Wood asked curiously.
How could it be that greedy guy..
Cain said in a tone bordering on biting sarcasm, "Lilith's body cannot touch objects from the Mortal Realm, his *** is even more frantic and intense than mine. The moment he sees the Eye of Quetzalcoatl, the *** he ignites deep within his soul will be a million times greater than mine."
So, who is your companion?
Wood pressed for an answer, an eerie girl wearing a red cloak and a skull mask covering half her face inexplicably surfacing in his mind.
“She..”
.. It's me.
A mournful Voice rang out behind Wood, the chilling aura of Death instantly filled the room.
Wood felt a sudden chill run down her spine, she didn't even dare to look back.
You.. you..
Papa.
The Boy said so, reaching out with his bony left hand and his plump right hand to embrace Wood, his cold mask rubbing against Wood's skin through the clothes: "I have been looking for you, always looking.. always looking.."
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Author's Note: Thank you to readers Min, Qing Yun, Er Jiao, Little Bear Biscuit Bouncing, Looking Up and Laughing Loudly, Gu Lu Gu Lu, Black and White Glutinous Rice Ball, Liu Nainai Mai Niunai, Yue Xia Yin Cha, Lei Zhuang, Shan, Lan Mei Xiao Yang, kiki, Fish Blowing Bubblegum, Courage is Lifelong Reliance, Root Three, Shi Yi, Meng Li Jian, Lan Wu, Li Yu, Er Jiao, A Cat's Murmurs, Riyue Taosan Huan, a, If You Don't Study Hard You'll Work in a Factory, Dong Xi, The Man in the Abyss Under the Rain, Click to See a Super Beauty, Fei Yu, People with Status, You Again, Love You Mwah, Yi Tuo Da Yan, Dada, Kan Ming Tian, Called Me to Study, Reading Novels for Fun, Milk Beer Milk Beer I Am Potato Chips, Quan Mei Nv Shi, Red Heart, fiaaaaa, Ye Yuan, moonlit, My Favorite Author Updated Again, baiyulan, Xue Hua for Irrigation Nutrient Solution.
Chapter 68 Quetzalcoatl's Secret Treasure (5)
“You, you, you..”
Papa.. I miss you so much..
The Girl repeated in a mournful tone, "I have been looking for you, for hundreds of years, for thousands of years.. constantly searching for you.. I need you, I love you, I cannot live without you.."
(But I don't even know who you are! Fine! Considering Jormungand considers me his "Father," there is a high probability that this Girl is Hela, the Goddess of Death from Norse Mythology.)
Wood thought tremblingly, lowering her head, carefully pried apart the Girl's fingers that were wrapped around her.
I am sorry, I have lost my past memories. I don't know who I used to be, I don't know who you are.. Until I recover my memories, I cannot treat you as the father you long for..
It's okay. As long as I can stay by Papa's side, even if Papa doesn't remember me, I am already satisfied.. My love for Papa is a pure, unconditional love that requires nothing in return~
But—
The more the Boy emphasized that this love sought no reward, the more intense the coldness in Wood's heart became.
—What if I am not your Father?
Hmm?
What I mean is, if you have done so much for me as a daughter does for his Father, then you suddenly discover that I am not your Father, will you be enraged and even murder me in a fit of rage?
Wood struggled to suppress the trembling in her voice.
After all, this was no mere exaggeration!
At this moment, the Mysterious Girl embracing him—regardless of whether her true identity was the Goddess of Death, Hela, from Norse Mythology—possessed the immense power to turn him into scattered flesh and bone in an instant.
—How could such a thing be possible?
The Girl chuckled softly, his Voice as gentle as a lullaby by a baby's cradle: "We are the children Papa gave birth to; it is Impossible for us to mistake Papa.. Besides, I have already felt the scar through the clothes, that terrible scar Papa left behind when he gave birth to us~"
“..”
Wood felt a terrifying chill against her back, as if something unspeakable were pressed tightly against her.
I.. I.. what are you talking about? How can a man give birth—well, it is true that in myths, male Gods occasionally conceive children themselves, but, but..
“Lovely one, you have never truly lost your memory; you have only refused to remember the Truth, refused to return to those agonizing pasts—“
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, Cain spoke with ease, using a hand adorned with an exaggerated black goat head ring to untie the knot of the Japanese gift box, revealing a gold-painted lacquerwood box beneath the silk.
This box contains not only Nishijin-ori, but also hides the Truth—may you soon find the courage to open the box and face the Truth.
Having said that, Cain's figure vanished with the wind, the eerie hands encircling his waist melted like frost under the scorching sun along with the Mysterious Girl; Wood turned her head and saw the gold-trimmed black lacquer box lying flat in the center of the sofa.
“..”
He looked toward Jormungand Cat and Anubis Dog, who were seated on either side of the sofa, with a pleading gaze.
Jormungand Cat remained silent.
After hesitating for a moment, the Anubis Dog let out a sigh.
Papa, I suggest you do not open the box.
Is there something dangerous inside?
That thing's level of danger was on par with the thing that escaped from the Mysterious Stone Cabinet.
.. Understood.
"Understood," Wood said gloomily.
..
..
The dripping sound that occurred every thirty seconds suddenly stopped, it did not ring out again even after a long wait. From deep within the tunnel came a strange sound, resembling the rotation of a giant machine yet containing the rhythmic beat of a biological heartbeat. A strange, sweet fragrance permeated the air, smelling like blood and rust.
Rex opened his eyes as he gradually realized something was wrong.
(What happened!)
(Could it be those people on the ground..)
(Maybe it's another Monster.. Those people above always throw unwanted things into the Sewer; sometimes it's body parts, sometimes it's reflective pollutants, sometimes.. well, anyway, I must find out what this new thing is as soon as possible.. I wonder if it will threaten my life..)
Thinking this, Rex crawled out of the "Apartment"—which was merely a two-meter diameter dry concrete pipe reinforced with some tarpaulin, cluttered with refuse scavenged from nearby supermarket trash cans and expired food that hadn't spoiled too badly—in the world of the Sewer, this was a precious and cozy dwelling.
..
As one of the "Mole People" living in the New York Sewer, Rex had his own logic for survival—he knew he could be optimized out of society at any time due to poverty, disease, or violence, yet he still wanted to live; he feared Death even more than the young people in the world above, he craved life.
Walking about five hundred meters, or perhaps eight hundred meters, through the damp, viscous, dark Sewer, Rex noticed a pool of glowing fluorescent blue liquid on the rotting, muddy ground. It was thick and moved with a slow, rhythmic writhing, as if breathing.
(What is that thing..)
(It couldn't be this thing..)
(I.. I..)
Then, It appeared.
Rex could not fully describe His form, because the moment He appeared, he lost the ability to think, remembering only that it was a mass of constantly flickering, shapeless, wriggling matter. At times, it looked like multiple lifeforms entangled together; at other times, it expanded like a mist covering the space; sometimes it would cast the shadows of tentacles under the dim light, at other times, it would transform into countless eyes constantly opening and closing around his body..
That thing completely transcended the scope of his understanding and exceeded the capacity of his vision. He stood petrified before the Monster, unable to move, unable to think, unable to speak, even unable to breathe.
The Monster—to call Him that for the time being—was clearly observing Rex as well. He constantly shifted His form, circling Rex repeatedly in various shapes, extending slender, light-like shadows that resembled tentacles to touch Rex's body, then—
[Do you wish to change your destiny?]
It was not through words, but through thoughts projected directly into the mind.
Rex's body trembled violently.
He did not know what the thing before him was, nor did he know the price of responding to Him, but he knew his life had reached its absolute nadir; the only thing worse than his current state was Death.
(Death..)
[Are you afraid of Death?]
(Can you read my thoughts?)
Rex's breathing was heavy.
[A long, long time ago, although all intelligent life on Earth had their own physical bodies, their spirits were closely connected.. until civilization reached its end, a great catastrophe killed us along with our civilization.. A few Survivors were forced to abandon their independent physical bodies and merge into the current collective state..]
(So the "change" you are suggesting refers to devouring my body and merging my spiritual essence into yours?)
We don't want your Physical Body; we want to return to this Mortal Realm.. We need your help, you are also tired of this current state where Death could occur at any moment, are you not?
（..）
Rex was speechless.
We chose you because, like us, you endure immense despair, yet still maintain a tenacious obsession with life—willing to become an indescribable Monster at any cost just to keep living!
(I..)
Do you want to live? Do you want to change?
(—Yes, I want to live! I want to change!)
..
..
Regarding what happened with Peterson, I am sorry, I..
Wood's voice choked up slightly, she did not even dare to look into the eyes of Peterson's lover, Fox.
“It's okay.. I knew this would be his end for a long time.. He.. he chose to walk the path away from common sense and normalcy, I.. I am glad that he could die for his faith and for justice, just like the superheroes he admired in his youth.. Even though this world is not a beautiful place, most people in this city do not even know that he gave his life for them.."
As he finished the sentence, Voice was drowned out by sobbing.
Sorry..
It's alright.
Fox pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears, enduring his grief as he said, "His apartment—"
It won't be reclaimed for the time being; you have plenty of time to slowly pack up his belongings.
Thank you. Actually, I.. I lost my job two months ago. If I can't find a job this month, I'll be kicked out by my landlord.. I was originally planning to.. risk moving back into his Apartment.. Don't let my current appearance as an ordinary person fool you; I actually have a certain amount of spiritual medium talent, which is why I fell in love with him. After living together for a while, we chose to live apart because of the endless nightmares.. It's just that occasionally.. Never mind, it's all over now. I should.. thank you for your kindness and tolerance..
He has no relatives, he wrote your name on his death benefit contract, so—his pension will be deposited into your account after taxes are deducted. Live well! Live for him as well!
Jason patted Fox's shoulder: "I believe that at the moment he left, the person in his heart was you. It was because he loved you that he made up his mind to love this world."
I believe..
"I believe.." Fox said, biting his lip, his vision drowned in tears.