Chapter 12: Someone’s Here?!
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Even though Yu Sheng had said he was hanging up on Irene, he didn’t disconnect right away.
It wasn’t because the beast in front of him had suddenly decided to go vegetarian. No, the terrifying creature seemed confused. It stood frozen, its grotesque form covered in countless chaotic eyes, all focused on Yu Sheng. Oddly, he thought he could see confusion in those eyes—the kind of bewilderment you might feel when trying to balance your checkbook and the numbers just wouldn’t add up.
Irene’s anxious voice echoed distantly in his mind, muffled as if she were speaking through thick curtains. Yu Sheng’s full attention was locked on the creature. His heart pounded like a drum, every fiber of his body tense as he watched the monster’s every twitch. He could see the faintest shift of its muscles, the pulse in its veins—all clear as day.
He’d been ready for this moment ever since his “resurrection” in the ruined temple, but the weight of facing death again still made him shiver.
This time, though, the fear wasn’t as overwhelming. Instead, there was something else mixed in—something primal that he didn’t recognize at first—excitement.
Then, something shifted.
He could feel the creature’s muscles tense, hear its blood pumping like a roaring waterfall, its hunger rising from deep within. In that split second, alarms went off in Yu Sheng’s head, outlining the danger before him with pinpoint accuracy.
The monster was about to attack. It would lunge from the left, but that was only a distraction. The real danger lay in its tail—sharp and deadly, ready to whip around from behind.
The creature lunged, one of its grotesque limbs snapping open to reveal a gaping maw aimed at Yu Sheng’s left side. But before it could strike, Yu Sheng was already moving. His instincts took over, and without thinking, he dodged, sidestepping with a swiftness that even surprised him.
The sprain he’d suffered earlier had healed completely. Since his resurrection, his body had been in perfect condition.
The beast missed its target, its treacherous tail just grazing past Yu Sheng’s back. The sensation of narrowly escaping death made his hair stand on end. But more than fear, disbelief filled him.
Did I really just dodge that? What’s happening?
There wasn’t time to dwell on it. Another wave of danger loomed. Before he could regain his footing, a sharp claw descended toward him like a meteor crashing to earth.
Desperation surged through him. Instinctively, Yu Sheng raised his arms—his frail human limbs the only thing between him and the monstrous claw.
Dust and grass exploded around him with a thunderous crash. Pain shot through his body as if a dozen bones had shattered at once. He grunted, stumbling back two steps, his breath knocked out of him.
But he had blocked the attack. He couldn’t believe it—he had actually blocked it.
Staring in disbelief at his hands, he saw his left arm bent at a strange, broken angle. Yet the pain was already fading, and the bone was knitting itself back together.
He remembered the creature’s first strike, its immense power. It should’ve crushed him easily. If it had used its full strength, Yu Sheng knew he wouldn’t have stood a chance, broken bones or not.
But the creature wasn’t going to let him think for long. After pausing for just a second, it roared in fury, charging once more at its frustratingly elusive prey.
The wind howled as the monster’s massive body bore down on him like a falling mountain. Yu Sheng rolled awkwardly to the side, leaping up just in time to dodge a tail swipe that could’ve split stone. But before he could fully steady himself, the beast’s tail lashed out again, sweeping his legs out from under him.
The monster’s body split open in the middle, and a long, wriggling, tentacle-like tongue shot out of the darkness. It wrapped tightly around Yu Sheng, dragging him toward the creature.
He pressed hard against the slimy tongue, trying to stop it from crushing him—or at least slow it down. But the tongue dragged him closer to the monster, which had opened its enormous, tooth-filled maw. The sharp teeth clicked together hungrily, eager for a meal.
As Yu Sheng neared the gaping mouth, he kicked out desperately, smashing the ground beneath his feet with a loud crack. The force of his kick was so strong that it made the monster stumble.
He didn’t waste time wondering where that sudden strength had come from. Instead, he seized the moment, using every ounce of energy to tear the tongue apart. With a roar, he grabbed a sharp piece of broken rock and flung himself toward one of the monster’s cloudy, trembling eyes.
The severed tongue caused the monster to let out a chilling scream, blood spurting from its middle as it struggled to regain its footing. Dozens of eyes, filled with madness and hunger, locked onto Yu Sheng.
So fragrant… So delicious…
The scent of blood filled the air, stirring something deep within Yu Sheng. Something primal. Something long dormant.
It smelled… so good.
Yu Sheng’s heart pounded wildly, something hot and boiling coursing through his veins. It was a strange feeling—a kind of ecstasy rising inside him. He struggled to understand why he felt so elated, and then he realized.
It was the thrill of an imminent feast, the joy of hunger about to be satisfied.
That giant beast before him, that mass of writhing flesh, that chaotic, lost soul—it was… exquisite meat.
The sharp stone in his hand crumbled to dust under his grip. He breathed heavily, feeling as if the entire world had slowed down around him.
He charged at the monster, and the monster lunged at him—prey meeting prey. At that moment, Yu Sheng felt as though he hadn’t eaten in twenty years, or perhaps he had never tasted “real food.” He clung to the monster’s grotesque limb while the beast “embraced” him with even greater force, crushing bone after bone.
But Yu Sheng didn’t care. He was already biting into the monster’s flesh. It wasn’t a desperate, final act like before. This time, he had a new perspective—
He wouldn’t die. He’d come back. No matter how many times the creature killed him, he would always return.
And with each death, he’d learn how to defeat it.
It might take a while, but he would savor this fine piece of meat, one bite at a time.
Several of the monster’s eyes began to tremble, flickering wildly. Some seemed to realize something was wrong, finally focusing on Yu Sheng.
A massive mouth filled with sharp teeth tore into him, but those eyes—they showed fear.
Yu Sheng felt his body being ripped apart. He knew he had lost again, just as expected. He would die, consumed by the beast.
But this time, he’d lasted longer than he thought he would. He’d expected to die instantly, but instead, he had managed to fight back, exchanging blows with the creature.
“Irene…” Yu Sheng tried to reach out as his consciousness began to fade.
Irene’s voice came almost immediately. “Yu Sheng! Are you okay?! I’ve been calling you and you didn’t answer…”
“It’s fine. I guess I spoke too soon. I’m… going to hang up now…”
He ignored Irene’s panicked shouts, quietly awaiting the end.
But just before the darkness fully swallowed him, he heard a voice nearby. It wasn’t in his head—it was real, echoing through the valley.
“Don’t worry! I’m here to save you!”
Yu Sheng’s mind was hazy, his body numb, but the words jolted him awake. A thunderous realization struck him—
Someone?
Is there someone here?
He forced his heavy eyelids open, struggling to see the source of the voice. Through the blur, he spotted a figure running toward him in the distance. It looked like a girl, her clothes ragged and torn. But before he could make sense of it, he saw another shape swaying quickly behind her, darting through the night.
What was that?
A tail?
A fox?
A person?
No… it was a supersonic headbutt.
Yu Sheng watched in despair as the girl, who had just yelled she was coming to save him, accelerated mid-air like a speeding missile, head lowered and charging directly at him. The monster chewing on him shifted slightly—probably on purpose—making him the unintended target of her collision.
“Oh, cra—”
He didn’t even have time to finish his curse when the supersonic headbutt collided straight into his chest. And then… his chest was no more. Everything below his neck vanished as if it had evaporated.
“Miss, you… hit the wrong spot…” he managed to whisper.
And with that, Yu Sheng was saved—right to his death.