6 Global Evolution
Cong Xia continued to flip his hand, his fingers tracing along his arm muscles from his palm, as if searching for something out of the ordinary.
Cheng Tianbi furrowed his brow and seized his hand. "What are you doing?"
In quick succession, Cong Xia asked, "How do you feel now? Any unusual changes in your muscles? Stiffness, soreness, swelling? Is there anything different happening inside your body?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? All the evolved plants and animals have grown in size. Don't you feel anything? No muscle swelling, bone growth? Maybe you'll turn into a giant too." Cong Xia continued to touch Cheng Tianbi's biceps. The muscle felt incredible, solid yet elastic. How did he train it?
Cheng Tianbi tightened his grip on his wrist and let go of his hand. "Pour me some water."
Cong Xia glanced at his pale lips and recognized the signs of blood loss. He quickly poured a glass of water and offered it to Cheng Tianbi's lips. "Here, have some first. It's hot, and later you should drink something warm."
As Cheng Tianbi was about to reach for the glass, a loud bang came from behind them, causing the entire window to tremble. They both turned to look, finding a damp mark on the glass.
Surprised, Cong Xia walked to the window and peered outside. Something extraordinary was happening. It had started to hail, with each hailstone as big as an egg. When they hit the ground, they left behind a pile of icy debris, and when they struck cars, the vehicles shrieked in protest. If such large hailstones hit a person, it would undoubtedly be dangerous.
Cong Xia shivered violently. The life-and-death struggle they had just experienced caused them to forget their original purpose for entering the room, and their heightened mental state made them overlook the sudden drop in temperature. Only now did he feel the bone-chilling cold.
Cheng Tianbi seemed to sense it too. He glanced at the air conditioner, set to thirty degrees, yet the room didn't feel much warmer. How low had the temperature dropped outside?
"Just wait a moment," Cong Xia said. He hurried into the bedroom and retrieved blankets and down jackets. Cheng Tianbi couldn't fit into the clothes, so after putting on a jacket himself, Cong Xia brought out the blanket and wrapped it around Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi appeared unwell, his face lacking color. It was likely not solely due to blood loss.
Cong Xia suggested, "You should go to the bedroom and rest. It's too cold outside, and we won't be able to leave for a while. Why don't you take a nap?"
Exhausted, Cheng Tianbi responded, "Cook that monkey. Let's eat something first."
Glancing back at the monkey's bloodied body, Cong Xia felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. "Are you hungry? Um, we still have some food that hasn't spoiled. Let's eat that first."
"If you don't eat now, you may never have the chance to taste fresh meat again. You'll regret it."
Cong Xia looked at Cheng Tianbi with a conflicted expression. He really didn't want to do anything with that monkey. He had been actively avoiding looking at it.
Cheng Tianbi didn't expect anything from him either. He grabbed a military knife and approached the corpse. Cong Xia turned his face away, feeling uneasy as he heard the squelching sound of the knife piercing the flesh. A shiver ran down his spine.
After a while, Cheng Tianbi brought a piece of belly meat into the kitchen.
Cong Xia took a deep breath before entering the kitchen. "I-I'll do it. Your wound might reopen. You should rest."
Cheng Tianbi turned his head and gave him a cold look. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Cong Xia nodded, his movements stiff.
Cheng Tianbi dropped the piece of meat, still covered in skin and blood, and left.
Cong Xia repeated to himself three times, "This is pork." Then he boiled water, removed the hair, cut the meat into pieces, and cooked it. In the kitchen, only the seasonings and strongly scented ingredients like ginger and garlic hadn't completely spoiled. Cong Xia prepared a large pot of braised pork. He hadn't eaten since he woke up in the early morning, and after catching a whiff of the tantalizing aroma, he couldn't resist.
As he served the pot of meat, he glanced at the lifeless body of the monkey again. The thought of not being able to enjoy a meal like this in the future filled him with immense sadness.
Cong Xia placed the meat on the coffee table. Seeing Cheng Tianbi wrapped in a blanket, sitting motionless on the sofa, he approached and patted his shoulder. "Tianbi? It's time to eat."
Cheng Tianbi slowly lifted his face. His complexion was pale, his breathing rapid, and his eyes bloodshot—clear signs that something was wrong.
Concerned, Cong Xia asked, "What's wrong with you?"
In a weak voice, Cheng Tianbi replied, "I'm cold."
Cong Xia touched his face and indeed, it felt icy cold. Through the areas of skin in contact, he could sense Cheng Tianbi's body trembling.
Could it be an infected wound? They had taken antibiotics and applied alcohol, but their limited supplies left them with only so much they could do. Unfortunately, their worst fear had come true.
Cong Xia anxiously proposed, "Let's go to the hospital. Maybe there are still people there."
Cheng Tianbi shook his head. "No use." His gaze shifted to the pot of meat. "Let's eat, then I'll rest."
Cong Xia perspired with worry, feeling helpless. All he could do now was hope that after Cheng Tianbi had eaten enough, his immune system could combat the bacteria.
The meat in the pot was delicious and full of flavor, but Cheng Tianbi couldn't taste it. His tongue felt numb, and mechanically he chewed and swallowed, forcing himself to eat.
They quickly satisfied their hunger, and Cong Xia assisted Cheng Tianbi into the bedroom. He layered thick blankets on the bed, but he continued to shiver uncontrollably, despite being bundled up.
Sitting by the bedside, Cong Xia repeatedly touched Cheng Tianbi's forehead, sensing the gradual decrease in warmth from his palm. His heart sank with each passing moment.
He didn't want to face this world alone. If Cheng Tianbi died, he would return to his own home and leave his fate to chance. If even someone as resilient as Cheng Tianbi couldn't survive, he didn't know how he would carry on.
Gazing at Cheng Tianbi's pallid face, Cong Xia was overwhelmed with distress. He whispered, "Tianbi, please don't die."
Whether he heard him or not, Cheng Tianbi's body trembled uncontrollably, and the cold had already seeped into his bones. It seemed that no matter how many blankets covered him, they provided no relief.
With determination, Cong Xia removed his down jacket and slipped into the bed, wearing only a thin shirt. He tightly embraced Cheng Tianbi's trembling body.
The frigid touch of his skin caused Cong Xia to shiver as well, but his body swiftly adjusted its temperature. Humans were warm-blooded creatures with high body temperatures and efficient heat conduction. It was more effective than relying solely on blankets. If this failed, he had no other recourse. If Cheng Tianbi's body continued to cool down, it would unquestionably result in death.
In a hushed voice, Cong Xia pleaded, "Tianbi, hold on. Please don't die. I'm so useless. I can't help you. If you die, I won't last long before joining you. I still want to journey through life with you. Please don't die. I beg you."
Whether consciously or unconsciously, Cheng Tianbi reciprocated and embraced Cong Xia. His strength didn't resemble that of an ailing person, and it caused discomfort in his ribs. Their bodies clung to one another, and Cong Xia's warmth acted as a cozy hearth, finally quelling Cheng Tianbi's tremors.
Exhaustion, weariness, and pain—every negative emotion dissipated within the comforting embrace of the bedding. The two of them held each other tightly, succumbing to a deep, uninterrupted slumber.
6 Global Evolution
Cong Xia continued to flip his hand, his fingers tracing along his arm muscles from his palm, as if searching for something out of the ordinary.
Cheng Tianbi furrowed his brow and seized his hand. "What are you doing?"
In quick succession, Cong Xia asked, "How do you feel now? Any unusual changes in your muscles? Stiffness, soreness, swelling? Is there anything different happening inside your body?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? All the evolved plants and animals have grown in size. Don't you feel anything? No muscle swelling, bone growth? Maybe you'll turn into a giant too." Cong Xia continued to touch Cheng Tianbi's biceps. The muscle felt incredible, solid yet elastic. How did he train it?
Cheng Tianbi tightened his grip on his wrist and let go of his hand. "Pour me some water."
Cong Xia glanced at his pale lips and recognized the signs of blood loss. He quickly poured a glass of water and offered it to Cheng Tianbi's lips. "Here, have some first. It's hot, and later you should drink something warm."
As Cheng Tianbi was about to reach for the glass, a loud bang came from behind them, causing the entire window to tremble. They both turned to look, finding a damp mark on the glass.
Surprised, Cong Xia walked to the window and peered outside. Something extraordinary was happening. It had started to hail, with each hailstone as big as an egg. When they hit the ground, they left behind a pile of icy debris, and when they struck cars, the vehicles shrieked in protest. If such large hailstones hit a person, it would undoubtedly be dangerous.
Cong Xia shivered violently. The life-and-death struggle they had just experienced caused them to forget their original purpose for entering the room, and their heightened mental state made them overlook the sudden drop in temperature. Only now did he feel the bone-chilling cold.
Cheng Tianbi seemed to sense it too. He glanced at the air conditioner, set to thirty degrees, yet the room didn't feel much warmer. How low had the temperature dropped outside?
"Just wait a moment," Cong Xia said. He hurried into the bedroom and retrieved blankets and down jackets. Cheng Tianbi couldn't fit into the clothes, so after putting on a jacket himself, Cong Xia brought out the blanket and wrapped it around Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi appeared unwell, his face lacking color. It was likely not solely due to blood loss.
Cong Xia suggested, "You should go to the bedroom and rest. It's too cold outside, and we won't be able to leave for a while. Why don't you take a nap?"
Exhausted, Cheng Tianbi responded, "Cook that monkey. Let's eat something first."
Glancing back at the monkey's bloodied body, Cong Xia felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. "Are you hungry? Um, we still have some food that hasn't spoiled. Let's eat that first."
"If you don't eat now, you may never have the chance to taste fresh meat again. You'll regret it."
Cong Xia looked at Cheng Tianbi with a conflicted expression. He really didn't want to do anything with that monkey. He had been actively avoiding looking at it.
Cheng Tianbi didn't expect anything from him either. He grabbed a military knife and approached the corpse. Cong Xia turned his face away, feeling uneasy as he heard the squelching sound of the knife piercing the flesh. A shiver ran down his spine.
After a while, Cheng Tianbi brought a piece of belly meat into the kitchen.
Cong Xia took a deep breath before entering the kitchen. "I-I'll do it. Your wound might reopen. You should rest."
Cheng Tianbi turned his head and gave him a cold look. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Cong Xia nodded, his movements stiff.
Cheng Tianbi dropped the piece of meat, still covered in skin and blood, and left.
Cong Xia repeated to himself three times, "This is pork." Then he boiled water, removed the hair, cut the meat into pieces, and cooked it. In the kitchen, only the seasonings and strongly scented ingredients like ginger and garlic hadn't completely spoiled. Cong Xia prepared a large pot of braised pork. He hadn't eaten since he woke up in the early morning, and after catching a whiff of the tantalizing aroma, he couldn't resist.
As he served the pot of meat, he glanced at the lifeless body of the monkey again. The thought of not being able to enjoy a meal like this in the future filled him with immense sadness.
Cong Xia placed the meat on the coffee table. Seeing Cheng Tianbi wrapped in a blanket, sitting motionless on the sofa, he approached and patted his shoulder. "Tianbi? It's time to eat."
Cheng Tianbi slowly lifted his face. His complexion was pale, his breathing rapid, and his eyes bloodshot—clear signs that something was wrong.
Concerned, Cong Xia asked, "What's wrong with you?"
In a weak voice, Cheng Tianbi replied, "I'm cold."
Cong Xia touched his face and indeed, it felt icy cold. Through the areas of skin in contact, he could sense Cheng Tianbi's body trembling.
Could it be an infected wound? They had taken antibiotics and applied alcohol, but their limited supplies left them with only so much they could do. Unfortunately, their worst fear had come true.
Cong Xia anxiously proposed, "Let's go to the hospital. Maybe there are still people there."
Cheng Tianbi shook his head. "No use." His gaze shifted to the pot of meat. "Let's eat, then I'll rest."
Cong Xia perspired with worry, feeling helpless. All he could do now was hope that after Cheng Tianbi had eaten enough, his immune system could combat the bacteria.
The meat in the pot was delicious and full of flavor, but Cheng Tianbi couldn't taste it. His tongue felt numb, and mechanically he chewed and swallowed, forcing himself to eat.
They quickly satisfied their hunger, and Cong Xia assisted Cheng Tianbi into the bedroom. He layered thick blankets on the bed, but he continued to shiver uncontrollably, despite being bundled up.
Sitting by the bedside, Cong Xia repeatedly touched Cheng Tianbi's forehead, sensing the gradual decrease in warmth from his palm. His heart sank with each passing moment.
He didn't want to face this world alone. If Cheng Tianbi died, he would return to his own home and leave his fate to chance. If even someone as resilient as Cheng Tianbi couldn't survive, he didn't know how he would carry on.
Gazing at Cheng Tianbi's pallid face, Cong Xia was overwhelmed with distress. He whispered, "Tianbi, please don't die."
Whether he heard him or not, Cheng Tianbi's body trembled uncontrollably, and the cold had already seeped into his bones. It seemed that no matter how many blankets covered him, they provided no relief.
With determination, Cong Xia removed his down jacket and slipped into the bed, wearing only a thin shirt. He tightly embraced Cheng Tianbi's trembling body.
The frigid touch of his skin caused Cong Xia to shiver as well, but his body swiftly adjusted its temperature. Humans were warm-blooded creatures with high body temperatures and efficient heat conduction. It was more effective than relying solely on blankets. If this failed, he had no other recourse. If Cheng Tianbi's body continued to cool down, it would unquestionably result in death.
In a hushed voice, Cong Xia pleaded, "Tianbi, hold on. Please don't die. I'm so useless. I can't help you. If you die, I won't last long before joining you. I still want to journey through life with you. Please don't die. I beg you."
Whether consciously or unconsciously, Cheng Tianbi reciprocated and embraced Cong Xia. His strength didn't resemble that of an ailing person, and it caused discomfort in his ribs. Their bodies clung to one another, and Cong Xia's warmth acted as a cozy hearth, finally quelling Cheng Tianbi's tremors.
Exhaustion, weariness, and pain—every negative emotion dissipated within the comforting embrace of the bedding. The two of them held each other tightly, succumbing to a deep, uninterrupted slumber.
