Chapter 15: “I also, love, Mommy…”

Just like last time, the tiny, faint consciousness was almost fleeting.

“Thump, thump, thump.”

Tao Xiu felt his heart pounding. An overwhelming surge of emotion flowed through him, leaving him with a wonderful dizziness. He took a deep breath, carefully wrapped the small flower in a handkerchief, put it away, and then left the restroom.

Zhu was still sitting at the table, heedlessly sampling various dishes.

The other diners no longer watched him but instead casually glanced toward the front desk.

Tao Xiu curiously followed their gaze and saw two police officers standing there, seemingly communicating with the staff.

He frowned: What happened?

At that moment, fragmented conversations from the next table reached him:

“They must be here to check surveillance footage. A City hasn’t been peaceful these past two days. Last night, thirteen female students suddenly went missing, and today, a male corpse was found in Swallow Alley! I wonder what happened.”

“Sigh, I really hope there’s news about those female students soon. They’re all their families’ precious treasures; their parents must be so distressed waiting.”

“My relative is a teacher at Mingyuan High School. Sigh, I heard that all the missing girls were from that one class, Class 3, Grade 2. The boys were fine; it’s really eerie.”

…

As he listened, Tao Xiu’s eyes widened: Had all these incidents just happened yesterday and today? And Swallow Alley was the alley next to the hamburger steak bento shop.

That night, he had been in that alley, helping Zhao Cancan drive away the relative who was harassing her.

Could it be that the shop was closed today because…

A premonition of misfortune spread in his heart. Tao Xiu could no longer eat.

After Zhu finished eating, he distractedly took Zhu back to the botanical garden.

In the office, Tao Xiu looked at the photos of the missing girls online, his heart sinking.

Zhao Cancan was among them.

Just as he was about to search for more information, two police officers arrived.

They were there to retrieve seven days’ worth of surveillance footage from the botanical garden.

Tao Xiu quickly provided it to them, but they didn’t leave.

They showed him a blurry photo: “Mr. Tao, do you know this person?”

Tao Xiu’s pupils constricted as he looked at the person, saying, “I don’t know him, but I’ve seen him.”

The person in the photo was the man who had harassed Zhao Cancan in the alley that night, the one Zhao Cancan had said was her cousin. He truthfully told the police about the incident.

The two police officers exchanged glances, then showed Tao Xiu a photo of a corpse: “This person is Zhao Ping. He is indeed Zhao Cancan’s cousin. His body was found in Swallow Alley this morning. We’ve completed the investigation into his cause of death; it was a myocardial infarction.”

Tao Xiu frowned, looking at the black bracelet on the corpse’s right wrist: Zhao Ping was a player… His myocardial infarction was very likely related to the Game Lin Mei mentioned.

The police continued: “We came to you because this person’s traceable movements over the past seven days largely revolved around you. You went to a hospital for a check-up two days ago (Saturday), and we found this person sitting next to you in the hospital’s surveillance footage.”

They asked, “Do you really not know him?”

Tao Xiu bit his lip: So Zhao Ping was that [Virtual Recapitulation] player. He was the one who made him feel like his consciousness was drowning, trapped in memories from a year ago.

Zhao Ping’s seven-day movements revolved around him because of the “capture” Lin Mei mentioned.

A thorough coldness slowly surfaced in Tao Xiu’s moss-green eyes.

He shook his head: “I really don’t know him. From my subjective perspective, that night was the first time I met him.”

The two police officers sighed softly and said solemnly, “Alright, Mr. Tao. If you recall any other details later, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Tao Xiu nodded in agreement, and they quickly left.

Once they had departed entirely, Tao Xiu uncharacteristically broadcast an early closing notice for the botanical garden, apologizing and stating that he would compensate the guests.

As the guests left, he stared at the photos of the girls on the computer screen, his eyes chillingly cold: Their disappearance was very likely related to the player Zhao Ping!

Otherwise, even with the cause of death confirmed as a non-homicidal myocardial infarction, the police wouldn’t be going to such great lengths to investigate him, even down to his movements over seven days.

To find those girls, he needed relevant information.

After the guests had left, Tao Xiu took Zhu to the hamburger steak bento shop after making a decision.

The shop was, as expected, closed.

Tao Xiu asked Zhu to wait outside while he walked towards an apartment complex across from the shop: Zhao Cancan’s home was there.

After Tao Xiu left, Zhu, obediently waiting for him, suddenly twitched his nose and curiously looked towards Swallow Alley.

…

Tao Xiu quickly arrived at Zhao Cancan’s house and knocked on the door.

The couple was startled to see Tao Xiu but welcomed him in.

A desperate atmosphere permeated the warmly decorated home.

The couple seemed to have aged considerably in just one night, looking utterly haggard.

The woman’s voice was tearful: “Xiao Tao, we really don’t know what to do. If anything happens to Cancan, how will we live?”

Tao Xiu’s face showed his distress, but he still asked directly, “Do you have any information about Zhao Ping? Is he related to the disappearance of those girls?”

Mr. Zhao’s pupils constricted, and he almost instinctively blurted out, “How do you know?”

This was confidential information!

Tao Xiu said firmly, “Please tell me.”

If the girls’ disappearances were truly related to the so-called Game, then it was an area ordinary people could not interfere with.

But he, an “abnormal” non-human, very likely could.

The couple watched Tao Xiu with wide, uncertain eyes for a long moment.

Then, as if they had made up their minds, they said, “Please follow us.”

They led Tao Xiu to the study and opened a surveillance video copied onto the computer: “Our shop is right next to Swallow Alley, and the surveillance camera at the shop entrance can record inside. This was taken last night; the police have already taken the original.”

Tao Xiu frowned, looking at the video.

The time on the screen was 11:50 PM last night (Sunday).

A man was rolling on the ground in the alley in pain—it was Zhao Ping.

He seemed to be tormented by something invisible and inescapable, rolling from the alley to its edge, violently hitting a utility pole.

He cried out desperately and horrifyingly into the air: “I’m not reconciled!! I’m not reconciled! I almost killed that E-rank core and completed the mission! I’m the only player who almost killed him! Why are you making me die?! Why?!”

With a “thump,” he rolled from the utility pole to the wall.

He seemed to have no strength left, but suddenly, he stared at the shop’s wall with intense anger: “And… why do I have to live by participating in that disgusting Game after escaping prison, while Zhao Cancan gets to be so happy?! Grandma always said girls are worthless and not smart, and that I’d definitely be more successful than her. So why now?!”

“I’m not reconciled! I’m not reconciled!”

“System! System!”

He screamed almost hysterically at his wrist, his eyes filled with terrifying malice: “I haven’t used the wish I got from entering the Game! I want to use it now! I want Zhao Cancan, no, I want Zhao Cancan and all the girls in her class, those girls who stole my resources, to experience everything I’ve experienced!”

“I want them to enter that C-rank Dungeon No. 3 and never be allowed to leave! Now! Immediately!!—”

The video time now reached 0:00 AM the next day.

Zhao Ping’s voice abruptly ceased.

His hateful eyes were wide and distorted, bleeding from all seven orifices, his body seemingly completely lifeless.

The ominous black bracelet still rested quietly on his wrist.

…

Tao Xiu watched all this, stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

“We really didn’t expect this bastard to hate Cancan so much,” Mrs. Zhao sobbed. “But we don’t understand what he was saying. We really don’t, and even the police don’t know what he meant by those things…”

She continued, “But our Cancan and those children just disappeared. I clearly saw Cancan go back to her bedroom and go to bed. We were going to send her to school the next day. I checked on her before I slept, but she was gone…”

A complete chill rose in Tao Xiu’s moss-green eyes.

After a moment, he gently placed a hand on Mrs. Zhao’s shoulder, his voice light and firm: “I’m sorry, I can’t give you any promises. But I will do my best.”

Mr. Zhao appeared to recall something and glanced at the young man, wanting to speak but ultimately holding back.

They saw the young man to the door, saying, “Thank you.”

…

After saying goodbye to the couple, Tao Xiu took a taxi home with Zhu, who had been waiting outside.

For some reason, Zhu was uncharacteristically silent the whole way, looking puzzled and lost in thought. Tao Xiu, preoccupied with his own concerns, didn’t notice.

After arriving home, he looked at Zhu and asked, “Do you know about C-rank Dungeon No. 3?”

Zhu was startled and snapped back to attention, his eyes clear and innocent. “What’s a dungeon?”

Was it also something the little ants invented?

Tao Xiu lowered his gaze and sighed softly: “Nothing.”

The only ability he could use outside the community was that door, but ever since Huo Si fell into slumber, that door had only been able to connect to Huo Si’s bedroom.

It couldn’t be used. And Huo Si, who could help, was also in slumber.

Tao Xiu sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and pinched his brow: This was the first time he had felt such negative emotions since becoming a “person.”

He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself, not wanting to affect his little one.

Zhu seemed to sense that Tao Xiu was upset, so he carefully squatted by Tao Xiu’s legs, wanting to say something to cheer him up: “Boss, do you know? I smelled Xiao Ba’s scent at that alley entrance! Xiao Ba is also one of us, our kind. I never expected to smell her here—”

Tao Xiu suddenly looked up and interrupted him: “What?! Who is Xiao Ba? How did you smell her in that alley?!”

Zhu blinked: “Xiao Ba is…”

He thought of the new “ant” vocabulary he learned today and used it directly: “a cute girl.”

He quickly explained, seeing Tao Xiu’s expression, “My tongue and nose are just good. There was the smell of blood in the alley, and the owner of the blood must have been close to many of our kind. All those smells mixed together, so I couldn’t distinguish them.”

He continued, “But I can still identify the most recent ones. The last time he was close was to you; before that, it was Xiao Ba!”

Tao Xiu’s eyes lit up: “Where is Xiao Ba? Can you find her?”

A hint of sadness surfaced in Zhu’s eyes: “I haven’t seen her in a long time. Since the boss went into slumber, our world’s space has completely messed up. I can’t pinpoint her location now. That guy should still be asleep, right?”

He finished, “Now, only the boss can pinpoint our locations.”

But He was still asleep. And because of something, He couldn’t be woken up.

Not even temporarily.

Tao Xiu swiftly stood up at his words and walked towards the utility room: Zhu had climbed in through the window, so Xiao Ba should also be outside that room.

If Xiao Ba really were the C-rank Dungeon No. 3 that Zhao Ping mentioned, he would most likely find those girls as long as he found a way to locate them.

Tao Xiu unhesitatingly stepped into the room filled with rich, cold fragrance.

After confirming the bed’s position, he strode towards the window.

Zhu hurriedly followed, saying urgently, “Boss, if you want to find Xiao Ba, those worms are nothing, but the path is tough to find. Without the boss, even we could easily get lost—”

Countless dark blue tentacles caressed Tao Xiu’s ankles, but Tao Xiu suddenly stopped when he was only a palm’s distance from the window.

He gently placed his hand on his soft abdomen, his eyes wide, and murmured, “Baby… What did you say?”

A small, weak, gentle consciousness bloomed in Tao Xiu’s mind: “I, help Mommy… Mommy, don’t be unhappy…”

He could determine Xiao Ba’s location by borrowing Papa’s consciousness, and then use Mommy’s ability to create a path.

He was too weak right now to use too much of Papa’s power; he could only do this much.

But he would work super hard to get stronger and protect Mommy!

The thick darkness in the room suddenly solidified for a moment.

The handsome man sleeping on the bed gently twitched a finger.

Tao Xiu hadn’t yet fully recovered when Zhu suddenly looked up at the young man’s abdomen: His little master was calling him… The path… was ready…

He widened his eyes, his throat moving, and said, “Th-that, Boss! Wait here! I’ll go carry Xiao Ba back right now!”

With that, he passed Tao Xiu, lifted the curtain, and leaped out the window in less than a second, leaving only one sentence: “Boss, hold on!”

 After all, that path was essentially from the Boss’s ability!

…

Tao Xiu clearly felt power draining from his body. His face gradually turned pale, so he carefully protected his abdomen and sat cross-legged on the rug.

Countless dark blue tentacles surged towards him, gently brushing against his shirt, wanting to slip inside.

Tao Xiu lowered his gaze and smiled gently, his voice soft, as if talking to himself: “What expression will you have when you wake up and see how amazing our little one is?”

The tentacles carefully supported his body. Tao Xiu closed his eyes to rest.

The man sleeping on the bed silently clenched his fist, but the young man didn’t notice.

…

Who knew how much time had passed when a loud “thump” came from the direction of the window?

Zhu climbed in through the window with a golden, human-sized octopus: “Boss, I brought Xiao Ba back!”

Tao Xiu bit his lip, swiftly stood up, and shone the bone lamp over.

His pupils constricted. Like Zhu, the golden octopus’s upper body was covered in horrifying “leeches.”

She seemed still unconscious, her head and eight large golden tentacles unmoving.

However, thirteen young girls were quietly sleeping under the protection of her clean tentacles.

They were unharmed, their breathing steady.

Tao Xiu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn’t know what happened between them and Xiao Ba, but this outcome was truly good.

Next, he needed to find a way to inform the police and their parents and take them to the hospital for a check-up.

Tao Xiu bit his lip, about to do something, but the thick darkness in the room suddenly solidified momentarily.

The dark blue tentacles suddenly surged violently throughout the entire room, and the rich, cool scent pressed down on every corner of the room like a deep sea.

Zhu was startled. As if realizing something, he quickly carried Xiao Ba out of the room and into the living room.

The tentacles were still flailing wildly and omnipresent.

They did not touch the girls, yet the girls instantly vanished.

The next second, they appeared at the police station, and the sound of an ambulance rang out from a nearby street.

Tao Xiu didn’t see those scenes, but he suddenly realized: causality…

It was Huo Si’s [Causality].

Could it be Huo Si—

He widened his eyes, holding the bone lamp, and looked towards the bed.

The man was still deeply asleep, as if completely unaware of everything outside.

The tentacles slowly fell, as if deflated, once again obediently lying on the ground, caressing the young man’s ankles.

Tao Xiu paused, then gently stroked his abdomen and smiled softly: “No matter how you did it, thank you for this time.”

With that, he left the room.

…

In the living room, Coconut was already asleep.

Looking at Xiao Ba worriedly, Zhu stood by the small golden octopus.

Seeing Tao Xiu come out, he rubbed his head and said, “I don’t know what happened between her and those little ants, but she should be waking up soon.”

He added, “Although these ugly worms on her are nothing, it’ll probably be quite upsetting for her, a girl, to wake up and see them…”

Tao Xiu picked up the newly added medical kit from the shelf.

His face was a bit pale, but his eyes were still gently curved, as reliable as an older brother.

He said, “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

…

It was already past midnight after he had finished treating the worms on the small octopus.

Knowing the other was a girl, Tao Xiu settled her comfortably in the bedroom.

Then, he unhurriedly washed up, bid Zhu goodnight in the living room, and stepped into the utility room.

The rich, cool fragrance was still pervasive.

Tao Xiu yawned and, as naturally as could be, climbed onto Huo Si’s bed.

He pulled up the quilt, hugged the man’s cold body, his palm gently resting on his abdomen, and closed his eyes peacefully in the safe darkness.

He thought: Indeed, sleeping after being utterly exhausted is truly comfortable.

Before falling into a dream, a weak consciousness, almost asleep, hazily bloomed in Tao Xiu’s mind: “Mommy, Papa said, he loves you…”

In that brief moment when Papa broke free from his constraints and awakened, he wanted me to tell you that he loves you.

“I also, love, Mommy…”

The young man’s long, peaceful breaths could be heard in the darkness.