PTGWD Chapter 63: Divine Authority

On the way from the hospital to the Special Research Institute, Fang Xingzhou lost consciousness once again.

With control wrested away, his consciousness was trapped in endless darkness, gradually enveloped by a strange dream.

He dreamed of something that had happened long ago, but from a completely new perspective.

His ears seemed filled with seawater, waves lapping against his eardrums, a deep sigh from the ocean. His body floated lightly with the waves, as if he had become some tiny, ephemeral creature, with countless transparent tendrils growing beneath him, swaying freely.

He no longer remembered who he was, nor any of the trivialities of the world. Carefree, he passed the long hours in the sea.

Until one day, he was washed ashore by the waves, stranded in a small puddle.

The ocean was so close, yet so far away. Trapped in a cage that could vanish at any moment, he saw the blue sky up close for the first time, and for the first time, he realized that beyond the ocean, there were beaches, coconut trees, strange creatures that walked on two legs, and birds that soared on wings.

Yet, as the sun slowly evaporated the water, his space grew smaller and smaller. What awaited him seemed to be a torturous death.

But he felt no panic or despair. He stared intently at everything outside the puddle, not even knowing what he was waiting for, only vaguely certain—that a destined encounter was about to happen here.

He waited from day to night, and from night to day, until finally, a drizzle of rain fell, salty like tears, splashing into the puddle. He swam desperately, lifting his umbrella-like head above the water, and met a pair of beautiful, light-colored eyes.

A human child knelt reverently by the puddle, leaning close to the water, staring at him without blinking, entranced, softly exclaiming in a language he couldn’t understand. But he knew it was praise for him.

Intense joy flooded his mind, his body growing lighter, almost floating out of the puddle. The child’s lips touched his bell, a warmth he had never felt before, like an electric current coursing through his body.

He was so happy he nearly fainted.

The next day, the child gently scooped him out of the puddle with soft hands and placed him in a transparent glass jar.

Finally, he knew what he had been waiting for. The moment he willingly entered this new cage, he seemed to hear the sound of fate’s gears turning.

God and human, two completely parallel paths intersected, like an endless Möbius strip, entwined in an inseparable embrace.

…

Fang Xingzhou opened his eyes.

His face was wet, unsure whether it was sweat or tears. In his blurred vision, he saw a familiar face. The surroundings were completely unfamiliar, as if he were in a new, all-white hospital room.

Memories slowly returned. He knew he had once again wrested control from the parasite.

But why, in his unconscious state, had he dreamed of the “jellyfish”? And why had he relived that first encounter from the “jellyfish’s” perspective?

His breathing quickened as he stared blankly at Lu Jianchuan, his consciousness growing clearer.

Perhaps to help him regain control, a continuous stream of power flowed into his brain, like a command from a higher dimension, activating his brain’s potential, allowing him to briefly transcend the limitations of his human body and become a higher being, fighting against the parasite.

His thoughts grew more active.

His pupils darkened, staring intently at Lu Jianchuan, trying to see through his handsome facade to the deepest truth hidden within.

Seeing him awake but silent, Lu Jianchuan grew increasingly anxious, kissing his cheek repeatedly and urgently asking, “Zhouzhou, are you okay? We’re preparing for surgery. Can you hear me?”

Fang Xingzhou hummed in response.

His logic was clearer than ever, his brain evolving under the power’s influence, his thinking efficiency increasing a hundredfold. He saw Yan Xin in surgical scrubs and many unfamiliar faces, finally speaking, “Am I at the Institute now?”

Yan Xin: “Yes, Xingzhou. While you’re still clear-headed, let me briefly explain our surgical plan.”

Fang Xingzhou glanced at the surgical equipment they had prepared and said, “You plan to have Lu Jianchuan briefly paralyze the parasite, then take the opportunity to perform a craniotomy and remove it, right?”

Yan Xin was taken aback.

He said, “Ah, yes, that’s exactly it. How are you feeling now? Do you think you can handle the surgery?”

Fang Xingzhou looked at Lu Jianchuan again.

He was pondering many things at once. Calculating the success rate of the surgery, speculating on the parasite’s plan, and wondering why he had dreamed of the “jellyfish”…

Of course, the main focus was on the last point; the other matters were secondary.

Fang Xingzhou exhaled slowly, his head throbbing with pain.

First, dreaming of the “jellyfish” wasn’t strange.

What was strange was why, at such a critical life-or-death moment, he had so leisurely dreamed of an event from twenty years ago, and from the “jellyfish’s” perspective.

The biggest variable leading to this dream—Lu Jianchuan had injected a part of his power into Fang Xingzhou’s brain.

Could this be related to Lu Jianchuan? Or rather, could the “jellyfish” that disappeared twenty years ago… be related to Lu Jianchuan?

Was it possible that the dream was a reflection of Lu Jianchuan’s memories in his brain?

His brain cells worked furiously, and he even felt his forehead growing slightly warm. Yan Xin, having waited too long for his response, couldn’t help but speak up: “Xingzhou?”

Fang Xingzhou slowly turned his gaze to Yan Xin.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought,” he said. “I’m feeling fine now. In the current situation, a craniotomy is indeed the safest and quickest solution.”

“However, it might not be as easy to control as you think. Everything we’re saying now, it can hear too,” Fang Xingzhou said. “If I were it…”

He trailed off again.

Yan Xin understood his meaning in the silence. He couldn’t say it out loud because he couldn’t give the parasite in his brain any ideas.

So, Yan Xin said, “We’ll have a Plan B and Plan C ready. Don’t worry. If we can’t remove the parasite, I’ll cut off my head and let Mr. Lu use it as a soccer ball.”

Fang Xingzhou: “No need. Your head will stay firmly on your shoulders.”

Yan Xin: “…Thanks for the blessing. Anything else you need to tell us?”

Fang Xingzhou said, “I’d like some more water.”

The others in the room sprang into action, pouring him a glass of warm electrolyte water. Fang Xingzhou drank two cups in one go, feeling his body gradually stabilize. But he still didn’t look at Lu Jianchuan, instead speaking to Yan Xin about something completely unrelated to the surgery.

“Dr. Yan,” he said, “surgery carries risks. I might not wake up again.”

Hearing this, Lu Jianchuan’s expression darkened immediately.

“There’s no risk, darling,” he said, his voice icy and firm. “I’ll eliminate all risks before they even arise.”

Fang Xingzhou simply looked at Yan Xin: “So, there’s something I want to know before the surgery.”

Yan Xin: “Go ahead. If I know, I’ll tell you.”

Fang Xingzhou paused, then asked, “What is Lu Jianchuan’s internal code name at the institute?”

Yan Xin was stunned.

At such a tense moment, Fang Xingzhou was asking about the “jellyfish’s” code name? Was this some kind of unspoken hint?

He instinctively looked at Lu Jianchuan, who was far more shocked than he was, his pupils contracting, his entire body tensing up.

A code name—important, yet not. According to regulations, Yan Xin wasn’t allowed to disclose the code name of an A+ special entity to Fang Xingzhou. But Fang Xingzhou’s status was special; he had signed confidentiality agreements and was practically an insider.

Moreover, the code name “Jellyfish” was something Lu Jianchuan had chosen himself when he first joined the institute, with no special meaning.

If Fang Xingzhou wanted to know…

Yan Xin: “Mr. Lu’s code name is…”

He was cut off by Lu Jianchuan.

Lu Jianchuan forced a smile, leaning down to kiss Fang Xingzhou’s lips. “Darling, why are you asking about code names at a time like this? Did that parasite put some divisive thoughts in your head?”

Fang Xingzhou stared at Lu Jianchuan, silent.

His consciousness began to blur again, control slipping away once more. His pupils flickered between black and white. Lu Jianchuan held his hand tightly, his brow furrowed, his lips moving as he said something Fang Xingzhou could no longer hear clearly, only catching fragments: “Don’t be afraid… protect… crush… get better…”

Fang Xingzhou slowly brought Lu Jianchuan’s hand to his lips, pressing one last cold kiss to it, then smiled gently.

“I’m not afraid…” His voice grew softer. “I leave it to you…”

The next second, his pupils turned completely black, his expression cold as he stared at Lu Jianchuan, a mocking smile on his lips.

Lu Jianchuan’s expression gradually faded, his gaze darkening as he stared at the parasite. After a moment, he stood up and walked over to Yan Xin.

“It all happened so suddenly, but I seem to have forgotten something important,” he said. “When Xingzhou met you, he immediately mentioned the institute’s name. When did he start working with you?”

Yan Xin had never been involved in the details of Li Xuan and Fang Xingzhou’s collaboration, so he casually replied, “I think it was about two to four months ago… Should we start the surgery now?”

Lu Jianchuan fell silent for a moment.

He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and looked at his beloved, now infested with the parasite. His killing intent surged, his temples throbbing as he said hoarsely, “Let’s begin. I’ll take control of the parasite first.”

He walked back to the bedside, slightly lowering his gaze to look down at the parasite.

It had already heard their plan, its smile widening as it used Fang Xingzhou’s throat to emit a series of incomprehensible, alien sounds. Even without understanding a single word, the provocations in its tone was unmistakable.

Lu Jianchuan’s face darkened completely.

His head disappeared, transforming into a brain. He locked onto the parasite’s location, preparing to briefly stun it with a short, intense burst of energy.

However, the moment the air twisted, the parasite swiftly fled from the brain, darting through the blood vessels to another location. Lu Jianchuan’s gaze followed, until…

It reached the heart.

Lu Jianchuan was momentarily stunned.

He saw the disgusting parasite stretch out, tightly wrapping itself around Fang Xingzhou’s heart, moving with each heartbeat. It seemed that the slightest harm to it would cause it to crush the heart instantly.

A two-second standoff.

The parasite seemed convinced that Lu Jianchuan wouldn’t take the risk. It let out a soft, sharp cry near the heart, mocking him mercilessly.

Lu Jianchuan’s fingers twitched.

The brain slowly transformed back into a human head. Surprisingly, Lu Jianchuan wasn’t provoked. He turned to Yan Xin and said, “It seems our Plan A has failed, as expected.”

Yan Xin let out a long sigh, feeling defeated, and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

Although they had deliberately discussed Plan A in front of the parasite to lure it away from Fang Xingzhou’s brain and avoid long-term damage, deep down, Yan Xin had hoped this nearly impossible plan would succeed.

Plan A was the most ideal solution. Plans B and C were fraught with unknown dangers. If they failed, no one could bear the consequences…

Yan Xin frowned, looking worriedly at Lu Jianchuan. “Mr. Lu.”

Lu Jianchuan licked his lips.

When killing intent surpassed a certain threshold, it transformed into extreme excitement. He cradled his massive belly, feeling the fetus inside also growing restless, its tiny tentacles waving frantically, its underdeveloped vocal cords emitting strange cries.

Both monsters, large and small, were united in their desire to crush the parasite in the most brutal way possible.

Lu Jianchuan spoke hoarsely, “I need at least two C-level and four D-level special entities. Are they ready?”

Yan Xin, looking troubled, gestured to his colleagues to step back several meters, clearing space for Lu Jianchuan. “Yes, we’ve prepared four C-level, ten D-level, and twenty E-level entities, all in the next room. This is your entire pregnancy’s worth of food. If you consume it all at once, I’m worried it might cause premature labor. Mr. Lu, maybe…”

His voice trailed off.

Yan Xin clutched his throat, feeling as if the air in the room had turned to cement, clogging his windpipe and preventing his vocal cords from vibrating. He exchanged a look of disbelief with his colleague and had no choice but to continue retreating until he reached the doorway.

Lu Jianchuan raised a tentacle, using the sharp teeth of his mouthparts to easily slice open his own palm.

Bright red blood flowed out, dripping onto Fang Xingzhou’s hand. He gently stroked his belly with another tentacle, speaking to the embryo. “This is your second lesson as a monster.”

“Lesson one: how to disguise yourself and integrate into human society.”

“Lesson two: how to hunt and fill your stomach.”

“Now, lesson two…”

“How to use your power to protect those you love.”

Lu Jianchuan tenderly made a shallow cut on Fang Xingzhou’s chest, so shallow that no blood flowed for a long time.

“If you succeed, you can devour the entire parasite and grow stronger,” Lu Jianchuan’s voice grew softer, almost a whisper. “If you fail, the parasite will eat you, and I won’t be spared either.”

The belly bulged with excitement. Even though it was just a monster embryo without even milk teeth, it had no doubt about its own strength. It couldn’t wait to burst out of the belly and tear the creature threatening them to pieces.

Lu Jianchuan smiled, pleased with its determination.

“It’s up to you now, little one.”

He pressed the wound on his palm to Fang Xingzhou’s left chest.

The parasite inside was impatient. It had been waiting for this opportunity for two whole months.

What Lu Jianchuan was carrying was the first new life with divine authority in millions of years. Since the true master’s fall, the world’s mystical powers had been diluted through generations of hybridization, and it had been far too long since a new authority had emerged.

No creature could resist such power, even if it knew this was a gamble. The potential reward was enough to make it throw caution to the wind.

Moreover… the new authority was just a fragile fetus!

Without hesitation, the parasite darted into Lu Jianchuan’s body through the wound, enduring the burning sensation from the overly potent blood, and charged toward the belly with a frenzied determination, like a moth to a flame.

The embryo had been waiting. With its fragile tentacles, it tightly ensnared the intruder. Countless crimson eyes opened in the amniotic fluid, its toothless mouthparts gaping wide as it bit down on the parasite’s head—

But it couldn’t bite through.

The embryo gnashed its mouthparts in frustration, kicking at its father in protest, blaming him for its underdevelopment due to his strict diet during pregnancy.

To provide a better fighting environment, Lu Jianchuan transformed into his full monster form. His tentacles dragged a C-level special entity from the next room, quickly crushing and devouring it, digesting it into fresh energy to feed the gestational sac.

The parasite had stretched to the length of a water snake, locked in a deadly struggle with the embryo. Its fine hairs pierced the tender skin of the underdeveloped fetus, its head sharpening as it tried to burrow into the fetus and consume it from within.

Lu Jianchuan felt a sharp pain in his belly.

His brain trembled, his eyes turning toward the gestational sac. While continuing to feed, he raised a tentacle, ready to cut open his belly if necessary to help the embryo kill the parasite—though this would inevitably harm the embryo.

This was Plan C.

He grabbed another special entity, shoving it into his mouthparts, feeling the embryo grow even more excited from the pain. It twisted its fragile tentacles, tightening around the parasite, briefly halting its advance.

A momentary standoff.

However, for a fetus that hadn’t fully formed, defeating a parasite that had been honing its skills for years wasn’t easy.

The tentacles soon grew weak. The parasite struggled furiously, its head sharp as a needle, aimed directly at the fetus’s heart, waiting for the moment it broke free to dart inside.

Lu Jianchuan sighed softly, his tentacles crawling over the gestational sac, ready to perform a cesarean section on himself.

It’s fine, Lu Jianchuan reassured himself. After cutting it open, he’d crush the parasite, then sew the fetus back in. With enough time, it would heal—

At the critical moment.

The nearly exhausted baby let out an angry cry.

Lu Jianchuan keenly sensed a fluctuation of mysterious power—something entirely unfamiliar yet imbued with divine energy.

He froze, immediately elevating his perception to a higher dimension. From this vantage point, he gazed at his gestational sac and saw the unformed fetus glowing faintly blue, like a bioluminescent jellyfish. The amniotic fluid swirled around it, forming a minuscule vortex.

The parasite’s movements came to a halt.

…It seemed to have fallen into a dream-like illusion, floating weightlessly as it “saw” itself successfully burrowing into the embryo, devouring the fragile divine fetus bite by bite…

…A massive surge of power flooded its body, granting it its first glimpse into the world of deities…

…Everywhere, dazzling lights shimmered like sunlight refracted through stained glass in a cathedral. Within this radiance, it ascended into another dimension, where all living beings worshipped it in reverence, absolute power bestowing upon it an unparalleled supreme authority…

However, in the real world—

The fetus was grinding its newly formed baby teeth, sharpening them to a razor’s edge. Then, it coiled tightly around the parasite that had fallen into the illusion. Tilting its head slightly, its mouthparts began secreting digestive fluids at an alarming rate.

Hungry…

Eat… eat… eat…

Crush…

Protect… Protect Father…

Not allowed…!

The embryo stretched its jaws to the limit and, with all its strength, bit down on the parasite’s head. With sheer force from its two baby teeth and powerful jaw muscles, it crushed the parasite’s skull in an instant!

Fluid splattered. A thick, sickly-sweet scent filled the air. Even then, the parasite remained trapped in its delusion of divinity, convulsing weakly. Its severed head was already being swallowed whole, becoming the embryo’s perfect nourishment.

This was the embryo’s first independent hunt.

It was also the first time it had used its own mouth to consume food instead of passively waiting in the gestational sac for nutrients to be delivered through the mother’s digestion.

Trembling with excitement, its mouthparts instinctively twisted and rotated, devouring the invader with ravenous delight…