Free Web NovelChapter 225: Chapter 186: Fetal Movement
"I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I was fine before, but for the past two days, I’ve just felt weak and sore. I can’t concentrate, and I have no energy for anything. It’s like... I’ve been completely hollowed out." Zhao Yingying leaned against the bed, telling Han Ning and the others what she had been through recently.
Han Ning continued to ask:
"Have you run into anything strange lately? For instance, have you had any contact with that Winged Demon Egg?"
"The Winged Demon Egg... Now that you mention it, I think I might have."
Zhao Yingying coughed lightly, a thoughtful look on her face.
But she just kept blinking, not a word leaving her lips for the longest time.
"What’s wrong?" Han Ning noticed something was off.
"I... I forgot. It’s strange. Some of my memories feel really fuzzy, and I suddenly can’t recall them."
"I see."
Seeing the genuine confusion on Zhao Yingying’s face, Han Ning nodded and turned to Teacher Zheng.
"Teacher Zheng, could you please take me to where the Winged Demon Egg is being kept?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Yingying’s voice suddenly grew louder from behind him:
"I... I’ll go with you!"
"Zhao Yingying, you’re very weak. You should really get some rest." Han Ning stared at her, confused by her sudden agitation.
"I don’t know why. My intuition just tells me I have to go with you." Zhao Yingying lowered her head, unable to meet their gazes.
"Intuition?"
Han Ning glanced at her. Her behavior felt a little strange, but the All-Encompassing Spiritual Silkworm inside him told him that the aura of Darkness was gone from Zhao Yingying’s body. He thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, you can come with us. Teacher Zheng, could you please have a few people guard her?"
"Okay."
...
The Winged Demon Egg was kept in a laboratory on the fifth floor of the Bioengineering building.
Teacher Zheng turned on the lab lights, and Han Ning immediately spotted a large purple egg lying flat on a lab bench.
Just as it had been the first time he saw it, the egg’s surface was still covered in shriveled, wrinkled lines, like the web of wrinkles on the face of someone nearing their grave.
"Everyone else, stay outside for a moment," Han Ning said, glancing over his shoulder at the others. Then, with Yin Yi, he walked straight up to the Winged Demon Egg.
Even at such close range, it still showed no reaction, as if completely unaware that a living creature was approaching.
’Since it can actively drain a creature’s Life Force, it must have some kind of instinct, or perhaps a faint consciousness.’
Han Ning sneered inwardly at the large egg, which was like a dead thing. He reached out, and several sharp purple tentacles erupted from his fingertips, piercing toward the egg.
The very instant the tentacles, pulsing with Dark Energy, were about to pierce the egg, a purple marking flared to life in its center. An illusory eye materialized, opening slightly to reveal a massive, emotionless eyeball. It rolled once, and a wave of black smoke washed over its surface—
THUD~
A dull thud echoed through the silent room.
The large purple egg failed to block the All-Encompassing Spiritual Silkworm’s strike. The illusory purple light was easily pierced, and the tentacles plunged deep inside the egg.
"GYOWUU~~"
As the tentacles bored into its surface, the Winged Demon Egg let out a bizarre cry, like a rambling drunk. The egg itself began to wobble uncontrollably.
The Winged Demon Egg was hopelessly entangled by Han Ning’s tentacles, completely unable to break free. The power gap between them was immense. The dense Blood Qi and Dark Energy utterly suppressed the faint Energy fluctuations emanating from it.
"GYOWUU!!" Seeing it couldn’t escape Heracles’s clutches, the Winged Demon Egg’s illusory eyeball spun frantically. It caught sight of Zhao Yingying standing outside and, as if it had just found its savior, began to tremble violently, emitting a series of rapid "Gyowu! Gyowu!" cries from within.
’Hm? This Winged Demon Egg... it’s not just an egg, as we thought. It seems to have a fair bit of intelligence... Strange...’ frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
At such close range, Han Ning could faintly perceive the Winged Demon Egg’s emotions.
A complex mix of hatred and rage, mingled with anxiety, fear, and worry.
According to the feedback from the All-Encompassing Spiritual Silkworm, the Winged Demon Egg did indeed contain a peculiar pulse of Life, as well as... a strange pulse of Spiritual Power.
Han Ning tried to communicate with it, but it completely ignored him.
He glanced back at the frail Zhao Yingying and beckoned her over. Then, pointing at the trembling Winged Demon Egg, he said,
"Bring her in. It’s crying out to Zhao Yingying for help..."
Knowing that the Winged Demon Egg had drained her Life Force, Zhao Yingying was too scared to go near it. She hid behind Teacher Zheng, staring at the egg in terror, let alone approaching it.
"GYOWUU!"
Meanwhile, the Winged Demon Egg’s purple eyeball was wide, its gaze—brimming with a multitude of emotions—locked onto Zhao Yingying.
Under the influence of the All-Encompassing Spiritual Silkworm’s Dark Seal, its struggles grew even weaker.
Han Ning noticed the complex emotions within the Winged Demon Egg’s eye and suggested to Zhao Yingying again:
"Come here. Get behind me."
"Okay..."
Only after Han Ning called to her twice did Zhao Yingying hesitantly step before the Winged Demon Egg, her gaze filled with complicated feelings as she looked at the large egg, which was wrapped layer by layer in tentacles.
At such close range, a flicker of memory inexplicably crossed the eyes of the initially bewildered Zhao Yingying, and she couldn’t help but speak:
