Chapter 6: We Were Never Human to Begin With

Cheng Hai was a disabled Beta, leaving no scent in the shop.

Fang Chiyu forced himself to read for a while longer before setting the book down and rubbing his temples.

Just then, Mother Fang returned, her back laden with market purchases. She dropped the bags with a thud and immediately understood who had visited when she saw her son's distracted expression.

"Still thinking about that Cheng family boy?" Mother Fang counted the seeds at home and noticed several were missing. She didn't mind; she had pursued her own husband in the same way. "He's disabled, without even a reproductive cavity. What are you thinking about him? Besides, he doesn't even know you like him."

"Mom!" Fang Chiyu's face darkened.

"Stop sulking." Mother Fang ignored his expression. "You need to get yourself together. In a few months, the professors from the Upper City will be down to recruit students. You're only twenty-six, still young enough to study. Show them how smart you are, and once you get into the Upper City, you'll see so many beautiful Omegas and Betas. You won't be so obsessed with that Cheng Hai fellow anymore."

Fang Chiyu's expression turned grim. "Mom, you don't understand."

"I don't understand, I don't understand! What do I understand? All I know is, if you don't pass the Upper City's assessment, you'll go on blind dates! And you'll produce a fat grandson for me!"

────────────

On the way back, Number One's expression finally improved somewhat.

However, he pressed even closer to Cheng Hai.

Unbeknownst to Cheng Hai, Number One had been cunningly re-applying his pheromones to Cheng Hai bit by bit, covering up the scents of other Alphas and Omegas that had clung to him at the market.

He had applied them too faintly earlier, failing to make Cheng Hai immediately notice the scent. Perhaps he'd need to complain to the other Succubi later—Cheng Hai was too difficult to leave his pheromones on.

Moreover, many others outside were coveting Cheng Hai.

Number One's pupils darkened.

If only there were a way to leave pheromones that lasted longer.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Cheng Hai muttered to himself, oblivious to Number One's thoughts. "Just don't get sick, or I'll have to explain where you came from and spend a fortune. I'm completely broke right now."

Speaking of money, the Client who had kept him waiting all day finally messaged back.

Twenty Penises Weird Client: Oh my god! Teacher, you're a genius! How did you even think of replacing all your fingers and toes with penises? It's perfect!

Twenty Penises Weird Client: But I'm a bit confused. If all your fingers and toes are penises, doesn't that mean you have extra ones down there?

I Don't Eat the Sea: Buy twenty, get one free.

Twenty Penises Weird Client: ...!

Twenty Penises Weird Client: Oh my god! Teacher, you're a true genius! A saint!! I love you!!! The draft is perfect! I've sent the money for the draft nodes! Please keep drawing! I can't wait to see the final image!

I Don't Eat the Sea: Alright.

A notification popped up on his phone: 800 yuan had been deposited into his bank account.

Just pathetic compensation and emotional distress fees...

The market was too far away. After a short bus ride, there was still a long walk. This was why Cheng Hai hated going there.

Dragging his weary body and Number One home.

As soon as he opened the door, he found a group of Succubi lying motionless on the floor, their bodies stiff and lifeless.

Fortunately, no one else ever visited his home. Otherwise, the scene, resembling a murder scene, would have terrified them to death.

This was because the market was over ten miles away from Cheng Hai's house.

Cheng Hai took another desperate, deep breath and approached each Succubus one by one, using his scent to revive them.

He repeated this ten times.

The first thing the Succubi did upon waking was swarm around Cheng Hai, chattering excitedly.

"Did you buy seeds? What kind did you get?"

"So, do we need to start plowing the fields? Will you reward us, Cheng Hai? A reward? Will there be one?"

"I love Cheng Hai so much! I want a hug!"

"Cheng Hai is so amazing! He even bought seeds!"

"Cheng Hai! Cheng Hai!" "Cheng Hai? Cheng Hai!"

"Enough! Stop the noise!"

Cheng Hai threw the seeds onto the table in frustration. "Be quiet!"

The Succubi fell silent.

Finally, peace.

Cheng Hai took a deep breath. "You've all finished reading the book I gave you, right?"

The Succubi nodded obediently.

Cheng Hai said, "Excellent. My warehouse has some tools you can use. Follow the instructions in the book. I can't teach you much myself."

Speaking of agricultural tools, Cheng Hai had to thank the previous residents. The warehouse was filled with them, every imaginable kind, but he was utterly useless when it came to using them.

The Succubi rushed to the warehouse with a clamor, determined to do something remarkable to cheer Cheng Hai up.

Finally, Cheng Hai was alone in the living room.

A living room with only one person felt both spacious and comfortable.

He returned to his room, turned on his computer, and resumed his previous creative work.

He truly admired himself. How could he have come up with the idea of replacing fingers with dicks, or spouted such bizarre words as "20 get 1 free"? This wretched world had clearly plotted against him.

He had fallen into depravity so quietly, so silently...

Despairingly, Cheng Hai picked up his pen.

Even his pen was already stained, its tip seemingly born solely to draw unspeakable things...

Opening his palette, he began coloring, step by step.

────────────

Painting is often like this: you can go for long stretches without touching it, but when you finally open the canvas, everything seems fun and engaging. Once you fully immerse yourself in the work, you lose all sense of time and place, painting with wild abandon until you hit a wall.

Cheng Hai was stuck on the light and shadow.

He could handle the light and shadow on everything else, but he was struggling with the light and shadow on the penises.

But these fingers, toes, and penises had no real reference points. They couldn't be treated as simple cylinders.

Cheng Hai looked up and realized it was already evening.

He finally remembered the succubi he'd left outside to farm.

It was late; they must be hungry.

Good thing he'd received some advance payment today.

Cheng Hai gritted his teeth, scoured delivery apps for coupons, and chose the largest, cheapest meal—even if it was pre-made, Cheng Hai would accept it—and placed the order!

The delivery fee was a whopping 6.2 yuan.

Ouch.

Cheng Hai took a deep breath, barely suppressing his pain, and opened the door to leave.

He'd braced himself to face a group of grimy succubi and a pile of dirt-stained clothes.

When he opened the door, he saw eleven succubi happily seated at the dining table in the living room, with a spread of dishes laid out on the table.

It was the exact same scene as a few days ago.

Number Three was even wearing the same apron.

Seeing this, Cheng Hai immediately stumbled back and opened all his food delivery apps.

His phone and tablet were all in his room. They couldn't have ordered food using his phone again!

He checked his accounts several times, confirming that not a single cent was missing.

So where did these dishes come from?!

Is this some kind of curse?!

Refusing to believe his eyes, Cheng Hai cautiously approached the dining table.

Edamame, potatoes, bok choy.

These were the vegetables they had bought seeds for earlier that day.

"Did you go grocery shopping?" was Cheng Hai's first thought.

"Did Old Man Huang bring them?" was his second.

"It couldn't be Fang Chiyu, could it?!" was his third.

But Cheng Hai quickly dismissed all three possibilities.

The market was ten li away, a distance the succubi could never have traveled. Besides, they didn't even know where the market was.

Old Man Huang wouldn't even buy these vegetables for himself. Every day, he scavenged for discarded leaves at the landfill and used his secret recipe to stir-fry them.

Though Fang Chiyu was kind to him—perhaps excessively so—he had his own seed shop to run and no time to travel so far to deliver these meals.

So there was only one possibility left.

"Whose garden did you dig up to steal these vegetables from?" Cheng Hai asked, disapprovingly, looking at the Succubi. "This is theft! No matter how poor you are, you can't do this!"

"That's not true, Cheng Hai," Number One said first. He couldn't suppress a smile at the sight of Cheng Hai's face and cautiously moved closer. When he noticed the scent of the vegetables still clinging to Cheng Hai, his smile widened.

"We didn't steal them! We grew them!"

Cheng Hai:?

"What? You grew them?" he asked in astonishment.

The other Succubi nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! We planted them!"

"You didn't use the seeds we bought today, did you?!"

The Succubi nodded again.

"Yes!" "Cheng Hai, you're so smart!" "Cheng Hai, you're a genius!" "We grew them ourselves! Want to try one, Cheng Hai?"

"Stop!" Cheng Hai raised his hand to halt the Succubi's effusive praise, turning to Number One. "This is impossible!"

Frowning, Cheng Hai continued, "I know you want to make me feel good, want me to praise you. But maybe you've never grown vegetables before. Seeds can't sprout and bear fruit in a single day. Even if you want my praise, you shouldn't deceive me."

Seeing Cheng Hai's disbelief, the Succubi exchanged glances.

Number Two stepped forward, the most clingy to Cheng Hai, and stuck to him like a magnet. "Cheng Hai, we're not lying. We really grew this ourselves."

"Impossible," Cheng Hai stated firmly.

"This completely defies biological common sense. Unless... you're not human..."

Wait.

Cheng Hai looked at the eleven faces before him, each with otherworldly beauty. Though they were eleven individuals, their movements—even the slightest nod, shake of the head, or twitch of the nose—were identical to the last. And they were, in fact, not human.

"We were never human to begin with!" Number Two declared. "We're Succubi!"

Number Two's eyes curved into a smile. "Cheng Hai, have you forgotten?"

Cheng Hai finally understood.

"Show me the area outside the house."

Hearing Cheng Hai's willingness to see their work, the eleven Succubi cheered in unison, pulling him toward the door.

Number Eleven, the most energetic of them, yanked the door open, revealing a scene Cheng Hai wouldn't have dared to imagine.

The once flat, barren land was now neatly divided into square plots of farmland. Each acre was overflowing with vibrant, tender vegetables—fresh, green, and looking both healthy and delicious.

Even some of the vegetables were out of season.

Cheng Hai's eyes widened slowly in disbelief. He grabbed Number Two's wrist, his voice trembling. "H-how did you do this?"

Number Two replied innocently, "We just put the seeds in the ground and said, 'Grow quickly!' And look!"

The other Succubi nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah! Cheng Hai, farming is so easy! We should all do it from now on!"

"Cheng Hai, we'll take good care of you!"

"Cheng Hai, are you hungry? Let's go back and eat!"

The cacophony of "Cheng Hai!" resumed, but this time, he didn't tell them to stop.

He dimly realized that he might have, in fact, purchased a group of extraordinary beings.