“The wooden rabbit talisman will be delivered to Shian tomorrow afternoon.”
The moment Yin Ren arrived home, he immediately lunged towards the sofa. Although the Lord Ghost King had already completely moved his lair into Zhong Chengshuo’s bedroom, Yin Ren couldn’t sever his deep attachment to the sofa.
“I still want to ponder over Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s case for a while. You go ahead and sleep, alright? I’ll take the opportunity to have a late-night snack.”
Yin Ren said, while his fingers had already swiped through a dozen delivery apps on his phone.
By the time Zhong Chengshuo came out after taking a shower, Yin Ren had already created a makeshift nest on the sofa. With one hand holding the wooden rabbit talisman and the other writing and drawing on a tablet. His black hair cascaded to the floor, and the semi-transparent wings at the ends of his hair twitched restlessly.
Yin Ren furrowed his brows, completely absorbed and focused, unlike his usual demeanor.
Noticing Zhong Chengshuo standing nearby, gazing intently, Yin Ren’s brows relaxed in an instant. He curved his eyes and eyebrows, and a particularly soft wing ball dove into Zhong Chengshuo’s embrace.
“What time is it? Sleep soon.” The wing ball squirmed in Zhong Chengshuo’s arms.
“In terms of metaphysical research, I really can’t be of much help.” Zhong Chengshuo hugged the wing ball, which was the size of a throw pillow, tightly. “Remember to go to bed early.”
“Close the door. I might make some noise later!” Yin Ren waved his hand towards Zhong Chengshuo.
Zhong Chengshuo stayed behind the crack of the door and slowly closed it. The light in the living room turned into a narrow beam of orange, gradually narrowing on his face. Finally, the bedroom door closed completely, and the last trace of light vanished.
Zhong Chengshuo held the “connected by a thread” wing ball and obediently lay on his side. Yin Ren’s bedding was right beside him, emitting the familiar and pleasant scent unique to Yin Ren.
Zhong Chengshuo buried his face in the warm wing ball and let out a long sigh.
He had taken a shower, blow-dried his hair, wore clean pajamas, and his nightcap was in the perfect position. The bedding was soft, and the sheets and covers were clean, carrying the scent of sun-dried freshness. The room temperature was just right, and he would quickly fall asleep… or so he thought.
Yin Ren wasn’t there, and the mattress felt completely different. The absence of that weight prevented him from finding peace—Yin Ren was still awake, and the thread between them was taut in his heart, leaving him restless.
Zhong Chengshuo buried himself in the wing ball for a while. Then, he silently got up and slowly opened the bedroom door once again.
“Squeak!”
…He had almost forgotten how loud that creaking sound of the door was!
Zhong Chengshuo made an effort to be as quiet as possible, accompanied by the slow opening sound typical of horror movies, as he slowly stuck his head out.
The living room was warmly lit, and the cool autumn breeze gently swayed the curtains. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night sky was sparkling, and the piercing sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.
The tablet was covered with unfamiliar characters, and the wooden rabbit talisman was being examined by this person. Yin Ren was half-sunken on the sofa, in a casual posture, his usual laziness transformed into a kind of antiquity.
Zhong Chengshuo stared fixedly, feeling a warm and comfortable sensation in his chest.
“Hey, why are you still awake?” Yin Ren, with a mouthful of dried squid, turned his head in surprise. “Feeling thirsty? I just heated a cup of milk in the microwave, you can have it.”
“Dog Thing.” Zhong Chengshuo cleared his throat. “I had some thoughts just now and need to verify them using it.”
“Oh, sure, take it.” Yin Ren readily tossed his phone. “The unlock password is your birthday. Do whatever you want… Aren’t you going to have some warm milk?”
“I will.” Zhong Chengshuo said solemnly, squeezing out of the door, with one arm still holding the wing ball tightly.
After the bedroom door closed again, Zhong Chengshuo turned on the desk lamp and sat down at the bedroom table. The hot milk was poured into a ceramic cup, emitting a faint and comforting aroma.
Dog Thing sat silently under the lamp, and the hanging Yellow Millet pendant was dozing off, making a puffing sound. Zhong Chengshuo also took out the hamster pendant that Yin Ren had given him and placed it next to Dog Thing.
Now he only had the spare phone that belonged to King Yama, unable to log in to any account related to Zhong Chengshuo. With regards to contacting his parents, Shian was probably executing his “afterlife plans” he had designed, automatically answering them.
Only this small hamster pendant returned to his hand, while its matching partner had already turned to dust.
Zhong Chengshuo poked the little hamster, pondered for a few minutes, and opened Yin Ren’s phone, purposefully navigating to “Coffin Nails”.
[Yin Ren: You two are older and have been married. I have something I need to ask for advice on. @Hu Tao @Lu Tanfei]
[Lu Tanfei: Please speak.]
[Hu Tao: Why do you sound strange today?]
[Hu Tao: Well, as long as it’s not work-related. Recently, our Xiao Yin has grown up, and he knows not to rely on his sister anymore. Please continue to maintain that~] From the tone, that fierce ghost was probably not nearby.
Zhong Chengshuo paused his fingertips on the keyboard for a moment and decided to follow the lead.
[Yin Ren: Our token of love from before got broken, and I want to replace it. Do you two have any relevant experience?]
[Hu Tao: …Hehe.]
[Yin Ren: Relevant experience?]
[Lu Tanfei: You can buy a couple of high-quality pens.]
The old man answered properly, but Zhong Chengshuo took a moment to consider Yin Ren’s personality—that guy was never interested in such things and would inevitably need a notebook along with a pen. He might not use it for eight hundred years. This answer was more suitable for himself than Yin Ren.
[Hu Tao: What was it before? Just get a new one.]
Zhong Chengshuo looked at the lonely hamster. Its two black bean-like eyes shimmered with a soft reflection.
[Yin Ren: Strictly speaking, it’s not appropriate. Hamsters are solitary animals.]
[Hu Tao: Are you lecturing me about science? Don’t tell me it’s about those hamster pendants. They’re not even real hamsters!]
[Yin Ren: Not suitable.]
Zhong Chengshuo insisted on his point of view.
Hamsters had a strong territorial instinct and were highly intolerant of other individuals entering their territory, except during brief periods of mating when they allowed the opposite sex to approach. If they were kept together for a long time, the dominant one may even kill and eat the weaker one. He didn’t mind it before, but now he just didn’t want to use such an inappropriate “token of love” symbol.
Wait, the inherent characteristics of biological species… dominance and submission…
Zhong Chengshuo ignored Miss Hu Tao, who was still discussing love experiences, and directly exited Coffin Nails, waking up Siren. When they were in the Archive, this thing even negotiated conditions with Yin Ren and said it wanted to eat the “weak”.
[Regarding your memories, Yin Ren told me about them. I have a question—why do you seem to derive energy from emotions and yet consume other entities?]
[Because of hunger.]
Faced with two large entities of unknown origin, Dog Thing wished it could tuck its non-existent tail between its legs.
[For example, me. My species enjoys feeding on the “anxiety” emotion, which contains elements of “worry”. So, we can also prey on groups that feed on “worry” and indirectly satisfy our hunger by utilizing the “worry” within them.]
Zhong Chengshuo stared at the line of gray-white text.
Anxiety, shame, worry… These subtle emotions were composed of countless basic emotions, similar to the vibrant colors formed by the combination of primary colors.
With this in mind, the simpler and more primal the corresponding emotions of an Elemental, the more sources of energy it had in this world, and the broader the “menu of prey” on the Other Side… In other words, such entities were closer to the top of the Elemental food chain.
He contemplated for a moment: [Twenty-eight years ago, you witnessed the true Elemental form of Mr. Qiu. Were there many entities belonging to his species on the other side?]
[No, I only heard about that one. It represents “Disgust”.] Dog Thing, in low battery mode, trembled as it answered. [I obtained relevant information, and it is said that only when it dies can a new “Disgust” be born.]
[After all, it was too powerful. It could satisfy its hunger solely through emotions. If there were more of them, it would devour all of us.]
Zhong Chengshuo remained silent as the hot milk by his side quietly cooled, forming a layer of milk skin on its surface.
Perhaps they were overthinking the Primordial Elementals. If they simply regarded these Elementals as a type of unique creature, the existing phenomena could also be explained.
The predators at the top of the food chain, like tigers…
…They could clearly discern the distinct taste of their own kind. Just as he could detect the unique scent on Yin Ren’s body.
As long as they existed, they would suppress the appearance of “the one and only” creature of their kind, akin to a queen bee.
…Their presence alone would suppress the appearance of their own kind, and once they encountered each other, it would be a struggle for survival unless one party was already on the brink of death. This sense of exclusion and crisis seemed to be ingrained in their instincts.
Just as every time they touched, a shiver would pass between their skins.
According to the analysis report from Shian, he and Yin Ren were of the same kind. Now it seemed that they might be each other’s only kind—some kind of apex predator positioned high in the food chain, mutually repelling each other.
He had assimilated into the human body and “disappeared” from the world. Yin Ren was born as a cub… No wonder, back then, when he curled up with Yin Ren’s bones to sleep, the bones remained still.
However, with this “queen bee” still in existence, Yin Ren’s growth had been suppressed.
Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, placing the soft bundle of wings on his chest. The gentle, small wings fluttered lightly. He placed the bundle of wings on the table, allowing them to spread open slightly, revealing a sense of laziness.
There could only be one king on a mountain, one king visible at a time. Humans understood this principle thousands of years ago.
If it were himself from thousands of years ago, without the capacity for thought, he would certainly have fought Yin Ren on instinct. But now… Outside, there were billions of humans waking up early every day for work. Going against biological instincts was something Zhong Chengshuo had long grown accustomed to.
He held the cup of milk in both hands, sipping it slowly, and decided to continue studying the most important question at hand.
[I understand.] Finishing the milk, Zhong Chengshuo typed with a serious expression. [Help me check Yin Ren’s Taobao’s shopping cart. I need some references.]
At three in the morning, Yin Ren stretched lazily and put away the wooden talisman with the rabbit carving.
He tiptoed back to the bedroom, remembering to apply a soundproofing spell to the door hinge in advance. There was no light in the bedroom. Zhong Chengshuo was curled up in bed like a lump, as if asleep.
Lord Ghost King had almost coordinated every muscle in his body, striving to slip back into bed as lightly as a cloud. Little did he expect when he was about to use all eighteen martial arts skills that were put to battle to silently reach for the pillow—
Zhong Chengshuo swiftly turned over. His dark eyes locked onto Yin Ren, quickly shifting closer to him.
“…Did I wake you up?”
“I haven’t been able to sleep.”
“So, you just watched me exert all my effort in silence?!” Yin Ren’s smile froze on his lips, causing even the bundle of wings in Zhong Chengshuo’s arms to tremble.
“Because it was interesting. I’ve never seen it before.” Zhong Chengshuo adjusted the covers and spoke honestly.
“Fine, you’re impressive… Anyway, go to sleep earlier. It’s already so late. Be careful not to get insufficient sleep.” Yin Ren flicked the pom-pom on Zhong Chengshuo’s nightcap.
“…Yin Ren.”
“Hm?”
“I still don’t know what I am now. If I were to pose a threat to your existence, how would you feel?” Zhong Chengshuo tugged at the covers, leaving only a pair of serious eyes exposed.
“Well… I have no thoughts on that.” Lord Ghost King also burrowed into the covers. “I know you won’t die in just a hundred years, and that’s enough for me. As for the rest, we’ll deal with it when the time comes. So, are you going to argue with me over the five million in your dream?”
“But what if the five million is real?”
“Then let’s settle for 250 each.” Yin Ren chuckled. “When the road comes to an end, it’s fine to stop here. We have the present, and we can leave future matters to our future selves.”
He reached out his hand from under the blanket and patted Zhong Chengshuo.
Zhong Chengshuo also extended his arm and held Yin Ren’s hand tightly. “I understand.”
“Haa, it would be nice if we really had five million.” Yin Ren murmured a few times. As he always did, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against Zhong Chengshuo’s forehead. Zhong Chengshuo, however, didn’t immediately close his eyes. He gazed at his lover in the darkness, and his gaze softened.
Indeed, Yin Ren didn’t care either.
If two fierce beasts were in the same cage, they might fight to the death. But they weren’t wild animals; they were… “human” in a certain sense.
He would continue to think about what to do with the symbol of their love. Tomorrow, he would go to his parents’ house to bring some fruits and could ask them in passing…
Amidst the jumble of daily thoughts, Zhong Chengshuo quickly fell into a deep sleep.
……
In the center of Haigu.
“I thought the effect would be more significant. After all the trouble you went through, it’s just a few missing people and a few injured cases.”
Shen Mo sat on the edge of the rooftop, listening to the piercing sound of police sirens below.
“Twenty-eight years ago, the scene was like the end of the world, much grander than this. Your cooperation doesn’t seem very dedicated.”
Behind him stood a man dressed in a dark blue gown, resembling a comic actor. The man, Mr. Le, wore a face of exhaustion and replied to Shen Mo in silence.
“Why don’t you say anything? It’s not our fault that we can’t reach Mr. Qiu… To put it bluntly, those sources of corruption should have been altered according to Mr. Qiu’s power characteristics. Now, it’s been temporarily taken over by you, brother. Could it be that you’re incapable?”
“Mr. Qiu’s own combat ability is average, but he is indeed skilled at stirring up conflicts. I don’t want to continue with this job either.” Mr. Le finally sighed and spoke. “But young man, what you just said is also not quite right.”
“Oh?”
“The sudden outbreak of disaster—once it’s over, people will soon forget about it,” Mr. Le continued with his bitter and flat tone. “If you want to achieve lasting effects, you have to start with small things…”
“An unemployed man stabbing an unfamiliar female white-collar worker on the subway during rush hour.”
“Several students abusing an elderly scrap collector to death.”
“An unknown suspect poisoning the ice cream machine at a mall.”
Mr. Le counted on his fingers, and a meaningful smile appeared on his weak face.
“If you ask me, those few cases of injuries had an incredibly good effect. As a starting point, it’s really… very appropriate.”
The author has something to say:
Cats and rabbits in the same cage (not really)
Xiao Zhong: Maybe we’re natural enemies, but it doesn’t matter.
Xiao Yin: That’s true. (Starts daydreaming about five million)
Kinky Thoughts:
Just for some clarity, the Primordial Elementals are not like nature “elements” (like earth, fire, water, ect.).
