Chapter 85
Room 303 fell into silence.
Under Number Two’s dazed gaze, the chair that had toppled to the floor slowly righted itself without any apparent intervention.
It stood neatly by the dining table as if nothing had happened. But Number Two knew better—
There was someone else in the room.
Aside from himself and the caretaker, a third presence was here.
Someone who had just witnessed his awkward “deal” with the caretaker!
His stomach dropped, and his expression twisted in dismay.
Who…?
Suddenly, a spark of realization lit up in Number Two’s mind. He blurted out, “You’re Number One, aren’t you?”
Once again, he correctly deduced A-Yan’s presence.
After all, in the nursery, the only invisible entity that could move objects was Number One. This realization slightly eased Number Two’s sense of impending doom because—
Number One couldn’t talk. No one else could see him!
While Number One could write, none of the other children besides Number One could read, which meant Number One had no way of sharing what he saw with anyone else!
Thank goodness…
Number Two comforted himself, managing to stabilize his fraying nerves. He was about to ask why Number One was there when an unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed in the room.
“Yes, I’m Number One,” said a calm, slightly deeper boyish voice. “But you can call me A-Yan.”
“…”
“……”
“…………”
?!?!!
Number Two’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the direction of the dining table.
After a long pause, his face flushed crimson, and he stammered, “You… aren’t you… not supposed to be able to talk?”
Number Two felt utterly betrayed.
What was going on?! How long had he been beastified? How could Number One suddenly start talking?!
Standing beside the chair, A-Yan rubbed his head where he had bumped it earlier, glaring at Number Two with an annoyed pout. Hearing Number Two’s question, he calmly replied through his communicator:
“I can now.”
The synthesized voice was just as serene and warm as before, revealing nothing of his mood.
A-Yan glanced at Su Ci, who remained unfazed and leisurely as ever. He pressed his lips together, then flashed over to the table, where he scooped up the pieces of meat initially meant for Number Two and dumped them back onto the plate.
Number Two wanted Su Su to touch his tail?!
How infuriating! He didn’t even have a tail yet!
A-Yan mulled over the situation, then carried the plate over to the stove, putting the meat back in the cooking machine to reheat.
As the roasted meat warmed up, the room once again filled with the rich aroma. The tantalizing scent grew stronger, wafting through the air.
“Grrroooowl~”
The sound of a growling stomach echoed in the quiet room.
Smelling the delicious aroma, Number Two’s already hungry stomach grumbled loudly, the noise reverberating embarrassingly in the stillness.
The red-haired boy clutched his stomach in mortification.
This is so humiliating…
Lowering his head in shame, his usual cold, aloof expression was nowhere to be seen. His face, now burning with embarrassment, had turned as red as a beet.
How could this happen…
Why…
Su Ci observed the boy, who looked as if he might explode at any moment. While he found the scene amusing, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Number Two still had a long way to go when it came to emotional control.
But…
Touching his tail?
Su Ci stroked his chin thoughtfully. Why did this “deal” sound so familiar?
It reminded him of that shameless little wolf cub… Could Number Two have learned this from Lang Ze? It seemed these cubs were all following the wolf cub’s lead and picking up his bad habits.
Then again, that little wolf cub had mastered the art of acting cute and pleading shamelessly.
In comparison, Number Two’s thin skin made him far less effective.
Su Ci hadn’t even responded yet, and the boy’s head was already hanging so low it was almost touching his chest. Not only were his ears twitching in agitation, but even the fur on his tail had puffed up.
His previously pale cheeks were now a deep red, almost matching his fiery hair, as if blood might drip from them at any moment.
Watching the boy, Su Ci found the situation highly entertaining.
Clearly, though, Number Two didn’t feel the same. When Su Ci lightly cleared his throat, intending to continue their conversation, the boy startled like a spooked kitten, leaping backward.
The soft fur that had only grown up to his neck now rapidly spread across his face as his emotions spiraled out of control.
In just moments, the fur covered his entire body. His posture shifted from standing upright to crouching on all fours.
His human hands transformed into clawed paws, his eyes narrowed into feline slits, and his teeth elongated into sharp fangs. His entire body was undergoing a transformation—he was shifting from human form into a tiger.
A-Yan, who had been sulking, immediately noticed the commotion and darted over in a flash.
Seeing Number Two beastify again, worry flickered in his eyes, and he instinctively looked to Su Ci for help.
Su Ci, however, remained calm, though a hint of exasperation touched his face. This little tiger cub had truly terrible emotional control.
Given how long he had been plagued by the Crimson Blaze without proper guidance, it wasn’t surprising that his condition had worsened to this extent.
In the blink of an eye, Number Two had fully transformed into a small tiger. His newly fitted nursery clothes couldn’t withstand the change and ripped apart with a loud tearing sound as his body grew larger.
The tiger let out low growls of pain, clearly struggling with the transformation.
Finally, Su Ci spoke.
“Number Two.”
The simple two-syllable phrase was delivered in Su Ci’s usual languid and unhurried tone. To most, it would sound casual, even lazy.
But to the little tiger, it was like a clap of thunder.
Boom!
Caught in a swirling storm of emotion and surrounded by metaphorical flames, Number Two suddenly snapped back to awareness. The chaos in his eyes cleared, and the glimmer of human consciousness returned.
The transformation was abruptly halted.
Even so, Number Two was only a step away from fully beastifying. His condition remained precarious.
At this moment, Number Two had completely transformed into a small Crimson Blaze Tiger. The only difference was that in a fully beastified state, his body would have taken up most of the room, whereas now, his size was comparable to the living room sofa.
The most significant distinction, however, was that Number Two’s human consciousness was still intact.
Thanks to Su Ci’s soul energy forming a protective barrier, Number Two’s fragile consciousness had been shielded from the overwhelming inferno. Fully aware, he could now perceive his completely animalistic form.
Number Two felt his limbs weaken. As he tried to move, he involuntarily collapsed onto the ground.
What…
“Meow~”
He opened his mouth to speak, but what emerged was a soft, high-pitched sound—a kitten-like cry full of confusion and helplessness.
What is happening…?
“Meow~”
Hearing the same sound again, Number Two finally realized that this noise was indeed coming from him.
His wide tiger eyes reflected his shock and disbelief.
The mighty Crimson Blaze Tiger… sounds like this?!
He glanced down at his paws.
Once human hands, they had turned into fluffy tiger paws, covered in short, tawny fur with striking crimson stripes. The white fur on his paw pads resembled a pair of fuzzy gloves.
It was now undeniable. He had turned into a tiger with crimson-striped fur.
But…
Compared to his first beastification, his current form seemed significantly smaller.
What’s going on?
He had lost control of his emotions and beastified again. While he regained his senses midway through the transformation, why did he remain in his beast form after regaining consciousness?
Does this mean I’ll have to stay in this form forever?
Number Two was bewildered. He had never encountered such a situation before. Worse, he seemed to lack control over his beastly body.
He struggled to stand, his limbs trembling with effort.
“Thud!”
Before he could stabilize himself, his legs gave out again, and he collapsed back onto the ground.
The young Crimson Blaze Tiger’s face, though feral in form, reflected a very human fear and helplessness. Stripped of all its ferocity, his expression exuded an unexpected cuteness tinged with pitiful vulnerability.
A-Yan, watching the tiger cub’s struggles, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Is Number Two… sick? Why does it seem like he can’t even stand?
“Don’t worry,” Su Ci’s timely voice broke the silence.
He addressed Number Two, his tone calm. “This is only temporary. Once you gain basic control over your bloodline power, you’ll naturally return to your human form.”
As for why he couldn’t stand…
It wasn’t a significant issue. After all, Number Two’s repeated bloodline power outbursts over just a few days had severely drained his body.
Now, for the first time, Number Two’s consciousness had abruptly returned during full beastification, causing a temporary disconnect between his mind and body. This inability to control his animal form was entirely normal.
Once he rested and gradually adjusted, he would regain control of his body. However…
Returning to human form wouldn’t be so easy this time.
Su Ci had no intention of using soul energy to assist him again.
The boy needed to learn how to control his power on his own. Su Ci could only help so much—if he intervened every time, Number Two would never truly grow.
The path forward was one Number Two had to walk himself.
Hearing Su Ci’s calm explanation, Number Two finally felt a bit more at ease.
He glanced at Su Ci, wanting to ask something. But—
“Meow~”
The soft, kitten-like sound escaped his mouth again. Number Two immediately clamped his jaws shut, his tiger eyes flashing with a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
Su Ci couldn’t help but chuckle.
In his smaller form, the Crimson Blaze Tiger resembled a large, fluffy house cat.
Number Two pressed his mouth closed and sprawled on the floor, deciding not to speak at all. What was the point? He couldn’t communicate with the caretaker in this state anyway.
Although Su Ci had assured him that he could return to human form once he mastered his bloodline power, the thought gnawed at him: What if I never manage to control it?
After lying there for a while, he summoned all his strength again, pushing himself up on trembling limbs to attempt standing.
But once more, his legs gave out, and he collapsed with a dull thud.
The helpless sensation of losing control over his body filled Number Two with an unprecedented sense of fear and insecurity. What if I can’t ever change back?
Having a human consciousness but being trapped in a beast’s body… This seemed even worse than fully succumbing to beastification.
The boy, now in the form of a Crimson Blaze Tiger, lay motionless on the ground, revealing his vulnerability and helplessness for the first time in front of someone else.
Why me?
He couldn’t understand why he had to endure so much suffering—why his life was filled with nothing but pain and torment.
Perhaps he shouldn’t resist. Perhaps fully transforming into a mindless beast would be better than living like this.
As such thoughts of despair clouded his mind, he felt a gentle hand rest on his head.
Number Two opened his eyes slightly and saw the caretaker crouched before him, his calm presence a stark contrast to the boy’s turmoil.
“Meow…”
The soft cry that escaped was full of sorrow and grievance.
After that single pitiful sound, Number Two closed his eyes again, feeling an overwhelming apathy toward everything around him.
He was too tired… Maybe it was better to give up entirely.
But the hand on his head didn’t leave.
It moved gently, stroking his fur from his head to his neck, then back up again, repeating the soothing motion.
One stroke after another…
At first, Number Two found it a bit annoying and wanted to growl at him, but his body lacked the strength, and his mood was so low that he decided to just let it go.
By the time Number Two became aware of what was happening…
He realized he was lying on his back, exposing his soft, white belly with his paws tucked up against his chest. And the caretaker… was lightly scratching his chin with his fingers?
The realization left Number Two completely stunned.
He was so shocked that he didn’t even think to move away at first. So Su Ci’s fingers continued scratching under his chin, and to his surprise… it felt kind of nice?
The young boy, barely in his early teens, felt his fragile heart take an unprecedented hit.
What… what should I do now?
Should he immediately get up and move away, or pretend he was oblivious and blame his actions on being overtaken by his beastly instincts?
Number Two was convinced that it had to be his instincts. He had no memory of when he flipped onto his back or why he had exposed his belly to the caretaker!
Frozen in place, Number Two stared blankly as Su Ci continued stroking the soft fur under the little tiger’s chin, his lips curling into an unmistakable smile.
A-Yan stood off to the side, watching.
He had also felt Number Two’s earlier dejection and was debating whether or not to say something comforting when he noticed Su Ci start petting the tiger…
Honestly, the smaller Crimson Blaze Tiger looked irresistibly pettable.
And then…
The once downcast little tiger began squinting his eyes in enjoyment, his face softening with a relaxed and contented expression. Eventually, he tucked his paws close to his chest and exposed his plush, fluffy white belly.
Looking at the dense, silky fur on the tiger’s chest, A-Yan felt his fingers itch.
Ugh, does having just ears and a tail not cut it? Do I also need to turn into a fluffy little creature? A-Yan’s thoughts spiraled with frustration.
But if he became a small animal, he wouldn’t be able to clean the room, cook, garden, or study formations!
After a moment of inner turmoil, A-Yan resolved: Forget it. I’ll work on growing my tail first!
Meanwhile, Su Ci, satisfied that the little tiger was now calm, reluctantly withdrew his hand. Ah, as expected, petting something this fluffy is so soothing.
Noticing Number Two pretending to play dead, Su Ci tactfully chose not to call him out. He stood up and addressed A-Yan:
“I’m heading to the activity room for a bit. Stay here with Number Two.”
A-Yan obediently nodded.
With that, Su Ci donned his gear and left the room, leaving A-Yan and the beastified Number Two alone.
The moment Su Ci left, Number Two’s stiff body finally relaxed, though he still refused to open his eyes.
The memory of everything that had just happened replayed in his mind, filling him with such embarrassment that he wished he could just disappear. What’s the point of continuing to live a life like this?
Overwhelmed by multiple blows to his pride and spirit, Number Two decided to give up entirely.
But as fate often dictates, just because he wanted to give up didn’t mean he could.
Because…
“Do you want to eat?”
That same unfamiliar yet steady young voice sounded near Number Two’s ear. At the same time, the rich aroma wafted even closer, making it impossible to ignore.
The little tiger couldn’t help but open his eyes.
In front of him was a small plate with a steaming piece of roasted meat. The tantalizing aroma was irresistible, and despite himself, Number Two swallowed hard again.
The little tiger lifted his head, his crimson beast-like eyes scanning the space in front of him. There was no one in sight, but he knew—there was someone else in the room.
“Go ahead and eat,” the voice encouraged.
Number Two suddenly felt a strange sense of comfort. Hesitating for just a moment, he leaned forward, opened his mouth, and carefully bit into the piece of roasted meat.
The moment the flavor hit his tongue, his eyes squinted in satisfaction, his expression fully immersed in enjoyment.
It was the best thing he had ever tasted!
What is this? He opened his eyes again, his gaze brimming with curiosity.
“This is meat,” the voice answered, calm and steady. “Remember that giant spider? This is its meat. Delicious, isn’t it?”
Number Two’s expression shifted to one of realization.
So, this was meat…
That meant the giant spider had been killed? Was it the caretaker who defeated it?
Then he heard the voice ask, “Do you want more?”
Number Two reflexively swallowed. For his current tiger form, that single piece of meat was far too small—it barely filled him. But even so, he didn’t ask for more.
Of course, A-Yan wasn’t planning to give him more, either.
“If you want more, you’ll have to help out,” A-Yan said. “I don’t know when you’ll be back to normal, but don’t worry—Su Su said there’s no problem, so there won’t be one.”
The little tiger found comfort in the consistently calm tone. For reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint, the roasted meat seemed to have lifted his spirits.
Suddenly, life didn’t seem so bleak.
At his lowest point, someone had extended a hand to help him—even if that hand had also taken the liberty of petting his fully beast-like form…
Remembering the moment Su Ci had scratched his head, Number Two couldn’t help but cover his face with his paws, utterly mortified.
Just then, a smaller hand than Su Ci’s gently landed on his head, patting it in a comforting manner.
“Get some rest,” A-Yan said softly. “You need it.”
Having indulged his urge to pet the big fluffy tiger, A-Yan withdrew his hand, satisfied. He then moved to his small desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down to resume his studies of formations and divine script.
Number Two felt A-Yan leave his side. He watched the movements at the little desk for a while before reluctantly pushing himself up, moving slowly but steadily toward the area near A-Yan’s table.
Then, he lay down again.
Even though he couldn’t see Number One, just looking at the small desk nearby gave him an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
In his once lonely world, it felt like something had started to change…
After lying down, Number Two could no longer hold on and slowly closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep. His body needed rest to recover from its exhaustion.
When the little red-flamed tiger approached, A-Yan merely glanced at it before burying himself back into his practice.
Since he couldn’t turn into a small animal himself, he resolved to work harder in other areas—so he could firmly hold Su Su’s attention and always remain his favorite!
Meanwhile, Su Ci had already arrived at the activity room to guide the three kids in practicing their flute playing.
Number Six had not shown up today. However, the little monkey did sneak into the activity room, hiding in a corner to watch while the kids practiced.
Su Ci noticed that the monkey’s spirit form had become even more solid than before.
He couldn’t say for sure whether this was good or bad for Number Six…
As for Number Four and Number Five, the siblings had not left their room since returning yesterday.
*
On the Number Four floor of the nurturing center, inside Room 404:
When 4586 delivered breakfast, Number Four had already opened his eyes. Seeing his sister still fast asleep on the small bed across from him, he tiptoed out of bed and approached the door.
The door opened. Before 4586 could greet him, the boy raised a hand to stop it.
He picked up the two meal boxes himself and didn’t let the caretaker robot come in. Instead, he carried the boxes into the room and set them down, then climbed back into his bed and went back to sleep.
It wasn’t until around 8 or 9 a.m. that he groggily woke up.
On the small bed across from him, Number Five was also awake. She was sitting up, rubbing her eyes. When she saw Number Four sitting up, she called out softly, “Brother…”
“Hmm, did you sleep well?”
Number Four walked over and patted her head. Looking at the little girl in front of him, he felt a strange sense of calm, almost like he was dreaming.
Just yesterday, he had been locked up in a cold, empty room…
“Brother, I missed you so much while you were gone.”
Number Five reached into a corner and picked up star-chain fruits. “These are the fruits they gave us. I didn’t eat it. It’s for you.”
She kept the bruised one for herself, but Number Four quickly snatched it away.
“Don’t eat the bruised one. You have this one instead.”
He lifted the little girl onto a chair, set her meal in front of her, and watched as she started eating. Only then did he pull a comb out of the cabinet and begin to brush her hair.
“What kind of braids do you want today?”
“I like everything my brother does for me!”
Number Four smiled and continued to help her comb her messy hair. Then he remembered something and asked, “Did anything happen to the nursery during the few days I was away?”
