Chapter 195: Can You Spare Me a Bite of Flesh and Blood?

Chapter 195: Could You Spare Me Some Flesh and Blood?

2:00 PM.

Rolling waves surged under the sunlight, dotted with fishing boats of various sizes on the deep blue satin sea, rising and falling with the shimmering surface.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the howling sea wind, echoing across the entire town.

The sound naturally caught Meng Siyou's attention. He stopped a passing local and asked in a low voice, "What's going on?"

"You're not from around here?" The local glanced at him, noting his ragged clothes but clear-eyed and polite demeanor, and answered, "That whistle usually signals a ship's position, warning nearby vessels to steer clear. But this time..."

The local paused, muttering as he calculated the date, then said, "Every three days, Wan Neng Chao Xi's harvest ship goes out to sea—heard of Wan Neng Chao Xi? Its Founder hails from right here!"

"The profits from pharmaceuticals aren't something ordinary fishing can compete with, so our town made an agreement to sound the whistle specifically for their harvest ship. Other boats give way to ensure the company collects its ingredients."

So, he would soon witness Wan Neng Chao Xi's egg harvesting operation firsthand?

Meng Siyou leaned in and inquired further, "I heard the main ingredient of Universal Capsules comes from deep-sea plants unique to these waters, discovered after being washed ashore by waves... Is that true?"

At this, the local's gaze darted away, clearly reluctant to answer.

This was within Meng Siyou's expectations.

Skillfully, he retrieved a prop from his inventory system—a cigarette named "Speak Your Mind"—and offered it. "Here, brother, have a smoke."

The local had been about to leave, but the moment the cigarette entered his vision, he couldn't look away, his feet rooted to the spot.

Oh, what a small, lovely cigarette, what perfect white rolling paper...

His gaze went vacant as he reached out, took the cigarette, lit it, and then his mouth moved involuntarily:

"Ha! There's no such legendary plant! We don’t even have any tradition of using marine plants for medicine here. Wen De just fabricated that for the media and those powerful figures desperate for Universal Capsules."

"Where the miraculous substance in the capsules really comes from, or how it was discovered—we don’t know. Maybe it’s a secret only Wen De holds."

"Of course, none of us would tell outsiders the truth—the governor still hopes to keep these mysterious legends alive to attract tourists and boost the local economy..."

Meng Siyou gave a knowing nod, showing understanding.

Another question answered. Now, all that remained was to wait for the so-called harvest ship to appear.

He was curious—what exactly would Wan Neng Chao Xi pretend to harvest?

Gazing at the sea, the many fishing boats looked like tiny models, their white-painted hulls plowing through the waves, reflecting dazzling light.

After a quiet wait, Meng Siyou noticed something odd—

One, two, three...

Starting from near the shore, the fishing boats parted left and right one by one, leaving an empty lane of water in the middle, as if making way for something.

Yet, from start to finish, only the "path" appeared—no harvest ship in sight. Seagulls circled over the unusually empty water, cocking their heads as if equally puzzled.

It gave Meng Siyou a strange feeling, as though an invisible ship were slowly sailing through, forcing the boats aside...

But he saw nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Look, it's Wan Neng Chao Xi's harvest ship!"

The local, still smoking, pointed at the empty sea and laughed heartily. "Isn’t it impressive? Sponsored by the governor himself! Compared to those pitiful little boats, it’s like a metal beast!"

Meng Siyou followed the man’s finger, confirming once more—he saw nothing.

The so-called "harvest ship" didn’t exist.

The public's understanding of Universal Capsules was a complete fabrication!

His heart sank as he asked, "After operations, where does the harvest ship usually dock? Where does the company collect its 'harvest'?"

The local’s thoughts stalled.

This was one of the "trade secrets" the company had repeatedly warned locals never to reveal. Leaking it would mean losing the town’s economic support and saddling the informant with insurmountable debt...

He couldn’t tell!

His subconscious resisted fiercely, but under the cigarette’s influence, the local spoke uncontrollably, detailing the docking location and even describing nearby landmarks.

"Thank you," Meng Siyou said sincerely. "Next time, don’t accept cigarettes from strangers so easily."

"Huh?"

The local, cigarette dangling from his lips, turned in confusion—only to see the strange drifter hurrying away in the direction he’d pointed, leaving behind a weary yet resolute figure.

"...What a weirdo," the local muttered.

---

Following the given direction, Meng Siyou walked halfway along the coast.

The scorching sun overhead made his vision swim, and fine sand constantly seeped into his worn-through shoes, only to be dumped out repeatedly.

After several cycles, he finally reached his destination.

Before a towering cliff stood a massive ship, its complex pipes and equipment extending outward like a heavy, slumbering beast.

The vessel lay lopsidedly beached, half-buried in sand and stone, the other half battered by the tides. Its hull, likely eroded by saltwater over time, bore rust patches.

Running his fingers along the ship’s side, his fingertips came away coated in thick grime. Meng Siyou concluded:

This harvest ship had been idle for years... if it ever had.

Its role had been served the moment it was transported here—from then on, it existed only as a symbol, a lie, perpetually staring at the nearby sea.

Which meant the eggs didn’t come from the sea floor...

So where did they originate?

His sun-seared eyes burning, Meng Siyou stared fixedly at the ship’s cabin—the swollen belly of the beast. He swallowed nervously, excitement rising.

The source of the eggs likely lay inside that vast cabin.

The primordial nest of the divine being’s white shadow.

Taking a deep breath, Meng Siyou pushed the hatch open. The metal hinges groaned stiffly, but the door wasn’t locked—it swung wide without resistance.

The familiar cloying sweetness assaulted his senses. Frowning, Meng Siyou stepped cautiously down the descending corridor into the ship's belly.

Since the fishing vessel had never been officially put into use, it was unexpectedly clean and tidy inside, completely free of clutter or trash. Only the dampness lingering in the air and the unnaturally sweet scent served as proof: something unimaginably dangerous lurked here.

As he walked, Meng Siyou became more and more restless. He took off his hat, loosened his collar, and gulped air like a fish out of water.

His heartbeat quickened, his mind grew foggy, and a sense of suffocation surged over him like a tidal wave.

...It was the sweet fragrance.

The realization came slowly to Meng Siyou.

Though the prophet had once helped him shake off its effects, giving him some immunity to the hallucinations, it was far from enough.

—The concentration of the fragrance inside the ship was dangerously concentrated.

The deeper he went, the more pervasive the scent became.

The potent sweetness seeped into Meng Siyou's veins, as though his very bloodstream carried traces of that strange aroma.

At the same time, a primal urge rose from the depths of his heart, building until it overwhelmed his reason.

In his daze, he felt as if something was spawning inside him...

No—those weren’t "fish eggs." They were his very offspring!

"Slap!"

The moment this thought surfaced, Meng Siyou didn’t hesitate to strike himself hard across the face.

The force of the blow made his ears ring. Dazed, he shook his head and finally clawed back some lucidity.

What little reason remained told him that not only had he never ingested any fish eggs, but even if he had, they'd never form human speech—they would only produce wet, bubbling gurgles as they writhed within the human body.

Yet now, drowning in the sweet fragrance, Meng Siyou could hear it clearly:

From every part of his body where blood flowed, whimpering fragments of cries of infants echoed.

The children’s wails grew louder, as if mourning their miserable fate—forced to dwell and breed within the claustrophobic prison of a human body.

Through the haze, Meng Siyou seemed to experience the entire process of the fish eggs maturing inside him. With a mother's terrible devotion, he tenderly sensed his children’s pleas—

So tight their cradle;

Their nourishment so scarce;

They struggled to grow, nearing maturity at last.

But they were so, so hungry.

The limited resources within their human host left them starving—endlessly starving—

Before the fish eggs fully matured and hatched into larvae, they wordlessly pleaded with their mother to grant them one full meal.

Mother, oh mother, your body is the vessel that harbors, nurtures, and sustains us—surely you love us, don’t you?

Then, could you spare a morsel of your flesh, as material for our growing tails?

Could you spare a drop of your blood, to help us flee to distant shores?

Mother, beloved mother...

Do not refuse your dearest children.

Bleed yourself dry, strip your bones clean, and help us escape swiftly to the world’s end, beyond the wicked god's reach...

Some alien tenderness flooded his heart. Meng Siyou felt his love for these creatures brimming over, a sweet current surging upward from his chest to his throat, compelling him to answer his children’s desperate pleas.

Unconsciously, he gripped the blade hidden deep in his sleeve and mechanically drew it across his wrist.

...Very well, my child.