Gou Fugui looked at his own round, short, and furry little paw, floating on the sea surface pondering life.
Even if several more waves crashed over him one after another, making him bob up and down and spin in circles on the surface, he wasn't really afraid anymore—
Sea otters are naturally skilled divers, capable of easily diving up to 50 meters deep to search for food. They spend almost their entire lives at sea, even sleeping while floating on the surface tied together with kelp, so the ocean is not a disaster but rather a cradle for sea otters.
Furthermore, sea otters possess the densest fur in the world, with up to 160,000 hairs per square centimeter. His current 100% genuine fur coat wasn't just impervious to mere waves; even soaking in water for several hours wouldn't get him wet.
So, even though the weather was a bit rough, Sea Otter Fugui was now lying quite comfortably on his back on the sea surface, as if lying on an oversized waterbed that no top-tier wealthy family could ever own. Of course, it would be even better if there was a shelter to block the heavy rain pelting down on his face.
In short, Gou Fugui no longer had to worry about drowning in the sea.
But he still had plenty of things to stress about—
For example, why had he suddenly turned into a sea otter? Could it be that his long-deceased father or mother had some ancient lineage of sea otter demons?
For example, after turning into a sea otter, could he change back into a human? Although being a sea otter while floating on the sea was quite nice, he couldn't possibly just float until the end of the world's apocalypse, could he?
Also, what kind of apocalypse was this world exactly? When he came through, he was prepared for a three-thousand-mile chase with zombie hordes, but judging by the current situation, there were no zombies in sight; it seemed more like a disaster movie like 2012.
And his bag...
"Holy crap, my bag!!"
It was only then that Sea Otter Fugui, lying on his back on the sea, suddenly remembered the backpack he carried with him. Never mind the other things in that bag, but it contained the "Gou's Compendium of Bizarre and Adorable Creatures" that he had painstakingly compiled over several years!!!
The little sea otter on the sea surface immediately flipped over excitedly, starting to reach for his backpack with his short, round little paws, though by now he hardly held out much hope—he had fallen from mid-air, been battered by who knows how many waves, and had been lying on his back for about five minutes. If the backpack wasn't lost already, it was a testament to its quality, but even the best quality wasn't waterproof. His bizarre adorable creatures compendium was probably reduced to a pulpy mess of paper.
But Gou Fugui didn't find his manual in his backpack.
The sea otter's sensitive little paws rummaged through the backpack repeatedly. Sea Otter Fugui found his wallet, phone, even a small wooden comb and mirror set, and a few coins, but the largest item, the "Gou's Compendium of Bizarre and Adorable Creatures," was gone.
It wasn't destroyed or turned into a pulpy mess; he couldn't even find anything paper-related in his backpack.
Gou Fugui felt a bit panicked.
His first thought was of the precious photos of various adorable creatures he had personally taken with a high-end camera for the manual, and his heart ached as he grimaced.
To capture the most beautiful side of his beloved little creatures, he had gone through mountains and seas, enduring hardships—bitten by mosquitoes in primeval forests, chased by wolves on snowy plateaus. He had even developed excellent escape skills because of it. If not for his inherently poor physique, Gou Fugui felt he could even have participated in the Olympics.
So! The photos in his adorable creatures manual were top-tier! Many of them were eagerly sought after by various geography and biology magazines, and now they were all gone.
At this moment, Sea Otter Fugui was like a bewildered sea otter who had lost all the shells and sea urchins from its pockets, his little black eyes like grapes filled with confusion.
Super pitiful.
However, soon Sea Otter Fugui flipped over on the sea surface! He remembered the warmth he felt coming from his back after passing through the Apocalypse Gate, and excitedly rubbed his face with his little paws, his small black grape-like eyes shining with excitement—
The area of warmth he felt back then was about the same size as his adorable creatures manual!
So, was it his manual that was heating up then? Thinking about the first little creature photographed in the manual—the sea otter, which loves rubbing its face and grooming, lounging on the sea surface sunbathing every day, and cracking open shells and crabs on rocks or boats... Gou Fugui, no, Sea Otter Fugui's sea otter face revealed an expression of sudden understanding—
The world's apocalypse had arrived, the Earth's consciousness could speak directly into their minds and issue tasks, so what was so strange about him suddenly awakening a golden finger?! Especially since this golden finger was something he had painstakingly created himself over many years.
Maybe after some time, other people on Earth would awaken various bloodline powers, unleash supernatural abilities, and everyone would become superheroes.
Gou Fugui's adaptability and self-persuasion skills were terrifyingly strong. Even if he had no idea what the actual facts were, as long as he could find a plausible reason for himself, he could stay completely calm and just keep on surviving.
Anyway, he firmly believed his name was his destiny—Gou Fugui, Gou Fugui: as long as he was alive and could survive ("gou"), he would surely become prosperous ("fugui") in the future!
So now, what needed consideration was how to get ashore or find a few living people.
To investigate what kind of apocalypse this world was experiencing and how to save or end this apocalypse.
After all, he had actively entered this place; he ought to do something, right? Even if he couldn't be a hero saving the world, he did have experience in surviving by laying low.
The moment Gou Fugui just had this thought, he felt a sudden warmth between his eyebrows. He heard that familiar, indescribable voice again. Only this time, the voice seemed less spirited and much quieter.
[Thank you, Savior, for coming to the Apocalypse World.
Please find this world's gradually deteriorating "World Core," repair it, or retrieve it.
The "World Core" is the source of this world's power, supporting the world's operation and the growth of all things.
The "World Core" can exist in the form of any object within the world... living beings, plants, mountains, rivers, all are possible.
The "World Core" possesses self-preservation awareness and is extremely difficult to find or reveal in the early stages. However, the World Core is closely related to the state of the world; the more severe the world's deterioration, the more apparent the World Core becomes.
One day before the world's complete collapse, the "World Core" will inevitably manifest.
Please find it before the "World Core" completely shatters. Otherwise, this dimension's Apocalypse Gate will shatter, and this dimension's apocalypse will invade the Savior's world, affecting the "World Core" of the Savior's world.
Methods to repair the "World Core": 1. Resolve the root cause of the apocalypse. 2. Survive the great catastrophe, preserve sufficient life force, and await rebirth.]
[Additionally.]
[...Considering you are the first human among all living beings to "actively" enter an Apocalypse Gate, enthusiastically responding to the call of your world's consciousness, World Consciousness Zero-Nine has gifted you a bit of favoritism.]
Please strive to survive, find the "World Core," and do not bring shame to World Zero Nine.
Otherwise, you will face the targeting of World Consciousness Zero Nine. That feeling is something you definitely do not want to experience.
Finally, good luck.】
Gou Fugui blinked as he heard the final words in his mind. So, his cheat ability was a gift from the world he came from? As expected of World Dad, so generous.
But being targeted by the world's will sounds rather unpleasant. Would you fall into pits while walking, be plagued by misfortune if targeted by the world? It's hard to imagine such a life.
So, to avoid bringing shame to his world and to avoid a life targeted by the world, he must indeed save this apocalyptic world.
As he thought this, he felt a surge of heat in his head, accompanied by a burning sensation on his wrist. Gou Fugui was momentarily stunned, then, as if receiving an instruction, he extended his left paw and patted his wrist with his right paw.
Instantly, the "Gou's Peculiar and Adorable Creatures Handbook," which had previously disappeared from his backpack, appeared within his consciousness.
Now, this handbook, the culmination of Gou Fugui's five years of effort, was emitting a delightful golden glow. The moment Gou Fugui saw it, the handbook flipped open on its own, without any wind. The information and photos of the ninety-nine peculiar and adorable land, sea, and air animals he had recorded and photographed rustled through, showcasing themselves once in his mind.
Gou Fugui quickly noticed that ninety-eight of the ninety-nine adorable creatures in the handbook appeared dull and gray. Only the first page, featuring a photo of a sea otter lazily sunbathing and rubbing its face while floating on the sea, shone with a golden light, indicating its uniqueness.
Then the adorable creatures handbook snapped shut, and its usage instructions appeared on the cover.
【"Gou's Peculiar and Adorable Creatures Handbook" Usage Instructions:
1. In each apocalyptic world, 3 different adorable creatures from the handbook can be activated for transformation.
Upon transformation, possess the 3 most prominent traits or skills of that creature, along with 1 ineffective or negative trait inherent to the creature itself.
2. Adorable creature transformations are divided into two types: "Complete Transformation" and "Bloodline Enhancement."
"Complete Transformation" results in the full creature form, with all racial traits/skills fully utilized.
"Bloodline Enhancement" maintains the human form but grants subtle physical features of the transformed creature. The racial traits/skills of that creature can initially be utilized at 50% effectiveness; frequent use can upgrade them.
3. Adorable creature traits/skills can be upgraded. Levels are divided into Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced.
Note 1: Each time a Complete Transformation is released, it consumes a large amount of the body's energy. Please ensure you carry food.
Note 2: Ability transformation will not drastically alter the user's physical constitution and cannot create "superhumans" exceeding biological limits. Pies don't fall from the sky, and even if they did, you need a strong body to catch one without being crushed.】
Gou Fugui smiled faintly at the last two "Notes." This was how it should be, wasn't it? Things obtained too easily are often more dangerous.
Moreover, even if he couldn't become a "superhuman" exceeding biological limits, being able to possess and learn the traits and skills of those animals was already quite remarkable. For example, right now, even the best human swimmer couldn't match the survival ability of a mere few-month-old sea otter in this vast ocean.
So, Sea Otter Fugui was quite content and rubbed his face again. In his mind, he flipped his adorable creatures handbook to the first page, which now showed a sea otter floating on its back and rubbing its face, almost identical to his current appearance. However, the information and description had become new.
【Sea Otter Fugui: The Ocean's Little Darling.
Traits/Skills:
1. The Sea is My Home!
Complete Transformation: Can dive up to 50 meters without issue; can float indefinitely as long as there's food.
Bloodline Enhancement (Primary): Can dive 10 meters for 10 minutes without tools; backstroke skill surpasses the vast majority of humans.
2. I Have Little Pockets!
Complete Transformation: Located under the arms/on the chest, can hold stones and other shell-opening tools. Occasionally holds young.
Bloodline Enhancement (Primary): Human armpits cannot have pockets. However, you can have a hidden, portable small pocket. Don't expect it to be large at the Primary level; it can fit three basketballs.
3. Percussion Master.
Complete Transformation: Skilled at smashing everything with sea urchins, crabs, and shells.
Bloodline Enhancement (Primary): When you hold an object of a certain volume and make a smashing motion, it often makes enemies feel more pain.
4. Ineffective Trait: Innately loves beauty, face-rubbing and fur-grooming.
Head can be severed, blood can flow, but the fur/hairstyle must not be ruined! Rubbing my face every day is a sign of my cleanliness.】
Sea Otter Fugui rubbed his face for what felt like the umpteenth time, then stiffened upon realizing it, and sighed in a somewhat human-like manner: "...Alright then."
Since he's benefiting from the adorable creature's bloodline, he shouldn't complain about its inherent nature. So what if it's face-rubbing and fur-grooming? He carries a small mirror and comb with him anyway!
After reviewing Sea Otter Fugui's profile, the adorable creatures handbook still glowed in Gou Fugui's mind, seemingly waiting for him to choose the next creature for transformation.
But now wasn't the time to choose the next transformation. It seemed he would be drifting on the ocean for at least ten days to half a month; no other creature was as convenient as a sea otter.
Although his adorable creatures handbook also contained formidable sea fighters like the mantis shrimp, each transformation opportunity was limited. What if the "World Core" he needed to find wasn't in the sea but on land? Transforming into a mantis shrimp then would be suicidal.
And also... Sea Otter Fugui's face suddenly took on a vexed expression at this moment—actually, both the mantis shrimp and sea otter were still okay. After all, his peculiar handbook also included many... peculiarly adorable but completely useless fellows like Tibetan foxes, prairie dogs, Huskies, and fainting goats.
Thinking about it this way, perhaps his cheat ability was already half-useless from the start.
Had he known this earlier, he shouldn't have collected peculiarly adorable creatures; a "Fierce Beast King Compendium" would have been his best choice!
Alas, hindsight is always 20/20.
In the following dozens of minutes, Sea Otter Fugui diligently wiggled his nose amidst the storm, trying to catch a whiff of human presence or the scent of land.
Unfortunately, the waves on the sea were too fierce, and the rain poured down as if the sky had sprung a leak. The rain obstructed Sea Otter Fugui's already poor eyesight and prevented his otherwise good sense of smell from performing as it should.
Another massive wave struck, tossing Sea Otter Fugui along with the current, rolling him over several times, leaving him feeling utterly despondent towards the merciless sea.
"Thank goodness I can transform," Sea Otter Fugui thought, clinging tightly to his backpack while lying flat on the sea surface. "If it were an ordinary human, could they survive even five minutes?"
Just as Sea Otter Fugui finished muttering to himself, he suddenly saw several human figures appear in the air above him. Then, these people, just like him an hour ago, began howling as they fell from mid-air, plopping into the water one after another like dumplings.
Huh.
One person seemed particularly different.
He wasn't howling; even his posture upon entering the water carried a hint of... calm, pretentious elegance.
Even though the sea otter Gou Fugui couldn't clearly see the man's face right now, he could tell by instinct! That had to be a dashingly handsome man!
Gou Fugui excitedly rubbed his little paws together, only to deflate as he remembered he wasn't human anymore.
While he was rubbing his paws, the four people who had fallen into the water surfaced one by one. Three of them sounded tense, but the person closest to him remained composed. Even with water dripping from his forehead and face, beads rolling down from his hair, over his high-bridged nose and thin lips, it didn't make him look disheveled.
Instead, it added a layer of icy, sharp-edged intimidation.
"We're in the sea!"
"It looks like storm weather! Deploy the life-saving rings!"
"Tether yourselves together with ropes! A big wave is coming! Also, state your names!"
"Team Two, Qin Feng!"
"Team Two, Lu Hu!"
"Team Two, Song Sanchuan!"
"Sea otter?"
The man whom Gou Fugui had judged to be dashingly handsome reached out and accurately pinched the scruff of the sea otter's neck, uttering a name that left his teammates bewildered.
"Who? Say that again? What 'tar'?"
The handsome man and the sea otter Gou Fugui stared at each other, wide-eyed. Gripping Gou Fugui's neck tightly, his sharp eyes fixed on those small, black-grape-like eyes, and he let out a soft tsk.
"Team One, Xie Tianlang."
"I've caught some emergency rations."
Gou Fugui: "..."
Emergency rations, my ass! Xie Tianlang, right? I've got you marked, you bastard!
