Coveted After Becoming a Monster [Quick Transmigration] 29

Chapter 29:

When it came to discussing business, especially important business, humans always had a strange commonality.

They liked to choose private places like swimming pools and saunas. As the clothes came off, it was as if the distance between them also shrank. When the steam enveloped their bodies and their spirits relaxed, even strangers became confidants who could exchange information.

Qi Peilan was the same. The moment Ji Yulin nodded in agreement, she immediately proposed a post-banquet invitation to the pool.

The last rays of the sunset faded from the sky, and the night was stained a rich purple. Amidst the playful splashing, the little octopus flicked her tentacles, sending water flying, her eyes filled with nothing but revenge against Qi Fu.

Except for the tentacle wrapped in tape, all her other tentacles were like wound-up springs, swishing back and forth.

Her gaze shifted. The home of this famous district chief of the Thirteenth District was not as magnificent as she had imagined. It wasn’t even in the central area, but was just one floor of a tall building. Any slightly wealthier family in the Thirteenth District could afford it if they gritted their teeth.

The decorations were comfortable and simple. One wall was even covered with photos of Qi Fu from childhood to adulthood. The only thing that seemed extravagant was probably the infinity pool on the balcony.

The octopus’s tentacles kept slapping the water, creating layer after layer of waves.

Qi Fu lazily leaned against the edge, not even trying to block it, completely disregarding the little octopus’s anger. The vengeful splashes became her enjoyment.

Seeing the little octopus slow down, she casually waved her hand, creating a transparent wave that instantly slammed into the little octopus. The previously fierce creature was sent flying more than a meter.

Qi Fu scratched her head and chuckled without any guilt, “Oops, I accidentally used too much force.”

The ripples stopped. The peach-pink octopus floated on the surface of the water, looking utterly dejected. Her tentacles drifted limply, pushed further away by the waves.

Whatever, I’m a little tired anyway. [Panda slumping to the ground.jpg]

Compared to the chaos over here, Ji Yulin’s side was much more mature.

Ji Yulin and Qi Peilan were both leaning against the glass edge. Aunt Su would approach from time to time, offering a fruit platter or red wine at the appropriate moment.

“The professor’s octopus is very interesting,” a smiling compliment was heard.

Ji Yulin nodded slightly, a rare agreement.

Seeing this, Qi Peilan couldn’t help but feel a little emotional. She never thought Ji Yulin would keep such a cute pet. She had thought this person only knew about experiments.

Then, she smiled again, “I wonder where the professor found the octopus. Seeing it with that rascal of mine, it actually looks cuter and cuter. It makes me want to get one too.”

At this point, she suddenly paused.

A hint of surprise appeared on Qi Peilan’s face, and she couldn’t help but say, “It seems like I haven’t seen an octopus in a long time.”

More than one person had mentioned this, but it didn’t stir up any waves. Since the apocalypse, humans themselves had been struggling to survive. How could they care about other species that were mutating and going extinct? The law of the jungle had become the only truth in this world.

Ji Yulin didn’t respond, her gaze shifting to the other side.

The most conspicuous building in the Thirteenth District was not just the single-story houses and green parks surrounded by crowded slums, but also a prison, as straight as a tower, standing in the southernmost part. Upon closer comparison, she found that it was actually the tallest building in the Thirteenth District.

Ji Yulin’s eyes were filled with a complex emotion, and she was lost in thought for a moment.

There was, of course, a special reason for insisting on coming to the Thirteenth District.

Why had the octopus repeatedly requested that she move the laboratory to the Thirteenth District?

Why were the darkness and the sunflowers so relentlessly pursuing the little octopus?

The octopus’s identity was…

These questions had not been answered in her previous life, and now they were like a fog, the further she went, the less she could see.

Ji Yulin closed her eyes and suppressed her emotions, at the same time turning her head to look to the other side.

The dejected little octopus was still floating on the water. Her water-logged tentacles were round and puffy, glistening with a watery light, looking both pitiful and cute.

Ji Yulin’s expression couldn’t help but soften, and she soon fell into a deeper confusion.

The octopus of her previous life and the octopus of this life were too different.

If it weren’t for the fact that Ji Yulin was one hundred percent certain that they were the same, and that she knew the octopus’s real name, she would have been caught in a vortex of doubt.

But why?

What had happened to make her change so much?

Every step was roughly the same. The clearing operation had failed, she had captured the octopus, they had been stranded on a deserted island…

Emotions struggled in her eyes. Memories of her previous life and this life were all surging, but she couldn’t think about them in detail and could only temporarily suppress them.

Her thoughts turned, and she focused on the most important thing.

How to escape the Research Institute’s control.

The Research Institute’s control over the thirteen safe zones was beyond imagination. It was the highest authority, firmly controlling the humans within the safe zones.

Furthermore, the entry and exit of each safe zone had a strict system. Ji Yulin and the others had been able to enter easily before only because they were registered with the Research Institute. They only needed a simple check to confirm that they were not carrying any easily mutated species, and then they could be disinfected.

But if it were a human with a questionable identity, they probably wouldn’t even have a chance to be checked.

So, Ji Yulin couldn’t take the little octopus and hide their identities in another safe zone.

But if they wanted to survive outside the safe zones, they had to be strong enough. Otherwise, the little octopus’s abnormality of easily attracting the attention of mutated beasts and being desperately pursued would cause them a great deal of trouble.

So many thoughts flashed by, but in reality, only a moment had passed. A slight sound was heard from that side again.

The person Qi Fu called Aunt Su, whose real name was Su Ye, seemed to have received special training. Under her gentle mask was a meticulousness that was impossible to find fault with.

It was the same now. Her footsteps were inaudible. She bent down and refilled the glass, which was only half-full of red wine.

Her movements were so subtle that even the people around her didn’t notice. But Ji Yulin, with her back to her, and without even turning her body, immediately sensed it.

Her eyelids drooped. All previous thoughts were suppressed. Ji Yulin’s expression was as usual, as if she had just glanced outside casually.

On the contrary, it was Qi Peilan who took the initiative to hold Su Ye’s hand and said with a smile, “You don’t have to be so formal at home. Relax a little.”

Only now did she notice that they both had identical rings on their left ring fingers.

Su Ye was about to say something, but Qi Peilan beat her to it, “Go change your clothes and come play in the water with us.”

Su Ye could only smile helplessly. A strand of hair that had been coiled up fell down, making her look even more gentle.

And at this moment, Qi Fu over there finally noticed the commotion here. She immediately straightened up, lunged at the water, and with a few slaps of her hands, created a wave and swam over, saying cheerfully, “Aunt Su, come and play with us.”

Her movements were large, and the waves she created crashed against the wall, carrying the floating little octopus along with them.

She almost crashed into the wall. Her tentacles flailed in a panic. Before she could struggle to get away, Ji Yulin raised a hand to stop her and then pulled her over.

“Had enough fun?” The previous sorrow had all disappeared when she looked at the little octopus, leaving only a faint gentleness.

The little octopus lifted her eyes, then quickly dodged to the side.

It was the same before. The moment she had changed her clothes and walked out, the little octopus had scrambled to the side, with her back to Ji Yulin, and had splashed Qi Fu with water for a long time.

The tips of her tentacles unconsciously turned redder.

She wanted to look but didn’t dare.

Actually, it wasn’t a very extravagant outfit. It was a very common style, a simple two-piece white suit, without even a pattern, just like the clothes Ji Yulin usually wore, overly plain and simple.

But it was precisely this simplicity that accentuated Ji Yulin’s slender waist and long legs, her graceful curves.

And now the night was darker. The light strips on the edge of the pool lit up. The blue and green light rippled in the water, breaking into pieces of light that reflected on Ji Yulin’s delicate features. The two completely different feelings of coolness and beauty strangely merged together.

Li An had only glanced at it quickly, but she couldn’t forget it.

Her tentacles turned redder. She still didn’t dare to look. In the end, she could only cling to Ji Yulin’s wrist and bury her head in her palm.

“You useless thing,” a sometimes-there, sometimes-not scolding was heard, so light that it was immediately blown away by the wind.

The little octopus was stunned for a moment, couldn’t help but question herself, whether it was a hallucination or if Ji Yulin had really said that.

But, she was indeed quite useless.

She had seen it more than once, and a few times it had been even more outrageous. And she hadn’t just looked, she had been pressed against the roundness, clinging tightly.

But, not only had she not gotten used to it, but her performance was even worse than the first time.

The tentacle wrapped around her wrist tightened. She could clearly feel Ji Yulin’s pulse, trembling under her sucker.

Just as a thought was about to surface, the little octopus couldn’t help but loosen her tentacle. In a panic, she had to feign a fierce and menacing appearance, as if she were seeking revenge on Qi Fu again.

Human, this time, little octopus will make you suffer.

Qi Fu over there had already seen it and was waiting with a grin.

She had a cheerful and generous personality. And since it was her own pool, she didn’t restrain herself at all. Her swimsuit was like a few strips of cloth, completely unable to hide her good figure.

But the little octopus didn’t care at all. Her heart didn’t stir in the slightest. The chattering peacock in a floral shirt and the peacock in a swimsuit were no different. She only wanted to get her revenge.

But when her tentacles tried to swim, she was stopped by Ji Yulin. Two fingers pinched her round head and turned it in the opposite direction.

The little octopus was forced to look at her.

Her big eyes blinked frantically, looking here and there, but she didn’t dare to look at Ji Yulin.

The woman, who rarely showed such an expression to the little octopus, was now indifferent. Her deep pupils were like cold-toned obsidian, silently staring at Li An.

As if scrutinizing her, or perhaps pondering.

The water rippled, and the night wind brushed past the treetops, then slapped the surface of the water, carrying the fresh, tender scent of leaves.

Li An felt like a prisoner, being scrutinized from above.

Her heart was beating so fast, as if a bronze bell were really swinging back and forth.

—Thump, thump, thump.

Just as Li An was no longer running away and finally dared to look back, Ji Yulin suddenly let her go.

“You useless thing,” the woman repeated.

This time, Li An heard it clearly. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Before she could get angry, she heard Ji Yulin reach out and fork a grape from the fruit platter.

“Eat something before you play,” her tone had returned to its usual gentleness, with no trace of her previous emotions.

The little octopus was a little dumbfounded. She hadn’t broken free from Ji Yulin’s sudden words yet. She just subconsciously hugged the grape and looked at Ji Yulin.

Human, what’s wrong with you…

But before she could think, Ji Yulin raised an eyebrow and said, “What, you don’t know how to eat this either?”

“Do you need Mama to feed you?”

“Or…” Ji Yulin’s eyes shifted, and she looked to another place, saying with an ambiguous tone, “Do you still want to eat cherry cream cake?”

Where her gaze fell, the cupcake from the afternoon had also appeared by the pool.

The little octopus didn’t know what she was reminded of, but she flushed a deep red. With no time to think, she lowered her head and began to gnaw.

She ate too quickly in the pool and drank a lot of disinfectant water.

But the usually considerate Ji Yulin didn’t care about her.

Bad children must be punished a little to clear their heads.

The atmosphere here was strange, but on the other side, it was harmonious and warm.

The little octopus held a grape, her eyes darting around, and they happened to land on Su Ye. Then she saw Qi Peilan turn her head and kiss Su Ye on the cheek.

The little octopus, who had been repeatedly shocked, could no longer think straight.

This whole day had been strange. First, Ji Yulin had wanted to feed her milk, and had kept calling her “Mama” and “baby.” Then she had suddenly been fierce to her, calling her useless.

Now, Qi Fu’s mother had kissed Qi Fu’s aunt.

Oh, right, and in front of Qi Fu.

The little octopus gnawed on the remaining grape and looked at Qi Fu with a hint of sympathy.

Your mom and your aunt are together.

And they don’t care about you at all.

You seem to be a part of their play.

Although she was a little dazed, it didn’t stop the schadenfreude-filled little octopus from looking at this and that, as if she had gotten some gossip.

But Qi Fu didn’t show the expression the little octopus wanted to see. Instead, she looked at Li An and said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, “Ji An An, what are you doing?”

The little octopus blinked at her.

Knowing that Li An had misunderstood, she couldn’t help but laugh, “This is my biological mother and my stepmother. They got married a long time ago.”

Huh?!

The little octopus took a deep breath, then drank a mouthful of water.

Yue…

Qi Fu couldn’t stop laughing. She held her forehead and said, “What on earth are you thinking?”

The little octopus didn’t dare to look at her, her gaze darting here and there.

Qi Peilan was helpless and chided with a smile, “You’re so old, yet you still have no proper form.”

Then, she turned to Ji Yulin and said, “I wonder when she’ll find a girlfriend?”

Huh?

Qi Fu’s mother agrees to her having a girlfriend?

Oh, right. Her mother has a wife. How could she not agree to Qi Fu having a girlfriend?

Wait.

The little octopus’s eyes widened. The main point was that Qi Fu actually liked girls?!

Ji Yulin gave a perfunctory reply. Qi Peilan went along with it, “Does Professor Ji have someone she likes now?”

Ji Yulin didn’t answer. Her still-cold expression seemed to say it all.

Qi Peilan just smiled, “You’ll meet someone you like eventually.”

She didn’t know what she was reminded of, but she suddenly said, “What does the professor think of Qi Fu?”

“Mom! What are you doing?!” The first to get anxious was Qi Fu, who shouted in shock and surprise.

Qi Peilan seemed to have just realized and said with an apologetic smile, “I misspoke. I wanted to ask what the professor thinks of Qi Fu. If you think she’s been a good companion these past two days, then let her continue to follow you.”

That was what she said, but to Li An’s ears, it sounded like she was trying to cover it up.

Her already blank mind suddenly exploded, and a ringing sound even started. Every tentacle went numb.

The juice of the grape was still swirling in her mouth, but she couldn’t taste any sweetness. A strange emotion was overflowing, like a tide, drowning her, making the little octopus feel a sense of suffocation.

They were still talking and laughing on the other side, the conversation never-ending. Even though Ji Yulin was taciturn, there was the eloquent Qi Peilan, the talkative Qi Fu, and a Su Ye who always had a gentle smile and would occasionally join in.

Their harmonious and warm atmosphere seemed to have pulled Ji Yulin in, without any sense of incongruity.

The little octopus didn’t know what she was feeling. She just felt a little stuffy.

Ji Yulin, Professor Ji, Mama, Master…

Her Little Ji.

These names swirled in her mind, unable to land. It seemed like every one was right, and every one was wrong.

And the person who had always been so concerned about the little octopus seemed not to have noticed her strange behavior at all. She had been chatting with others, a rare few responses.

“…The Research Institute can indeed provide the professor with a lot of resources, but it still has to consider others and can’t completely favor the professor.”

“It’s a good thing that the professor is engrossed in research, but when people get along, there’s always some scheming and backstabbing. And the professor doesn’t like to deal with these things…”

“Qi Fu is simple-minded and easily trusts people. Sometimes I can’t sleep thinking about it, afraid that one day, without me watching her, and without a few capable and trustworthy people around her…”

The fragmented words, Li An didn’t listen carefully. She was pushed along by the flowing water. Her azure eyes reflected the night sky, the shattered stars lighting up and then extinguishing.

The buildings in the distance were all lit up. A noisy sound was carried by the evening wind, and she could vaguely smell a faint fragrance.

She didn’t know if it was from Ji Yulin or if Li An was hallucinating.

“If the professor can like the Thirteenth District…”

“It’s close to the sea, and mutated beasts are easy to catch. Its economic strength is not comparable to the Research Institute, but compared to other safe zones, it’s still one of the top.”

The fragmented words, Li An didn’t want to hear, but they still popped into her head.

“Actually, I’ve always been very worried about Qi Fu. Ever since she had her golden eagle eye transplant, I’ve often been worried, having many sleepless nights, my dreams filled with her being unable to withstand the golden eagle’s power, being tortured by pain and…”

She seemed to choke up a little, “Professor, you also know that this matter is not as simple as it seems to ordinary people. It’s not over in an instant. The frequency of her attacks is increasing. I’m really worried about her.”

A chubby tentacle twitched.

She didn’t know where the conversation had gone. She only felt that the pool of water had gone from normal temperature to icy cold, and then back to normal.

Ji Yulin’s voice sounded, “District Chief Qi doesn’t need to be so worried. Although Qi Fu looks a little playful, she is still very proper in her work.”

“As for her eyes…” Ji Yulin drew out her words, as if she wanted to say something but didn’t. Instead, she looked at the iron tower in the southernmost part.

Qi Peilan followed her gaze. Not knowing what she was reminded of, she suddenly said, “I’m going to inspect the imperial prison tomorrow. If the professor has time, would you be willing to accompany me?”

“Just in time, if we can meet one or two who can help with the professor’s experiment, it would be an honor for the Thirteenth District.”

This time, Ji Yulin agreed again.

Qi Peilan clearly smiled and said, “Then I’ll have to trouble the professor to accompany me tomorrow. The professor should still have my contact information, right?”

“Then… see you tomorrow? I’ll have Qi Fu pick you up.”

The little octopus’s tentacles lifted, then fell limply, sullenly sinking into the water.

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of water was heard.

Qi Fu got up and walked into the house. Ling Yun, who was guarding the living room, immediately stood up. Seeing that it was Qi Fu, she sat down again with a sullen face.

Her back was straight, her hands on her knees. Against her wheat-colored skin, she was as rigid and solemn as ever.

Although she could have walked straight to the bathroom, Qi Fu went around and deliberately pressed against her knees.

The dripping water stained her pants.

Ling Yun frowned impatiently and said coldly, “Go away.”

Qi Fu’s smile was wanton and unrestrained. She squeezed between Ling Yun’s legs.

“What, you don’t like it?”