Chapter 125: The Human Skin Drum (29)

It took Tang Mu a long time to reach the underground.

The surroundings remained shrouded in dim light, with a very limited radius of visibility. However, this did not prevent Tang Mu from examining the general outline of the nest. The lair was filled with silken cocoons and mucus; a single sweep of her hand would coat her palm in a thick, viscous layer.

Because of the pitch-black darkness, protruding rocks and sunken puddles frequently got in her way, causing her to slip and stumble. By the end of it, Tang Mu was thoroughly annoyed.

*Damn it.* If she had known the underground was such a hellhole, she would have just taken the photos when the receptionist asked. That would have saved her from watching others teleport hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye, while she had to rely on her own two legs—carefully avoiding slips and falls for hours—just to reach the destination.

What was even more ridiculous was the darkness, not to mention the winding, twisted paths. If not for the guidance of the Communication Conch, she never would have found the location of the other players.

"You really did come."

Qiao Yuan and the others were tightly bound by white silk. The threads here were different from those Tang Mu had encountered along the way; they were incredibly sticky. Looking through the faint light, she realized the viscous fluid on the silk seemed to be the same white goo refined from the eerie rice paddies, which could catalyze variants through moonlight.

But how could moonlight possibly reach the underground?

Tang Mu cast a cold glance at Qiao Yuan. "Where is Yan Xingwen?"

Qiao Yuan looked into the distance. Yan Xingwen was unexpectedly twenty meters away from him. With his hands and feet bound, it was impossible for Qiao Yuan to wield any yellow talismans to harm Yan Xingwen.

A cold, mirthless smile appeared on Tang Mu's face. The red thread in her palm transformed into a sharp blade and plunged straight into Qiao Yuan’s lower abdomen with a wet *squelch*. Blood gushed down the blade, matching the cruel smile on Tang Mu’s face.

"Has anyone ever told you that just keeping the demon within me restrained already takes twice the effort of a normal person? Since you were courting death by breaking that seal, I don't need to be polite to you anymore."

Tang Mu gripped the hilt, twisting it from side to side, causing Qiao Yuan’s features to contort in agony.

"I came from hell to wander the human world. In all these years, when it comes to being vicious, no one has ever been more wicked than me."

An Xiaoying, bound by silk nearby, saw Tang Mu harming Qiao Yuan and immediately flew into a rage. "Tang Mu! What are you doing? Qiao Yuan is the Vice President of the Association! If you dare to hurt him, you are making an enemy of the entire Association! You’ve already killed my sister—are you going to lay hands on me and Qiao Yuan too?"

"Your sister died because she was foolish enough to try and kill me!" When it came to temper and volume, Tang Mu had never lost. "An Xiaoying, what do you think you are? Do you think I haven't killed you out of guilt? It’s just that you haven't attacked me along the way, so I haven't had the opportunity to finish you off."

"And this matter is between him and me. If you say another word, do you believe I’ll seal your mouth with red thread and tear you limb from limb?"

An Xiaoying had known Tang Mu for quite some time, but she had never seen her this deranged. She was genuinely terrified by Tang Mu’s demonic state.

Yet, Qiao Yuan, having taken a blade from Tang Mu, actually managed to laugh. A low, guttural chuckle rumbled from his throat. Beneath his pained expression, there was even a hint of grievance and pity.

"...I never would have thought that a woman as cold-hearted and venomous as you could actually fall in love with someone. If there weren't proof, I would have thought your heart wasn't made of flesh at all, but stone."

Tang Mu pressed the blade against Qiao Yuan’s neck. "We’re cut from the same cloth; who are you mocking?"

Qiao Yuan lifted his eyes, looking at Tang Mu with a steady gaze.

"I just wanted you to save people. I haven't committed some unforgivable crime. Your Yan Xingwen is over there too... but it seems that when Sister Ying dragged us down here, he was given 'special treatment.' I’m warning you, his condition might not be good. If you have any anger, take it out on that monster, Sister Ying. Don't take it out on us. We’re innocent."

The moment she heard Yan Xingwen might be in danger, Tang Mu had no more time to waste on Qiao Yuan. She purchased ten candles from the shop and placed them around the underground nest, then groped her way toward Yan Xingwen in the dim light.

Yan Xingwen’s eyes were tightly shut; he seemed to be unconscious. But he let out continuous, painful groans, and his breathing was very shallow. His stomach, however, was significantly larger than it had been before he was dragged into the nest. When she touched it, she could feel a living creature inside, rising and falling with its own rhythmic breathing.

Around him were many giant white eggs, laid by unknown creatures and stuck to the surrounding rocks and walls by that special, viscous mucus.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, the underground nest lit up entirely.

Some unknown light illuminated the entire cavern as if it were broad daylight. It was only then that the players finally realized what kind of bizarre nest they were in.

The walkways, rock walls, and every nook and cranny were covered in densely packed white eggs, all glued together by white silk and transparent slime, resembling a giant xenomorph incubation chamber.

The monster boss, Sister Ying, sat high upon her throne. She looked down at the entire nest as if she were a queen holding countless treasures, peering down at her thousands of subjects. As for the villagers and players, they had all been captured and forced to lay eggs for her.

It was unclear what bizarre method Sister Ying used to make the villagers and players—even without mating—experience an infinite cycle of bloating and egg-laying.

Twenty-four hours of non-stop reproduction.

It was absolutely absurd.

"Wuwuwu..." Someone let out a pained groan, drawing Sister Ying’s attention. She waved her hand, and the player was summoned to the throne.

The others peeked secretly. It was a man. Xie Xianying, he seemed to be called.

"Does it pain you to lay eggs for me?" Sister Ying extended her ten-centimeter-long white fingernails and stroked Xie Xianying’s face. "You should feel honored to bear my offspring, not pained, right?"

Xie Xianying had cleared many trials, but he had never encountered anything so disgusting. He immediately spat in Sister Ying’s face.

"I’m a man! Even if I were reincarnated a hundred times, I would never go through something like pregnancy!"