Chapter 142 Spider 29

Looking down from above, the cave entrance seemed pitch black, like a bottomless abyss. A chilly breeze brushed against my skin, making my hair stand on end. But once I reached the bottom, I realized it was much shallower than I'd imagined.

Ruinous rubble and flying dust. Lin Yue grabbed Xu Zhao's arm, and Xu Zhao landed steadily on the ground. The bottom of the cave slowly revealed its true appearance. Before them was the supermarket that once supplied the town's needs. The supporting wall structure was still intact, but the surface was cracked and shaky, as if it would collapse at any moment, filling the deep pit.

The small to medium-sized supermarket only had two floors. The food section was at the bottom, which was the most severely damaged. The top floor, which remained intact, contained clothes, toys, and electronic devices that were of little use in the current situation.

The supermarket's collapse doesn't seem to be caused by ground shaking. If it were, the supermarket's walls wouldn't have been so intact given their strength. It's more likely that the ground collapsed, sinking the supermarket and nearby buildings.

"Your sense of smell is indeed keen," Xu Zhao praised. "From the looks of things, the harvest should be quite bountiful."

She pulled her arm back. The skin Lin Yue had touched felt warm, as if it had been simmered by a stove. She was only wearing a thin long-sleeved shirt, and Lin Yue beside her was bare-chested. She had to get some clothes for both of them first. It was too cold in the cave, and it was unbearable.

Xu Zhao approached the supermarket, not daring to move the stone easily. She treaded lightly and slowly, making her way to where the window had once been. There was a large hole there, and she slipped through without hesitation.

Lin Yue always kept half an arm's length behind her.

Her eyes, shrouded in the dim light of the cave, looked a little gloomy. Her gaze was fixed firmly on Xu Zhao, and her beautiful pupils, once as clear as a spring, suddenly revealed a turbid and dirty look.

Xu Zhao found food nestled in the cracks of the rocks, its scent rich and sweet. It was like honey pouring from a honeycomb, pouring down over his head, nearly suffocating him. His chest pounded. Whether it was a human heart or a spider's, they both grew scorching hot.

White spider silk crawled all over the place where Lin Yue walked. Suddenly, the surroundings looked like moss growing wildly on a wet shore, densely covering every place visible to the naked eye.

This is a natural nest.

Dark and damp, with no sunlight.

The surrounding earth walls were covered with sticky spider silk, which was spit out from the bottom of Lin Yue's spider belly. As he walked, there were always a few silks that went against the wind and followed the owner's desire to quietly wrap around Xu Zhao's limbs.

Xu Zhao suddenly felt a chill on her spine. Even though she was always brave, she couldn't help but tremble all over at the cold breath. She looked back warily, but there was no suspicious creature, only Lin Yue following closely behind her.

From half an arm's length away, he stared at the gap with his head lowered, his eyelashes drooping, just enough to cover his eyes. As if sensing Xu Zhao's gaze, he looked up blankly and smiled at her: "...Although this place is in ruins, some places are less damaged. There must be a lot of food to be found here. I remember there should be a noodle area nearby, let's go look for it."

"Okay." Xu Zhao followed him. She thought to herself that having more legs made all the difference. Walking on this rough, gravelly road, he was as steady as if he were walking on flat ground, unlike her wobbling. She had left her long stick on the ground; she should have taken it down earlier. It could be used as a crutch.

Suddenly, something hooked her fingertips and made them tremble. When Xu Zhao was puzzled, an arm came across in front of her. Lin Yue glanced at her quietly and said, "The ground is uneven. Help me, Xu Zhao."

The light inside the cave was dim, and Xu Zhao finally understood what it felt like to be pitch dark. This small supermarket was tightly packed inside the cave. The windows that once provided ventilation now looked out upon a burnt-yellow and blackened earthen wall, occasionally with a strangely shaped boulder. This completely blocked out any light.

Relying on his sense of smell, Lin Yue accurately found the area where noodles were once stored, and was lucky enough to find intact noodles, buckwheat noodles, and bagged instant noodles in the cracks.

"Wow!" Xu Zhao's expression was rarely filled with excitement. Every day since arriving here, she felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on her chest, and even the bright blue sky above her head seemed to be weighed down by a gloomy, dark cloud.

However, there were also some things that were comforting. One was that he made friends with Lin Yue, and the other was that he found food when food was about to run out.

This is simply a blessing in disguise!

Lin Yue spun a dense spider web to trap the noodles. Xu Zhao's palm still held his arm, their skin wet with sweat. The temperature at the bottom of the cave was low, but since Lin Yue shed his skin, the temperature had changed dramatically, like a warm stove.

Xu Zhao couldn't help but move closer to him: "Can you still smell it? Is there any food here, bread, biscuits, snacks, or maybe meat or fruit?" The temperature here is probably lower than that of a refrigerator, so perhaps he can find well-stored food.

Lin Yue's chest was shaking like a drum, and his eyeballs were suddenly covered with a rich scarlet in the dim environment, and then gradually returned to normal. This repeated process looked weird and eerie.

He gently and harmlessly answered Xu Zhao's questions, asking about things like where food smelled, where there were foul odors to avoid, and what felt strange beneath his feet. He lowered his eyes and saw a pile of rotting fruit. To resist the allure of his lover's scent, he unknowingly approached the stinking area, attempting to mitigate its effects. But—as if unsatisfied, Lin Yue sniffed intently for Xu Zhao's scent, woven into the mix.

Even if he faced the possibility of losing control, he didn't want to be separated from Xu Zhao's aura for even a second. Just thinking about that scene made him feel his chest and lungs tear apart, unbearable...

Lin Yue brought Xu Zhao to the meat area. Through the smell, he could clearly tell where the meat was rotten and smelly, and where the meat was preserved fresh due to the ground temperature.

Unfortunately, all the vegetables had wilted without exception. Xu Zhao bent down to pick up some food and threw it into the spider web. Lin Yue did the same.

Xu Zhao couldn't help but smile and said, "That's great! There is still meat preserved. We can find a few more pots and pans, and then we can eat hot food!" While speaking, she swallowed two or three mouthfuls. She was really craving the taste.

Lin Yue responded with a smile.

Unfortunately, Xu Zhao's vision was foggy and dim. Even in bright sunlight, she might not have been able to detect the true face of the person next to her. On the surface, the two of them leaned against each other to gather food, harmonious and intimate. In reality, their legs were restless, their shiny black belly continuously secreting white spider silk, which drifted down to Xu Zhao's ankles and slowly wrapped around them.

My thoughts were confused and struggling.

Lin Yue thought compassionately - he wanted to hold Xu Zhao tightly, build a nest for the two of them with sticky and warm spider silk, and live with her forever.

Let her go, you are no longer human, but... can he, a human, be worthy of Xu Zhao?

With a sickly body and a poor family, what could he possibly offer? Unlike now, he had strong legs and ferocious strength. He had become strong enough. As long as he could please her, could he expect her to respond?

Back to the surface. Xu Zhao's face was filled with the joy of a good harvest. She had no idea what kind of dangers she had experienced underground, let alone what kind of difficult struggles Lin Yue had gone through.

She dragged the heavy net bag, feeling her mood filled with sweetness. She smiled at Lin Yue and said, "Let's go back!"

Lin Yue saw Xu Zhao's cheeks, which seemed to be covered with golden light under the sunlight, and his heart skipped a beat.

He hummed, and followed her dully, regretting not building a nest underground.

Seeing his lover, carefree and unfettered in the sunshine, kindhearted Lin Yue would think how dazzling she was, so dazzling that he felt like a sunflower, clearly yearning for the sun's comfort, yet shyly hanging its head in silence when faced with the light. But was he still the kindhearted person he once was?

That human boy, a frail, even somewhat cowardly and self-deprecating shell. Lin Yue, now joined to the spider, felt a surge of regret, a feeling that threatened to overwhelm him. He regretted not being able to snatch up his beloved female from the depths of the earth. She was like a gust of wind, as if she would vanish if he wasn't careful...

Lin Yue made a grasping motion.

My heart is burning and trembling.

He couldn't leave Xu Zhao for even a moment... He had a premonition that if Xu Zhao left him, even just a few steps away, he might no longer be able to control the dark thoughts that were gradually emerging in his mind.

Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao.

…

A soft silk quilt covered the broken wooden planks. Xu Zhao lay lazily on them, his bones and even the cracks in his body emitting comfortable sighs. The underground supermarket was ultimately unsafe, teetering on the brink of collapse, looking like it could collapse at any moment.

The two of them discussed it and decided to work hard for a day to bring back everything they could use, so that they wouldn't leave it underground and be crushed at any time. After several breathless trips back and forth, they finally packed up everything and dragged it back to the shabby hut.

Xu Zhao couldn't sit still. More accurately, she'd been alone in her past, with no one to care for her or help her, which had cultivated a hardworking character. She wanted to do any work she saw, even possessing a somewhat silly spirit of self-sacrifice.

"One would risk his life to repay a favor." This perfectly illustrates Xu Zhao's commendable virtue of repaying a favor. When the two of them returned to the thatched cottage, dragging the net bag, Xu Zhao wanted to take the initiative to take on the task of clearing the utensils and cooking. After all, the impression she had of Lin Yue was that of a fragile, porcelain figure. Just as she was about to boil water and cook the meat, before she could even roll up her sleeves, Lin Yue grabbed her.

"Let me do it, Xu Zhao." Lin Yue's eyes seemed to be filled with unknown emotions, flickering like a small light bulb.

The walking legs held the net bag tightly. At that time, Xu Zhao was resting tiredly against the wall. Lin Yue bent down and approached her. He seemed to have never had the concept of a safe distance. He leaned against her without any bones, but he was able to accurately grasp the awkward distance between Xu Zhao and stop and not get any closer.

"You've had a tiring day and deserve to rest. Let me take care of the rest. Tell me how you like it, okay?"

That was exactly what happened. By the time Xu Zhao came to her senses, Lin Yue had half-pushed and half-led her to the bedside, pushing her down onto the bed board where he had spread a silk quilt without her noticing.

The gentle tone of his voice seemed like the faint fragrance of flowers, soothing her brows that were furrowed by fatigue. "Get some sleep first. You can have food when you wake up. I promise to give my best to satisfy you."

Lin Yue set up a stone and placed the iron pot on top. He found two flints from somewhere, rubbed them together, and dropped them into the cracks between the stones, which were filled with straw. Supermarkets don't have many ingredients to use, but this doesn't stop males from wanting to capture their mate's affections.

In nature, especially among spiders, the most famous are the male jumping spiders, who vie for the attention of females with a variety of tricks. They perform dazzling dances, competing with each other, and only the victor gets the right to mate with the female.

So, even if there is a stone in front of him, Lin Yue has to find a way to make it into a flower!

After many days, Xu Zhao felt a subtle sense of strangeness and discomfort when sleeping on the familiar bed.

Even with the silk quilt, it was still hard, not as soft and comfortable as the spider web bag. Furthermore, the thick quilt felt heavy, nothing compared to the warm touch of the golden spider silk.

What she missed most was the feeling of security, wrapped tightly in a spider web. It was as if she was back to the beginning, lying in the place where her life was born, and the peace and comfort that slowly flowed from her heart... I really want to go back there! Xu Zhao turned over, wailing inwardly, but she couldn't urge Lin Yue to weave another one. She could only hope that he would remember his promise and weave a net bag just for her.

Noticing Xu Zhao's slightly irritated mood, Lin Yue pursed his lips, and his glands naturally squeezed out silk liquid. The moment it overflowed from the spinning device, it condensed into several strands of white spider silk, carrying a soothing scent that made his partner feel comfortable. It floated to her nostrils with the gentle breeze and gently touched her lips. He refused to move again like a hooligan, and finally found the position of her neck and quietly stuck to it.

Hot water simmered in the iron pot, bubbling. The ribs, now simmered to a frothy consistency, were placed in an iron basin, awaiting the next boil. Lin Yue switched to a pressure cooker. Fortunately, the kitchen utensils were on the second floor, largely unscathed. Bottles and jars of condiments were also placed nearby.

Add the scallions, ginger, and star anise. Clear-boiled pork ribs soup. Lin Yue pursed his lips, thinking that if conditions allowed, he could also make braised pork ribs. Xu Zhao's self-described taste preference was for light meats, but the emotion he sensed was clearly a slight astringency, so he guessed she might prefer a stronger flavor.

Unfortunately, the conditions are not sufficient now.

Lin Yue thought.

Xu Zhao is so thin, so pitiful, she needs to be nourished. How can she be so thin and weak?

He put the spare ribs into the pressure cooker while he added a few more pieces of wood to the makeshift stone stove. The fire burned steadily. He walked over to the thatched hut. Xu Zhao was asleep. He no longer lowered his head to hide his gaze, his eyes fixed on her. Instead of the gentle, clear feeling of a trickling stream, they were like a raging fire, scorching and surging, like a surging ocean wave, trying to overturn the boat holding Xu Zhao and pull her into its embrace.

He stared at Xu Zhao with a sticky gaze that couldn't be torn apart, while he secreted spider silk, which his legs quickly combed through, covering the thatched house with spider silk again. The area around the thatched house was filled with his scent.

It wasn't the peaceful, bitter aroma of herbs. It was a scent that made one's head spin and vaguely sense the roar of pain. It was Lin Yue's way of intimidating anyone who tried to get close to his beloved.

His vision was obstructed by the dense spider webs, and he called out in a low voice, "Xu Zhao. Xu Zhao."

He couldn't help but cling to the spider web, his hands clinging to it, pulling out a hole in the tight web that would allow his head to pass through. He just stared at Xu Zhao, who was sleeping helplessly, and said with reluctance and attachment: "Wait for me to come back."

He wore a look of reluctance to leave. It was easy to imagine a husband saying goodbye to his wife before a long journey. Perhaps it would be an unknown time before they would meet again. Mixed with deep reluctance and good wishes, he kept looking back every three steps. Even if it was a one-man show, Lin Yue still managed to create a drawing effect with his gaze.

But in reality, within five minutes, he was back at the hut at a brisk pace. Having more legs was a benefit; his walking speed was different from usual, with his feet clattering on the ground, and he could walk dozens of steps with the speed of a human.

He held the two eggs he had found by following the scent and placed them next to the iron pot like treasures. He pulled away the spider silk and said with a smile, "Xu Zhao, I'm back. I found the eggs, and they're all yours."

He spoke in a low voice, afraid to wake her. Sitting back outside the hut, waiting for the ribs to cook, he kept his chin in his hand, staring at her, and smiled shyly with his lips pursed.