Echoes of the Past

Chapter 26 The Unspeakable Name

"We named it 'Cat Food'."

"Huh?" Nan'an and Suiyue exclaimed in unison once again, "Is that a cat?"

Cat Rice trusted Hokuya a lot. When he saw him walk to the edge of the island, he put down the spatula and twisted his body to stand up straight. He was very long and really like a cat. He was liquid and could reach Suiyue's chest and abdomen when fully upright. His fur was shiny and smooth, and every golden hair shone with a charming light in the backlight.

The crow reached out very naturally and touched the cat's incredibly smooth fur, gently stroking it in the direction of hair growth.

The moment his fingers touched the hair, Nan'an could almost see the thick, fluffy down collapse like the finest silk.

I can't even imagine how wonderful the soft, plush texture must feel!

"The origin of the name is related to our first encounter." While enjoying petting the "cat," the crow explained, "At that time, one of our squads was resting and eating in the black fog. One of the squad members claimed that he saw a cat cooking with a spatula in the window of an abandoned castle nearby... Everyone thought he was hallucinating from being in the black fog for too long."

As he spoke, the corners of his mouth curved into a smile: "As it turns out, he was indeed wrong."

Cat Meal was brought out of the Black Mist by E'lu in the Black Mist Calendar 249. It was also the first time in recorded history that Solitz and Onze controlled a Nightmare God with basic intelligence.

At this moment, it was looking at the two unfamiliar faces that had broken into its home with a gaze that was somewhere between curiosity and scrutiny.

The crow comforted her, saying, "They will be taking care of you from now on, so you should also help take care of them."

Suiyue was very curious: "Since it's a Nightmare God, what... uh, what is its ability?"

Of all the nightmares she and Nan'an have encountered so far, the chair can evoke fear, and the mysterious "wish fulfillment" is just the most basic manifestation, yet it has made the Bewitching Raven feel as if it were facing a formidable enemy.

The "cat" in front of me doesn't seem to have any fighting ability.

"As I said, Cat Meal is a chef, but his cooking skills go beyond just filling your stomach," said Crow. "Give us the ingredients and you can eat his food quickly, and he can snatch you back from the jaws of death."

Suiyue's eyes widened immediately.

The crow further explained the magic of cat food.

About 20 minutes after using food prepared by cats, all physical injuries suffered by the user can be healed.

"All the damage?" Nan'an asked, intrigued. "What if this person only had half a body left?"

"As long as he can eat and survive until the food takes effect and his flesh and blood regenerate," the Raven emphasized. "We've conducted many tests on death row inmates, including in the most extreme cases."

Suiyue was stunned: "In other words, as long as you're not shot in the head, you can be saved by forcibly feeding someone while they're still alive... That's too exaggerated!"

"We don't usually use 'exaggeration' to describe Nightmares," Raven said, shaking his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames in the fireplace. "For 374 years, the Nora people have become accustomed to their anomalous nature—their existence and operation defying the fundamental rules of the world. In fact, thinking about it the other way around, perhaps only Solitz and Onzer still have significant civilizations left in the entire Nora today. The state of affairs in the other corners of the world is unknown, but it probably isn't too pleasant. So... maybe, we are the ones who are anomalous."

Through long-term observation and experimentation, the deer discovered that the core rule for the Cat Food Nightmare effect lies in the act of "eating" itself.

Moreover, it must be done through the mouth, whether actively or passively.

If the eater's head is severed from their body, even if their vital signs are forcibly maintained by magic and food is forcibly forced into their esophagus, the power of the cat food will not take effect.

Similarly, the idea that cesarean section can "get straight to the stomach" and speed up the digestion of cat food is also unfounded.

That's its rule.

Food must be eaten with your mouth.

Nan'an astutely grasped the key point: "Since its healing effects are so outstanding, why seal it away in this deep underground facility? It seems to have a good relationship with you and appears quite docile. Shouldn't it be enshrined in a more accessible location, ready to serve the Fogbreakers or E'lu members on dangerous missions at any time?"

"The problem lies in the 'payment' part." The crow ran its fingers along the smooth marble pattern of the island platform. "The cat food isn't free; you need to provide it with Nightmare Fragments and Crystals, which are items that can only be obtained by venturing deep into the Black Mist."

"What will happen if you don't pay?" Suiyue pressed.

"The cat food will disappear," the crow replied immediately. "Just as magic is necessary for a magician, the cat food, as a nightmare, leaving the black mist is equivalent to leaving magic. If you want it to perform 'magic' that is almost miraculous, you have to inject energy into it."

Suiyue clapped her hands: "So you're placing it in a location that's some distance from the edge of the Black Mist, but still relatively safe for now, so it can be sent into the Black Mist to recharge if necessary?"

The crow nodded and continued to rub the cat's fur: "Kren can support Rostarek on the border at any time, which is the best location right now. Moreover, its own living area is quite comfortable."

Elu went to great lengths to ensure that the cats wouldn't be bored while living alone.

Pushing open the side door of the wooden house, Nan'an felt as if he had returned to the ground.

Lush trees, flowers, grass, birdsong, and insect chirps instantly filled his field of vision.

A fairly large private living area, developed separately underground!

Furthermore, at regular intervals, people from Kren's underground base would transport ingredients in bulk from the vertical platform via a central magic array, making it convenient for him to cook at any time.

Long-term observation results show that cats do not show any physiological discomfort even if they do not eat in the regular sense.

However, cooking is clearly ingrained in its underlying logic. If one doesn't cook or do anything for a long time, it will obviously show signs of unease and anxiety, leading to low mood and even affecting the stability of its abilities.

Therefore, when applying for resources from the Senate each year, Erlu would use the name of cat food to ask for more funds.

This is an expenditure that the Senate will reluctantly agree to regardless of the circumstances, and there will be no written record of it.

Huoya jokingly said that the base where Nan'an Suiyue was currently located was the fruitful result of squeezing out the money from the cat's food purchases.

Is it really okay to say these things in front of cat food fans...? Wait a minute!

"If it can understand what we say, then it can talk too?" Nan An asked tentatively, looking directly at the cat food with a burning gaze.

The cat whose name was called stared blankly over, looking somewhat silly.

"That's another point I want to mention," said the raven. "It can understand what we're saying, but it speaks in a language we can't comprehend. Knowing that communication is impossible, it now only listens and rarely speaks."

Cat Food opened its mouth in perfect unison with the crow.

The sound wasn't harsh; it had a rhythmic quality. However, the combination of tones and syllables was completely beyond Nan'an and Suiyue's comprehension, making it obscure and difficult to understand.

For over a century, Ellu has exhausted all means to try to understand translation, establish a communication channel for comparison and verification, and solve the language problem of cat food, but to no avail.

The language used in cat food appears to be more than one, but rather a mixture of multiple language families.

Crazy Raven patted Suiyue on the shoulder: "Time is limited, I can't stay long, there are other places that need me, so I'll leave Kren and Rostarek to you for now."

"Don't worry about your identity and the follow-up procedures. Sir Ariel and her people shouldn't cause you any more trouble in the short term." He paused, then added, "At least not on the surface. But be careful of the Bamboo Moon Witch Society. I suggest you assume everyone here is an idiot."

There was no euphemism; it was a completely direct expression of his feelings.

"I've stored some documents and scrolls in the archives where the central magic array is located. They should answer many of your current questions. As for the rest, or anything else you don't understand..." Raven's gaze drifted into the distance, "Niral, far away in Rostarek, would be happy to provide you with his services. He's really bored."

"As the executive director of this area, your responsibilities are extensive. You are responsible for handling all abnormal events related to the Nightmare and the Living Eclipse within the area, from initial investigations and risk assessments to coordinating resources and intervening or eliminating them when necessary. This means that you bear a heavy responsibility. The Deer may only provide you with manpower support when necessary, so you need to find your own solutions on a daily basis."

Nan'an smiled.

Nominally a supervisor, but still need to build the core organizational structure yourself.

In other words, he wants to be the outsourcing boss.

"But correspondingly," the Raven changed the subject, "the authority granted to the Deer is also very high. In theory, the local governors and nobles in the region have the responsibility and obligation to cooperate with your work."

"I've already spoken to Pietro beforehand. He's a smart man and knows how to cooperate. Dealing with him will be much easier."

Nan'an and Suiyue had already learned a great deal about this during their previous deliberations.

This man, born in the Year of the Tortoise, is meticulous in everything he does.

The black fog outside Keren City has not completely dissipated. Previously, the Raven mentioned that Anze had also sent elite troops to assist in the investigation, so the situation is clearly not completely calm.

But the crow was in a hurry to rush to the next "battlefield".

Nan'an was really curious about what kind of tough work Erlu's core members, who numbered only a little over a hundred, were handling on a daily basis, so that regional managers like Suiyue, who had just joined the company and were completely parachuted in and needed to build a team, seemed to be just muddling through in comparison.

There was no proper onboarding training, no detailed operation manual, and even when asked what exactly they were supposed to do, the answer was always, "You can get involved in anything related to the Nightmare Erosion."

Damn it, no wonder they're the top violent organization in Solitz, their reach is too long!

However, it is clear that the only benefit that the elites of Erlu can obtain from this privilege is simply that they have no worries about food and drink—the most direct impact on Suiyue is that there is an abundance of meat.

In short, this job requires a certain level of conviction.

This is a job that requires you to be prepared to face strange and bizarre things at any time, and that you may be left with nothing but a cenotaph at any moment due to a trivial detail, a misjudgment, or simply bad luck.

Perhaps only those who hold onto some kind of pure belief can persevere year after year.

Elu did not seem to have uttered any explicit, impassioned vows or slogans.

If we had to pinpoint a shared belief, it would probably be something Crazy Raven occasionally mentions.

"I don't want the next generation to see a world like this."

Before leaving, the crow turned back and asked.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Nan'an hesitated for two seconds.

"I'd like you to help me find a few people."

The crow almost immediately understood what he meant, and its eyes, which seemed to see through the years, gazed at Nan'an without surprise.

"Was he your companion or friend from the Gray Star era?" His voice was gentle, like a blunt knife slowly cutting into the core of the topic. "I must tell you in advance... after hundreds of years, even in the most optimistic scenario, it is unlikely that you will get the result you expect. Moreover, since the black mist spread, the lifespan of Nora, especially those of the once long-lived races, has been less than satisfactory."

The long-lived species are no longer long-lived; this is one of the most perplexing and despairing changes brought about by the black mist.

Dragons, elves, vampires... these races, once considered the darlings of the world during the golden age of magic and possessing long lives of thousands of years, seem to have had their descendants bound by invisible chains overnight.

The average lifespan of elves today is only 300 years, and there is a serious problem of bloodline degradation.

Whether pure-blooded or mixed-blooded, the inheritance and awakening of racial talents are not as good as before.

This curse, which began spreading in the first year of the Black Mist, makes the Long-lived race wish they were dead.

Many races cannot accept the reality of suddenly losing the advantages that the world itself has given them.

However, races with a lifespan of less than 100 years were generally not affected by this round of weakening.

When Nan'an first heard Suiyue's description, he felt as if the game designer knew that the initial race he designed was too powerful and unbalanced, so he nerfed all the wheelchair races into cripples.

"I know, but I still want to see if there are any traces of their deeds. These ancient records should have been sealed away, so I need your help."

The crow nodded: "Alright, give me a name."

The first person that came to Nan'an's mind was the werewolf who had recently beaten him up: "Asripan".

The crow noted it down: "Anything else?"

Nan An's lips curled up slightly as she softly murmured, "Bookworm."

"Bookworm?" Raven paused in his recording, looking up with a furrowed brow and a mixture of obvious doubt and professional inquiry in his eyes. "This is...her name? Her name is 'Bookworm'?"

Nan'an was somewhat puzzled by the question: "Is there something wrong?"

"This should be a nickname."

"Her name is Bookworm, that's a complete name."

Bewitching Raven became serious, keenly sensing the oddity: "Complete, are you trying to tell me that you uttered a whole, conventional 'name' that wouldn't be easily misunderstood or distorted?"