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Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Ability Conjecture
Han Jiaojiao cursed under her breath, "Glutton."
Helpless, she had no choice but to pick another one. This time, she only used the dagger to pin the rat’s neck so it wouldn’t move and then started to manipulate the water molecules inside the rat’s body using her ability.
About three seconds later, the rat visibly shrank at a rapid speed and eventually turned into a mummified carcass, skin and bones.
Han Jiaojiao thought for a moment, then tossed the small ball of blood in her hand into the bowl, letting the Hourly Beasts lick it up.
She chose another two Mutant Rats, this time not using the dagger or restraining the rats; she attempted to extract the water from the scurrying live rats in the cage.
The process was not smooth, and after a bumpy three to five minutes, the two rats finally died from dehydration, lying motionless in the cage.
She attempted it a total of three times, each experience different from the last.
If drawing water from the plants by the river felt like there was a sheet of tissue paper in between, then extracting water from a Mutant Rat felt like there was a thick towel in the way. For a rat with wounds, it was like dealing with a towel that was torn, and for a living rat, it was like handling an intact towel that was moving erratically.
Han Jiaojiao reasoned that perhaps the thickness of a creature’s epidermis determined the difficulty of extracting water.
Also, the distance to the target seemed to matter. If the rat was too far away, she couldn’t seem to sense the water molecules dancing within the rat’s body.
Beyond these observations, Han Jiaojiao found that her Water Ability differed in many ways from the traditional Water Ability.
For example, the water condensed from the atmosphere by traditional water users was absolutely pure, without any impurities.
Han Jiaojiao’s was different; she extracted green sap from plants and red blood from the rats.
Han Jiaojiao guessed that her ability... might not even be a Water Ability at all.
Superpower Users awakened their powers because they were infected by microbial spore clusters, yet her ability was directly created by the Space-Time Beast. Setting aside whether there was some connection between the microbial spore clusters and the Space-Time Beast, indirect infection versus direct infection were surely different.
For instance, the way she now extracted nutrients from the bodies of plants and animals was unmistakably a predatory method unique to the Space-Time Beast. The only catch was she could only perform extraction and dispersion, not absorption, as she lacked the digestive system of the Space-Time Beast.
Assuming her hypothesis was correct and her ability inherited biological traits from the Space-Time Beast, did she possess other traits of the Space-Time Beast as well?
Han Jiaojiao’s gaze returned to Xiaogua, Xiaodou, and Cotton Candy. They seemed to have had their fill, with half a bowl of blood left over in the bowl that now reeked under the sunlight.
She thought back to her past life, to the Alien Species and humans strangled by Xiaogua and Xiaodou. Each of them had turned into mummified corpses in an instant, leaving only hair and fiber clothing on the ground. She had originally thought it was due to corrosion, but now looking back, it seemed more like a combination of corrosion and extraction.
Han Jiaojiao took out several Crystal Cores and tried to absorb them, holding them in her palm. She didn’t know how it was for others, but she found it exceptionally easy. In a few seconds, the Crystal Cores were absorbed, leaving only a transparent membrane in her palm, looking like a dried contact lens.
Repeating the process, she absorbed a dozen more until her entire body felt warm. Then she stopped, walked about seven or eight meters away from the cage, and extended one hand toward it—the Mutant Rats in the cage became agitated. They scurried frantically in the cage, and then one by one, convulsed and spasmed. Blood seeped from their mouths, noses, ears, eyes, and countless tiny pores, staining the gray cement floor red.
The smell on the balcony became unbearable. Han Jiaojiao exhaled and went downstairs to grab a mop and bucket, ready to clean up. Because under the direct high temperature, those corpses would soon begin to stink and rot.
When she saw Han Yi downstairs, she acted as if she hadn’t, silently carrying half a bucket of water and a mop back upstairs.
Yan Xiao and Bai Kairui had completely lost interest in playing poker, unable to help but notice the cleaning noises coming from upstairs.
After a while, seeing Han Jiaojiao come down with a cage full of dead rats, she pinched her nose, dragged the cage out with a disgusted face, and soon came back empty-handed, then ran back upstairs... She made several trips back and forth and finally, without looking sideways, grabbed clean clothes and ducked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut with a "bang" as water began splashing inside...
Yan Xiao felt that there was really no need to turn on the air conditioner now; the whole living room was filled with the cold air emanating from Han Yi.
The atmosphere was so heavy, Bai Kairui and Xiao Jian felt suffocated. Yan Xiao chuckled twice and said, "Ah gee, I haven’t won much after playing for so long. Let’s not play anymore, Kerry, let’s go upstairs to play chess. I have a set of chess there..."
Bai Kairui nodded repeatedly, "Let’s play chess. I never quite got the hang of playing landlord."
Xiao Jian packed up the poker cards and followed, saying, "I’m going upstairs to lie down for a while."
Like birds scattering, everyone vanished without a trace.
Yu Wanxi, carrying two freshly stir-fried dishes, walked out, only to be somewhat taken aback. She glanced at the gloomy Han Yi, then at Lu Changyuan, who was smoking, and asked, "...Where are they?"
Lu Changyuan flicked the ash from his cigarette and laughed, "It’s fine, I’ll call them down when dinner is ready."
"Oh..." Yu Wanxi returned to the kitchen with a look of confusion.
Han Jiaojiao took a shower in the restroom, washing away the sweat and smell of blood. After drying her hair, she came out feeling refreshed.
Yu Wanxi had already finished cooking, and upon seeing her come out, called her to join them for dinner.
The meal was very odd.
Yan Xiao and Xiao Jian were sitting directly opposite Han Yi and Han Jiaojiao, and Yan Xiao felt a bit like she was sitting on pins and needles during this dinner.
If one ignored the cold expressions on the faces of the two across from them, the scene might have seemed quite sweet. But the problem was... why didn’t it have the usual sickly-sweet sound effects...
Yan Xiao cautiously glanced across the table—
Han Yi had picked out the bones from a piece of fish for Han Jiaojiao, who ate it silently. After a while, Han Jiaojiao peeled a shrimp for Han Yi, who also ate in silence...
Although everything seemed as usual, there was a sense that something was oddly amiss...
Was it really an issue with sound effects?
Han Jiaojiao hadn’t eaten much during dinner, and soon she stopped using her chopsticks. Han Yi served her a bowl of fish soup, placing it in front of her.
"Drink the soup before going up."
Yan Xiao, upon hearing Han Yi’s voice, immediately looked for Han Jiaojiao’s reaction.
—Up till now, this was Han Yi’s first sentence during the meal!
Han Jiaojiao said nothing, picked up the bowl and quietly drank a few sips, leaving half a bowl before setting it back on the table, and said, "I’m done eating, I’ll go upstairs first."
No sooner had she spoken than she stood up and left.
Usually, she would cling to Han Yi, and the two would not go upstairs until they both had finished eating.
Yan Xiao had a sense of foreboding, thinking to herself what could be wrong with these two? Was this... a cold war?
Han Yi seemed to have lost his appetite as well, and soon put down his chopsticks, going upstairs without a word.
Once Han Yi left, everyone felt as if a burden had been lifted. Yan Xiao relaxed and couldn’t help but say, "People really do have a masochistic streak."
Lu Changyuan thought this lament came out of nowhere and looked up at Yan Xiao.
Yan Xiao added, "Usually, seeing the two of them being so lovey-dovey, I find it too mushy. But now that they are not, I somehow feel it’s better when it’s mushy, don’t you think I’m just being... self-contradictory?"
"Did Han Yi and Jiaojiao have a fight?" Bai Kairui asked, not understanding the situation.
Everyone began to feel a little worried.
Yu Wanxi, concerned, said, "...Is it serious? ...Should we, maybe, try to mediate?"
"In these matters, it’s best not to have outsiders interfere, right?" Zhou Yan disagreed.
"Sigh..." Yu Wanxi sighed, "What could they possibly be fighting about?"
There was silence at the dining table.
