Translator: CinderTL
Feng Qi navigated through the overgrown corridors of the abandoned hospital and reached the second floor.
After searching the entire floor, he still couldn't find Suction Cup.
He continued up to the third floor.
Due to the building's age, the cracked and crumbling corridor couldn't support his weight. After only a few steps, the floor suddenly collapsed, sending him back down to the second floor, followed by a crash to the first floor.
"Pah!"
Amidst the swirling dust, he spat out the mouthful of grit and stood up with a helpless expression.
Normally, Suction Cup would actively seek him out whenever he approached this area. But after searching thoroughly without finding her, he was almost certain she was no longer here.
Without the Body-Protecting Suction Cup, his safety was no longer guaranteed.
As for where she might have gone, one place immediately came to mind—a place Suction Cup often visited.
I think so too. Suction Cup must be crying at your grave again.
Feng Qi: ...
Leaving the abandoned hospital, he didn't immediately set out to find Suction Cup.
After estimating the time, Feng Qi realized little black was now very close to his location. He needed to find it an opponent immediately, or it might catch up to him before he could even find Suction Cup.
With this in mind, he scanned his surroundings and finally locked onto a tall building nearby.
Reaching the base of the skyscraper, he skillfully climbed upward, reaching the rooftop in no time.
Looking westward, he began searching for little black's silhouette.
Just as he'd predicted, little black had already entered the abandoned city area and was rapidly approaching his position.
This made him suspect he might have a tracking device on him. How else could little black consistently pinpoint his location with such accuracy?
Thinking this, he began examining himself.
After thoroughly checking his body surface and finding nothing amiss, he reached into his chest cavity toward his shrunken, decaying organs.
He first reached for his "liver."
To his surprise, the liver came off with just a gentle tug.
Should I laugh outright or try to restrain myself a little? Nah, I can't hold it in—hahahahaha!
Feng Qi: ...
Feeling helpless, he simply tossed the liver from the high-rise building.
At this stage, his atrophied and decaying organs were mere decorations, serving no practical purpose whatsoever.
To determine if his body contained any tracking devices, he proceeded to remove and discard his rotten, perforated stomach, spleen, gallbladder, and other organs.
He left the heart untouched.
Though his heart was similarly shrunken and decaying, he could still feel its faint, rhythmic thumping. It might be an essential organ for maintaining his living dead state, so he dared not disturb it.
Glancing at the empty cavity in his chest, he casually stuffed the three spirit plants he was holding inside.
"Heh, these fit perfectly for storing spirit plants. They're wedged in securely and won't fall out. Too bad I can't store fruits here; they'd easily spill out during any jostling."
Idiot!
Feng Qi: ...
After securing the spirit plants, he glanced again at the distant black dot rapidly approaching.
To buy himself more time to escape, he began searching the area for opponents for little black to engage.
His gaze swept across the surroundings, but he found no Scarlet Eyes. Instead, he spotted a massive, bull-like domain creature nearby, its entire body pitch-black.
"Narrator, can it handle it? How long will it last?"
Instantly annihilated. Trash. Next!
Hearing the Narrator's response, he immediately turned his gaze to the right side of the high-rise, where a monstrous tree writhed and danced.
"What about this one?"
Won't last more than a few rounds. Trash. Next!
Just as he suspected, the Narrator possessed perceptive insight, allowing him to analyze the approximate capabilities of the domain creatures.
After selecting several candidates, his attention settled on a particularly bizarre domain creature nearby.
This creature had a face resembling a goat's skull, with a blood-red rune crystal embedded in its forehead. Walking upright like a human, it was currently approaching his position from the south.
"What about this one? Can it withstand little black's beatings?"
This one's decent. While its racial talent isn't as strong as the eyeball's telekinesis, its durability far surpasses the eyeball's. This is the one.
"Alright!"
After confirming little black's location once more, he immediately climbed down the high-rise and found a nearby hiding spot.
As he waited, the Goat-Headed Domain Creature came into view.
The domain creature bore a striking resemblance to the demons described in the Bible. It had the head of an antelope, a human torso, the lower body of a deer, goat-like hooves, and a scorpion's tail tipped with a venomous stinger that burned with a green flame.
As it approached, Feng Qi leaped from his hiding place. After landing, he flipped the Goat-Headed Demon the middle finger before decisively turning and sprinting toward little black's location.
However, after running a short distance, he realized the Goat-Headed Demon wasn't pursuing him. Instead, it stood motionless, watching him from afar.
Feng Qi: ...
After waiting several seconds and confirming the Goat-Headed Demon showed no signs of pursuit, he cautiously took a few steps closer.
"Narrator, why isn't this thing chasing me?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's full?"
Feng Qi: ...
By now, little black was getting closer. Emboldened, Feng Qi took a few more steps toward the Goat-Headed Demon, picked up a small rock, and hurled it at the creature's head.
The pebble struck the Goat-Headed Demon squarely on the head, but to Feng Qi's disappointment, the creature remained rooted in place, completely ignoring his provocation.
Previously encountered domain creatures had immediately pursued him without hesitation.
But this was the first time he'd encountered a Goat-Headed Demon that didn't react even when pelted in the face with stones.
Just as he was about to try a different tactic to provoke it, the Narrator's voice echoed in his mind:
Black Bastard's coming! Hurry!
Hearing the warning, Feng Qi's heart tightened. He glanced back and saw little black, shrouded in dark mist, rapidly drifting toward them from the distance.
Steel resolve hardening his gaze, he immediately charged toward the Goat-Headed Demon.
The creature finally noticed little black. Its scorpion tail snapped upright, as if warning the approaching figure.
Then, eerie green flames ignited within its skull, rapidly spreading across its body. As the flames reached its hooves, the Goat-Headed Demon threw back its head and let out a hoarse, guttural roar.
Witnessing this scene, Feng Qi felt a surge of emotion.
Knowing the long-awaited final battle was about to begin, the domain creatures indeed seemed possessed by the spirit of the honey badger upon seeing little black. The moment of their life-or-death duel had arrived.
"Brother Goat-Head, it's all up to you now... you motherfucker!"
To Feng Qi's utter astonishment, the Goat-Headed Demon suddenly turned and sprinted away at a speed far surpassing his own, leaving a trail of burning hoofprints in its wake.
Good lord, even I'm stunned!
As he fled, Feng Qi gritted his teeth and muttered, "How could you pick such an unreliable target?"
I only analyzed its abilities. How was I supposed to know this thing was such a coward? But judging by its reaction, it must be an intelligent domain creature.
By now, little black was closing in rapidly, its speed far outstripping Feng Qi's.
In a moment of desperate inspiration, Feng Qi remembered the Monstrous Tree ahead.
Though the tree's combat strength was limited, it could buy him enough time to escape.
Driven by sheer survival instinct, he unleashed his full potential, sprinting toward the Monstrous Tree with every ounce of his being.
When little black was only a dozen meters away, Feng Qi finally entered the Monstrous Tree's territory.
Sensing the intruder, the Monstrous Tree twisted its trunk and sent its branches sweeping toward him.
The branches quickly bound him, but just as swiftly released him, then turned to lash out at little black behind him.
Seeing this, Feng Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking advantage of the Monstrous Tree's conflict with little black, he seized the opportunity to sprint in the opposite direction.
Glancing back, he witnessed an astonishing sight.
The branches binding little black suddenly dissolved into a black mist that rapidly devoured the tree's limbs, advancing with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, the mist reached the Monstrous Tree.
The black mist then expanded, enveloping the tree. Under little black's relentless consumption, the Monstrous Tree melted away like ice cream under the scorching sun.
Shuddering at the sight, Feng Qi quickened his pace.
By now, the Goat-Headed Demon who had been running ahead had vanished. Feng Qi held nothing but contempt for these Goat-Headed Domain Creatures—all brawn and no brains, cowards to the core.
My mistake. I never imagined this thing would be even more cowardly than you.
"Cowardly? If my life weren't so precious, I'd turn back right now and fight little black for three hundred rounds!" Feng Qi retorted, unable to resist.
Three hundred rounds? You'd barely last half a round. I advise you to have a little self-awareness.
Feng Qi: ...
The Monstrous Tree couldn't hold out much longer. While communicating with the Narrator, Feng Qi didn't stop running, his gaze darting frantically around as he sprinted, desperately hoping a brave domain creature would emerge to rescue him from this dire situation.
As he continued to flee, he spotted a peculiar structure ahead.
The building was a fusion of abandoned modern architecture, its surface covered in writhing crimson moss that filled the gaps in the dilapidated structure and kept it from collapsing.
From a distance, he saw the Goat-Headed Demon rapidly climb the building and disappear into a pulsating hole at its center.
"You're the one!"
Realizing this was likely the Goat-Headed Demon's lair, Feng Qi made the decisive choice to follow it inside.
This might be his only chance of survival; continuing to run wildly outside would only lead to certain death.
As he sprinted, little black's figure reappeared behind him.
Having reached the base of the bizarre structure, Feng Qi leaped up, grabbed the fleshy moss, and began climbing frantically upward.
The moss seemed to have been activated; its surface writhed with tiny tendrils that tugged at his body, making the climb increasingly difficult.
After a grueling struggle, he finally reached the writhing entrance.
By now, little black was less than thirty meters away.
Without hesitation, he plunged into the crimson orifice, venturing deep inside.
The tunnel within pulsed with a life of its own, its walls constantly undulating. Walking through it felt like being swallowed by some monstrous creature, an utterly unsettling sensation.
He jogged forward, turning right at the end of the corridor.
Before him lay a chamber the size of a basketball court.
A group of Goat-Headed Demons knelt on the ground, worshiping a grotesque statue forged from flesh and blood.
At that moment, little black's shadow materialized behind him, a chilling aura washing over him. Feng Qi, with no time to spare, immediately charged toward the Goat-Headed Demons.
Upon spotting little black, the Goat-Headed Demons grew agitated, flames erupting across their bodies.
Feng Qi had expected to become their primary target, but to his surprise, they attacked little black first.
As the battle erupted, Feng Qi retreated to a corner, forced to watch and wait for an opportunity to escape through the entrance.
While observing the fight, his gaze drifted to the fleshy statue nearby.
The statue's material was unknown, its surface alternating between a metallic sheen and a fleshy, pulsating texture, as if it were alive.
He also noticed a rune crystal embedded in the statue's forehead, emitting a crimson glow.
Found something good! This statue is alive. Take it down!
The Narrator's voice echoed in his mind.
(End of the Chapter)