Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 478 - 477: The Distorted Family

"I want Dad to see me. Dad really likes swords and people who practice swordsmanship. He’s been here teaching swordsmanship to others for the past few years. I think if I can master swordsmanship, I’ll definitely impress Dad."

Hearing Qiao Xiao Mi say this, Lu Luo frowned slightly. What was the Teacher doing? No matter what, he shouldn’t have let Xiao Mi run out like this, right?

"How about this," Lu Luo said, "I’ll take you back first. When we see your dad, I’ll have a good talk with him."

"I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to see them."

"Xiao Mi, don’t you trust me?" Lu Luo reached out his hand to Qiao Xiao Mi with great sincerity.

Adolescents are very emotional. Lu Luo felt that there must be some misunderstanding between them that led to Qiao Xiao Mi running away.

What’s going on with the Teacher?

Lu Luo looked in the direction of Qiao Xing’s house, feeling puzzled.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

The unhurried knocking on the door made Qiao Xing, who was upstairs feeding medicine to his wife, somewhat irritable.

"Is Xiao Mi back?" Li Lan, on the bed, sounded weak.

Qiao Xing looked at his wife’s state. He felt sorrowful yet didn’t show it at that moment.

"I’ll go down and check."

"Yes, the child can stay here for now. I’m alright."

Qiao Xing looked at his wife, Li Lan, shook his head with an odd expression in his eyes, then picked up the child and walked towards the door.

Meanwhile, Li Lan, lying in bed, just stared blankly at her husband.

Although there was a harmonious marital relationship between them, at this moment, it emanated an indescribable sense of eeriness.

Guarded? Or something else?

Whatever it was, the situation between them was definitely not as simple as just nursing an illness and providing care.

CREAK!

The door opened, and the sound made Lu Luo frown again.

It hasn’t been fixed in a long time! So much so that the door was almost falling off its hinges, creaking due to a lack of oil at the pivot. Given Teacher Qiao Xing’s usual personality, his obsessive-compulsive disorder would have made him fix the door quickly, rather than leaving it like this. What exactly happened in his home?

"Teacher?"

"You’re back?"

Seeing Lu Luo, Qiao Xing’s expression briefly lit up with joy, but it quickly faded.

His hair was unkempt, and his eyes were full of weariness.

Lu Luo could feel the tiredness, pain, and even some malevolence emanating from Qiao Xing at that moment.

This made him feel even stranger.

According to Lu Xiaotian, Qiao Xing usually worked and lived here, hardly ever going anywhere else. A routine life with no exceptions.

But if that’s the case, where did all these emotions on Qiao Xing come from? That malevolence... it must be murderous, right?

"Teacher, what’s wrong with you?"

At this moment, Lu Luo discreetly pulled Qiao Xiao Mi behind him.

Qiao Xing’s current state is a bit off; I can’t take risks. At least, not until I figure out what’s going on with him. I can’t gamble with Qiao Xiao Mi’s safety.

"My situation... It’s complicated."

Qiao Xing glanced at Qiao Xiao Mi behind Lu Luo. Although the hollow-eyed man said nothing, Lu Luo could still feel the pity in Qiao Xing’s eyes.

He still cared about Qiao Xiao Mi.

However, Lu Luo also noticed the little boy Qiao Xing held in his arms. A boy who seemed somewhat wooden, his expression dull...

This state... could it be...

Lu Luo hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to ask.

Qiao Xing’s condition is already very poor; I don’t want to add fuel to the fire right now.

"Teacher, looking like this, it’s really hard to feel at ease!" Lu Luo said with a hint of suspicion.

Qiao Xing looked at Lu Luo, slightly raised his head, then stretched in front of him.

This action left Lu Luo bewildered. What did stretching mean?

When a series of CRACKING sounds came from Qiao Xing’s body, Lu Luo’s gaze grew even weirder.

"Teacher, what exactly happened?"

"Your Mentor’s wife, Li Lan, is sick."

His Mentor’s wife is sick? If she’s sick, then treat her. What else could be done?

That was what Lu Luo was thinking, but he knew the matter couldn’t possibly be that simple.

Just what kind of illness could reduce Qiao Xing, a Seventh Tier expert, to this state?

"Can you take me to see the Mentor’s wife?"

Qiao Xing looked at Lu Luo, his eyes filled with struggle. Finally, his gaze rested on Qiao Xiao Mi behind Lu Luo.

"Okay."

"Alright, then let’s go in and have a look."

But just as Lu Luo was about to take Qiao Xiao Mi inside, Qiao Xing stopped them.

"You can go in and see, but Xiao Mi can’t. Let her wait outside by herself."

Qiao Xing’s casual manner of speaking deeply wounded Qiao Xiao Mi, who had always loved him.

"Dad, why are you doing this? If I’ve done something wrong, please tell me!" Qiao Xiao Mi wailed.

Her loud crying seemed to only make Qiao Xing more irritable.

He pointed impatiently towards the bedroom. "Go back to sleep."

"Dad, I..."

"I told you to get back and go to sleep!"

A fierce look appeared in Qiao Xing’s eyes, and a thread of hostility began to emanate from him.

A Seventh Tier expert, actually unable to control his emotions over such a small matter. The Qiao Xing in front of him... is he really...

Lu Luo knew he had to do something, otherwise the stubborn Qiao Xiao Mi would cry endlessly.

"Xiao Mi, you go to sleep first," Lu Luo said gently. "How about this: tonight, I’ll have a good talk with your dad. When you wake up tomorrow morning, you’ll find that everything is better. Okay?"

Such words might have coaxed Qiao Xiao Mi a few years ago, but now she had entered puberty. This kind of talk, obviously meant for children, had no effect on her anymore. It couldn’t even bring her any comfort.

All she felt was the coldness from her parents and their perfunctory treatment.

"Big Brother Lu Luo, you two go ahead. I know what to do."

Qiao Xiao Mi’s demeanor left Lu Luo somewhat helpless. From her behavior, Qiao Xing’s change must not have been a recent one. What could be the reason?

"Let’s go, Teacher. Let’s have a look."

"Lu Luo..." Qiao Xing hesitated, seeming as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

Lu Luo glanced at him and finally shook his head. "Teacher, no matter what has happened, we have to face it and deal with it."

"Hmm."

Qiao Xing said no more. He led Lu Luo toward the master bedroom upstairs.

Qiao Xing walked slowly, seemingly torn and hesitant. Although Lu Luo sensed his emotions, he wouldn’t say much at this time.

Because the current Qiao Xing is very strange, and in such a state, he isn’t to be trusted.

"She’s inside."

"Aren’t you going in?" Lu Luo asked, glancing once more at the child in Qiao Xing’s arms.

Their conversation was somewhat strange. Qiao Xing clutched the child in his arms tighter, seemingly not wanting Lu Luo to pay too much attention to him. But the more he did that, the more it drew Lu Luo’s attention.

"Is there something wrong with the child?"

"You go in and take a look first. Come out and talk to me after you’ve seen for yourself. I’ll smoke a cigarette, take a break."

"Smoke?"

In my memory, Teacher Qiao Xing never smoked. And now he’s saying he wants a cigarette? What a joke! The Church’s regulations don’t even allow Archbishops to smoke. Although Qiao Xing has left the Dawn Church, he always considered himself a devout believer!

"When did you start?" Lu Luo asked again. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Go in and see first," Qiao Xing dodged Lu Luo’s question.

Lu Luo wasn’t too worried about Qiao Xing trying to harm him at this moment. With his current strength, even if Qiao Xing from his prime attacked him personally, Lu Luo was fully confident in handling it. Not to mention Qiao Xing now—neglected, degenerated, showing none of the spirited vigor he once had.

What exactly could have changed a person so much in just two short years?

"Will I have an answer after I’ve seen?"

"Yes, you’ll have an answer after you’ve seen."

Lu Luo nodded. Without asking further, he turned and walked straight in.

As soon as he entered, Lu Luo was hit by a foul stench.

It’s probably the smell of feces mixed with flesh and blood. And rotting flesh and blood at that. Such a smell should never be in Qiao Xing’s house.

"Mentor’s wife?" Lu Luo called out towards the bed, but there was no response.

Through the Observer, Lu Luo could sense Li Lan rustling about. The noises were very slight, but he could hear them clearly. The Observer identified her current action: she was licking her skin, a very strange behavior.

Licking her skin? Such an action is typically performed by animals. Cats, for example, like licking their own skin, and creatures like squirrels also enjoy licking their tails. Wait, animals?

"Mentor’s wife, are you alright?"

"Lu Luo, you’ve come. It’s been such a long time," Li Lan’s voice came from the bed, weak but unchanged in timbre.

Lu Luo slowly approached the bed. As he did, Li Lan suddenly leaped up.

"AARGH! AARGH!" Li Lan, her face monstrous, rushed towards Lu Luo, roaring like a wild beast.

At the doorway, Qiao Xing, hearing these sounds, emotionlessly closed his eyes.

Downstairs, Qiao Xiao Mi covered her ears in fear.

Standing before Li Lan, Lu Luo was equally taken aback. Li Lan had undergone extreme mutations; many parts of her body were rotting. One half of her body was covered in dense fur, while the other was twisted like a contorted skeleton.

Although they were very close, Li Lan did not touch Lu Luo. The clanging chains behind her restrained her, preventing her from moving any closer.

"Let me have a taste! Just let me have one bite! Come here, Lu Luo! I know your master doted on you the most!"

The sight of Li Lan caused Lu Luo to furrow his brows. The Li Lan before me seems to have retained very clear memories. This... seems quite impossible. If it had only been a few days since the mutation began, retaining some memories would be understandable. But in Li Lan’s case, I conservatively estimate it’s been over two years. This timeframe likely matches the age of the child Qiao Xin is holding. After two years, a human mutated into an Exotic Species would find it hard to maintain their own consciousness. Even beings like San Tong and Qin Wanyu only gradually developed clear consciousness because they first advanced to the Lord level, activated their Domains, and regained their sense of self. And Li Lan’s strength is at most Second Tier. A Second Tier Exotic Species is typically among the most chaotic. This situation doesn’t make sense!

"Let me have a bite, Lu Luo! Come here!" Li Lan’s saliva began to drool from the corners of her mouth. She was utterly unable to control her actions. Although conscious, her consciousness had completely aligned with the instincts of an Exotic Species.

Devour, slaughter, destruction. These are probably all the emotions in Li Lan’s heart now.

"Mentor’s wife, if you still remember me, can you tell me what exactly happened to you?"

"AARGH!"

Lu Luo’s inquiry was meaningless. Once Li Lan confirmed that Lu Luo would not approach her, she had become utterly frenzied.

Her appearance made Lu Luo feel very helpless. Why had the once kind and lovely housewife become like this?

Just as Lu Luo was about to go out and ask Qiao Xing, Qiao Xing had already pushed open the door and walked in.

"Now, you should understand a bit, right?"

"What’s going on? Her mutation is somewhat different from normal ones," Lu Luo asked again.

This time, Qiao Xing did not intend to hide the truth.

"Her ordeal... it’s all my fault."

"Your fault?"

Lu Luo wasn’t sure about any other hidden details, but since Qiao Xing said so, there surely was a reason. He waited for Qiao Xing’s explanation.

Qiao Xing lit a cigarette, his face hidden in the smoke, and slowly began to speak. "Do you know how I maintained my strength?"

"How?"

"I made a deal with Leviathan."

Lu Luo’s gaze instantly sharpened. According to the records from the Church’s ruins, Leviathan is also one of the Angel Envoys, and his ranking even surpasses Meiqi’s. The supposedly harmless fellow might be the overseer of the entire Wasteland Alliance. Meiqi is responsible for guarding the land, while he guards the sky.

"What kind of deal?"

"He gave me some special energy. This energy, when mixed with Holy Radiance, could preserve its main power."

Lu Luo nodded, then looked again at Li Lan, who was still in a frenzy.

"So, Mentor’s wife... she’s the victim of this energy?"

"Yes, this energy... it’s highly contaminating. It contaminated Li Lan’s body and was hidden extremely well. For a long time, it was dormant, and I didn’t notice anything unusual about it at all. During Li Lan’s pregnancy, this home was very warm. I thought this warmth would continue indefinitely, until the day Li Lan gave birth."

"What happened on the day the child was born? Did Mentor’s wife mutate?"

"No, Li Lan didn’t mutate then. That day... after the child was born, we discovered his problem. Lu Xiaotian’s bloodline had been thoroughly contaminated by the power of the Exotic Species... And this contamination wasn’t just a simple mutation. Li Lan desperately wanted to devour Lu Xiaotian, and Lu Xiaotian also wanted to eat Li Lan. I had a feeling that if they were left unchecked, they would undergo even greater mutations. Turn into real monsters!"