Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Ah, looks like there’s no need to ask.

Ji Xinghai smiled and drained his cup of wine. Not a drop of the wine he brewed could be drunk for free.

Looking at Ji Xinghai’s hateful smile, Crow’s eyes turned so red they seemed ready to ignite. If only he were a bit weaker...

"Wow, why do you want to know?" The sobered Crow asked somewhat resentfully.

Evolution on this planet is still in its enlightenment stage; they haven’t yet realized the specific differences between evolution and anomalies.

If evolution is long and gentle, then transforming into an anomaly is short and intense. This brief and intense transformation comes with significant side effects—surviving it is already a one-in-a-thousand chance, and even if successful, they would be controlled and influenced by negative energy, turning into monsters.

Why are they called monsters?

Successful anomalies abandon their original identities, becoming twisted energy conglomerates. They exhibit an instinctive ‘patricidal’ behavior—by killing, they sever ties with their original group, completing the final transformation.

Successful anomalies become part of fear; seeing them or coming into contact with them evokes deep-seated terror.

And this transformation is irreversible.

Crow hadn’t thought about what happened before the transformation for a long time, but today, memories were stirred. He wished he could peck that young, innocent face to shreds, especially those innocent eyes.

Clearly an evolved being, yet more deranged than an anomaly.

Crow felt that just one glance from him made him as bare as a plucked chicken, exposed and vulnerable.

If this guy weren’t so strong...

Ji Xinghai merely smiled without speaking: he smelled death and plague on Crow.

If it really came from a destroyed civilization, did its realm vanish due to a plague? Or was it like the overseers, who abandoned their identity as intelligent beings for some purpose, transforming into more powerful but uncontrollable entities?

A life as desperate and tragic as the Skinwalkers.

That explains why some NPCs despise the students: why should your civilization be saved?

Anomalies lack human emotions but have lingering obsessions, which turn into malice, burning the already ruined souls.

As for why he could connect these dots, it was because he had several opportunities to step into the abyss and become a monster. People under extreme conditions easily go to extremes too.

He didn’t take that step simply because he wanted to go home.

Monsters don’t have homes.

But has he truly not become a monster?

Or has he changed without realizing it?

Ji Xinghai’s expression froze for a moment.

After extracting all the remaining value from the NPC, Ji Xinghai left the broadcasting room.

He was carried by a pterodactyl over the deserted service area and the burning forest.

Given the extent of destruction caused by the students, this resource space can hardly be reused. To test the students, the academies have spared no expense this time.

"Hey, if you’re leaving, why drag me along?!"

The Crow in his hand screamed in anger.

Indeed, Ji Xinghai wasn’t leaving alone; he had grabbed Crow. Now hanging upside down in mid-air, flapping its wings wildly, it couldn’t escape Ji Xinghai’s grip.

"I’m afraid you might play dirty and summon a bunch of flying dinosaurs to ambush me. I’m in a hurry to get back and don’t have the patience to deal with you." Ji Xinghai said honestly, "NPCs are all cunning. You make us follow rules while you stand above them. So, to avoid unnecessary trouble, it’s better to bring you along."

Crow was stunned, desperately wanting to look up and see the human’s expression when saying this.

Does he have any shame?

Who bribed the examiners earlier?

Who exploited loopholes and acted recklessly?

And now, who’s pretending to be an innocent little flower?

Of course, if we must say, Ji Xinghai never breaks the rules; he only dances where the rules don’t apply.

Ji Xinghai was utterly innocent now, acting like a student who didn’t want trouble.

And Crow, hanging upside down, was furious: "If you’re worried about dinosaurs ambushing you, why drag me along? What do you take me for?"

"A nut wall, perhaps? Or a winter milk tea held in your palm?"

Crow: "...Aaaaaah!" It had never been so humiliated in its life!

The pterodactyl flew over mountains, lakes, and rainforests. He saw students from the Hungry Academy waving at him as they spotted him.

But Ji Xinghai didn’t move.

Pterodactyls, fragile creatures, would fall if their balance was disturbed, far inferior to their bird descendants in flight. Therefore, he needed to stay steady, not adding any trouble to his makeshift flying device.

"Hey, those guys seem to be dying, and you’re just standing there?"

Whether humans were hunting dinosaurs or dinosaurs were hunting humans, Ji Xinghai remained calm, indifferent. One might think he’d care more about the students’ losses.

"Going down now won’t save them. Why pretend to be compassionate? It’s pointless." Ji Xinghai had survived countless dangers, making him numb to life and death. He didn’t know how to show compassion.

Besides, entering the Dinosaur Zoo was the students’ own choice. Since they understood the rules and still entered, they must be prepared to bear the consequences.

The party made their own decision; why should he, an outsider, get involved?

Moreover, the number of students in danger was minimal.

Dinosaur Zoo might look terrifying, but in reality, the dinosaurs inside had their combat abilities reduced by medication. Although there were still risks, returning small dinosaurs to their rightful places wasn't a difficult task.

They could obtain plenty of insect-eating pets by sending the dinosaurs back home.

As for Ji Xinghai, with just these few trifles, he wouldn't stay and compete with them.

Afterward, he returned to where he first entered Dinosaur Zoo. There stood many doors, a few of which were already gray, indicating that their owners had died.

Some students were enthusiastic about tomb raiding—searching newly vacated rooms for usable items. They usually found food and daily necessities, occasionally even medicines and tools, which were scarce.

Ji Xinghai didn't go; it was too inefficient compared to robbing NPCs.

"Thank you, Director, for escorting me this far. See you next time." Ji Xinghai left the crow behind and entered the room.

"What? Who escorted?" The crow was furious.

"Goo goo~" The bruised pterosaur chuckled, thinking it had escaped the tyrant, only for the door to open again the next second as Ji Xinghai flipped through the Nightmare Book of Abnormal Creatures.

"Almost forgot you. No flying creatures on hand, so you'll do."

Thus, the pterosaur was taken away. The crow, seeing only a glimpse of the Tāo Tiè Cookbook and the closed room door, shuddered: the legendary Divine List.

Strangely enough, had the tyrant changed his ways recently? He hadn't eaten it!

Ji Xinghai returned to the room.

Having encountered Hungry Academy examiners twice, his gold mountain had dwindled significantly. But that wasn't the main issue; the real problem was that he hadn't had a proper meal in a long time.

The flower house only had a bunch of insects, and dinosaur meat was tough to chew.

Although the wig and the crow were energetic, he wanted to collaborate with Hungry Academy. It wouldn't be right to talk about cooperation while eating their subordinates.

"How about something filling this time?" He opened the third door and paused.

Behind the door was another door, with instructions:

"This is a magical door. If you know its name, you can travel to any space you desire."

A portal door appeared, yet Ji Xinghai couldn't remember the specific name of the self-service space he wanted to visit.

So he closed the door and opened the last one.

Ah!

A familiar door!

"This is the orchard. You're lucky; there's always food here.

"However, the orchard owner has some recent troubles. An invisible entity is destroying the orchard. Please help the owner harvest the fruits promptly to avoid major losses.

"In addition to fruits, the orchard owner offers other gifts."

Ji Xinghai recalled the apples and bananas he had already eaten. In just a few days, the once-lush orchard was now desolate, with withering trees amidst green grass, shedding leaves like elderly people nearing the end of their lives.

His gaze shifted from the withered tree crowns to the ordinary land.

"An invisible thing? Must be pests. I won't harvest the fruits, but I can help you deal with these pests, provided the price is right."

The orchard remained silent, with only sickly trees shedding leaves.

"Alright then, I'm leaving. You can wither."

Ji Xinghai pretended to close the door, and the orchard finally stirred.

"It's you again. What do you want?" Recognizing Ji Xinghai, it suppressed its anger.

Ji Xinghai turned around. From his previous conversation with the crow, he knew this instance contained special NPCs. They weren't objects or animals but entire environments, like the snowfield and the orchard spaces.

Therefore, all the fruit trees were part of the orchard space, and pests harming the trees were harming it.

Would such spaces willingly sacrifice themselves to please the academy?

"I'm not doing anything, just offering to help. The reward for harvesting fruits is fruits and planting soil, but they come with eggs or larvae. Once they enter the students' rooms, disaster will follow tomorrow."

The orchard space remained silent, clearly struck by Ji Xinghai's words.

"Are you willing? A well-tended orchard, cultivated with countless efforts, becomes a stepping stone for others. I truly sympathize with you and happen to have a pest control method. So I ask, if you disagree, no harm done."

Ji Xinghai was quite clever. Instead of entering the orchard or staying in the room, he sat on the threshold.

Despite being a grown man, his childish action didn't seem out of place.

"You have birds that eat pests? Just a few, not very useful."

"Of course, it's not just a few birds." Ji Xinghai had other plans but saw no need to reveal them now. "I can bring hundreds of pest-specific animals, but I doubt you have room for them."

The orchard owner was indeed tempted.

Who could bear countless pests crawling and gnawing at their skin?

They reached an agreement: one pest for a handful of soil. Ji Xinghai visited Dinosaur Zoo again, almost making the crow think he had suddenly decided to feast on it, but he only came for pets.

"If any students complete the task of returning dinosaurs and request rewards, give them these pest repellents. One bottle ensures several days of peace, sufficient."

Thus, Ji Xinghai brought a horde of hungry pest-eating animals to the orchard. Some ate pests on leaves and trunks, some in the soil, and others pecked under the bark to eat pests within the trunks.

Most importantly, these insect-eating experts wouldn't miss even the eggs, something that pesticides could never achieve.

The bugs inside and outside were all eaten clean, even the eggs were cleared away, making the orchard space exceptionally excited, with its tone of voice rising as it spoke to Ji Xinghai.

As for Ji Xinghai, after collecting tens of thousands of pounds of pest-free planting soil and dozens of fruit tree seedlings as payment, he once again adopted a friendly demeanor and said to the orchard space, "This exam is clearly using you as cannon fodder; how could it consider your gains and losses? I'm afraid this is just the beginning."

The orchard space cherished its fruit trees so much that it would chase for miles in anger when a single one was picked by a student. Now, with so many destroyed by insects, it felt as if half its heart had been torn out.

And yet, such things weren’t over?

"The insects today have been dealt with, but what about tomorrow, and the day after? How large is your orchard? Can it withstand such destruction more than a couple of times? I’m afraid another two occurrences will turn this place into a desert.

"Or are you particularly lucky, with fools like me showing up every day to help?

"You must cut the grass down to the roots."

Ji Xinghai said with deep meaning.