Chapter 1546: No. 161: But plan C is also unnecessary

No. 161: But plan C is also unnecessary.

Although he bears the title Beast King, the Beast King's looks are indeed like Aomo's demonization—fit for Halloween without mismatch, but calling him a monster would be too extreme.

Whether electromagnetic stove demon or cursed armor, they are regulars in the European Paranormal Encyclopedia, far beyond what a mere monster can compare to.

Thus, you can somewhat notice that Chengtian Bairen's aesthetic is less that of a monster enthusiast and more purely a lover of sharpness.

Sharp enough, keen enough, just like the raptor's talons in her favorite raptor cafe, and like her favorite dark matter energy angel in GBN.

Without a doubt, what she likes is this kind of dangerous visual system that seems to hurt you just by approaching.

Of course, there also needs to be a relatively conventional aesthetic design.

Otherwise, she'd be wandering not a raptor cafe but a sea urchin ecological park.

You can't just throw out a spiky ball or a clump of blades and ask if she likes it; she'd only look at you like you're an idiot.

She appreciates sharpness, and even more appreciates the ferocity and grandeur belonging to the top of the food chain.

That condensed her unconscious longing—the beastly posture that left a deep impression since she followed her father hunting in the woods as a child.

That posture is cruel and bloody, which should have frightened a child her age, but as everyone knows—

At that time, she feared the darkness itself more than prey, more than the ferocious beasts that could turn her and her father into prey.

At that time, she didn't even pursue the beasts' ferocious beauty; she merely feared the fact of darkness itself, which brought her an early sense of defeat.

It also brought an early unwillingness.

And that unique aesthetic is precisely a byproduct unearthed from this 'intention to resist darkness'.

When her father, in a hunter's way, warned that darkness would bring terrifying and malicious things besides, the young child's mind wondered how those terrifying and malicious things could bathe in darkness and move.

If one could achieve the common ground of both, would one then fear no darkness itself?

But she obviously cannot achieve either.

Chengtian Bairen, from a young age, neither cried nor fussed, leaving her older sister Pipa Chen Guang few chances to show care, and giving her parents little room to give instructions.

Only her picky habit of disliking vegetables while devouring meat could serve as a precious topic, making everyone feel Bai Ren still has such an obvious little temper, indeed the youngest in the family.

But she is obviously not truly such a perfect, low-maintenance child.

She merely endures.

She is very good at staying silent.

She always tries to solve things with her own strength.

Even when she acknowledges her inadequacy and rationally seeks help, she still unconsciously hides her shortcomings, making herself seem not so weak and embarrassing.

She is always forcing herself to endure.

Having endured for over twenty years, she is also fully aware of her inadequacy and stubbornness.

She clearly knows she cannot do it.

Unable to become a malicious thing, only a terrifying thing could barely manage on the track—but during that time she could only manage in the track, then almost couldn't withstand the pressure from others' fear and despair.

Her moral standards are still too high.

Always aloof and tough, she can always dash with powerful strides, yet she overly worries about other competitors on the same track, feeling lost, upset, even guilty when they give up.

The so-called hungry wolf is actually a well-behaved child—not only can she only obtain a terrifying thing experience card on the field, but also, as circumstances worsen unpredictably, she faces suppression from all sides by public opinion's malicious things.

So, just as before.

She still couldn't overcome darkness.

But this doesn't affect her life, nor does it affect her being called 'Fearless Shadow Monster,' mastering the innate skill that can freely trample shadows.

Because long ago, she already used mental source energy with psychological suggestion, via shallow hypnosis, to make that little nose patch become her confidence anchor.

Yes, very convenient.

Just need to stick on that little nose patch, and she can ignore the deep psychological shadow.

Born in such an era full of possibilities, with many external objects and methods to use, it's indeed unnecessary to seek self‑breakthrough ancient ways; Chengtian Bairen has lived like this for many years, up to now.

Her nose patch still works.

Competitions also don't ban this sourceless‑effect decoration, which long ago was regarded as an important component of the decisive outfit as part of her image.

She could continue like this, saying 'Escape really works, sisters,' but she obviously can't let go of this, often when alone looking around, moving to some shady, dark spots, then carefully removing the nose patch to conduct a repeated probe with unsatisfactory results.

She naturally is unwilling.

Even if it's a near‑eternal perfect escape, it's still escape, and she finds it unbearable.

This dissatisfaction, this unwillingness constantly linger in her heart, so even though she has long abandoned the pursuit of her childhood words, that long‑lasting, far‑reaching influence still spreads silently.

That is her aesthetic.

That aesthetic fully illustrates what 'pursuit unattainable equals obsession' means; it not only brought her into the raptor cafe, but also carried her from the ordinary horse‑girl world into another realm filled with violence, bloodshed, and danger: mercenary work.

Chengtian Bairen's involvement in the mercenary circle is not only reported many times, but also officially recognized as an achievement, proudly printed on her peripheral cards.

That choice once shocked countless people, once made media hype the downfall of the Triple Crown King, with many headlines stamping 'fallen,' making it seem like she had gone astray, yet nothing happened.

Fact shows Chengtian Bairen's demeanor in the mercenary circle is much like Aomo Lindun's situation at Penguin Logistics.

Two days fishing, three days drying nets—she never intended to take it seriously, just treating it as a temporary hobby‑like part‑time job.

After summer break, she simply went back to diligently refreshing her usual spots at school, so dull that even reporters lost interest, as if she had become leftovers even hyenas wouldn't bother with.

This matter ultimately fizzled out, becoming only a lingering doubt in the minds of the few relatives, friends, and fans still paying attention.

The more tight‑lipped a person is, the more secrets they have.

—Though that's how it is, everyone has always seen Chengtian Bairen's past actions as somewhat traceable, and never noticed this horse‑girl having any nerve‑knife maneuvers.

Only that two‑month stint in the mercenary circle, this sporadic little interlude, is truly puzzling.

They of course don't understand, because Chengtian Bairen herself doesn't understand either.

Back then, that state kept declining; when the trainer grew anxious and even suspended her once, what she was thinking now comes back as a muddled mess.

Registering as a mercenary also seemed like a spur‑of‑the‑moment idea; not knowing what expectations she held, she only recalls later becoming ever more bored and disappointed, so she simply went less and less.

It seems to be just a boring memory of 'youthful ignorance,' completely lacking any value worth recalling.

— It is precisely this understanding that makes her even farther from her true self.

She, who never liked to think about these things and never wanted to analyze herself, always charged forward on sheer feeling.

While his immature side surpassed the symbol of Sirius, he also did not need to be driven into a desperate situation like the Sirius symbol before he could figure things out—Chengtian Bai Ren can be said to be a complete instinctual type, always subconsciously seeking the path to success.

Just as when he first joined the mercenary circle, he wanted to see how horrifying and vicious things could share a commonality in Hei'an.

She once caught a glimpse that stirred her self, but she couldn't figure out what it was, and in the end she just returned listlessly.

And now, she is also subconsciously chasing after that demon's silhouette, and only when the Beast King and Aomo Lindun appear together in the same frame does she somewhat realize the discrepancy in her past self-perception.

The Beast King that ought to have touched her aesthetic sensibilities, the Beast King that ought to have been a thoroughly horrifying entity, actually failed to arouse her enthusiasm.

In a situation where she should have hesitated, she chose without hesitation to follow the facts here, which not only surprised her but also finally revealed a fact in the most obvious way.

This has nothing to do with aesthetics; it is a deeper trust and reliance.

That might be the plan she has been pursuing all along, never imagining it was always by her side.

Perhaps she has already found it

There are some people in this world who have never truly seen themselves.

Not even that crystal-clear logic has ever been noticed.