Chapter Four: The Experiment
Xiao Xiao stood lost in thought for a moment, staring blankly at his own reflection in the window. He seemed to be contemplating much, yet he might just as well have been zoning out.
Superpowers? That was truly too unrealistic, wasn't it? Perhaps it had just been a minor scratch, and its rapid healing was perfectly normal.
Forget it. Whether it was coincidence or fate, a simple experiment would suffice.
With this thought, a sudden restlessness stirred within Xiao Xiao. He gripped the black notebook tightly and strode toward the elevator.
...
Not until the library was out of sight did Xiao Xiao let out a long sigh of relief. He touched the notebook in his hand, feeling his heart settle.
Under the overly bright sunlight, he noticed for the first time that the notebook had undergone some subtle changes. Its black cover possessed a peculiar texture—resembling gold, jade, and ancient sandalwood all at once—exuding an air of heavy, aged sophistication. Intricate and bizarre patterns swirled faintly upon it, emanating a faint silver glow. Within this silver light, wisps of blood-red seeped through, as if portending something ominous.
Having been "hardened" by his recent experiences, Xiao Xiao accepted the notebook’s transformation with surprising calm after a momentary shock. If his own body could undergo such mutations, why should he be surprised by a mere notebook?
...
Returning to the dormitory, he found it empty, which was convenient.
With a measure of caution, Xiao Xiao carefully set down the now remarkably "high-end" black notebook. Glancing around, he spotted his roommate's Swiss Army knife left on the desk. He wiped the sharp blade, took a silent, deep breath, and finally steeled his resolve, slicing into his own finger.
At first, he didn't dare cut too deep, stopping the moment he saw blood.
"Hiss—" It really stung. It was practically self-torture. Complaining to himself, Xiao Xiao stared wide-eyed, never blinking, as he watched his finger.
A distinct cut marred his upright finger, the flesh parted to reveal the wound, and blood slowly seeped out.
...
Hmm? Xiao Xiao wiped the blood away with a tissue, only to find the skin of his finger smooth and flawless. Not a trace of the cut remained.
So fast. He hadn't blinked, yet when he looked again, his finger was already healed.
It seemed he hadn't cut deep enough.
With this trial, Xiao Xiao gained some confidence. This time, he sliced into the same finger with enough force to nearly sever it.
He was ruthless; impatient with repeated attempts, he wanted to see where his limits lay. However, looking at his heavily bleeding finger, he felt a flicker of panic. He hadn't intended to cut this deep; he had simply lost control of his strength and gone too far. After all, he was a novice at self-mutilation—a lack of professional experience was understandable—but he was the one suffering for it.
Xiao Xiao felt like crying. What if his finger actually fell off?
...
Huh? It didn't seem to hurt much anymore?
He stared at his finger with strange intensity. A moment ago, he had been trembling with fear, worrying about whether his finger would fall off and not even daring to touch the wound, holding it gingerly to prevent gravity from taking its toll. Yet now, he was astonished to see that the bleeding had not increased, and his precarious finger was already as good as new. He subconsciously flexed it; there was not a hint of pain or discomfort. He leaned in closer, rubbed his eyes hard, and then, after tentatively touching the crimson-stained finger, he began to rub it somewhat roughly.
Ha! It really was healed! And in less than a minute!
His erratic, pounding heart finally returned to its rhythm, only to leap into his throat again and then drop heavily; Xiao Xiao felt a wave of dizziness.
He wiped the blood off with a tissue. His finger, which should have borne a deep gash, was completely restored. There was no resistance or pain in its movement.
This was a scene that belonged in a novel, yet it was happening to him in reality. He felt a sense of dreamlike detachment.
With these two experiments, Xiao Xiao let go of his reservations and began cutting himself everywhere.
He was not invulnerable like the protagonists in some novels—where attacks only leave white marks—but possessed astonishing regenerative powers. Injuries required no treatment; they healed rapidly, leaving not a single trace.
Xiao Xiao couldn't help but wonder: had he been abducted by aliens in his sleep for experiments?
...
Regardless, for now, it was a good thing—a fantastic, heaven-sent blessing!
Xiao Xiao felt a sense of smug satisfaction regarding his new "indestructible cockroach" constitution. He didn't test his body's absolute limit; he had no masochistic tendencies, and cutting himself once was already his limit. He couldn't bring himself to inflict any more severe harm.
Moreover, in his view, this level of self-healing was sufficient. He was just an ordinary student; unless he were struck by extreme misfortune or some unforeseen disaster, he wouldn't face serious injury. If that ever happened, he would just have to accept his bad luck.
"Heh, I get to enjoy a protagonist's treatment for once," Xiao Xiao thought, feeling quite pleased.
...
Xiao Xiao didn't overthink the inexplicable changes to his body. He accepted them with composure and adapted well; after all, it was a good thing.
However, he didn't get carried away. Having read plenty of novels, he knew exactly what consequences would follow if he carelessly exposed his uniqueness. He had no intention of being captured and treated like a lab rat.
And so, Xiao Xiao could only keep his joy to himself.
Yet, walking through the familiar campus, he would occasionally look around, subconsciously searching for the creature called the Ear-Rat, or perhaps other monsters?
After several days, just as he was starting to feel a tinge of regret, thinking the little creature might have left the campus, he unexpectedly saw it again.
It was under a large banyan tree, where thin, fragmented sunlight filtered through the lush foliage, casting dappled, ethereal shadows on the ground.
The creature known as the Ear-Rat sat hunched with its head held high. Its strange form, caught in the interplay of light and shadow, looked so fleeting that one might easily mistake it for an illusion.
Xiao Xiao opened his eyes wide, refusing to blink, fearing the creature would vanish once more.
After hesitating for a moment, and glancing around with the guilt of a thief, Xiao Xiao finally stepped toward the tree with light, cautious footsteps.
Monsters—it was impossible not to be curious about them, right?
...
Besides, this creature looked quite small, and although its presence was somewhat intimidating, it surely... wasn't some ferocious, dangerous beast, was it?
Xiao Xiao thought wildly as he carefully approached the monster.
His total focus caused him to forget to mask his expression, and he failed to notice the strange looks others were casting his way. After all, in their eyes, Xiao Xiao was cautiously approaching a patch of empty space under a tree. It was hard not to find the sight absurd, funny, and even a bit eerie.
A few people paused to watch, looking up, down, left, and right, examining the area thoroughly. It was just an ordinary banyan tree, and there was nothing there. Sighing that he was a weirdo, they walked away, assuming he was yet another person with mental health issues.
Many lamented that there seemed to be more and more mentally unstable people these days. But no one interfered; they just shook their heads and hurried on.
Regardless, mentally ill people were always a bit unnerving.
Xiao Xiao was unaware that he was already labeled a madman in the eyes of others. His entire being was focused on the monster drawing ever closer.
When he was only three steps away, the creature turned its head. Its crimson eyes were cold and savage, piercing the air like two sharp swords.
In a daze, Xiao Xiao felt as if he could hear the sound of the air being sliced apart.
He subconsciously narrowed his eyes, feeling a stinging pain in his brow. His nerves tightened, and the hair on his arms stood up.
The monster stared at him unblinkingly, and he froze three steps away.
The sunlight was scorching, and his half-closed eyes felt a bit hazy.
A strong gust of wind swept by.
When he opened his eyes again, the monster was gone.
The only sound in his ears was the rustling of branches.
Xiao Xiao felt a touch of regret, but he also chuckled at his own behavior.
He had been searching for the monster intentionally or otherwise for days, yet when he finally saw it, he had been frozen with fear.
Was this what they called "Ye Gong's love for dragons"?
It was only a little monster, after all...
He wondered if he would ever have the chance to see one of the great monsters from the legends and storybooks?
Under the warm sun, Xiao Xiao felt his previously cold limbs gradually return to warmth. He looked up at the bright, clear sky.
"Well, it really is a beautiful day."