Chapter 74 – The Ultimate Desire

Translator: Xena
Hi! Don’t hesitate to comment if there’s a typo, thank you for reading!

This monster was indeed involved in the forty-eight hours before and after the car accident.

But its memory was coherent, completely different from Jian Xie’s fragmented memories. It seemed to remember only this one clear version belonging to itself.

Although everything fit the existing situation, the fragmented memories that flashed through his mind were missing.

So it seemed that—just as it let slip earlier—it really has nothing to do with time loops.

It couldn’t even remember anything except that one experience.

Even if there was a connection, it was merely part of the cycle, at best a victim like the others, and not the mastermind behind the whole thing.

As for the mastermind behind it all, it didn’t know much about them either, and the gathering always took place at random locations.

Jian Xie felt dull. “You’re a bit more useless than I thought.” 

It was so smug, convinced it was in control of everything. It should be more careful instead of resorting to underhanded tricks.

Monster: “……”

“I don’t know how the loop works, but in any case, that anomalous object did work on you, didn’t it?” Determined to turn the tide, it let out a series of cold chuckles. Its face contorted as it said in a mocking tone, “Once influenced and once the evil thoughts in one’s heart are unleashed, there are only three outcomes: desire, fear of others, and unbridled violence.” 

The effect of the anomalous object was to [awaken the evil intentions deep within the human heart].

Even as the only one who could maintain his sanity while trapped in a hotel sealed off by a predation field, he still felt like an isolated island.

Therefore, it forced Jian Xie to make a choice.

Either be sacrificed by others or become part of the evil.

If they want to use a human as the first sacrifice to summon It, then they’ll need to take drastic measures, preferably by gathering all the necessary elements.

In other words, the more peculiar it was, the more it would attract and pique It’s interest.

Only in this way might It cast a glance from the void, and only then would It’s descent be possible.

Jian Xie was the experimental subject it chose.

Just like what was done to the neighbor before, it created a self-centered narrative filled with malice and amplified with evil.

Although they were both sacrifices, Jian Xie was clearly of higher quality and was suitable to be the first sacrifice, so the environment it created for Jian Xie was even more hostile.

As for what happened afterwards, we already know.

It descended, possessed Jian Xie, and developed an unusual interest in him, and then the plan began to spiral out of control…

Fortunately, although It was inside this human’s body, it did not witness any sign of It taking action, so things shouldn’t be as bad as it thought.

“……”

“What about those memories? Seeing guts, blood, and limbs splattering everywhere. The dining table, washing machine, and the underside of the bed gradually becoming a bloody mess. The guests were all going crazy, unable to escape the hotel. They thought they had found a way out, but then they got into a car accident while leaving. If this were a movie, it would probably get good ratings, isn’t that right?” 

Seeing Jian Xie’s cold expression and his impeccably clean face despite the monster’s screams, a secret excitement rose in its heart.

Even his breathing became heavier without his notice.

Jian Xie possessed an extremely unique temperament, perfectly blending indifference and vulnerability, which easily evoked a violent urge to crush him to pieces.

The less a person possessed the madness and extreme emotions inherent to investigators, the more they want these monsters from hell to sully them with their blood.

That was a year ago. Disguised as a human, it had decided to take a short rest on the sofa in the hotel lobby. It hadn’t decided what to choose as its first offering, but the moment it saw him push open the door, it knew exactly what its target was.

It had to be said—it was fate’s arrangement.

If Jian Xie had entered a minute earlier, it wouldn’t have even considered using humans as a sacrifice; similarly, if he had entered a minute later, it would have left already.

“……”

Jian Xie didn’t speak and just stared at it indifferently.

Under the other party’s gaze, it became even more boastful, feeling increasingly satisfied and becoming more and more carried away with its words.

“Of course, I’ve since heard a bit about what happened to you. I heard that you called the police 67 times which obstructed official business, and that you even saw a psychologist and received a long period of treatment just to keep from losing the will to live and reintegrate into a normal life. I really don’t know whether to praise your self-destructive behavior or your hard work.”

Jian Xie’s tone remained completely flat. “You were the receptionist who answered the police call and pretended to be innocent, saying that my family and I had left. And you were also the one who made sure the police failed to find any bodies afterward. This wasn’t difficult for a monster like you, and you didn’t want to attract the attention of the Bureau.” 

“That’s right. But now that you remember what happened, did you come here specifically to find me, the one who reshaped your life using an anomalous object?” 

Just as its cheerful voice trailed off, a familiar, lazy voice suddenly echoed from the void.

Upon hearing the first word, the monster, who had been clinging to a sliver of hope that It was not involved, was struck dumb.

The filthy desire for Jian Xie that had been growing in its heart vanished in an instant, leaving only a deep sense of fear and apprehension in its the voice, causing its body to instinctively shrink back.

“‘Specifically’, ‘reshaped your life’?” Qin Zhuo chuckled, his slow, drawling voice carrying a ruthless undertone. “To dare say that, are you tired of living?” 

Monster: “……”

……

Has It always been there?

In other words, everything that just happened took place under It’s cold observing eye, and even the monsters’ deaths at Jian Xie’s hands were something It coldly acquiesced to.

The monster’s mentality suddenly started to crumble.

As if remembering something, its gaze unconsciously fell on the bust stone sculpture that had been dragged in with them not far away.

Due to the force of gravity brought by falling from a great height, it also crashed onto the solid ice, causing its face and body to scatter to pieces. The broken stones peppered the ground, clustered around the pendant like the ruins of a collapsed city.

[Eagle Eye]

Jian Xie had already withdrawn his gaze from it and walked towards the pendant, picking it up under its horrified gaze.

“……”

It had never touched it before.

It wasn’t just that they didn’t dare to, it was also because they were not qualified.

Because without permission, terrifying hellfire would burn them to ashes in an instant.

In Jian Xie’s hands, however, this pendant, which had a terrifying reputation, behaved quite docilely and not like the omniscient and omnipotent eye that it was, but merely as a decorative item in a shop window.

It fell silent.

【I’d never paid attention to it before, but it looks pretty good.】

This was something It had casually tossed aside, but now, through Jan Xie’s eyes, It discovered that it suited his skin perfectly, even better than It had imagined.

At the same time, It noticed that Jian Xie’s gaze was lingering on it for a while.

He seem quite interested in it.

【Maybe we could use a different material, I don’t really care either way,】 Qin Zhuo said lazily. 【Consider this my return gift. You should wear it.】

They were all pendants.

Although the materials and style were very different, they were almost the same.

Since It’s human liked it, It could wait a while longer and see if there were any alternatives to the reconstruction.

Upon hearing this, Jian Xie was immediately speechless.

Although Qin Zhuo’s tone wasn’t entirely serious, he seemed to mean what he said, leaving him at a loss for words.

That’s just… way too arbitrary.

[There’s no need for that… I don’t particularly like it that much.] He finally responded after a while [At least not to the point of liking it more that you.]

Before Qin Zhuo could react, he had already clenched his fingers tightly, just as he had done with the wooden carving at the auction.

“Crack.”

With that crisp sound, Jian Xie released his grip.

The pendant was no longer there, replaced by a wisp of gray smoke that he watched drift across the cold ice plains and gradually disappear from view..

This prop was at least a Special A-level prop, yet the opponent didn’t even use it. It was destroyed directly by the human standing before it.

[That should do it.] Jian Xie said, his gaze falling on the monsters which caused them to tremble involuntarily. [I’ll have a meal first.]

【No rush,】 Qin Zhuo said with a smile. 【I knew the truth before you did, but back then, you didn’t want me to say anything.】

It was good to be cautious and to seek the truth for oneself, but the only downside to that was that It missed an opportunity to explain It’s motives.

Now that Jian Xie has learned about the time loops, It felt it necessary to explain the matter clearly.

Jian Xie: “…?”

【At the very beginning, I was indeed interested in you,】 It said. 【And as you humans say, interest is a necessary element for a story to begin.】

It noticed Jian Xie during the seventh cycle.

It’s nature could be described as inherently evil, especially in the beginning, so It remained unmoved despite seeing the miserable plight of humanity’s twisted struggles.

It was only slightly interested.

With the seventh time done, then the eighth time…

The human being who repeatedly served as a variable, though inadvertently attracted It’s attention, only garnered a fleeting glance.

Then came the ninth, the tenth…

It never intended to intervene, merely observing Jian Xie’s choices with a cold eye.

A strange feeling.

This human…

Doesn’t hurt? How can he keep going? That’s  quite interesting.  

Until the sixty-seventh time.

It, who had always been keen to see human suffering, suddenly didn’t want to watch anymore. It felt a strange emotion welling up in It’s heart, which made the usually indifferent evil god have a different idea.

It descended.

【All the loops I’ve observed were essentially filled with three things: desire, fear, and violence. And you’ve already received far too much of fear and violence.】

All that remained was desire.

Even under the influence of the anomalous object, Jian Xie was able to maintain his rationality and was therefore not dominated by so-called desires.

The the highest form of desire is love.

Jian Xie was the first sacrifice It accepted. For the only human It favored, It wanted to give him all the best of things, including desires It had never experienced before.

【I came into this world for no other purpose than to love you.】

Everything It did was for this one reason.

The previous claims that It should become the strongest were merely excuses to make him accept Itself. Although Jian Xie did have such an ability, it was not It’s real reason.

The statement that only Jian Xie could kill It was true.

……

Minister Zhang was counting down the time.

Although she was in the dark, she was not completely affected by the suffocating, sticky atmosphere. Instead, she deliberately distracted herself by silently reciting numbers.

She frowned as she thought about everything that had just happened.

If she wasn’t mistaken, the person who had just made the monsters scream and then vanish from her side was Jian Xie.

It could only be him.

The only teenager who can be rated S-level.

Minister Zhang never told anyone else that Jian Xie had been rated S-level not because he actually belonged to that tier, but because—

Currently, the highest level was S.

She had never seen such abnormal data from other investigators. Every metric of his were far beyond those of ordinary people. If it were any other investigator, they would have been transformed into monsters or driven to extremes, becoming hysterical madmen.

Although she was an ordinary person, Minister Zhang had managed many investigators, most of whom had some kind of shortcoming.

Despite the extremely high mortality rate among investigators, there was an annual fall recruitment drive that always filled some personnel gaps, so they were referred to within the department as “consumable resources”.

Whether they were easily swayed by foolishness, lack the ability to think for themselves, or were inherently selfish and self-serving… in short, they were a group of people who severely lacked rationality, existing in a gray area between monsters and humans. They were likely to become low-level monsters who couldn’t speak properly and only knew how to eat, should they fail a mission.

But then, Jian Xie appeared.

He drew number 7 in the fall recruitment, crushing the Bureau’s stereotype towards [investigators] with his absolute rationality and Insight level.

That was why Minister Zhang specifically designated him as the final trump card.

What was happening at the moment further confirmed how correct her idea was.

When she counted to nearly seven hundred, another breathing sound appeared out of nowhere in the darkness, slow and steady, without any signs of strenuous activity.

However, the distinctive stench emanating from the monsters had completely disappeared from the entire space.

An absolute crushing defeat.

If he were here, those tricky first three districts would be much—

“Minister Zhang,” Jian Xie said coldly, “I’ve come to take you back.” 

He had just barely untied her ropes when she could no longer control her inner turmoil and reached out to grab his wrist. “I can write you recommendation letters and guarantee you admission to all your desired universities, excluding the top two. Stop doing this as part-time and get a permanent position.” 

She believed that the offer she made would be an irresistible temptation for any student at this crucial stage of their senior year.

Jian Xie: “…”

Jian Xie said, “No thanks, I can get into the top 2 by myself.” 

Minister Zhang: “…”