Chapter 152: It’s Time for Him to Get Some Air

“Little Sister…”

Surprise appeared clearly on Qin Ran’s face as his neck was grabbed.

The voice that had been somewhat muffled moments before now sounded clearer.

“Your ability should be the Spider-Type…”

“…”

“It seems you don’t know everything…”

Lu Xin frowned and pulled Qin Ran outwards with force. As he did, severe pain crossed Qin Ran’s face, still merged within the tree trunk. Earlier, when Qin Ran emerged, it seemed like he was detaching from the wood. But now, being pulled out by Lu Xin, it was clear his flesh adhered to it; strands of flesh and blood were pulled out.

It resembled pulling a figure from dough.

To forcibly extract him like this looked certain to be fatal.

However, Lu Xin decided to pull him out anyway…

But he hadn’t anticipated that as he pulled Qin Ran forcefully, Qin Ran suddenly closed his eyes. Instantly, the part Lu Xin was gripping changed into a seemingly lifeless piece of wood. He successfully pulled it out, but found himself holding only a fragment of timber. The “Qin Ran” he had seized was utterly dead, his previously vivid skin turning dull.

This Qin Ran was dead…

Both as a life form and as a spiritual entity, he clearly lost all vitality.

What Lu Xin didn’t expect, however, was that at the very moment this “Qin Ran” in his grasp died…

Above him, a Human-Shaped Fruit atop a tentacle abruptly snapped open its eyes.

Its face twisted in terror as it gasped for breath, as if only just escaping from strangulation.

And it was merely the first; immediately, a second one followed, then a third.

Sequentially, every Human-Shaped Fruit on this Flesh-Blood Monster Tree snapped open its eyes, gasping noisily for air. Previously, they had merely been fruits at the apex of the monstrous vines, obeying the tree mindlessly, opening their arms to capture prey. But now, they clearly displayed a different reaction, one after another, all springing to life…

…One Qin Ran died, sixteen “Qin Rans” came alive!

…

……

Whoosh…

They all writhed and trembled at the tips of the vines, then simultaneously dive-bombed downwards.

Lu Xin immediately sensed an instinctive danger. He leaped back seven or eight steps in rapid succession.

His Little Sister was not beside him at this moment, so he was relying on his own strength. However, to some extent, he forcibly borrowed some of Little Sister’s power. Consequently, his speed was somewhat faster, albeit noticeably rigid and clumsy in his movements. He lacked the flexible, contorting agility he possessed when Little Sister was present.

Though he retreated fast enough and sustained no injury, the sixteen plunging Qin Rans still made contact with his body.

The forest of vines, each tip bearing an agile human figure, was impossible to evade entirely.

With the power of Little Sister he had forcibly borrowed, Lu Xin only managed to avoid vital spots.

Yet, many parts of his body were grazed.

“Hahaha…”

Once Lu Xin withdrew, he immediately saw all the Qin Rans on the monstrous tree laughing.

In the chaotic, cacophonous laughter, a strange sensation washed over Lu Xin. Instinctively, he looked down at his hand. Whether it was a trick of the light or not, he saw a face struggling to emerge from beneath his skin, glowering at him ominously.

The strange feeling wasn’t confined to his hand. Pulling back his sleeve, he discovered a face appearing on his forearm. His neck felt cool to the touch; when he felt there, he encountered a bumpy protrusion. Another face was forming there.

Every spot touched by the Human-Fruit Tree was now sprouting a face.

With each new face appearing, Lu Xin felt the peculiarity within his body intensify, as if portions of his will were being stolen.

He was engulfed by an intensely disorienting noise, as if countless voices were speaking.

Whispers, soft giggles, or loud shouts.

These different voices overlapped into immense chaos.

Wave upon wave assaulted his mind, like continuous sonic waves simultaneously screaming:

“I am you”;

“You are me”;

“Give me you”;

“Give me back to me!”

“…”

These voices should have been illusory, yet Lu Xin could hear them clearly.

They felt more like fluctuations at the level of Mental Power.

The noise grated on Lu Xin, and the faces continuously emerging across his body filled him with extreme discomfort.

But when he instinctively turned, he realized the problems went far beyond this.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The thirty-six individuals previously contaminated by Qin Ran, yet spared consumption by the largest Human-Fruit Tree due to successful “revenge,” simultaneously split open. Small Human-Fruit Trees sprouted from their bodies, each initially just a long Vine. The top of each Vine slowly split apart, revealing a face.

Every single face bore the likeness of Qin Ran.

They were smaller, with fewer Vines, but numerous.

Simultaneously bursting forth and growing, they instantly transformed the surrounding area into an eerie “forest.”

Swaying Tentacles radiated influence outward.

An ever-widening area was affected, influencing more and more residents of the Small Town.

Their ferocity seemed to multiply infinitely, and they charged forward, brandishing their weapons.

Looking around, Lu Xin saw masses upon masses; the Small Town had abruptly become a sea of Monsters.

…

Lu Xin clumsily dodged their attacks, yet felt Monsters closing in from all sides.

The faces growing on his body hampered his speed, even dulling his combat awareness.

He felt unsettled, out of his depth.

He far preferred dealing with people like Puppet-Type Ability Users.

Their powers were understandable, predictable, and not nearly so grotesque.

Qin Ran himself was an enigma; his abilities were sheer madness.

…

“It’s time…”

The gentle voice of Mother sounded before him.

Mother had reverted to her former refined and gentle appearance. Her gaze held a touch of pity as she looked at Lu Xin, surrounded by Monsters, while simultaneously intercepting the majority of their attacks. She spoke softly, “We agreed, didn’t we?”

“This trip was meant to let him get some air, to relax.”

“Otherwise, being confined too long… he’ll get angry. He’ll cause a huge mess…”

“…”

Mother’s reasoning was sound. Lu Xin saw no grounds to oppose it.

This had been decided during the last Family Meeting, after all.

Before unraveling the Logic Chain of Qin Ran’s abilities, they hadn’t dared to release Father. But now, at least the logic behind Qin Ran transforming into a Human-Fruit Tree and contaminating others was clear. The third ability Qin Ran was now manifesting didn’t seem specifically tailored to antagonize Father’s temper either. Furthermore, for Lu Xin, there were really only two scenarios where calling upon Father was the most fitting solution…

One, when the opponent’s Logic Chain was completely understood.

Two, when the opponent’s Logic Chain was utterly incomprehensible.

So he nodded slightly.

Then, slowly, he lifted his head and looked towards the northwest.

That was the direction of Qinggang City.

Near Moon Terrace in Satellite City No.2 of Qinggang City stood an old apartment building.

At this moment, the locked door of Room 401 on the fourth floor suddenly slammed open with a “bang” of its own accord.

The room was empty, yet the entire building gave a distinct shudder.

…

“Having used this ability… I wonder just how many more ‘Me’s it will spawn…”

Qin Ran’s face atop the flesh-and-blood tree—or rather, Qin Ran himself—looked towards Lu Xin, who was drowned under Monsters. His expression held no excitement. On the contrary, he wore a wary gaze as he glanced at the other Human-Shaped Fruits on the tree, his eyes betraying resentment he couldn’t completely hide. Strangely, many of the other Human-Shaped Fruits also turned their looks towards him, their eyes mirroring the same hostility.

They grew on the same tree, yet despised each other, their gazes thick with murderous intent.

“But fortunately… My consciousness is the strongest. I am the most likely to become the true Me…”

“And having completed two of the three tasks, there’s hope of using that to obtain the solution…”

“Judging by the current situation, there’s even hope of leaving before ‘It’ awakens…”

“…”

Thinking this, he looked up towards the location of the room behind him.

He remembered a companion was still there. He recalled what Lu Xin had just said.

“Little Sister has gone to find him?”

Qin Ran didn’t quite grasp the deeper meaning, but he felt a pang of concern for his companion.

The concern lasted only an instant.

Because Lu Xin, engulfed by Monsters just moments ago, abruptly stood up.

At that precise instant, every Qin Ran on the fleshy tree reacted with the faintest hint of surprise. As one, they turned their heads to stare at Lu Xin.

Shock registered on each of their faces.