Chapter 57: Trembling
On the coconut tree of the beach, Sweet Orange watched the world turning upside down, appearing quite calm. As long as she wasn't pinned down and rubbed into the sand by an enemy, she didn't care about anything else.
"Hunter of Reincarnation Paradise, I won't sign a contract or sell my life for anything. That's too shameful."
Sweet Orange amused herself by spinning her body, starting to rotate in a hanging upside-down position.
"..."
Su Xiao looked at Sweet Orange hanging upside down. He was certain that killing her like this wouldn't finish her off completely. Her survival ability was absurdly strong. Earlier, when she turned into fluorescent green liquid, a portion of her aura had escaped.
This should be some kind of splitting ability. What he had caught now was Sweet Orange's main body. Once the main body died, her consciousness would likely transfer to the split body, turning into a mini Sweet Orange. If she had the chance to return to Apocalypse Paradise, recovering would only be a matter of time.
During the earlier battle, Su Xiao had noticed that Sweet Orange didn't just energy-form; she could turn her body into cells, transforming into fluorescent green liquid composed of her body cells. This was another cellular form of hers.
A simple analogy: after cellification, Sweet Orange went from a girl to a "girl juice." In this form, although she couldn't evade attacks, she had no vital points.
"Amazing structure."
Su Xiao's right hand was wrapped in a crystal layer. He grabbed Sweet Orange's cheek and pulled, causing her face to turn fluorescent green and stretch out.
Su Xiao let go. With a smack, Sweet Orange's own face slapped her. Though it seemed strange, that was the principle.
Sweet Orange still grinned, thinking about how to curse effectively so the enemy would kill her quickly.
Currently, Sweet Orange could only move her body slightly. She couldn't do anything else. Earlier, when besieged by the cursed people, too much curse power had invaded her body, exhausting her energy and preventing recovery, leaving her like a fish on a chopping board.
"Forget it, I'll be honest with you. Right now, I have nothing. You technique-type guys have perception as sharp as ghosts. You should have noticed my split body. I've even transferred my Apocalypse mark over there. I'm just waiting to die. If you're angry, you can torture me, but one thing: my cells are highly toxic. Are you sure you want to do something strange to me?"
Sweet Orange confessed. She was stalling for time. When her body energy recovered to a certain level, she would self-destruct. Even if it couldn't kill Su Xiao, she planned to blow up Bubu Wang.
"You're cellifying. What would happen if your main body didn't die?"
As Su Xiao spoke, he tore a piece of flesh from Sweet Orange with one hand. No blood appeared; the flesh in his hand turned into fluorescent green semi-fluid.
"When your main body's cells are blocked by mental power, what happens?"
Su Xiao's hand surged with Cyan Steel Shadow Energy. The fluorescent green semi-fluid in his hand turned into spore-like forms, creating streaks of emerald brilliance that shot into the dense forest ahead at unimaginable speed.
"You've merged more of your soul into the split body, causing your main body's cells to be blocked by mental power. These cells will then attach to your split body."
Su Xiao's eyes showed contemplation. He found Sweet Orange's ability quite fascinating.
If he could thoroughly study the principle of this ability, Su Xiao could use it to create a mindless, unconscious alchemical creature. This creature would be fundamentally different from the earlier Amu and Baha—it wouldn't have lively thoughts and could even evolve from an alchemical creature into a living being. The current Amu and Baha were living beings with flesh and independent thoughts.
This new alchemical creature naturally wouldn't count as a member of Su Xiao's team, given its lack of thought and consciousness, and its singular ability.
If successful, this fluid-like miniature alchemical creature would have only one ability: after absorbing the enemy's blood, hair, or other body tissues—even trace amounts—it could continuously track the enemy through cellular and aura resonance.
Once locked by this alchemical creature, the tracking would be relentless unless it was killed. Even if it had no combat power, intelligence, or consciousness, its ability would be terrifying.
The simpler the existence, the more powerful its sole ability becomes, because everything sacrificed is concentrated on that one point, making it nearly unsolvable.
If this idea succeeded, even trace amounts of saliva left on utensils by an enemy during a meal could be absorbed by this alchemical creature, allowing it to track the enemy.
Su Xiao's thoughts gradually refined, and his gaze toward Sweet Orange grew eager. He happened to have time in the next two days. He wouldn't consider landing on Eternal Life Island until it completely descended into chaos.
"You... are really something good."
Su Xiao examined Sweet Orange. For some reason, Sweet Orange, hanging upside down, stiffened. She felt that the man's gaze was terrifying—far more so than a gaze intending to kill or torture her. It seemed her existence was something to be pleased about. In that moment, Sweet Orange was afraid, genuinely terrified and panicked.
"Big, big brother, I actually wanted to kill you for legend points. How hateful is that? Just kill me."
"You're more useful alive than dead. Don't worry, I'm just taking some of your body cells. No need to be nervous."
Su Xiao took out an injection gun, while Amu and Baha prepared various tools to seal Sweet Orange away. These items involved alchemy, ancient god power, and more.
Su Xiao led the cursed people away and returned to the Doom Number. The Doom Number sailed four nautical miles out and submerged over 300 meters underwater, its hull half-buried in the seabed mud. The cursed people all fell silent.
Bubu Wang, Baha, and Kaisa stayed on Minguang Island. Bubu Wang's survivability needed no explanation. Baha was in an alternate space, acting as Bubu Wang's personal bodyguard. Kaisa had run off somewhere.
300 meters underwater, inside the captain's cabin of the Doom Number.
Su Xiao had rearranged the captain's cabin into a different appearance. Only he and Amu were in the cabin. Wen Ni was in the adjacent small cabin. For 24 hours a day, Wen Ni now slept over 23 hours, thanks to a legacy item provided by Octopus Brother and the effects of Nightmare God's divine blood.
The crystal ball provided by Octopus Brother was a soul legacy left by a powerful witch 497 years ago. Su Xiao had infused Nightmare God's divine blood into it, allowing Wen Ni to receive the witch's legacy in her dreams. This was Wen Ni's deserved reward.
The cabin's lights were bright. Sweet Orange lay on a cold metal table. She wasn't restrained, but only her head could move slightly.
"Big brother, Mr. White Night, I actually know how to mine. And now, I dare to go anywhere, completely unafraid of death. Why not let me go mining? It's very profitable."
"..."
Five minutes into the analysis.
"What's that you're holding? Don't bring it near me. I was wrong. I shouldn't have attacked you. I sincerely apologize. Listen to me, you bastard, you ****."
"..."
Twelve minutes into the analysis.
"Scumbag, trash, I'm not afraid of you at all. Go to hell. Don't you dare be alone..."
"..."
One hour into the analysis.
"I was wrong. I shouldn't have cursed you. Forgive me. This mental pressure... I'm starting to feel strange."
"..."
Nine hours into the analysis.
"I'll do anything you want. Anything. Just stop."
"..."
From start to finish, Su Xiao never inflicted pain on Sweet Orange's body. He only took cells and studied them on the side, occasionally stabilizing Sweet Orange's mind to prevent her consciousness from shifting in a strange direction due to cellular resonance.
After a full 38 hours, Su Xiao, sitting at the wooden table, finally breathed a sigh of relief. He held a glass rod about 5 centimeters thick, sealed at both ends, filled with fluorescent green liquid. He had succeeded—or rather, succeeded 95%. The remaining part would have to be completed after returning to his exclusive room, as the equipment here was too crude.
"Hmph, that's it? I've endured it. I thought you were something special. Just taking some cells and studying them on the side."
Sweet Orange was tough—if not for the tears glistening in her eyes, she would indeed be tough.
"Amu, finish her."
Su Xiao put away the glass rod. Hearing this, Amu walked toward Sweet Orange.
"Don't... don't kill me like this. My consciousness will transfer to the split body. I'll experience these 38 hours in an instant. My mind will break. Don't..."
Crack, crack, crack~
Ice froze Sweet Orange solid. Meanwhile, in the active plant area of Eternal Life Island.
A mini Sweet Orange, only 20 centimeters tall, sat on a mushroom, crossing her legs and humming a tune.
"I've become so small. Why hasn't the main body died yet? Only part of my consciousness, and I'm all dizzy. What is that guy named Bai Ye doing to my main body?"
Mini Sweet Orange yawned. Just then, her brow twitched. The main body had died, meaning her consciousness and soul would become whole again, entering this tiny body.
"Sweet Orange, you're the most suicidal person I've ever seen. No exceptions."
Guang Mu, leaning against a tree trunk nearby, spoke. Hearing this, Sweet Orange snorted and focused, preparing to receive the transferred consciousness and memories.
"Here it comes, here it comes. So what if he's number one? He can't do anything to me. At most, he'll torture my main body. A piece of cake."
Sweet Orange's eyes were full of joy. In an instant, her expression froze. Surprise came so suddenly.