In the dim room, a grotesque figure was hunched over a table, gazing at a dozen dolls.
The dolls were plump, with faces and various features drawn on them. Their bellies each bore a name. Upon closer inspection, one of the dolls represented Wang Zixuan.
"Hurry and hatch, my darlings, I have waited too long!"
The voice spoke with a disgusting tone, laced with uncontainable anticipation. It had been lurking in this city for over three years for these dolls!
"Breeding Demon, your room is as dark and filthy as ever. This isn't the Abyss, making it like this is truly inauspicious."
A dismissive voice echoed as a man pushed the door open and entered. Upon stepping inside, he covered his nose, and a flame ignited at the tip of his tail, illuminating the room.
It was then that the grotesque figure's form became clear: a monster with a bloated, massive belly and limbs as slender as withered branches. Two rows of black horns grew from its head to the tip of its tail.
The man who entered wore a pristine white suit, his skin slightly flushed. Two crimson horns sprouted from his head, and his black and red hair was tied into a ponytail. A tail, alight with flame, flicked about agilely.
Were it not for the monstrous features, he would have been a remarkably handsome man.
"Damn you, little Immolation Demon, extinguish your flames! These little treasures are sensitive to temperature and light!"
The Breeding Demon snapped irritably. It had been alone in this place, its sole purpose to gestate human-demon fetuses. Otherwise, it did as it pleased.
However, a few months ago, these elders who had been causing trouble in other cities inexplicably returned to Deer Harbor City and made it their stronghold. This turned its leisurely existence into one of constant constraint.
The man, referred to as the little Immolation Demon, extinguished the flame on his tail. Then, he wrapped his long tail around the Breeding Demon's neck, revealing sharp teeth, and stared intently at the Breeding Demon. The temperature in the room rose considerably.
"Show me some respect, mongrel, I can kill you at any moment!"
"Cough, cough. If anything happens to these eggs, who do you think Master Faceless Demon will punish?"
"In the Abyss, low-class beings like me are everywhere, but here, I am more important than you, a noble Immolation Demon!"
The Breeding Demon struggled. It knew its words would only enrage the little Immolation Demon, but it felt no fear. As it said, here, it was more crucial than the Immolation Demon.
For a low-level demon like itself, speaking to an Immolation Demon this way was more satisfying than anything else. And once all the human-demon fetuses hatched, it wouldn't have to fear this little Immolation Demon anymore.
The little Immolation Demon glanced at the dolls, spat a mouthful of lava-like saliva, and reluctantly released the Breeding Demon.
The dozen or so human-demon fetuses in this batch were nearing hatching. If anything went wrong now, he would certainly be punished.
Just as he was about to find another way to punish the Breeding Demon, he heard a cracking sound. One of the human-demon fetuses stirred!
The little Immolation Demon's heart lurched. Could it be that some human-demon fetus had failed to hatch due to the high temperature he had emitted?
He stared at the slightly moving doll, which then shattered like an eggshell, revealing a foul-smelling, bloody yolk and albumen. Finally, all that remained inside the shell was a gleaming eyeball.
The Breeding Demon cackled and crawled to the eyeball, then cradled it and ecstatically swallowed it.
Its body then contorted irregularly. When it stopped, an eye had appeared on its forehead!
The Breeding Demon glanced triumphantly at the little Immolation Demon and said, "The first human-demon fetus has now hatched. For the next while, do not let anyone disturb me!"
The little Immolation Demon remained silent for a moment before retreating from the gestation chamber. Now that the human-demon fetuses were hatching, the Breeding Demon was the most important demon in this stronghold.
Moreover, the little Immolation Demon could sense that after swallowing that eyeball, the Breeding Demon's strength had increased. Once all sixteen human-demon fetuses hatched, its strength would surely not be weaker than his, perhaps even superior!
As the little Immolation Demon left, the Breeding Demon leaned over the table, gazing at the dolls with a look of utter rapture.
"Hurry and hatch, my darlings, let more of our kin descend upon this unexploited world, to herd humans for the great Overlord and harvest suitable souls!"
With each breath, more fine cracks appeared on the dolls, including the one representing Wang Zixuan.
The Breeding Demon's gaze grew more distant.
...
Wang Zixuan watched his parents' argument with a detached gaze. He had grown weary of such scenes.
From that day three years ago, he had become different. He was acutely aware of this.
If he wished, he could easily tear his parents apart without anyone noticing.
He possessed the ability, and he had always harbored the impulse. These two pieces of delectable flesh, who moved about him daily, held a strong allure.
But he did not. For he still retained his memories and personality. He knew they were his parents, and they needed to stay alive before his transformation.
It was precisely because his human personality remained within him that he had not attracted the attention of the Hunter Association for these three years.
However, his personality seemed to be growing stronger recently, becoming increasingly blurred. Just like when Yu Hui had wiped his mouth earlier, he had wanted to bite off her hand, or have insects crawl all over her body!
This thought filled him with a sense of dread, not of harming his parents, but of his own existence becoming weaker, as if something were about to replace him...
The fear lasted only a moment before he cast it aside. His normal human emotions had long since become weak.
Or rather, whenever he experienced intense emotions, they would vanish without a trace, leaving him perpetually calm.
Today, Wang Junyi was looking for someone to treat his illness again. This struck Wang Zixuan as somewhat amusing because he himself knew very well that it was not an illness, but a gradual transformation into something else.
A creature more advanced than humans.
But before his complete metamorphosis, he needed to survive by adhering to the rules of the human world, hence his constant restraint.
Every time he saw those foolish creatures earnestly advising him not to anger his parents, he secretly wished for those fellows to be silenced forever.
Suddenly, Wang Zixuan seemed to hear the sound of something shattering. Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through his mind, causing his consciousness to blur.
He knew that something was about to vanish from his body forever...
And as those things disappeared, another impulse flooded his mind.
It was... hunger!