I Don't Agree to the Terms

"Why are you tolerating that monster's killing spree?" Not bothering with any personal investigations or beating around the bush, he just asked directly.

"Growth necessity? That shouldn't be necessary, I've given it enough nutrients to grow, and if it's not enough, I can always add more." Gu Shanhai found it strange upon hearing this; he had no reason to release his cherished creation to wreak havoc.

Feeling relieved upon hearing Gu Shanhai's tone, it seemed that Gu Shanhai had no intention of encouraging a massacre.

So, it was quite possible that something had gone seriously wrong.

"Then... if such a situation really occurred, what would you intend to do?" He was asking whether Gu Shanhai planned to stop it or allow it if a massacre was truly necessary for the monster's growth.

"That's not for you to worry about. From what I can tell, in about five days, Xiao Yongsheng will sacrifice a million people—that's what you should be concerned with, not inquiring about my little darling," Gu Shanhai said, spreading his hands to indicate that we are allies, and the fates of a bunch of indigenous people weren't his concern.

His little darling would need at least another three days to hatch, and it would take even longer for it to grow during that time.

Therefore, the more urgent matter in the short term was Xiao Yongsheng's sacrifice to the Dead Tranquil Eye, as that was related to the other party's mission, not worrying about things he shouldn't be.

"That issue has been taken care of. In five days, Xiao Yongsheng won't complete his sacrifice," having already unraveled the sacrificial ritual, was not worried at all.

"Really?" Gu Shanhai was also somewhat surprised, the young man was fast.

But thinking again, something didn't seem right. With his little ability, it was likely that even the simulator had been fooled.

Gu Shanhai didn't need Prophetic Divination to target Xiao Yongsheng; he feared being misled, and it was more accurate for him to monitor and deduce information himself.

"What did you see?" was not a fool and detected the surprise in Gu Shanhai's voice.

"I saw nothing. Since I arrived in Yunxing City, I have not used any Prophetic Divination abilities, so I have no clue about the future," Gu Shanhai stated plainly.

Of course, that was certainly a lie, for his Oracle's Eye and the ability to review the past were always in effect. However, they were all archived by the Four Sacred Beasts System; he occasionally glanced at the data, unless he encountered something extremely important, in which case the Four Sacred Beasts System would notify him. Otherwise, it was generally filed away for storage.

"Why? That's such a useful tactic, completely applicable for intelligence gathering," was puzzled, believing that Gu Shanhai must know much more.

"Guess," Gu Shanhai said with a smile again.

That smile was radiant but made feel uncomfortable.

However, since Gu Shanhai wouldn't say, he didn't insist. After all, to him, these were all trivial matters.

"Let's leave it then, but watch over that monster, or don't blame me if I take it down hard." In 's eyes, Gu Shanhai must be planning to make the creature a follower, a pet, or a permanent summon of some kind.

After all, such formidable combat power would tempt anyone. If he could not subdue the monster himself, he might have tried to take it for his own.

"Of course, I'll keep an eye on it," Gu Shanhai didn't take 's words to heart.

Once the person left, Gu Shanhai casually divined a huge humanoid monster that lacked skin, exposing its muscles to the air, was continuously destroying all living beings.

"This thing must be underdeveloped, right?" Seeing the skinless monster, the idea that came to his mind was straightforward.

For a simple reason: no skin meant definite developmental issues.

Exposing muscles to the air, even if they were strong, still presented a vulnerability. Even without skin, a layer of keratin or chitin would suffice; anything that could serve as a means to ensure safety.

"No, this has to be changed!" Gu Shanhai decided after witnessing this scene; the weakness had to be overcome.

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"And what's with the way you're fighting, got a problem with your brain or something…"

Gu Shanhai noticed that this thing was just like an American-style monster, completely clueless about using its own strengths, just blindly fighting hand-to-hand without doing it well.

"What are you even doing trying to be a warrior, become a Spellcaster, much better. What's that saying, 'Heaven to the left, warriors to the right.'"

"Even if you can't become a Spellcaster, being a spell-turret would still be something."

Gu Shanhai's gaze then shifted to the being still within the cocoon.

The other party, although not yet fully developed, seemed to sense some malice from Gu Shanhai, causing the flesh cocoon to tremble slightly.

"Oh, you also have something akin to animal instinct or danger perception ability, very good, very good, definitely a waste to be a warrior with such talent."

Saying this, Gu Shanhai pulled out various items and then reached into the life-support capsule to pluck out the flesh cocoon, getting ready to make some improvements to it.

The flesh cocoon seemed to sense danger and wriggled frantically, trying to escape the palm of Gu Shanhai's hand. Sadly for it, such an escape was simply not possible, leaving it shivering under Gu Shanhai's touch.

"Is this innate instinct a bit too rich or is it a residual from when you first merged?" Gu Shanhai realized it was not the creature nurtured by the flesh cocoon that feared him but the flesh cocoon itself – a remnant of the merging between Su Man and Xiao Yunting.

"Don't be scared, it's okay, I'll be quick, and it won't hurt." Gu Shanhai soothed the flesh cocoon, his voice gentle. He had considered anesthetizing it, but then he thought about the potential negative impact on the embryo's development and didn't want to regret it later.

So, he had to go in hard; no matter, he felt it could endure. After all, it was no ordinary entity.

The more Gu Shanhai said this, the more violently the flesh cocoon trembled, clearly not buying a word of what Gu Shanhai was saying, causing his expression to darken.

"I am known as a man of honesty and integrity; I always keep my word. Don't be ungrateful," Gu Shanhai threatened, tone edgy. As for whether or not he was being earnest, that depended on how adaptable Gu Shanhai felt to his own species. If he considered wearing human skin made him human, then it was true; if he were frustrated and refused to acknowledge his humanity in favor of being the world itself, then it was debatable.

...

[You are dead!]

"Why has it changed again, why has this death come so much earlier!" Strangely Lit stared at the changes that appeared on his simulator, his expression darkening.

What was initially two months had turned into merely ten days. However, there was still some good news; at least the cause of death now was not the creature that Gu Shanhai had reared but some new unknown cause.

He pondered over the variables, and there were two; the first was going to warn Gu Shanhai – that one could be dismissed since the cause of death wasn't the creature.

So it must be the other matter; he decided to disrupt Xiao Yongsheng's ritual sacrifice now.

Because he was acting ahead of time, the scenario was completely inconsistent with the original simulated route. Lucky for him, he ran the simulation one more time, or else he would've truly been doomed.

After several more simulations, as long as he didn't intervene prematurely, he would die a month later.

"Damn it, just what the hell did that guy do, why has the creature become even stronger?" Strangely Lit was a bit exasperated; he had gone to warn Gu Shanhai, and who knows what Gu Shanhai did to cause the monster's strength to skyrocket. He was supposed to die in two months, but now he was due to perish in just one.

"Forget it, it's still early days for the monster; it hasn't even hatched yet, plus I've got a backup plan."

"Better deal with Xiao Yongsheng's ritual sacrifice first, it's key to the main quest."

Strangely Lit prioritized his tasks; with the monster, there was Gu Shanhai to consider, leaving some room to maneuver, but Xiao Yongsheng's ritual sacrifice was an irreconcilable conflict.

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