Doomsday Wonderland

As a sharp female voice rang out from the soil bridge, a large shadow spread its wings and flew into the sky.

The scream lasted for half a second as it was nipped off by a thumping sound. Only the echo was left resonating through the shades of night.

Then, a murmur of whispers came from the dark. Lin Sanjiu sighed as she slumped to the ground, deactivating her [Consciousness Mimicry].

“It’s true! Number 45 has been bitten!” Number 43 darted a glance at them and crouched down. His eyes under his bandana were large, “How did you know it would be her?”

Lin Sanjiu didn’t respond; instead, she asked a question which was unrelated to the topic they were engaging in, “Can you remember the size of the soil chunk that you accidentally kicked in the chamber?”

“The size?” The question stupefied Number 43. However, he still searched through his mind and reached out to outline the size of around half his body, “I didn’t see it clearly, but it’s around this size. There were still many small chunks of soil, so I would say it is a lot.”

“So much soil fell, and you only saw a leg? Don’t you find it weird?” Lin Sanjiu shot a rhetorical question in reply.

Number 43 blinked as if he didn’t know what she was saying at first. Then, when the scale finally dropped from his eyes, his forehead was already filled with cold sweat.

“Err, I didn’t overthink that time… I thought he was buried vertically…” replied Number 43. He looked at Lin Sanjiu and continued, “N-no way, that makes no sense.”

“Nothing is impossible. Number 44 was indeed buried after being dismembered. I guess there are other larger body parts in the soil aside from the leg you saw,” Lin Sanjiu replied matter-of-factly. She then turned her head to a direction and continued, “I’m not sure whether Number 46 is aware of this, but parts of Number 44 should be in Number 45’s hand now.”

“What?” Number 43 shouted, his voice thick with surprise, “Why would she do that?”

“Simple,” Lin Sanjiu sat on the ground, feeling the warmth of the ground that baked by the summer sun resonated from her feet, “…Because human flesh is a source of energy as well.”

“Just like the  duoluozhong  of this world?” Number 43’s face turned pale, “She keeps Number 44’s flesh just to eat?”

“Not like the  duoluozhong . Number 45 is a  duoluozhong . I sensed something before this, and when I looked back on my memory, I realized that my suspicion isn’t entirely groundless,” Lin Sanjiu paused as her eyebrows were knitted together.

The two times she sensed the “disharmonious” feeling was after somebody mentioned “posthuman” or “Special Item.” As a native  duoluozhong , those two things were something they had never heard of, so it was natural that they found them weird. Hence, each of her micro-actions, her eye movements, or even a quirk at the corner of her lips couldn’t escape Lin Sanjiu’s eyes.

The appearance of the  duoluozhong  in this world was indistinguishable from ordinary folk. According to Five, the only difference between the two species was that the  duoluozhong  had more than fifty teeth. Perhaps it was due to this point that Number 45 could mingle herself with them so perfectly without anybody noticing.

“Did you tell her that you came from Honey Marsh?” Lin Sanjiu asked again, “I have asked her where she came from, and she told me she was transferred from Honey Marsh. She has never been to another world before, so she could only use the name of a world that she heard from somebody. In this case, she used your homeland.”

“Yea, I mentioned my origin once during our first meeting, but when did she kill Number 44?” It was clear that Number 43 had never expected that a duoluozhong  would hide among them, he was still a little bit shaken, “Why didn’t we hear a thing? Besides, Number 44 was too careless…”

“Only the people involved know the whole story. I guess Number 44 was probably not Number 45’s target at first— Do you still remember the seed from the previous batch that died?”

“Ah, right. Number 42 retrieved that seed’s number tag.”

“He took the number tag, that’s right, then what about the corpse? According to Harry, the corpse is in the chamber, but we didn’t see anybody even after we went to all three chambers.” Mayhap mimicking Ji Shanqing was tiring, and the wound on her arm was painful, Lin Sanjiu leaned herself against the wall as she closed her eyes, looking beaten-up, “Number 45 probably has kept the dead body as fodder the moment she heard that there was a dead body down there. That’s the reason she could jump out, throw everything to the wind and be the first one to test the water droplets without worrying about anything as she could easily replenish the vitality that she lost by consuming the dead body.

“However, something unexpected happened and caused Number 45, who wanted to eat the dead body to turn her sights on Number 44,” Lin Sanjiu sneered, a cold smile danced around her lips, “Before the beetle showed up, I heard somebody eating in their side. It’s different from what I have experienced before, so I didn’t react to it at first, but after I think it over, if Number 45 didn’t wish to blow her disguise, she has to eat her meal in the dark when everybody is in their slumberland. She has to do it noiselessly and she could not leave any trace on her body, so she shreds the meat first before putting into her mouth.”

Number 43’s face turned pale as if some unbecoming images barged into his mind. He untied his bandana and used it to wipe the sweat on his head. His unyielding short spiky hair sprang up as if it would not give in to the pressure applied by the bandana, “I have seen how they eat here, gosh… But what does this have to do with Number 45 being bitten?”

“Think about it; she is halfway eating her meal when the beetle shows up. Hence, no matter how careful she has been to keep her clothes clean from bloodstain, she wouldn’t have enough time to take care of the scene on her body. Everybody has awakened, if I was Number 45, I would rub some essential balm ointment to cover the smell. After all, that’s the only thing I have on my hand right now that’s potent enough to cover the smell,” Lin Sanjiu smiled, “It was just that she didn’t know the whole nutrient boost serum bullshit that we told the beetle… When the beetle went over there and found out she had the strongest smell, of course it would bite her first. Anyway, she deserved that.”

Number 43 had to digest a while after he heard Lin Sanjiu’s explanation. By the time he finally figured the whole thing out, he turned over to Lin Sanjiu with his face full of admiration and complimented her, “You’re so clever.”

Lin Sanjiu face reddened in embarrassment. She equivocated and let the thing pass.

“Now that Number 46 knows his strategy has failed. What will he do next?” Number 43 mumbled.

Regarding this, they had the answer after 12 hours.

It had been a day since she was last bitten, yet Lin Sanjiu felt she had not even recovered half of her vitality that she had lost. Unlike Number 45, who could consume human flesh to regain her lost vitality, absorbing “nutrients” through the ground by having her feet pressed firmly on it was the only method Lin Sanjiu had. Hence, Lin Sanjiu didn’t dare to let go of her feet, not even when the beetle descended on Number 46’s soil bridge.

It seemed like Number 46 couldn’t think of any surefire plan this time. Perhaps he still couldn’t neutralize the effect caused by the essential balm ointment, after talking to all of them, the beetle chose to bite Number 48 this time.

“Oh sh*t,” when she saw the fellow who always crept behind Number 46 like a shadow fall to the ground, Lin Sanjiu chided, “Why did it have to be Number 48!”

“Why not?”

“Number 46 and Number 48 are partners and unlike Number 42, Number 46 would never abandon Number 48,” Lin Sanjiu said as her two eyebrows met each other at the center of her forehead, “If the beetle bite another person, Number 46 might not be so angry, but now it was Number 48 who get bitten. I’m sure he will do all he can to lure the beetle to our side.”

And she was right.

When the beetle appeared on their soil bridge for the fourth time, its ugly face full of smiles made Lin Sanjiu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Hello my friend, long time no see,” the beetle wiggled its body. Its appendages and antennae rustled as it rubbed its face, “I never expected a girl like you would lie to me. I’m disappointed, truly. There is nothing such thing as nutrient boost serum!”

“It can choose who it wants to talk to?”

Lin Sanjiu was stunned at first but she was quick to reply, “Hey, how can you break your own words? How can you tell them the thing we told you?”

“I did not,” refuted the beetle as a smile formed on its humanoid face. When it smiled, its face resembled a crushed cockroach, “…They discovered it themselves. If weren’t for them, I would still think they have nutrient boost serum injected.”

” Without saying, it must be Number 46 who told this damn beetle,”  Lin Sanjiu thought inwardly.

In order to prevent both Number 43 and herself from getting bitten, Lin Sanjiu had to begin from the content Number 46 had told the beetle. However, the beetle was evasive, much to her chagrin. No matter how hard Lin Sanjiu had tried to feel it out, she couldn’t scoop out any fruitful intel from the beetle. And one minute had passed.

As expected, Number 43 didn’t surprise her with any smart move. By the time Number 43 had finished his talking with the beetle, both of them could see the not-so-good expression from each other faces.

“Done, my turns then!”

The beetle raised its body and its antennae oscillated in the air. As its loathsome laughter rang beside Lin Sanjiu’s ear, she felt the similar pain spreading from her arm. Then, a sense of weariness shot up to her brain.

“I’m pretty hungry today, so I took three bites… But your leaves aren’t as crispy as last time. You have to put more effort into absorbing the nutrient,” said the beetle, trying to courteous as much as it could after taking a bite at Lin Sanjiu. Even after it had flown away, Lin Sanjiu somewhat could still listen to its nightmarish voice echoing inside her ears.

She had only recovered a quarter of her vitality and yet she had now sustained even more serious damage. Gritting her teeth, Lin Sanjiu covered her wound with her hand. Her back was wet with cold sweat.

The beetle was smart. It understood that if it wanted to enjoy something for the long term, it had to control itself otherwise the thing would be exhausted very fast. Hence, it chose Number 43 for the fifth time. Since Lin Sanjiu was too weak, she couldn’t think of any countermeasure. She rested until the sixth time the beetle appeared, only then her brain reconnected as an idea floated in her mind.

“Wait,” She yelled to the beetle feebly, “I’ve forgotten to ask you. Have you bitten the girl on that bridge?”

“Yes, I have,” The beetle swung its sensors joyously.

“Then, how does she taste? Was it different from me?”

“Hmmm,” The beetle raised one of its appendages and placed it under its chin, appearing like a human locked in contemplation, “It tastes different. If I have to say, you taste much fresher, your leaves are crispier, while her shoot has a more robust flavor and more chewy… I wonder how.”

“There’s nothing to feel strange about,” Lin Sanjiu panted. She gave in to her fatigue and reclined on the ground. The four people on the other soil bridge all looked over her side, each having different expressions. “This is because both of us are different plant species. Right now, you have tasted four species types, but you left out the other two species on their group. They all taste different.”

The beetle eyes glowed as it looked at Number 46 and his gang which caused them subconsciously recoiled a few steps.

“My friend and I are too weak now, and we can’t hold any much longer. Let me do the math for you, and you’ll know what is best for you. You go and bite the two remaining seedlings on that side and let us rest. With that, even if you don’t like their taste, you still have other choices. But if this time, you choose to bite us, we’ll be dead. And you will lose two plants that you can bite.”

Lin Sanjiu quickly finished her talking in one minute while making it as clear as possible. She had no idea what Number 46 had told the beetle, and she didn’t know if the beetle would take the hook or not. However, when the beetle smiled at her while saying, “Your math is good, I’m impressed.”

Her hanging heart dropped.

It seemed to Lin Sanjiu that Number 46 had used the same tactic as her, maximized the utility of young shoots to lure the beetle over to their side.

As Lin Sanjiu had expected, the beetle had bitten Number 46 and Number 47 during its sixth and seventh visits.

If the two groups were trying to avoid each other when they found out they suddenly had become enemies in the beginning, right now, the gang of Number 46 had shed their disguise and they no longer tried to contain their anger and hostility.

Under a tight circumstance like this, Lin Sanjiu could imagine how strong Number 46’s counterattack would be. Ever since they were being bitten, Number 46 and Number 48 had been lowering their head and indulged in their own discussion. It was just that Lin Sanjiu didn’t know the content of their conversation, but she knew that they had to be up to no good.

Surrounded by Number 43’s sighs and groans, another 12 hours whizzed past in the twinkling of an eye.

Almost at the same time as Lin Sanjiu deactivated her [Consciousness Mimicry], the buzzing sound released by beetle’s wings came from the dark and pierced into her ear. And then, its giant body once again fell on the soil bridge in front of them.

With a sarcastic smile on his face, Number 46 went forward to the beetle. Just when he opened his mouth and before any words could come out from his lips, a female voice echoed loudly from the other bridge—

“Hey! Where is your home, beetle?”

Number 46 was stunned.

Everyone was stunned.

As if she was performing a prank on him, when Number 46 turned his head to the beetle and tried to repeat something, Lin Sanjiu quickly yelled again, “Hey beetle, how many are there of you at your home?”

The beetle jiggled.

“Just right about the time I’m thinking who is going to abuse the rules,” It rubbed itself contentedly as it said, “As of the moment, both Number 46 and Number 49 have lost their chance to talk.”