Chapter 5, The Origin of Monsters

Xu Lue felt that something was amiss and retorted, "Shouldn't there also be monsters born from monsters and those that have cultivated into spirits? How could there be so few monsters in the population?"

He had an expression that seemed to say he had been defeated by her, but he did not completely disbelieve Zhao Yanqin's words. The experiences from last night, along with the changes he had undergone, made him half-convinced and half-skeptical of what this female classmate said. He questioned, "Let’s not discuss where these two claims come from, as they seem so serious, but shouldn’t it be the other way around? Why would the human race believe that their origins lie with the ancient demon race, while the demons think that humans have a different ancestor?"

Xu Le felt a sudden sense of great loss, as if he had been abandoned. He could only lower his voice and say to the girl, "Thank you!" With a somewhat dejected mood, he walked out of the classroom. Not far from the exit, someone called his name from behind.

As Zhao Yanqin was nearing the school, she and Xu Le separated a bit. Xu Le also felt embarrassed to appear too close to her, after all, going to school with a girl was not appropriate and could attract gossip. The two pretended to be somewhat unfamiliar with each other and entered the school one after the other

Xu had an immediate look of embarrassment, as he had never anticipated that the world of monsters was entirely different from his usual conceptions, overturning many of his established beliefs

Zhao Yanqin chuckled and said, "The era of intermarriage between demons and humans is far too distant; it has long been contaminated by human genes. Aside from the so-called purebloods from the seven great families, there are almost no pureblood demons left. Even if both parents are demons, the offspring are 99% likely to be human. Those who are born as demons number only a few dozen each year, making them completely unworthy of statistical consideration"

Zhao Yanqin said with some pride: "Of course there is! The Wan Yao Association is the foremost organization in the world and the only legitimate monster political group within China. All newly emerged monsters must join the Wan Yao Association, which offers the highest member benefits, ranking first among monster organizations worldwide"

Xu hurriedly walked into the classroom and couldn't help but glance at Qu Lei's seat. Qu Lei had not yet arrived, which left him feeling a sense of emptiness in his heart. He hesitated slightly before settling into his own seat.

Xu asked in surprise: "Do monsters also need to apply for citizenship? Are there benefits as well?" mhetushu . comcom

Zhao Yanqin smiled gently and said: "Since the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, there have been no more monsters that could transform from异类 or objects into spirits; all monsters are born from their parents. Nowadays, even monsters are struggling to give birth to other monsters, let alone cultivate themselves into spirits."

Zhao Yanqin lagged a few steps behind, watching Xu Le walk into the campus. Unable to help herself, she smiled slightly and murmured in a voice only she could hear: "I didn't expect that he would actually be my classmate. Yesterday, in the dark light, I almost didn't recognize him. However, is he really the opportunity that Grandma Huai mentioned? I don't feel that he is suitable for me at all"

Zhao Yanqin chuckled and said, "The origins of these two theories are too ancient; who knows why! In any case, these two theories are now only subjects of academic debate, and no one really cares about which one is correct anymore. However, the conclusion that everyone acknowledges is that human genetic inheritance is mixed with the bloodline of monsters, and ordinary people also have the opportunity to awaken their bloodlines and transform into monsters. You have already awakened your bloodline; you are the living example, so I don't need to prove it to you, right?"

Her eyes nearly bulged out as she exclaimed, "Classmate Zhao Yanqin! Have you read too many online novels? How can you spout such absurdities? The monster realm and the human cultivation realm? And that most humans possess the genes of monsters? Should there be an International Monster Alliance and a Council of Human Cultivators?"

The girl replied softly: "She went to participate in a performance and has already requested leave from the teacher."

Just as Xu was contemplating whether to take a leave to catch the event, the girl quietly added, "It would be too late for you to go now; Qu Lei should have already finished her performance and is with her team filming on location. The place they are going to is quite far, and there is no public transport available. The team has rented a vehicle to get there, and they haven't set a specific destination; they plan to shoot along the way. Even if you follow them, you won't be able to find them."

Only now did I remember that apart from yesterday's anime festival, Qu Lei also has to attend an exhibition designated by a vendor. So much happened yesterday that he actually forgot about this matter. He had originally planned to take leave to accompany Qu Lei and continue with tasks such as carrying bags.

A dark line crossed Xu's mind again, and an image involuntarily surfaced in his mind: the wedding of the Ox-Head and Horse-Face, holding a human baby, a scene of familial joy and harmony. He couldn't help but shiver and then recalled something else, asking: "What about the monsters that have cultivated into spirits?"

Zhao Yanqin replied earnestly: "Indeed, there is an International Monster Alliance, but our Chinese Wanyao Association does not recognize its status. In terms of scale, the Wanyao Association is the largest monster organization in the world. As for the Human Practitioners' Council, it does not exist. Europe has a similar entity called the Dark Council, but it is too small, and its members are of average strength. However, they particularly enjoy causing trouble and have been trampled by our great monsters in China for decades, yet they still fail to learn their lesson and frequently come looking for a fight."

Granted

Zhao Yanqin patted Xu Le's shoulder and said: "Although various studies and data indicate that at least one-quarter of humanity possesses monster genes, the vast majority of humans with these genes will never awaken their bloodline and will live and die as humans. Among ten thousand humans with monster genes, on average only 3.5 can awaken. With a global population of over 7 billion, there are only a few hundred thousand monsters, so you need not worry about monsters being everywhere; we are still quite rare."

It was quite a struggle to get through the first class, and Xu Le managed to sit next to a girl who was relatively close to Qu Lei. She lowered her voice and asked, "Why hasn't Qu Lei come?"

Zhao Yanqin said with a smile: "As a native of Beidu City, after you awaken your bloodline, you should promptly apply for citizenship and test which type of monster bloodline you have awakened. Newborn monsters in Beidu City can also receive various benefits upon registration, and I can assist you in handling these procedures"

Xu Le suddenly felt his mind was a bit overwhelmed, so he said he needed to think it over, without asking anything further. He silently processed the information he had gathered from chatting with Zhao Yanqin, and before he knew it, the two had already reached the school gate

Students entered the classroom one after another, but even when the class bell rang, Qu Lei's figure had not appeared, which made Xu unable to help but indulge in a flurry of thoughts, as if there were an induction cooker in the depths of his heart, heating a pot of ants, causing all sorts of itching sensations, making him feel quite uncomfortable

If it were not for the "changes" in his own body, Xu would certainly refute such "nonsense" seriously; after all, he is a staunch advocate of Darwin's theory of evolution and would never accept any other theories regarding the origin of humanity. However, now even if he wishes to argue against it, he lacks the confidence to do so.