BFET Chapter 20

The soul, along with the body, suddenly became incredibly heavy, as if pressed down by ten million pounds of cast iron. At the same time, the marrow in the brain was being rubbed and crushed, and spasms of excruciating pain climbed along the peripheral nerves in waves.

A look of disbelief flashed across Xie Yi’s face—

Mental suppression.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the gradually dissipating dust, several thick spider silks suddenly shot out, directly attacking Xie Yi!

Xie Yi’s face was ashen as he dragged his heavy soul and body, narrowly avoiding the ashen spider silks.

However, the sharp spider silks still left fine wounds on his body as they brushed past. Those wounds were black, and dense, leaf-like patterns spread out around them.

Xie Yi was momentarily dazed, and his whole body was already entangled in the interwoven spider web. The ashen spider web wriggled and coiled, instantly enveloping and submerging him.

The heaviness and pain subsided like the ebb and flow of a tide.

In the drowsiness and dissipation, countless fragments with blurred images passed like a storm, leaving only a mottled ground.

Consciousness returned, and when he opened his eyes again, Xie Yi found himself standing on a clean street.

People occasionally passed by, talking and laughing.

Where is this?

Xie Yi frowned and scanned the familiar buildings around him. He had just dug out some fragmented memories from the depths of his somewhat blank brain, and before he could think about it, he heard a gentle and surprised voice behind him: “Xiao Yi?”

He turned around at the sound and saw a woman standing not far behind him.

The woman had delicate features, and her gentle eyebrows carried surprise as she quickly walked towards him, “Why are you standing here? Did school let out early today?”

Xie Yi’s eyes fell on the woman’s face, unblinking, as if he hadn’t heard her words. A face slowly blossomed from the depths of his memory, a bright flower. Distant and unfamiliar emotions swelled little by little. He opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound for a long time.

“Why aren’t you talking?” Seeing him in a daze, the woman nervously and worriedly raised her hand to touch his face. “Are you feeling unwell? Don’t scare Mom!”

“I’m fine.” Xie Yi reached out and grasped the woman’s hand that was touching his face, gazing at her face, his voice unconsciously softening, “Mom, school let out early, so I came back first.”

Hearing his words, the woman couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, scolding him playfully, “Then why didn’t you go home? Standing outside like a fool, let’s go, let’s go home. It just so happens that your dad is off today, I’ll have him make some soup.”

Xie Yi allowed the woman to lead him away.

He lowered his head and looked at his hand being held, slender and delicate, the hand that only a teenager would have.

Along the way, people occasionally passed by and greeted them, mainly greeting the woman and incidentally including him.

Xie Yi silently followed behind, his eyes scrutinizing his surroundings.

Ordinary houses were scattered around without much order. Some houses were connected, while others were separated by streets, chaotic yet orderly.

It gave him a sense of familiarity, but also a contradictory strangeness.

He closed his eyes, and mottled, strange fragments of images flashed through his mind. He wanted to reach out and grab them, but he grabbed empty air.

At this moment, the woman in front suddenly stopped, turned to look at him, and then lowered her head to look at their clasped hands, “Xiao Yi?”

Xie Yi looked up and saw worry on the woman’s face again, asking him, “Why are you suddenly holding Mom so tightly? Are you really okay?”

Xie Yi lowered his head and looked at their hands, seeing the woman’s fingertips, which he had been clenching, were already a little congested. He suddenly let go of her hand. “Sorry, I… did I hurt you?”

He was inexplicably at a loss.

“I’m fine, Xiao Yi, but you, are you really okay?” The woman’s worry did not lessen as she asked again, “You’ve been absent-minded just now. Tell Mom honestly, did you suffer any grievance at school?”

Seemingly familiar words seemed to connect with a certain part of his memory. Xie Yi shook his head, “No, I was just a little distracted just now, Mom, let’s go home.”

The woman stared at him suspiciously for a while before letting out a heavy sigh, “Alright, let’s go home.”

The scenery on both sides of the street became increasingly familiar, falling into his eyes and overlapping with the mottled fragments in his mind, piecing together a complete memory like a jigsaw puzzle.

Only, in his memory, he was just a small child, skipping along behind the woman, the setting sun stretching their shadows long and long.

The two returned to a small two-story house.

Pushing open the door and entering, the house was filled with a rich aroma.

The woman called out that they were back, and they heard a series of footsteps coming from inside, followed by a young and handsome man walking out.

“Xiao Yi is back too, did school let out so early today?” The man asked Xie Yi as he took the things from the woman’s hands.

“Yeah.” Xie Yi gazed at the man for a long time. “It smells so good at home.”

“Of course.” The man looked smug. “Your dad is personally cooking today, you’ll have to eat a few more bowls of rice later!”

“Alright, alright, with your level, only the soup is drinkable, and the rest is barely edible.” The woman rolled her eyes at him, and then beckoned Xie Yi, “Xiao Yi, quickly come in and wash your hands, we’ll eat in a bit.”

After speaking, the woman walked into the house, the man followed behind her, nagging and complaining for himself, causing the woman to be endlessly annoyed.

Xie Yi followed them into the house, his gaze sweeping around the room.

The small living room had a sofa, coffee table, TV, and some small objects, clean and tidy, exuding warmth.

On the storage cabinet next to the TV was a photo frame. Xie Yi walked closer and saw the man and woman in the frame hugging a smiling child.

That child was smiling brightly, and it could vaguely be seen that his features were a smaller version of himself.

“Xiao Yi, have you washed your hands yet?” The woman’s voice came from behind him. “It’s time to eat.”

Xie Yi came back to his senses and responded, then hurriedly went to the bathroom. When he came out after washing his hands, he saw that four dishes and a soup were set out on the dining table.

The woman came over with bowls and chopsticks, indicating for him to sit down. “Come, let’s eat.”

Xie Yi took the bowls and chopsticks, and the man happened to come over as well. He sat down next to him with a grin, picked up his chopsticks, and was about to pick up some food for him. “Come, Xiao Yi, try your dad’s cooking.”

However, before he could pick it up, the woman bumped him. “Drink the soup first!”

“Okay, okay, okay.” The man was not annoyed, responding with a smile, and then took a spoon to scoop soup for Xie Yi.

The meal was eaten until dark, lively and peaceful.

Noisy and bickering parents, a quiet self watching, and another complete memory was pieced together and emerged.

“Woo-dee-dee”

A shrill, piercing sound suddenly cut through the night sky. The quarreling couple stopped abruptly and looked out the window.

“What’s going on?” The man was the first to stand up and went over to push open the window. “Why is the alarm suddenly going off?”

“Is it a drill?” The woman followed and walked over. “Ever since we had the Gigawhale, hasn’t every alarm been a drill?”

“But the last drill wasn’t that long ago…”

“Gigawhale…” In the piercing alarm sound, Xie Yi suddenly clutched his chest, his heart pounding extremely fast, as if something was about to burst out, “…Tianmu.”

Something deep in his mind seemed to be torn open with blood. His head ached unbearably. Xie Yi’s hand, which was supporting himself on the table, accidentally bumped into a bowl.

With a clanging sound, it drew the attention of the two by the window.

“Xiao Yi, what’s wrong?” The woman quickly walked over and supported Xie Yi. “Don’t be afraid, it’s just an alarm, it’s okay, it’ll stop in a while.”

The man who had followed also wanted to speak, but was interrupted by Xie Yi, “No.”

“No!” Xie Yi tightly grasped the woman’s arm, his eyes not knowing what he saw, and said sharply, “It’s those things! Those things are coming in!”

“You… what are you saying?” The woman was stunned, subconsciously exchanging a glance with the man.

Soon, the man was the first to recover. He reached out and pulled his wife up, and then went to pull Xie Yi, taking them directly out of the house.

At this time, there were sparse people coming out to look on the street outside, and more people were still inside, standing at the windows.

The man shouted at them: “Run, it’s a Mutated Entity invasion!”

As soon as he finished speaking, they heard fragmented discussion sounds around them—

“What? How is that possible? Isn’t it a drill?”

“Yeah, and isn’t there the Gigawhale?”

“The Security Defense Team isn’t here either…”

“…”

The man still wanted to say something, but was grabbed by Xie Yi. “Run! It’s too late!”

As soon as he finished speaking, they heard a burst of artillery fire in the distance, and the continuous alarm stopped abruptly.

In the night, the fire in the distance was bright and dazzling.

More and more collapsing houses were getting closer and closer, and the roaring sound was getting clearer and clearer.

Xie Yi led his parents through the chaotic crowd, his figure nimble and agile, completely unlike the slender youth he was just now.

“Xiao Yi, where are you taking us?” The man asked, panting behind him. “We should go find a safe spot, that’s where it’s safe!”

Xie Yi didn’t turn his head. “Those spots have already been compromised, going there is just courting death!”

The man was stunned, so much so that he forgot to ask how his son knew.

Suddenly, he felt a dragging sensation at his hand, and then he heard a cry of “Ouch!” and he stumbled underfoot, almost falling.

“Wife, are you alright!” The man turned back and saw the woman had fallen to the ground. He quickly broke free of Xie Yi’s hand and turned to help her up.

“Mom!” Xie Yi quickly turned around and also reached out to help her, his eyes scanning her up and down.

“I’m fine.” The woman gasped and patted the hands of her son and husband as if to reassure them. “You two don’t be nervous, I just tripped, let’s hurry, it’s too unsafe here!”

The woman said as she was about to stand up, but was pressed down by Xie Yi. “Get down!”

The couple was stunned and knocked to the ground by Xie Yi, protecting them underneath him.

They heard a sound like a sharp blade cutting through the air in their ears. Xie Yi protected his parents with one hand, and with the other hand, he grabbed a tongue that was already close to his eyes.

He held on tightly and then pulled back hard, and a black shadow was thrown out by him.

Then, they heard gasping sounds coming from the side.

When the man looked up again, he gasped. He saw that they were surrounded by a pile of strangely shaped Mutated Entities that looked like lizards and crocodiles.

The wife in his arms also slowly raised her head, but instead of looking around, she looked at Xie Yi protecting her.

The original youth had shed his childish appearance.

His figure had become tall, his face was carved, his features were deep and sharp, making her feel strange and familiar. It turned out that her little boy had grown so big.

“Xiao Yi…”