Chapter 48

Chapter 48

It wasn't just a semicolon; in the Monster Manual, Grandma Jacar's design was far more formidable. Even if her head were severed, she wouldn't die, and she possessed immense strength and agility, as fierce and violent as a beast.

The Slavic people probably didn't realize their witch, used to frighten children, could be so monstrous.

But the most troublesome aspect was her hair.

Her translucent white hair was coated with a special enzyme, identical to that found in Grandma Jacar's saliva. Upon contact with human skin, it induced mental confusion, hallucinations, an intense sense of happiness, while impairing pain perception and cognition.

Even indirect contact was dangerous, as the substance could volatilize and enter the body through respiratory organs and pores.

Thus, in the Monster Manual's guidelines, personnel interacting with Grandma Jacar had to be fully armored, not exposing any skin, and tethered with emergency ropes.

Despite these precautions, employees often fell victim to her effects.

Once external observers noticed abnormal behavior through surveillance, they would have to pull the affected individual out using the emergency rope.

Those who hadn't been directly touched could usually be saved, but if bitten or entangled by her hair, euthanasia was the only option.

"In essence, once a victim is injected with this enzyme from her hair and saliva, they're 'happily' consumed piece by piece, their body and soul oblivious until death. In the manual, Grandma Jacar had just slaughtered—or rather, 'eaten'—an entire town when she was contained."

The live-stream audience paled at this revelation. If even fatal wounds were ineffective against her, and she had such terrifying hair, was Ji Xinghai doomed?

However, when they looked again, the thing wrapped in white hair on the bed was not Ji Xinghai, but a pillow and blanket.

Where was he?

Grandma Jacar suddenly turned around, surprised to find him behind her, holding an oil lamp and a lit match.

His small, youthful face framed by beautiful eyes revealed, through those eyes, a vision of a crowded wasteland.

It wasn't a landscape of uniform ruins but a layered accumulation of 'wastelands.' Some were war-torn buildings with warships circling overhead, others writhed like living creatures, perhaps colossal forms spawned by some terrible fungus, and there was even one that resembled a giant tomb, surrounded by groaning half-human, half-monster patients.

Death, despair, resentment, extreme desire, sorrow, fear... all conceivable negative energies were present.

Layer upon layer of 'wastelands' piled up in the memory's void, forming a shape on the verge of collapse, beneath a mountain of garbage, where a tiny child sat, head bowed, expression hidden.

The child was about eight or nine years old, with an arm torn off, revealing flesh and metal bones, electricity spurting instead of blood.

He sat there, the intact arm holding a weapon taller than himself, its layers of dried blood resembling scabs.

The 'happiness enzyme' was a soul anesthetic, a lethal drug that triggered the most beautiful and happy memories, deceiving them into blissful ignorance, lost forever in life's illusions.

But what if ninety-nine percent of a person's memories were of being discarded trash, with life consisting of disaster upon disaster?

Suddenly, the child in the memory wasteland slowly lifted his head, revealing night-owl-like eyes beneath disheveled black bangs, and the smile of a hunter. The black mountain-like wasteland instantly coalesced into a massive monster.

The monster opened its bloody maw, while the child sat atop its head, one leg bent, calmly watching it.

'Don't peek into someone else's inner world.'

Grandma Jacar's pupils constricted sharply.

This child's face...

This series of transformations occurred in an instant, unseen by the audience, who only witnessed Ji Xinghai suddenly appearing behind Grandma Jacar.

He reacted faster than they imagined, so when the white hair surged toward him like a spiderweb, he kicked away the blanket, tossed the pillow, and ducked under the bed, rolling out of the white hair's encirclement.

Then he quickly retrieved the oil lamp and matches.

Physical attacks were ineffective, so what about chemical ones?

As the audience wondered this, they saw the outcome they desired.

All the lamp oil was splashed onto the white hair, accompanied by a lit match.

"Aaah—" Grandma Jacar emitted a shrill scream. Her hair, upon touching the flame, ignited like a fuse, the fire shooting from the tips to the roots, engulfing all her hair in an instant, turning her into a flaming figure.

The flaming figure reached out toward the child-like Ji Xinghai, but her fingers stopped less than ten centimeters from his forehead.

Even with sharp nails pointed at him, Ji Xinghai remained motionless, his expression unusually calm.

Neither Grandma Jacar's appearance nor her demise seemed to stir his heart.

Flames engulfed the sky and earth, burning everything to ashes, revealing the abandoned orphanage, silent and desolate under the moonlight.

He smiled, a false smile.

He truly detested having certain things he didn't want seen exposed.

The Hungry Academy, how unpleasant.

The wind paused, and the orphanage was devoid of unusual movements, appearing as decrepit and on the verge of collapse as any other abandoned building. The three-story red-brick house looked even older.

"Achoo." Ji Xinghai sneezed, shaking his head.

Although it seemed like a long time, from the moment Ji Xinghai entered the orphanage to now, it had been less than an hour.

But the temperature had plummeted, a white mist rising over the grass, and goosebumps covered his skin.

It was a bit cold; had the temperature dropped below zero?

Ji Xinghai, wearing a thin shirt, bent down to pick up Grandma Jacar's doll from the ground.

White hair stood messily on its head, and its thin, dry limbs dangled loosely in its tattered clothes, making it quite an ugly doll.

Aside from the doll, there was the familiar brass treasure chest, a quarter of a ticket for the Ark ship, a magical outdoor folding tent, a delicious Wellington steak set, and two cards.

One is a 30-gallon fuel card.

Another is an Orphanage Duplicate Limited Edition, Jacar's Grandmother Exclusive Building Binding Card, valid only within this duplicate instance.

The back of the card provides more detailed instructions.

Using a binding card allows you to bind a single building to this instance, after which the building transcends ordinary items, evolving into an 'Abnormal Entity' with life, special abilities, and potential for further evolution.

Note: The master's capabilities must exceed those of the bound 'Abnormal Entity,' or there's a risk of backlash.

Also included are ten bonus points, representing the highest difficulty level in this instance.

"Wow, that sounds like a powerful setup. Should we bind this orphanage? It could evolve on its own, potentially turning into a super horror movie scene. Too bad it's limited to use within a single instance."

"The inspiration likely comes from Jacar's grandmother's wooden cottage, also an abnormal entity recorded in the monster compendium."

"Even a magic tent! This haul is massive!"

"Risk and reward coexist; the orphanage is much harder to deal with than the previous monsters."

Yet, many people are more interested in the Brass Treasure Chest. Realistically speaking, this is what truly impacts their lives. Besides, Ji Xinghai's luck with resource chests isn't great, but his luck with brass chests has always been quite good.

"Pleas, please, I'll eat vegetarian for thirty days for Brother Hai's luck to improve! Please give us more purified land."

"Or better yet, purify the seas. Restoring marine environments would lead to more oxygen production by marine phytoplankton, benefiting the entire planet."

"Wishes are fine, but no demands. Brother Hai owes you nothing."

"Hypocrisy. You have no selfish desires? I can stay single for ten years if it means drawing my hometown."

Although the authorities often caution JiuZhou viewers against placing all their hopes on Ji Xinghai inside the instances, urging them not to impose unreasonable moral obligations, at moments like these, everyone can't help but hope for a stroke of luck to benefit their hometowns.

Ji Xinghai, however, has a completely different mindset. The allure of the brass chest doesn't compare to the fragrant Wellington steak, so he opens the chest as a matter of routine.

"You've obtained a Water Purification Pearl. The Water Purification Pearl has been used, reducing the pollution level of all freshwater resources in JiuZhou by one grade."

In the chest is a small transparent bead that flashes once before vanishing.

The reduction in pollution across the nation's freshwater resources—what does this include? Do clouds in the sky count?

This question flits through his mind but is quickly dismissed. Ji Xinghai takes the Wellington steak package wrapped in a wooden box and insulated bag back to his car, turns on the air conditioning, and covers himself with a layer of silk blanket.

The bread he ate earlier has long been digested; this is his real meal for the day.

Indeed, choosing to fight monsters during mealtimes was the right decision. No luxury car hotel voucher could provide such a delicious steak.

Thanks to the instance for offering boss delivery service.

"Another happy day for JiuZhou." Foreign viewers outside the instance are envious, one brass chest per day—where can they find more students like this? Send them a dozen!

The Water Purification Pearl isn't new; a student from an East African country received one two years ago. However, the scale of their countries differs greatly, as do the effects.

How come JiuZhou students keep drawing these wide-ranging items? Damn their luck.

But the ordinary people of JiuZhou don't care about their envy; they're already checking nearby water sources—from large rivers and lakes to small fish ponds and wells—all considered freshwater resources.

These can be used for farming, irrigation, and drinking. Thus, the Water Purification Pearl, while seemingly just purifying water, significantly enhances the quality of life for JiuZhou residents in various ways, and in the long run, continuously improves their environment.

"Clean water is a strategic resource. After this, JiuZhou will have another top product. The Hunger Games openly targets him, yet keeps providing valuable items—it's like a closeted admirer struggling to express affection."

"I'm more concerned about that orphanage limited edition card. With these resources, JiuZhou students will further widen the gap between themselves and others."

While outsiders speculate about what building Ji Xinghai might bind with that high-potential card, he lists it for sale on the student internal channel.

He posts the property description of the Jacar's Grandmother Orphanage Limited Card.

Students are practically drooling, wondering if he's picked up the bad habit of showing off from someone, when another line appears:

"Trading, for 'instance-specific items' only."