The Creature Keeper - chapter 42

Before this, these deep-sea alien creatures had been controlled by the Military and major biological collectives like secrets, with information strictly sealed so that no one knew of their existence.

However, this time the sudden appearance of a massive Sea Monster swept across social networks like a flood, attracting everyone’s attention and being reported by various unofficial news outlets.

In this era where everyone can use mobile devices, videos and photos spread rapidly across the internet. Even when information was blocked or videos were deleted the very next second, a constant stream of new uploads continued.

There were simply too many witnesses. The creature moved brazenly through coastal cities, and tens of millions of people witnessed a scene that shattered their worldview.

At first, some people in the comments, unaware of the truth, asked, “Is this special effects?”

But as videos from all angles and perspectives appeared, everyone realized this wasn’t special effects-it was a real monster.

A brand new, incomprehensible alien creature.

“It’s terrifying!” someone said. “Human cities have no defenses in place at all-there’s simply no way to resist the invasion of these terrifying things!”

“Is the apocalypse coming?!”

“How could they let this thing enter the city? What is the Union even doing?!”

“Please don’t spread panic! Now more than ever, we need to stay calm and not add to the chaos!”

“Who says human cities have no defenses! We can’t be termites eating away at the dam-let’s fight monsters with our keyboards!”

The Base held countless emergency meetings and concluded that these unknown lower-level alien creatures originated from the ocean itself. Previously, they were underwater-even though countless patrols scoured the coastal waters every day, it was impossible to gather all the eggs throughout the entire sea, so there would inevitably be unknown creatures lurking below the surface.

Until now, they had never appeared in public and were only brought ashore by human capture. But now, they were brazenly showing up in human cities, which meant that there would be an endless stream of monsters attacking human settlements in the future.

Once there was a first time, there would be a second, a third, and countless more.

The meetings lasted more than nine hours, with major Bases connected by video conference. Tang Rou, as a senior Feeder in Sector S, was also pulled into the emergency project.

By the time the final session ended, it was already after four in the morning.

The Base allowed a five-hour rest period, with meetings resuming at nine-thirty. Seeing this, everyone simply stayed-napping in their Offices before returning.

Tang Rou rubbed her sore neck as she returned to the temporary Office. Number 17 immediately lifted the lid and crawled out.

“Rou…”

The creature didn’t know how long he had been waiting there, like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home.

If Tang Rou hadn’t returned to this Office and had gone straight to her apartment, he would likely have kept waiting just the same.

“Have you been waiting for me all this time?” Tang Rou unconsciously softened her tone, walking over to Number 17. “Did you eat the little wontons I brought? Did you like them?”

“I liked them.”

He actually couldn’t taste the flavor, but as long as it was something she gave him, he liked it.

These alien creatures rarely slept. Most of the time, they simply sat motionless with their eyes open. Now that Tang Rou was there, the thing Number 17 did most every day was wait for her.

Feeding them was just a part of Tang Rou’s life, but Tang Rou was their whole world.

Tang Rou asked, “They’re cold now, right? I got delayed on my way back-they’re even better hot.”

“Mm, okay.” He answered, not really caring.

Hot or cold, it made no difference-none of that mattered.

As she approached, his tentacles carefully grasped her hem while he nuzzled her palm; the tip of his prominent nose traced delicate patterns on her skin.
The important thing is her.

Her coming over at this time was an unexpected surprise for Number 17.

Tang Rou noticed some flakes caught in the young man’s dark green hair; pinching them out, she realized they were pieces of shredded paper. Only then did she notice that the packaging seal on the desk-recently moved into the temporary Office-had just been opened.

It was probably the Little Octopus who did it before she returned. All the trash had already been collected in the bin; there were still some wet patches on the floor, and fragments of paper clung to his tentacles.

Diligent and thoughtful.

So why did everyone say Experimental Subjects were dangerous?

Tang Rou subconsciously reached up to help him wipe the scraps of paper from his tentacles, her fingertips brushing against his skin, gentle touches that disrupted the rhythm of their breaths.

The octopus curled up a bit, tentacles obediently twining around her wrist and arm, a little cold. Tang Rou dodged back and patted him. “Don’t move.”

Number 17 quieted for only two seconds before winding around her again, his pair of moist, deep green eyes wide as he even reached out a slender, human-shaped arm, trying to touch her shoulder.

“Rou.”

He started calling her name again, his pale fingers running down her clothes, touching the soft hair draped over her shoulder, twisting it idly between his fingers.

As Tang Rou picked off the leaf-like, water-dampened paper fragments clinging to him, she asked, “Did you clean up the Office for me?”

“Mm.”

“Thank you, Number 17. That was very thoughtful.”

She reached out and ruffled his hair.

Number 17 didn’t speak. He turned his head to the side, body tensing slightly, enduring her touch, his senses completely immersed in the warmth and delicacy of her fingertips, like being washed by the clearest, warmest stream.

Why was she so soft?

Every part of her was just so soft.

He closed his eyes, not daring to look at her directly.

Beneath his tough skin was a cold, sticky water membrane, but his Feeder’s warm, delicate fingers gently stroked downwards, slowly. Even knowing she only wanted to remove the bits of paper stuck to his tentacles, Number 17 still couldn’t help but tense up, a subtle tremor running through him.

When she wiped a certain tentacle, his body suddenly stiffened.

As if struck by electricity, he opened his eyes in confusion and bewilderment.

That tentacle was even more confused than its owner, nuzzling into her palm against his will, not as agile as the others, somewhat stiff.

Like a puppy trying to please its owner.

Tang Rou looked up and noticed that, at some point, Number 17 had bitten his lip and turned his face away, damp hair hiding his eyes as if he were lost in thought. She reached out and pinched his chin, forcing him to turn back to her.

The young man glanced at her in a bit of a panic, his wet lashes sketching a gentle arc in the air.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Rou asked suspiciously. “Are you uncomfortable?”

The young man’s eyes grew wider.

He batted his lashes, breathing in short bursts even though he was soaking in water, and stammered, “…Com-… comfortable…”

“…” Tang Rou realized she was overthinking it.

Humans always complicate simple words in their minds.

As Tang Rou was lost in thought for a moment, he reached out and grabbed her arm. The tentacle wound around her clothes tightened, snaking around her waist and yanking her toward him.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Rou braced herself on his shoulder, trying to pull back a little, but he only tightened his grip further.