Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1293 - 424: Suffering the Consequences, Hezang’s Orphan, Upheaval and Hatred (Part 2)
Previously on Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely...
Stepping into the inner chamber, the black-robed youth swiftly ripped off his shirt.
A silver-white kitten tattoo marked his chest.
Its body covered merely half his chest, roughly the size of a palm, yet the eight massive silver tails stretched thick and long, nearly wrapping his entire upper torso and arms.
Silver-white all over except for its four black paws shrouded in swirling dark mist, the kitten's fur appeared vividly lifelike, featuring piercing silver-white eyes, head held high with mouth wide, baring deadly fangs as though set to lunge at the man's throat instantly.
Gazing down at the silver eight-tailed feline, fear flashed in the man's eyes initially, but then something crossed his mind, igniting rage as he snapped:
"The Shadow Demon Insect has been killed, you can’t just act rashly anymore. There are more and more people patrolling South City these days, and their strength is getting stronger. I was watched when I went to Treasure Tower to buy Dan Medicine. If you act on your own again, you’ll get both of us killed."
No sooner had the man uttered those words than the kitten tattoo on his chest erupted in blinding silver-white glow.
With the light intensifying, agony twisted the man's face, pain mounting relentlessly until his features warped in torment, and he crashed to the floor with a heavy thump.
"Ho... Ho..."
The torment persisted; muffled groans of suffering escaped his throat nonstop, his form convulsing wildly on the ground, midsection arching skyward abruptly while hands and feet pressed down, limbs contorting into bizarre shapes.
As his limbs warped even more, a fine coat of silver fur sprouted across his skin, eyes bulging larger, nose contracting bit by bit, fingers and toes sharpening into claws, evidently mid-beast mutation.
Yet the beastly shift halted midway, coming to a sudden stop.
"I risked my life to free you from Hezang, pilfered tons of silver to snag cultivation resources for your growth. No thanks from you, and you dare yell at me?"
Beast transformation frozen in place, the black-clad youth parted his lips, but a chilling feminine tone emerged this time, unmistakably from the Cat Demon within.
"Fine words from a thief... all for your own gain. Don't fool me; you've slyly spread cat plague to over a dozen folks. What's your scheme? Remember last September—the Great Xia Lord's power is immense. Draw his attention, and we're finished!"
Refusing to yield, the black-robed youth bellowed in fury, clenching his teeth against the excruciating pain, pressing on: "Escaped Hezang at last, now I crave revenge. You can't slay me here; one more unauthorized move, and we'll split... Ah!"
His words barely ended when a shriek tore from him—the paused beast shift reignited, accelerating wildly, shrinking his frame to under half size in mere breaths, silver fur blanketing nearly everything, paws replacing limbs, visage fully feline now.
"Split paths? How childish; you believe it's like our fresh escape from Hezang, needing mutual talks? Cat plague has fully merged your innards with me. Only kept your shell for human camouflage, or I'd have seized it ages ago. Hehehaha..."
A shrill, insane cackle burst from the Cat Demon, who raved on: "Obey me alone now. Hongmen City brims with silver and cultivators aplenty—ideal for my revival, ideal. Hehehaha..."
......
Ninth year of Great Xia, March third, daytime.
Hongmen's northwest, southern fringe of Beining Mountain's outskirts.
Amid the serene snowy woods, a woman's body sprawled across the snow, looking under twenty, neck slashed deeply with bone exposed, head almost fully detached.
Charming in life perhaps, but as a cadaver with bulging eyes and frozen terror, beauty evaded her completely.
A black-clad youth knelt atop the body.
Two gashes marred his back, blood iced over by frost, yet faint breaths proved him alive, just comatose, unlike the dead woman.
Unconscious still, he spread arms protectively over the corpse below, face etched with dread and supplication. Forehead snow smudges and expression hinted at frantic pleas to spare her life while conscious.
"Brother, father and mother were killed by the Wood Puppet Monster; what will we do in the future?"
"Brother, the Lord is so strong. He hunted prey again. Will you get a share?"
"Brother, you broke through to the Logging Realm. Great! Hahaha."
"Ah Jiang also broke through to the Logging Realm, hahaha!"
"Brother, we are moving to the valley, to start living in a new place."
...
Ji Hong plunged into an extraordinarily lengthy dream all of a sudden.
Over a decade back on Great Xia Slope, the dream kicked off; fourteen-year-old he clutched nine-year-old sister Ji Jiang, witnessing parents slain by the Wood Puppet Monster—the bleakest chapter of their existence.