Chapter 78: The Devil’s Sacrifice (28p1)
From Yu Fenghe’s dark, silent expression, Yu Jiao read the answer.
“Oh, so it’s only for those three.”
Yu Jiao feigned surprise.
—From the moment this dead ghost had scared Yu Jiao with illusions, Yu Jiao had known that Yu Fenghe’s abilities were severely limited, and that Yu Fenghe was especially concerned about Yu Jiao getting close to those three.
Yu Fenghe would naturally use his precious energy to prevent this.
The choker should be the same.
Besides, Yu Jiao had another plan.
In the last instance, although the system had only given Yu Jiao four strategy targets, when the final settlement was made, Lin Qiuzhe was also included as a hidden strategy target.
Yu Jiao had reason to believe that the hidden strategy target of this instance was [Z0]
At this moment, [Z0] was slowly emerging from the water, its huge, terrifying body structure completely revealed, its head and face covered in fins and scales, its chest like an armor-like mirage, and the fins on its back were spread… [Z0] was like a finely constructed, magnificent weapon.
And what was completely at odds with its terrifying, inhuman sense of being was its body language, which was like that of a small animal that had recognized its master—[Z0] tilted its head, came closer, and, with its snake-tongue-like tongue, it licked Yu Jiao’s fingertips as if to please her, its soft lips hiding its sharp fangs.
Its deep, dark, watery blue, beast-like eyes were lifted, looking pitiful.
Yu Jiao miraculously read the meaning it was trying to convey:
—You haven’t been here in a long time.
Yu Jiao curved her eyes, withdrew her fingertips, and, like she was teasing a cat, she scratched its chin. In front of the cold-faced “late husband,” Yu Fenghe, Yu Jiao whispered a promise of a secret tryst. “I’ll come and see you often in the future.”
The little monster seemed to have understood Yu Jiao’s meaning. Its blue-purple ear fins twitched, and a glistening little water droplet was flung onto Yu Jiao’s bare skin, like a sun shower.
[Z0] suddenly propped itself up on the shore with one hand and, with its other hand, it lifted itself out of the water. Its sharp claws, which were shining with a cold light, were gradually approaching Yu Jiao’s face.
A sweet, fishy sea smell hit Yu Jiao’s face.
Given her previous experience of being “suddenly attacked” by [Z0], this time, Yu Jiao subconsciously leaned back to dodge.
“…”
The predator-like claws were frozen in mid-air.
A hurt look flashed in its beautiful eyes.
…It’s too human.
I really don’t know if it’s a genuine spirituality or a hunting disguise.
“A natural heteromorph.”
Not far away, Yu Fenghe snorted. “You’d better stay away from it. This kind of creature is always unpredictable. Who knows when it will use you to pick its teeth.”
Yu Fenghe’s words were laced with a subtle instigation.
—A natural heteromorph.
Eleven had explained before that this term referred to both a fallen creature that was naturally human-like, and a freak in the human population who was born with the characteristics of a fallen creature. They were like a hybrid of humans and fallen creatures, and they were prone to dying young. But the few who survived all had strange, demigod-like abilities.
It was just a pity that humans believed that those who were not of their kind must have a different heart. The heteromorphs born in human cities were often hunted and killed before they reached adulthood. The fallen heteromorphs were even rarer.
Clearly, [Z0] was a natural heteromorph that had been captured by the Apocalypse Cult.
Looking at its pure yet strange, beast-like eyes, Yu Jiao hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind.
—Yu Jiao was going to oppose Yu Fenghe.
If Yu Jiao listened to him, she might as well just kill herself and let his secret plan succeed.
Seeing Yu Jiao approach the monster without looking back, Yu Fenghe said, “…You!”
Yu Fenghe was so angry he flicked his sleeve, and a black gas rolled out, and he disappeared.
The soft, warm body and breath were close at hand.
[Z0] widened its eyes slightly, and its slowly rising and falling fins and gills stopped.
Its dark blue, beast-like eyes were like a flowing, colorful night light. [Z0] propped itself up and, bit by bit, it approached Yu Jiao. Its claws were carefully raised, and, as if it were touching a bubble in the water, it gently caressed her cheek.
Its wet, cold, hard scales brushed against Yu Jiao’s tender cheek, and its soft webs were pressed tightly against her.
A strange sensation.
Yu Jiao could smell the salty wetness of the sea on its body.
Like a siren, its dark, ghostly body emerging from the sea, luring a lost sailor on a small boat.
Its claws, which were propped on the shore, were also lifted, and they caressed the other side of Yu Jiao’s face.
[Z0] was holding Yu Jiao’s face, like a clam, holding a pearl.
Its face, which was like a vibrant cloud, a bewitching sight, was getting closer and closer.
Like a cloud, falling into the sea, Yu Jiao’s lips were slightly cool, and she felt a cold, astringent touch, different from human soft flesh—its seemingly full lips were also made of fine scales.
Under the water, its four or five-meter-long tail was swaying slowly, supporting it as it offered its kiss. The surging water was lapping against its lean abdomen, and [Z0] felt a novel itch, from its abdomen to its lips, and then into its lifeline.
“…”
Their two lips were quietly pressed together, as pure as the symbiotic seaweed and fish.
Yu Jiao had the untimely thought:
The little monster’s lips do not have the slightest fishy smell of seafood, but a clear, pleasant, cold fragrance.
After a dozen or so seconds of contact, [Z0] pulled back slightly, its head slightly tilted up, and it stared at Yu Jiao with its pure eyes. Its two strange beast’s claws were still holding her cheeks, as if it were familiar…
—Wasn’t this the posture Yu Jiao had just used to kiss Helan Duo?
Yu Jiao: “…”
It seems [Z0] has taken this as a way of expressing gratitude.
Yu Jiao inexplicably felt a sense of guilt for corrupting a child… Come to think of it, Yu Fenghe’s curse of “a male prostitute and a female thief” was indeed a bit reasonable.
Seeing that the little monster, who had learned a bad habit, had finished its staring step and was about to press its lips against hers again.
—It was really following the kissing procedure Yu Jiao had just had with Helan Duo, step by step.
Yu Jiao quickly raised her finger and pressed it against its lips.
“Alright, alright. I’ve already felt your feelings.” Yu Jiao paused and added, “…No need for next time.”
The simple little monster licked Yu Jiao’s fingers.
It was unclear if it had understood.
Yu Jiao had the helpless feeling of having fed a stray cat and, the next day, receiving a mouse from the cat as a thank you.
***
During the process of collecting [Z0]’s data, Yu Jiao had accidentally discovered Helan Duo’s observation diary in his computer:
On Wood Sun Day, at xx time, the experiment was pacing in observation room 1, in a hunting posture, staring at the entrance.
On Wood Sun Day, at xx time, the experiment refused to eat.
On Wood Sun Day, at xxx time, the experiment showed obvious signs of agitation.
On Wood Dark Day, at x time, the experiment showed aggressive behavior.
On Wood Dark Day, at xx time, the experiment resumed eating, and all abnormal activities disappeared. It returned to its normal state.
On Metal Sun Day, at x time, the experiment disguised itself as a [snake’s shed skin], trying to lure a researcher to escape.
…
When Yu Jiao was copying the data, she had deliberately skipped this part.
—It seemed that during the days Yu Jiao had been taken away by “Chow Chow,” [Z0] had had a very difficult time. No wonder it was so clingy this time.
After comforting the little monster with separation anxiety and agreeing on a time to meet next time, Yu Jiao changed into a clean cult robe and was about to leave the observation room when she suddenly heard the ground shake.
Yu Jiao quickly opened the door, but she found that it was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one—
Helan Duo and Nie Hongshen were fighting.
The clean and tidy lab was now a mess. Helan Duo’s bone tail had broken a few of Nie Hongshen’s pincer-like legs, and a few of Helan Duo’s scale-spines had been cut off by Nie Hongshen’s exoskeleton.
Yu Jiao didn’t know the reason for their conflict, but she was happy to watch the show. Yu Jiao raised an eyebrow and said, with a hint of sarcasm:
“Yo, a dog-eat-dog fight.”
“…”
As her words fell, the two who had been in a fierce battle strangely paused, frozen in place.
Yu Jiao: “Hmm? Why did you stop fighting?”
The two of them, as if they had evolved from a barbaric, primitive society to a civilized one with social etiquette in an instant, their heteromorphic appearances faded, and they stood at opposite ends, looking fully human.
Nie Hongshen slowly and deliberately tidied his sleeves and smoothed the wrinkles. Only a few scattered strands of his silver-grey hair showed the intensity of the battle just now.
“I’ve been a bother. I’ll be leaving now.”
Nie Hongshen said politely.
As Nie Hongshen passed Helan Duo, Nie Hongshen said in a low, almost inaudible, sarcastic voice, “Your master is here.”
***