Li Jiayu returned to the utility room. Ran Hongxia initially wanted to lay a mattress on the floor for him so he could sleep more comfortably, but Li Jiayu didn't appreciate the gesture. He casually sat down on the computer chair and quickly fell asleep. Having died and revived, his soul inherently carried some lingering aftereffects. Plus, he had consumed too much mental power just now, and the self-destruction of two high-Tier 1 Ghouls would cause backlash to his sea of consciousness. Therefore, he needed to replenish his mental power through sleep as quickly as possible.
Ran Hongxia gazed at Li Jiayu's peaceful sleeping face. It took her a while to react before she carefully covered him with a blanket. Then, while he was sound asleep, she secretly touched his snow-white hair with the back of her hand, feeling only an icy, smooth texture, incredibly nice to touch.
"This damn chuunibyou... he's actually quite cute when he's asleep. Why is he so annoying when he's awake? Looks truly can be deceiving..."
Ran Hongxia returned to the main hall, only to see the classmates heatedly discussing something, occasionally gesturing wildly, arguing animatedly. Some art students, not minding the dirt, even reached out to touch the hexagram array drawn with brain matter, pondering the profound patterns of the star formation.
Sighing softly, Ran Hongxia truly didn't know what to say. Li Jiayu had also said before that obtaining the Yang Soul inheritance of a summoner mainly depended on individual luck; forcing it wouldn't be very useful. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. She dared not imagine how disappointed these people would be in three days.
However, there was nothing to be done... With the entire human civilization nearly collapsed, if one couldn't become a combat profession, life might be very miserable later on. Even if they could barely survive, they would just be pitiful worms sheltered under others' protection, completely unable to grasp their own destiny and dignity.
Ran Hongxia called out a few times, asking people to help cook. But when the many people present learned they were going to cook insect meat and stew insect brains, many shook their heads vigorously. On one hand, they felt awkward eating insect meat; on the other, they were eager to study summoning arts. This put her in a difficult position. Finally, only after Ran Hongxia mentioned it was Li Jiayu's order did thirty or forty classmates with some cooking skills agree to help.
Throughout the morning, Ran Hongxia was busy figuring out how to make insect meat hotpot. Although they lacked iron pots, pressure cookers, and the like, there were many metal and ceramic containers on the twelfth floor that could barely serve as substitutes. Then, Chu Xiang on the twelfth floor also increased efficiency, breaking the Red-Crested Beetles' carapaces at extremely high speed. Meanwhile, some bolder students used small knives and fruit knives to slice the snow-white, tender insect meat piece by piece, putting it all into baskets.
One Red-Crested Beetle was as large as a Spanish bull. Even though it belonged to the insect class, it had a lot of meat. With just a few cuts, one beetle could yield 30-35 kg of tender white insect meat. Working until almost 10:30 AM, they actually harvested 400-450 kg of insect meat! Apart from the 150 kg used for today's hotpot lunch, the remaining meat was all thinly sliced, either hooked with iron wires or spread on tiles. According to Li Jiayu, insect meat dehydrated and dried easily, wasn't prone to bacterial growth and rot. Plus, with such strong wind blowing outside, making basic jerky in two or three days should be no problem.
Ran Hongxia and the classmates washed the insect meat clean, put it into ceramic containers, and poured in several large bottles of mineral water. Due to the lack of seasoning, they could only use some apple chunks, orange segments, ham sausages, and the like as side ingredients. Then, they lit a Red-Crested Beetle's eye. Annoyingly, the flame was too fierce, completely unsuitable for hotpot. In the end, the dozens of Scythe Beetle eyes Chu Xiang collected from downstairs came in handy.
Besides the insect meat, there was also the insect brain stew. This stuff was utterly disgusting. If Li Jiayu hadn't repeatedly ordered it, which classmate would dare touch such an appetite-killing concoction? Of course, Chu Xiang and the others also extracted many unfertilized insect eggs from the Red-Crested Beetles' abdomens, each as large as a fist. Ran Hongxia had a flash of inspiration and roasted those eggs over the insect fire too. Soon, an egg-like fragrance, similar to chicken eggs, drifted out.
Although the black clouds outside continued to roll endlessly, sunlight still penetrated the thick dark clouds, illuminating the world in a hazy white. Calculating the time, it was probably past twelve o'clock. Just then, the food was ready. Although no spices or seasonings were added, not even oil or salt, the insect brains and meat still emitted an enticing fragrance under the intense heat, filling the thirteenth floor with the aroma of insect meat!
Ran Hongxia woke up Li Jiayu and Xiao Wanqing, then went to the main hall to join the classmates, gathering around the dozen or so pots of insect meat soup to eat. However, many students sitting near Li Jiayu inexplicably tensed up, especially some female students, who didn't quite dare open their mouths wide to eat.
Due to the extreme lack of chopsticks, spoons, and bowls, the students could only share one set of utensils among several people. Moreover, most of these utensils were paper cups from instant noodles and plastic spoons, extremely rudimentary. Li Jiayu didn't demand special treatment; he very impolitely snatched Ran Hongxia's bowl, picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a few slices of steaming hot insect meat, and stuffed them directly into his mouth.
"You..."
Ran Hongxia glared angrily at Li Jiayu. Was this guy purely trying to embarrass her? Snatching her chopsticks to use in front of so many people! What if others misunderstood?
Xiao Wanqing, having rested for a morning, had recovered quite well. Apart from occasional fatigue and slight weakness, there were no major issues. Seeing Ran Hongxia's attitude towards Li Jiayu, she couldn't help but smile faintly, not pointing anything out. In her view, Ran Hongxia and Li Jiayu getting together was the best possible outcome.
"Made pretty well. Although a bit bland, having apples and oranges as side dishes adds quite a bit of fruity flavor. I thought your first time handling insect meat would be a mess... Hey, we agreed you wouldn't glare at me. I'm already giving you face by not making you feed me personally!" Li Jiayu took a sip of the hot insect meat soup before saying to Ran Hongxia with a half-smile.
"Hmph... damn chuunibyou..." Ran Hongxia was helpless against Li Jiayu and couldn't say much more. Anyway, she could just share a pair of chopsticks with Xiao Wanqing. She swore never to touch Li Jiayu's saliva again.
Everyone in the hall ate the hot insect meat and drank the soup in silence, few speaking. Of course, some girls vomited after eating the insect meat, or even cried upon seeing it. Perhaps it was because their mood was somewhat gloomy; after all, too many classmates had perished in insect bellies. Thinking that beloved relatives and friends might have become nutritious meals for insects, those girls couldn't bring themselves to eat...
Yes, despite the relief after a night, the surviving classmates still harbored an indelible shadow of death deep inside. They couldn't just cheer up easily. The reason they appeared calm was simply not wanting others to look down on them. In fact, last night, countless people had stayed awake all night, wiping away tears.
Seeing the classmates looking preoccupied, triggered by the insect meat, Li Jiayu could only shake his head, unable to do anything. He knew how to comfort people, but he was unwilling to, nor was it necessary. Anyway, these people would soon get used to facing life and death, soon learn to survive tenaciously in the apocalypse like cockroaches.
"Oh, right... I actually forgot about that Dark Octopus fellow. Wonder where it died after falling off the thirteenth floor..."
Li Jiayu, half-full, suddenly remembered the Dark Octopus. Whether it died or not didn't matter much, but crucially, Li Jiayu was about to leave the school and embark on a perilous journey, which required the Dark Octopus's help. After all, the Dark Octopus violated the rules of summoning, consuming absolutely none of Li Jiayu's mental power. Having it around would definitely be much safer.
Silently chanting an incantation in his mind, he summoned the Dark Octopus back to his side with a "Pop!" Indeed, the creature hadn't been killed by the fall. Instead, its injuries had healed considerably; the hole in its forehead had already scabbed over. Li Jiayu knew at a glance this fellow must have sucked dry the brain matter of the many insects killed last night; otherwise, it absolutely couldn't have recovered so quickly. Even more magically, the Dark Octopus's skin had turned a deeper red, seeming to have lightning rolling beneath its skin.
"Master... you called me... need something... Whoa... what smells so good... Octopus wants to eat too..."
The Dark Octopus's lewd and low voice suddenly sounded, instantly cheering up many girls. They quickly rushed over, surrounding the Dark Octopus like a mascot, asking solicitously why it had disappeared for half a day. How could the Dark Octopus dare say it was pushed off the thirteenth floor by Li Jiayu, nearly died from the fall, and then sucked so much insect brain matter? Telling the truth would probably scare these fragile girls.
"Octopus... just went home... took a bath... Octopus actually missed you all very much too, dear sisters. Can you feed Octopus something? Octopus likes those stews the most..." Saying this, the Dark Octopus stared intently at the insect brain matter boiled to pulp in a certain pot.
The girls who had been desperately saved by the Dark Octopus hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't refuse. One by one, they picked up large spoons, scooped up large chunks of insect brain, and carefully fed the Dark Octopus as if feeding a child. This delighted the pervert so much that its eyes narrowed in enjoyment, its remaining eight tentacles curling up.
Li Jiayu watched from the side, rolling his eyes. You're a high-Tier 1 summoned beast, for crying out loud! On the same level as biological weapons like the Red-Crested Beetle! The Red-Crested Beetle is imposing, feared by all, yet you wag your tail like a lapdog, only knowing how to hide among women and live off them! You're simply disgracing your master!
Perhaps because the Dark Octopus had a natural talent for comedy, the classmates who were still feeling down were cheered up considerably by its silly, funny, childish actions and words. The atmosphere in the hall became much livelier, and even eating insect meat felt more flavorful. Some classmates, influenced by affection for the octopus, also boldly tasted the insect brain stew that looked extremely disgusting. The result? They didn't know until they tried, but one taste shocked them.
The insect meat itself had already greatly surprised the classmates because eating it warmed their stomachs, giving a pleasant feeling of vitality. But the insect brain was even better! Just one bite invigorated the spirit. Although the taste wasn't fantastic, it always gave an uplifting feeling, leaving a lasting aftertaste. Some classmates with minor colds from the overnight chill even faintly felt their colds were half-cured – no more runny noses, no more coughing, even their minds felt much clearer, and their suppressed moods improved.
Soon, amidst the praises of these classmates, the insect brain was completely devoured. Especially those girls who were physically and emotionally unwell; even if they didn't want to eat, they were urged by classmates. After eating, their complexions indeed looked much rosier.
Li Jiayu watched the busy students eating, listened to their voices still full of youthful energy, and couldn't help smiling.
What he saw before him was the unique friendship of students. A dozen buddies sharing one set of utensils, yet not disliking their brothers' dirtiness at all. Even because there wasn't quite enough insect meat, many boys proactively gave way to the girls, and students proactively gave way to the elderly professors. Seeing all this, Li Jiayu felt a momentary stir in his heart.
He couldn't remember how long it had been since he ate together with so many people. Although he didn't have much affection for these people in his heart, being gathered with so many was genuinely lively. Occasionally hearing them comfort each other, cheer each other on, laugh together, even sharing food with them – this feeling was truly heartwarming.
At least, it was much better than being accompanied by a large group of corpses, facing the cold wind in the barren mountains, silently, solitarily eating burnt insect meat.
"Li Jiayu, thinking about something happy? You look really cute when you smile, very much like Hongxia when she was little..." Xiao Wanqing smiled charmingly, took a sip of insect meat soup. Her delicate cherry lips glistened moistly, a curious expression on her beautiful goose-egg-shaped face.
"Really? When did I smile? Even if I smile, I couldn't possibly resemble Ran Hongxia, right? Many people say I look fierce when I smile..." Xiao Wanqing held an extremely high position in Li Jiayu's heart. He could be fierce to anyone else, but never to her.
"Why not? You just didn't notice it yourself. Actually, you should smile more. Always putting on a 'keep away' face isn't really good for you," Xiao Wanqing said softly.
"Mm..."
Li Jiayu answered perfunctorily, but his attitude towards others had at least improved that tiny bit. He wouldn't yell at classmates who greeted him, occasionally even chatting a few sentences with them. Unfortunately, Li Jiayu probably hadn't spoken with so many people for a long time. When he took off his sarcastic mask, he became somewhat tongue-tied, unable to handle the girls who came up to thank him. Most of the time, he could only blush slightly and remain silent. But his silent, blushing appearance was still quite interesting.
After eating, Li Jiayu quickly continued summoning Greedy Ghouls, commanding them to jump down from the thirteenth floor, killing quite a few more insects. Then he went back to sleep soundly. If other creatures self-destructed, the backlash damage to Li Jiayu's sea of consciousness would be significant. But Greedy Ghouls were specifically used for self-destruction, so the resulting backlash wasn't severe. Li Jiayu only needed to sleep for four or five hours to recover.
Repeating this process, Li Jiayu did it three or four times before finally killing most of the dozen or so Red-Crested Beetles that had eaten the Female Parasitic Vine's corpse. Although a few Red-Crested Beetles and over fifty Venomous Spiders remained rampaging in the school, they could be completely left to Chu Xiang and the others to handle. As long as they divided and conquered, there shouldn't be much problem. The task of rescuing survivors in other academic buildings also fell upon them.
As for Li Jiayu, he didn't have much time left. Because it was already six o'clock the next morning. The thick black clouds in the sky still obscured all sunlight. The world was gray and hazy, visibility still low. But this was precisely the time when the insects outside were most lethargic!
If he didn't go out now, he might have to wait until tomorrow. Li Jiayu dared not wait any longer; the safety of his cousin and cousin-in-law absolutely could not be delayed. Not many people were told about his departure from the school, only Xiao Wanqing, Ran Hongxia, and the other six Awakened knew.
Taking the map of Xijiang City prepared for him by Ran Hongxia, slinging a backpack containing quite a bit of food over his shoulder, and changing into a clean black British-style shirt – this shirt was originally intended by some girl for her boyfriend, but unfortunately, her boyfriend had long been eaten by insects, so it was ultimately given to Li Jiayu, considered repayment for saving her life.
Wearing the black shirt, Li Jiayu looked particularly energetic. Especially the contrast between the black attire and his snow-white long hair was striking and dazzling. It's just that when Li Jiayu looked in the mirror this morning, he found his hair had grown a bit longer again, and his face had become considerably more handsome. As for his little chicken... seemed it hadn't shortened. Anyway, he hadn't measured it, and it was always in a flaccid state, so it was really hard to tell if it had shrunk.
"Be careful on the road... Don't push yourself too hard. If it really doesn't work out, just come back first. I know you're very capable, but promise me, absolutely don't try to be a hero. Xijiang University can't lose you..." Xiao Wanqing held Li Jiayu's hand, gently reminding him in a soft voice.
"Mm, I will. You guys be careful too. Although not many insects are left, you still need to be fully vigilant in dealing with them, especially since insects from outside might still sneak in... Ran Hongxia, Chu Xiang, you are the most capable Awakened at this stage. You must protect Sister Xiao for me! If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you! Oh right, although the Red-Crested Beetles killed yesterday were all infected with corpse poison, the Insect Crystals in their heads won't be contaminated. Chu Xiang, your skin is thick, resistance to poison is strong, you can dig out those Insect Crystals and give them to those who need enhancement..."
Li Jiayu glanced at the sky, knew time was short, and couldn't be bothered with more talk. After bidding farewell to Xiao Wanqing, he took the Dark Octopus down from the twelfth floor. When he reached the lower floors, waves of the stench of corpses hit him. Li Jiayu shook his head and walked out of the academic building without a word.
However, accompanying him was no longer just the Dark Octopus, but also a mummy completely wrapped in corpse bandages. It was acting as Li Jiayu's bodyguard.
"Southbound all the way... Mm, after leaving the school gate, should take Beihai Avenue. Alright, Octopus, Mummy, follow me!"