Chapter 669: Extra Chapter 1: I Am Not Yet So Depraved as to Become a Beast

"Body Seizure" — as soon as that term was spoken, all of our faces grew grave, meaning that as the Body Seizure progressed, Shi Rou would no longer be the original Shi Rou.

She will eventually become another person.

Someone who, to us, might even be extremely dangerous.

Jin Wuya asked: "Is there any way to stop them from performing Body Seizure on Shi Rou now?"

Bái Sōnglán shook her head: "I have no good ideas on my end, after all Shi Rou is merely a mortal body; although she has a little cultivation, it's far too low, she lacks the ability to resist them."

Xiao Jiu Zhanggui pondered: "But think about it the other way—Shi Rou is a mortal body, yet they still want to perform Body Seizure on her at this critical moment; does that mean her body is itself extraordinary, at least suitable for absorbing the shark pearl's spiritual power?"

"That's the reasoning." Bái Sōnglán wondered, "Xiao Jiu, what you mean is..."

"Wait a few more days." Xiao Jiu Zhanggui said, "After the shark pearl fully absorbs the resentful yin-killing qi in Shi Rou's lower abdomen, we pull out the fangs, take the shark pearl out, and place it in the Soul-guiding Lamp to purify."

The other side is using the shark pearl step by step to perform Body Seizure on Shi Rou; by then, Boss Jin will try to modify the shark pearl so that Shi Rou can absorb its spiritual qi without easily falling victim to Body Seizure—this depends on Boss Jin's ingenious craftsmanship.

Jin Wuya furrowed his brows, lowered his head in thought.

Obviously this is not an easy matter.

Bái Sōnglán did not immediately agree with Xiao Jiu Zhanggui's view this time; she said: "Xiao Jiu, this is too idealistic—leaving aside whether Boss Jin has the ability to modify the shark pearl, whether the Body Seizure process can wait until Shi Rou's body recovers is itself unknown."

Xiao Jiu Zhanggui said: "But is there any better way?"

Everyone fell silent.

Yes, Xiao Jiu Zhanggui's idea is overly idealistic, but it is precisely because it's idealistic that it gives people hope.

Otherwise, without this hope to cling to, I and Jin Wuya might not be able to persevere.

Jin Wuya declared: "I'll try my best."

Over the next two days, Bái Sōnglán came to the pawnshop several times each day, constantly monitoring my condition; Jin Wuya chatted with Xiao Jiu Zhanggui and Liu Qiye for a long time, then returned to his room and began sketching on paper, starting to research how to modify this shark pearl.

My condition is hard to put into words.

At first, those fine fish scales spread from my feet upward; each day I needed to soak in water longer, and once out of the water I felt as if I could barely survive.

Bái Sōnglán examined the shark pearl; its color grew darker, my belly correspondingly shrank, the corpse-like transformation lessened, and everything proceeded as we had preset.

I had nightmares all night; in the dream, the weathered female corpse kept rushing at me, shouting for me to return her shark pearl and her life.

Jin Wuya stood guard over me, comforting me: "Shi Rou, hold on, just get through this—no one can take you away from my side; believe me, I will surely save you."

Actually, at that time I had already given up all hope in my heart.

Because the next night, my dream changed.

The female corpse that looked exactly like me disappeared, and I sank into a body of water, my body continually sinking, sinking further...

As I sank deeper, the water pressure grew, and that deep-sea suffocation and fear swept over me, making me forget to breathe in my sleep, almost choking to death.

After Jin Wuya shook me awake, I opened my eyes; my first reaction was actually to shove him away, curl up my body, and keep shrinking toward the corner of the bed.

Wait until my back firmly pressed against the wall, knees drawn up, arms wrapped around knees, my whole body curled into a ball, still trembling slightly.

Jin Wuya leaned in; the moment his finger touched me, I couldn't help but shout loudly.

That fear from deep inside, even I couldn't control it.

Jin Wuya looked at me in surprise, speaking softly: "Shi Rou, I'm Jin Wuya—you… what on earth happened to you?"

"It's just a dream; once you wake up it'll be fine—don't be afraid, I'm with you."

I stared at Jin Wuya; I knew in my heart he wouldn't harm me, yet I simply couldn't let anyone near me.

Not Jin Wuya, not Xiao Jiu Zhanggui either.

I felt as if I had completely become another person.

They began to suspect whether the other side had already completed Body Seizure on me, doubting whether the person before them was still the original me.

Bái Sōnglán tried to approach me for an examination, but I wouldn't let her touch me at all.

In the end, there was no choice; they still pressed me onto the bed to assist Bái Sōnglán in conducting a physical examination on me.

When Bái Sōnglán took my pulse, she let out a "Huh", then pried open my mouth to look at the shark pearl I was holding; this time not only Bái Sōnglán was puzzled, but Jin Wuya and Xiao Jiu Zhanggui also let out a "Huh".

Xiao Jiu Zhanggui said: "Shulan sis, I feel the shark pearl has shrunk by a notch."

Jin Wuya also said: "I think it really has shrunk by a notch, and its color changed too."

"The shark pearl is indeed changing." Bái Sōnglán said, "What's even stranger is that I just felt her pulse—it's basically stable, but… but there's a joyful pulse..."

Jin Wuya froze, Xiao Jiu Zhanggui also wore an expression of utter disbelief: "Joyful pulse? Is Shi Rou pregnant?"

Bái Sōnglán said: "I can confirm Shi Rou is not pregnant; after all, from when you brought her back until today, I've taken her pulse dozens of times, and last night there was still none—the joyful pulse appeared suddenly."

She paused, glanced at Jin Wuya, then continued: "Even if they had recently been intimate, it's impossible for this to happen so quickly."

Jin Wuya immediately said: "No, I can swear to heaven—given Shi Rou's current state, I would not stoop to bestiality."

"So, Shi Rou's joyful pulse does not indicate pregnancy." Bái Sōnglán said, "I have encountered this rare condition before—when a mother's maternal instinct reaches a certain level, even without pregnancy she may exhibit a joyful pulse, and some even… lactate."

Jin Wuya self-reproached: "Could it be because we failed to save those two children earlier, Shi Rou…"

Bái Sōnglán suggested: "Let's go borrow a child to try, or a doll would work too."

To be safe, Xiao Jiu Zhanggui did not borrow a child, fearing that, as Bái Sōnglán said, we might then be unable to return the child to its owner.

She bought a chubby infant doll and brought it back, handing it to me.

Throughout their discussion they made no effort to keep me out of it; I listened the whole time, and I clearly understood what they were doing.

But when that infant doll was handed to me, I still couldn't help reaching out to hold it in my arms, gently humming a lullaby to soothe it.

My state at that moment must have been very strange; Jin Wuya's eyes instantly reddened, and Xiao Jiu Zhanggui asked Bái Sōnglán: "The situation has changed abruptly—should we still proceed with the original plan?"

"The shark pearl has shrunk." Bái Sōnglán said, "This indicates that Shi Rou's body is absorbing the shark pearl's spiritual power, which means our earlier conclusion about 'Body Seizure' is debatable..."