The Most Important Thing About Being Human Is

Yu Duanhong appeared calm on the surface, but internally, he was screaming incessantly.

‘Kill him.’

‘Kill Wang Hao.’

That name, that face, and those glamorous images were like a knife repeatedly stabbing his heart.

Why?

Why did he have to struggle in the gutters, enduring poverty and ruin, while the guy who stole his original destiny could step on others' backs and live such a lush life!

Years of accumulated humiliation and injustice were being amplified several times over by some unknown force.

The fierce ghost within him seemed to echo this malice, stirring restlessly inside his body.

But he could do nothing.

The surveillance of the Anomaly Management Bureau was everywhere.

He didn't even have privacy in the bathroom or under his blankets.

He had no doubt that if he showed any killing intent toward Wang Hao or tried to use the ghost's power, things would end badly for him.

The Bureau had likely released him to target that mysterious long-haired man. If his performance during this period wasn't good enough, he would probably be thrown back into an isolation room and euthanized once the matter was resolved.

Furthermore, since Wang Hao could suddenly appear in his life, if the man's actions were directed by the Bureau, it meant they must know about Wang Hao taking his spot years ago. That was the only way they could use Wang Hao to test him.

Yet, the Bureau didn't seem to want to hold anyone accountable.

The more Yu Duanhong thought about it, the angrier he became. Killing intent surged wildly, and a silent scream echoed in the depths of his heart.

At the same time, he held a somewhat paranoid expectation. Since that mysterious person had pulled him into this game and given him this dangerous power...

The man had facilitated all of this seemingly at random; it was unlikely he would just wash his hands of it now. He must be watching in some incomprehensible way.

‘Hear me, hear me!’

‘Help me, help me kill him! I’ll agree to whatever you want!’

Yu Duanhong hoped his silent roar would reach the ears of that mysterious man.

In his monitored daily life, such thoughts burned like a wildfire in his mind.

Perhaps the call, gathered from such intense resentment and malice, was too persistent. That night, after Yu Duanhong had performed his role as an honest man for another full day, he saw it as he drifted off to sleep.

In a state between wakefulness and dreaming, he found himself standing on an infinite surface of pitch-black water. Beneath his feet was water as smooth as a mirror, and above his head hung a moon that cast no reflection.

Yue Shi stood not far from him, his long hair still flowing and his skin a translucent white, as if he had been waiting there for Yu Duanhong all along.

“I smell it—an incredibly powerful malice,” Yue Shi spoke first, his voice echoing through the surroundings with a haunting resonance.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yu Duanhong took a step forward. Here, he felt an unprecedented freedom, able to cast aside all pretenses.

“Help me kill him.”

“The person who stole my spot—help me kill him! I’ll do anything you ask!”

He practically roared the words. The killing intent accumulated over many days and the irritation of being under constant surveillance exploded in this moment.

Yue Shi watched him quietly for a long while before nodding slightly.

“Very well.”

“Since you want revenge, what kind of death do you want to choose for your enemy?”

“How about putting his parents in a pot to cook and making him eat until he stuffs himself to death?”

He spoke of an incredibly bloody and cruel method of murder with total nonchalance.

“Don't do that. Better to make him eat his whole family raw. Gnawing on them while they're alive is the only way to make them suffer—double torment of the spirit and the flesh. Once they're boiled to death, they won't feel the pain anymore,” Yu Duanhong said instinctively.

He froze immediately after saying it. Was he really this vicious?

But it felt so good.

Then he realized something. He had expected bargaining, rejection, or even harsh trading conditions, but he had never expected the other party to agree so readily.

A chill crawled up his spine.

No conditions were mentioned, and no price was stated. This made Yu Duanhong even more certain that fate’s gifts always come with a price tag hidden in the shadows.

The man helping him couldn't possibly be doing it out of random kindness; he must want something, and it was likely something that would harm society.

But so what?

Yu Duanhong's eyes quickly shifted from bewilderment back to determination.

He didn't care. Since he couldn't find justice, then they couldn't blame him for flipping the table.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked in a low voice.

“Nothing for now.” Yue Shi waved his hand, his figure gradually fading.

“Do what you must and continue your normal life. Soon, you will see the results.”

As the words fell, everything around him vanished.

Yu Duanhong opened his eyes, cold sweat soaking his back.

It was still dark outside. He slowly sat up, pretending he was just waking up to use the bathroom.

What just happened... it wasn't a dream, was it?

...

On Yue Shi’s side, he opened his eyes and rubbed his temples.

He wasn't used to this method of communication on the consciousness level. Fortunately, the malice in Yu Duanhong's heart was vast enough. In a sense, Yu Duanhong had prayed to a god and received a response.

Yue Shi didn't have time to watch Yu Duanhong every second. He had simply sensed that malice and taken a casual look.

“What did he say to you?” the ghost’s voice sounded. The black cat had crouched on his lap at some point.

“Just a small personal request,” Yue Shi smiled nonchalantly before giving an order.

“Go investigate someone’s details. Find out his current workplace, home address, daily routine, and social connections—especially his level of involvement with the Anomaly Management Bureau.”

“Understood.” Data streams flashed in the ghost's pupils as he continued, “Also, regarding the Bewitching Beauty Painting Workshop you asked me to look into, I’ve found a bit of information.”

“Oh?” Yue Shi became interested.

The ghost said, “The Deep Red Continent is a single, massive landmass. Beyond the land is the Endless Sea, which contains many different powers. The Bewitching Beauty Painting Workshop is one of them. It doesn't stay in one place; it’s a giant tower ship that drifts across the sea.”

“The Bewitching Beauty Painting Workshop is the world’s top entertainment venue and den of indulgence. It’s said that as long as you can pay the price, you can enjoy anything and learn any secret there.”

“But more specific intelligence—like its internal structure, the identity of the Workshop Master, or its exact route—is not very clear. Unless...”

“Unless I board the ship myself,” Yue Shi finished the thought, a contemplative look flashing in his eyes.

The Deep Red Continent and the Bewitching Beauty Painting Workshop—he had heard those terms back when he was in the world within the book.

It was a secret randomly broadcast by that Midnight Radio after it got close to The Resonant Daoist.

Items from the world within the book could actually receive information from the Deep Red Continent.

Now that the radio and The Resonant Daoist had merged into the Magic Conch, its functions had actually regressed. It was becoming more and more prone to talking nonsense.

...

The next afternoon, Wang Hao was slacking off in his office.

He held a very relaxed position within the system of the Anomaly Management Bureau, giving him plenty of time to enjoy life.

The heavy lifting was done by other workhorses; in the end, he only had to show his face to claim at least half of the results.

It couldn't be helped; he was a young master born with a silver spoon. He had known since he was a child that the world was unfair, and he was naturally born to stand above others.

Back then, he had failed all his academic subjects and couldn't have entered the academy to cultivate.

And yet, he had enrolled smoothly.

He didn't know the specifics; his parents had handled everything. He was a perfectly clean individual.

Perhaps he had replaced some poor loser’s spot, but that didn't matter.

Anyone he could replace had to be at the bottom of society, unable to cause any trouble. Besides, there was no point in wasting resources on people like that.

Wang Hao had been exposed to martial arts cultivation since childhood; he felt that social resources should naturally flow toward him.

Although Zhongzhou had a Prohibition of Magic, it was normal for young masters and ladies to have contact with such things from a young age.

Those commoners had already missed the optimal age for cultivation. What was the use of them entering the academy? It was better to give the spots to those in need so they could provide more light and heat.

Not long ago, Wang Hao had received a secret mission directly from above, instructing him to personally go to a specific location at a certain time.

It was a direct order from the leadership that could not be delegated or handled by a substitute.

Wang Hao had no choice but to go himself.

He thought it would be a dangerous mission, but nothing happened. It was just a simple trip.

However, he knew in his heart that the Bureau would never issue such a bizarre mission just to mess with him. There must be something he didn't know.

When the leadership was in a bad mood, they would only intentionally make things difficult for the workhorses; they were always polite to someone with his family background.

‘So what exactly happened?’

Wang Hao pondered the question while slacking off.

Although his academic grades weren't great, it didn't mean he was a fool. He was sharp enough to detect shifts in the wind through small events.

An anomaly had indeed occurred near the specific location he had been sent to for his mission.

A streamer from the Hive Apartments had conducted a supernatural livestream that gained massive traction.

‘What does that have to do with me?’ Wang Hao wondered. He felt he should find time to look into who that streamer actually was.

It would be best if there were no connection at all, and he had just been performing a routine task.

When it was time to clock out, Wang Hao left punctually, even offering a very friendly greeting to the workhorses who were working overtime.

Driving back to his home, the foyer was quiet. As he changed his shoes, he habitually glanced toward the living room.

It was empty. Usually at this time, his father would be sitting on the sofa watching financial news, and his mother might be tending to the orchids on the balcony.

But not today.

“Young Master, you’re back.” The servant, Wang Ma, walked out from the kitchen.

“Dinner is ready for you.”

Wang Hao gave a hum of acknowledgment, took off his coat, and loosened his tie.

He didn't ask where his parents had gone; Wang Ma wouldn't know anyway.

The table was already set with utensils for him alone.

The dishes were lavish, and everything looked no different than usual. Wang Ma’s cooking had always been excellent.

Wang Hao sat down and had just eaten a piece of beef when his eyebrows furrowed the moment he chewed.

The texture was strange.

The beef, which looked tender and juicy, had an indescribable rankness in his mouth. It was loose and soft, yet possessed a sudden, jarring toughness in certain spots.

Thinking it was an illusion, he spat out the meat and took a spoonful of mushroom soup.

The soup looked silky and inviting, but when the spoon entered his mouth, there was no delicious flavor—only a cloying, nauseatingly sweet taste of blood.

Wang Hao put down the spoon and wiped his mouth. Wang Ma had been a servant in the house for years; she shouldn't make such a rookie mistake, but he still had to say something.

“The food today... the taste seems a bit off.”

Wang Ma slowly turned her head and smiled. “Young Master, the ingredients were slaughtered this afternoon. They are very fresh. Could it be that you’re too tired today and have no appetite?”

Seeing the smile on Wang Ma’s face, Wang Hao felt inexplicably creeped out.

His work was so easy; how could he possibly be tired?

He averted his gaze, looking back at his plate.

At that moment, his vision blurred.

The exquisite food on the dining table suddenly transformed!

Bloody limbs, fingers wearing rings, eyeballs, brains...

“Urgh!” Wang Hao’s stomach did a somersault, and he nearly vomited on the spot.

He blinked, and everything on the table returned to its original state. The food was once again exquisite.

Was it a hallucination?

No!

He wouldn't just have a hallucination for no reason!

When encountering an anomaly, explaining it away as a hallucination was essentially just self-deceiving psychological comfort!

Moreover, the bizarre taste lingering in Wang Hao’s mouth was incredibly real.

An anomaly might have appeared in his home; it had to be dealt with immediately!

He tried to get up and leave the table.

But his body didn't move.

No, it wasn't that he didn't move—he couldn't move at all.

An invisible force firmly shackled his body, preventing him from rising.

“Wang Ma!” he shouted.

Wang Ma looked up and stared at him quietly. She acted as if she saw nothing, looking like a smiling corpse.

Cold sweat poured down Wang Hao’s face. He had already realized something was wrong with Wang Ma.

Then, something even more terrifying happened.

Wang Hao felt his right hand rise uncontrollably, picking up his chopsticks and aiming them at the food on the table.

No! Stop!

He screamed in his heart, his teeth chattering as he used every ounce of his will to fight the force controlling his body.

But it was useless.

The chopsticks picked up a piece of meat and brought it toward his mouth.

He wanted to clench his teeth, but his mouth was forced open.

A piece of bloody meat was shoved inside.

“Gah—”

Biological disgust caused his stomach to cramp, but he couldn't even vomit.

He was forced to swallow that piece of meat, and then his right hand rose again, repeating the action.

The food on the table had all reverted to its truest form. They were all Wang Hao’s closest kin, and they were very familiar.

The most important thing about being human is the heat control; unfortunately, the heat for this table of food wasn't quite right.

The half-cooked meat was stuffed bit by bit into his mouth, bringing with it ultimate agony and terror—a double torment of the soul and the flesh.

His stomach was already churning violently, and his soul was trembling.

Yet Wang Ma remained standing there, quietly watching this live mukbang.

Wang Hao’s belly grew larger and larger. He felt his stomach had reached its limit, and his mind was on the verge of collapse.

But the power controlling him didn't stop, continuing to stuff more into his mouth.

He was going to be stuffed to death!

“Stop!”

A furious voice suddenly thundered.

Hearing this voice, tears leaked from the corners of Wang Hao’s eyes.

Great, someone had finally come to save him.

However, that invisible force did not stop. Instead, it accelerated. The food on the table seemed to be compressed, sliding down his esophagus and expanding once it entered his stomach.

Pop.

The ball burst.