At night, within the intelligence archive room of the Association’s branch base in the city where Li Meng resided, Oppabaf sat before his work computer, fingers tapping away at the keyboard.
On the screen, he appeared to be cross-referencing various pieces of data.
“It is so late, and you are still organizing intelligence? You should find someone to take over your shift.”
Seeing the lights still on in the archive room, Alisa had naturally been curious about who was still working, only to find Oppabaf.
“No rush, I am still pondering a few issues.”
Oppabaf took a sip of his nearly cold coffee and continued typing.
“What issues?”
“About… the combat data regarding Li Meng’s encounter with the Titan Grade Guiyi tonight, sent over from the District 7 Patrol Outpost.”
“Another Titan Grade appeared?”
Alisa frowned slightly, though her expression soon relaxed.
“However, for Miss Li Meng, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Indeed, she handled it very well. Swift, efficient, just as always… but the problem lies in the data entry and synchronization of the appearance and abilities of this Titan Grade Guiyi.
I discovered that two days ago, this same Guiyi appeared in other cities.”
“You mean… the exact same Guiyi?”
Alisa’s expression turned serious.
Titan Grade Guiyi were already rare compared to lower-level entities.
The probability of an entity appearing with the same appearance and even the same abilities was almost equivalent to someone coming home and finding their television watching their children.
How could such a thing happen?
Of course, it was because of those damn Guiyi.
“A Titan Grade Guiyi, and identical individuals. These two factors combined have led analysts in other regions to suspect… that there might be a human factor involved.”
“Additionally, because a Lingxun in one of those regions ravaged it down to the Beast Class and contained it, it now has a designation: Number 1306. Code name… Mother of Profanity.”
“Mother of Profanity? Quite a formidable name.”
“Although most instances of the Mother of Profanity in other cities were resolved before the hazard could spread… some accidents were unavoidable.”
“In Aymeric’s New Silver City, that Mother of Profanity did not stay quietly in the Inner World; it appeared in reality.
The blood mist it released not only caused a mycelium carpet to grow over buildings and the ground, but it could also infect biological organisms.
Most importantly… it could alter the cognition of the infected.”
“According to surveillance records sent before local cameras were destroyed and the testimony of a Lingxun who nearly fell victim, once someone is infected by the blood mist, they view the Mother of Profanity as their ‘mother.'”
“They develop the delusion that ‘Mother is warm’ and ‘Mother is safe,’ causing them to walk toward it voluntarily and merge with it. Furthermore… this thing has powerful regenerative capabilities. A wound one meter wide needs only a few seconds to grow back.”
“In that case, the weakened Mother of Profanity that was captured should probably be kept in strong acid for continuous corrosion.”
“No, actually, that isn’t necessary. The Lingxun who encountered that Mother of Profanity could be considered the natural enemy of all regenerative Guiyi. Her ability allows her to cause permanent corrosion to a target’s wounds. Unless she rescinds the ability herself… that weakened Mother of Profanity will likely never grow back to its original size.”
“Aside from that, there is one more thing.
It concerns the humanoid entities wearing black religious robes seen at the scene… This reminded me of Number 1263.”
“You think those people in black robes are related to the Cardinal?”
“Yes. Therefore, regarding the text the Cardinal wrote on the walls… I think the decoding process needs to be accelerated. I will submit this proposal tomorrow to have analysts from other branches join in.”
***
“Eh? Xiao Qian… wants to take a bath today?”
After returning home and finishing dinner, Qiu Qiqian suddenly announced she wanted to bathe, which surprised Li Meng slightly.
“Yeah, so? Is there a problem?”
Qiu Qiqian stood by the bathroom door, hands on her hips as she looked at Li Meng.
“No, no, it’s just… I remember… Xiao Qian, you said before that since you’re a Guiyi, you don’t sweat or secrete waste from your skin. Do you really need to bathe?”
“That’s true, but… seeing that disgusting thing today, I just feel uneasy all over… so I plan to take a bath, if only for psychological comfort.”
Qiu Qiqian couldn’t help but get goosebumps whenever she thought of the repulsive monster they encountered tonight.
Especially those tentacles the thing summoned!
Slimy, with that specific… blood-red color unique to flesh and blood.
It didn’t look like anything decent at all!
‘Even though it didn’t actually touch me… the psychological feeling is truly awful!’
“Hmm~ Alright then~ I’ll wait for Xiao Qian to finish first. Do you need me to prepare a pair of pajamas for you?”
“No need. Have you forgotten I can change the form of my clothes myself?”
As she spoke, Qiu Qiqian had already closed the bathroom door.
Li Meng puffed out her cheeks in boredom and then sat on the sofa to watch television while waiting for Qiu Qiqian to finish.
In front of the sink mirror, Qiu Qiqian looked at the trench coat she was wearing.
With a snap of her fingers, the coat and the inner layer vanished, leaving only a set of black lace lingerie with a slightly mature charm.
As for why she knew how to create such a set of lingerie… please, even if she hadn’t eaten pork, she had seen a pig run.
‘Speaking of which… since reincarnating into this world as a… female Guiyi, I haven’t properly explored my current body.’
Qiu Qiqian stared at the two snowy-white mounds on her chest in the mirror.
Her golden eyes blinked, and then, as if possessed, she used both hands to cup them.
‘Holy crap… are they actually this heavy? Why don’t I usually feel it? Is it because I’m a Guiyi?’
“Whoa… they really are soft and bouncy…”
In the living room, Li Meng, who had been watching television, heard the movement in the bathroom.
Her ears twitched slightly, and she unconsciously shifted her attention there.
‘Hmm? What is Xiao Qian doing in there? What’s soft and bouncy… a ball? There aren’t any balls in the bathroom.’
“I didn’t notice back in the Mental World, but this place… is just like that girl’s… I wonder what it would feel like to be a miner…”
‘A miner? Does Xiao Qian want to experience life as a miner? Hmm… how strange. Though… people are quite relaxed while bathing, so it is easy to have strange thoughts. Speaking of which, I haven’t heard the sound of the shower yet…’
‘Ah! Right, there’s only one towel in the bathroom that I use! When Xiao Qian needs to dry off… hmm… I’ll go bring one for her.’
Meanwhile, Qiu Qiqian stood before the sink with a flushed face.
While her upper hands were supporting the “twin mountains,” her lower hand was at the “dock of the harbor,” just as she was about to open the “Great Route”…
“Xiao Qian! I’m leaving a towel for you here by the sink.
Remember to use it when—eh? Xiao Qian, you haven’t entered the shower yet?”
Inside the bathroom, Li Meng, who had just opened the door with a new towel in hand, locked eyes with a completely naked and… very strangely posed Qiu Qiqian.
She watched as Qiu Qiqian’s expression shifted from shock to disbelief, and finally… bit by bit, into extreme shame.
“Um… did Xiao Qian… just finish taking off her clothes? Or… are you giving yourself a massage to relax?”
“Yes… yes, that’s right… Ah! No, no, no! Get out of here right now!”
Qiu Qiqian covered her vital points, shouting in a broken voice that carried a hint of a sob.
Li Meng had never seen Qiu Qiqian like this, so she hurriedly tossed the towel onto the sink, took a step back, and closed the door.
‘Hmm… is the reaction still this big when seeing another girl’s body? Even though we saw each other back in the Mental World… hmm… maybe Xiao Qian is just too shy.’
Li Meng sat back down on the sofa.
Ten-odd seconds later, the pitter-patter of water finally echoed from the bathroom…
***
Late at night, after everything had settled into silence, Li Meng lay on the soft, large bed in her room wearing her pajamas.
She had just turned on her phone to find something to relax with when she noticed a message from a friend named Fat Butterfly—Isana’s online handle.
[Fat Butterfly]: Miss Li Meng, how is it going? Have you improved your relationship with that Miss Qiu Qiqian?
[Li Li Yuan Shang Meng]: Hmm… I think so? Xiao Qian’s shy expression after being kissed was very cute~
[Fat Butterfly]: Understood. I have a few more tips for deepening a relationship. Do you want them, Miss Li Meng?
[Li Li Yuan Shang Meng]: Oh? Sure, send them over and I’ll take a look.
[Fat Butterfly]: “Relationship Guide PDF”
[Fat Butterfly]: These are some methods I’ve collected. It’s best if you read them when you are alone, Miss Li Meng.
[Li Li Yuan Shang Meng]: Why should I read them alone?
[Fat Butterfly]: Because… the content inside might be difficult to understand. You can only grasp it if you are alone and focused. That’s all for now, I need to rest. Good night.
[Li Li Yuan Shang Meng]: Okay, good night.
After wishing Isana good night, Li Meng did not immediately close her eyes to sleep.
Instead, she wanted to see what kind of methods were taught in that file.
After all… wasn’t she alone right now?
Consequently, as Li Meng opened the file and began to scroll through it, her expression shifted… from curiosity to confusion, to shock, and finally… she buried herself under the covers with a bright red face to keep reading secretly.
That night, the youngest Youxun grew up.
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