Aberrant Cancer

When Zhuang Hong set foot on the familiar soil of Earth, the tension in his mind finally eased a little.

Though he still could not stop his natural enemies from attacking, no matter what, this was his harbor. This was his root.

And because he had roots, Zhuang Hong never called himself a "Space Wanderer," but a "Space Traveler."

Yet compared to "Space Traveler," Zhuang Hong preferred to call himself a "Three-Dimensional Aberration" or an "Aberrant Cancer."

The name was unpleasant, but vivid.

Simply put, he believed he was a special creature that had broken away from three dimensions and was transforming toward four.

At his core, he was still a Three-Dimensional Being, only one with certain traits of a Four-Dimensional Being.

For example, he could freely travel through different three-dimensional spaces. He could see through everything in three-dimensional space from a higher perspective. He possessed a sense of spatial direction...

So, what was a Four-Dimensional Being?

Zhuang Hong did not know.

Just as a two-dimensional creature could not comprehend three dimensions, he, as a Three-Dimensional Being, could not comprehend the existence of four dimensions.

But he had some thoughts on the matter:

Among the countless three-dimensional spaces beyond Earth, there were countless "Zhuang Hongs." The aggregate of all those "Zhuang Hongs" was one complete Four-Dimensional Life.

And he was merely one part of that Four-Dimensional Life.

Zhuang Hong believed that not only him—every living creature on Earth was actually part of a Four-Dimensional Life.

He believed that in other three-dimensional spaces, countless "Li Leis" would come together to form a Four-Dimensional Life called "Lei Li," and countless "Han Meimeis" would come together to form a Four-Dimensional Life called "Meimei Han."

It was simply that they did not know it, each living their lives properly in different spaces.

Just as the human body was made up of countless cells, a single cell might never know what the "human" it formed was supposed to be.

Zhuang Hong believed he was a "three-dimensional cell" of a Four-Dimensional Life, except he had mutated into a "cancer cell," beginning to absorb nutrients—transfer—spread within that Four-Dimensional Life, even devouring and squeezing out normal cells.

At this rate, perhaps one day he would perish together with the Four-Dimensional Life...

Of course, becoming an Aberrant Cancer had not been Zhuang Hong's intention.

From the moment he mutated, he had no choice. He could only flee everywhere, avoiding the natural enemies that might appear at any time.

At the same time, a sliver of luck remained in his heart. If I devour all the "Zhuang Hongs" in other spaces, perhaps I can turn the tables and become a true "Four-Dimensional Life"! I want to see, from the perspective of a true Four-Dimensional Life, just what marvels this Infinite Space holds.

Over the years, he had drifted through other three-dimensional spaces and indeed devoured quite a few bizarre "Zhuang Hongs"—a giant dragonfly, a massive human-faced spider, and so on—gaining transformations in his abilities.

They were Dimensional Sight, Silk Spitting, Iron Carapace, Ejection, and Manipulation.

Dimensional Sight allowed him to overlook his current three-dimensional space from outside it, leaving nowhere for anything within that space to hide. It also let him see scenes in several adjacent layers of space.

Silk Spitting allowed him to spit out fine, tough, sticky strands like a spider.

Iron Carapace transformed Source Power into tough armor that could be shaped into anything—armor, shields, long blades, spikes...

Ejection launched small objects from his body, even reaching the initial velocity of a rifle bullet. Naturally, in critical moments, he could eject himself to flee as well, though at a greatly reduced speed.

Manipulation used Mental Strength to precisely control the movement of lightweight objects. Controlling throwing knives or Flying Swords was unreliable, but it was perfect for controlling spider silk.

The abilities were so-so. He had no power to shatter heaven and earth, and his offensive strength was lacking, but they were more than enough for self-preservation. At worst, he could eject himself and run.

But when these seemingly ordinary abilities were paired with his power to travel through space at will...

He was basically invincible in the three-dimensional world!

Unfortunately, he had not gained the ability to remain alert while asleep, so he had not been able to enjoy a peaceful night's sleep in three years.

Back at his home on Earth, Zhuang Hong set down his backpack and the weariness in his heart, then lay on the bed in utter relaxation.

At this moment, how he wished he were merely an ordinary Earthling, able to sleep properly—to sleep until the sky fell and the earth cracked...

But could he sleep peacefully?

No!

Because he could not be sure that, once he slept too deeply, he would not be devoured by a natural enemy that suddenly appeared.

"After I buy the books for Xu Kaidong, I'll continue hunting the 'Zhuang Hongs' from other spaces and gain new abilities. Maybe the surprise will come next time."

Lying on the bed, Zhuang Hong released a large amount of Fine Silk from his body, weaving it into a net and spreading it through the current space and nearby spaces as a simple alarm. Then he closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Perhaps his bad luck had finally run out. This time, Zhuang Hong was not attacked by any natural enemy.

After an unknown amount of time, his phone vibrated faintly. He jolted awake and instinctively ejected himself into another space to hide...

Only after realizing it was his phone ringing did he let out a sharp breath of relief.

He first picked up his phone to check the time and found that he had only slept lightly for six hours, though he had recovered some of his strength.

He casually answered Chen Yuanfei's call.

Chen Yuanfei had grown up in the orphanage with Zhuang Hong. The difference was that Chen Yuanfei had been lucky enough to be adopted and leave the orphanage at the age of ten.

But Chen Yuanfei had always treated Zhuang Hong like a brother, caring for him like an elder brother over the years.

A hoarse, dispirited voice came from the other end of the phone. "Ah Hong, do you have time? Come out and talk with me."

Zhuang Hong heard that something was wrong with Chen Yuanfei and became more awake. "Where?"

"A-Mei Fresh Porridge."

Zhuang Hong hung up, washed up quickly, and headed out.

At a secluded spot in A-Mei Fresh Porridge, he found Chen Yuanfei looking haggard.

Zhuang Hong was not good with words and preferred listening to others speak. After sitting down, he poured himself a glass of water and said nothing.

Chen Yuanfei looked Zhuang Hong over and said helplessly, "Ah Hong, why do you always look like you have no energy? I'm really worried you'll suddenly drop dead one day..."

Zhuang Hong said, "I'm used to it. What happened to you?"

Chen Yuanfei let out a long sigh, covered his face with both hands, and fell silent for a moment before forcing a smile. "Ah Hong... I need to tell you something. I... will be leaving soon."

Though Chen Yuanfei tried hard to remain calm, Zhuang Hong still heard the tremor in his voice.

"Leaving?"

"Cancer. It's late-stage. Maybe from now on, I won't be able to ask you out for drinks and chats anymore."

A look of shock crossed Zhuang Hong's face, but it quickly sharpened, an almost imperceptible glint flashing in his eyes.

Dimensional Sight!

The next moment, the world before Zhuang Hong's eyes changed beyond recognition.

The most intricate structures of all things were displayed before him in full view.

He saw the wood inside the tables and chairs, along with countless wood-boring insects. He saw the intricate mechanisms inside the television and a cluster of cockroaches. He saw the cash inside a safe. He saw the A-Mei accompanying drinkers in the private room, as well as everything inside and outside A-Mei's body...

Every sight hidden behind surfaces was laid bare before him.

It was as though this world held no secrets in his eyes.

Like a creator, he overlooked all things beneath heaven from a unique perspective.

Zhuang Hong focused his gaze on Chen Yuanfei.

Flowing blood, a beating heart, lungs rising and falling with every breath, and a mass in the lungs covered in tentacles...

Chen Yuanfei had no idea about Zhuang Hong's change. His face was bitter as he forced himself to appear carefree.

"During this time, I hid it from everyone and went to many famous hospitals. I saw many specialist doctors, but every doctor said my prognosis was terrible and my chances of survival were low. They told me to prepare myself mentally..."

"Our family should receive a demolition compensation payment in about a year, but I don't want treatment. I don't want to struggle anymore. I want to leave the money for my parents' retirement. They brought me home and raised me for over a decade, yet I can't repay them with filial devotion...

To tell you the truth, I once climbed onto the rooftop of a building over twenty stories high. I even tied a rope to a ceiling fan, and bought a lot of poison...

But I just don't have the courage to end myself. I'm still attached to this beautiful world!"

"I had clearly planned out my future..."

By the end, Chen Yuanfei was sobbing too hard to speak. "Ah Hong, I never expected my life to suddenly become like this... I don't know what to do. I can only come to you and pour it all out."

Men did not cry easily; they simply had not yet reached the depths of despair.