Chapter 4: Weak, Pitiful, and Helpless

Judging purely from her outward form and appearance, it was extremely easy to associate her with blood. In fact, it was not just a vague resemblance—there was a strong possibility that her entire body structure, from top to bottom, was composed entirely of blood.

Furthermore, based on how she immediately prioritized restoring and replenishing her own condition at the very first moment, it was clear that the other party was not some inanimate phenomenon, but a living entity that possessed a certain degree of intelligence and awareness.

However, along her journey up to this point, Ying Su had already encountered far too many strange, grotesque, and unexplainable things. Compared to all of that, a mass of living blood did not seem particularly shocking anymore.

Even so, the situation unfolding in front of her was clearly far from favorable.

The Pig Chef had absolutely no effective way to deal damage to the Red Monster. The bone-cleaving knife he held in his hand was only suitable for dealing with creatures that had a physical structure similar to humans. But the blood creature in front of him was entirely composed of blood, lacking any conventional solid form. No matter how he swung or hacked at it, his attacks produced no meaningful effect.

As a result, it did not take long before the Pig Chef was completely engulfed by the Red Monster. From within, he let out continuous, agonizing screams, and the steel knife he had been holding slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

In what felt like only a fleeting instant, the once robust and sturdy Pig Chef was reduced to nothing more than skin stretched over bones, his entire body drained of all color and vitality.

Yet it was obvious that the Red Monster still was not satisfied. Slowly, her attention shifted, and her gaze locked onto the only remaining living being present.

“Wow, you are still not full?!” Ying Su shouted in panic as she turned and attempted to flee. However, with those two short little legs of hers, there was no possible way she could outrun something like that.

Before long, she was once again caught and entangled, just like the previous time. “I know where Roland went! I know where Roland went!”

Ying Su shouted desperately, and just as she had hoped, the Red Monster abruptly paused.

Several tendrils formed from blood wrapped around Ying Su’s legs and lifted her upside down into the air. In response, Ying Su quickly pressed her legs tightly together and used her hands to cover her skirt.

“Where is she?” The surface of the blood rippled and churned, and from it emerged a hoarse, strange, and almost unnatural voice.

“She went that way,” Ying Su said, pointing toward the direction Roland had previously left.

Although it was partially based on speculation, there was a pattern she had noticed. Wherever Roland appeared, the Red Monster would soon follow. It was far too consistent to be mere coincidence.

It was clear that the Red Monster was actively pursuing Roland. As for what kind of deep resentment or history existed between them, Ying Su had no idea. But as long as she herself was not dragged into it, that was all that mattered.

Unfortunately, the creature in front of her was far from foolish. Without hesitation, it dragged her along and began sprinting rapidly in that direction.

Countless tendrils of blood extended outward, moving in a manner similar to the legs of an insect, allowing the Red Monster to crawl forward at astonishing speed. Ying Su’s entire body seemed to be engulfed within it, with only her head left exposed so she could breathe.

From an outside perspective, it almost looked as if she were the one controlling the monster.

At the very least, she was still alive, which was something. And somewhat unexpectedly, this terrifying creature was actually capable of communication.

As they charged forward in a reckless and unstoppable manner, Ying Su watched as the Red Monster smashed through everything in its path. Anything that dared to stand in its way was immediately devoured without hesitation.

Continuing along that path, they eventually arrived in front of a massive door.

The Red Monster slammed into it repeatedly, causing visible dents to form in the surface. Despite this, the door remained firmly shut. Afterward, it moved around the surrounding area, seemingly searching for some alternative method of entry, but failed to find anything useful.

“Well, um, I have a key in my pocket. Do you want to try using it?” Ying Su said, glancing at the letter C painted in white beside the door.

In response, one of the tendrils reached into her pocket, pulled out the access card, and brought it over to the door. To her surprise, it actually worked, and the door opened.

However, after taking a brief look inside, the Red Monster appeared to immediately abandon the idea of entering. Without any hesitation, it turned around and began heading back the way it came.

“What is wrong with you? Running back and forth like this is making me feel like I am going to pass out!” Ying Su complained loudly.

“That is a trap.” Rarely, the Red Monster responded.

“How do you know it is a trap?”

“I ran out from there. What do you think?” it replied in an irritated tone. Although it intended to kill Roland, it was not foolish enough to walk straight back into danger.

“Fine, fine. Then do you know how to escape from here?”

“Go to the residential area of Zone A. I do not know how to leave, but the people there definitely will.”

After making a full loop, the Red Monster dragged her all the way back to Zone A.

This time, however, the situation was different. A group of well-equipped armed personnel had already gathered and were waiting there. Even so, when faced with the Red Monster, they were still cut down with ease, like vegetables being chopped.

“Aim for its head!”

“I am not part of this! It has nothing to do with me—glub glub—!” Ying Su had not even finished speaking before she was swallowed whole.

By the time she resurfaced from within the blood again, everything had already fallen silent. The Red Monster spat out several dried corpses that had been completely drained of blood and even searched their bodies to retrieve access cards.

Ying Su had genuinely believed she would be shot to death in the chaos.

“I did not expect you to protect me.”

“Stored food.”

“Forget I said anything,” Ying Su replied flatly. After a brief pause, she continued, “With a body like mine, I do not have much blood to offer, right? Are there not better options?”

“Tasty.”

“.........”

Ying Su chose not to say anything further. The reason she had not been eaten yet turned out to be simply because she tasted good.

At the same time, the creature’s level of intelligence was frighteningly high. It was almost indistinguishable from that of a human. Compared to it, the parrot that only spoke nonsense seemed far less impressive.

Breaking through multiple doors along the way, the Red Monster eventually forced its way into the residential area.

The defensive measures in this area were actually quite solid, but in front of the Red Monster, they were still completely insufficient. Its body rapidly expanded to approximately three meters in size, and it rampaged forward, tearing apart everything in its path.

“How do we get out of here?”

“I do not—ahhh—!”

“How do we get out of here?”

“I... I do not know—ahhh—!”

As Ying Su watched the Red Monster crush one person after another, she realized that she was gradually becoming numb to the sight.

“Attention all personnel, lock your doors and windows immediately. A level five alert has been issued. The residential area has been breached. Please secure all doors and windows...”

Splat—!

Before the broadcast could even finish, the Red Monster pierced through it out of irritation. It then grabbed another person and asked once again, “How do we get out of here?”

“I... I...”

Seeing that it was about to kill again, Ying Su quickly intervened. “Wait, let him catch his breath first. If you keep killing like this, there will be no one left to ask.”

The Red Monster paused briefly.

“It is... ha...”

“Take it slow. You are not going to die,” Ying Su said.

“I do not know.”

The Red Monster raised its tendril again.

“Wait! I know who would know!”

“Then say it already!” Ying Su urged.

“B-grade personnel would definitely know how to get out. They are located deeper inside the residential area. I can take you there!” The moment he finished speaking, he was killed anyway.

“...” Ying Su stared blankly. “Can you slow down a little? If you kill everyone, who are you going to ask for directions?”

“I do not trust them.”

Knowing that the deeper residential area was the destination was enough. The Red Monster immediately began smashing through doors and charged straight inward.

“So you trust me instead?” Ying Su asked as the rushing wind hit her face like she was riding a speeding vehicle.

“You are not a threat.”

“..........”

That did not seem right. If she was not considered a threat, then how had she died the first time?

“The first time we met should have been in that room, right? The one where Roland was also present.”

“I vaguely remember.”

“I mean, hypothetically speaking, if I had not run at that time, would you have eaten me?”

“Yes.”

“.......”

“I was very hungry back then. And fighting that bastard also required replenishment.”

“So what exactly is your relationship with Roland?”

A crimson monster and a violently aggressive old woman—truly a strangely fitting combination.