Grotesqueries of the Old Domain

Chapter 43: The Brawny One

Feeling a strange sensation in his body, Zhang Wenda opened one eye and saw a small black cat curled into a cat pancake, its head and tail touching, just perfectly covering his belly button.

Looking closely, Zhang Wenda realized that this cat seemed to be the same one from the Youth Center.

“You’re the only one who cares about me.” Zhang Wenda kissed the cat’s head, hugged it, then lay back down and drifted off to sleep.

To be honest, this nap was terribly uncomfortable. Whether it was the rock-hard floor or the barrage of strange dreams in his mind, everything made Zhang Wenda toss and turn, lingering in a half-dream, half-awake state.

It felt like a very long time had passed when Zhang Wenda was jolted awake by a rhythmic shaking sound.

“Who’s renovating this early in the morning?” Feeling more tired than if he hadn’t slept at all, Zhang Wenda clutched his aching head and sat up.

He first looked toward where Song Jianguo had been, only to find that spot now occupied by sprawled-out black cats—Song Jianguo was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh? What time is it? I really can’t be late.” Zhang Wenda turned his dazed head in the direction of the shaking sound.

And then he saw a brawny man pinning Song Jianguo against the wall!

“What the hell!!” That scene instantly obliterated every trace of sleep from Zhang Wenda’s body.

In the next instant, he pulled out his flashlight and smashed the red core with its base. With a hiss, a blinding lightsaber shot out.

“Hah!” Zhang Wenda pushed off with both feet and leapt straight at the brawny man, plunging the lightsaber into his body.

With a “squelch,” blood sprayed from the wound, instantly turning the white of Zhang Wenda’s blue-and-white school uniform pants red.

“Fuck you! Get off me!” With a surge of immense force, Zhang Wenda was hurled through the air and slammed against the wall of the treehouse.

Before he could even fall, a large, hairy hand smashed down, driving him straight into the messy wall.

The sharp pain in his abdomen nearly made Zhang Wenda pass out. He could feel the sound of bones cracking—just from those few hits, at least several of his ribs had broken!

The guy was terrifyingly strong, even stronger than Zhang Wenda himself after being enhanced by the red core. If he hadn’t had a high pain threshold, that last blow would’ve knocked him out cold.

Holding the flashlight in reverse, Zhang Wenda slashed hard, cutting off the man’s half-meter-wide fist.

The burly man roared in pain and staggered back a few steps, giving Zhang Wenda a moment to breathe.

He fell from the wall, landing on one knee with a hand clutching his agonized stomach, eyes fixed on his opponent.

The brawny man clutched his severed hand, glaring viciously at Zhang Wenda. The tension in the room suddenly spiked.

Their breathing grew heavier. Just as they both lunged at each other with a roar, Song Jianguo’s sharp voice rang out nearby.

“So annoying! Both of you stop!!”

At her words, both froze where they stood, staring in shock at the pale-faced Song Jianguo.

Song Jianguo pointed at the burly one and, annoyed, explained to Zhang Wenda, “Why did you attack him? Did I ever say he was the enemy?”

“He’s not the enemy?” Zhang Wenda stared wide-eyed in surprise.

“She’s my period!!”

“Wha?!” Zhang Wenda’s jaw dropped. His grip loosened and the flashlight clattered to the ground. “You said… she’s your… what?”

“Damn it, what the hell are you on about? Are you deaf or something? I’m her period!” the burly one snapped at Zhang Wenda, then turned to pick up her severed hand.

It was only then that Zhang Wenda noticed—despite her scruffy beard and burly figure, her clothes were distinctly feminine. She wore a red long skirt, dressed somewhat like Sister Hong.

Realizing what she was, Zhang Wenda’s voice went shrill with shock.

“What the—?! Your period came to life?!”

Over the next few minutes, Zhang Wenda listened to Song Jianguo’s explanation, but eventually he couldn’t hold back and interrupted.

“You’re telling me this thing is your period? Comes around a few days every month to make your life hell?”

The period snorted and elbowed Song Jianguo hard in the stomach.

“How many times do I have to say it?! What part of it don’t you get? Are you stupid or what?”

“But… how can she be your period? She… she doesn’t even sound like you,” Zhang Wenda grasped for some sort of reason.

At that moment, Zhang Wenda noticed the hand was easily reattached with no sign of injury—it really didn’t seem human.

“Are other people’s periods like this too?” Zhang Wenda asked in bewilderment.

“No, only mine.” Song Jianguo, her face a little pale, gently rubbed her stomach with one hand. “Because of some things, my body went through some… unexpected changes.”

Suddenly, Zhang Wenda belatedly realized something and looked at Song Jianguo in surprise.

“So you stole my special ability back then just so you could use it to get rid of your period?!”

“What?!”

The brawny one beside them looked at Song Jianguo in utter shock.

“Mimi, I’ve treated you so well, and you don’t want to see me anymore? Fine! I’m leaving!!”

As she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes, she stood up, picked up the red shoulder bag from the ground, and stormed off toward the misshapen treehouse.

Song Jianguo practically clung to the period’s back like a fridge magnet, trying to stop her from leaving.

“No, no! Period, period, don’t listen to him spouting nonsense! I don’t want to get rid of you! I just want to get my memory back!”

“Memory? You lost your memory?”

After finally managing to calm the period down, Song Jianguo sat on the ground and said irritably, “Yes, not only did I lose my memory, I also grew a cat ear on my head. I just want to get my memory back and get rid of the cat ear!”

“So, you mean because of something, you grew a cat ear, lost your memory, and that’s also how your period turned into a living being?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Song Jianguo said it, she knew it was bad and quickly corrected herself.

“No, no, period, don’t cry! I didn’t mean to get rid of you! I like you a lot, I really wish you’d come every day.”

Watching Song Jianguo clutch the period like she was a giant plush toy, Zhang Wenda scratched his head in confusion.

“Can menstrual cycles be personified? How bizarre is that?”

Still trying to console the period, Song Jianguo shot a glare at Zhang Wenda.

“Your Adult World is even weirder, okay? And you have the nerve to call me weird!”

Now that he understood the whole story, Zhang Wenda finally turned off the flashlight and sighed in relief.

“You could’ve just said so from the start. I ended up fighting your period, and now look at me—covered in blood.”