Chapter 146 God Eater

Oliver said, "Given that sub-grade stem cells operate at the cellular level, you personally cannot assist us with the scientific research, and we cataloged your dark compatibility long ago. So today's main task is to record data on God-Eater."

After speaking, Oliver executed a series of operations on his crystal computer, and then a camera-like device extended from the distant wall, radiating a crystalline beam of light.

The beam scanned up and down within a specific range, and under its sweep, Huo Ye actually caught sight of the silhouette of a creature—a Calamity, the Ice-Armored Two-Headed Python.

"A spatial teleportation facility? That advanced?" Huo Ye asked in astonishment.

"The transmission distance isn't far, temporarily restricted to within the HRI compound. We use it like a high-end fax machine. Besides, this isn't our invention; after all, we study biology, and mechanical engineering is not our forte. I think we shouldn't dwell on this topic," Oliver replied.

Huo Ye pointed at the Ice-Armored Two-Headed Python and asked, "So, you want me to... eat it using God-Eater?"

Oliver nodded.

Huo Ye instantly felt dark lines cross his forehead. He pointed at the Calamity and snapped at Oliver, "Are you kidding me? Would you go gnaw on a block of ice at minus two hundred degrees Celsius? It's impossible to even bite into it!"

Calmly, Oliver replied, "We've carefully prepared this Calamity. Based on our calculations of your bite force, you are fully capable of shattering its ice armor. Moreover, we've studied this long ago: your saliva appears to have a corrosive effect on a Calamity's body, which should help you. Relax, buddy, that's just a B-grade Calamity. Even if you can't eat it, you can at least hack it to death."

The corner of Huo Ye's mouth twitched. Weakly, he offered, "I'm afraid my digestive tract might get frostbite."

Oliver remained just as serene. "Please rest assured about that as well. This is a biochemical research facility where pharmaceuticals are indispensable. The moment you show any physical discomfort, we will provide immediate medical treatment. Besides, given your constitution, unless it's a major issue, you'll probably heal yourself before we even have a chance to treat you."

Finally losing his patience, Huo Ye blurted out, "Then I fucking really have to thank you for being so considerate!"

"Think nothing of it. Exhausting my body and soul out of absolute dedication is my motto."

While they were talking, the Ice-Armored Two-Headed Python was completely teleported over. Resigned, Huo Ye drew his blade and stepped forward.

Second Style, Reverse Slash of the Slanted Sun!

When dealing with ice-type Calamities, aside from Holy Light, Fire-type abilities are the most effective. Therefore, Huo Ye employed his Fire-type elemental power for this move. The Ghost-Slaying Blade was exceptionally sharp, and the disparity in rank between Huo Ye and his opponent was massive—so massive that he could hack away indiscriminately and chop the creature to pieces within two seconds, directly destroying its core body as well.

Huo Ye severed both heads simultaneously, black flames burning on the wounds to prevent rapid regeneration. In truth, there was no need to rush; Calamities ultimately mimicked the forms of Earth's creatures and possessed vital points. Though not instantly fatal, once the heads were cut off, the regeneration speed slowed down significantly.

Without their heads, they could no longer bite humans, naturally reducing casualties. This was one of the techniques for slaying Calamities: when a group surrounded a powerful Calamity, chop off its head first!

Naturally, this serpent-shaped Calamity couldn't reattach its own head, so it would take roughly five or six minutes for the heads to regenerate.

Huo Ye grabbed one of the snake heads. Looking at the still-writhing Calamity skull, its forked tongue licking his palm, he suddenly lost his appetite. The appearance was simply too unappealing. If this were truly supposed to be a dish, Huo Ye felt that even with his good temper, he would have to march into the kitchen and beat up the chef.

He glanced at Oliver, who was taking notes with a pen over there, and then looked up at Director Lucas and Eddie watching from beneath the glass partition. Hardening his heart, he bit down.

This was the second time Huo Ye had eaten a Calamity, and the taste was different from the last time. The previous Blood-Winged Ant-Roach tasted like fried chicken—chicken flavor, crispy and crunchy, edible head and all.

As for this Ice-Armored Two-Headed Python, it tasted like...

"Ice cream, strawberry flavor," Huo Ye described.

"What did you say?!" For the first time, Oliver showed a clear emotional fluctuation. But he instantly regained his composure, scribbling furiously in his report as he said, "Fine, given your abilities, I won't make any comments on your palate."

Huo Ye looked at the other head on the ground. Hesitating for a moment, he kicked the painfully writhing snake body aside, picked up the snake head, brushed off the nonexistent dust, and took a bite from a spot that hadn't touched the floor.

Just as he had mentioned earlier, the surface ice armor of the Ice-Armored Two-Headed Python was a full minus two hundred degrees Celsius, but as long as one wrapped their hand in elemental energy, frostbite could be avoided. Once inside the mouth, elemental protection wasn't even needed to withstand the cold.

As for the ice-cream-like texture, Huo Ye guessed it might be because this fellow was an ice-type. Could all ice-type Calamities taste this way? That was a bit monotonous!

Regarding the taste of the other head, Huo Ye remarked again, "Vanilla flavor."

Oliver's mouth twitched. "So to you, that thing is a double-scoop ice cream?"

"Yeah, pretty much." "What about the main body? I suppose you can eat the main body," Oliver asked, quickly resuming his notes.

...

In the observation room watching the two, Lucas suddenly spoke up, "Haha, Commander Haworth, you really raised a fine son, in every aspect."

Eddie shook his head and replied, "No, I haven't really taught him much. Whether it's eloquence or etiquette, his mother taught him all of that. I'm only responsible for training him."

Lucas also shook his head, saying, "No, no, no. So-called education isn't just verbal instruction; it's also leading by example. They say a father's love is like a mountain, right? For a father, certain emotions are hard to express in words, so actions speak louder than words. Without realizing it, children take their fathers as role models, care about their fathers' opinions, and hope their fathers will be proud of their achievements, wanting to be their father's pride."

"Is that so?" Eddie looked at Huo Ye down in the arena, memories stirring.

His own father had passed away when he was very young, so Eddie had received almost no warmth from a father. He had been too young back then, but living in a place where you had to fight for food or die, wielding a dagger, there was no leisure time to ponder such things.

Yet looking back now, he remembered a father who worked grueling, overburdened jobs every day just so his son could have a bite to eat, yet earned pitifully meager wages. When his health deteriorated and he contracted an illness he couldn't afford medicine for, right before he died, coughing up blood, he forced himself to teach his son how to hold a dagger, terrified that his child wouldn't survive in that man-eat-man world.

Suddenly, Eddie recalled something Huo Ye had said to Cachi: Human will appears tenacious because it is weak; human emotion appears profound because of death; human faith appears eternal because life is brief.

That, too, had been a great father!

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That evening, Huo Ye returned to Shangguan Yudie's house to stay temporarily. They planned to return to Bancroft tomorrow, as they still needed to resume training and prepare for the mid-term exams.

However, at dinner, Huo Ye prepared the meal for Shangguan Yudie, but didn't touch a single chopstick himself.

"What's wrong?" Shangguan Yudie asked.

"No, nothing. Just don't have much of an appetite tonight," Huo Ye replied with a wry smile.

Of course he had no appetite. He had spent the entire day eating Calamities—all seven elemental lineages, from C-grade to A-grade, across various species, virtually every Calamity currently detained by HRI. He had basically eaten his way through the catalog.

Even though eating Calamities didn't provide Huo Ye with energy, it still filled his stomach! This was only the second time in his life he was about to throw up from overeating. The last time was when Ke Zhen wanted to test whether Huo Ye could store more energy through his stem cells, and that night, he had indeed vomited.