ren was sprayed with Zhong Chengshuo’s warm breath while his gaze attentively scanned the surroundings. He decided to pick out the fattest arm. When Meiqiu and Zhong Chengshuo reached the safe zone, he would snatch that section of the arm and run.
“I can also get you a sample.” Yin Ren yawned. “You two hurry up. I’m hungry.”
Zhong Chengshuo: “’Satisfaction’ will come later, and we’ll leave when it does.”
After speaking, Zhong Chengshuo hesitated for a moment and added, “Why don’t you eat ‘Satisfaction’?”
“I considered it. But it’s walking around fine, and it would be impolite for me to just go and cut a piece off,” Yin Ren said. “It never did anything to offend me, so I’ll pass.”
Zhong Chengshuo stopped in his tracks. “You’ve considered it.”
“Yes, why not?” Yin Ren flicked his tail. “After all, it’s so big and looks quite delicious.”
Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He took out a small bottle from his backpack. Inside the bottle was a viscous liquid, resembling melted brain matter. The liquid swirled faintly like honey in a glass bottle, emitting a subtle silver glow.
The flesh of “Satisfaction”.
Yin Ren wasn’t surprised. This small bottle, compared to the body of “Satisfaction”, was no more than dandruff to humans.
“This is the flesh that naturally sheds from it.” Zhong Chengshuo removed the stopper and gently placed it near the black cat’s nose. “Are you sure you can eat it?”
Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was a bit strange.
Yin Ren twitched his nose. The brain-like substance in the bottle emitted a faintly fishy smell that smelled like pheasant meat soaked in spring water, with a much stronger flavor than the bland and tasteless small Elementals. It would be even tastier if it were grilled with garlic on tin foil, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the means.
Yin Ren: “Hmm, it smells edible.”
Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He opened the bottle and carefully dipped his finger into it, offering a small amount to Yin Ren. Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo with a puzzled expression, and his tail stopped swaying.
“Give it a taste,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly. “In theory, it’s safe, but if it doesn’t taste good, remember to spit it out.”
Yin Ren looked at the fingertip presented before him. The brain-like gelatinous substance didn’t spread like water. It shrank like mercury and trembled on Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip.
It would be a waste to refuse food that was served right to him.
Yin Ren curled his tongue, and the bit of flesh instantly disappeared from Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertip. The delectable and oily texture burst on Yin Ren’s taste buds, akin to the finest foie gras paired with caviar, perfectly balanced in taste.
After eating Elemental salad for so long, tears almost welled up in Yin Ren’s eyes. The lower-level Elementals tasted like bland jelly or salad, and the flavors of Joy and Disgust were just average, similar to biting into a bland pancake. Yin Ren had no particular impression of them.
Fear… The taste of Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren had no desire to savor it. He had only gulped it down without a second thought before. If it weren’t for the need to heal, Yin Ren would have no appetite for Elementals.
“Satisfaction” was unexpectedly delicious. It truly brought a satisfying taste.
After just a few bites, his wound was a little warm and recovered a thin layer.
Zhong Chengshuo looked intently at Yin Ren, and even his breathing stopped. “How is it?”
“Can I have some more? It’s delicious. My injuries are healing quickly.” Yin Ren’s eyes were moist, and he sighed. “If we abandon morality, I would indulge myself on Satisfaction. Why do humans need morality?”
In the round eyes of the cat, Zhong Chengshuo’s gradually solemn expression was reflected.
He poured the remaining flesh into his palm. “Go ahead, eat.”
“What about the samples?”
“…Eat.” Zhong Chengshuo brought his hand closer.
With its spiky tongue, it swiftly licked Zhong Chengshuo’s palm, cleaning up every bit of residue. Yin Ren licked his lips and looked eagerly at the surrounding arms.
“I will call upon the Lonelies to collect more together.” Zhong Chengshuo petted his furry lover; his palm was slightly sweaty and strange. “But remember, never attack ‘Satisfaction’.”
“Why?”
“Because ‘Fear’ doesn’t consume ‘Satisfaction’. Isn’t that obvious?”
Dr. Cat looked at the two with a displeased expression in its cat eyes.
“Back then, ‘Fear’ and ‘Satisfaction’ didn’t have sentiency. Devouring is the instinct of ‘Fear’. If Satisfaction is so delicious, Zhong Chengshuo would fight with it every day.”
“Previously, Zhong Chengshuo also tried it. Satisfaction was beyond his diet and couldn’t even help him heal his wounds. The Other Side maintains ecological stability not through a sense of morality.”
Yin Ren: “…”
Yin Ren had long known that he wasn’t a normal “Fear”. However, with only Zhong Chengshuo as a reference in the world, he was unsure how abnormal he truly was.
“I understand. If I attack Satisfaction, it will only make Love more vigilant.” Yin Ren sighed. “Don’t worry, I never planned to make a big fuss about it. But for you two—instead of my own matters, it’s better to first investigate ‘Love’ thoroughly.”
“Mm.”
The arms of “Love”, the arms of Yin Ren’s “Evil Spirit” form, waved again in front of Zhong Chengshuo.
Until they obtained definite results, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t want to make irresponsible guesses. He touched Yin Ren’s ears and remained silent.
Even when transformed into a cat, Yin Ren’s ears still bore small, delicate wounds. Zhong Chengshuo lowered his head and gently bit one of the black cat’s ear tips.
Yin Ren: “?”
“It’s nothing,” Zhong Chengshuo mumbled, throwing the empty bottle that Yin Ren had finished into his bag.
“I remember the values roughly. Let’s go,” Dr. Cat said.
According to the agreement, today was the day Zhong Chengshuo helped collect data on “Love” for him. Next, it would assist Zhong Chengshuo in analyzing Yin Ren’s data. Meiqiu licked its paw and quickly arranged the plans in its mind.
They timed it perfectly. The moment Dr. Cat finished washing its face in place, Satisfaction approached from a distance. It remained beautiful, as magnificent as the boundary between day and night, gently washing over everything on the Other Side.
It quickly reached the edge of the white network.
Dr. Cat raised its tail high, preparing to enter Satisfaction as usual and hitch a ride to leave. Zhong Chengshuo released Yin Ren and casually stroked the warm back of the cat.
Just as Yin Ren was about to rub against his lover for warmth, he suddenly felt that something was wrong—
Thump, thump, thump.
The vibrations within the hemisphere under its paws suddenly increased several times.
Thump, thump, thump.
Without Zhong Chengshuo’s protection, countless arms around Meiqiu suddenly awakened. They shot towards the cat like bullets, and one arm exerted great force, instantly piercing through Meiqiu’s abdomen.
Everything happened in an instant.
Just as the small body of the cat was about to be crushed, Yin Ren swiftly rushed forward and bit the back of Meiqiu’s neck. Ignoring the hunting arms, he headed straight towards Zhong Chengshuo.
Zhong Chengshuo quickly snapped back to reality, struggling to stabilize his body. It was as if they were in a malfunctioning washing machine inside Satisfaction; everything was spinning madly. Zhong Chengshuo held onto both cats, crouching in the depths of the unfathomable Satisfaction. Meanwhile, Yin Ren formed a layer of red veil around him, acting as a buffer against the other Elementals within Satisfaction. They collided and bumped alongside the other Elementals, providing some cushioning effect.
The abnormality within Satisfaction finally subsided after a full two minutes. By now, it had taken everyone far away from the white network. Yin Ren didn’t even bother to look at the surroundings. Just as he regained his balance, he used a flesh and blood spell to return to their base.
“Hey, why so early today?”
Fu Tianyi curiously raised his head, but his smile instantly vanished when he saw Meiqiu in Yin Ren’s arms.
“Qiu—?!”
Dr. Cat lay in Yin Ren’s arms, barely alive. Most of its soft abdomen was missing, leaving only a black-red cross-section and scattered organs. In the outside world, it would have surely perished long ago. But on the Other Side, it walked towards death at a slower pace.
Yin Ren didn’t have time to pay attention to Fu Tianyi. He gently placed Meiqiu on the ground. “Meng Huai!”
“The situation isn’t ideal.” Meng Huai’s expression shifted slightly. “The injuries and lesions aren’t severe. Its internal organs are completely missing, which is a fatal wound. Delaying treatment will only make it suffer, especially considering it’s a science post…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but the underlying message was clear to everyone.
Fu Tianyi didn’t care about the minced meat on his hands. He stumbled and rushed to Meiqiu’s side. Just a few months ago, he lost his partner, and now, he was about to lose his rear command.
“What happened?” Fu Tianyi’s eyes reddened as he looked up and stared at Yin Ren in a daze. “Didn’t it team up with Zhong Chengshuo for the mission? Didn’t it come back with you? Both of you were there; you were both there…”
Yin Ren squatted beside the black cat, expressionless. The Lonely cats crowded closer but dared not get too close, trembling as they watched.
The black cat lay limply on the ground, twitching its tail and limbs. Its bloodied wound beneath it grew larger.
Ignoring the others, Yin Ren spoke suddenly.
“Meng Huai, make some room. I’m going to treat it.”
Meng Huai remained silent, sighing and stepping back a bit to cooperate. Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, stood still. He alternated between looking at Yin Ren and Meiqiu lying on the ground and furrowing his eyebrows tightly.
In his judgment, Meiqiu couldn’t be saved.
But in his judgment, Yin Ren would never give up.
Sure enough, Yin Ren, regardless of exposing his identity, let his crimson robe flutter and immediately began casting a flesh and blood spell for self-healing—
The version of Elemental healing magic was ineffective.
The black cat struggled to breathe. Its tail and limbs were twitching uncontrollably, and the pool of blood beneath it grew larger.
Yin Ren still refused to give up. He began reciting various healing techniques accumulated over thousands of years. His hands were stained with blood and flesh as he quickly adjusted and formed intricate hand seals. Gentle waves of energy, like drizzling rain, created continuous ripples in the room.
The young offspring of the Lonely cats used their soft paws to play with those ripples, only to be pressed down by the older Lonelies.
Meng Huai’s gaze gradually shifted towards Yin Ren. Her admiration turned into surprise, which then transformed into astonishment. She had only known that Yin Ren had an inexplicable connection with the Elementals, but after he saved everyone’s lives, Meng Huai decided to turn a blind eye to it.
What kind of situation was this?
It was definitely not the level of evil creatures or Primordial Elementals. If the target of his treatment were a cultivator, these spells would be enough to revive the dead and return flesh and bones. Many of them were difficult and ancient, and Meng Huai found it challenging to even identify them.
Unfortunately, his patient was a cat who had no regard for humans or the divine.
…So it was still futile.
Hope in Fu Tianyi’s eyes was completely extinguished. He leaned against the wall, clenching his fists tighter and tighter.
Yin Ren pursed his lips and paused for a moment. “Zhong Chengshuo.”
“I’m here.”
“Take us to your imaginary base. Bring Fu Tianyi, Meng Huai, and Gao Mengyu’s cat as well.”
Zhong Chengshuo’s eyebrows twitched, and he glanced at Fu Tianyi without saying a word. He took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and before everyone could react, five “people” suddenly disappeared from the room.
When Meiqiu was placed on the table in the basement, it was already on the verge of death.
The pain in its abdomen was too intense. Over the course of this long time, the intense pain had turned into a cold numbness.
Dr. Cat lay on the cold tabletop and couldn’t help but recall the past. If it hadn’t accidentally come into contact with a source of corruption several years ago, it might be wandering on some road right now. It had also witnessed stray cats being run over on the street before.
That appearance probably wasn’t much different from its current state.
Dying all alone, being observed by outsiders.
Death on the Other Side was truly prolonged, akin to the human execution method of Lingchi. If it weren’t for constantly thinking about its data, Meiqiu would have wanted to take a bite at Yin Ren, asking him to put an end to its suffering.
Even the treatment location had to be specially changed. What was the point?
“Qiqi, remember the scenes before you. I’ll need complete focus for what comes next.” It heard Yin Ren’s voice.
“Meow.” Gao Mengyu’s cat quickly responded.
“There’s one method we haven’t tried! Zhong Chengshuo, you’ve used that method before—you once infused power into my body and into your own flesh. This kind of physical transformation isn’t bound by cognition. Teach me.”
Ridiculous! Meiqiu’s mind suddenly generated several small papers filled with ideas.
Fresh Elemental flesh was far more powerful than that of evil spirits. This undoubtedly meant death for the cat.
“You’d better try a little first,” Zhong Chengshuo said without refuting. “Its body is too weak, and this aspect of research is still blank. Come, touch its wound first…”
The next moment, a surge of power flowed into Meiqiu’s body.
Pain!
The blood in its veins felt like it had been replaced with strong acid. Not to mention fusion, Meiqiu’s agony instantly multiplied by a thousandfold. It screamed and writhed on the tabletop, retching uncontrollably and convulsing as if it had just been electrocuted. In the midst of the violent thrashing, its abdominal wound split even wider, and fragments of its internal organs scattered all over the table.
“…Stop tormenting it!” Fu Tianyi’s muffled and indistinct voice drilled into its ears. “I know you mean well, but Meiqiu—”
“Meiqiu, I know you can still hear me.” Yin Ren quickly retracted the Evil Force. His voice came extremely close. “If you don’t want to give up, meow once. If you want to give up, meow twice.”
‘It’s so painful,’ Meiqiu thought.
But it was already halfway through its research project…
“Meow.” It let out a soft whimper.
“Magic techniques are completely ineffective. We can only resort to physical transformation,” Yin Ren murmured seriously. “Back then, I survived, and Zhong Chengshuo’s body survived. There must be…”
“Power difference,” Zhong Chengshuo suddenly interjected.
“What?”
“When I merged with the baby, I consciously suppressed my power, so the physical body didn’t collapse.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice carried his usual calmness. “But I couldn’t control the power I gave you back then. How did you deal with it?”
Then, Zhong Chengshuo added in a low voice, “I didn’t mean to harm you back then.”
Yin Ren: “When was that… Hmm, I used my own power to suppress it with all my might.”
At the end of his sentence, Yin Ren’s voice abruptly stopped, as if he realized something.
Meiqiu’s ears suddenly perked up.
It remembered Zhong Chengshuo had split his power as the old Fear, which happened to be half of its own… It seemed that half of that power was suppressed by Yin Ren’s own power, which prevented it from killing Yin Ren on the spot.
It’s over. It didn’t have the same power as the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi back then.
“Power difference. Yes, power difference.” Yin Ren’s tone, however, became joyous. He covered Meiqiu’s wound with his hand. “Meiqiu’s body is weak, and the power of Fear’s flesh is too strong for it… Qiqi, come here.”
“You give me a piece of flesh, and I’ll treat you. I’ll also give you ten times the food.”
“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat was ecstatic.
Something else flowed into Meiqiu’s body.
It still hurt, but this time the pain seemed bearable. Under Yin Ren’s control, it became gentle and docile, slowly merging into its body in a submissive manner. Whether it was intentional on Yin Ren’s part or not, the whole process was excruciatingly slow.
After the pain subsided, a strange and lingering soreness followed.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Meiqiu suddenly felt dizzy, and its body felt incredibly strange. The numb-like, intense pain disappeared, replaced by a strange sense of discord.
It finally lost consciousness.
……
“…Meiqiu, Meiqiu.”
Yin Ren’s voice sounded exhausted.
“Dr. Meiqiu, can you hear me?”
“Meow…” Meiqiu managed to squeeze out a cracked sound.
It extended a paw in a certain direction, catching a scent that was indescribable. There was food there, and it was thirsty and hungry, feeling dizzy.
Something was brought to its mouth, and Meiqiu hastily swallowed it.
Soft, slightly cold, and extremely delicious. It felt like drinking a large bowl of warm sheep’s milk; even the tip of its tail felt warm. Meiqiu regained strength, struggling to climb up from the table and barely seeing what was in front of it.
A small piece of flesh limb, with the owner of the limb standing not far away; its fourteen eyes looking over curiously.
“Meow!” Gao Mengyu’s cat friendly greeted.
Meiqiu shook its head. Since regaining consciousness, its vision was very distorted—like at this moment, when it didn’t tilt its head, it saw Fu Tianyi, Yin Ren, and Zhong Chengshuo. The first two had expressions of joy and subtlety, while the last one seemed contemplative.
It struggled to control its vision and saw its own reflection on the table.
In the blurry reflection, there was a black cat with fourteen eyes.
Meiqiu: “…”
It survived, but it was no longer a cat in the conventional sense. Its Infinite abilities were still present and even stronger, but the increase was limited.
Ignoring Fu Tianyi, who was weeping as he hugged it, Meiqiu analyzed the situation with all its strength—
Living creatures in the human world, having merged with the fresh flesh of Elementals, possessed Elemental characteristics but were not entirely Elementals. In a sense, this could be seen as an upgraded version of “corruption from Evil Force”.
This time, it was lucky. If Yin Ren hadn’t been there to help suppress it, it might not have been able to bear the corruption of the Lonely flesh. Regardless, from the perspective of the outcome, Yin Ren’s attempt was very successful.
Back then, if Yin Ren had also survived like this…
Meiqiu struggled to turn towards Zhong Chengshuo, who sensed its multiple gazes and nodded slowly.
Not long ago, it had just sorted and categorized Yin Ren’s racial doubts with Zhong Chengshuo.
Why didn’t Yin Ren undergo the birth through Satisfaction? His form, abilities, and habits differed greatly from “Fear”.
Why could Yin Ren walk in the human world without merging with any body?
…The Fear cub, a special individual. Perhaps their line of thinking was wrong from the beginning.
The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had been corrupted by Evil Force even in the womb, making him a walking living evil. Thousands of years ago, he had only relied on his own strength to withstand the more terrifying and powerful corruption of the Elemental flesh.
He had always been a human “severely corrupted by the Other Side”.
But just an individual.
If a mortal was heavily corrupted by an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become “Charons”, “Resonators”, “Inifiniters”… If an evil being was corrupted by the power of an Evil Force, if they didn’t die, they might become an “Evil Spirit”.
So, what if a human—a living human—for some unknown reason, survived the corruption of the Evil Force, and then survived even more pure and powerful corruption from a Primordial Elemental flesh?
That person was forced to tame that power, make it their own, and continue to grow…
Such a special phenomenon, as of yet, had gone unnoticed by anyone, and therefore it didn’t have a name.
…It seemed that this time, they would be able to bring out a significant discovery.
Meiqiu slowly curled up on the table, wearily closing its eyes.
Kinky Thoughts:
End of the arc. Summary below. There’s just one more arc left.
With Joy taken care of, Yin Ren had proven himself to Qi Xin. Qi Xin decided to help Yin Ren and, working together with Shian, open up a passage to the Other Side so they could rescue the missing people.
However, the premise was that Yin Ren would become the new Fear and restore order back to the Other Side, which now no longer has a life or death cycle.
With a passage secured, Unit 9, along with Meiqiu and Fu Tianyi, transverse to the Other Side. While Yin Ren trained and adapted to the Other Side, not wanting to be left behind and be protected, Zhong Chengshuo developed his own methods.
Since he was the original Fear, using his bones and essence, he created a Karma Lantern that imbued the power of the old Fear. Meanwhile, while training to adapt and become the new Fear, Yin Ren stumbled upon Gao Mengyu’s cat that had returned home. It belonged to the species of “Lonely” cats, and it led them to their base.
Apparently, the Elementals are waging war against the humans on the Other Side. It is then revealed that Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, who disappeared 28 years ago, along with a Shian employee who disappeared two years ago through a gap, were able to survive on the Other Side with sentience. They attack Elementals in order to obtain their flesh and blood, as magic and weapons don’t work unless they are conjured up through one’s own mental abilities.
Having reunited with the missing people from 28 years ago, they developed a plan to rescue Li Xiaohe’s mother and the other people who had disappeared due to Sunken Society’s plans.
Meanwhile, on the human side, Xiang Jiang summoned a corpse centipede to terrorize Haigu in order to instill fear and superstition in the populace. This gives rise to Love’s “angel’s arm”, giving it influence over the population of Haigu.
Those people were being held captive in a base made by Love, surrounded by a cocoon. They are stored there in order to feed the Other Side while in a semi-comatose state, similar to what Bai Yongji did by merging humans and furniture together.
The rescue mission almost went perfectly until Hu Tao arrived. Under Love’s influence, Hu Tao believes her serial murderer husband is hiding on the Other Side and demands that Unit 9 find him. Ultimately, Yin Ren was able to convince her to let go, and, no longer having an obsession, Hu Tao dissipated, finally peacefully at rest.
As they escaped, Yin Ren was seriously injured, almost falling into Love’s trap. The missing people were rescued and transported out from the Other Side. With that, Yin Ren (to recover after being seriously wounded during the escape), Zhong Chengshuo (to study more about the Other Side), Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi (not by choice), and Meiqiu remained on the Other Side in order to deal with Love.
We came to investigate nearby.Zhong Chengshuo hugged the red-eyed black cat in his arms. Meiqiu was clawing and dancing at his feet. Turn back! You look too strange!No, I have to conceal my identity.Right now, Love believed that the cub was Zhong Chengshuo, which was the most convenient state. Yin Ren retracted his claws and blissfully squinted his eyes. Zhong Chengshuo held him tightly in his arms, and he felt a bit drowsy.I'll go get something to eat After you guys are done, I'll make my move, Yin Ren said.Meiqiu needed the protection of the tranquility charms on Zhong Chengshuo's body. It looked at Yin Ren with some trepidation, muttering curses as it continued to observeThe group emitted no aura, and there was no movement on the surface of the giant hemisphere. Countless arms drooped softly on the surface, and only the deep inside of the sphere emitted a slow and heavy sound.Thud. Thud. Thud.Meiqiu carefully pried open the arms with its paw and pressed its forehead against the surface of the hemisphere, investigating something unknown.Thud. Thud. Thud.Zhong Chengshuo tightly embraced Yin Ren, focusing his attention on the arms themselves. He would gently push aside his mask, lean closer, and sniff those dead-like arms. After sniffing, Zhong Chengshuo would bury his nose in Yin Ren's fur and take a couple of sniffs.He would occasionally furrow his brows, squeeze the dead flesh of the arms, and pinch the tip of Yin Ren's tail, making a serious comparison.Thud. Thud, Thud.Yin Ren was sprayed with Zhong Chengshuo's warm breath while his gaze attentively scanned the surroundings. He decided to pick out the fattest arm. When Meiqiu and Zhong Chengshuo reached the safe zone, he would snatch that section of the arm and run.I can also get you a sample. Yin Ren yawned. You two hurry up. I'm hungry.Zhong Chengshuo: 'Satisfaction' will come later, and we'll leave when it does.After speaking, Zhong Chengshuo hesitated for a moment and added, Why don't you eat Satisfaction'?I considered it. But it's walking around fine, and it would be impolite for me to just go and cut a piece off, Yin Ren said. It never did anything to offend me, so I'll pass.Zhong Chengshuo stopped in his tracks. You've considered it.Yes, why not? Yin Ren flicked his tail. After all, it's so big and looks quite delicious.Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He took out a small bottle from his backpack. Inside the bottle was a viscous liquid, resembling melted brain matter. The liquid swirled faintly like honey in a glass bottle, emitting a subtle silver glow.The flesh of Satisfaction.Yin Ren wasn't surprised. This small bottle, compared to the body of Satisfaction, was no more than dandruff to humans.This is the flesh that naturally sheds from it. Zhong Chengshuo removed the stopper and gently placed it near the black cat's nose. Are you sure you can eat it?Zhong Chengshuo's tone was a bit strange.Yin Ren twitched his nose. The brain-like substance in the bottle emitted a faintly fishy smell that smelled like pheasant meat soaked in spring water, with a much stronger flavor than the bland and tasteless small Elementals. It would be even tastier if it were grilled with garlic on tin foil, but unfortunately, they didn't have the means.Yin Ren: Hmm, it smells edible.Zhong Chengshuo pursed his lips. He opened the bottle and carefully dipped his finger into it, offering a small amount to Yin Ren. Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo with a puzzled expression, and his tail stopped swaying.Give it a taste, Zhong Chengshuo said softly. In theory, it's safe, but if it doesn't taste good, remember to spit it out.Yin Ren looked at the fingertip presented before him. The brain-like gelatinous substance didn't spread like water. It shrank like mercury and trembled on Zhong Chengshuo's fingertip.It would be a waste to refuse food that was served right to him.Yin Ren curled his tongue, and the bit of flesh instantly disappeared from Zhong Chengshuo's fingertip. The delectable and oily texture burst on Yin Ren's taste buds, akin to the finest foie gras paired with caviar, perfectly balanced in taste.After eating Elemental salad for so long, tears almost welled up in Yin Ren's eyes. The lower-level Elementals tasted like bland jelly or salad, and the flavors of Joy and Disgust were just average, similar to biting into a bland pancake. Yin Ren had no particular impression of them.Fear The taste of Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren had no desire to savor it. He had only gulped it down without a second thought before. If it weren't for the need to heal, Yin Ren would have no appetite for Elementals.Satisfaction was unexpectedly delicious. It truly brought a satisfying taste.After just a few bites, his wound was a little warm and recovered a thin layer.Zhong Chengshuo looked intently at Yin Ren, and even his breathing stopped. How is it?Can I have some more? It's delicious. My injuries are healing quickly. Yin Ren's eyes were moist, and he sighed. If we abandon morality, I would indulge myself on Satisfaction. Why do humans need morality?In the round eyes of the cat, Zhong Chengshuo's gradually solemn expression was reflected.He poured the remaining flesh into his palm. Go ahead, eat.What about the samples?Eat. Zhong Chengshuo brought his hand closer.With its spiky tongue, it swiftly licked Zhong Chengshuo's palm, cleaning up every bit of residue. Yin Ren licked his lips and looked eagerly at the surrounding arms.I will call upon the Lonelies to collect more together. Zhong Chengshuo petted his furry lover; his palm was slightly sweaty and strange. But remember, never attack Satisfaction'.Why?Because Fear' doesn't consume Satisfaction'. Isn't that obvious?Dr. Cat looked at the two with a displeased expression in its cat eyes.Back then, Fear' and Satisfaction' didn't have sentiency. Devouring is the instinct of Fear'. If Satisfaction is so delicious, Zhong Chengshuo would fight with it every day.Previously, Zhong Chengshuo also tried it. Satisfaction was beyond his diet and couldn't even help him heal his wounds. The Other Side maintains ecological stability not through a sense of morality.Yin Ren: Yin Ren had long known that he wasn't a normal Fear. However, with only Zhong Chengshuo as a reference in the world, he was unsure how abnormal he truly was.I understand. If I attack Satisfaction, it will only make Love more vigilant. Yin Ren sighed. Don't worry, I never planned to make a big fuss about it. But for you twoinstead of my own matters, it's better to first investigate Love' thoroughly.Mm.The arms of Love, the arms of Yin Ren's Evil Spirit form, waved again in front of Zhong Chengshuo.Until they obtained definite results, Zhong Chengshuo didn't want to make irresponsible guesses. He touched Yin Ren's ears and remained silent.Even when transformed into a cat, Yin Ren's ears still bore small, delicate wounds. Zhong Chengshuo lowered his head and gently bit one of the black cat's ear tips.Yin Ren: ?It's nothing, Zhong Chengshuo mumbled, throwing the empty bottle that Yin Ren had finished into his bag.I remember the values roughly. Let's go, Dr. Cat said.According to the agreement, today was the day Zhong Chengshuo helped collect data on Love for him. Next, it would assist Zhong Chengshuo in analyzing Yin Ren's data. Meiqiu licked its paw and quickly arranged the plans in its mind.They timed it perfectly. The moment Dr. Cat finished washing its face in place, Satisfaction approached from a distance. It remained beautiful, as magnificent as the boundary between day and night, gently washing over everything on the Other Side.It quickly reached the edge of the white network.Dr. Cat raised its tail high, preparing to enter Satisfaction as usual and hitch a ride to leave. Zhong Chengshuo released Yin Ren and casually stroked the warm back of the cat.Just as Yin Ren was about to rub against his lover for warmth, he suddenly felt that something was wrongThump, thump, thump.The vibrations within the hemisphere under its paws suddenly increased several times.Thump, thump, thump.Without Zhong Chengshuo's protection, countless arms around Meiqiu suddenly awakened. They shot towards the cat like bullets, and one arm exerted great force, instantly piercing through Meiqiu's abdomen.Everything happened in an instant.Just as the small body of the cat was about to be crushed, Yin Ren swiftly rushed forward and bit the back of Meiqiu's neck. Ignoring the hunting arms, he headed straight towards Zhong Chengshuo.Zhong Chengshuo quickly snapped back to reality, struggling to stabilize his body. It was as if they were in a malfunctioning washing machine inside Satisfaction; everything was spinning madly. Zhong Chengshuo held onto both cats, crouching in the depths of the unfathomable Satisfaction. Meanwhile, Yin Ren formed a layer of red veil around him, acting as a buffer against the other Elementals within Satisfaction. They collided and bumped alongside the other Elementals, providing some cushioning effect.The abnormality within Satisfaction finally subsided after a full two minutes. By now, it had taken everyone far away from the white network. Yin Ren didn't even bother to look at the surroundings. Just as he regained his balance, he used a flesh and blood spell to return to their base.Hey, why so early today?Fu Tianyi curiously raised his head, but his smile instantly vanished when he saw Meiqiu in Yin Ren's arms.Qiu?!Dr. Cat lay in Yin Ren's arms, barely alive. Most of its soft abdomen was missing, leaving only a black-red cross-section and scattered organs. In the outside world, it would have surely perished long ago. But on the Other Side, it walked towards death at a slower pace.Yin Ren didn't have time to pay attention to Fu Tianyi. He gently placed Meiqiu on the ground. Meng Huai!The situation isn't ideal. Meng Huai's expression shifted slightly. The injuries and lesions aren't severe. Its internal organs are completely missing, which is a fatal wound. Delaying treatment will only make it suffer, especially considering it's a science postShe didn't finish her sentence, but the underlying message was clear to everyone.Fu Tianyi didn't care about the minced meat on his hands. He stumbled and rushed to Meiqiu's side. Just a few months ago, he lost his partner, and now, he was about to lose his rear command.What happened? Fu Tianyi's eyes reddened as he looked up and stared at Yin Ren in a daze. Didn't it team up with Zhong Chengshuo for the mission? Didn't it come back with you? Both of you were there; you were both thereYin Ren squatted beside the black cat, expressionless. The Lonely cats crowded closer but dared not get too close, trembling as they watched.The black cat lay limply on the ground, twitching its tail and limbs. Its bloodied wound beneath it grew larger.Ignoring the others, Yin Ren spoke suddenly.Meng Huai, make some room. I'm going to treat it.Meng Huai remained silent, sighing and stepping back a bit to cooperate. Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, stood still. He alternated between looking at Yin Ren and Meiqiu lying on the ground and furrowing his eyebrows tightly.In his judgment, Meiqiu couldn't be saved.But in his judgment, Yin Ren would never give up.Sure enough, Yin Ren, regardless of exposing his identity, let his crimson robe flutter and immediately began casting a flesh and blood spell for self-healingThe version of Elemental healing magic was ineffective.The black cat struggled to breathe. Its tail and limbs were twitching uncontrollably, and the pool of blood beneath it grew larger.Yin Ren still refused to give up. He began reciting various healing techniques accumulated over thousands of years. His hands were stained with blood and flesh as he quickly adjusted and formed intricate hand seals. Gentle waves of energy, like drizzling rain, created continuous ripples in the room.The young offspring of the Lonely cats used their soft paws to play with those ripples, only to be pressed down by the older Lonelies.Meng Huai's gaze gradually shifted towards Yin Ren. Her admiration turned into surprise, which then transformed into astonishment. She had only known that Yin Ren had an inexplicable connection with the Elementals, but after he saved everyone's lives, Meng Huai decided to turn a blind eye to it.What kind of situation was this?It was definitely not the level of evil creatures or Primordial Elementals. If the target of his treatment were a cultivator, these spells would be enough to revive the dead and return flesh and bones. Many of them were difficult and ancient, and Meng Huai found it challenging to even identify them.Unfortunately, his patient was a cat who had no regard for humans or the divine.So it was still futile.Hope in Fu Tianyi's eyes was completely extinguished. He leaned against the wall, clenching his fists tighter and tighter.Yin Ren pursed his lips and paused for a moment. Zhong Chengshuo.I'm here.Take us to your imaginary base. Bring Fu Tianyi, Meng Huai, and Gao Mengyu's cat as well.Zhong Chengshuo's eyebrows twitched, and he glanced at Fu Tianyi without saying a word. He took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and before everyone could react, five people suddenly disappeared from the room.When Meiqiu was placed on the table in the basement, it was already on the verge of death.The pain in its abdomen was too intense. Over the course of this long time, the intense pain had turned into a cold numbness.Dr. Cat lay on the cold tabletop and couldn't help but recall the past. If it hadn't accidentally come into contact with a source of corruption several years ago, it might be wandering on some road right now. It had also witnessed stray cats being run over on the street before.That appearance probably wasn't much different from its current state.Dying all alone, being observed by outsiders.Death on the Other Side was truly prolonged, akin to the human execution method of Lingchi. If it weren't for constantly thinking about its data, Meiqiu would have wanted to take a bite at Yin Ren, asking him to put an end to its suffering.Even the treatment location had to be specially changed. What was the point?Qiqi, remember the scenes before you. I'll need complete focus for what comes next. It heard Yin Ren's voice.Meow. Gao Mengyu's cat quickly responded.There's one method we haven't tried! Zhong Chengshuo, you've used that method beforeyou once infused power into my body and into your own flesh. This kind of physical transformation isn't bound by cognition. Teach me.Ridiculous!Meiqiu's mind suddenly generated several small papers filled with ideas.Fresh Elemental flesh was far more powerful than that of evil spirits. This undoubtedly meant death for the cat.You'd better try a little first, Zhong Chengshuo said without refuting. Its body is too weak, and this aspect of research is still blank. Come, touch its wound firstThe next moment, a surge of power flowed into Meiqiu's body.Pain!The blood in its veins felt like it had been replaced with strong acid. Not to mention fusion, Meiqiu's agony instantly multiplied by a thousandfold. It screamed and writhed on the tabletop, retching uncontrollably and convulsing as if it had just been electrocuted. In the midst of the violent thrashing, its abdominal wound split even wider, and fragments of its internal organs scattered all over the table.Stop tormenting it! Fu Tianyi's muffled and indistinct voice drilled into its ears. I know you mean well, but MeiqiuMeiqiu, I know you can still hear me. Yin Ren quickly retracted the Evil Force. His voice came extremely close. If you don't want to give up, meow once. If you want to give up, meow twice.It's so painful,'Meiqiu thought.But it was already halfway through its research projectMeow. It let out a soft whimper.Magic techniques are completely ineffective. We can only resort to physical transformation, Yin Ren murmured seriously. Back then, I survived, and Zhong Chengshuo's body survived. There must bePower difference, Zhong Chengshuo suddenly interjected.What?When I merged with the baby, I consciously suppressed my power, so the physical body didn't collapse. Zhong Chengshuo's voice carried his usual calmness. But I couldn't control the power I gave you back then. How did you deal with it?Then, Zhong Chengshuo added in a low voice, I didn't mean to harm you back then.Yin Ren: When was that Hmm, I used my own power to suppress it with all my might.At the end of his sentence, Yin Ren's voice abruptly stopped, as if he realized something.Meiqiu's ears suddenly perked up.It remembered Zhong Chengshuo had split his power as the old Fear, which happened to be half of its own It seemed that half of that power was suppressed by Yin Ren's own power, which prevented it from killing Yin Ren on the spot.It's over.It didn't have the same power as the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi back then.Power difference. Yes, power difference. Yin Ren's tone, however, became joyous. He covered Meiqiu's wound with his hand. Meiqiu's body is weak, and the power of Fear's flesh is too strong for it Qiqi, come here.You give me a piece of flesh, and I'll treat you. I'll also give you ten times the food.Meow! Gao Mengyu's cat was ecstatic.Something else flowed into Meiqiu's body.It still hurt, but this time the pain seemed bearable. Under Yin Ren's control, it became gentle and docile, slowly merging into its body in a submissive manner. Whether it was intentional on Yin Ren's part or not, the whole process was excruciatingly slow.After the pain subsided, a strange and lingering soreness followed.After an unknown amount of time had passed, Meiqiu suddenly felt dizzy, and its body felt incredibly strange. The numb-like, intense pain disappeared, replaced by a strange sense of discord.It finally lost consciousness.Meiqiu, Meiqiu.Yin Ren's voice sounded exhausted.Dr. Meiqiu, can you hear me?Meow Meiqiu managed to squeeze out a cracked sound.It extended a paw in a certain direction, catching a scent that was indescribable. There was food there, and it was thirsty and hungry, feeling dizzy.Something was brought to its mouth, and Meiqiu hastily swallowed it.Soft, slightly cold, and extremely delicious. It felt like drinking a large bowl of warm sheep's milk; even the tip of its tail felt warm. Meiqiu regained strength, struggling to climb up from the table and barely seeing what was in front of it.A small piece of flesh limb, with the owner of the limb standing not far away; its fourteen eyes looking over curiously.Meow! Gao Mengyu's cat friendly greeted.Meiqiu shook its head. Since regaining consciousness, its vision was very distortedlike at this moment, when it didn't tilt its head, it saw Fu Tianyi, Yin Ren, and Zhong Chengshuo. The first two had expressions of joy and subtlety, while the last one seemed contemplative.It struggled to control its vision and saw its own reflection on the table.In the blurry reflection, there was a black cat with fourteen eyes.Meiqiu: It survived, but it was no longer a cat in the conventional sense. Its Infinite abilities were still present and even stronger, but the increase was limited.Ignoring Fu Tianyi, who was weeping as he hugged it, Meiqiu analyzed the situation with all its strengthLiving creatures in the human world, having merged with the fresh flesh of Elementals, possessed Elemental characteristics but were not entirely Elementals. In a sense, this could be seen as an upgraded version of corruption from Evil Force.This time, it was lucky. If Yin Ren hadn't been there to help suppress it, it might not have been able to bear the corruption of the Lonely flesh. Regardless, from the perspective of the outcome, Yin Ren's attempt was very successful.Back then, if Yin Ren had also survived like thisMeiqiu struggled to turn towards Zhong Chengshuo, who sensed its multiple gazes and nodded slowly.Not long ago, it had just sorted and categorized Yin Ren's racial doubts with Zhong Chengshuo.Why didn't Yin Ren undergo the birth through Satisfaction? His form, abilities, and habits differed greatly from Fear.Why could Yin Ren walk in the human world without merging with any body?The Fear cub, a special individual. Perhaps their line of thinking was wrong from the beginning.The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had been corrupted by Evil Force even in the womb, making him a walking living evil. Thousands of years ago, he had only relied on his own strength to withstand the more terrifying and powerful corruption of the Elemental flesh.He had always been a human severely corrupted by the Other Side.But just an individual.If a mortal was heavily corrupted by an Evil Force, if they didn't die, they might become Charons, Resonators, Inifiniters If an evil being was corrupted by the power of an Evil Force, if they didn't die, they might become an Evil Spirit.So, what if a humana living humanfor some unknown reason, survived the corruption of the Evil Force, and then survived even more pure and powerful corruption from a Primordial Elemental flesh?That person was forced to tame that power, make it their own, and continue to growSuch a special phenomenon, as of yet, had gone unnoticed by anyone, and therefore it didn't have a name.It seemed that this time, they would be able to bring out a significant discovery.Meiqiu slowly curled up on the table, wearily closing its eyes.Kinky Thoughts:End of the arc. Summary below. There's just one more arc left.With Joy taken care of, Yin Ren had proven himself to Qi Xin. Qi Xin decided to help Yin Ren and, working together with Shian, open up a passage to the Other Side so they could rescue the missing people.However, the premise was that Yin Ren would become the new Fear and restore order back to the Other Side, which now no longer has a life or death cycle.With a passage secured, Unit 9, along with Meiqiu and Fu Tianyi, transverse to the Other Side. While Yin Ren trained and adapted to the Other Side, not wanting to be left behind and be protected, Zhong Chengshuo developed his own methods.Since he was the original Fear, using his bones and essence, he created a Karma Lantern that imbued the power of the old Fear. Meanwhile, while training to adapt and become the new Fear, Yin Ren stumbled upon Gao Mengyu's cat that had returned home. It belonged to the species of Lonely cats, and it led them to their base.Apparently, the Elementals are waging war against the humans on the Other Side. It is then revealed that Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, who disappeared 28 years ago, along with a Shian employee who disappeared two years ago through a gap, were able to survive on the Other Side with sentience. They attack Elementals in order to obtain their flesh and blood, as magic and weapons don't work unless they are conjured up through one's own mental abilities.Having reunited with the missing people from 28 years ago, they developed a plan to rescue Li Xiaohe's mother and the other people who had disappeared due to Sunken Society's plans.Meanwhile, on the human side, Xiang Jiang summoned a corpse centipede to terrorize Haigu in order to instill fear and superstition in the populace. This gives rise to Love's angel's arm, giving it influence over the population of Haigu.Those people were being held captive in a base made by Love, surrounded by a cocoon. They are stored there in order to feed the Other Side while in a semi-comatose state, similar to what Bai Yongji did by merging humans and furniture together.The rescue mission almost went perfectly until Hu Tao arrived. Under Love's influence, Hu Tao believes her serial murderer husband is hiding on the Other Side and demands that Unit 9 find him. Ultimately, Yin Ren was able to convince her to let go, and, no longer having an obsession, Hu Tao dissipated, finally peacefully at rest.As they escaped, Yin Ren was seriously injured, almost falling into Love's trap. The missing people were rescued and transported out from the Other Side. With that, Yin Ren to recover after being seriously wounded during the escape, Zhong Chengshuo to study more about the Other Side, Meng Huai, Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi not by choice, and Meiqiu remained on the Other Side in order to deal with Love.
