Chapter 21: The Awakening of Hunger

Thump, thump.

A deafening heartbeat abruptly reverberated across the desolate land.

Hearing the commotion, Ailin and Nia simultaneously turned their gazes towards the source of the sound.

Clutching his chest, Qi Lin felt a powerful, ravenous urge welling up from deep within him.

“Qi Lin? What’s wrong with you?” Nia asked, her voice tinged with panic as she observed Qi Lin’s face, visibly contorted in agony.

“I… I’m fi— Ugh!” Just as Qi Lin was about to utter a reassurance, a sudden, searing pain shot through his abdomen.

With a pained cry, Qi Lin clutched his abdomen with his right hand, propped himself on the ground with his left, and collapsed directly onto his knees.

Gazing at Qi Lin crumpled on the ground, Nia made to rush over and help him to his feet.

Yet, a hand suddenly grasped Nia’s right shoulder.

Turning to face Ailin, who had restrained her, Nia asked, bewildered, “Ailin, what are you doing?”

“Don’t go near him,” Ailin warned. “I can feel it; he’s incredibly dangerous right now!”

Ailin’s eyes remained fixed on the kneeling Qi Lin, not once glancing at Nia as he spoke.

Under Ailin’s watchful gaze, a crimson mist began to emanate from Qi Lin’s body, and Ailin could even detect a faint, metallic scent of blood wafting from him.

“What do you mean? Qi Lin is dangerous?” Nia furrowed her brows, not quite understanding Ailin’s words, as Qi Lin clearly seemed to be in agonizing pain.

“Regardless, we must not approach him!” Ailin stressed, offering no further explanation to Nia. He merely tensed his nerves, his hands forming into claws, poised to strike should Qi Lin suddenly lash out and attack.

“But…”

“No buts!”

Oblivious to Ailin and Nia’s exchange, Qi Lin, writhing in agony, had already gouged a scratch mark into the earth with his supporting hand.

“Hungry… pain…” Qi Lin whimpered through gritted teeth, clutching a handful of dirt as he squinted his left eye.

The faint, enticing scent wafting from Nia and Ailin’s bodies now relentlessly stimulated the ravenous desire to consume, a craving born from his insatiable thirst for blood.

Desperately swallowing his saliva, Qi Lin gritted his teeth, fiercely battling the burgeoning, monstrous desire within him.

‘Look at the vibrant, delicious food over there. Why resist me? You should embrace your deepest desires. Go, go! They are screaming, calling for you to devour them. What are you waiting for? Accept me!’ Faint, insidious whispers echoed through Qi Lin’s mind, a primal protest from his body’s deepest instincts.

As the whispers in his mind repeated endlessly, urging him to consume, Qi Lin’s resolve began to dangerously waver.

Then, wings, previously hidden within his body, uncontrollably unfurled from his back.

Watching Qi Lin’s transformation become increasingly apparent, Ailin, disregarding his own injured body, began compressing his demonic energy. Should it prove necessary, he resolved to intercept Qi Lin, ensuring Nia’s escape.

“No, I can’t! I absolutely cannot do this.” Just as he was about to succumb to the whispers’ insidious temptation, Qi Lin violently shook his head. Nia regarded him as a friend; if he were to harm her, could he ever truly forgive himself?

Lifting his head, his gaze met Nia’s slightly worried eyes, and Qi Lin, clenching his jaw with excessive force, bit through his own lip.

Tiny, almost imperceptible drops of blood flowed into his mouth, and as the profound, sweet taste of it struck deep within him, Qi Lin’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

The sound of his heartbeat grew even louder, and opening his eyes, which now began to glow with a searing crimson light, Qi Lin saw the intricate network of blood vessels hidden beneath Nia and Ailin’s skin.

The very sight of blood flowing through their veins magnified Qi Lin’s internal desires to an unprecedented, monstrous scale.

He… could no longer suppress the ravenous urge to devour!

The excruciating, persistent pain that had traveled from his abdomen all the way to Qi Lin’s brain was now slowly beginning to recede.

His consciousness began to sink, as if plunging into the crushing depths of the sea, and Qi Lin completely lost control over his own body.

Control of his body, meanwhile, was slowly, inexorably, being usurped by primal instinct.

Meeting the gaze of Qi Lin’s now crimson pupils, a profound sense of fear welled up from the depths of both Nia and Ailin’s hearts.

Slightly raising her head, ‘Qi Lin’ regarded Ailin and Nia with a hint of disdain.

“She… what’s wrong with her?” Nia’s voice trembled under the entity’s piercing gaze.

Ailin remained silent, simply stepping forward to shield Nia behind him. This was his sacred promise to Dori: Nia was their sister, and no harm must ever befall her. They had sworn it since childhood.

“Run, quickly! I’ll cover your retreat!” Having compressed his demonic energy to its absolute limit, Ailin briefly turned his head to whisper to Nia.

With that said, Ailin, dragging his body already somewhat injured from his previous fight with Qi Lin, once again charged towards the possessed figure.

‘Qi Lin’ watched the ‘food’ charge towards her, an overconfident attack, and a hint of scorn flickered in her eyes.

“As mere food, you dare to retaliate? To be devoured by me is your honor!” she uttered, her words resonating in the ancient Bloodline tongue.

“What nonsense are you spouting? I… I don’t understand!” Ailin roared, having already reached ‘Qi Lin’s’ side, and lashed out with hands now tipped with sharp, predatory claws.

“So slow. Did you not eat?” ‘Qi Lin’ scoffed in the Bloodline tongue.

Slightly shifting her body to evade the attack, ‘Qi Lin’ raised her right leg and delivered a swift, brutal knee strike.

Feeling an immense, crushing pain erupt from his abdomen, Ailin involuntarily spat out a mouthful of acidic bile.

With a look of utter disgust at the bile about to splatter onto her, ‘Qi Lin’ executed a swift spinning kick, aiming precisely for Ailin’s stomach.

Struck by such a devastating kick, Ailin was sent hurtling through the air, colliding with and snapping a thick tree trunk before landing with a dull, heavy thud.

Lying prone on the ground, Ailin coughed up a mouthful of dark, clotted blood.

“Tsk, what a waste of delicious blood,” ‘Qi Lin’ tutted in the Bloodline tongue. “I should have gone easier!”

‘Qi Lin’ clicked her tongue, then began to walk with slow, deliberate steps towards Ailin.

“Stop!” Just as ‘Qi Lin’ was about to reach Ailin, Nia rushed forward, spreading her arms wide to shield him.

“Nia, didn’t I tell you to run?!” Ailin yelled, his eyes wide, consumed by a burning rage.

“How touching…” ‘Qi Lin’ remarked with a sigh, having walked right up to Nia.

Nia, unable to comprehend ‘Qi Lin’s’ words, simply maintained a resolute expression, firmly blocking the figure before her, refusing to let her pass.

“Then, perhaps, a nap is in order!” ‘Qi Lin’ declared, raising her hand.

“Wh—”

Before Nia could utter another word, a swift hand chop descended, and she collapsed, unconscious, to the ground.

“Bastard! What have you done?!” Ailin cried, clutching his chest and glaring furiously at ‘Qi Lin’, whose victim now lay unconscious on the ground.

‘Qi Lin’ said nothing, merely crouching down to deliver a hand chop to Ailin as well.

Gazing at the two unconscious figures, ‘Qi Lin’ nodded with satisfaction. “Finally, no one can disturb my meal. I’m practically starving.”

With that, ‘Qi Lin’ grabbed Ailin, tilted her head, and baring her fangs, bit down onto his neck.

Sweet, fresh blood filled her mouth, and ‘Qi Lin’ hummed with pleasure, her eyes narrowing in bliss.

Feeling sufficiently sated, ‘Qi Lin’ released Ailin, uncaring of his pain.

Turning, she walked over to Nia, and once again, with the same practiced ease, began to devour the blood she found so delicious and delectable.

****

Night fell, and the full moon ascended, spanning the night sky.

Bathed in moonlight, Qi Lin frowned, then slowly stirred awake.

“What… what happened to me?” Qi Lin murmured, gazing up at the moon, a sense of profound confusion clouding his mind.

Clutching his forehead, Qi Lin swayed unsteadily before pushing himself up from the ground.

Scanning his surroundings, his pupils contracted as he saw Nia and Ailin sprawled on the ground, and his memories slowly began to return.

‘I… lost consciousness, controlled by instinct!’

Recalling what he had seen just before his consciousness faded, Qi Lin immediately rushed to their side and began shaking their shoulders.

Feeling the movement, their brows twitched, and they slowly opened their eyes. Upon seeing the person beside them, they instantly sprang up warily, putting distance between themselves and him.

“Uh… are you two… alright?” Qi Lin scratched his head, feeling a surge of awkwardness. What now? How could he possibly explain what had just transpired?

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