Chapter 463: Li Sui

"A skinned dog's face? And it's smiling at me?"

As Li Huowang, who was blind, listened to Bai Lingmiao's words, a chilling image formed in his mind.

After a difficult swallow, Li Huowang asked in the direction of the voice, "Mantou?"

"Woof woof!!" A familiar dog bark echoed.

Li Huowang had been raising Mantou for over a year; he couldn't possibly be mistaken. It was Mantou's voice, and there was no pain or fear in it, only a hint of excitement and eagerness.

Frowning deeply, Li Huowang cocked his ear, straining to listen in that direction, then asked again, "Li Sui?"

Li Sui's voice, with a slight overlap, echoed again from the exact same direction as the barks. "Father, I'm here."

As she spoke, Li Sui seemed about to climb in through the window, but was immediately interrupted by a rapid drumming sound.

"Father, Mother won't let me come over," Li Sui's voice carried a hint of grievance.

Hearing this, Li Huowang painfully rubbed his temples, momentarily unsure of what to do.

He didn't even know what to call this thing in front of him. What had Li Sui done yesterday under the influence of the disaster?

"Father, don't you want me anymore?" Li Sui's voice took on a tearful quality, mixed with Mantou's soft whimpers.

Li Huowang patted Ershen's shoulder in front of him. "It's alright, he can't hurt me, even if I'm blind now."

Then, with a solemn expression, Li Huowang walked past her and moved towards the sound.

Although Li Huowang couldn't see, his sense of space was still present, and he quickly reached a spot about ten feet from the other party.

"Come in and talk, don't just lie there outside the window."

With two dull thuds of footsteps, Li Huowang detected a smell of blood. She was standing right in front of him, and it wasn't human blood; it was dog blood.

Li Huowang thought for a moment, then extended his hands to feel around.

The first thing Li Huowang touched was a rough tongue among sharp fangs.

The tongue quickly licked, swiftly cleaning the scabs from the back of Li Huowang's hand. "Father, your hand is bleeding."

Li Huowang moved his hand up along the tongue and felt a skinned beast's face. There was little muscle, and in many places, hard bone was directly exposed.

On the beast's head was still the straw hat Li Huowang had bought for Li Sui, though it was badly torn, reduced to just a frame, offering no coverage for the face.

Next, Li Huowang's hands left the beast's skull and began to explore other parts of her body inch by inch, beneath the tattered straw cloak.

Below the beast's face was an equally bloody and mangled dog's body, but it wasn't in its previous quadrupedal form; instead, it was slightly hunched, like a person with a curved back.

To the touch, it was distinctly different from the former Mantou. Something was wriggling beneath the body, expanding it greatly, and many parts even seemed disjointed, as if a strong man was forcing himself into a much smaller garment.

Having encountered such things before, Li Huowang knew what it was: Li Sui's tentacles.

As Li Huowang's hand brushed over her back, tentacles emerged from within, gently coiling around his fingers.

In some places, the tentacles hadn't even burrowed inside, remaining exposed in clusters.

Her limbs were elongated and thickened, even distorted and deformed by the tentacles, making her taller than Li Huowang.

By perceiving inch by inch with his hands, a grotesque creature with a dog's face, twisted flesh, and covered in tentacles materialized in Li Huowang's mind.

After a long moment, Li Huowang slowly exhaled and asked, "What exactly are you now? Are you Mantou or Li Sui?"

"Father, I'm Li Sui. Woof woof!" A wisp of bloody, warm breath accompanied her words, blowing onto Li Huowang's face.

"Where did you go last night? And what exactly happened?"

"Father, I don't know either. I was playing with Mantou, and then somehow I fell asleep. When I woke up, Mantou was gone."

"I think I heard you call me, so I came over quickly."

Listening to Li Sui's rambling explanation, Li Huowang sighed deeply. "How could this be..."

He knew that Black Grand Sui had the ability to take over others' bodies, but he had truly not anticipated this situation.

Was this Li Sui or Mantou in front of him? Or a combination of both? What attitude should he adopt towards her?

Seemingly sensing Li Huowang's low spirits, the beast's face pressed closer, its hard skull nudging gently into Li Huowang's embrace, its tongue softly licking his chin. The tattered straw hat on its head rolled to the ground.

Feeling her affection, Li Huowang embraced her, thinking for a long time.

Finally, he patted her tattered straw cloak gently. "Alright, alright... this is how it is. It's good that you're not dead. I won't ask for too much."

Perhaps others would feel fear and dread when facing this bloody, mangled monster.

But Li Huowang wouldn't. After all, in this utterly insane world, who was truly better off than anyone else? He himself was probably no better off in his current state.

Li Huowang turned to face Bai Lingmiao. "Miao Miao, she's our daughter now."

"Daugh... daughter? Her?"

"Yes, Li Sui, as Black Grand Sui, is genderless, but Mantou is female. So, from now on, she's our daughter. I hope you won't mind."

As Bai Lingmiao hesitated, Ershen walked over and gently stroked Li Sui's frightening head.

The disaster had passed. Although the events that transpired in that short time could give anyone nightmares for nights, life had to move forward.

After intense discussion, things gradually settled, and everyone resumed their usual activities.

"Her father, her father, it's time to get up."

Master Wu, who had been napping, was nudged awake. He opened his eyes to see his haggard-faced wife.

"What time is it?" he slowly sat up, extending his feet, waiting for someone to help him put on his shoes.

"It's 戌时 (7-9 PM). If you sleep any longer, we'll need lanterns for the journey, which costs money."

When he came to Niuxin Village to teach, he initially chose morning and afternoon classes, but many people had to work in the fields, and even young Yang had to cook. Left with no choice, he eventually had to shift the class times to the evening.

"Alright, help me change," he said, extending his arms.

"Oh, I'm busy collecting dried radishes from the roof. I don't have time to wait on you today. Dinner is on the table; remember to wash up and put the dishes back in the kitchen after you eat."

Master Wu glared at her. "I am a scholar! How can I busy myself in the kitchen!"