5 Four Well Village (3)

"Hurry up, students!" A middle-aged man suddenly appears by the group, clapping his hands and urging them with an expression of hating iron for not being steel*. "Please try and focus; we must not give these villagers a bad impression of us."

*The saying means to feel resentful towards someone for failing to meet expectations. E.g. A friend who complains about how awful their lover is but refuses to break up with them.

The timid girl was so surprised she shrieked at the sudden man's appearance. The rest of the newcomers still held it together well enough though their faces were pale and sweaty.

After all, they could still explain things off as a kidnapping or tv show or something, but this man really just appeared out of thin air. No science or socialism could reasonably explain that.

The middle-aged man jumped in fright and gave the timid girl a hateful look, "Miss Song, I know this is your first time in such a rural area, but please find it in yourself to hold on to your sanity and vocal cords. This is a critical volunteering project we're doing. We can't afford to fail."

The timid girl showed an expression of confusion and fear, "How- how did you-?"

"Sorry about that, sir," The sunny young teenager rushes to her side, pats the girl on the shoulder, and gives a bright, apologetic smile, "You know it's her first time, too. She just needs some time."

"Hmm…" the middle-aged man sneers disdainfully, "Well, let's hope the time isn't very long. We're right outside the village, after all."

The sunny teenager bows his head humbly, with the timid girl following after some hesitation. "Yes, yes, don't worry, sir." He says smoothly before peeking up like a cheeky student, "I'll keep an eye out for her."

"S-sorry." The timid girl also adds on. Even if she was trembling with fear, she at least understood that she should play along.

Seeing the main culprit apologising, the older man nods reluctantly. Before surveying the rest of the people. "As your professor, I expect you students to be courteous to the village and respect their customs." He says solemnly, "If not, I am not responsible for the resulting actions."

"This should be one of the death rules of the Instance." Glasses mutters under his breath.

"Respect the customs and be kind to the villagers?" The third muscular veteran, Muscles, clicks his tongue with dissatisfaction, "The first is fairly normal, but if being kind to the villagers is a death rule, it's a bit difficult." As a village that is the star of this instance in this perverted game, wouldn't the villagers potentially be huge perverts* as well?

*Perverts, meaning abnormal/psycho in this context. Not in the lewd sense.

As he looks at the crowd of players, the middle-aged professor's eyes land on Jia Hyson. Seeing his 'mistress,' there was a moment of unnaturalness followed quickly by satisfaction.

However, Jia Hyson's reaction to the teacher was far more violent. With wide eyes, he stares back at the middle-aged man, his hand covering his mouth as he swallows his saliva quickly. But his saliva was producing more than he could swallow, and the drool was already wetting his hand disgustingly.

Jia Hyson had never seen someone so delicious looking. If the veterans were enticing, this professor completely poked his appetite and self-control with the sharpest and most jagged blade. In Jia Hyson's eyes, it was like the other's whole body had been bathed with the liquid of the crystal nucleus and there was even a faint fruity smell to it.

Trembling slightly, he tried to swallow as much saliva as he could. Wiping his mouth with his hand, he hesitates before wiping the sticky drool on the side of his pants helplessly. Once he was cleaned up the best he could, he ran over to hug the professor intimately.

Before anyone could react, he already had his arms around the other's shoulders, hugging his neck as he stared at the shocked teacher with a lustful look. "Teacher Ye~ you're finally here. I missed you sooo much."

Sunny teenager: This guy really knows how to play. Even the NPC he dares to run up and hug.

Veterans: …really seeking death.

Teacher Ye's eyes widen in shock, and his body stiffens at the sudden intimate contact. He stares dazedly at the beautiful young man in ragged clothing, hugging him. Even though the other was much taller than him, he was relatively thin and gave a sense of delicate coquettishness as he leaned down to snuggle up to him. The older man's hands hesitate to wrap around the other's waist before he comes back to his senses and pushes him away.

"You- we are in public!" Teacher Ye scolds, coughing in embarrassment. "Student… Hyson, please refrain from this unbefitting behaviour in the future."

Jia Hyson steps back, hands in a surrendering pose and smiles, but the hunger in his eyes is hard to hide. "Sorry, sorry, teacher~ I was just so excited to see you. It's been a while after all."

"Wh-what while? It's only been a few hours." Teacher Ye mutters before returning to his stern and angry look, turning to yell at the other players for various reasons.

As he did so, he revealed any player with a special identity, completely shredding any previous lies and causing those people to fall into an embarrassing state of untrustworthiness in the eyes of others.

The timid girl had the identity of a rich spoilt second-generation. Her identity meant she had more money on hand than others. Her fiery short-haired friend and one of the delinquent-looking men were students specialising in water infrastructure. Their usefulness was quite evident. Even the middle-aged sobbing woman had the identity of coming from a family from a nearby village. She would supposedly get some gossip about the Four Wells Village every night.

Glasses guy: …So not even one of the people with special identities spoke the truth. These are truly unreliable pig teammates.

Taking this opportunity, the sunny teenager sidles up to Jia Hyson with curious eyes. "Hey, hey, that was quite bold of you. I'm surprised you would go so far."

Jia Hyson glances at the teenager. The other was very handsome and had the sort of looks that many people would feel at ease with. Not to mention his meat must be quite fresh and full of vitality. Unfortunately, with the siren-like calling of the teacher NPC's body, the teenager fell from a lovely steak dinner in Jia Hyson's eyes to a bag of chips. Still yummy, but ultimately a little cheap and far less valuable.

Still, the teenager was really good-looking, and it had been a long time since he had met so many humans, so Jia Hyson tilts his head and asks softly, "You want to know how I could hug him so easily?"

The teenager nods his head.

"That's easy," Jia Hyson smiles, "There was no need for pretending; I genuinely want to eat that cutie up, oh~"

Teenager: …

The sunny teenager looks at the tall young man who looked like he belonged on the runway stage, capturing the fashion industry by storm with his height, handsome face and unique, intoxicating air. Then he looked at the angry middle-aged NPC scolding the still weeping middle-aged woman.

The NPC had a hint of attractiveness, in the way you can tell someone used to be a little good-looking in their younger years. But now he was plump, with a receding hairline, and oily pored skin then many older men who don't take care of themselves well tend to have.

Teenager: ..Oh, the adult world is so dirty.

Truth be told, Jia Hyson felt like he was barely holding it together. His mind was messy and he couldn't remember his previous logic and reasoning to stay inconspicuous. He hated this uncontrollable feeling, but at the same time, he thrived and craved succumbing to it, weak to the pleasure and ecstasy it promised to bring him.

This sort of sweet torture of having food and not being able to take it was something he had only experienced a few times when he chose to enter bases and disguise himself as human, but that was only for short periods of time. And they had never been as tempting as these people.

Once everyone had been roll-called, it was time to head into the village. Jia Hyson instinctually looked forward to it. Not just because it meant there would be more people, but because he was filled with expectations that those villagers might be the same as the professor.

Before the apocalypse, Jia Hyson had been a rather famous and popular author. Not only did he write, but he was also passionate about reading as well, especially online novels that were so quick to introduce new ideas and concepts.

If Jia Hyson had been more clear-headed and retained his original quick thinking he would be able to identify this situation most likely resembled the genre of Unlimited Flow* or at least, a virtual game-type setting, with the villagers and the professor as the NPCs. Fortunately, his current self could at least understand they were similar people on some level, and most likely held the same tantalising energy he sensed.

The village was close by where everyone was, hence why the lively noise of chickens and people was so audible. However, what was strange was the village was surrounded by a small moat. Getting closer many players peered curiously at it. The moat was not impressive, so thin a young child could easily jump across to the other side. However the water seemed unexpectedly deep.

What was eerier though was that the moment the professor who was leading the way stepped in, the lively noise of the village immediately ceased.

"Jing Jing, I'm so scared," The timid girls chokes under her breath as she gripped the short-haired girl's hand. The short-haired girl, Jing Jing, was pale and sweating, and could only squeeze the other's hand in reassurance, unable to find the courage to open her mouth at this moment.

"It seems the entire village has a problem." Glasses mutters to himself in thought, "This is so troublesome, is this really E-grade?"

The professor didn't seem to notice the strange atmosphere, knocking at the village gate loudly and confidently, each knock making all the new players flinch warily. Finally, at the sixth knock, the door opened, and a wrinkled and mean-looking old man opened the door suspiciously. "Are you guys the…." The old man smacks his lips as he tries to think of the word he wants to use, before finally settling on, "Helpers?"

"Haha, you are indeed correct. We from Mentior University are honoured that you have allowed us into your village to help aid you all. I hope we can have a good exchange of culture and technology, and learn well from each other." The professor jovially greets.

The old man's eyes flicker to everyone behind the professor before he breaks out into a grin, exposing his yellow and rotting teeth. "Ah, yes, yes, you smart students will really be useful, exchange and learn, yes, looking forward to it. You are all staying for a week?"

"That's right." The professor replies casually, "Is that a problem?"

The old man shook his head, "No, no, that is… a perfect amount of time. Come in, come in."

Opening the door widely he beckons them all in with a bow, hiding his sinister smile.

Even though nobody, except probably the professor and Jia Hyson, wanted to, everyone reluctantly dragged their feet into the village, jumping as the door slams shut behind them by the old man. Seeing two younger village men then immediately start chaining up the door, the punk could no longer take it. "Hey? What the fuck are you doing?! Why are you locking the exit?! Fuck!"

The two young villagers stop their actions jerkily and stare soullessly at the punk. The old man also looks at the punk gloomily. The punk steps back involuntarily before he bolsters his confidence again. "What, what are you staring at?! So creepy! It's gross! Let me go right now!"

Meanwhile, Jia Hyson inhaled and couldn't take it anymore. Gasping he keels over as the insides of his body writhe in want and pain, crying for food and sustenance. Dynamite and the sunny teenager who had always been watching Jia Hyson at the corner of their eyes first noticed his abnormality.

"Hey," Dynamite glances at his team before his concern for the beauty wins out and he jogs over to see what is wrong. It was only the start of the low-level instance anyway. There were no problems taking a bit of time to win some favourability with the person he was a little attracted to. "You okay?"

"Hah.. You- I, ah, I can't hold it anymore…" Jia Hyson groans in pain. "Can't.. haah.. can't hold back."

Dynamite felt something was wrong, but seeing the thin and beautiful man tremble violently he dismissed it. "Do you need some water? Hold back? Just let it go, take deep breaths and relax, okay?"

Jia Hyson looks up at the concerned expression of the other man and smiles softly. "Hey.. you're really nice."

Dynamite flushes and rubs the back of his neck shyly. "O-oh, well, it's really nothing, just- eh?"

"FUCK!" The sunny teenager who has been watching openly since Dynamite went over to help screams loudly drawing everyone's attention to them. Soon many people were also screaming and pale, quickly retreating from the horrifying scene that they had never witnessed in their lives.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The professor couldn't help but shout in horror as he turns around. Everyone else was not much better, shocked still and unable to stop themselves from looking away.

Dynamite looks down in shock as he sees his abdomen being pierced by the beautiful tall man's hand. Confusedly his gaze rose up to Jia Hyson's face, which was still smiling so gently. But now, Dynamite can only feel chills as he sees the predator behind the smile.

"W-why..?" He hoarsely whispers before hissing in pain as he feels the other's hand inside him twist and scratch his organs. He felt strange. He thought he should be screaming in agony right now, but he just felt strangely numb, like what was happening was not happening on his own body.

Jia Hyson's brain was overcome with hunger and instincts, and he couldn't even formulate an actual verbal response. Instead, he shrugs before violently moving his arm upwards, lifting the now limp body up and letting gravity slide the warm flesh further down his arm.

Inside the body, he clenches then unclenches his hand, which had grown sharp dark green, almost black, claws. Whilst doing this, the flesh under his skin seemed to undulate wildly, and from the middle of his palm the sharp tendrils of vines burst through the skin. The moment it touched the blood surrounding it, the vines wriggled wildly.

Jia Hyson laughs as he feels the plants he had let free happily begin to grow from his hand.

"Ah~" Jia Hyson sighs, absorbing some of the blood and viscera partially through the vines had sobered him up somewhat but, in a way, made him feel drunk in another sense. His eyes curve into crescents as he looks at the surrounding people full of horror, from the new players to the villagers. Everyone was shocked and fearful. His gentle smile curves up wider and reveals the ferocious madness and sadism of his true self, "It's your turn next oh~"

As he finished his sentence, Dynamite's body jerked and started to expand. Disgustingly there were visible movements of large worm-like things undulating underneath the skin. Someone retched as the giant worms began to pull the man's skin more and more in their excitable movements, not caring at how the limp body jerked and shuddered involuntarily as his nerves and muscles were carelessly pushed and squeezed.

Soon his body was jerking and shaking unnaturally, the sound of cracking as bones were fractured and smashed under the pressure of whatever was growing inside him. The once muscular handsome form had vanished, bloated by the writhing masses inside him that continued to test the limits of his skin. But this horrific image only lasted a few seconds before the man finally exploded, small chunks of meat and strips of skin flying off and falling onto the ground.

Where he once was now had a mass of large, fat and wriggling vines. In fact, there were more like dark worms than they resembled actual plants, further accentuated by the red tinge on their bodies from being covered in blood and gore. However, even that, too was quickly being absorbed by the plant.

As the source of the blood-soaked vines, and thus the closest to the implosion, Jia Hyson was not too much better. However, he didn't seem to mind it at all, using his free hand to wipe off the large sticky red liquid off his face to lick greedily, laughing with delight. "Ahahah! It's so good! It's been so long since I had anything so good!" He exclaims before he turns to the crowd, "But it's really… not enough oh~"

"RUN!" Glasses yells immediately, already sprinting away, Muscles following after him in cold sweat, only taking a second later to react. As soon as Glasses shouted, it was like a thunderclap that seemed to wake everyone up, and they too, instinctively started to scatter with fear. From the players to the villagers, no one dared stay any longer.

Jia Hyson wipes more blood off him, licking his fingers, picking off the stray pieces of still warm meat, and shoving them into his mouth without a trace of his elegance and beauty. Occasionally the vines in his hand will move and pass him the larger pieces of viscera and flesh that they had peeled off the bones or couldn't absorb well to devour.

After he was slightly satiated, he wipes his mouth with a manic smile of ecstasy; his teeth now could be seen to have sharpened, resembling more a shark's than a human's. Beastly and bloodthirsty.

Feeling the plant's anticipation, Jia Hyson moved his hand down to the earth, not even flinching as the hole in his hand tears further apart like rubbery fabric under the vine-like plant's enthusiastic movements. Once close to the ground, thin roots crawl out his skin, and the large, heavy vines quickly fall off his limb without the support. However, the vines were not perturbed, wriggling happily as the roots soon drills into the earth.

Jia Hyson pats the vines affectionately before touching his torso with a helpless chuckle, "Don't worry, once we finish with this place, I'll find more places to let you guys out." The agitated movements and itching in his body seem to cease, and Jia Hyson shakes his head before turning back to the vines.

"Now. Let's go eat, shall we~?"

...

..

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Little Theatre:

Jia Hyson: That awkward moment when your tummy gets the best of you :3