Act 11: Everything Matters

Foreword:

Everyone has flaws, like an apple bitten by God. Some people have bigger flaws, precisely because God especially loves their fragrance.

Leo Tolstoy | War and Peace

[Part 1 - Shrinking?!]

"Yes! This is it! Little Shark!" Mrs. Clare opened her coat and warmly invited Sharks Chili to sign her shirt.

For a moment, the little Shasha was captivated by the hospitable couple. It let Mr. Griffin pick it up, lowered all its guard, and used a marker to write the English translation of Sharks Chili on Mrs. Clare's belly.

But the next second, everything started to go wrong.

Mrs. Clare's full and beautiful body seemed to be slowly growing larger; her shoulders broadened, and her head swelled up considerably.

And why did Mr. Griffin also get bigger?

The little Shasha felt dizzy and disoriented. The hands that were holding it on its sides could now pinch its armpits and buttocks at the same time! A strong feeling of nausea and pain came over it, blood gushed from its mouth and nose, and it lost consciousness in an instant.

Ten minutes later, in the kitchen storage room of the Peace Hotel on Lion King Avenue, the little shark woke up again.

This is the most prestigious banquet hall near the Lionheart Stadium; most of the capital's birthday celebrations, festivals, and wedding banquets are held here.

The unfamiliar environment made it wary, and it tried to get out of bed, only to find that the bed was so [vast and deep], so spacious!

The lights, ceiling fans, air conditioners, and giant potatoes in the warehouse have all gotten bigger!

Why? Why did this happen?!

"If I were you, I would stay there quietly, cooperate with our work, and stop overthinking and struggling."

A familiar and heavy voice rang out, Sharks Chili looked over in horror—

--That's Mrs. Clerry Button in her [giant form]!

Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!

"Could it be that I've shrunk?! I've become even smaller?"

The little shark then came to its senses, looking at its clothes, which seemed to have shrunk proportionally along with its body!

The intense dizziness and the throbbing pain in its organs were caused by the drastic changes in hydraulic pressure after its body shrank! Its blood vessels, heart, and even the cavities of its body couldn't withstand the pressure, and it vomited more than 300 milliliters of blood before passing out!

"Little Shark." Claire Barton's voice became very strange, sounding like a voice changer had been activated in the shrunken Sharks Chili's ears, becoming deep and terrifying. "I am deeply sorry about this. You were not our target. Unfortunately, the members of the Fairy Tale Kingdom all travel in groups, so we can only ask you to call them one by one."

On the other side, a huge head suddenly appeared from the [cliff edge] of the bed.

Mr. Griffin poked his head out and said seriously, "Coach Sharks Chili, we didn't want to do this either. It was just a coincidence that we temporarily changed the kidnapping target to you. If you can help us complete this mission, you will be free."

Mrs. Clare smiled and said, "How about trading your life, plus some money, for the life of the gunsmith student?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Sharks Chili finally realized the situation.

--This couple are the minions of the Immortals! They are the Wings of Light!

They possess the superpower of Soul Might and are preparing to attack the gunsmith's students!

It observed its surroundings and compared the size of the bed to estimate its own size. It was originally 120 centimeters tall, but now it was less than 60 centimeters tall, almost cut in half, and became the size of a plush toy!

In Claire Barton's eyes, killing this little guy would be a piece of cake.

Shasha is by no means a coward, but what should she do now? How can she fight back?

The hybrid of the calamity beasts is indeed stronger than humans, but it hasn't even reached its growth stage yet; it's still a juvenile. Those sharp teeth might be able to crack open copper and iron, but what's in front of it are two Red Flash Butterfly with Soul Might!

"Did you understand?" Claire Barton handed Sharks Chili's phone to the bedside. "If you understood, make the call and call over one by one the gunsmith's students. Remember—call them over one by one."

"Mrs. Clare." Sharks Chili pondered for a long time, but couldn't find a proper way to survive. However, it would never betray its benefactors. Brother Meteor had saved its life, and Brother Xue Ming was the guiding light that pulled it out of the hell of Eureka. Although the sentries in the capital didn't treat it like a human being, and there were many people who discriminated against the monsters, they didn't think Sharks Chili had human rights, and they certainly wouldn't hold it to human moral standards.

But deep down, Little Shasha believed that it was human, or at least that hybrids possessed some Homo sapiens blood.

"Mrs. Clare! And Mr. Griffin! I'm sorry, I cannot agree to your terms!"

Shasha answered firmly.

"--I can't do it. I can't betray my own heart! Nor can I deceive you, because when you asked me for autographs and enthusiastically talked to me about the Moon God Cup, you didn't seem to be lying. Only enthusiasm and sincerity can make me lower my guard. My nose is very sensitive!"

"I can't do this deal, it's too cruel for a little kid like me!"

"If you're unhappy or angry, even if it takes my life, I will never betray the gunsmith's students."

"These team members were all very, very good people. They shouldn't have died at the hands of the Madness Butterfly Sect."

"Mrs. Clare."

Halfway through her sentence, Shasha started to cry.

--Mrs. Clare was an indecisive and sentimental person, and she too began to shed small pearls.

Griffin grew impatient, so he began to talk to the little shark about the mercy of evil people.

"To tell you the truth, little shark, you're going to die a very painful death."

He held up a can of Coke, intending to scare Sharks Chili.

"My Soul Might's true name is [Madness·Madness]. It can steal heat from matter and turn liquids into ice. Originally, I wanted you to eat ice cream, then freeze your stomach and intestines, preserve your consciousness, render you unable to move, and then tie you up."

"But Keli is soft-hearted. We really enjoy watching the Fairy Tale Kingdom competition, it's a genuine passion, but it doesn't have much to do with our work. We need to keep things separate—if you don't cooperate, I'll resort to torture."

As it said this, [Madness] burst out of Mr. Griffin's body. It was like a transparent, bright red ice crystal, its multifaceted shell resembling a majestic and handsome toy robot. It punched the cola can, but the impact on the aluminum alloy exterior did not cause any deformation. In just an instant, ice flowers burst out from the can's surface, and dry, caramel-colored ice shards landed on Shasha's head like hail and snow.

"This process will be extremely painful," Griffin threatened solemnly. "You will slowly watch your body turn to dust. The necrotic tissues won't feel pain, allowing you to retain consciousness to the greatest extent possible. Even if only your heart and lungs are left, you can still live for a few minutes."

"Why would you do this?!" The little shark wasn't afraid; instead, it questioned Mr. Griffin, "Your psychic talent is incredibly powerful! This special ability could benefit many people, so why use it to torment others?"

Griffin was stumped.

--Shasha continued.

"My God! The temperature in the capital of Forty-One District is almost 42 degrees Celsius! The whole city is like a giant furnace! Mr. Griffin, your talent is such that people would regard you as the god of air conditioning. Why would you work for the Immortals? You could make a lot of money, travel everywhere with Mrs. Clare, and live a very happy life."

"It makes so much sense," Claire Barton whispered.

"No! My son is still in Pellegrini Tuan's hands!" Griffin immediately retorted, "You sharp-tongued brat! Don't try to seduce me! My power comes from elixirs! I can only eat human flesh! The moment I transformed into the Wings of Light, I said goodbye to my beautiful and innocent human life!"

After hearing this, the little shark finally gave up trying to persuade him and abandoning his illusions.

Griffin frowned and glared, refusing to budge an inch.

"Don't even think about negotiating. This is how society slowly deteriorates. Only power and might can bring some justice. I've already killed the three sentries who came to my stall to collect protection money! They can no longer harm other laborers—they need to go to hell to repent and learn to be human."

"Mr. Griffin! They don't deserve to die!" the little shark exclaimed in surprise.

Griffin: "Why would you speak up for these people who bully you!? Little shark! Have you shrunk and lost your mind? These stinking parasites deserve to die. Every second they live on earth, they oppress the weak and exploit the vulnerable with their power."

"But they don't deserve to die!" the little shark insisted. "You can break their legs, cut off their ears, make them suffer, force them to admit their mistakes, and reform them through punishment and education, but they don't deserve to die."

Griffin didn't want to talk about this anymore.

--He had crossed the line. After gaining control of life and death and acquiring soul power, human life became increasingly worthless in the eyes of this couple.

"Alright! Shut up! I think you're out of your mind! You're clearly a hybrid of a calamity beast! Yet you're speaking up for these vile humans! And you still want to protect the gunsmith students—you're truly courting death."

The little shark gave up and never tried to persuade people to do good again.

Still young, it still held a glimmer of hope. It had coached many players in the Moon God Cup, and these hot-blooded older brothers and sisters often had fierce conflicts due to internal team disputes, and sometimes even harbored murderous intentions.

It will do everything in its power to repair these relationships, using flattery and obsequiousness to win people's hearts and turn pure malice into goodwill.

But Griffin and Claire are different. This couple not only have to contend with the cannibalistic desires of the blood-bearing body, but according to them, Pellegrini also holds the life of their precious son in his hands.

There are no conditions to negotiate between the good and evil sides; from the moment they tear off their masks, they can only become enemies.

"Push the phone over here, Mrs. Clare."

[Part ②: He knows when to enter the market]

Connie Barton was overjoyed upon hearing this. She hadn't expected Sharks Chili to back down so quickly. Her husband's methods were truly impressive; he had scared the little guy with just a bottle of Coke.

"Come here! Come here! My little darling! I knew you were easy to talk to! You're super cute!"

Griffin's menacing expression gradually softened. "Great! Excellent! Sharks Chili! You did a good job! If you cooperate with us, you'll not only leave this warehouse alive, but you'll also get a large sum of money!"

Shasha could sense the severe damage Lady Klee's aura had inflicted upon it; its abdomen and limbs were wracked with excruciating pain. If its body shrank even a fraction more, it would likely claim its life instantly.

--The couple's superpowers are extremely deadly. While the physique of a monster can withstand drastic changes in limb pressure, humans may not be able to.

If an adult were shrunk to one-fifth of its original size, the ventricles of the heart would also shrink, and the person would die within seconds.

For the members of the Fairy Tale Kingdom, neither [Madness] nor Lady Klee's Soul Power are terrifying beings that their older brothers and sisters cannot confront head-on.

The little shark swallowed a mouthful of bloody saliva and nervously dialed Shao Jinghao's number.

As the caller ID chimed, the little shark made its final decision in those few seconds.

It must tell A Hao, Daniel, and Qi Ji all the information as quickly and concisely as possible.

There is more than one enemy; they are all Red Flash Butterfly with Soul Power. We need to find the Gunsmith Master and notify the defense forces of Forty-One District to jointly capture them.

As for its own safety, it seems it can't escape or avoid it this time; its life is in danger.

The fear of death made it tremble and shake uncontrollably.

Animals are far more afraid of death than humans, and the will to survive of hybrids of wild animals far surpasses that of Homo sapiens.

The Shasha must overcome its weak animalistic nature, recognize reality, and sacrifice itself for righteousness.

"A Hao!"

The moment the call connected.

Sharks Chili screamed in shock, completely unable to contain his excitement.

"There are two enemies! Both are minions of the Immortals! One is a man, the other a woman, Griffin who sells ice cream at a mobile stall! And there's Claire Barton! Their Soul Power abilities are..."

Before the words had even finished --

The phone also shrank, rapidly shrinking.

Claire Barton looked disappointed as she called out Soul Might's real name—a pink whip lashed across the phone screen.

"Everything Matters!"

Before Sharks Chili could finish speaking, the semiconductor system's circuitry shifted and malfunctioned, rendering it completely unusable. The battery shrank and emitted intense sparks, turning Shasha's face black.

"Ooh ooh! Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh!"

The baby shark was so frightened that it started crying, even harder than before, a desperate struggle in the face of imminent doom.

"I have one more request! I have one more request! Can you let me finish what I have to say? I want to say something! I want to say something!"

The little shark knelt on the bed with its fists clasped, repeatedly kowtowing to the couple.

Claire Barton: "Okay, you have twenty seconds. We need to calm down too. Things are getting worse and more complicated now, and it's all your fault."

Griffin Barton: "Little shark, you've disappointed us. I'm going to kill you."

The little shark took a deep breath and then uttered its last words.

"Help! Help! Help! Someone's being killed! Help! Help!!!"

It screamed for help at the top of its lungs, but behind the warehouse door, there was only a quiet alley.

The lobby of the Peace Hotel was far from the warehouse, and the kitchen staff hadn't started their shifts yet, so no one would come to rescue it.

This place is more than 700 meters away from the Roman Holiday Hotel, so even if A Hao received the call immediately, he wouldn't be able to get there right away.

Sharks Chili made a fatal mistake; in the moment it was overcome by fear, it forgot the most important information—

--It doesn't know where it is, it has no idea where it is, it doesn't have the extra mental bandwidth to calmly analyze, and it has no way to guess where it is.

The last few cries for help seemed to be nothing more than a dying plea to the gods, hoping that Lady Luck would protect Shasha.

With twenty seconds left on the countdown, the Pattons were still discussing their strategy. They were ready to kill the little shark and then find another way to capture the gunsmith's students one by one.

But they forgot something very important --

--The kidnapping location they chose was the food warehouse of the Peace Hotel. Lord Pellegrini had instructed that the difficulty of the mission be gradually reduced: if they couldn't capture the hostage, they should try to seduce him; if they couldn't seduce him, they should torture and kill him and record it; if they couldn't torture and kill him and record it, they should kill him and then take pictures.

The Peace Hotel's food warehouse is a great place to hide a body, its staff lounge is suitable for torture, and its cold storage is clean and bright, making it suitable for photography.

It has ample food reserves and the most complete range of ingredients in the vicinity, which can match the digestive system of the blood donor unit.

The couple was unusually clever for once, but they forgot—

--Many people in the capital hold banquets at the Peace Hotel.

In the short time that Sharks Chili was screaming for help, the kitchen and the warehouse were separated by only one wall.

Suddenly, the wall burst open, and a huge figure wearing a sun-protective cloak entered the warehouse. The bluestone bricks and the heat-insulating glutinous rice glue turned into dust that scattered and landed on the thick dust-proof cloak.

Thick, large fingers emerged from the wide sleeves of the sun-protective robe, radiating a terrifying pressure along with the bright red, scalding spirit body.

"Boss! This place is perfectly spacious! You're always talking to me about money. Do I look like someone who's short of cash? You're making me so anxious and confused! I might as well open a back door for you!"

Bu Liuxing shouted loudly as he stepped out from beside the pit in the wall, his eyes meeting those of the Bartons.

"You're saying we can't make a birthday cake that big!? The warehouse is so big! If we're short of kitchen utensils, we can just look carefully, right?"

"From the moment I received the congratulatory message, I was thinking! I had to give the students a surprise! I couldn't lose to that kid A Hao!"

"A person can only celebrate their 27th birthday once in their lifetime!"

"I flew for seven hours and then took a train for more than thirty hours!"

"Now you're telling me! The biggest hotel in the capital can't even make the cake I want?"