I Became the Most Popular Character by Acting as a Villain in the Manga

Chapter 26

This group of mutated fish, which could devour a shark in seconds, swarmed ashore. They seemed capable of short-term survival out of water, continuously floundering forward on the ground, approaching the tourists whose eyes were vacant due to the octopus's gaze.

It was clear that their first order of business upon landing was to eat, and their targets were precisely these tourists.

“Not good!” Zhou Chenhao immediately rushed to the front of the tourists, shielding them from the mutated fish.

He maximally released his lure-pheromone. The originally faint grape and lemon scent rapidly intensified, and a refreshing aroma permeated the area.

After a one-second pause, the mutated fish immediately swarmed towards him!

When ordinary people and special ability users appeared simultaneously, mutated creatures would prioritize attacking special ability users emitting lure-pheromone. After all, to mutated creatures, special ability users were more delicious. So, during SAIDB training, it was said that when mutated creatures attacked ordinary people, in an emergency, one could maximally release lure-pheromone to attract mutated creatures.

Xia Xiaoxi and Ling Feng also followed closely. The scents of iced watermelon and jasmine milk tea also grew stronger, drawing away a group of mutated fish.

Xiao 6 “sniffed” the air and mumbled, “My goodness, the protagonist group's scent is so delicious… or rather, fragrant. I'm not even a mutated creature and I'm craving it.”

Bai Xuechao: “…”

To be honest, he also felt a little tempted, wanting a cup of jasmine milk tea.

Compared to that, his Plum Blossom in Snow seemed a bit unremarkable. At most, it felt like a floral tea to cleanse the palate after a meal.

…Wait, why was he comparing these?

The manga readers' playful remarks in the forum about "beverage supremacy battle" and "best diet supremacy battle" inexplicably surfaced in Bai Xuechao's mind. He paused, then quickly shook his head slightly, as if trying to shake off the thought, then lightly coughed once to resume his usual demeanor.

The protagonist group used lure-pheromones to attract the mutated fish, and the tourists were temporarily out of danger.

Due to the large number of fish, they couldn't deal with them all at once and could only lead them away from the tourists.

Although Bai Xuechao didn't deliberately release lure-pheromone, the lure-pheromone couldn't be completely contained. There would be a faint scent on him, so several mutated fish keenly caught his scent and were attracted, flapping towards him.

He kicked away a fish that lunged at him, feeling quite a bit of weight on his foot. This fish was not light.

He used his special ability to create a current of water, forcefully pushing away the other mutated fish. At the same time, he quietly condensed water into a water blade—this was not a skill a Level 4 special ability user could master, so he had to do it discreetly—and sliced open the abdomen of one of the mutated fish.

Bai Xuechao took advantage of the protagonist group being focused on luring away the many surrounding mutated fish, with no one watching him. He grabbed the mutated fish that had died after he sliced its abdomen.

The mutated fish was absorbed into the skin of his palm, and he quickly absorbed it.

Bai Xuechao lowered his exquisite eyes, and with his thumb, he rubbed the palm that had absorbed the mutated fish, as if sensing something.

Then, he said clearly to the three members of the protagonist group: “These fish are Level 3 mutated creatures!”

“Oh, oh!” Zhou Chenhao, who was closer to him, responded first, his dark brown eyes lighting up. “So they're Level 3! Although there are quite a few, they can still be dealt with!”

Mutated creatures, like special ability users, had 10 levels in total.

For both, Level 6 was a watershed. Special ability users' special abilities would evolve when they reached Level 6, while Level 6 mutated creatures would gain special abilities. For example, the giant octopus currently fighting Qiao Jing was the Level 6 mutated creature raised by Qiao Zhanpeng. Its special ability was the eyes covering its entire body, which could affect and control people's minds.

In addition to this, mutated creatures had another small watershed, which was Level 3.

The level of mutated creatures was innate, and most could not be upgraded later. Only a few mutated creatures could upgrade by preying.

Level 3 mutated creatures were the highest level ordinary people could deal with. Although they were aggressive, their defense was not strong enough. They could be dealt with using sharp cold weapons like knives. To deal with mutated creatures above Level 3, one had to use hot weapons or have special ability users resolve it.

Knowing that these mutated fish were Level 3, the protagonist group's pressure significantly decreased. The number was indeed large, but they could still be dealt with gradually. What's more, they were all Level 3 special ability users.

In fact, even if Bai Xuechao hadn't said anything, after a while, the protagonist group would still have discovered that these mutated fish were Level 3. Bai Xuechao merely expedited the process.

“Friends, I have an idea!” Zhou Chenhao spun around and kicked away a mutated fish that had sprung up, flapping its tail, a hearty smile on his face. “Let's eat these fish!”

This was an all-you-can-eat buffet delivered right to their doorstep!

Usually, the SAIDB canteen only served Level 1 or Level 2 mutated creatures, which were fine for satisfying hunger but useless for upgrading.

Now, with so many Level 3 mutated creatures in front of them, it would be a disservice to themselves not to eat them.

Xiao 6 tapped its cybernetic wooden fish and exclaimed, “As expected of the male lead. Otherwise, why would the manga be called ‘Special Ability × Food Chain’? Eating is the way to go! Fighting and eating at the same time is the coolest!”

Bai Xuechao said, “Looking at the number of these mutated creatures, it's not impossible for them to reach Level 4 after this wave of eating.”

He had previously checked the information provided in the appendix. The special ability value of these few people was already not far from that of Level 4 special ability users.

Under Zhou Chenhao's command, Xia Xiaoxi used her wood-element special ability to create four sturdy, sharp wooden forks. One was given to each person for spearing fish.

Zhou Chenhao had a bit more trouble; he couldn't let his skin touch the wooden fork. He could only pull his cuffs down and grip the wooden fork through his sleeve.

Thus, the scene became surreal—

The giant octopus's tentacles sent Qiao Jing flying, while the protagonist group was busy spearing fish.

Some of the ghosts protected Qiao Jing, while more attacked the octopus. The octopus's eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, and the tourists also rushed forward to fight the ghosts.

The protagonist group pulled people back with Xia Xiaoxi's vines, while also slamming the speared mutated fish onto the ground.

The octopus's suckers clung to several ghosts, coiling them to stuff into its mouth at the base of its tentacles. At the same time, the protagonist group was rapidly consuming the fish they had killed by slamming them.

The ghosts were special ability products. As soon as they were stuffed into the octopus's mouth, they disappeared. The protagonist group happily ate the mutated fish, then raised their wooden forks to spear more fish.

The octopus waved its soft tentacles, trying to coil Qiao Jing. The protagonist group's wooden forks were gnawed off by the fierce mutated fish, so Xia Xiaoxi immediately created new wooden forks and continued spearing fish.

The octopus was getting beaten, the protagonist group was eating fish. Qiao Jing was getting beaten, and the protagonist group was still eating fish.

Everyone, human or ghost, was showing off, only Qiao Jing and the octopus were beating each other up.

Xiao 6 looked at this scene, which made it impossible to complain, and couldn't help but say, “This plot is getting stranger and stranger…”

The protagonist group was having a buffet, while the minor villain was fighting the minor boss mutated creature. Who could understand this!

During the time the protagonist group was eating, Bai Xuechao had been slacking off.

Level 3 mutated creatures contained too few special ability molecules for him. There was no need for him to compete with the protagonist group for mutated creatures. It was better to let the protagonist group eat them and upgrade.

He also took the opportunity to send a message to Duan Xingzhi: [Location.]

Duan Xingzhi sent his real-time location. Bai Xuechao checked it and found that he was in an amusement ride right next to him.

Bai Xuechao looked over, his gaze tracing up the tall amusement ride. At the top of the ride, he saw Duan Xingzhi's head peeking out from behind a giant decoration.

The other party was still wearing the fake face he had created with his special ability, and had changed back into the black trench coat he wore when he arrived today. However, his hairstyle hadn't changed; his long, light gold hair, tied into a high ponytail, hung down with his movements.

Duan Xingzhi met Bai Xuechao's red eyes and raised a hand as a greeting.

Bai Xuechao averted his gaze and sent him a message: [Wait for me.]

On that side, the protagonist group had already eaten over a hundred mutated fish. Each person had absorbed thirty to forty fish.

Special ability users absorbing mutated creatures would feel full. If they absorbed too much, they would also feel stuffed, but it didn't affect their ability to absorb. They could still continue to absorb mutated creatures.

Therefore, the protagonist group was just now in a state of being "mentally stuffed," yet they were still continuously absorbing these mutated fish. This feeling was like making a person who had already eaten their fill continue to eat. They could "eat" only through sheer willpower.

They felt like they wouldn't want to eat fish for the next month.

However, all three of them had also upgraded to Level 4 because of this, which was very commendable.

All the mutated fish were dealt with. Only the giant octopus and the disoriented Qiao Jing remained on the field, still fighting each other. The battle was so intense that the protagonist group didn't know what to do.

One of the octopus's tentacles was already severed. If it were three minutes earlier, one could have seen Qiao Jing gnawing on an octopus leg.

Perhaps because the octopus was focused on fighting Qiao Jing, it released its control over the tourists. The tourists all came to their senses, realizing they were being blocked by a large net woven from vines. In front of them, a giant octopus was flailing its… seven tentacles? It was being besieged by the park's ghosts.

“W-what's going on!”

“How did I get here?”

The tourists panicked and quickly retreated. Some pulled out their phones to call the police, some were too scared to stand and needed help, and some even raised their phones to start recording.

“Giant octopus appears in marine park! It'll definitely go viral online!” That person turned on night mode, looking for an angle to clearly photograph the octopus. After looking at the phone screen for a while, his body swayed, “Huh, why do I feel a little dizzy…”

Xia Xiaoxi appeared beside him and pressed down his phone: “Don't stare at its eyes.”

At the same time, Zhou Chenhao also received a message from SAIDB, saying they had already entered the park and asking about the situation inside.

This location was the deepest part of the park. Coupled with the darkness, the SAIDB personnel hadn't yet seen such a large octopus.

Zhou Chenhao reported the matter of the mutated octopus.

The other side quickly replied that they would arrive at the innermost part of the marine area in about five minutes and advised them to be careful.

“The Bureau's people will be here soon,” Zhou Chenhao told Xia Xiaoxi and Ling Feng beside him, then suddenly asked, “Where's Bai Xuechao?”

They had just been so busy hunting mutated creatures that they hadn't noticed where Bai Xuechao was.

“I'm here.” The white-haired youth in the red round-collar robe waved to him from the crowd, making Zhou Chenhao notice him. “Since your Bureau's people are here, then we're safe, right? I'm going to find my brother.”

Zhou Chenhao said, “You can look for him later, right?”

But before he finished speaking, Bai Xuechao had already turned and walked into the crowd.

Coincidentally, many people in the direction Bai Xuechao was heading were wearing red round-collar robes.

Xiao 6's code frantically spun in circles, and it said nervously, “Host, the SAIDB personnel have entered the land park, estimated to arrive here in four minutes, but the male lead hasn't gotten the special ability energy crystal yet!”

“What's the rush?” Bai Xuechao's figure disappeared into the crowd, quickly moving towards Duan Xingzhi's direction, as fast as a gust of wind. The tourists didn't even notice him. “The special ability energy crystal is on Qiao Jing. Before the SAIDB personnel arrive, just send him to Zhou Chenhao.”

Xiao 6 asked, “How do you send him?”

Bai Xuechao arrived in front of the amusement ride where Duan Xingzhi was hiding and said calmly, “You'll know soon enough, it's very simple.”

He leaped up, and amidst Xiao 6's inexperienced "wow wow" shouts, he continuously jumped and climbed the facility by stepping on several leverage points, agilely reaching the top.

Duan Xingzhi had been watching Bai Xuechao from above. Seeing the other party coming, he had originally thought of jumping from the top of the amusement ride, but then saw the other party actively coming up, so he didn't move again, waiting for the other party.

After Bai Xuechao landed steadily, Xiao 6 was shocked: “Host, you actually jumped up there, and so smoothly at that!”

“What kind of image do you have of me?” Bai Xuechao walked towards Duan Xingzhi, extending his hand to him, and explained to Xiao 6, “I am an 8th-level special ability user after all. My body has been strengthened so many times. Isn't it normal to be able to jump up?”

Duan Xingzhi gripped Bai Xuechao's hand. The fake face, which was five-tenths similar to Bai Xuechao's, disappeared, replaced by his own features.

“Oh, right!” Xiao 6 scratched its code-filled head, “Because the host's body is very weak, I momentarily forgot.”

How could it forget? Its host was a big shot!

Bai Xuechao stopped talking to Xiao 6, unbuttoned his round-collar robe and folded the collar down, wearing it in a single-lapel style, making it distinct from how he wore it just now.

As he unbuttoned, his face changed, transforming into that of a fair-skinned, elegant youth.

His complexion looked much healthier than his own pale skin. His hair gradually turned black from root to tip, as if dyed with ink, and its length increased from the side of his neck to his lower back.

He raised a hand and removed the hair tie holding Duan Xingzhi's high ponytail. He tied his own hair into a ponytail and said to Duan Xingzhi, “Where's the medicine?”

Duan Xingzhi took out X8 from his trench coat pocket and handed it to him. He took the medicine, ate one pill, and the plum blossom fragrance on his body mixed with the icy, frosty scent gradually disappeared.

Finally, his blood-red eyes turned ocean-blue.

Bai Xuechao thus changed his face, transforming from white hair and red eyes to black hair and blue eyes, and also concealed the scent of his lure-pheromone.

Xiao 6 exclaimed, “This special ability is too convenient!”

He just made a new alt account!

Bai Xuechao looked in the direction of the octopus and Qiao Jing, pressing his thumb in the air over their location, and asked Xiao 6, “How much longer until SAIDB arrives?”

“Two and a half minutes!” Xiao 6 replied.

Bai Xuechao said, “Hmm, that's enough time for me to deliver a package.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a huge ball of flame erupted behind the octopus and Qiao Jing, as if the sun had fallen and struck them. The fire shot into the sky, extremely dazzling.

Xiao 6 blurted out, “Holy crap!”

The octopus was directly set on fire, wriggling its remaining six tentacles in struggle. The air filled with the smell of roasted octopus.

Another pillar of fire erupted, spraying directly at Qiao Jing's back.

Qiao Jing was like an arrow shot from a bow, flying directly from the top of the octopus's head, heavily smashing onto the open ground in front. He rolled a few times and stopped very close to the protagonist group, especially Zhou Chenhao. Fortunately, as a special ability user, he had thick skin; otherwise, that hit might have killed him on the spot.

Xiao 6 gasped: “Hiss, is that how you deliver a package?!”

Bai Xuechao said calmly, “Isn't it delivered?”

The white hot air balloon with "奠" written on it, which was above Qiao Jing's head, suddenly caught fire and slowly fell from the sky. The ghosts around the octopus all disappeared.

“Wait, he can't die yet?!” Zhou Chenhao's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly ran towards Qiao Jing.

This was the suspect for this park incident!

Don't be fooled by the impressive flames just now. In fact, Bai Xuechao had controlled the angle and the fire well. After Qiao Jing was propelled by the heat waves of the fire pillar, the flames immediately extinguished. Therefore, the fabric on his back was only charred, and his clothes did not catch fire.

After Zhou Chenhao quickly arrived, he grabbed Qiao Jing's ankle and dragged him away, dodging the falling hot air balloon above.

Qiao Jing's pant legs were relatively loose. When Zhou Chenhao grabbed his ankle and dragged him, his pant leg slid down, and Zhou Chenhao happened to touch a small area of skin on his ankle.

Bai Xuechao saw that Zhou Chenhao had already received the "package" and was about to make an appearance to continue taking action when he suddenly saw a faint red light emanating from Qiao Jing's abdomen.

“Ah ah ah—!” Qiao Jing seemed to be in great pain, letting out a miserable cry, then lay on the ground and began to retch, as if trying to vomit out all his internal organs.

Zhou Chenhao was startled and quickly released the hand that was holding the man's ankle.

He bent down and reached out, intending to help him up.

Just as he bent down and reached out, Qiao Jing let out a super loud "urp," and unscientifically coughed up a blood-red crystal about the size of a goose egg, which landed perfectly in Zhou Chenhao's palm.

Zhou Chenhao was stunned.

The blood-red crystal was clear and translucent, and under the streetlight's illumination, it shimmered with what was probably the luster of saliva.

Xiao 6 was also dumbfounded: “Ah, this, this… was this what you expected, Host?”

This package delivery was too high-class, wasn't it? Delivered directly into his hand!

Bai Xuechao squatted on the high perch of the amusement ride, watching them. He had completely no premonition of this bizarre development. He frowned, looking at the saliva on the special ability energy crystal, expressing extreme distaste for this special ability energy crystal: “No, not at all.”

He had originally planned to go down and dig it out himself.

However, such an absurd thing happening to the manga's male lead, surprisingly, had a hint of rationality within its absurdity.

…Perhaps the male lead's art style was just that absurd.