Evil As Humans

Chapter 219: Smoothly

“Remember, you only have twenty-four hours,” Meng Huai emphasized. “As soon as ‘Satisfaction’ leaves, those Elementals will first clean up the newly born little Elementals. After twenty-four hours, the focus of those Elementals will shift to patrolling.”

“Clean up?” Fu Tianyi gazed at the monsters climbing on the white silk threads, with Dr. Cat perched silently on his shoulder.

This word was used too peacefully—if they encountered smaller ones, these things would tear them apart on the spot and devour them completely. Especially those few enormous black shadows that circled the nest like whales, refusing to leave.

“Yes, clean up,” Meng Huai said.

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent.

To be honest, he wasn’t surprised. He had confirmed his suspicions with Qi Xin long ago—

A thousand years ago, “Fear” appeared after “Satisfaction”, alternating like day and night. As for those ripples, they were the Primordial Elementals. Zhong Chengshuo would randomly devour some while accidentally crushing others. The little Elementals born from “Satisfaction” absorbed these remnants and promptly fed on emotions from the human side. The population of Elementals remained stable, and they survived in this way.

Without Fear, the Elementals couldn’t die and could only devour each other. But then again, no one wanted to die, so the Elementals began targeting the vulnerable newborns for sustenance. Even so, they still couldn’t match the speed at which “Satisfaction” created new Elementals.

But if they killed “Satisfaction”, the origin of the Primordial Elementals, no one knew if a new “Satisfaction” would be born. In case Satisfaction disappeared altogether, the Other Side would deteriorate even faster.

“Love’s” plan to create madness and increase emotional output wasn’t unreasonable for the Other Side. The problem was that Qi Xin had been indecisive all along. Would that scheming and profound “Love” truly reveal the plan to her?

Disgust and Joy had long since died, so they had no way to verify.

[Remember to act quickly—rescue and run.] Yin Ren’s wings rustled in the bag. [The thing in the center is too suspicious that it gives me an uncomfortable feeling.]

[Yes, I know.] Zhong Chengshuo touched the lantern in his shoulder bag.

“How can I find my mom?” On the other side, Lu Xiaohe looked up at countless ball-shaped cocoons, anxious and distressed.

“I heard about it too. Didn’t you look for people from the Other Side before?” Meng Huai said, “You’re the rear commander, so you should have thought of it.”

Lu Xiaohe was startled, and Huang Jin frowned in response.

Lu Xiaohe had read the report on the Bai Yongji case. Huang Jin had personally played the guitar in the case, resonating with Ding Lizhi. However—

“But that was with the help of Minister Jiao. It was said that we could achieve a shared mindset, but I don’t know how she did it,” Lu Xiaohe answered honestly.

Meng Huai chuckled. “The ‘Charon’ is strong because they can traverse the Other Side, but they don’t have that many special abilities. If you only think of Xiao Jiao as a Charon, you won’t have the idea of trying it yourself. That’s not a good habit… As a science post, sometimes you’re too imprisoned by the insistence on ‘verification’.”

“Yes.” Lu Xiaohe quickly realized. “I’ll give it a try.”

She closed her eyes, perhaps guessing her mother’s possible thoughts.

Zhong Chengshuo saw Lu Xiaohe’s figure become blurred, and a faint white line was pulled out from her, faintly drifting toward a certain ball-shaped cocoon. The end of the white line flickered weakly, even less bright than a damp burning incense, intermittent and elusive. After a while, it disappeared.

In the end, telepathic connections couldn’t compare to Ding Lizi’s long song. Even with the closest person, “heart-to-heart communication” could only achieve a superficial understanding.

But the target it indicated was already clear enough.

……

Unit 9’s four members leaped onto the Elementals’ backs, smearing prepared minced meat in the blind spots of the round cocoons. Huang Jin used a carving knife to carve an improved Tranquility Talisman, and the cocoon wall appeared like snow that had been melted, revealing a hidden hole.

Zhong Chengshuo led the way while Huang Jin guarded the rear, and the four of them barely crawled into the cocoon.

The scene inside was no different from what Meng Huai remembered. White threads hung down, nests piled up, and despite the absence of a light source, everything was blindingly white on all sides. If it wasn’t for everyone remembering the current situation, this atmosphere would make them drowsy.

Inside the cradle-like cocoons, arms of various sizes embraced the white silk humanoids to varying degrees. Those humanoid figures were large and small, sitting or lying down. Lu Xiaohe was originally curious as a member of the science post, but now she didn’t dare to look closely.

Everyone proceeded cautiously, with fine threads coiling around, but when they touched the Tranquility Talisman on Unit 9’s “flesh shoes”, the threads automatically avoided them. Everything was quiet—so quiet that it made people anxious. Except for the intermittent “guiding thread” on Lu Xiaohe’s body, the scenery here lacked vitality, like a still painting.

The group advanced cautiously; every step taken with trepidation. Zhong Chengshuo kept watching with his eyes and constantly shared the field of vision with Yin Ren.

[We entered without any movement. It seems there are no Elementals guarding these people. There are so many patrolling soldiers outside, most likely guarding the big guy in the center.]

Perhaps because it was too quiet around, Yin Ren chattered incessantly inside Zhong Chengshuo’s head.

[Fortunately, it’s going smoothly in here. I guess all the pressure is on the lookout team outside. I don’t know if Fu Tianyi can hold up.]

It was a pity that only Fu Tianyi was a genuine cultivator of the Fu family. Meng Huai probably wouldn’t feel at ease with anyone else. Yin Ren understood this in his heart but speaking it out loud wasn’t pleasant.

[What do you think?] Zhong Chengshuo stepped on the soft ground.

[It’s hard to say for now.] Yin Ren’s voice was calm. [It’s also a solution if I transform into my true form, destroy these cocoon balls, and then run. But that would startle the enemy. It’s better to understand the situation first and then break through here in one fell swoop.]

[Mm, that’s what I’m planning too.]

“It should be… It should be this one.”

Just then, Lu Xiaohe stopped in her tracks.

In front of her was an ordinary-looking white nest, with a baby carriage-like structure. Two pairs of arms embraced a bloated humanoid figure. Huang Jin took out a carving knife made from solidified Elemental flesh and nodded at Lu Xiaohe.

He had an expression as if he were dancing on a nuclear bomb button as he gently cut a white thread on the humanoid figure. Immediately after, Huang Jin’s whole body trembled, as if he were about to be struck by a thunderbolt, looking around in all directions.

But nothing happened.

The white arms beside the humanoid figure merely lightly embraced the surroundings, showing no reaction like a lifeless object. Everything went smoothly to the point of discomfort.

Huang Jin quickly took out a photo and confirmed if the comments on the back were still there. Once he made sure that the lookout was safe and sound, he tremblingly used his hands to continue cutting another layer. Ge Tingting nervously guarded the surroundings with her ears perked up, listening intently. The surroundings were still filled with an ear-piercing silence that made one’s ears ache, which only made Huang Jin’s cutting sound like thunder.

Huang Jin continued dismantling like he was defusing a bomb, his forehead covered in sweat.

Layer by layer, the white threads were pushed aside, and the facial features of the person inside could be vaguely seen. Lu Xiaohe suddenly covered her mouth, trying to suppress a sob.

Lu Xiaohe’s mother was covered in mucus, quietly sleeping in a tangle of severed threads. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her figure still frail, but her cheeks and lips were somewhat rosy.

…Is this it? Huang Jin tightened his grip on the carving knife and stood there, stunned.

In hindsight, Love indeed had little sentiment towards humans. People heard about money being put in a safe, but they had never heard of anyone setting up multiple layers of protection for instant noodles. Maybe Unit 9 had been unlucky for so long that it all accumulated in this stroke of good luck.

Huang Jin, still trembling with fear, looked at the four arms. “It’s been less than three hours. When they said twenty-four hours, I thought… Well, it’s better to finish early if we can. Let’s go.”

Lu Xiaohe reached out her arms to pull her mother from the cocoon. The texture of the mucus was like egg whites, enveloping her mother in a wet and slippery state. The pajamas on her mother’s body were crumpled like wilted vegetable leaves.

Lu Xiaohe bit her lip, trying to handle the situation as gently as possible. Ge Tingting took two steps forward to help her move her mother. Zhong Chengshuo frowned and looked around—he still saw a row of tranquility, and Yin Ren didn’t report the presence of any large Primordial Elementals.

“Let’s go.” Zhong Chengshuo unusually took the initiative to speak. “Let’s leave this place first and then figure out what to do.”

“Strange, I thought you were going to do some research.” Huang Jin walked to the back of the team again, muttering to himself. “Zhong Chengshuo, you’re so strange and scary…”

“The outside is heavily guarded, yet it’s so lax here. When things are abnormal, there must be something amiss.” Zhong Chengshuo’s demeanor became colder and more imposing, sounding more like the legendary “King Yama”.

Unit 9 was always straightforward in their actions. Lu Xiaohe carried her mother on her back, and Ge Tingting helped support Mrs. He’s back. Once again, Zhong Chengshuo took the lead while Huang Jin guarded the rear, and the group quickly retraced their steps.

It took only about four hours, and the four of them successfully returned to their starting point. Huang Jin finally released the tension in his throat, took out his carving knife, and was about to use the same technique to find a way out—

“Why are you leaving just like that? I haven’t found the person I’m looking for yet.”

A familiar voice sounded from behind the group. And everyone recognized that aura. Although Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t heard that voice before, the moment the aura appeared, Yin Ren already had the answer in his mind.

Zhong Chengshuo slowly stood up and stood in front of the other three. The bundle of wings in his backpack wriggled, filled with astonishment and urgency.

The fierce ghost Hu Tao floated in front of the group.

Her face was distorted and covered in protruding flesh, making it impossible to discern her features. Her teeth were broken, resembling a bloody hole. Her hair and clothes were dirty and disheveled, and black-red putrid blood dripped down, quickly absorbed by the white “ground”.

“Help me find someone too.”

The ghost’s voice was hoarse, and she seemed to be smiling, but her face was so mutilated that muscle movement couldn’t be discerned.

Zhong Chengshuo pinched the uncertain bundle of wings and made a gesture behind his back. “How did you come to the Other Side?”

He asked calmly and peacefully, as if they were merely encountering each other in the living room at home.

Hu Tao: “I have a blood oath with Yin Ren, so of course, I can find him.”

“You know that’s not what I want to ask. How did you come to the Other Side?” Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t finished speaking when the hands behind his back made another move—

Huang Jin and Ge Tingting had completed their spell preparations and simultaneously cast a binding light net from all directions. Zhong Chengshuo, having dealt with evil creatures for years, knew better than to chat with someone in the enemy camp.

The light net was about to descend from all directions, but Hu Tao didn’t dodge. She floated in place, repeating once again, “Help me find someone too.”

Crack!

Before the spell could even reach the fierce ghost, it disappeared like water encountering a hot iron, instantly vanishing without a trace. Looking at Hu Tao again, a pair of arms emerged from her back and gently embraced her neck.

[I tried to suppress her with the spirit contract, but it didn’t work.] Yin Ren’s thoughts entered Zhong Chengshuo’s mind. [Something is wrong. I’ll stay behind to deal with her. You all go first.]

[No, you can’t expose yourself yet.]

Zhong Chengshuo closed his eyes. Whether it was Yin Ren’s identity or the Karma Lantern, they were their trump cards. If they revealed everything at this stage, they would have nothing left for what lay ahead.

[Since she appeared at this critical moment, none of us can leave. Let’s probe the situation first.]

“Why won’t you help me find someone?”

The fierce ghost floated closer. When Ge Tingting saw her face, mutilated and covered in blood and flesh, she couldn’t help but look away. But as soon as she turned her head, Hu Tao was right in front of her, just a few centimeters away, her face in a mess, facing Ge Tingting.

Lu Xiaohe took a few steps back, carrying her mother, almost tripping over the white threads on the ground.

Hu Tao grinned, and the arms embracing her tightened a little more.

“I was told that ‘he’ is also here. But there are too many people here, so I waited for you to come and help.”

She extended her blood-stained hand toward the four of them.

“I can’t find him just by myself.”

I was told.

Zhong Chengshuo squinted his eyes. Hu Tao was a fierce ghost with a contract with Yin Ren, so naturally, she could locate him on the Other Side. Besides Qi Xin, who had the ability to bypass Yin Ren and send evil creatures to the Other Side… there seemed to be another person.

“Love.”

It was a trap. This place was a trap from the beginning.

Countless missing individuals were concentrated here. Even if Meng Huai didn’t appear, it was only a matter of time before Shian discovered this place.

“We will all help you find him,” Zhong Chengshuo said calmly. “Following Shian’s regulation, we need to first move Lu Xiaohe’s mother out and then help you search—it seems that you can’t synchronize your thoughts to search for that person, so we have to conduct a carpet search.”

“You’ve already talked with ‘that one’, so why are you bothering us? Can’t you let ‘that one’ guide you?” Ge Tingting couldn’t hold it in and spoke up. She stood in front of Lu Xiaohe, spreading her arms.

“That one doesn’t remember the exact location, so I have no other choice.” Hu Tao’s voice carried a hint of grievance. “You know when your package is in the delivery room, don’t you have to search for it yourself?”

“I promise to help you find him.” Zhong Chengshuo raised his voice. “But as I said earlier, we need to move Lu Xiaohe’s mother first.”

Hu Tao’s face twisted, and her voice gradually became cheerful.

“I knew it. We’re still friends. But to move that woman… Let’s forget it. It’s chaotic outside. Even if you go out now, there’s no one to meet up with you.”

Lu Xiaohe held her mother tightly, looking towards the path they came from. The entrance had already been blocked by the white threads, leaving only a shallow depression. It was supposed to be guarded by the lookout team of four, and even Dr. Cat would occasionally come to ensure that the passage remained open.

“No one to meet up with?” Lu Xiaohe murmured.

“Yes,” Hu Tao answered with a smile. “All those people outside are dead… Anyway, they were all strangers. It’s better that you’re here.”

“You, Unit 9—aren’t you the best at finding missing people?”