Discussing The Correct Posture To Enjoy Dog Food

Translated by Hua Li ^_^

The encyclopedia candidly explained to Shi Buyu:

Once a person's skin is in a state of hunger, their mind will also fall into a pit of loneliness.

Skin hunger is not an abnormal phenomenon, nor is it a disease, but rather an unfulfilled need. Whenever conditions permit, one should feel free to enjoy the safety and comfort that hugging and skin contact can provide...

"...So?"

Shi Buyu looked at Gou Liang with an expression of speechlessness, and the others had the same look on their faces.

Gou Liang adjusted the black-framed glasses that sat firmly on his soft, white face and calmly stated, "I'm not sick, and I hope you can accept and quickly adapt to the fact that I need you."

Yu Sen and the others were speechless: "..." Damn, this fatty sure is bold!

Shi Buyu, whose heart skipped a beat: "..."

I was just flirted with by a fat guy? Did I really get hit on by a fat guy?!

This must be an illusion!

Shi Buyu immediately put on a serious face and reasoned with him, "Right now is neither the time nor the place, so Teacher Tang, I ask that you bear with it for a bit."

"Rejected." Fatty Gou's sweet, soft voice, which didn't match his size at all, was unusually firm. "No quirks, no genius. I don't think I need to change."

Shi Buyu chuckled in exasperation, "Why don't I have any weird quirks like that!"

"You do." Gou Liang's small eyes behind his plain glasses narrowed slightly. "You like big butts."

Shi Buyu: What???

"You said it yourself." Gou Liang's chubby face was full of a "Don't try to deny it, I've seen through you" expression. "You refused to be Ju Bei's backup because his butt was too small."

The others burst out laughing, with Yu Lin laughing the loudest, "Boss, I never thought you had such a taste. I was really in the dark, hahahaha!"

Shi Buyu was both annoyed and amused, giving Yu Lin a light kick, then saying to Gou Liang, "I was joking. Were you awake then?"

"Yes." Gou Liang adjusted his glasses and looked at Yu Lin, who was laughing the hardest, "I also heard you talking about using me as a human shield."

Yu Lin's laughter came to an abrupt stop.

After Gou Liang had shown them that brains always trump brawn, regardless of the era, these elite soldiers naturally treated him with the same natural respect that illiterate people have for intellectuals, utmost respect. Their earlier disdain towards him had long since vanished.

So, hearing that their past grievances had been heard by the person in question, it was like being caught gossiping behind someone's back, and they all felt a bit awkward.

Gou Liang didn't hold it against them, he clasped his small, chubby hands together and said, "Since we've come to an agreement on this matter, let's discuss the next issue."

"Hey!"

Shi Buyu couldn't help but laugh, "How is that reaching an agreement?"

Gou Liang ignored him and continued, "I'm sure you've all noticed the changes in your bodies. For example, today I needed double the calories for an hour of work compared to before."

Before anyone could make a joke about his appetite, Gou Liang's next words made them all put on serious faces.

"I've obtained access to the Jiuzhu Base's database, and I've compiled their current research findings."

"First, they believe that the beast's blood contains substances or carries some kind of virus that the human body cannot absorb, which is why it is fatal. They are currently conducting purification experiments. Second, they've observed some issues with those who have awakened abilities.

Those who consumed the beast core and then drank the beast blood experienced minor side effects.

However, other ability users who repeatedly consumed beast blood still faced a risk of death. Jiuzhu Base has already had three fatalities, and they've had to halt their plans to enhance abilities with beast blood.

Additionally, ability users have a larger appetite and can easily become exhausted when using their abilities. The energy from food is not enough to replenish what they use. Jiuzhu Base has tested and confirmed that beast meat is edible after blood extraction and high- temperature sterilization and will become the main food source for ability users."

Hearing this, Yu Sen said, "So we have to hunt beasts during the day."

"Perfect." Zhou Gao said, "I can't wait to blast one!"

"Old Zhou, you sure have a... unique taste." Qin Bei teased, then looked at Shi Buyu and asked seriously, "Boss, what should we do next?"

Shi Buyu pulled up the real-time satellite imagery and pointed to the areas with the highest concentration of beasts, "You can't get the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair. We need to get your beast cores quickly. Tomorrow, I'll go and hunt some reserves, and after you digest the beast cores, we'll rest here for a day before heading south along this route."

Shi Buyu traced the route with his finger.

From the satellite images, it was clear that the farther south they went, the denser the beast population became, and the beasts were also concentrated in densely populated areas.

So, he chose to take a slightly longer route that looped through several populous cities.

The group responded in unison, and just as their voices fell, a slurping sound that completely clashed with the solemn atmosphere was heard.

Everyone turned to look-

Gou Liang adjusted his glasses, then nonchalantly continued sipping on his tenth tube of nutrient gel for the night.

Shi Buyu and the others finally understood why Gou Liang wore glasses without needing them; the bright red of his ears exposed his embarrassment, contrary to his seemingly nonchalant enjoyment of their care.

Shi Buyu laughed, "We'll have to clear out these supplies when we leave here in a couple of days, so don't hold back."

Since beast meat is now confirmed edible and will be their main food source, there was no need to worry about food. Shi Buyu wouldn't let his soldiers, or those following him, go hungry.

Gou Liang's chubby face seemed to blush slightly. He mumbled a "Thank you," as he continued to "casually" reach for another tube of nutrient gel.

The group chuckled good-naturedly, and Zhou Gao jumped up to rally everyone, "Come on! The boss is right, no point in wasting what we leave behind. Let's fill up our bellies first!"

They'd been holding back on food because the armory was relatively safe, and there was a need to conserve their supplies for future use. Now, they weren't going to hold back.

The next morning, Shi Buyu went out alone.

Before he could even lock onto a target, a beast in the vicinity caught his scent and came charging in.

The rampaging bull-like beast's roar was deafening. The others watching the feed from the flying camera sat up straight, and Gou Liang breathed a sigh of relief, "It's driving away others of its kind, so there's no risk of a pack attack for now."

He then noted in the database's remarks section about 'Crazy Bull': solitary hunting tendencies, does not share prey with others of its kind.

Shi Buyu pressed his military Bluetooth earpiece and chuckled, "I didn't know Teacher Tang was fluent in beast speak. Care to analyze what it's saying?"

"Thank you for the compliment." Gou Liang's voice softened, "It's saying, 'I'm going to eat you.""

Shi Buyu shivered involuntarily.

Yu Sen and the others didn't notice this brief moment of strangeness and focused all their attention on the battle.

Standing at a height of 196 cm, Shi Buyu appeared dwarfed by the enormous beast.

But Shi Buyu didn't use his ultimate move, "Thunderclap." It was too energy-consuming and destructive, leaving not even a speck of meat behind.

Moreover, he intended to use this as a chance to gain experience for himself and others, so he carefully reported his force and angle with each strike, the damage inflicted on the beast, and the projected optimal force and angle for a quicker takedown. Gou Liang meticulously recorded everything.

In the fight against the beast, Shi Buyu was in complete control. After gathering enough data, he started to kill the rampaging bull-like beast.

Gou Liang advised, "Beasts become frenzied when nearing death, with all their stats increasing by ten to twenty times, making them highly dangerous. Please be careful."

"Got it."

Shi Buyu responded, as electricity began to flow through his hand. In the next moment, a long sword of blue-violet lightning formed in his grasp-

The Heavenly Inquisition Sword?!

Gou Liang's small eyes widened slightly, and his soft body suddenly sat up straight.

"Xiao Tang, is something wrong?"

Yu Sen and the others, focusing on the battle, noticed Gou Liang's reaction and asked.

Gou Liang shook his head, relaxing his posture, which wasn't much different from before. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Nothing, just a little impressed."

Yu Sen breathed a sigh of relief, nodding in agreement, "It is impressive. We were all surprised when the captain first formed this sword. It's not something we'd expect from his otherwise limited aesthetic sense."

Feeling wronged, Shi Buyu retorted, "Don't underestimate my sense of style, it's still a work in progress."

Everyone chuckled but kept their eyes glued to the video, not letting their guard down.

Gou Liang, however, was a bit distracted.

This sword, etched with mysterious patterns, wasn't crafted by Shi Buyu.

It was a sword Gou Liang had spent an entire year forging for Yue Qian in his fourth world, with the engravings being a chant that only a "Son of Heaven" could decipher, harnessing the power of all things. He even named it the Heavenly Inquisition Sword as a tribute to his third world.

Little did he expect to see it in Shi Buyu's hands after all these years.

Gou Liang couldn't help but feel a twinge of anticipation, wondering what other surprises Shi Buyu might bring.

As he mused, a wry smile formed on his lips, only to be interrupted by the system's unwelcome voice in his mind.

[So, why does the target remember Fatty Tang and the Heavenly Inquisition Sword, but not you, my dear host?]

[...Do you need a reminder of your place?]

[v]

Gou Liang, his face trembling with indignation, caught someone's attention, who asked, "Teacher Tang, are you okay?"

This voice was unfamiliar.

Gou Liang turned to see Jiang Ren, expressionless, uttering the well-meaning concern of a model student, and finally understood why the man spoke so little.

-Faced with a stern middle-aged face and a soft, prepubescent voice, he'd stay silent until plastic surgery too.

"Pfft."

Zhou Gao, who hadn't heard Jiang Ren speak in years, couldn't help but laugh.

Gou Liang adjusted his glasses suspiciously, "Could you fetch me two tubes-no, three tubes of nutrient gel, please. Thank you."

He intended to channel his grief into appetite!

Jiang Ren, ever patient, went to get them without fussing over Zhou Gao's teasing.

Meanwhile, the rampaging bull-like beast collapsed.

Shi Buyu retrieved the golden beast core, tossed it lightly in his palm, then sat on the bull's head, waving at the drone camera, his stern battle expression replaced by a playful grin. "What are you guys doing? This isn't the time for jokes while eating. You've missed my spectacular beast-slaying prowess."

Yu Sen and the others chuckled, but Gou Liang earnestly replied, "We saw it all."

Shi Buyu's confident smile froze briefly, but Gou Liang seemed oblivious to the flirting implications of his comment, promptly adding, "According to the data, a beast core can attract more distant beasts, proving this hypothesis right. Three more beasts are rushing your way. If you're not going to continue fighting, please secure the core in the vacuum box."

Shi Buyu stood up, gazing at the approaching beasts while casually playing with the egg-sized core, a smirk on his lips, "I just finished warming up. They're right on time."

Gou Liang suppressed a smile, though his chubby face didn't betray it, his voice hinting at amusement, "It's speculated that the longer a beast has been dead, the more impurities or viruses its blood contains. Please prepare a sample for testing. Thank you."

"No problem."

Shi Buyu returned the beast core to the vacuum box and leapt off the bull's head, reaching for the blood extraction kit, remarking, "Teacher Tang, let's make a deal. Could you refrain from calling me so young? It feels awkward."

Technically, he was four years older than Gou Liang, but Gou Liang wasn't swayed by the age gap. Shi Buyu tried to change his approach.

Gou Liang replied, "No worries, you'll get used to it, just like calling me Teacher Tang."

Shi Buyu: "..."

Fatty Gou had a knack for turning the tables on him with just the right words.

By sunset, Shi Buyu had successfully hunted six beasts, a feat surpassing the daily average of the entire Jiuzhu Base.

Not one to play favorites, he understood the importance of fairness, making multiple trips to ensure everyone got their needed beast cores within a day.

The size of the beast cores varied slightly. After a comparison, Zhou Gao strongly suggested giving the largest one to Gou Liang.

A glance at his figure and remembering his prolonged absorption time during the beast blood incident made everyone agree silently.

Consuming a beast core also induced a 24-hour sleep.

While others settled on their mats and promptly fell asleep, Gou Liang sat upright, his small eyes fixed on Shi Buyu.

Having lost sleep the previous night due to Gou Liang clinging to his arm, Shi Buyu pretended not to notice.

He thought, with the beast core's sedative effects rivaling any over-the-counter sleep aid, there was no way Gou Liang's "skin hunger and anxiety" excuse would work today. Besides, his "skin hunger" wasn't something he was born with-it was nurtured by those around him.

Shi Buyu wasn't about to become an enabler.

Yet, a minute, ten minutes, twenty minutes later...

Everyone else was already snoring, but Gou Liang sat like an immovable statue.

Shi Buyu conceded with a sigh, grumbling, "What ridiculous habits."

He approached and pushed Gou Liang onto the bed, resignedly sitting beside him, offering his hand.

Gou Liang immediately grabbed it, his chubby face displaying a comfortable smile. In a soft voice, he said, "I'm not sick..."

Before finishing, he was already asleep.

Shi Buyu was left speechless but found himself not feeling annoyed, instead glancing at Gou Liang's sleeping form, spread out over a bed bigger than those occupied by Qin Bei and Yu Lin combined, and nearly chuckled.

Why he disliked Tang fatty was a mystery to him, but an instinctive irritation remained.

Yet, at this moment, he found Gou Liang wasn't so bad... Well, even if he was a bit of a troublemaker, he was certainly more endearing than some Tang relative he couldn't quite place.

[Ding, target's affection level updated. Current affection level: +1.]

Having switched from holding Shi Buyu's left hand to the right, and eventually a leg, Gou Liang slept longer than Yu Sen and the others by five hours.

Well, he was the world's only surviving fat guy, with no one to compare him to, so his act went unchallenged.

"Teacher Tang, you're finally awake... Can you let go now?"

Shi Buyu asked with a forced smile.

Everyone else was barely holding back laughter.

Since waking up, they'd watched their usually stoic leader, with his leg trapped in Gou Liang's plump arms, being caressed in his sleep by a "skin hunger" patient wearing a blissful expression... If their boss didn't look so constipated, they'd have laughed ages ago.

"Oh."

Gou Liang slowly released his grip, sitting up with difficulty.

Shi Buyu heavily doubted the lightning speed with which Gou Liang had tackled him was anything but a figment of his imagination, but his IQ over 150 told him this guy was probably pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger-no, it was really a pig eating a tiger. Yu Sen and the others didn't dare enjoy their boss's embarrassment for long and quickly asked, "Xiao Tang, what ability did you awaken?"