Always Ending Up as an Animal Cub

Although still young, compared to the other children, the small villain Chen Xi was clearly much more composed.
After sensing the monster’s approach, he immediately adjusted his breathing and pretended to be asleep.

After hearing three successive inhales by his ear, the sound suddenly stopped.
Chen Xi knew the monster hadn’t left. Even through the quilt, he could feel its cold, eerie presence.
He was nervous, but dared not breathe loudly. Fortunately, he still had a fluffy little chick in his hand, which he squeezed to relieve the pressure.

The chick didn’t seem afraid of the monster. It kept pushing against his fingers, trying to get out and see what was there.
This was fifty roasted chickens. He and his younger brother rarely got to eat meat, even once a year.
Chen Xi selectively ignored what had happened before. To stop himself from feeling so scared, he started imagining all kinds of delicious foods in his mind.

Fruit gummies, cheese cakes, apple pies, banana mille-feuille...
Chen Xi liked sweet foods, but candy was banned in the orphanage. It couldn’t be bought privately; it had to be exchanged with the adults.
He recalled the sweet cheesecake he had seen at the market. Suddenly, the quilt that had been covering his head was yanked away.

The damp, cold air rushed into the bed, making Chen Xi shiver with cold.
The sweat-soaked clothes stuck tightly to his back. The still-healing wounds ached like needles piercing his skin.
After the lights went out, no sound was allowed, and no one was allowed to get out of bed. That was the orphanage’s rule.

Chen Xi bit his lip tightly, not daring to make a sound.
The little yellow chick seemed to sense the change in atmosphere. It pushed its little head out from between his fingers, looking up, trying to see what was outside.
Chen Xi feared that his half-year's worth of food might be gone, so he tried to grab the chick back into his hand.

Just as he was about to move his fingers, three breaths overlapped and suddenly sounded very close.
The monster’s head was pressed tightly against his injured forehead.
Chen Xi's heart sank.

It was over. His wound had been treated too roughly, and it hadn’t healed. The wine and ointment hadn’t completely masked the smell of blood, and the monster had smelled it.
In the next moment, dozens of cold, hard, needle-like spikes, sharp and long, slowly hooked around his head, starting to twist it backward.
It didn’t take long before Chen Xi’s head was twisted to its limit. His neck couldn’t bear the pressure and emitted cracking sounds.
Chen Xi wanted to turn his body to avoid having his head twisted off, but his shoulders, back, and even his legs were held down by the spikes. He couldn’t move.

As the monster twisted, the pain in his neck grew more and more intense.
Faced with the threat of death, countless thoughts flashed through Chen Xi’s mind.
He wondered if he could make the chick squawk and then throw it out to attract the monster’s attention.

Or maybe he could slice the chick with a blade and use its blood to attract the monster.
Chen Xi barely opened his eyes, a fierce look flashing in his gaze.
He had made up his mind. He was just about to exert force when the little yellow chick, which had been quietly sitting, suddenly flapped its wings.

Chen Xi felt a sudden flash before his eyes, and the surroundings immediately changed.
When he came to his senses, he was in a warm and soft place.
The chilling air and the pain in his neck vanished. It felt as though he was wrapped in a giant fluffy blanket, warm and comforting, bringing him a sense of security.

Recalling the little chick flapping its wings earlier, Chen Xi had a bizarre thought.
Could it be that he had been covered by the chick’s wings, just like the big hen in the orphanage protected the chicks with her wings?
But the chick was clearly much smaller than him.

Perhaps it was the warmth and comfort here that made him let his guard down. Chen Xi couldn’t resist peeling back a gap in the blanket, sneaking a look outside.
It was dark, and he couldn’t see anything clearly.
He could only vaguely sense a pitch-black shadow standing by his bed. The palm-sized yellow chick was protecting him while confronting the shadow.

Chen Xi stood frozen for a while before slowly burying his face in the chick’s fluff.
He grasped the fluff, feeling that it was truly warm here.
————

At 4 a.m. the next morning, the system that had been shopping all night returned, bouncing along with a shopping bag.
“Hey! Xiao Yu! Look at what your big brother brought back!”
“This is some hard stuff I got through connections from the neighboring Infinite Flow Management Company. They fight every day over there, and their props are much more powerful than ours!”

The system was especially excited as it pulled out a bunch of small freebies.
It kept pulling out items while poking its head outside, “When I went last night, a batch of goods just arrived, and they were meant for the idiot, charming beauties. You’re a beauty, so I think this is perfect... Hey, Xiao Yu! What’s going on outside?”
It was exactly 4 a.m., and the 12 children in the dormitory were already fully dressed, standing neatly by their beds.

Even Chen Xi, who had started to develop a low fever due to an infection in his wounds, stood in front of bed number 11 with his younger brother.
The little yellow chick that had transformed into Yu Tong was peeking through the gap in the blanket, looking down.
Hearing the noise, it hesitated and said, "I’m not sure, but it looks like they’re checking the dorms? As soon as the 3 a.m. bell rang, they started packing up."

"So early?"
“Yeah, Chen Xi was too dizzy from the fever to get up. Little Mushroom, Little Coal, and Lily—those three carried him down. Looks like it’s a forced check-up. Everyone has to get out of bed.”
The system was about to ask why the sick child had to get up and walk through the dorm check process, but then it remembered the nun who had beaten Chen Xi last night, so it shut its mouth.

The wooden door to the dormitory was open, and the hallway outside was still dark.
Faint footsteps echoed from far away as someone checked the orphan dorms.
The small light bulb in the ceiling flickered on and off. The 12 children stood expressionless, their bodies stiff, silent.

The atmosphere was too eerie, making the system feel uneasy.
It withdrew its head. “I’m not watching them anymore, it’s creepy. Xiao Yu, was there anything special that happened last night while I was gone?”
Yu Tong flapped his little wing, the tip of his chicken wing covered with a thin layer of frost.

The system froze. “What’s that?”
“Last night, a monster entered the dorm. It gets attracted to the smell of blood. Little Chen’s head wound wasn’t treated properly, and the monster smelled the blood on his head and wanted to twist his head off.”
“Damn, then what?”

“When the 3-hour cooldown ended, I used the Eagle Catching Little Chicken prop and got the Chicken Mama identity. Just like you taught me, I flapped my wings and covered Little Chen under them.”
“Then the target disappeared. The monster must’ve been a bit unsatisfied. It happened to notice there was another little chick on the bed, so it picked a fight with me.”
The system clenched its tiny handkerchief. “How could you possibly fight it with your small body?”

“We didn’t fight. It tried to attack me, but as soon as it touched my wing, it dodged away like it had been shocked. It didn’t bother with the other kids, just left and went to the next room.”
Yu Tong glanced at his frosty wing. “Maybe when it grabbed me, its food flew away, so it was in a bad mood and used a skill.”
“I’ve kept my wings frozen solid. Little Chen kept warming them up for me all night—breathing on them, rubbing them, even holding them in his mouth. The ice still hasn’t melted. The monster didn’t kill me, so my body must have some special attribute. I’m definitely not an ordinary little chick.”

The system gasped. “What does the monster look like?”
“It was too dark to see clearly. But it had three breaths, so it probably has three heads. It has a lot of fingers, and they feel like ice…”
Before Yu Tong could finish, heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Two strong nuns carried a wooden board the size of a door past the dormitory door.
On the board were scattered organs, severed arms, and four dismembered child heads.
The children’s empty eyes were wide open, and their bloodstained hair was covered in a thick layer of frost.

The system screamed as it quickly retreated into the space, trembling like a frightened rabbit.
Yu Tong's eyes scanned the twins near the dormitory door. A sudden thought formed in his mind.
If the tall ice spike monster was attracted to the smell of blood, what would happen to the nuns and little girls in the orphanage during their period?

The nuns might not be in danger, but what about the little girls?
It was a normal biological process that all women go through. As they grew older, these girls would face the same problem.
Would the monster avoid attacking little girls on their special days, or would they just have to wait to die?

Or perhaps, they wouldn’t live long enough to face that day.
The three nuns entered the room, interrupting Yu Tong’s thoughts.
The lead nun was the one from last night, Sister Ai.

When she saw Chen Xi standing by the bed, she gave him a meaningful look, pulled out a notebook from under her arm, and began calling the roll.
“大方糖!”
The girl standing by bed number 1 immediately raised her hand. “Here!”

“小方糖!”
“Here!”
“小煤球!”

“Here!”
“小乳酪! Fork, Small Lid, Small Bread…”
The system clicked its tongue. “What ridiculous names.”

Next door, the nuns were calling roll, and the system could hear them through the wall. “Chocolate, Orange Candy Beans, Little Stool!”
The more Yu Tong heard, the more he felt that Chen Xi and Lily, who had human names, must have special identities.
Sister Ai finished calling the roll and started checking the lockers, beds, and desks.

Two nuns behind her searched each child.
Yu Tong, still hiding in the small gap from yesterday, wasn’t found by the nuns.
When one of the nuns opened a locker, she found half a piece of soft candy inside.

Sister Ai looked at the locker number, grabbed Little Fang Tang by the arm, and slapped her hard.
“I’ve told you so many times, no candy! No eating candy privately!”
The little girl with a ponytail screamed in fear. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t know there was candy in the locker!”

Her twin sister stood nearby, wanting to help but too scared to speak.
Sister Ai took off her necklace and thrust it in Little Fang Tang’s face. “Say it again. Did you secretly hide candy and eat it privately?”
“I didn’t, I didn’t…”

Little Fang Tang’s voice abruptly stopped.
In Yu Tong’s shocked gaze, the black stone in the pendant suddenly sprouted a mass of fine iron wires.
The wires quickly pierced Little Fang Tang’s skin, wrapping around her lips and tightly stitching them shut.

“Ugh—ugh—”
Little Fang Tang covered her mouth, letting out muffled screams. Blood flowed from the gaps in her fingers, dripping onto the ground and leaving bloody spots.
The system screamed. “What a cruel punishment! Wait, the pendant is used to detect if kids are lying? No wonder she always takes out the necklace when asking questions.”

“Well, at least she’s still alive. Poor thing, I feel so sorry for her.”
Yu Tong sighed silently. “Not alive. She’s already dead. Her mouth is sewn shut so tightly, even drinking water is difficult. She’ll starve to death eventually.”
“….”

“Ahhh! The orphanage is so suffocating! I hate this world!!!”
Yu Tong had seen this kind of thing many times, and his heart didn’t stir much.
He just felt sorry that the little girl had lost her life over stealing half a piece of candy. What a pity.

The iron wires retracted into the pendant, and Sister Ai put the necklace away. She grabbed Little Fang Tang’s ponytail and gave a cold look around at the other children.
“I’ll say it one more time. No one is allowed to secretly eat candy. It’s a rule! Even when the orphanage opens in nine days, you can buy meat, bread, and clothes at the market, but no candy. No eating candy, understand?!”
The system clicked its tongue. “What absurd names!”

Sister Ai’s two nuns pulled out a bunch of candies from their pockets to show the children which ones were allowed and which ones were forbidden.
The frightened children nodded randomly.
Sister Ai tossed Little Fang Tang to the ground and continued checking the dormitory.

After confirming there were no other forbidden items, the nuns turned and went to the next dormitory.
Before leaving, Sister Ai walked to Little Mushroom and gently patted his head.
She then turned and looked at Chen Xi, sneering coldly. “Little fox, your father will be executed tomorrow. First, he will be whipped, then dragged behind a horse for three hours.”

“Three hours, Chen Xi. His belly will be scraped open, and his organs will spill everywhere. Your father is going to die. Do you want to see him for the last time?”
Sister Ai raised her hand, gripping Chen Xi’s chin, forcing him to look up as she pulled out the necklace for him to stare at.
“If you want to, come find me tonight. I’ll give you fever medicine and take you to see your father.”

Chen Xi’s face turned even paler, his small body trembling uncontrollably.
Yu Tong, with the Heartfelt Link tool, felt a surge of strong hatred and unwillingness.
Chen Xi choked as he spoke: “I won’t go.”

“When your mother died, you didn’t go see her. Now your father is going to die, and you still won’t go see him for the last time? You’re so smart. Maybe you’ll find a way to save him.”
Sister Ai’s latter words clearly struck a nerve in the small villain.
He bit his lower lip, staying silent for a long while. “I won’t go.”

Sister Ai glared at him coldly, put away the necklace, and turned to leave the dormitory.
“Breakfast at 6. Classes at 9. Everyone must arrive at the cafeteria on time. No lateness!”
————

As the footsteps of the nuns faded away, the children in the dormitory gradually relaxed.
Little Fang Tang’s mouth was sewn shut, and she cried in pain. Big Fang Tang held her sister, stamping her feet in anxiety.
Beds 3 and 4 were nearest to them. Little Coal and Little Cheese took out cloths and began wiping the blood drops off the floor.

It was only 4:30, still more than an hour until breakfast.
The children grabbed their towels and cups and left together to wash up.
The small villain, Chen Xi, was very neat and tidy, a delicate boy.

Even with his face flushed from fever, he carried a small basin and went to the washroom with his younger brother.
This reminded Yu Tong of his brother, Chen.
In the previous world, he had realized that the small black dog in his childhood memories was his brother.

Little Chen was kidnapped by his parents, tied up in the yard like a dog.
Whenever it rained, the others, who were also tied up, would hide in the corners to avoid the rain.
Only Little Chen would hold his broken dog bowl, catching the rainwater to wash his face and hair, trying to make himself cleaner. It was as though if his face were clean, his messy life would be cleaner too.

Yu Tong could see many traces of his brother in Chen Xi.
No wonder. After all, Chen Xi and Yun Ming Chen were the same—his brother’s soul inhabiting this shell.
The system popped out, “Damn Xiao Yu, I just noticed that Chen Xi’s character deviation value increased by 3 points!”

Yu Tong’s thoughts were interrupted, and he responded with an “Mm,” “It increased last night.”
“Because you protected him?”
“Sort of. To be precise, when he was about to throw me out to attract the monster and save himself, I protected him.”

“Ah, he was going to use you as cannon fodder? What a bad child!”
Yu Tong thought it was fine. If it were him, he would’ve done the same.
Compared to a chick he’d known for just a day, his own life was clearly more important.

Besides, Chen Xi was the villain, his character deviation value just hit 10 points—doing bad things was actually normal for him.
Yun Ming Chen from the previous world was much older, more skillful, and deeper in his acting. Yu Tong couldn’t read his thoughts.
But Chen Xi was only ten years old.

Even without the Heartfelt Link tool, Yu Tong could immediately tell what bad ideas were brewing in his small head.
Having been with Yu Tong for over twenty years, the system had learned as well.
It gradually understood, “Wait, Xiao Yu, when you first used the Eagle Catching Little Chicken prop, it was before 9 p.m. last night. The monster entered the room and wandered in after midnight. The cooldown time for the skill is three hours, so you could have used it much earlier.”

Yu Tong nodded.
“Then why didn’t you use it earlier, waiting until the most critical moment? Damn, did you wait for Chen Xi ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) to be pushed to the edge so he’d throw you out?”
“Mm.”

“Why?”
“Because the monster didn’t attack him, and he wasn’t in life-threatening danger. That means there’s no life-saving debt. If I cover him with my wings, he won’t be grateful. Instead, he’d only focus on my special ability. In the remaining nine days, he’d drain all my value, then sell it for a good price at the market.”
“Damn, so bad!”

“Although it’s the same soul as my brother, he’s still young. His little tricks are things I’ve played before. When his fingers twitch, I know he’s about to throw the chick.”
Yu Tong hid under the blanket, lightly pecking at the frozen chick’s wings.
“When he was about to harm the chick, the chick saved him. To protect him, it confronted a monster many times stronger than itself. Kids don’t have as many scheming thoughts as adults. He must be feeling guilty now.”

“Although he hasn’t accepted the chick as his own yet, he’s probably realized some life lessons and has gained a little deviation value.”
The system blinked in confusion, “What lessons?”
“If I knew, I’d already be the most popular little rabbit. I just think I can use his guilt to get some benefits.”

The system didn’t notice the sarcasm in Yu Tong’s voice.
Seeing that the host never forgot to scheme against a ten-year-old child, the system didn’t know what to say.
After holding it in for a while, it finally said, “But that’s

your brother…”
“I know, but the Chen Xi version of my brother has no feelings for me. He lives in this environment, and to survive, he can do anything.”
Yu Tong asked the system for a cigarette. “Big brother, in this world, just being nice to people won’t win their affection. Only when you find the right timing and grasp the balance will the life-saving grace really count.”

“Mm... I don’t get it.”
“It’s fine, you don’t have to understand. If you’re unsure about something in the future, just ask me. I’ll make sure you don’t get taken advantage of.”
The system froze.

When Yu Tong said that, it suddenly felt moved.
Just in time, it had grabbed a discount coupon. It was going to buy some props for its good brother!
The children finished washing up and gradually returned to their dormitory.

Little Mushroom, who had gone to wash up with Chen Xi, was nowhere to be seen and didn’t return with him.
Chen Xi, burning with fever, stumbled for a long time but couldn’t climb back into bed.
Lily, who was in bed number 10, crawled over the cabinet and reached out to pull him up.

As Chen Xi was about to thank her, Lily suddenly leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “Last night, I saw something.”
Yu Tong, hearing the noise, quietly poked his head out from the blanket’s gap.
Chen Xi lowered his head, expressionless, and asked, “What did you see? I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I saw that there was also a warrior on your bed. When the monster tried to grab your head, it protected you, which is why you survived until dawn.”
Lily shook the stuffed bear in her arms and pointed at the blanket on Chen Xi’s bed.
“This is my little bear warrior. It doesn’t like you and says you’re a bad kid, but I think you look good. Your hair is white, like an angel.”

“The room was too dark last night, and I was too scared. I couldn’t see anything clearly. Chen Xi, can I see your warrior?”
Yu Tong could clearly feel the small villain’s nervousness. His anxious emotions were fully transmitted through the Heartfelt Link tool.
Chen Xi hesitated for a moment, then slowly looked up at the little girl with a confused gaze. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. I don’t have a warrior here.”

Lily looked serious. “You do! The little bear warrior says it saw a yellow little chick covering you with its wings.”
Before she finished speaking, Yu Tong’s heart suddenly surged with intense murderous intent.
He was sure that if there had been no one else in the dorm, the small villain would’ve killed Lily.

The little girl didn’t realize what her words meant.
If this secret got out, Chen Xi’s egg-stealing incident would be exposed. He would be punished for lying and have his mouth sewn shut by the iron wire.
As punishment, Sister Ai would beat him nearly to death, then dig up the little yellow chick with special abilities.

Without the chick’s protection, Chen Xi would be eaten by the monster, which would follow the scent of blood to him that very night.
His corpse would be left as a bloody mess, just like the children who had died last night.
The ten-year-old small villain still didn’t know how to hide his emotions. His eyes began to turn hostile.

Lily, a little scared, hugged her stuffed bear and tried to retreat to her bed.
Chen Xi used his knee to push Yu Tong deeper into the blanket, fearing that others might see him.
He grabbed Lily’s wrist and whispered to her, coaxing her not to tell anyone.

Meanwhile, Yu Tong, who had finally managed to wriggle out from under the blanket, saw the buttons of the little bear’s eyes on Lily’s toy move slightly.
It was just a subtle movement, but it was enough to send a chill down his spine. He realized that the bear wasn’t just a stuffed toy. It was a part of this strange world.