She sat on one side of a small dining table, the Butcher silently opposite her, focused intently on her, while Sinktu pressed close from behind, clingily wrapping his arms around her.
The CG merged the events into one image, making Jiang Huaying’s heart race with an indescribable heat.
On the wall behind her, the Butcher’s huge shadow loomed, his eyes blood-red, goat horns grotesque, pressing down like the dark night, silently yet violently declaring an ultimate possessiveness.
At her feet, the black shadow controlled by Sinktu morphed into a cat-tiger-like monster, baring sharp teeth gently biting a part of her ankle. Her snow-white skin contrasted sharply with the jet-black fangs, embodying a fragile yet wild beauty.
Jiang Huaying stared at the image for a long time, unable to snap out of it.
She wondered… how were the gods doing…
The Oasis Phantom was a monster that loved noise and gossip.
Compared to the other cruel Monster Worlds, if a player entered his realm, as long as they could tell a story satisfactory enough, they would get a chance to clear the game.
Not only that, the Oasis Phantom held a Monster Gathering every once in a while.
At the gathering, monsters could freely share how many lives they had taken, how much fear they brought, and how many human worlds had witnessed the Domain’s true arrival.
With the energy fluctuating, one monster after another, either grotesque and terrifying, or seductive and bewitching, or mysterious and formless, appeared at the gathering.
Once entering, the monsters were automatically dressed in Ancient Egyptian-style costumes.
“O Phantom, your perversion is as usual.” The Killer Clown’s blood-red lips twisted into a terrifying smile as he tore his white linen robe.
The Oasis Phantom shrugged, regretting that the clown didn’t understand his taste: “This gathering’s theme is based on a story told by a player—‘Pharaoh’s Love,’ a mysterious desert. How romantic!”
The Seven-Headed Giant Python glided silently behind them: “Then you must have heard about what happened in the Cyber World.”
The Oasis Phantom’s tone was affirmative: “Of course!”
“Didn’t the world nearly collapse? Is it true? I thought you all had been keeping low all along?” The Ghost Duchess floated over, holding her severed head. She rather liked the flowing Egyptian-style dress and golden accessories.
“So what exactly happened?” Another monster came closer.
Time in the Eternal Domain was endless. The monsters, having lived countless years, were bored and eager to hear about big events.
“I heard they were looking for a human.” A magnetic, deep voice joined the conversation.
Other monsters heard that humming voice and knew who had arrived.
Leonid, the Lion of Glorious Flame.
He had flaming red hair and sunset-gold eyes; every movement oozed the charm of a mature man.
Other monsters instantly perked up, crowding around.
“Tell us more! What else?”
“Related to a human? Seriously?”
“I told you humans were no good. The evil god Elarato cursed one, and it’s been asleep for so many years!”
Leonid’s sharp brows lifted slightly when he heard the evil god’s name, his expression turning playful.
When Sinktu appeared at the gathering, the gossip-hungry monsters instantly swarmed him.
The instigator had long disappeared into the crowd, casually sitting in a quiet corner.
The Oasis Phantom was the first to rush forward, fully embracing his host’s spirit of hospitality: “Dear Sinktu, I thought you wouldn’t come. Where’s the Butcher?”
“Looks like you’ve all heard the news?” Sinktu chuckled haughtily, perfectly embodying the catlike arrogance.
The gods had come to the gathering today to hide Jiang Huaying’s existence.
Although she once abandoned the gods again—full of lies and untrustworthy, utterly hypocritical!
Although Sinktu hated her and wanted to kill her, then chew her to bits and swallow her so no one else could have her.
But that didn’t mean Sinktu was willing to share the news of her return.
On the contrary, he held onto it tightly.
Sinktu hadn’t forgotten that before him, five, six, seven, eight fox spirits surrounded her.
Unfortunately, his rage had caused too much noise while searching, making complete concealment impossible, so he had to divert attention.
Pouring himself a glass of wine, he spoke casually, “It’s just catching a little thief, and cleaning out some annoying pests. Things staying the same is boring, we need some fun, right?”
His godly attitude was natural, without any attempt to hide, dampening the excitement of the eavesdropping monsters.
Parvis, upon hearing the outcome, looked clearly disappointed.
She was one of the few monsters maintaining a human form.
Not for any reason but because she had once said human appearance was beautiful.
Parvis had skin like black pearls and long silver curls.
She casually wore a loose robe, loosely tied at the waist, revealing a full, fit black chest and strong, well-shaped legs.
She adorned herself with many exquisite silver ornaments, even on her legs, the cold silver circling her muscles, jangling as she walked. Her deep and exotic features resembled an ancient Egyptian deity.
Quite fitting for today’s gathering theme.
When Sinktu appeared, Parvis inexplicably felt that the person he was searching for might be her.
Without any reason, her heart raced with a light breath of hope.
But it was just a thief.
Though, how could it be her?
She had disappeared for three years; she probably had long been forgotten.
Parvis leaned gloomily on a chaise lounge, the intense longing making her bones ache, losing interest in the rest of the gathering.
Many monsters, upon hearing Sinktu’s answer, showed regret but nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, it’s too boring.”
“No one knows when the true arrival will happen.”
“What about the Butcher? You’re close to the gods…”
Sinktu glanced at the monster sharply, cat pupils piercing: “If I’m not mistaken, the gods never attend the gathering. If you like asking so much, how about I take you to ask them directly?”
The monster instantly dared not utter another word.
Even among boss-level monsters, there were differences in strength. The strong could easily cripple the weak without cost.
After sending away the annoying monsters, Sinktu half-closed his eyes, scanning the entire gathering.
He saw quite a few familiar faces.
The flashy red-maned lion, the provocative white-haired scorpion, and that cold-blooded mad fish.
They corresponded to Leonid, Parvis, and Sea God Serfa.
The blue-haired, blue-eyed Sea God shared some resemblance to the widely known mythical mermaid in the human world but was still distinctly different.
Serfa lazily half-soaked in a pool, his upper body indistinguishable from a human male, features exquisitely perfect, carrying the cold, mysterious temperament of a deep-sea creature.
His slender waist flowed into a powerful, silver-gray fish tail, the sharp tail fin leisurely swaying in the water, sending ripples across the surface.
Thanks to Jiang Huaying, the gods knew each other but were obviously not close.
The three formidable monsters occupied the most luxurious area of the gathering, each reigning supreme, forming their own unique scenery.
The gathering quickly reached its peak—lively and noisy.
By the time some monsters noticed this area again, it was already deserted.
A muffled sound arose, accompanied by a strong scent of blood.
At the same time, a faint salty ocean breeze lingered in the air.
Sinktu’s silver-gray tail rested on the ground with a “whoosh,” heavy and terrible burn wounds covered his body.
Serfa struggled to move but was pinned down by a pair of red-soled shoes on his tail.
Leonid maliciously ground his shoe sole, voice arrogant: “I heard she really likes your tail? I don’t know what’s so memorable about a weak little human.”
Serfa’s beautiful glossy tail cracked again and again, deep wounds visible to the bone.@ Infinite Good Stories, only at Jinjiang Literature City
He gasped heavily, his pale chest rising and falling violently, ocean-blue eyes glaring fiercely at Leonid: “Hmph, you’re the same! Who are you trying to fool?”
Leonid shook his head, looking at the deep-sea ruler like a dog with broken teeth: “I’m different from you miserable creatures. I only used her to get rid of a little trouble.”
“But compared to that scorpion, you’re sharper. Not wasted that I spent a lot setting traps here in advance. Too bad I didn’t kill you immediately.”
Others might not know that Jiang Huaying had a little kitten hidden outside at the time, but Leonid and Serfa, who were favored then, knew.
That was why when they saw Sinktu again, they immediately sensed something was off.
“Since that’s the case, why did you look for her?” Serfa’s fingertips became claws, digging deep marks into the ground as he charged up.
Leonid thought for a moment, then spoke. Compared to his usual indifferent tone, his words were sharp and piercing: “I heard the fastest way to break the Main-Pet Contract is for one party to die.”
Before his words finished, silver light flashed!
Serfa suddenly launched an attack, murderous intent overflowing.
But Leonid was faster, precisely and ruthlessly piercing Serfa’s vital spot.
Sounds of water splashing rang out.
Serfa’s eyes were filled with unwillingness as he fell into the vast ocean.
Leonid’s palm ignited with Glory Flame, everything around him instantly bursting into flames.
Even the fishy scent in the air was completely burned away—no one would know what had just happened here.
Satisfied, Leonid turned and left.
On the boundless sea, waves rose and fell, white foam crashing.
A wave struck, revealing an unusual color on the surface.
Nolan floated unconscious on the sea, his wounds soaked and pale, breath faint.
Above, seagulls and other birds circled, calling, eager for the feast about to arrive below.
Gradually, the sea calmed at an eerie pace.
Smooth and still—dead silent.
Nolan’s body slowly sank, as if pulled by an invisible force, finally… swallowed bit by bit.
In the real world, night had fallen thick.
The liveliest and most distinctive bar street suddenly sensed strange fluctuations in the air.
Street lamps flickered as if malfunctioning.
After a brief flash, a tall figure suddenly appeared on the street.
Fortunately, the area was full of drunken bums who didn’t notice the anomaly. Instead, they gaped in shock at Leonid’s appearance.
“W-W-Wow… total jackpot!”
“Daddy!!1”
A group of drunkards jostled; the boldest stumbled and lunged straight at Leonid.
The latter slowly lifted his long leg, firmly stepping on the man’s face with the red sole of his shoe: “Please keep your distance. I don’t have a trash-collecting fetish.”
The man being stepped on didn’t feel insulted; instead, drool nearly fell as his eyes glued to Leonid.
But due to Leonid’s powerful aura, no one dared to continue causing trouble.
Brushing aside the annoying humans, Leonid felt the chaotic aura of this world and quickly locked onto a direction.
Sure enough, after wasting a little time dealing with Serfa, the Butcher had already arrived first.