PTGWD Chapter 73: Human Form

Fang Xingzhou felt a slight chill on his ear as Lu Jianchuan’s mouthparts gently nibbled at it.

He heard the vocal cord whisper excitedly in his ear, “Honey, cover me.”

He was momentarily confused but quickly understood, a smile spreading across his face as he walked over to the distressed neighbor. “Mr. Lin, long time no see. Out walking the dog so early?”

At the sight of Fang Xingzhou, the neighbor’s tears immediately flowed harder. He complained, “Dr. Fang! It’s been a while. I thought this time of day would be quiet and safe, so I got up early to walk the dog. But today was so unlucky—I ran into a crazy stray dog that bit my Liu Bang! Thankfully, we get rabies vaccines every year, but it still breaks my heart!”

Fang Xingzhou glanced at the bleeding dog and offered warmly, “I have a first aid kit in my car. If you don’t mind, let me take a look?”

Fang Xingzhou had once saved an elderly man who suddenly fell ill on the street, and his medical skills were renowned throughout Xiangxing Street. The neighbor’s eyes lit up, not questioning the gap between a surgeon and a veterinarian, and quickly placed the dog on the ground. “That would be great! Thank you, Dr. Fang! You’re such a kind person!”

Fang Xingzhou fetched the first aid kit from the car and began expertly treating the wound.

He noticed a bone-shaped jade tag hanging from the dog’s neck, engraved with the name “Liu Bang” and the owner’s phone number—something Lu Jianchuan had coveted for a long time.

He couldn’t help but press his lips together to suppress a smile.

The wound wasn’t deep, and the dog was well-behaved, though it seemed a bit shy, trembling under Fang Xingzhou’s touch, not daring to move.

The owner’s attention was entirely focused on his dog’s wound, completely unaware that the surroundings had grown colder…

A black mass, invisible to the naked eye, clung to his shoulder. It resembled a dark cloud or some kind of black-furred creature, feasting on the freshly produced negative emotions. But the moment Lu Jianchuan approached, it sensed danger.

In the headquarters of the Institute for Paranormal Research, it had survived by staying low-key and quick to flee.

Two ominous green eyes suddenly opened within the black mass, staring directly at Lu Jianchuan’s direction. Without hesitation, it left Mr. Lin and darted toward a passerby across the street, planning to use the human as a springboard to escape—

A soft “whoosh” sound.

Lu Jianchuan, with its dozens of eyes, had dynamic vision far superior to a cat’s. To it, the black mass’s movements were like slow motion.

It extended a tentacle, effortlessly capturing the fleeing monster and stuffing it into its mouth.

Hmm, a very unique flavor… Lu Jianchuan chewed with gusto.

Mr. Lin felt a chill on his back, and his sore right shoulder suddenly relaxed. He instinctively turned to look but saw nothing.

The dog, more sensitive than humans, caught the scent of extreme danger in the air and whimpered in fear, desperately hiding under its owner’s feet.

Mr. Lin, thinking the dog was in pain from the wound, felt another pang of heartache. He gently stroked the dog’s fur, soothing it softly, “Don’t be afraid, Liu Bang. Daddy’s here. It’ll be over soon.”

Fang Xingzhou knew the hunt had been successful. He professionally and quickly bandaged the wound, then stood up. “The weather’s cold lately, so it won’t get inflamed easily. Just make sure it doesn’t lick or get the wound wet.”

As he stood, he conveniently blocked the neighbor’s view.

Lu Jianchuan quietly extended another tentacle, wrapping it around the dog’s injured area and secreting a sticky fluid that seeped into the bandage, acting as the best healing agent.

The dog was petrified, having peed all over the ground, stiff with fear, thinking it was about to become the monster’s next meal. But the tentacle quickly retracted, and its wound began to heal.

Mr. Lin didn’t notice this, only repeatedly thanking Fang Xingzhou.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the neighbor carried his dog home, and Fang Xingzhou carried his lover home.

As soon as they entered the foyer, Lu Jianchuan jumped into the living room, returning to its normal size. Its dozens of tentacles coiled around the freshly captured prey in the center.

The living room was filled with an indescribably strong, fishy smell, reminiscent of an early morning slaughterhouse, evoking images of death. Fang Xingzhou felt nauseous and buried his face in the vibrant rose petals in the foyer, taking deep breaths of the floral scent to suppress the urge to vomit.

The large monster on the floor ate with focus.

The sound of teeth grinding against flesh and blood echoed from its mouthparts, mixed with rough swallowing noises and the fierce growls of a beast tearing into its prey, creating a chilling atmosphere.

Yet, Fang Xingzhou salivated at these sounds.

He felt both nauseous and hungry.

So, he went to the kitchen, quickly cooked a simple bowl of plain noodles, and ate breakfast with some pickles.

The monster ate in the living room; he ate in the kitchen.

Half an hour later, he finished washing the dishes and returned to find Lu Jianchuan nearly done with its meal. Fang Xingzhou still hadn’t seen what this meal looked like, but the large monster seemed to have enjoyed it immensely, its tentacles even licking the residual juices off each other, savoring the experience.

Fang Xingzhou felt happy because of this.

Once Lu Jianchuan had licked most of the remnants clean, Fang Xingzhou filled the large bathtub with water, led the monster inside, and began meticulously washing it.

The pregnant sac had grown larger.

He scrubbed the round belly with a loofah, smiling as he asked, “Was it tasty? What did it taste like?”

Lu Jianchuan wrapped its vocal cord around his waist, its dozens of eyes squinting with satisfaction as it lay in the hot water, too lazy to move. “It wasn’t exactly delicious, but very filling… Before I caught it, it seemed to have absorbed a lot of negative energy in the office buildings, like a tightly compressed rice cake. At first, I couldn’t even bite into it.”

“Office buildings…” Fang Xingzhou recalled their route that night. “We did pass by there, but we didn’t notice its presence.”

Lu Jianchuan sighed, “Yeah, so lucky. It must have been lured by negative emotions, eventually running into Mr. Lin and being brought to Xiangxing Street. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have left the city center so easily, since there are always overworked office workers providing food there every night.”

At this point, it paused, a melancholic worry surfacing. It cupped Fang Xingzhou’s face with a tentacle and said, “Being human is so hard, darling. If our child doesn’t do well in school, it might end up fishing for a living at sea. If it does well, it’ll just get a job in the city center, working overtime every day, toiling to support the boss and then feeding monsters like us that thrive on negative emotions…”

As it spoke, it extended a tentacle, gently stroking the swollen pregnant sac.

The egg inside seemed frightened by the described future, rolling uneasily before retreating deeper into the sac, its desire to be born plummeting.

Fang Xingzhou said, “Don’t scare the baby. If it doesn’t want to work, then let it do what it loves. I’ll take care of both of you.”

Lu Jianchuan replied, “Wife, the books say we shouldn’t raise children like that. It’s spoiling them.”

Fang Xingzhou laughed, feeling happy as he began brushing the mouthparts, planting a kiss on the pregnant sac. Thinking of the incredible luck during the hunt, he said, “It’s fine. Our child is surely blessed by the heavens and will live a life filled with love.”

The egg happily pressed against its father’s face through the thin belly.

…

Freely hunted food was always more nutritious than what the Institute provided.

According to Lu Jianchuan, most special items managed by the Institute would become emaciated over time, leaving only skin and bones, making them unsatisfying to eat.

After the lucky catch at their doorstep, Lu Jianchuan spent the night digesting and, by the next day, had fully regained its human form.

Fang Xingzhou woke from his sleep, feeling human limbs wrapped around him for the first time in a while, instead of cold, slimy tentacles.

He was momentarily stunned, then turned over to face a pair of familiar eyes and a beautiful, smiling face.

“Good morning, darling,” Lu Jianchuan kissed his cheek. “I’ve been in my true form for so long, I thought you might miss your human partner.”

Fang Xingzhou slowly opened his eyes wider and immediately reached out to touch the pregnant belly.

The belly was still absurdly large, as if it could give birth at any moment, but it was now the size of a human pregnancy, at most suggesting a multiple birth.

Fang Xingzhou asked in surprise, “Can you control the pregnant sac now?”

Lu Jianchuan replied, “Last night’s meal provided a lot of energy. I’ve temporarily regained some strength.”

Fang Xingzhou’s hand rested on the thin, almost translucent human skin, feeling the warm amniotic fluid and the rapid heartbeat inside. He couldn’t help but frown slightly. “Won’t the baby be uncomfortable like this?”

Lu Jianchuan covered his hand with its own. “The baby has been eating non-stop. I’m afraid it’ll get too full and act up like last time, so I transformed into a human to limit its absorption rate.”

With that, it eagerly leaned closer to its lover, saying cheerfully, “It’s been so long since I’ve been human. Let’s take this chance to go on a date! I want to ride roller coasters, drop towers, Ferris wheels, and…”

Fang Xingzhou placed a finger on its lips, stopping the endless stream of wishes.

“First, we need to visit your family,” Fang Xingzhou said. “Your parents have asked about your due date many times, and your sister is about to give birth too. If we don’t go back soon, they’ll worry.”

Lu Jianchuan let out an “ah,” suddenly remembering his human identity.

He felt a bit ashamed. “I almost forgot.”

Fang Xingzhou asked, “Can you maintain this human form for a day?”

Lu Jianchuan nodded. “Yes! We need to hurry.”

Both got out of bed. Lu Jianchuan’s belly was excessively large for a human, and the moment he sat up, the thin skin nearly burst.

He had to transform his arms into tentacles, gripping the bedpost for support as he slowly sat up, then held his fragile human waist as he shuffled to the bathroom to wash up.

After a quick cleanup, Fang Xingzhou helped the heavily pregnant man into the car.

Then, the pregnant man got stuck in the passenger seat again.

Lu Jianchuan: “…”

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he frantically fumbled for the seat adjustment switch with his tentacles. But the more he panicked, the worse it got. He accidentally pressed the wrong button, further shrinking the already precarious space. His belly made a creaking sound, the baby inside screamed in protest, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on his skin, as if it might burst at any moment.

Fang Xingzhou saw the cracks and was shocked, his mind going blank for half a second. He quickly pushed aside the tentacles and adjusted the seat back.

Lu Jianchuan clutched his belly, panting heavily as he repaired the cracked skin.

“Humans…” he said weakly, “Humans have it so hard…”

Fang Xingzhou let out a long exhale.

“What would happen if it burst?” he asked, horrified, staring at the enormous belly. “Would it cause premature birth?”

Lu Jianchuan: “Hmm… Then we’d have to chase a premature little monster all over the place.”

The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear.

Fang Xingzhou carefully fastened his seatbelt and drove slower than ever, barely above the minimum speed limit, inching their way to the Lu family home.

Lu Jianchuan called his mother in advance. As soon as she answered, she asked worriedly, “Xiao Chuan, have you given birth yet?”

Lu Jianchuan: “Mom, not yet. We’ll be home for lunch later.”

Madam Lu’s voice rose in shock. “Twelve months, and you still haven’t given birth?! Your sister is about to give birth!”

Lu Jianchuan: “Mhm.”

Madam Lu: “…”

“Mom, don’t worry,” Lu Jianchuan added. “Do you want to talk to the baby? It can say a few words now.”

Madam Lu: “…What?!”

The heartwarming family moment seemed to be veering into horror movie territory. Fang Xingzhou was about to remind Lu Jianchuan to behave like a human, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lu Jianchuan press the phone against his belly and pat it, saying to the baby, “Grandma wants to know when you’ll be born.”

A few seconds of silence.

A soft, high-pitched sound came from the belly, resembling a chick, a kitten, and an owl—definitely not a cute human baby.

With a “clatter,” the phone on the other end fell to the ground, and the call disconnected.

Lu Jianchuan blinked. The baby also let out a confused sound. Both monsters turned to Fang Xingzhou, asking in unison, “Did we scare Mom?”

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T/N:

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