Chapter 423. Good Stuff
Hearing Tobba's unsettling laughter, a cold shiver ran down Charles' spine. With his gaze fixated on his Navigator, he asked in a measured tone, "Tobba, what are you laughing about?"
Tobba's unrestrained laughter abruptly ceased. He swiftly whipped his head around, and with a grin surfacing on his countenance, he looked into Charles' eyes and said, "Of course, I'm laughing over the great fortune we've acquired! We've defeated them and claimed all this good stuff. Are we supposed to cry instead?"
It was only then that realization dawned upon Charles. Tobba's manic laughter might have resembled that of a scheming villain who had successfully carried out his grand scheme, but it was purely an expression of pure joy.
Charles fought the impulse to roll his eyes and remarked in an anxious tone, "This isn't the time to celebrate! We've settled the otters, so quickly get us out of here."
He had spent enough time in this wretched place, and he desired nothing more than to get out as soon as possible.
"Why the urgency? These things are the products of their special fermentation and are easy to absorb." Tobba gestured toward the heap of lifeless human bodies scattered across the floor. They were of varying heights and appearances and dressed in an assortment of clothes. A few even wore the distinctive lab coats of the Foundation.
With a sudden intake of breath, a young girl nearby, who looked no more than eight years old, flew into Tobba's mouth. As he chewed contentedly, a look of immense pleasure crossed his face. He patted his cheeks and commented with a delightful moan, "Ah~ this one tastes delightful, it's sweet.
"Charles, have a taste too. Each offers a unique taste," Tobba suggested as he picked up another child off the ground. With a gentle squeeze, the child's form swiftly disintegrated into a misty orb.
"Stop this madness. I won't partake in cannibalism," Charles vehemently objected with a look of revulsion.
"They can no longer be considered human; their consciousness has long vanished," Tobba retorted as he threw the misty orb in his hand toward Charles. Before Charles could react, the sphere had landed squarely on his lips.
Charles' world abruptly turned pitch black. He felt himself enveloped by a soothing, warm liquid that brought an unprecedented peace and serenity. He reveled in this sensation, wishing it could last indefinitely.
Time passed, and soon, the liquid's embrace gradually faded away. Dread and panic surged within him, and he started struggling.
With a loud tearing sound, he broke out of the previously warm surroundings and found himself in an alien environment. An instinctual fear overwhelmed him and compelled him to burst into a loud wail.
Immediately afterward, he felt the gentle arms of a woman weakly cradling him. "David, my dear child, we've finally met. Oh, you resembled a little hairless monkey."
He was comforted by her scent, and his initial panic slowly melted away as he instinctively snuggled closer to her warmth.
With time, he came to know that this gentle woman was his mother, and he learned that his name was David, David Humphrey.
David lived a carefree childhood, with each day brimming with colors, joy and fun. His days revolved around thinking of what to have for meals and also ways to escape from his studies. It was a simple yet profoundly joyful life.
Before David knew it, he was at the celebration of his seventh birthday. The sun was shining brightly, and his father, with a thick beard, carried him on his shoulders. They had come to the seaside to build sandcastles.
Sitting on the beach, David was enjoying his time alongside his newly made friends. His heart was beating with happiness as they crafted sand castles together amidst laughter.
Just then, the sky grew ominously dark. David's eyes widened in fear as he looked up to see the distant azure sea rising like a behemoth, towering high enough to block the sun.
Fear and confusion gripped him. He instinctively dropped his shovel and dashed toward his father, who was napping under the beach umbrella nearby. That was the last moment of his memory.
"Daddy! The sea!" Under the waters, Charles cried out as he continued running ahead. It was only until Anna grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously before he was jolted back to the present.
The experiences and memories had been so vivid to Charles, as though he had really lived through the seven years as young David. He could still savor the sweetness of the maple syrup drizzled over his birthday waffle.
Yet here he was, back in his own reality again. What should have been just his head was now a fully restored body, and his attire was restored as if nothing had transpired.
"I'm Charles... I'm not David....I'm Charles... I'm not...," Charles muttered repeatedly with an expression of agony as he clutched his head, struggling with the turmoil within him.
Witnessing Charles' distress, rage suffused Anna's visage. She gently helped Charles into a seating position from the ground before she moved to confront Tobba, who continued his feast in the distance.
Before Anna could take more than a couple of steps, Charles' hand clasped hers and pulled her back. He had regained his composure and stood upright again. His tone now filled with resolve, he said, "Hold on, we can't leave just yet."
"What do you mean? Why?" Anna was perplexed at Charles' sudden change in stance.
Pointing to the surrounding corpses around them, Charles explained with a hint of excitement in his voice, "I know their use now. Once you consume their essence, you will gain their memories."
"And how does that concern us? Have you forgotten that your crew is still out there, fighting those otters?" Anna asked.
Undeterred, Charles shook his head and pointed toward his right. "Look there. There are members of the Foundation as well. By searching through their memories, we might be able to uncover the location of the key to that giant gate."
"Are you certain that eating these... things won't come with any side effects?" Skepticism shadowed Anna's features.
Charles reflected on his momentary disorientation earlier for a brief second before shaking his head. "The memories feel incredibly vivid. There might be some initial confusion upon returning to reality, but it will be gone after a short rest."
The moment Charles finished his words, Anna extended a tentacle and curled it around a plump man floating nearby. She brought him closer, and before he could vanish into mist, Anna's mouth widened unnaturally and swallowed him whole.
A second later, agony contorted Anna's features as she crumpled to the ground. Even her human form showed signs of breaking down.
"Gina! Why! How could you do this to me!" Anna seemed unable to quickly adjust and overcome the emotional turmoil from the plump man's memory.
After a long while, Anna gradually regained her composure and wiped away the tears on her face. A look of bewilderment graced her visage as she turned toward Tobba, who was still feasting contentedly in the distance.
"Why isn't he affected at all? Is he a monster?" Anna asked.
However, Charles had no answer. Tobba was like a farmer repeating his harvest in the field and enjoying his feast, seemingly impervious to the overwhelming emotions that accompanied the memories.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l