I sneak up to Crimson Star's corpse, his head is crushed, yeah, but there's not much blood. I rest one foreleg on his hand and this bish is still alive! How? Hmm... Am I sustaining him or is this more cultivator bullshit? I remember gutting some assholes that wanted to harvest me for materials, and they just glared at me while popping pills. Is he an alchemist? A physicker? How's he survive the --. No... Everyone's surviving the Suckening lately. Do I need to consume more? I've been doing the domestic thing, unless that's how I learned the soul suck...
Why are my skills and stuff evolving without me selecting anything? I thought Silent was responsible for the auto thing, but it feels like the more I do something --. Is there alignment? Are my skills evolving based on how I'm interacting with folk? How's soul sucking a natural progression of eating all the --. I heard it as I thought it. Yeah, no. That makes sense. Hmm...
I opt to lay down next to Crimson Star, trying to get more insights with my new knowledge. Nevermind how he survived, how does the Earth Hare poison work. I swear he didn't have a pulse, and he still doesn't-ish. It's almost there, like his blood is flowing but not pulsing through his body, so how does that work. He groans and I push away from him, screaming, afraid to waste the time on scrabbling to my feet, and not wanting to turn my back on this super zombie. He opens an eye, seeing me plastered against the wall, probably hearing me scream like a bitch, and makes a clicking sound as he tries to swallow, the eye closing in a long blink before opening and refocusing on me.
"Water."
Holy shit, he's alive. I unbank a series of water skins and flasks, trying to see if any of them have actual water in them. There's a lot of liquids that aren't quite water, but not spirits, and I offer them to him. He props himself up on one arm, -- how?! Dude was dead, had his head beaten with a magical bludgeon, and is doing this... how? -- sniffing at the different containers, closing them before tossing them, -- yay, manners? Also, fuck you? -- until he gets to one where he scrunches his battered face before drinking it. He chugs, sighs, caps the water skin, then passes out with it on his chest. Didn't think I was gifting it to him...
I stare blankly, just listening to our breath while waiting for a thank you or something, and he just slowly drifts off to sleep. Asshole. I make sure all the containers are closed, banking them and letting him keep the one he picked as proof of his rudeness, then race back to the kitchen to stop anything from burning. A quick banking of the cooked and I fold herbs into some paste, the movement natural and awkward. Oh. My. YAAAAS~! I've got recipes, bitches!
I freeze, trying to explore the information I'd gotten from Satin Yarn. I thought I was producing silk before, holy shiz. Fack. Even hunans consume Shiver Thorn, too. Just... Super processed. Soaked, drained, strained, boiled down, strained, watered down, then processed more. And every step produces something. I don't remember doing half of that, but the plants fibers are magical bullshit that goes "nuh-uh!" when they encounter heat and water. Not sure what kind of plant goes "eek! Fire!" and "eek! Water!", but I'm still learning. Also don't need to filter out the toxins. Neat. I play around with the new recipes in my head, trying to see if me masticating the ingredients and using my forelimbs changes the end results.
[Berry Shiver Jelly Dumpling Consumed]
[Qi +100]
[Karma +100]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,784]
[Current Qi: 241,662/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,137/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
It does. Eating more doesn't do anything, that I notice, and I'm wondering if I have to wait for the effects to wear off. It's like a jelly donut, doesn't taste like choco, so I'm gonna need to try it with the tea leaves, but the citrus and berry jelly inside a milled nut paste cooked up makes a tasty treat. Either me producing them in my void, or with buggy powered processing, makes them more potent, or they just hit different 'cause I'm not hunan. Either way. Win.
Can I put fish paste in a dumpling and make fish cake dumplings...? Something to explore after I win the competition. Or when I come back for another snack break. I finish off my old school fish cake, take stuff off the shelves, and put new pots on for stew, no need to add a thickening agent when I cook that shiz down. I slip out of my void, get pinned to the ground with the carrying sack by one of the weaver warriors while the other keeps tightening a rope until I climb away from the constriction, end up in the sack, and then they tie off the bag. Teamwork?
I groom as they adopt belligerent, angry, stances, pointing their fingers at me like I should be able to see them, but I doubt they know about my Ultravision. I get to learn -- by listening? Egads! -- that they honestly believe their sister fell off the cliff, was too injured to defend herself, and got ate or buried by something. They want to use me as bait again, but this time, when I bank whatever part of the beast I use to kill them, brain, heart, or soul, -- the fact that that's their throwaway and it's so frickin' accurate... -- they want me to leave the body. If I don't, -- the girl who did the tying not the wrasslin' opens her hand then slowly curls her fingers into a fist. Good job, very scary. -- they're going to leave me in the sack. I bank the sack and face them, still grooming.
There's a brief silence in which they exchange looks, barely moving their heads, doing their best to stay absolutely still. I get to watch eye widening, eye narrowing, lip pursing, frowning, head twitching glaring as they have a full on conversation with their faces, the rest of their bodies locked in place like I did something. I didn't, but, wow. The dedication. Not sure why they think moving their heads a little counts as not moving at all. Degrees?
-*You could just ask,*- I point out as they both just stare each other down.
The glaringest sister -- yes, I know her name is Woven Moon Silk, a reference, not to actual moon essence silk, but a story of someone weaving moonlight when they had no materials, but she hasn't earned a nickname yet, -- sighs, relaxing and standing naturally while the younger sibling, -- the middle child, --- technically second eldest, there's four girls but the baby got adopted out, --- always trying to prove she's better than the eldest, say hello to Thorn Needle! -- continues glaring at the eldest. So eldest is resigned to work with me or go with the hot-headed sister's plan and she's resigned to die...?
[Piercing Shot x2 Successful]
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[Successful Uses 84/100]
[Qi -30 x2]
[Karma -5 x2]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,781]
[Current Qi: 241,602/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,127/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
Just in case. Fury, shame, embarrassment, hope. The younger sister is upset they got dunked on by a lion, but stomping my ass is just what they need to boost morale. Besides, they're not going to kill me on purpose, but surely a beating will make me more inclined to listen to them? The older sister already lost one sister to adoption, one to this hunt, and worries that she'll fail to protect the youngest now. She knows that the lion died to something in my silk, as long as they avoid the blast, they'll be fine. I'm not even a threat. The elder sister relaxes then tenses, face set in a light frown, the corners of her eyes slightly pinched. I'm not a threat, but her sister is overeager. The younger sister grins, blood in her teeth, -- the fuck? I didn't do that! Is she already bleeding to death? Why can't I hear it? -- ready to get this win.
They both turn to me, yell, the oldest holding her shuttle at her shoulder, arm cocked back like she's going to punch me, the younger, fists clenched at her side, trying not to sway. They both tense, swaying, looking like they just surprised burped, turn to look at each other --.
[Feeding x2 Successful]
[Successful Uses 56/100]
[Qi +1000 x2]
[Karma +10 x2]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,786]
[Current Qi: 243,602/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,147/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
Nuh-uh! Nope! No more of that! My feeding interrupts them and they fall, landing with their heads facing each other, but they didn't get to make eye contact before I did the Suck. A quick check, -- Tch! I haven't digested enough yet, -- and I really hope they weren't about to do some mega-ultra transform fuse bullshit and double team my ass. I stopped it, so there's that. I bank them, go with their bodies into my void and bank them in my jade. Not sure when I bank bank and when I Bank. I catch Crimson Star sitting on the steps, hand cradling the top of his lowered head, the other hand dangling with the flask. I don't know if he got a chance to get a good look at any of them, I could find out, but --. No, buts.
[Piercing Shot Successful]
[Successful Uses 85/100]
[Qi -30]
[Karma -5]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,785]
[Current Qi: 243,572/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,142/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
He saw. He's terrified, still faking "it", -- this time it is calm -- and he's deeply regretting dragging me away without telling anyone. He's sponsored for the hunt, paid in advanced, but, sometimes, if his nerves get the best of him he doesn't go to the events, the money wasted. He plays it off, people assume he was off whoring, and he keeps practicing keeping a blank face or smirking almost imperceptibly. He takes a shuddering breath, hopes I mistake it for pained, and resolves to kill me the next time I go into the kitchen. By shoving me into a pot, putting the lid on, and drowning me in my own stew. He knows nothing about my eating habits. Did I not pot dive in front of him before? Huh.
Big Suck, his elbow slides off his knee, the flask falls free from his hand, and his lower body just lays flat against his legs. It looks like he took a nap, just rested his head on his legs, and then his arms slid free. Or maybe he's slumped in defeat. Drama dork mope cranked up to max.
[Feeding Successful]
[Successful Uses 57/100]
[Qi +1000]
[Karma +10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,788]
[Current Qi: 244,572/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,152/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
Just in case. I bank his body, go to the kitchen, hop into a pot of stew for a quick snack, then groom myself before getting another round of cooking going on the shelves. Considering how many trips I'm making back and forth, I'm not getting anything. One hare, one lion, one flint cat. Feeling super unproductive. I gasp as I realize I have the ingredients I need to make berry pastries, get confused 'cause I don't mess with berries like that, then get excited when I realize I can make fish pastries! Ugh, I hope the memory bleed over only happens during digestion... No.. I ate three sisters. Might be because they're the biggest meal I've eaten, collectively. Dunno. I shrug and get back to making fish and herb pastries. If I figure out how to make milk, or get a good milk substitute, it's game over boys --. I have nuts. I can make nut milk. Won't be the same, but good enough is good enough!
I get some stew going, throw some nuts and shiver thorn into the mills, dump them in a pot, put the pot off to the side for fucking around with later, and head back out. And wait. No ambush. Quick spin, shifting my perspective. So far no one's standing off to the side ready to make a dramatic appearance. Go back into my void and check all the rooms. No Crimson Star reaching another level. Head back outside my house, pop onto the roof for another quick scan, so far so good. Back out into the hunting grounds.
-Still feels like a trap,- I grumble, not letting my guard down as I start my trot around the mountain. There's supposed to be tigers, but the lions and tigers are hella slow compared to the --.
[Piercing Shot Unsuccessful]
[Successful Uses 85/100]
[Qi -30]
[Karma -5]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,831,384/23,764,786]
[Current Qi: 244,542/957,945,100]
[Current Karma: 95,059,147/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,27K,180P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10506St]
I saw a glint of gold and now I'm standing here drooling on myself trying to figure out what the fuck. Did I just attack a spot in the corner of my eye? Why? I'm well fed. And still drooling at the idea of eating the Heavenly Hare. Wait. But I didn't see--. Oh~! Sun essence rabbit, golden glint. I tried to snag it, missed, and sat here thinking about how tasty food is when it has Qi. A couple of the things I made actually had Condensed Qi in it. That --. Insane. It just hits. Not different, not harder, not better, not faster, not longer. Just Hits. And there's a speed demon that I can make lots of tastey foods out of if I can catch it. Fack! I literally just ate! And harvested Qi. Souls. Whatever! Hot, tender, juicy, spiced meat --.
I need to build a spice rack. I have to learn what tastes like what dried, ground, and more, 'cause I'm pretty sure if Crimson Star can recover from his heart stopping and his head bashing in, but then he just stopped? Might be because of eating my food. Oh! Antidote! He palmed and popped an antidote to the Earth Hare venom. Wait. Why don't they call it an anti-venom? Or was it venin? Whatever! He took a remedy for the Hare, still had to recover, then ate my poisoned bullshit --.
Did I accidentally kill a town? Woodcock and First Fist stole all my foods. And I know for a fact I can eat the stuff that looks like the good shit but will put you on your ass. Dude... If anyone says anything I'm going to point out that the food was for my personal use and I got robbed. That's on Woodcock. I feel energized at the idea that I don't have to hunt him down, that he fucked up so bad he wiped out everyone in Golden Rivers. I doubt I'll be able to get back there in time to eat anything, but boom! I phantom box the air, not having a shadow to practice with, and my head explodes.
Fack! Sleep! Digest! Ack!
I'm not gonna win the hunt... Sad face.