"Hey, What?!"
Chu Fei whipped his head around. "Hey, what?!"
Right away, he spotted a plump, rotund monster barreling toward him—like a meaty pig without a head or tail, but with two pairs of wings sprouting from its back. He didn't even have time to react before the thing slammed into him, burrowing straight into his body. The world went black again!
No! I don't want to die!!! I've still got so much to do, and...
"Don't!!"
It took a good while before Chu Fei snapped back to his senses, letting out a panicked yell. But he quickly realized nothing was wrong—he was perfectly fine. He was standing back in his dorm room. Puzzled, he examined his hands and feet, patted his chest. Everything felt just as it had before. So what the hell had just happened?
What was that thing that lunged at him?
Where had he just been?
Wait—the bronze pot? Where'd it go?
Gurgle gurgle!
Just as Chu Fei started frantically searching for the bronze pot, his stomach suddenly churned like a storm-tossed sea. His vision blurred, and a wave of exhaustion hit him, as if he'd been starving for days. He yanked a few apples from his backpack—the ones he'd bought before boarding the train but never eaten due to lack of appetite. To his shock, he devoured them all in seconds, but his belly was still screaming for more!
What the hell is going on?
He bolted out of the dorm and onto the street. Luckily, it was night market time—vendors lined the roads hawking all sorts of snacks. Chu Fei ducked into a halal ramen joint and ordered a massive bowl of Lanzhou noodles, scarfing it down in three bites. Still hungry.
He ordered another bowl and polished it off, but nothing changed. The other patrons were starting to eye him weirdly.
He hurried out, rubbing his belly. Two huge bowls of Lanzhou ramen, and it was like they'd vanished into a bottomless pit.
Impossible. Chu Fei didn't remember ever having an appetite like this. It was unprecedented!
Right then, the savory aroma of grilled lamb wafted by. His stomach roared again, mouth flooding with saliva...
He hesitated, then gave in and bought two skewers, wolfing them down. He let out a satisfied belch as his gut finally settled—for the moment.
So it's meat I need!
But the relief lasted only seconds before the hunger surged back. Two skewers weren't enough, and at ten bucks a pop in Shenzhen, he couldn't afford more.
Helpless, Chu Fei trudged back to the ramen shop and ordered a big bowl of beef noodles. Even the chef was giving him a strange look now.
But a big bowl didn't mean much beef, so the second he stepped out, the protests started up again.
At this rate, no amount of money would last!
Chu Fei gritted his teeth against the hunger and headed to his mom's shop. He hit up He Peiling for some cash, then went to the nearby hospital for an emergency checkup. Bizarrely, after several exams, the doctor shrugged and said his body was perfectly healthy—no issues at all...
No issues? Then why am I starving like this? Chu Fei cursed the doc inwardly, but he was powerless too. Unless he shelled out for a full-body scan or dialysis, there was nothing more they could do.
Staggering out of the hospital, he was dizzy and weak-legged, barely able to walk...
Meat! I need meat so bad!
And—was it his imagination?—the people on the street suddenly looked like piles of fresh meat to him. His mouth watered again, those "piles" tempting him like gourmet dishes. Horror-struck, Chu Fei fought the urge with every fiber of his being. What was happening to him?
Had he turned into a monster?
He stumbled away from the crowd, diving into a dark alley in utter humiliation. He was terrified he'd lose control and pounce on one of those "dishes"...
Had he really become a monster?
A monster that craved human flesh?
God, no?
How could this be?
Woof woof!!
A stray dog burst from a garbage heap, barking warily at the intruder in its territory, trying to scare him off. Seeing no threat—just some guy cowering and trembling in the corner—the dog approached cautiously, sniffing at Chu Fei, curious what he was doing there. But in that instant, Chu Fei's hand shot out and clamped around its neck!
Chu Fei watched in crystal clarity as the scrawny stray's body shrank visibly in his grip...
Shrank further...
Even when it was just skin and bones, the process didn't stop. Flesh, bones, fur—all of it dwindled, smaller and smaller, until it vanished completely...