Chapter Fourteen: The Mouse’s Diary

Offer up myself? What a joke.

Even if he obtained the treasure within the flower this way, he would still be unable to claim it. Chenqi was genuinely worried about the mental state of his game character.

[Lamp Aspect triggered! Your mind recovers.]

[You are convinced you are neither food for others nor a plaything of fate.]

[You have entered the sanctum of the Gluttonous Bloom.]

So the Lamp Aspect is still useful, Chenqi breathed a sigh of relief.

[You observe your surroundings. The room is filled with withered flowers, beneath which are buried revolting rot and bleached bones, as well as tables and chairs covered in moss.]

[At the center of the room, beside a dining chair, there is a crimson flower with petals splayed open, its stem bent like a person bowing, resembling a lonely traveler awaiting someone to return and feed it.]

[To your surprise, the Gluttonous Bloom is much smaller than you imagined—only about half your height.]

[In this confined space, you sense something shadowy lurking, but you cannot pinpoint its location; some object is whispering.]

Currently, his spirit points were down to just two…

Chenqi opened the Morningstar’s talent panel and activated the Morningstar’s Quest.

[The Morningstar leaps from your hand, darting ahead.]

[You hurry after the Morningstar and locate the source of the mysterious aura.]

[Beneath the Gluttonous Bloom, you extend your Stingshadow Dagger and begin to dig.]

Nice! Chenqi was delighted—the Stingshadow Dagger and the Morningstar were incredibly useful.

[Digging…]

[After digging a hole half a meter deep, you unearth a small wooden box. Open it?]

Open.

[You have obtained the Tattered Rat Certificate.]

Chenqi checked the description.

[Rat Certificate: Proof of the “rats” of the Underways. In the sewers, those who hold this certificate may secure positions and receive better treatment from the rats.]

Is this something like a pass? Best to keep it for now. Chenqi continued to the next entry.

[Beneath the Rat Certificate are two pages of a diary, filled with regret, hunger, rage, and poverty. Read them?]

A diary?

Everyone knows people who keep diaries are rarely normal, but this one might contain crucial information about this place, possibly helping solve the current problem.

Read.

[You open the diary slowly.]

[1.12
Damn those wandering merchants for cheating me out of my money. One day, I’ll slaughter every merchant in the world!
But those searching for the Book of Black River are fools. Without a strong body, it’s pure delusion to think you can contain the power of a Shadow Beast.
Today, I discovered a ruin in the Land of Faint Light. Legends say the thing within the flower can turn cowards into warriors, but the flower can only be satisfied by the finest delicacies!
Countless have failed, but I believe I can succeed!

2.21
My friend and I accidentally got trapped inside. The stone walls writhe like the inside of a throat, and there are endless man-eating flowers! If we can’t escape soon, we’ll starve to death here!

2.29
Turns out I’m a genius. Under my lead, we’ve survived by eating the man-eating flowers—they’re not bad. Perhaps a Seeker will come to aid us, since my friend isn’t low-ranked.
Not only that, I’ve uncovered the root of this man-eating land: a vivid red flower. At its heart, I sensed the source of power!
Just as the legends claim, the flower holds a force to transcend the flesh!
The power hidden in the flower makes my blood boil. No matter the cost, I must claim it!

3.21
We were rescued, but I never forgot what lay within that flower! I’m sure I can gain a strength to surpass the body and become a warrior, to join the Deathband in seeking the legendary High Heavens.
I can feel it—the crimson flower needs food!
I’ve decided: to obtain the power within the flower, I’ll join the Underways as a rat-hunter, make a fortune, and present it the most exquisite delicacies!

3.22
I learned a spell to crumble earth, and dug a tunnel back here.

I spent twenty gold coins on the world’s finest sea fish, planning to feed the lively catch to the flower.
But it didn’t work. The flower’s color grew even redder and it spat fire.
From the Gluttonous Bloom’s maw, I sensed an overwhelming greed for food.
But I’m not afraid! I believe, with effort, the treasure in its mouth will be mine sooner or later, and I still have quite a bit of money left.

4.27
Damn it, I’m out of money! I’ve fed it everything delicious I could buy—even octopus bliss stew, a top-tier dish, did nothing.
And this cursed Gluttonous Bloom spits fire every time it finishes eating, and I don’t dare strike back.
I’ve realized it craves not ordinary food, but the flames of the Scarlet Battlefield!
I went to the underground arena in Sector 7, stole a torch from the war-torn grounds, and fed it to the flower.

8.12
I failed again. Even borrowed heavily from the Debt Collectors—damn it.
I get it now. It doesn’t want a battlefield’s torch. Maybe it’s scalding blood? I trained myself to hunt a blazing creature from deep underground, and harvested a vial of boiling blood!
I tried moving it somewhere better for its meals. Through many tests, I found I could move it—so long as it isn’t away for more than twenty minutes, it won’t get angry or react at all.
So I built an altar outside to worship it.
Boiling blood and a perfect dining environment—surely it’ll be happy this time.

9.15
The flower reddened again, and spat fire at me… How many times is this now? Nearly a hundred?
Why did I fail again? Damn it, the Gluttonous Bloom’s greed cannot be sated!
I’ve already fed it a hundred items! Drained all my energy and fortune! Now the Debt Collectors are after me, threatening to enslave me!
I’m cornered. Maybe, for this thing, I’ve spent everything. The Deathband maniacs are still hunting me—I bet it’s because I fed them your horse!

11.16
This is the end. The Deathband will find me soon.
I, once wealthy, can no longer buy you any food!
Gluttonous Bloom, now I can only offer you myself.
Is what you truly crave the one who has poured their heart and soul into you?
May it work…
I have a premonition—this time I’ll succeed, but it’s too late. Accept my final sacrifice…]

This…

Reading this, Chenqi frowned. This was most likely a true story from another world.

To satisfy the Gluttonous Bloom’s desire and obtain the treasure hidden within, the diary’s author sacrificed all their money and strength.

Yet in the end, they failed.

Ultimately, the diarist offered themselves to the Gluttonous Bloom, losing everything.

Alas…

Chenqi sighed. According to the diary, the Gluttonous Bloom before him was truly insatiable—its terrifying appetite was enough to freeze the blood.

[You flip to the second diary page.]

[11.17:
Why was I spat out! Am I really that unpalatable?]

The sudden twist made the corner of Chenqi’s mouth twitch:

“So you didn’t die after all?”

[4.25
Turns out the Deathband wasn’t after me for revenge. It was because of my record and talents—feeding the Gluttonous Bloom improved me so much!
Now I’m qualified to be a Deathband apprentice! No more living as a rat in the Underways!
If I join them, they’ll help pay off my debts.

Today, I returned here specially, hiding my precious diary pages and Rat Certificate as proof of my resolve to become strong and take revenge!
I vow here: Gluttonous Bloom! For devouring my 130 items and 200 gold coins, you’ll regret it!
Just wait! In thirty years, I’ll be your match. Even if your roots control this man-eating land, I’ll personally claim the treasure from your maw!
Deathband apprentice Vittel hereby swears.]

“…”

Chenqi was momentarily speechless. How did the tone flip from despair to motivational diary?

And the diarist was something else—willing to feed so much to a flower for a treasure, ending up penniless.

This person was even more unhinged than he had imagined.

Chenqi skimmed the diary again, extracting information about the Gluttonous Bloom:

First, if one can feed the Gluttonous Bloom, they can obtain the mysterious item hidden inside.

Second, after eating, the Gluttonous Bloom turns bright red and spits fire.

Third, the Bloom is calmer than expected—and most useful of all, it can be carried away for up to twenty minutes.

Chenqi continued reading.

[After collecting your items, you approach the Gluttonous Bloom.]

[The Gluttonous Bloom catches your scent and opens its maw to you. The entire stone wall begins to writhe.]

[Make your choice.]

[1. Offer the Witch of Flowers’ potion to the Gluttonous Bloom to calm its restlessness.
2. Choose another item from your inventory to offer to the Bloom.
3. Offer yourself to the Gluttonous Bloom.
4. Boldly try picking up the Gluttonous Bloom—the diary’s author has given you courage.]

This choice required caution. Any misstep could mean the character’s death.

The second and third options could be eliminated immediately.

Only the first and fourth options seemed even slightly reliable.

Chenqi glanced at the talent panel.

Before this journey, Laughing Moon had vanished, and the Prophetic Dream talent had refreshed.

This dangerous choice was worth using [Prophetic Dream].

[Foresee: First option.]

[Foreknowledge begins.
You feed the carefully prepared potion of the Witch of Flowers to the Gluttonous Bloom. The Bloom accepts your offering, crushing the vial and swallowing.]

Not sure if it’ll work. Even though it’s foresight, Chenqi was still nervous.

Crimson words leapt out!

[The Gluttonous Bloom vomits.]

“What?”

Is the Witch of Flowers’ potion really that useless?

[The Gluttonous Bloom cannot endure the potion’s leafy taste. Its roots pierce the walls, contorting everything in agony.
In your panic, you attempt to escape, but in the ensuing earthquake, you’re powerless—a huge stone falls and crushes you.]

[Foreknowledge ends. You are killed by the falling stone wall.]

“…”

So the first option fails…

That left only one answer. Chenqi looked at the fourth option and, after a moment’s hesitation, a bold idea emerged.