The Creature Keeper - Chapter 14

Amidst a scene of crumbling walls and broken ruins, the newly grown tentacles swiftly wrapped around Tang Rou, carrying her as they dodged at breakneck speed.

Tang Rou felt herself imprisoned inside an airtight cocoon, her body forced against his cold waist and abdomen. Everything about this cold-blooded creature was cold; even if he was gentle with her, it brought no warmth.

Layer after layer of tentacles enveloped her tightly, and then a sudden sensation of weightlessness struck-Number 17 was moving rapidly, so fast that Tang Rou felt the world spinning even inside the cocoon.

What was happening?

The Half-Octopus Youth’s speed surpassed that of all recorded soft-bodied mutant creatures; even with rapid infrared photography, only a fleeting shadow could be captured.

Fueled by the burning fire of rage, he burst forth with new tentacles, which were sliced off by laser weapons, then regenerated-exploding, shattering, and regenerating again.

Over and over.

Amazingly, each newly regenerated tentacle became even tougher than the last. After their surface toughness reached a certain point, the weapons could no longer harm him.

The young female Feeder was held tightly in his embrace, shrouded in layers of resilient tentacles. Whenever those tentacles were attacked and injured, new ones would instantly fill the gaps, almost hermetically sealing and protecting the person within his grasp.

When his fury reached a certain threshold, the situation reversed.

The Half-Octopus Youth shifted from escape to slaughter.

He rampaged, destroying several launch ports; the dense, heavy metallic walls were left with countless terrifying marks from his blows.

Even the stacked observation panels began to crack.

“Professor, it’s not safe here!” Someone looked up from the bizarre spectacle.

Things were about to spiral out of control.

This was a species that had undergone unknown mutation, one that would need to be renamed.

If he were not shielding that human Feeder, he might have already torn through this supposedly impenetrable space and escaped. The engineers in the monitoring area had no doubt that this terrifying humanoid weapon could shred them to pieces in the blink of an eye.

Professor Xu’s face was a mix of astonishment and excitement, an unspeakable joy welling up inside him.

This was a creation of the gods, a gift from heaven.

This was, so far, the most outstanding Experimental Subject.

On the screen, that sullen and terrifying young man raised his head.

His dark green eyes stared straight ahead, like inorganic gems-cold, dazzling, and radiating a murderous aura.

“He’s looking at the camera…”

The camouflaged camera, hidden amidst a sea of silver, was locked onto with frightening precision.

Professor Xu had the distinct impression that the Experimental Subject was gazing at him through the lens.

That bone-chilling cold made his whole body tremble, but also filled him with an intense curiosity.

He was looking-straight into his soul, as if he could see his very existence.

Unbelievable.

“Success… it’s a success.” Professor Xu finally spoke.

But no one was excited anymore.

Because at this point, all they felt was fear.

Could the usual breeding zone of Sector S still contain him now?

Yet, it seemed this was not the only crisis.

A thunderous explosion sounded from the deepest, most sealed-off part of Sector S. The hollow vibration echoed, as if some fierce demon from the depths was about to rip open space and crawl out to the surface.

“Ding-”

Everyone looked up.

The alarm at Professor Xu’s station, silent for years, began to ring.

The faces of the engineers, who knew what that meant, instantly drained of color as they exchanged uneasy glances.

What was going on?

Someone rushed over in a panic, saying, “Something’s happened.”

Professor Xu tore his gaze from the screen, lowering his head in stunned silence to look at the alarm, his face going suddenly pale. All his previous excitement and joy vanished in an instant.

Instinctively, he raised his hand to cover the empty sleeve where his arm was missing.
The researcher who came running was dressed in a high-level uniform, his voice trembling with fear. “Special Control Zone, Level One Alert…”

Even Professor Xu, who hadn’t shown a trace of worry when the Half-Octopus Youth was about to break through the wall, now had fear appear on his face.

That meant that perhaps something truly extraordinary had happened.

.

“Tang Rou! Wake up!”

“Tang Rou! You can’t sleep!”

Someone was calling her incessantly through a speaker hidden inside the experimental pod.

Number 17, with a cold expression, was about to destroy them, but felt the person in his arms move. He hurriedly loosened his tightly wrapped tentacles and saw the Feeder he had been longing for, so delicate and weak.

She seemed to be in great discomfort, her face pale, struggling to crawl out of his embrace, leaning her head on his arm as she gasped for breath.

The young man was at a loss, his suspended fingers cautiously touched her face.

His voice was so small it sounded pitiful. “Rou…”

Tang Rou lifted her head and saw that beautiful face filled with guilt and pain. She was a little puzzled-why did it feel like his usually cold face now had a trace of human liveliness?

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”

She patted his arm and sat up a bit straighter.

After being jolted for so long, she felt like vomiting. Tang Rou was dizzy and lightheaded, feeling the Little Octopus, overjoyed yet at a loss, shifting his form in an effort to make her more comfortable.

“Tang Rou, can you hear me? Rou?”

The ill-timed speaker sounded again. Tang Rou lifted her eyelids, a bit dazed. “Aselan?”

It was indeed Aselan’s voice coming from the speaker.

She was frantic, her voice still trembling. “Your Twenty-Four Filial and Affectionate Son, the Little Octopus, is out of control! The rescue team can’t get close, and trying to sedate him hasn’t worked… So, can you crawl out by yourself?”

Tang Rou, “Huh?”

She looked up at Number 17, who instantly withdrew his gloomy look at the speaker and quietly, obediently looked at her, stammering to justify his refusal to let anyone approach:

“They, hurt, Rou…”

So, like a guard willing to die to protect his master, he had kept her hidden in his arms, seriously injuring wave after wave of people who tried to come in.

Tang Rou looked unwell, closing her eyes as the dizziness persisted.

She remembered-the glass panel had suddenly been removed, and a weapon as dangerous as nuclear fusion had been aimed at her, intending to trade her life for the Experimental Subject’s evolution.

The Experimental Subject was the most precious asset; the Feeder was worthless.

She closed her eyes, leaning on Number 17’s arm, her heart cold as ice.

But the young man’s face was overflowing with joy, as if drowned in happiness. He didn’t even know where to put his hands-lifting them, then slowly lowering them-carefully retracting the tentacles she never liked to touch, gently and joyfully holding her.

“…” The speaker crackled with a faint electric sound. Aselan said, “Sister, wake up, your Experimental Subject is acting really strange right now.”

Tang Rou fluttered her eyelids and looked at the octopus.

Those dark green eyes gazed back at her, unable to hide a bit of joy.

“Alright, let me go, Number 17.”

But he didn’t obey.

The Little Octopus held his Feeder, cautious and motionless.

He wanted to get even closer to her, but she showed a look of discomfort and forbearance.

“I’m really not feeling well, Number 17,” Tang Rou moved a bit and said, “You don’t want me to get sick, do you?”

The octopus immediately regretted it and let go.

That Tang Rou could remain unscathed under the attack of such terrifying weapons was all thanks to this dangerous creature before her, who now looked as aggrieved as a puppy, protecting her.