The Record of Unusual Creatures

Locked inside the lunch box, the resin-kit-like Malevolence was still struggling to get out. The rocking lunch box on the coffee table caught the attention of Lil Pea, who went up and rocked along with it.

She probably thought it was her new toy in a long time since the MDT.

Rollie, staring at the lunch box, insisted that the mouse she had just caught was her booty. She was keeping an eye on it lest the prey would get away.

Others had no time for this, though. They were obsessed with the splitting phenomenon of Vivian.

The MDT had determined the time of the birth of the Malevolence. The most logical explanation was that Vivian had just undergone a split. But this time, the division was completely different from what Hao Ren had known before—it was only the size of a palm, seemingly a noobie, and unable to beat Rollie and Lil Pea. Vivian seemed to be unaffected by it—not even slightly.

“Are you sure this is Vivian’s recent split?” Hao Ren asked, a bit skeptical. Looking at the enamel lunch box shaking on the coffee table, he poked the MDT. “Vivian was with us for the past two days,” he said.

“The timing matches—that’s the only explanation,” the MDT said.

Vivian’s brow knit together. The autologous splitting had been bothering her for a long time. She had always been worried that someday she would suddenly lose control of herself and split a new Malevolence. But when her worry materialized today, she was baffled. “I didn’t feel any anomalies these two days. If past experience is anything to go by, I should have gone into a state of mania, a century-long hibernation, and had a serious loss of memory and strength.”

Before Hao Ren had time to think, Lily, who had a quirky mind, said, “The explanation is simple. Your split was usually a big lump, but this time it seemed to be even less than your menstruation.”

“No one would think you’re dumb if you keep silent,” Vivian snapped and then smashed Lily’s face with a handful of ice shard.

Seeing what Lily had earned herself with her undue comment, cold sweat started to trickle down Hao Ren’s forehead as the word “I think it makes sense” instantly choked in his throat.

A thought suddenly flashed across Nangong Sanba’s mind. He looked at the corner of the wall. “Where is the mouse hole?”

“I have no idea,” Hao Ren replied, scratching his head. “This is a twenty-something-year-old house. Wuyue, could you check it out?”

With the wave of her hand, Nangong Wuyue summoned a stream of water and used it to explore the mouse hole. A moment later, there was a surprised look on her face. “Ahh, looks like the hole leads to the basement, where Vivian usually sleeps.”

“It seems that the split happened while Vivian was asleep,” Hao Ren said as he looked at the vampire maiden beside him. “Just that why the split is so miniature this time is beyond me.”

While they were discussing, the sound of door-opening was heard as Y’lisabet ran into the house enthusiastically. “Uncle Ren! I’m back. Is lunch ready yet? What are you guys doing here?”

Y’zaks and his daughter, returning from scavenging, saw everyone gathering around the coffee table with a serious look on their faces, they were baffled. Their eyes quickly landed on the lunch box on the coffee table.

Y’zaks had no idea what was inside the box, which was shaking like no tomorrow.

“Vivian has split again,” Hao Ren explained. “The split body is in this lunch box.”

“What?” The great demon was struck dumb.

It took Hao Ren ten minutes to explain the ins and outs of this strange event. Joining the discussion were Y’zaks and his daughter. Y’lisabet held the lunch box in her hand. “Can I take a peek inside?” she asked curiously.

Hao Ren and Vivian looked at each other and nodded. “Be careful. Don’t let her escape, although the little thing is not exactly fast.”

Y’lisabet carefully removed the tape that wrapped around the lunch box, grabbed a screwdriver in one hand (why she was doing that was beyond anyone’s guess), and slowly opened the lid of the lunch box with the other.

Almost immediately, a little shadow slipped out and fell on the coffee table.

The palm-sized Vivian rolled a few times on the table before she got to her feet and made a series of aggressive sound. Seeing Y’lisabet, who was near, she lunged forward. At the same time without hesitation, she yanked a poison-tipped, dark-red arrow at Y’lisabet.

It was as if the noobie Malevolence had a lousy aim; the poison-tipped arrow hit Y’lisabet on her horn. Aside from a little shock, the little demon did not suffer any injury. She quickly pinned the miniature Vivian on the coffee table with her screwdriver and studied her.

Y’zaks scratched his jaw, watching with amusement. “Her strength and aura really resemble the ‘evil spirit’ that we have met before, but she is unusually weak. Vivian, did you experience any loss of strength or memory after the split?”

Vivian had been asked the same question countless times. Trying to recall what she could, Vivian said with an uncertain tone of voice, “Well, I did feel a little tired when I got up this morning. But it was more like a result of having a bad night’s sleep. But I’m not sure about memory loss though.”

“Oh, Battie, didn’t you promise to cook me stewed pork ribs this afternoon? It is half-past eleven now! Have you cooked it?”

“When did I promise that?” Vivian was dumbfounded.

Scratching her chin and nodding her head, Lily said, “Well, it seems that Battie has really lost her memory.”

“Don’t mess around here! Get the hell out of my sight!” Hao Ren and Vivian said in unison.

“I didn’t do anything wrong! When are you going to return the mouse I caught?” Rollie said instead.

“None of your business.”

“Wait a minute, I have an idea.” Just as their conversation went nowhere, Nangong Sanba suddenly said, “Didn’t the goddess gave her an amulet? That amulet might have interfered with the splitting.”

“Amulet?” Hao Ren froze. He had never thought of that. But Vivian, an amulet enthusiast herself, took out a silver-feathered pendant.

Raven 12345 gave Vivian this to reduce her symptoms of lethargy and amnesia.

The amulet, glowing in a faint white light, felt warm in hand. Judging from its condition, Vivian knew that the amulet had just been activated recently.

“I am afraid it has something to do with this amulet.” Hao Ren said as things started to register.

Vivian was asleep, losing a little bit of strength, and perhaps suffering from a bit of amnesia that she had forgotten her promise to cook stewed pork ribs for Lily after the splitting. But the amulet might have lessened the effect of the split this time that the division had become harmless.

What would have happened to Vivian if she did not wear the amulet? He thought to himself, and cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead.

If that were the case, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Vivian’s face turned gloomy. “I thought my next hibernation period would not come at least for another century or two. I must thank the amulet. Otherwise, when I woke up…”

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She looked at her surroundings, the big family, and the place where she called home now—it suddenly occurred to her that she nearly lost them all.

Seeing Vivian shivering, Hao Ren held her hands in his. “That’s all right. Nothing has happened to you. At least you will be safe for many centuries.”

“You could be right. I was just too nervous.” Vivian exhaled and smiled.

“All in all, though the Malevolence is harmless, I still have to tell Raven 12345 about it. Y’lisabet, stop playing with it. I need to bring this little thing to see the goddess. Lily, lend me your lunch box again.”