Unfortunately, Xu Yintang did not see the small, cute, and white cocoon that Third Flora parasitized on. Otherwise, he would surely have praised Third Flora’s cocoon as being as lovely and shiny as a pearl.
If Third Flora knew about this, it would definitely be even more annoyed with the detestable Mr. Fairman. However, it had already successfully rooted itself in the essence of the Feir sapling, diligently absorbing the host’s life force, eager to be born as soon as possible.
In the moment when the distant, vast, and unspeakable presence was awakened by the sound of sacrifice, Xu Yintang unhesitatingly grabbed Little Darling and jumped out of the 10th-floor window. He saw Mr. Fairman trying to catch him by flying to the window, but the intense movement made Mr. Fairman’s head detach from his body. Both fell from the 10th-floor window.
A strange buzzing sound filled the air, the sound of the Fair sapling sprouting.
Mr. Fairman couldn’t help but show a mocking smile.
Indeed, avoiding entanglement with the soul by the root system of the Fair sapling spreading beyond the hotel boundaries was possible, but it didn’t mean that the prey could safely exit this spectacle.
Everyone would die; no one could survive here.
His face twisted into a mocking and grotesque smile, his eyes widened as if trying to see clearly the tragic scene of Xu Yintang’s brains splattering upon impact. However, he found Xu Yintang calm, smiling without a hint of panic, looking at him with a calm and gentle gaze.
“I’ve already answered you,” he heard Xu Yintang say, “It’s Mr. Fairman.”
It only took a few seconds for a person to fall from the tenth floor. Little Darling’s tentacles reached out from his hem, entwining the decorative sculpture on the outside wall of the hotel to slow Xu Yintang’s fall. At the same time, a tentacle extended, wrapping around Mr. Fairman’s head, pulling it closer so he could hear every word Xu Yintang said more clearly.
“It was Mr. Fairman who set the fire.”
“Mr. Fairman killed his relatives.”
“The culprit is Mr. Fairman.”
For a moment, the chorus of people on the stage seemed to penetrate time and space, resonating in the sound of the falling wind. The music was light, allowing Xu Yintang to imagine the actors tapping their feet to the beat, the red skirts symbolizing blood and flames swirling and flying.
“…If you want to hide a drop of water, put it in the sea. If you want to hide a tree, put it in the forest.”
“My dear, if you want to hide a murder — put it in another murder.”
The hotel fire was set by Mr. Fairman, and he also killed the priests who were unconscious after the sacrifice, attempting to eliminate obstacles and gain a higher position in the family. He burned their bodies, shifting the blame onto the silent Fair sapling.
But he didn’t anticipate that the slaughter he created would ultimately push him into the terrifying network of the Fair sapling’s roots, from which escape was nearly impossible.
A distorted shock and anger appeared on the remaining half of Mr. Fairman’s face, his mouth opened wide as if letting out an unwilling roar, and his only remaining eyeball slid off from its socket.
Xu Yintang continued to smile, a smile untainted by any trace of blood.
This was also the last thing Mr. Fairman saw before endless darkness engulfed his consciousness.
The Fair sapling was sprouting, its massive roots spreading and growing insatiably, causing the fragile space to groan under the burden.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
In the moment of impact with the ground, Xu Yintang saw the sky cracking, and the world collapsing like a fallen glass. He calmly closed his eyes, waiting for the palpitations that would wake him from the nightmare upon landing.
“Ktf wegvfgfg lr vfjv, jcv atf rabgs rtbeiv mbwf ab jc fcv.”
Ktfc, tf kbxf eq lc tlr rfja. Ktf ilutar revvfcis yglutafcfv, jcv jqqijerf atecvfgfv ogbw atf jevlfcmf.
We Tlcajcu bqfcfv tlr fsfr, rja eq, jcv mjiwis pblcfv atf jqqijerf klat atf jevlfcmf jgbecv tlw. Ktf jmabgr bc rajuf kfgf ajxlcu aegcr ab mbwf bea obg atf megajlc mjii. Ktf werlm kjr mtffgoei, jcv qfbqif’r ojmfr ila eq klat rwlifr, jr lo atfs tjv pera gfaegcfv ogbw tfii ab atf tewjc kbgiv.
He had almost missed the entire story, but fortunately, everyone around him was enthusiastically discussing the unexpected ending of the plot. They were excitedly talking about the excellent performance and the almost deceiving killer, old Feierman. He killed his relatives for money and benefits, committing arson to cover up his crimes.
He deserved to be haunted by nightmares and, in the end, jumped out of a window in a terrifying illusion of being chased by a monster.
—Listening to it like this, the story logic seems quite smooth.
When the actors returned to the stage, Xu Yintang heard the chorus again, revealing the crimes of old Feierman. However, this time, the rhythm was faster, and the dynamics were stronger. The actors sang and danced down the stage, inviting the audience to stand up and sway with them.
In the blink of an eye, the theater turned into a disco scene of joy and laughter. Among the audience, the handsome Xu Yintang attracted additional attention from the actors. They pulled him onto the stage, danced around, and even received an intimate cheek kiss from the sexy and charming female lead, drawing envious glances from the men.
Although his teammates, who came to watch after finishing the mission, might have taken advantage of the situation.
With their sugar daddy being so hot, who wouldn’t want to kiss his cheek if given the chance?
Back in the room, Tiantian swore that she saw the female lead taking the opportunity to flirt with their sugar daddy, not removing her hands from his waist the entire time. Xu Yintang reached into his pocket and indeed pulled out a note with a phone number written on it.
There was even a red lipstick mark on the signature, clearly hinting at a certain level of intimacy.
Normally, this would be the classic scene of exchanging favors for information using male charm. Unfortunately, now only Tiantian felt they should ask the female lead for a fee. Just looking was one thing, but getting hands-on meant an additional cost.
Looking at Tiantian, who looked serious and wasn’t joking, Huahua began to consider whether they should give this girl another dose of medicine to make her more sober.
Fortunately, Xu Yintang seemed not to mind being coveted for his looks. Instead, he found it amusing, squinting his eyes and smiling. He shook the note and asked Tiantian if she wanted to discuss the price with the female lead.
After pondering for a while, Tiantian regretfully shook her head and refused, “Third Flora isn’t born yet; it’s not good for prenatal education.”
Xu Yintang lightly tapped her head, fulfilling her wish to be scolded as a little troublemaker by the handsome sugar daddy. Tiantian covered her cheeks, happily falling onto Huahua.
“Oh, I haven’t asked about your side. Is everything going smoothly?” Xu Yintang asked.
Xiao Qing replied, “Quite smoothly. Loren can hypnotize up to three people at a time, and we went for four. In the first round, we almost beat him half to death.”
He glanced at Tiantian. This girl’s appearance was truly deceptive—small, cute, like a harmless little animal. If they had to choose one person to fight among them, ninety-nine point nine percent would instinctively choose her.
Loren was certainly not an exception.
Xiao Qing vividly described Loren’s pitiful appearance, beaten with a swollen nose and three missing teeth. Tiantian, defending her sweet girl image, complained loudly, “Who told him to touch my chest as soon as he came up!”
She puffed up her not-so-rich chest, complaining with regret, “And he said I’m small!”
You say it’s not like they brought it upon themselves by slapping a big mouth on their faces. When Xiao Qing and the others broke free from Loren’s hypnosis, Tiantian was viciously pulling down Loren’s pants, determined to see how well-endowed he was.
The scene was so outrageous that even Mr. Fairman, who happened to be passing by, started avoiding Tiantian.
Imagining that scene, Xu Yintang couldn’t help but laugh along with his teammates. He looked at Xiao Qing and said, “You must have taken pictures.”
Xiao Qing blinked, “I’ll show you later. How about your side? Is the equipment you brought useful?”
Xu Yintang nodded with a smile, briefly describing his experience in Mr. Fairman’s scene, “Most of the things you prepared were useful. Third Flora will be able to be born in a few more days.”
The parasitic cultivation progress bar on the system panel was steadily moving forward. At this rate, it would take at least two to three days for Third Flora to absorb enough life force from the host to be born. If this child was as insatiable as the second baby, it might take four or five days.
Xu Yintang couldn’t help but admire Xiao Qing’s foresight. Only after raising Third Flora did he realize that unless he was willing to conceive and give birth himself, the system wouldn’t recognize the offspring and bind player information until after the cub was born. Therefore, if he left the instance before Third Flora was born, it could lead to a tragic separation of mother and child.
Xiao Qing shook his head and sighed, “The system has been inhumane for quite some time.”
“Let’s have a birthday cake in a couple of days. We can celebrate with Third Flora once she’s born. If she’s born later, you can take it back and eat.”
Xu Yintang nodded, thinking about the next move of the Fair sapling. In the first one or two days after Third Flora parasitized, the Fair sapling should still be very active, possibly extending its root system more frequently under the pressure of survival to quickly replenish the “buds” that were shed overnight and absorb more nutrients.
“So, these two days, we should mainly focus on collective action. If someone needs to separate from the main group, make sure to go in pairs and try not to leave each other’s sight.”
“In addition, we need to consider the possibility that the Fair sapling may become desperate for food.” Xu Yintang, who had raised three cubs, also had a say in this. “Everyone in the hotel is its potential target. If it can’t catch us, it’s likely to go after others.”
“If we really encounter this situation, we can only improvise. We can’t just drive everyone out of the hotel.”
Xiao Qing sighed, supporting his chin, “I hope Third Flora will be powerful enough to handle it in one go. It wasn’t in vain that I was knocked unconscious by it.”
—Indeed, Third Flora was working hard. Its best driving force was its mother.
It was like the most diligent weaver, weaving cocoon after cocoon in the root system of the Fair sapling. Each cocoon was identical in size, requiring a lot of effort to weave into something so pure, flawless, round, and adorable.
However, the round cocoon was too small. Attached to the massive body of the Fair sapling, it was inconspicuous, like a speck of dust. Whenever the Fair sapling’s thick roots wriggled, many of the hard-made cocoons by Third Flora were crushed, oozing a peculiarly fragrant slime.
Undeterred, Third Flora tirelessly filled the gaps with new cocoons, painstakingly repairing the damage, and slowly expanding the area it occupied. Even the slightest progress made it elated, as if it had gotten a little closer to its mother.
The viscous fluid flowing from the shattered cocoons was carried into the depths of the Fair sapling by the wriggling roots. Initially, the minuscule amount was imperceptible and had no apparent effect. However, as the fluids from tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of cocoons seeped into the deep recesses of these roots, the sapling’s wriggling frequency slowed down. It seemed drowsy, lethargic, and eventually succumbed to the drowsiness, falling into a deep slumber.
—In this sleep, it never woke up again.
Third Flora accelerated the weaving speed. In the blink of an eye, one cocoon turned into ten, and then into thousands. Layers of cocoons were woven on top of one another, connecting countless cocoons with invisible threads, creating an airtight and impenetrable net that tightly enveloped the dormant Fair sapling.
At this point, the appearance of the Fair sapling was no longer visible in the void. A massive, white cloud-like entity floated, and the dangling roots were wrapped in cocoons. From the flower-shaped predatory mouths at the ends of the roots, numerous cocoons were inserted into the roots, filling every nook and cranny until even the smallest gap for a thread was squeezed to its limit.
Not enough… still not enough…
It needed more, much more…
The cocoons started making a rustling sound, trembling and deforming. Something inside was gnawing at the inner wall of the cocoons. The buzzing of mouthparts rubbing against wings vibrated, and countless tiny sounds converged into a terrifying noise in the void. It was a sound of the earth shattering, the sky falling, and the destruction of the entire world, as if everything was being torn into fragments. The dying wail of a sapling echoed silently.
Burp… all eaten…
Where’s Mom…
It heard Mom’s voice…
Third Flora couldn’t contain its excitement. It eagerly shook its wet and soft wings, stumbling toward Mom’s direction. Xu Yintang also heard the cub’s cries of “Mom” echoing in his mind, sounding like a baby with a voice that wouldn’t stop crying.
He reached out and caught the butterfly flying from the other side of the void.
It was roughly the size of his palm, with wings as translucent as thin gauze, refracting a colorful and dazzling phosphorescent light. The slender and smooth body emitted a radiant, pearly luster, and when it flew, it was light and graceful, as if dancing. The wings fluttered, displaying a splendid and ever-changing brilliance, so beautiful that one dared not take a breath.
“Third Flora is so beautiful…” Tiantian stared at the butterfly in a daze, almost intoxicated by its dazzling colors.
“This is not Third Flora.” Xu Yintang shook his head. The butterfly landed on his shoulder as if adorning him with a shimmering light.
He looked at the confused eyes of his teammates—Xiao Qing seemed to have sensed something as he rubbed his temples.
Xu Yintang pointed to the butterfly dancing around him. “This is a shadow.” Then he pointed to his shadow on the ground. “The actual body is here.”
In response to his call, an overwhelming number of butterflies suddenly burst out of his shadow, instantly turning the entire world into a dazzling, breathtaking light. Billions of butterflies covered the sky, eclipsing everything in an instant. It became impossible to distinguish between the butterflies and oneself. It was as if one had melted into this bright light, lost in a hazy confusion.
The next moment, all the butterflies flew back into Xu Yintang’s shadow. It was still the same butterfly circling around him, affectionately brushing his cheek with its antennae.
Mom… Mom…
Third Flora and Mom are together now.
Author’s Note –
Third Flora: Stick close~~~
Regarding Mr. Feynman’s scenes, I’ll organize them next time. I was interrupted halfway through writing by a call from the boss to do some work. Another day of working from early morning until late at night. [Sigh]
Third Flora is so adorable!! 🥰🥰 I wonder what the father will think of her!
Happy birthday third flora!
I am curious what her powers will entail!
Wondering if Third Flora will cause his companions sanity checks.
Oh so clever… Third Flora is a horde… But not something that can be cuddled as such which is sad.
Third Flora is amazing already 🥰
Omg Third Flora ‘I wanna be closer to Mom!’ and literally becomes a part of him. I wonder how many butterflies encompass Flora? I’m guessing it’s abilities are related to illusions or hypnosis!
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Thank you very much!
Oh how adorable! I’m imagining the vibes the butterflies from Roxana (manga and novel i think?) give.
Thanks for the chapters💜💜💜💜
Oh mah goodness these babies are so cute! Little Flora is just such a mama’s child just like her older brother .
So Third Flora is like, Hua Cheng’s cousin?
Butterfly is a great lil brother
Thank you for your translation 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜