HTCYH Ch 25

Chapter 25: Regret

After taking the medicine, Tu Si watched as the uncontrollable little tentacles scrambled over Wuming. Some wrapped around Wuming’s fingers, some burrowed into his collar, and others stubbornly rubbed against the corner of his mouth. They behaved like a group of cats high on catnip, wriggling and crawling all over Wuming. This sight made Tu Si completely relax, confirming that the Wuming before him was indeed the genuine one.

So, he loosened his control over the little tentacles, letting himself sink back into a half-drowsy state to rest and recover.

When Wuming saw Tu Si close his eyes, he reached out, wanting to check on Tu Si’s condition. Unexpectedly, the little tentacles, which only moments ago had been sweetly clinging to him, suddenly betrayed him. One lashed out, whipping away the hand that reached toward Tu Si. Several others shot upright like steel needles, threatening anything that dared approach him.

Wuming looked at the scene, his expression softening further. Instead of pressing forward, he simply placed his index finger against the nearest tentacle tip and pressed lightly. The slender tentacle pierced through his finger, and drops of crimson blood fell, staining the tip.

The once rigid little tentacle instantly softened, curling around the blood bead to absorb it. Nearby tentacles rushed over, competing noisily, tangling together like a ball of knotted thread.

Seeing this, Wuming chuckled quietly, narrowing his eyes. Then, he picked up the obsidian dagger Tu Si had dropped to the ground and cut his palm open. Blood flowed out at once, dripping down and immediately seized by the tentacles spread across the ground, which absorbed it in an instant. But when Wuming brought his injured hand close to Tu Si, the sharp tentacles guarding Tu Si did not budge. The moment he moved closer, they swung their tips menacingly. If he pressed further, they truly stabbed forward, rejecting the blood altogether. They simply shook off the crimson beads and returned to threatening him.

Wuming withdrew his hand, gazing at the wary, bristling tentacles surrounding Tu Si. His heart felt both soft and aching. He stopped testing them, afraid of startling Tu Si awake again. Instead, he turned his palm outward and began feeding the tentacles around him.

The tentacles seemed to divide their duties clearly: the ones at a distance, no matter how tempted, stood tall and merely watched from afar, never abandoning their posts. But the ones closer to Wuming went wild—snatching, fighting, and brawling, leaving broken tentacle fragments scattered all over him.

Wuming seized the thickest, most gluttonous, and fiercest tentacle—the “leader” of the group. With his index finger, he pinched and rubbed it back and forth. The tentacle wriggled and bounced like an earthworm freshly dug from the soil, resisting and squirming.

He looped the tentacle around his right wrist, toying with this “earthworm head.” Then he pricked his thumb and fed it separately.

When the surrounding tentacles saw this, their frenzy slowed. The chaos eased until each tentacle had food, each was fed. Only when the fighting ceased did Wuming stand, move to another spot, and continue feeding. He repeated this until all the tentacles within dozens of meters were satiated, and only then did he return to Tu Si’s side.

Watching Tu Si’s dull, withered hair gradually regain its luster, Wuming let out a faint breath of relief. Stroking the tentacles now coiled around his arm, he sat down, lowering his head to play idly with the lively “earthworm head.”

Meanwhile, Tu Si was trapped in darkness, unable to sleep from the pain. He could neither faint nor wake fully, tormented endlessly. Just then, warmth began to seep into him through the tentacles. It spread to the wound at the root of his thigh, like a soothing balm, dulling the stabbing ache and finally allowing him to drift into a light, hazy sleep.

But the pain eventually woke him again. He felt phantom limb pain from his leg. Though he had already cut off his left leg himself, it still felt as if countless snakes were gnawing, biting, piercing, burning, and tearing at his nonexistent ankle. The agony jolted Tu Si completely awake.

When he opened his eyes, dawn had broken. A pale red glow spread across the sky, where night intertwined with morning. Golden-red light filtered through the leaves, stabbing into his eyes. Tu Si blinked uncomfortably, squeezing out tears at the corners. He rubbed them away gently, then noticed Wuming sitting half a meter away.

Wuming was already half-covered by tentacles. Tu Si forced a pained smile, propping himself up with one hand. With effort, he commanded the unruly tentacles. They instantly scattered like frightened birds and beasts, retreating from Wuming’s body and vanishing. Only the “earthworm head” remained, its head lifted rebelliously, still coiled tightly around Wuming’s wrist and little finger, refusing to let go.

Tu Si frowned, speaking lowly: “Come back.”

But instead, the “earthworm head” constricted tighter, even burrowing into Wuming’s sleeve, ignoring him completely.

“Let it stay with me for now. I’ll take good care of it,” Wuming said gently, tapping the golden earthworm bracelet and requesting custody of it in a soft voice.

Tu Si stayed silent for a long while, his gaze fixed on the disloyal tentacle. After some time, he gave a faint nod and finally said: “So you really were with me during the escape… I thought you were one of Kuang Kexian’s people.”

Wuming coaxed the “earthworm head” back out of his sleeve, wrapping it around his fingertip. Then he looked straight into Tu Si’s eyes and apologized solemnly: “I’m sorry.”

Tu Si shook his head, eyes narrowing into a smile. “No need. You weren’t late. You worked hard last night.”

After speaking, he began weaving his tentacles around the root of his left thigh, gradually shaping them into a prosthetic leg. Yet when he looked at the eerie, sanity-draining artificial limb, he found it unbearably unsightly.

He bent his head, trying to modify the leg’s appearance. Even when he adorned it with white petals or changed its color, it still felt grotesque and ugly. No matter how he adjusted it, dissatisfaction deepened, his brows knitting tighter as frustration welled. He began yanking at his own hair in agitation.

The moment Wuming saw him tear out several clumps of hair, he immediately stood. With his left hand, he restrained Tu Si’s arm, stopping him from pulling more. With his right, he draped his coat over Tu Si’s leg, shielding his sight.

But Tu Si, still irritated, flung Wuming’s hand away and snapped sharply: “Get out!”

Wuming was not shaken. Instead, he grasped Tu Si’s hand again, and with his free hand, he took Tu Si’s other hand as well. Gently but firmly, he folded them together, holding them in place. Then he pulled Tu Si into his arms, one hand securing his wrists, the other patting his back soothingly. “Your clothes are dirty. Let me take you to change into something fresh, alright?”

With his body and clothes, Wuming completely covered Tu Si’s grotesque woven leg. Tu Si’s struggles weakened instantly. His heavy breathing gradually calmed. Only when Wuming felt him settle did he release his hands. One arm supported Tu Si’s waist, the other wrapped around the root of his thigh. Effortlessly, he lifted him up, fully wrapping his legs with clothing, then continued: “Let’s not head back to regroup yet. We’ll wash up and dress properly first before going, okay?”

Tu Si didn’t speak. Instead, he quietly encircled Wuming’s neck. Warm drops slid down, falling into Wuming’s collar—tears.

Wuming let out a voiceless sigh, his hand gently patting Tu Si’s back, his eyes filled entirely with regret.

Footnote

1. Tentacles behaving like pets → The tentacles in this story aren’t just creepy appendages; they act almost like cats or dogs—possessive, affectionate, and jealous.

2. Phantom limb pain → A very real medical condition where amputees still feel sensations (often painful) in the missing limb. The story uses it vividly.

3. Kuang Kexian → A character/group reference (likely an enemy faction). Tu Si thought Wuming might belong to them.

4. “Earthworm head” → Nickname for the leader-tentacle, which is treated like a mischievous pet that rebels against Tu Si.