Chapter 49: Feeding the Black Demonic Hound

Deer College - E Wing (Sub-Basement Level 2) - Medium Security Control Zone.

[Bip——]

[Access authorization granted——]

[Please ensure your own safety. In the event of a meme breach, the Deer Spirit will execute a forced logout for you!]

The elevator doors in front of Xiuxiu slowly opened. Carrying the package he had retrieved from the Archives, he stepped out of the elevator and cast his gaze around.

The ground and walls were entirely paved with steel, and the interior of the architecture was embedded with unique Thaumaturgical lamps, their emitted radiance illuminating the entire metallic corridor before him.

Walking upon the steel-forged floor, Xiuxiu observed his surroundings: both sides of the corridor were lined with massive metal doors towering over twenty meters high, marked with serial numbers counting down sequentially from 0 to 99.

When Xiuxiu reached 0-60, Jarvis popped up.

[Sir, the 0-66 sector is the habitat of the [Black Demon Hound].]

Xiuxiu paused his steps and looked up at the 0-66 metal door standing before him.

Indeed, Xiuxiu was here today to feed the [Black Demon Hound]. After finishing his Classics class, he had collected the feeding provisions for the [Black Demon Hound] from the Archives and followed the mission navigation to this place.

[Warning! Warning!]

[You are executing a high-risk mission. You may now choose to turn back immediately. The Archives will not impose any penalties for this breach of contract.]

[If you still wish to proceed with this mission, please sign your name on the "Deer College Student Accident Disclaimer {Link+}."]

A red pop-up window appeared before Xiuxiu.

Given the typical antics of the major transcendent factions across Terra, I can be ninety-nine point nine nine percent sure that they've uploaded meme contamination into that disclaimer.

Xiuxiu thought to himself inwardly.

Sure enough, the moment he clicked on the link and it expanded, he fell victim to it.

[To ensure you have read carefully, we have attached a [Compulsory Reading] meme to the document. You must read the disclaimer in full to lift this meme contamination.]

This rogue-like meme contamination really is the same all across Terra.

Xiuxiu rolled his eyes internally as he consciously swiped through the interface, diligently reading the disclaimer above.

Twenty minutes later, he finally clicked the confirmation button.

Clank——

Srusth, srusth, srusth——

The security locks on the 0-66 metal door automatically unlocked and rotated, and the heavy metal door slowly parted to both sides on its own.

[Archives Information: Good luck, brave little deer!]

Tsk, tsk.

Looking at the message popped up by the Archives, Xiuxiu couldn't help but twitch his lips in a smirk. He then strode directly through the doorway, and as he entered, the door behind him slowly closed once more.

The environment within the metal door appeared exceptionally dim and gloomy. The lighting here cast a bizarre, eerie dark-red hue, and the temperature was far lower than outside. When Xiuxiu exhaled, his breath instantly condensed into white mist.

Tap, tap, tap——

Within the enclosed environment echoed the sound of Xiuxiu's footsteps as he advanced.

When Xiuxiu reached the end, what met his eyes were four rune-inscribed pillars, standing over three meters tall.

The tops of the four pillars each projected a beam of red light, interconnecting with one another to form a square red-line barrier.

Inside the barrier, a long-haired black canine creature lay crouched, its eyes obscured by a black hood.

The hood wrapped entirely around its head; apart from blinding its vision, it was securely fastened around the Black Demon Hound's neck.

Additionally, a red device emitting a rhythmic "beep, beep, beep" sound was embedded in its neck.

Four [Reality-Bending Reality Anchors] to prevent the [Black Demon Hound] from etherealizing, and what looks like a detonator on its neck to prevent a breach.

Xiuxiu recognized the surrounding equipment almost instantly.

It is worth mentioning that the [Reality-Bending Reality Anchor] suppresses other morphogenetic fields by projecting a stronger morphogenetic field, and they are mostly crafted from the remains of Reality Benders, also known as Anomaly-lineage practitioners.

"Aroo——"

The [Black Demon Hound] crouched inside twitched its nostrils slightly, seemingly sensing someone's approach. It straightened its limbs and opened its cavernous maw, roaring in the direction of Xiuxiu, thick fog billowing from its wide-open jaws.

"Yo, what's up, doggy? I'm here to deliver your chow." Xiuxiu shook the bag in his hand with a nonchalant expression.

"I heard you have this weird quirk—you can't eat unless an intelligent living being watches over you. That quirk of yours is really quite interesting." Xiuxiu continued to taunt the baring-fangs Black Demon Hound as he opened the packaging.

"Come on, eat up. This is dog food prepared for you by Deer College; it must be top-tier in the canine world." Xiuxiu's tone remained lazy, and that laziness sounded dripping with sarcasm.

The Black Demon Hound understood Terran, so it could no longer contain the murderous intent it had been concealing. Vast amounts of black smoke began to billow from its body, rapidly expanding outward until the entire room was shrouded in black fog.

Roar————

A colossal beast formed entirely of black smoke materialized before Xiuxiu. Resembling the Black Demon Hound in shape and towering over twenty meters high, its massive physique filled the entire room. It lowered its head in a crouched posture, its orange-red pupils fixing upon the blond brat before it.

The black smoke hound roared at Xiuxiu with its gaping maw.

The fierce wind gusting from the black smoke hound's mouth whipped Xiuxiu's golden hair into a frenzy, strands fluttering wildly around him as his brilliant golden eyes gazed calmly at the black smoke hound ahead.

"Whew-whew~"

Far from showing any fear, Xiuxiu began to whistle instead. The [Servant of Light Circuit] on his body automatically lit up, his hands and feet covered by red thaumaturgical circuits.

Servant of Light - Thaumaturgical Circuit (Type III - Limbs - Strength Form) · Initiate.

"[Terror Deterrence], one of the signature meme contaminations exclusive to monsters. If the target fails the personal willpower check, the contamination takes root within their inner psyche and continuously gnaws away at their willpower."

"Is this why you need someone to feed you? Harboring the laughable mindset of trying to scare away however many people you can? Surely not, surely not, is that all the Black Demon Hound amounts to?"

Roar, roar, roar——————

A roar of extreme fury echoed, and a gale lashed toward Xiuxiu. Unfortunately, this wind could deal little damage to someone who had activated the [Type III - Servant of Light Circuit]; the physical amplification of Type III was no weaker than a siliconized physique.

Xiuxiu stepped forward, his hand piercing through the black smoke before with absolute precision, he grabbed the true [Black Demon Hound] by the neck right through the bars of the enclosure.

Clang——

A formidable burst of physical strength effortlessly pinned the real Black Demon Hound to the ground, and the black smoke instantly dissipated. Now, pinned against the floor by the blond youth through the red bars of the cage, the youth's golden eyes radiating light akin to the sun, he bared his teeth and smiled at the Black Demon Hound:

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you. You better figure out very clearly who it is you're allowed to bark at, you monganrel~"

"Awoo~"