6: Chapter 6 Good things should be shared

Wang Lin tested whether he could turn his cuticle layer back into normal skin.

With a thought, that layer of black substance quickly receded, revealing the real skin beneath.

He could control it.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Lin took a deep breath and turned to walk towards home.

The current situation had already exceeded his initial expectations.

He had originally thought that after awakening, he could become stronger by devouring Calamities and eventually deal with the three Calamities at home.

But now, he himself had also become half a Calamity.

Was he still the same him as before?

Could he still claim the identity of a "human"?

Furthermore, how would the three Calamities at home view him now?

Would Wang Dashan smell the changes on him?

Would Li Xiulan notice anything unusual?

Would Wang Xiaoyue still sweetly call him "Big Brother" as before?

Too many unknowns.

But he had no way back.

He could only continue moving forward, continue growing stronger, and continue his charade.

The sky was slowly turning dark.

The moment he pushed open the door to his home, Wang Lin sensed something amiss.

The house was brightly lit, and the dining table was filled with steaming hot dishes.

Wang Dashan, Li Xiulan, and Wang Xiaoyue were sitting neatly at the dining table, as if waiting for someone.

Seeing him enter, three pairs of eyes looked at him simultaneously.

"Big Brother is back!" Wang Xiaoyue was the first to jump off her chair, skipping over and hugging Wang Lin's leg.

"Big Brother, you're so late today, we were worried to death!"

"Sorry, there was something at school that delayed me." Wang Lin patted her head.

Wang Dashan put down the newspaper in his hand and said, "Don't be this late next time."

"The roads aren't safe right now; there are Calamities everywhere. It would be trouble if you ran into one."

[Calamities everywhere? There are three right in my house.]

Wang Lin complained silently in his heart, but nodded respectfully on the surface: "I know, Dad."

"Exactly," Li Xiulan walked over and took Wang Lin's hand.

"You came back late, we were worried to death. Come eat, the food is getting cold."

Wang Lin was pulled to the dining table and sat down.

Li Xiulan diligently served him food: "Come, eat more, look how thin you are."

Wang Lin looked down at the chunks of meat in his bowl.

Although they looked no different from ordinary braised pork.

But his perception told him this was not ordinary meat.

"Why isn't Big Brother eating?" Wang Xiaoyue tilted her head, her big eyes staring at him unblinkingly.

"The stewed meat Mom made is delicious."

Wang Lin raised his head and saw three pairs of eyes looking at him.

Wang Dashan was drinking soup, but his gaze swept over from time to time.

Li Xiulan was still serving him food with a loving smile on her face.

Wang Xiaoyue was resting her chin in her hands, looking expectant.

Wang Lin took a deep breath, picked up his chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and put it into his mouth.

The meat was very tender, melting in his mouth, and the seasoning was just right.

"Is it good?" Li Xiulan asked, her eyes fixed tightly on him.

"Mm, it's good." Wang Lin nodded and picked up another piece.

The dinner proceeded in an apparently harmonious atmosphere.

Wang Dashan occasionally asked about school, and Wang Lin answered them one by one.

Li Xiulan kept serving him food, while Wang Xiaoyue chattered about interesting things that happened today.

It looked like a normal dinner in an ordinary family.

But Wang Lin knew that beneath this calm surface, undercurrents were surging.

He didn't know the "source" of the meat he was eating.

Not a single person around him was human.

And he, too, was becoming the same thing as them.

"I'm full." Wang Lin put down his chopsticks. "I'm a bit tired today, I'm going to rest first."

"Go ahead," Li Xiulan said gently, "Get a good sleep."

Wang Lin stood up and walked towards his room.

The moment he closed the door, he heard Wang Xiaoyue's voice behind him: "Mom, Big Brother doesn't seem very happy..."

Then the door closed, cutting off everything.

Wang Lin leaned against the door and let out a long sigh.

Today was just too exhausting.

Fighting, devouring, evolving, confronting... every single thing was draining his energy.

He just wanted to have a good sleep now.

Walking to the bedside, Wang Lin collapsed directly onto the bed.

He didn't even take off his clothes, and just like that, fell into a deep sleep.

But what he didn't know was that at the very moment his door closed—

In the living room downstairs, the atmosphere changed instantly.

Wang Dashan put down his chopsticks, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into an arc.

That arc was definitely not a smile a human should have.

"Did you see that?"

"My son has finally awakened as a Calamity."

Li Xiulan nodded: "I saw it. The scent on him has changed; he has the aura of a Calamity. And..."

"He was injured, but he recovered very quickly."

"Indeed, how could the recovery Speed of a Calamity be compared to a human?"

"He is exuding the aura of a Rift-type."

"Rift-type?" Li Xiulan was surprised, "That mid-level Calamity?"

"Mm," Wang Dashan nodded, "And a very pure Rift-type..."

Wang Xiaoyue sat on the chair, swinging her two little legs, listening to her parents' conversation.

Hearing this, she tilted her head and asked: "Dad, is Big Brother a Calamity too now? Can he play with me from now on?"

"Of course," Wang Dashan rubbed her head, "Once Big Brother completely accepts his identity, he can play with you."

"Great!" Wang Xiaoyue cheered, "Then will Big Brother also like eating people?"

"He will," Wang Dashan laughed, "Once his true nature awakens, he will."

"All Calamities will eventually crave human flesh and blood. This is instinct; it cannot be changed."

Li Xiulan frowned: "But he just awakened as a Calamity; he might still subconsciously think of himself as a human and probably can't accept the fact that he is a Calamity yet."

"Who would accept that they are a man-eating monster?"

She looked at Wang Dashan: "When do you plan to tell him the truth?"

Wang Dashan pondered for a moment: "Wait until he discovers it himself. Forcing it on him might cause resistance."

"Let him slowly adapt, slowly accept his true identity."

"Over time, he will understand."

He looked at Wang Xiaoyue: "Just like Xiaoyue, at first she didn't want to admit she was a Calamity either, but isn't it quite good now?"

Wang Xiaoyue nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes!"

"When Big Brother is hungry, when he wants to eat people, he will slowly accept his identity."

"Actually, being a Calamity isn't bad; my strength is much greater than before now!"

Wang Dashan rubbed Wang Xiaoyue's head: "Our Xiaoyue is still the best."

Wang Xiaoyue tilted her face up, her eyes sparkling: "Then can Dad reward me with two humans to eat?"

"No problem," Wang Dashan laughed loudly, "Next time when you are hungry, I'll catch two humans for you."

"Thank you, Dad!" Wang Xiaoyue clapped happily, but then remembered something, "Oh right, not two, four! Two more for Big Brother to eat!"

Li Xiulan was amused: "You child, you really know how to look out for your big brother."

"Good things should be shared," Wang Xiaoyue said as a matter of course.