Chapter 981: Chapter 44: Humanity and Bestiality
Time passes swiftly, unnoticed, as ten years slip away like a quiet stream.
Xiao Jie has completely integrated into this desolate wilderness. Standing among the woods, his figure resembles a lurking fierce beast. A life of eating raw flesh and blood, climbing rocks, and crossing streams has honed him with knotted muscles, an exceptionally robust physique, his bronze skin marked with the scars of frost and old wounds. His thick beard grows wildly like weeds, long tangled hair drapes to his shoulders, concealing half of his angular face. Standing there, without any intention, an aura of primal and rugged wildness emanates overwhelming.
More astonishing are the non-human traits he bears: his eyes glimmer with a ghostly green glow in the dark night, like a mountain cat prowling at night, seeing the dark as daylight; when focused on distant views, his gaze becomes as sharp as a soaring eagle-hawk, with even birds from miles away unable to escape his sight.
Ten fingers with nails as hard as iron, slightly curved, terrifyingly sharp, capable of easily tearing the tough beast skin, digging out the entrails of prey. His legs, entangled with muscles, harbor explosive strength, needing no intention to employ lightweight skills, with just a casual thrust propelling him over gorges several meters wide.
Yet at this moment, this man, akin to a fierce beast, quietly squats by the bushes, focusing intently on a low-hanging branch ahead. On the branch, a gray cocoon gently trembles, a newborn butterfly struggling hard, attempting to break free to embrace its new life.
A few gray wolves, following beside him, tilt their heads, baffled by their “two-legged leader.” In their simple minds, it’s incomprehensible: why focus on a fluttering little thing with no meat, no taste, surely chasing a rabbit is more practical.
Of course, Xiao Jie isn’t seeking food. After ten years of solitary life, he often falls into such deep contemplation and meditation. The long years have greatly intensified his sense of belonging to this world. Now over forty, his memory of the “real world” self appears only in his twenties, not yet thirty.
Everything from the past—faces of teammates, the glow on computer screens, the din of modern cities—has grown immensely distant and blurred, like a faded painting, or perhaps an absurd and surreal dream.
It is precisely for this reason that he often ponders a question: how can he determine that world to be real and this life a falsehood?
Perhaps… here is the reality? This notion often entwines his heart like vines.
But immediately, another voice struggles and calls out within him: No! It’s not! Ye Luo, An Ran, I Want to Be Immortal… and… and who else? He shakes his head in frustration, some teammates’ names in memory becoming blurred, like sand slipping through fingers, hard to hold onto.
Right, Xia Yi the Unrivaled, Wentian Wuji, and—Hao Mie, Bai Ze, they’re still waiting for me! Waiting for me to rescue them! You have to hold on, Hidden Moon Following Wind.
“Flutter!” A subtle wing flapping sound interrupted his thoughts. That butterfly finally completely broke free from the cocoon’s constraint, spreading its wet but vibrant wings, tremblingly flying in the breeze, and merging into the clear blue sky.
Xiao Jie’s gaze follows that little figure, the ancient doubt resurfaces in his heart: Zhuang Zhou dreams of a butterfly… Am I dreaming of being Zhuang Zhou dreaming of the butterfly, or is Zhuang Zhou dreaming of my butterfly?
“Ow–!” A long and somewhat urgent wolf howl suddenly echoes from the depths of the valley, instantly waking Xiao Jie from his reverie! It’s Bai Ling! The change in the howl’s tone, he understands immediately—there’s a formidable enemy!
Without slightest hesitation, Xiao Jie launches himself like an arrow from a bow towards the source of the sound! A few gray wolves closely follow, transforming into swift gray shadows amidst the forest.
“Ow–!” Another wolf howl reverberates, this time, laced with obvious desperation and urgency!
Xiao Jie’s heart flutters, his speed increases by another notch!
Rushing swiftly to the cliff’s edge, looking into the distant forest, his eagle-hawk-like vision allows him to see the distant scene from afar.
From afar, he sees Bai Ling’s familiar figure leading a few other wolves scurrying away! This sight leaves him puzzled and uneasy. Although Bai Ling hasn’t fully undergone demon transformation, its spiritual wisdom has awakened, its physique surpasses ordinary wolves, exceeding two meters, robust bones, sharp claws and teeth. Common ferocious beasts like tigers and leopards aren’t necessarily its match! What could force it to flee so frantically? ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveIꜰire.net
The answer quickly reveals itself!
“Woof woof woof! Woof woof!” A series of excited and dense dog barks closely trail behind! Following shortly, several vigorous men wearing colorful tiger skins, equipped with strong bows and crossbows, hefting hunting forks, emerge agilely in Xiao Jie’s view.
It’s humans! Xiao Jie’s pupils contract slightly, his heart feels squeezed by an invisible hand. A full ten years, not a sight of those like him! This sudden encounter brings a sense of estranged disconnection and instinctual vigilance.
Yet this peculiar feeling quickly vanishes. Humans, so what? His eyes instantly become cold and resolute. These ten years, living and surviving through thick and thin, battling the severe cold and heat with the wolf pack, they are his true family!
He leaps, like a great bird, across the steep cliff wall, heading down into the forest below.
“Haha! What a fully snow-white Spirit Wolf! Look at this fur, and its spiritual nature! Skinning this pelt will undoubtedly sell for a fortune! Little White Dragon—today we’re in luck, about to strike rich!” The leading man, face full of flesh and a bristly beard, excitedly roared, eyes gleaming with greed.