Xavi had always had a habit of browsing forums and social media threads, which seemed to be a common phenomenon among young people in society. Regardless of how mundane a topic might be, it almost always garnered responses from netizens. <br><br>For instance, at this moment, Xavi posted something in one of his frequently visited forums: 'Saw a gigantic bug devouring a massive mantis alive. How can one even bear to watch this? Urgent, waiting online.' <br><br>However, it seemed that this question was so dull that even the netizens didn’t bother to respond. After glancing at a few other threads flooding the page, the Bug Fiend finally exacted its revenge by devouring its enemy alive. <br><br>The bizarre scene in front of him wasn’t any less gruesome than the bloody scenes in zombie movies Xavi had seen. He felt relieved that it had been quite a while since dinner. Taking a deep breath, Xavi broke the silence and said, “Want some water? The river over there looks clear...” <br><br>One shouldn’t expect someone who craves solitude, enjoys observing people's minds from a distance, and awkwardly stumbles through conversations to come up with profound words of comfort in such situations. <br><br>In such an awkward setting, Xavi felt that even suggesting drinking water to ease the atmosphere was already a remarkable feat. <br><br>The Bug Fiend froze for a moment and looked down at its handiwork. Terrified, it jumped away abruptly, scrambled to the riverbank, and started vomiting violently. <br><br>After a long while, the Bug Fiend took a couple of sips of water, then slowly walked back to where Xavi and You Ye were standing. Its demeanor seemed much calmer. “Thank you... for helping me... get revenge.” <br><br>Xavi nodded and responded, “No need to thank us; this was a transaction—fair trade. Now that the enemy you feared so much is dead beyond redemption, what’s next?” <br><br>It had requested a night of protection. If the night wasn’t over yet, then the delivered goods wouldn’t be considered complete. By principle, Xavi wasn’t in any position to take the Bug Fiend’s jade token just like that. <br><br>But if the buyer claimed that it was enough, that would be a different matter. <br><br>Thus, Xavi decided to address this now: “You mentioned fearing only this mantis fiend. Now that it's... well, dead, you shouldn’t have anything else to fear, right? This remote wilderness doesn’t seem like a place anyone would willingly come to.” <br><br>“Protect... me... before sunrise.” <br><br>“Hm...” <br><br>Hearing Xavi’s firm acknowledgment, the Bug Fiend appeared much more reassured. “Thank you.” <br><br>This was the most coherent statement it had managed to say so far. <br><br>Next, the Bug Fiend began shedding its black coat, revealing a grotesque body. Its damaged skin and muscles were far worse than what Xavi had seen the previous day. <br><br>Silently turning around, the Bug Fiend stepped towards the riverbank. Its steps were slow but resolute. Xavi didn’t know what it intended to do next, but he had a feeling that he was about to witness something unforgettable. <br><br>The crescent moon hung high in the sky as the Bug Fiend waded into the shallow waters of the river. Its body submerged in the frigid water, it tilted its head toward the moon. Its grotesque form stretched as much as it could, then slowly contracted. <br><br>Xavi still couldn’t figure out what the Bug Fiend was trying to do. <br><br>But something felt different. <br><br>The Bug Fiend’s entirely curled-up body began showing signs of hardening—perhaps drying out. Xavi wasn’t sure, but instinctively, he moved closer. <br><br>In the summer night, the riverbank shimmered with specks of deep blue light, as if adorned by countless fireflies. The ethereal blue glow illuminated the surroundings, and the pebbles washed ashore by the river now sparkled like deep blue gemstones, mesmerizing beyond words. <br><br>Meanwhile, the Bug Fiend emanated a faint golden glow. The light gradually became more substantial, resembling flowing liquid gold. <br><br>“It’s absorbing the river's essence and Lunar Glow,” You Ye’s voice suddenly whispered into Xavi’s ear. “Master, it’s preparing to emerge from the cocoon and step into a new phase of its existence.” <br><br>“Hm.” Xavi simply nodded in acknowledgment. <br><br>Watching the Bug Fiend’s current state, Xavi had a vague guess about its intentions. You Ye’s words confirmed his speculation. <br><br>What the Bug Fiend truly desired was to emerge from the cocoon on this very night, which was why it needed protection. <br><br>The river’s essence, the moon’s light, and the joy of approaching rebirth... The tranquil forest and the gentle river breeze seemed to celebrate this moment. <br><br>No one knew how much time had passed, but Xavi remained entranced by this magnificent display of life’s brilliance. <br><br>Until the crescent moon sank beneath the horizon and the glow faded, a muffled sound was heard... <br><br>The cocoon cracked open. <br><br>“Why does it seem like... it can’t get out?” Xavi suddenly frowned. <br><br>Fiends were creatures that evolved from animals or insects, so they couldn’t escape their inherent nature. Based on its form, the Bug Fiend was likely some sort of butterfly or moth. <br><br>Under normal circumstances, a butterfly’s emergence from the cocoon was a challenging process. But instincts ensured that they overcame the hardships and emerged successfully. <br><br>However, what Xavi referred to as “unable to get out” was literal—the wings hidden within the cocoon couldn’t extend out of the narrow crack in the cocoon. <br><br>“It’s too weak...” You Ye shook her head and said, “Even after absorbing the river’s essence and Lunar Glow, it wasn’t enough. Unfortunately, tonight isn’t a full moon; otherwise, it might have gained more strength.” <br><br>Weak... <br><br>Watching the struggling wings, desperately trying to escape the cocoon but hindered by the small opening, Xavi sighed. <br><br>It was weakened from consuming contaminated food, which resulted in its frailty. <br><br>Xavi suddenly took a deep breath and approached the immense cocoon. He plunged his hands into the cocoon’s opening and forcefully pried it wider. “Listen, I can only help you this much—giving your wings the chance to come out. But you have to rely on yourself to struggle out of the cocoon. If you can’t overcome even the challenge of entering this world, what’s the point of coming here at all?” <br><br>A pair of wings began to emerge tentatively from the widened opening of the cocoon. The delicate wings seemed frail and needed time for the blood and flesh within to fill them. <br><br>Eventually, the wings started to spread in the wind. <br><br>Emerald green and light purple interlaced symmetrically in four sections, fluttering weakly. <br><br>Xavi exhaled softly and stepped back slowly. The Bug Fiend had succeeded in spreading its wings. Now, it only needed to complete its transformation within the cocoon. <br><br>Sitting on a rounded stone by the riverbank, Xavi was accompanied in silence by You Ye. <br><br>“Found it!” Xavi suddenly exclaimed with delight, waving his phone. “It really is traceable!” <br><br>You Ye glanced at the phone screen, which displayed an image of a butterfly almost identical to the Bug Fiend’s emerging wings. She softly read its name: “Golden Crest Butterfly?” <br><br>“Golden Crest Butterfly,” Xavi confirmed with a smile. “Even an ordinary Golden Crest Butterfly is close to being classified as protected. And now, we have one that’s turned into a fiend—it’s even rarer.” <br><br>“So beautiful,” You Ye couldn’t help but marvel. <br><br>Xavi stood up, walked forward, and said with a smile, “This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime Celebration of Existence. It’s better to get a closer look.” <br><br>Approaching the cocoon, Xavi’s anticipation grew. <br><br>When the mantis fiend revealed its true form, it was enormous. Given that the Bug Fiend itself was human-sized, what would emerge after its transformation? <br><br>Perhaps it would be a giant Golden Crest Butterfly—an unprecedented discovery for human biological history. <br><br>Finally, the cocoon’s crack suddenly split open entirely, and a warm radiance gently poured out. <br><br>Then, a pair of pale, soft, boneless hands softly pushed open the cocoon from the inside. <br><br>Xavi’s mouth gaped as he locked eyes with the Bug Fiend—no, now a Butterfly Fiend. Emerging from the cocoon wasn’t a massive butterfly as he had imagined but rather a woman with butterfly wings. <br><br>Why did the scene suddenly shift again? <br><br>What happened to the groundbreaking discovery in human biological history?")
