Tang Xunan felt Shen Qingyang's challenge was absurd. He was not only willing to die for Lu Yan but would even mince himself to stuff buns for him, though at over a hundred years old, his flesh might be a bit tough, and he wasn't sure if Lu Yan would like the taste. But in the current situation, arguing over such matters was pointless, especially since Shen Qingyang seemed mentally unstable.
Tang Xunan didn't lower his blade, instead stating firmly, "Move aside." Shen Qingyang's eyes grew colder: "Killing you would do just as well." Tang Xunan narrowed his eyes, a smile unexpectedly forming, "You could try, but remember your place as the defeated." After saying this, he gently kissed the side of Lu Yan's face, who was still unconscious.
They were already very close to their destination. This time, Shen Qingyang's tentacles truly split in frustration. His eyes reddened, and his black tentacles swelled, splitting at the tips into claw-like mouths. The yellow dust sliced through dozens of tentacles in moments, deep blue blood spraying and debris floating in the air. Shen Qingyang didn't care about the severed tentacles; as long as there were enough, he believed one would eventually catch Tang Xunan off guard and take Lu Yan.
The endless assault of tentacles indeed troubled Tang Xunan. The overall pollution levels of R'lyeh were high, affecting humans who stayed too long. High-intensity pollution cleansing also increased Tang Xunan's mutation level. If not for undergoing a pollutant source removal surgery before coming here, he might have succumbed before Lu Yan.
Lu Yan, disturbed by the extensive movement, began to groan uncomfortably. Tang Xunan decided it was time to end this fight. Dragon wings unfolded behind him as the yellow dust drew beautiful arcs with his blade, cutting through countless tentacles to find Shen Qingyang hidden within.
Tang Xunan's blade hilt struck Shen Qingyang's jaw hard, and with a backhand motion, he sliced open his throat. "All strength and no skill, seems no one ever taught you how to fight." Shen Qingyang fell backward, crashing into a stone pillar and stopping only when he hit it. Dust flew up, deep blue blood gushing. He clutched his throat, tentacles proliferating behind him, striking towards Tang Xunan as if they felt no pain.
Shen Qingyang, gifted with the ability to absorb life, was desperate to tear flesh and blood from Tang Xunan. Tentacles emerged not only from his back but also from his mouth. Now dripping with blood, his appearance was ghastly and horrifying.
"Yes, indeed no one taught me…" his voice was like a broken bellows due to a ruptured windpipe, "I was abandoned by my mother at birth because my father was a criminal. I don't blame her. I was found in a trash bin by my foster parents and raised like an animal."
"I am the scum of society's bottom," Shen Qingyang managed to stand up, leaning on his arm, "Only Lu Yan... never despised me." If he hadn't seen the light, he might have endured the darkness.
Shen Qingyang almost roared, "You want to save him, right? So do I! Give him to me! If we wait any longer, Lu Yan will truly die!" Black tentacles emerged from his remaining intact eye. Disgusting tentacles drilled out of all his orifices.
Due to severe injuries, Shen Qingyang couldn't maintain his disguise, reverting to his true form. He was a monster, a mass of flowing black muck with tentacles, and deep blue eyes sprouting all over his body. These eyes showed a mix of mourning and madness, some weeping sorrowfully, others displaying undisguised hatred and jealousy, and some apathetically detached.
Tang Xunan slowly lowered his blade, breaking the silence to ask, "How do you plan to save him?" The creature before him spoke, its voice no longer resembling Shen Qingyang's, "Both he and I are vessels for an ancient god revered by the deep-sea cult... We each hold a part of that god's body."
"The difference is, Lu Yan was chosen as a vessel from birth, while I was selected after mutation." "He is the vessel for the mind, and I am for the body. The ancient god will descend in his body. Then, by consuming me, it will complete its final, full evolution..."
The black octopus spewed blood-stained mucus, "By having Lu Yan consume me before he completely loses consciousness, before the old god arrives, the new god will replace the old. Talent 17, Life Absorption, not only absorbs but also nourishes... I've said, I will prove that I am the most suitable for him."
He struggled to stand, his upper body regaining human form. Shen Qingyang raised a tentacle, touching his own heart through the thin chest cavity, emitting a suppressed and crazed laughter, "I am the best vessel. I can save him, can you?"
His tentacles explored the large gash on his throat, pulling out a pulsing blue heart enveloped in sticky blood plasma. "I'm dying," Shen Qingyang's voice finally steadied, he gasped heavily, lowering his head, "Please, give him to me."
Tang Xunan watched the creature before him, and only two words flashed through his mind—Madman.
In this moment, the lines between monster and savior blurred, revealing the depth of Shen Qingyang's devotion and the lengths to which he would go for Lu Yan, challenging Tang Xunan's resolve and questioning the true nature of salvation within the twisted reality of their world.
....
In a daze, Lu Yan opened his eyes. Gaining back a shred of consciousness, his mind felt as muddled as if he were suffering from a high fever. It took him a while to recall his current predicament. He should be in R'lyeh, alongside Tang Xunan. However, when Lu Yan opened his eyes, he saw Shen Qingyang's face instead. Shen Qingyang looked terribly thin, almost emaciated.
"Doctor," Shen Qingyang said, holding his hand with a pale face. Lu Yan tried to pull his hand back but realized it wasn't Shen Qingyang grasping him. Instead, from the slit in his left palm, countless white filaments had emerged, latching onto Shen Qingyang. These filaments, like IV tubes, were inserted into Shen Qingyang's body.
Lu Yan's mind wandered back to the beginning of it all, in K City, at the Disease Prevention and Control Center. Shen Qingyang was caged, and Lu Yan extended filaments from his palm to him, but back then, it was to treat Shen Qingyang.
Thirsty and hungry, Lu Yan realized he was using Talent 21, Devouring. After the symbiotic kingfish within him died, this talent automatically came under his control. He opened his mouth to speak but found his throat too painful to utter a word.
Shen Qingyang's finger touched his lips, "Anything you say now might become reality but at the same cost to you. Don't speak, doctor." Lu Yan couldn't move. He struggled to shift his gaze, searching for Tang Xunan. However, he could only see a faint white light barrier enveloping this realm, beyond which monsters continuously cried and wailed.
Talent 6, Omniscience, kicked in at that moment. Tang Xunan was outside the light barrier. Holding the yellow dust, now a bladed weapon, he faced the relentless assault of deep-sea pollutants. Below him lay shattered scales; his hand, fully transformed into a dragon's, was drenched in blood. The scent of golden dragon blood mixed with the various hues of pollutant blood was oddly fragrant.
The city seemed to be sinking into a massive hole, as if about to be submerged. Killing Tang Xunan wasn't the pollutants' objective. Their goal was Lu Yan, guarded within the light barrier. Though unable to speak, these evolved pollutants possessed language and intelligence. Many had already fallen to the man's blade. He appeared close to death yet stood up time and again, displaying chilling tenacity.
At the entrance, the captain of the Noah appeared inquisitive but dared not step forward. The entire city was shrouded in dense black fog, its mere proximity invoking a profound sense of dread.
Beyond this, Lu Yan saw more. The outside world saw the moon quietly turning red. At the headquarters of the Disease Prevention and Control Center, staff were in a state of high alert, broadcasting to the world, "This time, the pollution center is at sea!"
"The Tyrant—out of contact. Can't get through by phone!"
"According to location tracking!! The last appearance of the Tyrant and Listener is very close to this pollution center!"
On satellite images, a massive, vortex-shaped black hole appeared in the ocean, slowly rotating and spewing black fog, as if heralding the awakening of a colossal beast.
"Where's Alpha! Find Alpha," the director roared, "It's too far at sea, don't go there yet! Stabilize the order with Alpha! An S-class pollutant has escaped!"
With Tang Xunan absent, Ning Huai represented the highest combat power available. Humanity had only detected an unexpected rise in pollution levels. But to the pollutants of the sea, land, and air, it was an innate fear they felt—a bloodline suppression and the instinctual fear of prey before a predator.
Lu Yan saw—sea-dwelling pollutants recklessly charging onto land. Land pollutants frantically fled into the mountains or underground. Floating islands wished they could run all the way to the Arctic.
"Doctor Lu," Shen Qingyang's gentle voice brought Lu Yan back to the present. His gaze shifted to Shen Qingyang's face. Shen Qingyang maintained a smile, but large drops of blue blood flowed from his eyes, blurring the line between blood and tears.
"You're very tired. Rest now. Everything will be better when you wake up. You're smarter than me; you know what to do... and this is as far as I can go."
"Will you remember me, Lu Yan?"
Thus, Lu Yan indeed began to feel an overwhelming drowsiness. He was tired...
...
R'lyeh.
The massive white moon took a step forward. Its movements seemed slow, but in an instant, it was in front of Tang Xunan.
"I've come to collect my child," it spoke slowly, softly, "It's about to be born, isn't it?"
It sounded like a gentle
woman.
After Jiang Yue made its move, the surrounding pollutants made way. Jiang Yue's massive form moved forward, each step causing the earth to tremble.
The pollution detection device Tang Xunan carried had a maximum reading of 15,000. As Jiang Yue approached, the detector's reading hit its peak.
"Tang Xunan," Shen Qingyang's voice came through, "We're short on time, just a bit more."
Tang Xunan had incomplete control over time; he could only move forward, not back. But he had yet to try stopping time.
If accelerating an object's time flow consumed the energy of a few batteries, then pausing time in an area would require the energy of a nuclear power plant.
But there was no nuclear power plant here, only Tang Xunan.
His golden eyes burned like flames: "I understand now."
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