Jiang Huaci suddenly took a large step backward.
As if avoiding some raging flood or ferocious beast.
Zien looked down at his still empty hand in disbelief, slowly widening his eyes.
The emerald irises darkened to a dangerous forest green under the light, and his pupils narrowed into vertical slits like those of a snake.
Jiang Huaci didn’t glance at his reaction but instead grasped her butcher’s hand.
Seemingly feeling this wasn’t enough to express her resolve, she slowly intertwined her fingers between his.
The butcher’s hand was large; her hand looked small and delicate in his palm.
She squeezed twice with effort before finally locking onto all five of his fingers.
The red, destructive warning siren raging like a virus in the butcher’s mind suddenly ceased.
He stood frozen, dazed—like a broken mechanical body, an electronic eye flickering unceasingly yet dull.
The Overload Core could not bear the nearly burning surge of emotions, allowing them to crash and flood through his limbs and bones, steadily raising his body temperature.
After Jiang Huaci expressed her stance, she met Zien’s gaze directly: “Sorry, I do not want this identity.”
Zien’s tight face twisted for a moment.
As the eldest son of the prestigious Monteford family and heir to the MF Group, he had never been rejected before.
Much less by someone who would rather choose a group of filthy, lowly monsters!
The sting of rejection and frustration plunged Zien into uncontrollable rage.
He lifted his luscious red lips, restraining his emotions like a patient older brother facing a tantruming little sister: “Lumi, this isn’t something you can just refuse. We should go home.”
(Lumi means “light,” and Ying refers to the glow of a firefly, just like Jiang Huaci’s English name in the real world.)
Jiang Huaci did not waver: “Since you say I am the last survivor, then I should have the chance to make a wish, right? I will stay here. No one can interfere with my decision.”
The only response was an unsettling silence.
The livestream had been completely cut off at some unknown point.
The small cameras and little robots that once swarmed around her like buzzing bees had also vanished.
Suddenly, Zien bent over, his shoulders and chest trembling violently as he emitted a low, eerie laugh.
His meticulously combed golden hair fell over his forehead, casting large shadows, but could not conceal the madness in his face.
Zien’s laughter grew louder and louder.
Amid this chilling laughter, the butcher finally moved.
His fingers tightened little by little, joints creaking softly.
The rough bones pressed against Jiang Huaci’s tender skin, reddening it.
“What’s wrong?” she tilted her head to look at the butcher.
Her straightforward worry was like a stick of firewood, burning him inside and out, flushing his cheeks with heat.
“Forever together.”
The butcher bent his waist, pressing his skull-like face close to Jiang Huaci’s cheek, his bony lips gently brushing the corner of her mouth.
At this moment, even those who did not understand the butcher could see his joy plainly.
[Black Mist Density -40]
The black thunder on the butcher’s card dispersed like rain clearing the sky, leaving only faint traces lingering at the edges.
Jiang Huaci knew her decision was right; the diary she saw that day in the butcher’s room was the key to eliminating the butcher’s corruption.
But watching the butcher so contented before her, a subtle, nagging guilt crept into her heart like damp moss.
[Black Mist Density noticeably reduced, triggering special consolation]
The system issued a prompt again, interrupting Jiang Huaci’s thoughts.
This was already her second time activating “Special Consolation,” but bad luck meant both times it happened at critical moments—she hadn’t had time to understand what exactly it was.
Nearby, Synclay watched the scene with a calm face, but his eyes were dark with gloom.
The detestable butcher, the pathetic butcher’s companion.
Jealousy from Hei Shui erupted from the depths of his heart, instantly swallowing the joy and pride Zien felt from gaining his identity.
[Black Mist Density +1]
Zien’s laughter abruptly stopped.
He ran his five fingers through his disheveled golden hair, pushing all the messy strands back, revealing a pale, exquisite face like that of a cold-blooded animal.
“My dear little sister, you’ve got more backbone than before.”
“Since that’s the case, then let’s get started.”
With his command, a fully armed combat squad rushed out from the cabin.
Behind them, a silver, cannon-like heavy weapon was rolled out.
Synclay sneered arrogantly: “You think you can face us?”
The cat-like creatures confronting humans were already itching to strike, unleashing deafening roars.
The battle erupted instantly!
Dense bullets sprayed out, their silver trails slicing through the air like falling meteors.
The cats instantly transformed into enormous, terrifying forms, monstrous and eldritch, claws and fangs lashing out as they charged.
Previously tense, the butcher and Synclay coordinated perfectly without a word.
The butcher darted away from Jiang Huaci, drawing most of the fire, while Synclay melted into a dense shadow that wrapped around her, planning to drag her into the battlefield.
Synclay’s speed was incredible; bullets striking the shadow were swallowed outright, unable to harm him in the slightest.
Just as Jiang Huaci was about to be taken away, the woman in the white lab coat by the heavy weapon finished her adjustments and pressed the firing button.
“Zhi la zhi la…”
Blue Electric Web crackled over the entire cannon, completing its charge.
The barrel aimed at the midair and fired abruptly!
“Weng—weng—weng—”
The blue light rippled layer by layer, covering the entire anomaly zone.
All monsters inside seemed to be struck by some invisible force, instantly losing their attacking power and collapsing heavily.
They clutched their heads, howling in pain, constantly shifting between cat form and monstrous body.
The scene was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.
Synclay’s shadow form was also violently struck, exploding midair.
Instinctively, the butcher shielded Jiang Huaci but could not resist the strange blue light.
He convulsed and transformed into a Tabby Cat.
As the Tabby Cat was about to be thrown away, Jiang Huaci, unaffected by the attack, grabbed it in time.
She curled her body protectively around the hunter cat, rolling on the ground several times before coming to a stop.
The butcher, hit by the shock, knelt on one knee, his knee sinking deeply into the ground.
He supported himself on the axe handle, muscles bulging with veins like iron—tense and wild.
The red electronic glow in his eye sockets shattered repeatedly but reformed each time, always watching toward Jiang Huaci’s direction.
The butcher’s defiance had reached its limit but still refused to fall.
Zien and his men were safe; this weapon was clearly only effective against non-human monsters.
Jiang Huaci hadn’t expected things to develop this way.
Holding the Tabby Cat, she ran toward the butcher.
Cheng En caught her effortlessly, twisting her wrist and half-holding, half-carrying her in front.
“Let go of me!” Jiang Huaci struggled desperately, kicking and thrashing.
Zien looked at her slight but surprisingly strong frame; controlling her was like handling a clawless little cat.
“Scatter? So you can keep mingling with this trash?” His red lips curled with sarcasm, his tone acidic and jealous.
His grip on her wrist tightened as his gaze swept through her pale fingers.
Zien’s actions immediately angered the Tabby Cat in Jiang Huaci’s arms.
Synclay growled low, baring his teeth, lunging fiercely to bite him.
Zien reacted swiftly, dodging while grabbing the Tabby Cat by the scruff and violently throwing it away.
“Synclay!” Jiang Huaci cried out, helplessly watching him fall, too weak to stand.
Yet even like this, he crawled toward her on his soft, trembling limbs.
Zien continued whispering poison in her ear, his breath cold as ice: “Just two failures. Go back to Monteford, and you can have any pet you want.”
Jiang Huaci was forcibly taken onto the flying craft.
Passing by the heavy weapon, she exchanged a glance with the woman in the white coat.
The woman’s face was full of excitement as she reported to Zien: “The Joint Magnetic Emitter—that is, the Van Helsing K-99—fully achieved the expected effect, but it can only be used once. Many internal components are damaged beyond repair and need replacement. Reducing wear and tear must be part of the upgrade…”
Zien cut her off disinterestedly: “Take all the outside monsters away. Clear this place.”
The combat team immediately sprang into action.
Jiang Huaci turned her head, wanting to look back at the butcher and the others but was forcefully dragged into the cabin by Zien.
Her footsteps faltered; the swaying hem of her dress fluttered like broken bubbles.
All she could hear were angry roars outside, mixed with the clanging of iron cages and curses.
The butcher, Synclay, and all the eldritch monsters were shackled, chained, and sedated—locked up like livestock.
Jiang Huaci thought she would be killed.
Obviously, the Monteford family had no warmth or affection.
This wasn’t the first time Zien had tried to kill her.
This thought lingered until she was surrounded and escorted into a luxurious Princess Suite on the 199th floor.
Looking at the room decorated with jewels and pearls, surreal and dreamlike, Jiang Huaci’s expression was strange: “Am I… really going to live here?”
She couldn’t believe her identity ever deserved such luxury.
“Miss Lumi, this new residence was specially arranged for you by Master Zien,” a beautiful woman with straight bangs stepped forward from the crowd of servants, answering respectfully. “Your former room on the 113th floor is still preserved. Would you like to visit it?”
Jiang Huaci obtained the information she wanted and slowly shook her head: “No need.”
Even stranger.
Moving from the 113th to the 199th floor was a huge leap.
Besides, her nominal “brother” also seemed to live on the 199th floor… Jiang Huaci had no idea what he was planning.
Suppressing her impatience, Jiang Huaci entered the room.
The straight-banged beauty stood at the door, raising her hands to clap twice.
Immediately, a procession of polished servants entered, bringing top-quality food and clothing.
Jiang Huaci was thus pampered with delicious meals and comforts.
Except for 24-hour armed guards equipped with weapons outside, who prevented her from going out, she was free to do anything inside.