V2: Chapter 4: Her Belly was Already Round and Full

“Be careful, it's dangerous, everyone stay behind me.”

If Sister Liang Lin knew that she had also learned to protect others, she would definitely be genuinely happy, right? She would be proud of her, right?

Everything was for the sake of pleasing Liang Lin when they reunited.

In fact, how could Liang Di, whose values ​​and personality were basically already formed, completely change her values ​​and personality just because Liang Lin left?

She still couldn't understand what it meant to “live for herself”; everything she did now was still to please her.

Perhaps, this is what it means to be a child lacking love.

As long as she becomes the kind of person Sister Liang Lin likes, that's enough.

So humble, and so pitiful. Liang Di's biggest change is that the object of her coercion is no longer someone else, but herself.

In the end, she's not inherently bad; she just doesn't understand emotions.

A piercing scream suddenly echoed across the sea. It was from the SSS-rank monster. It had no mouth; its screams came from the tiny holes on its face. With each scream, the holes expanded, the sound gradually subsided, and then the holes shrank back.

"How disgusting."

The thought of having this monster's blood in her own veins made Liang Di shudder.

"Everyone, be careful!" Stacy, though terrified, stepped forward to Liang Di's side. "Miss Liang Di, I can't let you stand alone at the front."

Liang Di pushed her away.

"I have monster blood in me; my regenerative abilities are faster than yours. As long as I'm not cut, even if my tentacles are severed, they'll grow back immediately."

"But..." Stacy started to say something.

"No need to say more, it's decided in the group chat. This is also permitted by the Tower Master."

Octaville, of course, wouldn't allow such a thing; it was Liang Di's own decision.

The monsters drew closer, and a great battle was imminent.

Even the battle-hardened Stacy and Robbins couldn't help but tremble at the sight of so many monsters. But Liang Di didn't. Those monsters gave her a very familiar feeling, probably because the same blood flowed through her veins.

Once upon a time, she hated having monster blood in her veins. But now, whether it was explosive power, agility, or the tentacles on her body, everything made her a million times stronger than an ordinary person. Having monster blood in her veins didn't seem so bad.

The magicians struck first, explosions resounding everywhere. Tentacles stabbed towards them, and the magicians nimbly weaved through them, their explosion magic and wind magic never ceasing for a moment.  Ivy grabbed a magic potion and hurled it at the tentacle-covered monster. The monster extended a tentacle, swung it away, but shattered the potion, spilling it into the eyes on its tentacles. Instantly, a cloud of black smoke rose, and the monster's angry screams echoed.

"The weak point is... the eye on its forehead."

Liang Di leaped into the air, swinging her magic wand.

"Explod–.. Ugh!"

Before she could even cast the explosion spell, she felt a heavy blow to her waist. She had been so focused on the tentacle-covered monster with eyes that she had completely forgotten about the dark, seemingly garbage-covered monster behind it. That thing's tentacle struck Liangdi squarely in the waist.

Liang Di felt a metallic taste in her throat, and her mouth tasted of blood. A wave of pain spread throughout her body. Before falling to the ground, she spread her tentacles, tightly enveloping her body.

Thump!

A huge cloud of sand and dust rose from the ground.  

"Miss Liang Di!"

The other magicians didn't have a chance to come to her rescue. They were entangled by the other monsters and could only anxiously watch where Liang Di had landed. They wanted to free their hands to check on her, but this momentary lapse in attention nearly cost them half their heads.

The sand gradually settled. Liang Di wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, stood up unsteadily, and stretched her limbs.

"I'm fine, just a minor injury."

"It was my negligence, I wasn't careful enough. After hunting an S-rank monster, I became arrogant and completely forgot that we were facing several monsters now."

Liang Di became serious.

As the fight progressed, Liang Di felt something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She glanced at the sky out of the corner of her eye and noticed that the SSS-rank monster was flapping its wings, hovering high above, not participating in their battle, like a cold, indifferent observer.

Something is wrong.

This is too wrong.

A bad premonition grew stronger in her heart.

The three low-level monsters had been knocked to the ground, their bodies rapidly withering and shrinking. Now only four remained: the two tall, thin ones, and the ugliest one. The two tall, thin ones were A-rank, covered in bruises, one of them appearing to be near death.

The situation on the magicians' side wasn't much better. Clara had a broken arm and couldn't lift it, and Robbins was covered in wounds.

Only Stacy suffered the fewest injuries, only a scratch on her face. Liang Di, after being hit in the waist, had been extremely cautious and hadn't suffered any further harm.

"Miss Liang Di, you noticed it too, didn't you? That thing in the sky is a bit strange," Stacy called to Liang Di.

Liang Di nodded.

"Be careful!"

Just then,...

A strange cry reached the ears of everyone present. Unlike the previous stinging sound, this cry was soft and melodious, with a dreamlike quality.

In that instant, Liang Di suddenly stopped what she was doing.

"Sister.... Liang Lin?"

Why?

Why is Sister Liang Lin standing there? Huh? Where did my magic wand go?

Liang Di looked down at her palm. The magic wand was gone, replaced by a plate of incredibly soft and delicious-looking cake.

Shouldn't I... be fighting?

Shouldn't I be fighting monsters on the beach?

Why am I in Langwendi's mansion?

And, didn't Sister Liang Lin leave? Why is she suddenly appearing in front of her?

"Sister Liang Lin?"

Liang Lin stood smiling in front of her, waving.

No, that's not right.

Liang Di took a step back. Reason told her she shouldn't go. She was on a battlefield by the sea, not in the comfort of her home. Liang Lin wouldn't be here; she should be at the border.

But then, 'Liang Lin', standing in front of her, spoke: "Liang Di, what are you standing there for? Come here, I'm hungry. Hurry up and give me that cake you're holding. Standing there like that is so stupid."

That familiar tone, that familiar look of disdain—it was exactly the same as Liang Lin's.

Liang Di's heart skipped a beat.

"Liang... Liang Lin, is it really you?"

Liang Di wanted to rush forward and hug the "Liang Lin" in front of her, but her reason controlled her feet. Liang Di's brain buzzed, as if warning her not to go, or she would regret it.

"Hey! Why are you still standing there? I'm starving! Come here right now!" The 'Liang Lin' in front of her stood with her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out, pouting her little lips in a huff, looking quite adorable.

"No... that's not Sister Liang Lin, that's definitely not her! I'm still on the battlefield, facing a bunch of monsters, it can't be her, it can't be her, it can't be her! Liang Di! Don't go!"

Liang Di muttered to herself, trying to regain her composure.

A lullaby played in her mind, and Liang Di's eyes lost their light. She couldn't control her steps and stumbled forward.

"But..."

"But..."

Liang Di's eyes filled with tears, and she opened her arms.

"But, I haven't seen Sister Liang Lin for a whole two weeks!"

"Sister Liang Lin...I really miss you so much..."

Liang Di started running, faster and faster, until she was about to throw herself into Liang Lin's arms.

Liang Lin, standing before her, smiled contentedly, arms outstretched as if welcoming her.

Thud!

The sound of a knife piercing flesh rang out.

The smile on 'Liang Lin's' face froze. She slowly lowered her head, her eyes filled with disbelief and rage. "You...?!"

Liang Di shed a tear, slowly raising her head and flashing a wide smile.

"Hey~ my Sister Liang Lin, of course I recognize her. No one can replace her just because they look like her and wear her skin. So, die."

"You're not Sister Liang Lin at all."

Thud!

The knife spun once inside "Liang Lin's" body, then was violently pulled out. Blood splattered all over Liang Di's face and body.

Liang Di wiped her face.

"Liang Lin's" body slowly fell, shattering into countless fragments that gradually dissipated before Liang Di's eyes.

"Is this how it ends?"

Liang Di stared at the spot where "Liang Lin" had vanished.

"Um, thank you for letting me see Sister Liang Lin one more time, thank you."

The illusion gradually faded, and the cake Liang Di had thrown on the ground transformed back into a magic wand. The blank, empty world slowly collapsed, and Liang Di stood there quietly, the familiar stench of blood filling her nostrils once more.

Liang Di bent down and picked up the magic wand.

"Well, it wasn't that difficult."

"My Sister Liang Lin, of course I recognize her, you idiot."

Liang Di's vision spun, then cleared, but her body suddenly stiffened.

Because the monster with its face covered in countless holes was right in front of her, face to face, practically pressed against hers. Liang Di could even feel the monster's foul breath.

"Ugh...!"

It stank so badly, she almost vomited.

But Liang Di didn't back down. She raised her knife and stabbed fiercely at the monster in front of her.

The monster suddenly vanished before her eyes. It spread its wings and flew back into the sky, its speed so fast it was like teleportation.

It was so fast, it was hard to see with the naked eye. Liang Di's vision was also superhuman. To other magicians, the monster had teleported directly into the sky, but to Liang Di, it flew into the sky at an incredibly fast speed.

Looking at the others, Stacy was covered in sweat and gradually came to her senses. The moment she reacted, she looked around, and then she froze.

A magician had been pierced through the chest by a monster's finger. Blood dripped onto the ground; the scene was gruesome.

"Effie!!!"

Stacy screamed, her voice breaking. She rushed towards the monster and used magic to sever its arm.

She caught Effie's body, her fingers trembling, and touched the area below Effie's nose.

The girl was no longer breathing; her eyes were wide open, filled with fear and the helplessness of wanting to escape but being unable to.

Stasy laid Effie's body down.

She said nothing, raised her staff, and continued fighting.

The death of a magician was common; there shouldn't be too much sadness about it. However, Stasi's reddened eyes betrayed her inner grief.

Behind her, another magician fell, but not from being impaled; he was killed within the illusion. As he died, a blissful smile remained on his face. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, fell heavily to the ground, and slowly closed his eyes.

"....."

"Stacy, something's not right with you. Get behind me."

Liang Di grabbed Stacy's wrist, looking up at the monster in the sky.

"Once we take care of this one, the other two are easy. Stacy, don't worry about me. I'll stall for time. Go and wake up those still trapped in the illusion! The longer it goes on, the more dangerous it becomes."

Stacy hesitated.

"Hurry up, or it'll be too late!" Liang Di pushed her.

"Okay...!"

Stacy turned and ran towards her comrade.

If Liang Di remembered correctly, dealing with this SSS-rank monster was simply a matter of cutting off its head. But this monster was in the sky, looking down at her, and wouldn't come down. Liang Di didn't have wings; how could she fly up and cut off its head?

So, she should focus on it and take care of the other three monsters first. The remaining three monsters were severely injured and easy to deal with.

But then that familiar gentle cry appeared again.

This time, Liang Di swiftly enveloped herself with her tentacles, only momentarily stunned before regaining her composure.

"Heh... you're nothing special!"

Liang Di's tentacles suddenly extended, precisely piercing the eyes of the two monsters. Amidst their agonizing screams, she smiled triumphantly, mimicking Liang Lin's gesture of international goodwill towards the SSS-class monster in the sky.

The two monsters instantly shrank, collapsing into the sea and disappearing.

Now, only the SSS-class monster in the sky and that incredibly ugly monster remained.

That monster was easy to deal with... but this one in the sky...

Just as Liang Di was pondering, the waves surged, and a tremendous roar echoed from the other side of the sea. The SSS-class monster in the sky froze, turning away woodenly like a puppet.

It left, before departing, slicing the other ugly monster's body into countless fragments.

What happened on the other side of the sea, no one knew.

Liang Di completely relaxed, finally feeling the sharp pain in her lower back. She touched her forehead and found it covered in sweat.

"Finally, it's over..."

Liang Di looked down; blood from her waist had already flowed down her thighs. Her face was deathly pale, all her strength drained, and she collapsed heavily to the ground.

"Stacy...draw a teleportation array to send me back, quickly...I can't hold on anymore, my eyelids are so heavy..."

Liang Di's vision blurred.

Robbins and the others had regained their senses. Seeing Liang Di like this, they disregarded their own injuries. Some drew teleportation arrays, others rushed to help Liang Di, creating chaos.

•

•

This time, two magicians died, one was seriously injured, and the rest sustained minor injuries—a devastating loss.

"To have so many people survive against an SSS-level monster is already quite remarkable."

Stacy stood beside Liang Di's bed, sighing.

Liang Di's waist wound had been bandaged and treated with a special healing potion; it should heal in about four or five days. Liang Di's waist wound was quite severe; it had been cut open, and if it had been cut any further in, her intestines would probably have spilled out.

Liang Di's expression was grave.

"Stacy, have you ever thought about something?"

"Hmm?" Stacy asked, puzzled.

"The monsters in the books are all ones our predecessors encountered, fought, and recorded. But there's a problem: we've never been to the other side of the sea."

Liang Di uttered a question from the depths of her soul, "So, are the monsters on the other side of the sea only the kinds recorded in the books?"

Stacy fell silent, as if struck by lightning.

Liang Di continued, "And you saw it too, right? There was a huge commotion across the sea, and then that SSS-level monster went back. Before it left, it killed the monster that was lower level than it. Why did it kill it? Do you know?"

"I... don't know."

"Perhaps they have their own system that we haven't figured out yet, or perhaps it's not that these monsters want to invade us at all, but that something far more unknown is controlling them from across the sea."

"The truth might be far more terrifying than we can imagine."

A month later (a month and a half has passed)

Liang Lin and the others had traveled more than halfway.

At this time, Liang Lin's pregnancy symptoms seemed to have subsided, and she even began to feel smug, attributing it all to her strong body and willpower.

"So, are you still hesitating?"

One evening, Robin, accompanied by Sylvia, knocked on Liang Lin's door.

Liang Lin didn't speak; she didn't know how to answer.

“Miss Liang Lin, I know we, as outsiders, shouldn’t interfere in your affairs, but can you really take your child to the battlefield? We’ve already traveled more than half the distance. In another half month, or a little over a week, we’ll reach the border. How will you go to the battlefield then? Have you considered this?”

Robin’s words were like daggers, each one striking Liang Lin’s Achilles’ heel.

Yes, she wasn’t usually so indecisive. How had she become like this? Was it just because of the pregnancy? Was it just because of her overflowing maternal love?

Going to the battlefield while pregnant would definitely have an impact. She wouldn’t be able to fully dedicate herself to the battle, and might even become a burden to her comrades.

After a month and a half of travel, Liang Lin had lost a lot of weight. Her once chubby face was gone, and her jawline was more defined. This was partly due to morning sickness, and partly due to her own inner turmoil.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through,” Liang Lin said, her voice filled with deep remorse.

Sometimes, I feel like my actions are pretty stupid.

Robin steadied himself against the doorframe.

“Miss Liang Lin, you don’t need to apologize to us. This is your own business and won’t affect us much, but it will affect your health.”

“Then…”

“No, Miss Liang Lin, I don’t mean you have to take the pill. I mean you need to make a decision as soon as possible.”

“…”

Liang Lin was silent for a moment.

“Yes, I understand. I know what to do.”

“I will take the abortion pill.”

Sylvia couldn’t help but interject, “Um… taking abortion pills is very harmful to the body. You won’t be able to recover quickly. Do we need to rest here for a couple of days?”

“How many days?”

Liang Lin hadn’t researched this before, and she asked this somewhat wisely.

“Hmm…”

Sylvia nodded, turning her head to meet her father's suspicious gaze as if he was asking “Hey, how do you know about this?” just with his eyes.

“I heard about it, just heard about it. Don't look at your daughter like that! You know whether I've been pregnant or not…” Sylvia shoved her father beside her.

Hmm, it feels so good that her daughter has never been taken by a pig. Although she was shoved hard by her daughter, Robin felt completely satisfied at the thought of her daughter not being taken by a pig.

Liang Lin thought for a moment.

The family stationed near the border were her mother's. There, after all, there were people of her blood—her mother's brother. She used to see him often when she was little, although their relationship wasn't as close as it had become as they were older, but he was still her uncle. However, she would inevitably have to explain herself again.

So, she decided…

"Anyway, we'll be at the border in a week. I can take the abortion pill there."

This would be the most regrettable decision she ever made (although she later changed her mind, saying she never regretted it).

Because her belly was now so big that it was clearly visible to the naked eye; it was obvious she was about to give birth. But Liang Lin, who had no experience or knowledge in this area, didn't know this. She naively assumed that all normal pregnant women were like this, including herself.