Act ⑨: Live and Let Die · To Live or Die

[Part 1: Canaan]

"What exactly are you?"

Hasben's teeth chattered, completely forgetting the extremely strong stomach acid on his gloves. He held his cheek with one hand and gripped the knife with the other, leaving an ugly mark on his handsome and youthful cheek.

He stared at the woman's corpse, barely able to comprehend what horrific tragedy Jacqueline had endured before her death.

Did she eat herself?

How is that possible?

How is that possible?

What kinds of creatures can eat themselves?

Or is it...?

"Something is parasitizing Jacqueline's body! It's devouring her flesh and taking her place!"

Hasben screamed and quickly picked up Jacqueline's heart, examining the organ's structure closely.

"That's right! Just as I suspected! I was right!"

This unusually large, fleshy heart, with its strong valves and tendons, thicker arterial and venous walls, and bluish bloodstains, all point to an inviolable iron law, a terrifying and bizarre fact.

"This blood is rich in copper; many marine creatures, like octopuses, have this blue blood."

"Its antioxidant effects are fantastic, but when the temperature exceeds 24 degrees Celsius, the iron in the blood becomes active—and turns red as a result."

"This strong heart is responsible for transporting blood containing two elements throughout the body."

"It's like a metamorphosis; it's transforming Jacqueline's body, precisely at this crucial moment."

"Its host body was killed!"

In the music of Guns N' Roses, Hasben Madison had found the key to the truth.

"In 1889, Vincent van Gogh's epilepsy worsened. He settled in Arles, a small town in the south of France, and later entered the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence asylum for treatment."

"He painted this '<The Starry Night>' —a genuine Van Gogh work—using exaggerated techniques, departing from realistic colors and lines, to depict a distorted, swirling, and restless nebula."

While Hasben Madison was in a near-hysterical state, Jacqueline lay quietly on the operating table, her chest cavity emptied, her body still slowly undulating, her fingers and eyes never ceasing.

"There's something hidden in this painting!" Hasben's eyes were bloodshot, struggling to maintain his composure amidst the eerie psychic fluctuations. "Van Gogh first cut off his own ear and gave it to his beloved prostitute Rachel, and finally ended his life with a bullet."

Jacqueline's two broken eyebrow scars seem to tell another silent story.

"Jacqueline Sirius."

Hasben's voice trembled; he was terrified and unable to move as he uttered the final answer.

"You, like Vincent van Gogh, heard strange voices? Saw strange things? Almost went mad? Under the parasitism of this monster, you wanted to end your life? Cut out your own eyes?"

This is the truth of the story.

--The female prisoner J76 killed by S272 and G117 was not an ordinary human being.

It comes from over a hundred years ago, from 1889.

The year after the Canaanite creatures arrived in the underground world.

Canaan's calendar is forever frozen on June 21, 1888.

She must have had prior contact with Vincent van Gogh and left behind some of her essence.

The painter's descent into madness, fueled by his encounters with extraterrestrial deities, ultimately led him to become the vessel for Canaan.

The water stains emanating from its body and the sweet, fishy sea breeze both point to the Fang Feng. Unlike the hive consciousness of its tribe, it is fierce by nature, follows a carnivorous diet, and represents another branch of the Canaanite evolutionary path.

"Glory! I did it! I succeeded!" Mr. Hasben smiled. "I can vouch for your innocence! You are not the murderer—you killed a cannibalistic demon, a Canaanite life form recorded in the Arcane Library, likely a new variant. Unlike its docile mother, this life form is far more ferocious during DNA sampling procedures. It will devour its target as a parasite."

Hasben picked up the knife and began to grope the corpse, cutting open more blood vessels and muscles.

"As expected, her femoral artery was twice the size of a normal human female's—and although the muscle had begun to rot and dissolve, the sweetness was still fresh; these are all pieces of evidence."

Right now, at this very moment.

Mr. Hasben's Inspiration is going crazy.

He turned around abruptly, looking at Jacqueline's head, a strong curiosity welling up inside him, almost unable to suppress the hallucinatory, hypnotic energy fluctuations.

"But... what's wrong with her hair?"

Are there any organisms in the world that can change the color of dead cells like those in fingernails or hair?

"Is that really hair? Why does it turn golden one moment and blackish-green the next?"

"Can a simple temperature tracer really do this?"

He was as if possessed, following the corpse all the way back to Jacqueline's head.

The woman's neck had been cut open, and viscous fluid from her lymph nodes, major blood vessels, and trachea was bubbling out.

Hasben witnessed a strange sight: the once handsome Eastern European had now changed his face.

That face belonged to Hasben's mother, Mrs. Madison.

She was Hasben's beloved mother, the most important person in his life.

The 16-degree Celsius temperature made the young man feel cold. To ensure the dissection could proceed smoothly, he was wearing almost nothing but a butcher's apron. The half-hour dissection took away almost all of his body heat.

Under the influence of hallucinations, he almost involuntarily threw himself into his mother's arms, for a long time—

--How long has it been since I last gave my mother a proper hug?

Perhaps four years? Or perhaps longer?

When he ran away from the town with his two brothers, he vowed to make something of himself and become a brave and upright warrior of Guangling Zhixi.

Adventure in the underground world is a game for the brave, but to ensure the smooth progress of this game, many ordinary people need Guangling Zhixi and the protection of warriors.

But the outside world was so terrifying. Life in the Rangers was not as simple as he had imagined. Dealing with cunning Homo sapiens was much more difficult than dealing with monsters with firearms.

In all things, one must consider human relationships and social dynamics, be aware of cronyism and factions, and learn to take sides and be tolerant.

Upon arriving in Eleventh District, Hasben realized that the rules governing this world were like a cold, hard pyramid.

Even though he desperately climbed the ladder, trying to prove himself with his martial arts and marksmanship, he found that the money he worked so hard to earn, the fame and status he gained, were far inferior to what others had at birth.

He valued his work so much, yet the governor of Eleventh District treated him with less importance than a single shoe from the nameless Big Sister.

These events left the young man exhausted. When he saw his mother right in front of him, he couldn't help but burst into tears, collapsing onto Jacqueline's body and tightly embracing the cold corpse.

There are many things that mature adults cannot tell others.

--The only option is to stay home or simply find a safe place to confide in.

The hazy hallucinations nearly broke through Hasben's psychological defenses.

[Part ② - Living]

At this moment, the warden sitting in the monitoring room was no longer gloomy.

He rubbed his bright red hair, his eyes gleaming, and slowly straightened his back in the massage chair. He took out his snacks from the egg steamer, his technique for peeling the eggs exquisite and mysterious.

The warden stared intently at the scene unfolding in the morgue.

The cold electronic screen couldn't transmit spiritual pressure, and the warden had no idea that Hasben Madison was already in a hazy illusion.

In just a few seconds, the young and handsome blood donor, who had red hair like Hasben Madison, was immediately distracted by the more exciting and engaging program.

Turning to the serious offender interrogation room—watching the girls beat up the old man was the most fun!

Then there was free time at 10:30 in the morning, so we went to the common areas.

The four couples he was pursuing were all lovey-dovey again today next to a small private room in a coffee shop, but soon they started arguing, seemingly because of some strange soap opera plots about several complicated love triangles.

The tender egg white was nibbled between the lips and teeth by four sharp canines, and then swallowed in one gulp.

This warden and Teacher A Ling have a striking similarity: they are both in the same class—the berserk gossip group leader.

Let's return to Hasben Madison's side.

Happiness always comes with crisis, and complacency always follows.

He had imagined countless times that the happiest moment would be when he reunited with his mother and embraced her again. It would signify that he had truly made something of himself, survived the grueling battle, received his salary, taken leave, and traveled by train to his distant hometown. He would be able to buy beautiful clothes, go to his mother's side, and listen to her ramblings and hear what had happened recently.

After just a few pleasantries, he started urging her to get married and have children. He stroked her hair, cupped her face, kissed her forehead, and prayed to God that time could be longer and slower, so that all the beautiful moments could be preserved.

However, a small mishap occurred during the hair-twisting process.

Mr. Hasben's most concerned about hair, his most taboo hair, and his most incomprehensible hair.

At this moment, the fine strands of hair seemed to come alive, taking root in Jacqueline Sirius's brain, manipulating the woman, and constantly releasing bioelectric nerve signals.

The seaweed-like strands of hair instantly transformed into steel needles, embracing Jacqueline's hands.

The moment Hasben became [at ease] and the [Gate of Death] was revealed.

The Canaanites found a way out, and found the right to live.

She clung tightly to Hasben, her hair piercing Hasben scalp and heading straight for the seam of his skull!

A sharp pain shot through Hasben, jolting him back to his senses. For a moment, he was unable to maintain his senses!

He stared at the woman's corpse so close to him, watching his mother's face gradually transform into J76's. Overwhelming shame almost overwhelmed everything else, and anger made his face flush red, yet he couldn't utter a single word!

At this moment, all words, all text, all language become unfamiliar.

"You can't speak anymore."

Jacqueline had begun to move; her wet facial muscles contorted and transformed into a kind and lovely smile.

"I can feel your brain, it's so rich! So incredibly rich! A brain volume of 1,770 milliliters! That's far beyond what most people have! Such abundant vital energy! It's truly an unexpected surprise!"

Jacqueline declared, "The language blocks are now entirely in my hands!"

Hasben repeated, "The language blocks are now entirely in my hands!"

This scene was extremely bizarre.

The corpse was speaking, its expressions rich and varied.

Hasben about to lose control of his facial muscles. His scalp was in excruciating pain, but he could not cry out. His brain felt like it was being pricked with needles. Only his body was sweating profusely in response to stress, but he could not move.

He could feel a warm stream of water, which seemed to have pierced his cerebellum.

Jacqueline smiled and controlled Hasben's body.

"You're very unwilling, aren't you? You must be very unwilling! You're about to belong to me. Oh no! It should be—we're about to become one! Homo sapiens!"

"Your cerebellum is out of control, and your limbs will soon be paralyzed."

"You're much simpler than that slut, Hasben Madison."

"This beast actually dared to harm her body, gouging out her own eyes, trying to trap me inside her flesh. What a pity! What a real pity. I admire her determination and courage, but she forgot that this prison has so many White Lady products. Healing herself is just a matter of making a phone call for help."

Jacqueline stuck out her long tongue and swept it across Hasben's face.

"Let me taste you, this essence is strong and powerful, so strong and powerful!"

"As a reward, I will let you live forever."

The conversation shifted abruptly, from enthusiastic to icy, in just one second.

"Oh dear, oh dear, this won't do!"

Jacqueline's expression, which had been affected, immediately softened.

"Jacqueline Sirius is still alive. As punishment for her, I let her live, even though I ate her internal organs, gnawed on her bones, understood her structure, and absorbed her essence. But I still let her live—this brain is fresh. She can see you, she can feel you. She's so excited. I'm so excited."

"Hey! Hasben! Hasben Madison!"

The ruthless Canaanite creature grinned, as if it had discovered a new continent.

"She's actually shy! Mr. Hasben! Ms. Jacqueline is shy because she's so close to you! I can feel the pheromones in her brain! She's nervous for you, worried about you, and heartbroken for you, but all these nerve signals aren't showing on her face, she can't express them! This is the torture I'm inflicting on her! Hasben Madison, you'd better cooperate with me."

"What are you looking at? I can't control your eyes yet, where are you looking?"

The female corpse tilted her head back, followed Mr. Hasben's rolled-up eyes as she looked out, and saw the cold, impersonal security camera.

"Oh! Right! You must be thinking about the warden? I was holding you, but you were thinking about someone else. What a pity, what a pity. Maybe that warden will only be amazed, amazed by our intimacy! The dead can't come back to life, right?"

It was quiet all around, except for the WALKMAN at work.

"You beast!" Jacqueline cursed, "You took my bones, ripped open my thigh muscles, even ripped out my Achilles tendon! I endured it all for so long, waiting for that moment when you lost your mind! Thank goodness! Thank goodness my patience paid off! Thank goodness it was all worth it! My Hasben, I will live for you, so can you please not have such a damn strong will to live!"

Canaan seemed to have run into trouble. Upon reaching the optic nerve block, it seemed to have collided with an invisible magnetic storm, which was the work of Hasben's spirit.

If he loses his sight, Hasben will hallucinate. In this tug-of-war, blindness alone is not such a terrifying thing.

Hasben more concerned with the inexplicable visual spectacle. If, like before, his eyes betrayed him again, giving him a fantastical sensory experience, if his nose smelled a familiar scent, or if his mother's voice and image, seemingly real yet unrecognizable, appeared before him, these kinds of incredibly familiar people or things would make him lower his guard.

This is almost an instinctive conditioned reflex, which cannot be overcome by willpower alone.

Even Xue Ming hesitated for a second when he first saw Canaan transformed into Bailu and pulled the trigger.

"The warden is looking over here, we need to act more intimate," Jacqueline said, having completely taken control of Hasben's cerebellum and was now eroding the Ranger's spinal cord.

"Hahahaha! You're such a pervert! Hasben! Think about it, think carefully, even if you beat me, how are you going to explain this to the outside world, how are you going to explain your actions to your mother? Why don't you just admit defeat?"

The warden stared at the surveillance footage in the morgue, engrossed in munching on popcorn, completely oblivious to the true meaning behind it all.

"Don't they have any shame?"

"That's strange."

"In the past, young couples would often find a small room to hide away and do intimate things when they were flirting."

"Why is she dead, but not completely dead?"

"Is 'that language block is entirely in my hands' some strange Soul Power activation phrase?"

"The sweet talk these days is getting more and more outrageous and more and more like riddles. I feel like I can't keep up with these Gen kids at all. Although I'm also a Gen, does being born in 1800 count as being a Gen?"

"Should we turn off the camera? It seems rather impolite."

"What does it mean that this kid isn't saying a word?"

"Is he a Morpho butterfly? Can he manipulate corpses?"

"But from what I heard from this girl, it sounded like she wanted me to watch the whole thing?"

"Oh no, I can't let this distract me! There are so many shots waiting for me to see!"

"I just want to live, Hasben."

Jacqueline's eyes remained unfocused, as if she were dead. She whispered in Mr. Hasben's ear, in a very low voice, trying to avoid being monitored by the surveillance cameras.

"I'd like to make a deal with you. If you're willing to be with me, we can take turns controlling this body, one day each. Is that alright?"

"If that doesn't work, you can take two days, and I'll take one."

"I've been trapped inside that painting for over a hundred years, without killing or harming anyone— Jacqueline Sirius became like this entirely of her own making. If she had been willing to make this deal, I wouldn't have had to take away all of her essence. Her limbs wouldn't obey her; she tried to resist me. I had no choice but to devour her completely, rebirth her with new parts."

"But I was such a compassionate and gentle life, I still left her a brain—to experience the beauty of life."

"Do you understand what I mean, Hasben? She loves you, the owner of this beautiful body, and hopes you can live a good life."

"To be or not to be, Hasben, that is the question."

"Just 250 milliliters of the Universal Elixir will be enough to reshape this battered body back into Jacqueline Sirius's likeness. After I leave this body, you have sixteen minutes to heal her."

"You are a warrior of Guangling Zhixi, saving lives is your duty, isn't it?"

The seductive music lingered in Hasben's ears, like the whispers of the devil.

"Are you really going to stand by and watch someone die? Are you really going to do nothing?"

"Once you leave this room, you're no longer a Rangers hero; you're a perverted necrophiliac. Even in Blackland Prison, you'll be considered one of the lowest and most despicable prisoners, and you'll get a beating every day."

What will your mother think of you, Hasben?

"I found her! I found her in your mind! Let me see, let me take a closer look."

"Hahahaha! You mama's boy! You're fucking disgusting!"

"If your mother knew about these things, she would probably be very sad—"

Before she could finish speaking, a warm, large hand grabbed Jacqueline's head and pulled Hasben's body away from the operating table.

The Big Sister carried the tattered corpse, and even her perpetually icy face showed an expression of disbelief.

"Eek!~"

A Xing covered her mouth as she looked at the Ranger lad who stood frozen, slowly regaining control of his body, his zipper half-undone.

After holding it in for a long time, A Xing finally spoke.

"You're playing really high-stakes games."