Coveted After Becoming a Monster [Quick Transmigration] 9

Chapter 9:

Another day passed with no sign of a rescue ship, but Ji Yulin and Li An remained relatively calm.

As usual, they patrolled the coastline. Still no suitcases had washed ashore, but they did find a few water bottles, saving them the trouble of plastering coconut shells with mud for a one-time use.

Catching fish and filling their bellies remained the routine. The only change was Ji Yulin’s urgent need to wash herself.

The human and the octopus followed the stream upward and finally found a spot with few animal tracks. Taking advantage of the hot weather, which had warmed the stream water slightly, Ji Yulin didn’t delay, undressing and getting in.

Meanwhile, Li An waited obediently on a large rock not far away, still wearing the shoes and captain’s hat Ji Yulin had sewn. The wooden needle had also become the little octopus’s toy, tucked at her waist like a longsword.

The sound of splashing water came from behind her. Captain Octopus stared straight ahead, keeping a serious watch.

The wind rustled the leaves. A leaf swayed down and landed in her sapphire-like eyes. Li An shivered inexplicably, and the hat on her head rustled.

The splashing stopped, and then someone called out, “What’s wrong?”

Hearing the caution in her voice, Li An immediately drew the wooden needle from her waist and tapped it against her precious glass jar.

—Clang, clang-clang.

This was the “all clear” signal Ji Yulin had arranged with her.

Actually, Ji Yulin had wanted to let her play in the water nearby while she washed, just like yesterday.

But Li An had suddenly become difficult, shaking her head like a rattle-drum, refusing to stay together.

Although Ji Yulin’s expression was composed, Li An knew in her heart that she was no ordinary little octopus. Even if she took advantage of Ji Yulin’s ignorance, and even though they were both female, Li An couldn’t accept it with a clear conscience. She felt like she was taking advantage of an innocent young woman.

I must be a proper and well-behaved little octopus, Li An told herself, selectively ignoring the fact that the night before last, she had left mottled red marks on Ji Yulin’s lips, cheeks, and even down her neck.

Hearing the splashing sound resume behind her, Li An shook her head, and the question that had been bugging her for the past two days resurfaced.

Why was Ji Yulin so good to her?

Although, based on her observations, Ji Yulin’s personality was somewhat different from what the system had described, the conflict between humans and mutated beasts was deeply rooted. Even though she had taken care of Ji Yulin for one night, she hadn’t really been able to do much. Yet Ji Yulin gave her a sense of…

A sense of indulgence, as if she could do no wrong.

A tentacle gripped the wooden needle and poked at the moss on the rock’s surface.

The once neat moss was now all upturned, piled in a messy heap.

Before Li An could come up with an answer, she heard a familiar yet unfamiliar bird call.

The little octopus jolted and looked up sharply.

The mutated, sharp-beaked seagull was facing her. It tilted its head, its gaze fixed on the glass jar beside her. The next second, it spread its wings and charged.

There was no need for identification; she knew it was the same mutated seagull from before. Seeing Li An unguarded, it was here to take revenge for their last encounter.

There was no time to hide in the glass jar. The little octopus raised her wooden sword and pointed it at the seagull.

The white feathers stirred up a fierce wind, its sharp beak aimed at the little octopus.

Li An swung her tentacle, aiming to stab the seagull in the eye.

Seeing its different attitude, a flicker of panic flashed in the seagull’s eyes. It hastily flapped its wings, braking in mid-air.

But Li An was no longer running. Times had changed. She was now an evolved little octopus, familiar with her body and having absorbed the energy of a mutated beast. She could toy with a tier-one strange fish, so why would she be afraid of a little seagull?

The wooden sword grazed the seagull’s underbelly and happened to hit the glass jar, making a clang.

But Li An had no time to spare. She immediately stabbed at the mutated seagull again.

The mutated seagull had survived in this sea for a reason. Having lost to Li An twice in a row, its anger flared. It tilted its head to avoid the wooden sword and snapped at Li An.

Her boot-clad tentacles shifted easily on the rock’s surface. After sidestepping, she once again slammed into the glass wall.

—Clang!

Before the crisp sound had faded, the seagull turned its head to bite.

Li An didn’t dare to block the beak that could peck through a coconut with her wooden sword. She quickly pressed down, stabbing straight at its lower jaw.

The wooden tip pierced through the feathers but couldn’t penetrate the flesh. Instead, it caused the seagull pain. With a forceful shake, the wooden stick snapped in two.

The little octopus was now defenseless. She retreated repeatedly, hiding behind the glass jar.

The seagull pursued relentlessly. The octopus and the bird began to chase each other around the glass jar.

—Clang, clang.

The beak pecked at the glass wall. The little octopus was also getting angry. From time to time, she would flick a tentacle, slapping the bird in the face.

The seagull, repeatedly losing out, was about to explode with rage, but it couldn’t catch the little octopus. It had even forgotten how to fly. Its long, thin legs pattered forward, but with all its might, it could only manage to bite the brim of her hat.

But just then, a sharp cry was heard.

“Get down!”

The seagull didn’t react, but Li An recognized Ji Yulin’s voice first. Without the slightest hesitation, all her tentacles pressed down, flattening her completely into an octopus pancake.

Immediately after, a sharp blade cut through the air, stabbing straight at the seagull.

The blade pierced flesh, and the seagull let out a pained cry, falling backward off the rock.

The little octopus dazedly lifted her head, looked behind her, then turned to look in front.

Ji Yulin was standing not far away, walking toward her in a few steps.

“How are you? Are you hurt?” the woman asked with concern. The person who always buttoned her shirt to the very top was now only draped in it. Through the open, damp fabric, her overly pale skin was faintly visible, along with the red marks on her full chest, round like marbles, rising and falling with each breath, exceptionally conspicuous.

The little octopus, who considered herself very proper, froze in place. But the woman didn’t stop. Thinking Li An was scared, she bent down to touch her head.

“Did it peck you?”

The person drew closer, her full chest completely uncovered by fabric. Although her tentacles were gripping the rock tightly, she felt an inexplicable softness. The little octopus instantly let out a puff of white steam, turning into a bright red sizzling octopus again.

Ji Yulin took off the pecked-damaged hat. A cool breeze happened to blow by, finally clearing Li An’s head for a moment. She immediately dodged Ji Yulin’s hand and retreated three steps, nearly falling off the rock. Then, her eight tentacles all got busy. Two pointed down at the seagull, two hugged her head, two were waving frantically, and the last two barely managed to support her.

She had no idea what she was doing, but she looked very busy.

Ji Yulin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She poked her head and coaxed, “Slow down.”

Having seen that the little octopus wasn’t seriously injured, she was no longer as tense as before.

Li An froze for a moment. The tentacles pointing at the seagull now hugged her head. The tentacles hugging her head now pointed at the sky. The waving tentacles hugged the broken wooden stick.

Ji Yulin seemed to have only just noticed her clothes. She raised a hand to cover her collar.

But what could that cover?

The fabric clung to her curves, and under the dripping of her wet hair, it was almost transparent.

She had come in a hurry and was now unwilling to be distracted.

“What are you trying to say?” Ji Yulin was very patient, guessing along, “The seagull suddenly flew down from the sky and then broke your stick?”

The little octopus averted her gaze, thinking about Ji Yulin’s words. That was roughly what happened, but on second thought, it seemed too simple, as if she had been bullied by the seagull for no reason.

She pointed at the seagull, then at the jar, then turned the glass jar upside down and ran with it over her head.

She wanted to tell Ji Yulin the story of her previous heroic deed.

But this only made Ji Yulin more confused. She frowned slightly and asked, puzzled, “You wanted to hide inside, but you couldn’t get in?”

At this point, Ji Yulin’s expression turned guilty, and she even began to apologize, “I didn’t think it through. I should have put you in the glass jar.”

The flailing little octopus froze, blinked, and quickly put down the jar, starting to wave her tentacles.

“Hmm?” Ji Yulin was puzzled. The once extremely cold and detached researcher had now turned into a very patient kindergarten teacher in front of the little octopus.

The little octopus pointed at the seagull again, then made a circle with two tentacles the size of a coconut, then mimicked the seagull pecking at something, and then her tentacles separated, as if to say the coconut had broken open.

Ji Yulin hesitated, “Your hat was pecked by the seagull?”

“It’s okay, I’ll make you a new one later.”

How did the gestures get more and more off track?

Where was the Ji Yulin who understood with a single glance?

The little octopus tried her best but still couldn’t make herself clear. Finally, all eight tentacles went limp, and with a plop, she flopped onto the large rock, looking at Ji Yulin listlessly.

Tired. It’s so much trouble not being able to talk.

Ji Yulin sighed helplessly and could only rub the little octopus’s head, saying, “Why didn’t you call me earlier? You were bullied by the seagull for so long for no reason.”

A tentacle patted the rock. The little octopus guiltily glanced to the side.

Well, didn’t I think I could handle it?

As if sensing the little octopus’s frustration, Ji Yulin didn’t say any more, only asking, “How about we eat the seagull later?”

The little octopus’s eyes lit up. Before she could rejoice, she was lifted up by Ji Yulin. Her eight tentacles struggled helplessly in the air as Ji Yulin had already turned and walked toward the stream.

“No more messing around. I don’t feel safe with you here.”

The fussing little octopus was, in the end, soaked in the water.

As the stream submerged her head, the previous question finally had an answer.

Wearing a hat, wearing shoes, being fed strips of meat, having her head rubbed, being carried around at all times…

Ji Yulin was raising her as a pet!

She was Ji Yulin’s pet.