I’m Willa, the final boss of the Crimson Hollow instance. My daily KPI is consummating a marriage with some hapless outsider who stumbles into my domain. Until the day I woke up and my stomach was inexplicably round and swollen. For the love of God, who the hell is the father? 1 I stared down at my perfectly round belly, then looked over at the pigpen and did a recount. All present and accounted for. I haven't eaten a single pig in two days. How could my stomach be stretched this taut? Could it be… constipation? I immediately sprinted to the outhouse, squatted down, and tried to channel all my spiritual energy downward. Ten minutes later, I emerged feeling immensely relieved, a faint, foul odor trailing behind me. I looked down. Not an inch smaller. What in the hell was going on? I couldn't be… My eyes widened in terror. Could it be—a tumor? Can entities even get cancer? The Crimson Hollow instance is about to reopen for new players. In this state, I can’t even fit into my wedding gown. My mind reeling with worry, I made my way to the Miller family’s cottage on the edge of the village. Sadie Miller, in her human life, had been a grad student burning the midnight oil on her PhD in naturopathic medicine. When she couldn't land a job after graduation, she saw an ad for the new horror game instance and, on a whim, applied to be an entity. She was a headhunted hire, part of a special talent initiative. 2 "The pulse is fluid and fast, rolling smoothly under the fingers, like a bead of mercury on a steel plate. It's a slippery pulse," Sadie murmured, her gaze fixed on my enormous belly. She fell into thought. "You've just been overeating. It’s classic indigestion. I'll get you some herbs to help with digestion." "You quack! I haven't eaten a thing in two days!" I knew relying on a grad student was a mistake. "Then what did you eat two days ago?" Sadie shot me a disdainful look. Two days ago? I guess I had a couple of pigs. "At least one pig, right?" Though phrased as a question, her tone was accusatory. "The hogs you raise are 500 pounds, easy. Two of them is half a ton. What other entity has an appetite like yours? This is just your system backing up. Indigestion." "But isn't a slippery pulse also known as a pregnancy pulse?" A deep-seated unease was coiling in my gut. "That just shows you don't know anything," Sadie said, rolling her eyes. "Pregnancy isn't the only thing that causes it. Besides, you haven't been with any male entities. Where would a baby come from?" She paused, frowning. "Though, I will admit, your pulse does feel… unique. It's not like the others I've felt. It's probably just because of the sheer quantity you consumed." As Sadie launched into a lengthy explanation, I went silent. She might have a point about the male entities, but there were still the male players. A few months ago… that night… that player’s abs, that lean-muscled grace… Damn. The memories of that night were hazy, but I remembered one thing clearly: I didn't get a wink of sleep. And, I had to admit, compared to all the other players I'd… entertained… that one night had been far more memorable. 3 "You're blushing!" Sadie circled me, a look of pure astonishment on her face. "You? You're actually capable of blushing?" I touched my face. It did feel a little warm. Mortified, I shoved her away. "Just tell me if I can get back to normal in seven days! The instance is about to open!" "I'll give you the strong stuff," Sadie said, heading into her apothecary. I sat on the worn doorstep of her workshop, watching as she climbed up and down a small ladder, pulling jars from high shelves. The sixth sense I barely possessed was screaming bloody murder. "Hey, Sadie," I began, my voice hesitant. "What if…" "Spit it out!" So much for higher education. The woman had the grace of a trucker. "What if I was with a man?" I squeezed my eyes shut and yelled, "What are the chances I could be pregnant?" CRASH! The small brass scale Sadie was holding clattered to the floor. Silence. A profound, ringing silence. I didn't dare look at her. "You didn't use protection?!" Sadie’s voice was a high-pitched shriek that could shatter glass. "In the heat of the moment, who thinks about that stuff?" I shot back, feeling not an ounce of shame. "Besides, this isn't some modern-day instance. We can't just use condoms. What was I supposed to do?" "You're insane!" Sadie grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "It never happened before, so I didn't worry about it." I waved a dismissive hand. "Not every entity is a cold fish like you, you know. A girl has needs! It was consensual. What's the big deal?" Sadie looked like she was about to have an aneurysm. She raised a fist as if to strike me, but then her eyes fell to my belly, and she forced herself to stop. 4 That same day, Sadie hitched up her donkey cart and took me into the nearest materialized town for a proper check-up. Staring at the grainy image of a tiny, pulsing little bean on the ultrasound monitor, I was overcome with joy. In this godforsaken horror game, I finally had a family. Someone who shared my blood. Sadie was just sighing, one heavy, disappointed breath after another. I blinked at her with wide, innocent eyes. "You want to keep it?" she asked, her voice flat. I hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. She took a deep, steadying breath. "You're a madwoman. I should have known you were a goddamn madwoman." I wrapped my arm around hers. "It's okay! The baby can call you Auntie Sadie!" "Auntie my ass!" she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Who knows if you'll even live long enough to give birth?" "Don't swear! You'll corrupt the baby!" I smacked her arm lightly. "Corrupt my—" Sadie bit her tongue, catching herself. "Fine. Let's go to my place first." When Sadie was recruited, the System had allocated her a condo in a materialized suburban development called Evergreen Meadows. "My pigs!" I suddenly remembered. "I'll go back later and butcher one for you. Bring it back so you can get your strength up. I swear, I must have owed you a debt in a past life." Grinning, I followed her to Building 2, Unit 401, of Evergreen Meadows. 5 When I woke up, the rich, savory aroma of braised short ribs was wafting from the kitchen. Sadie was a phenomenal cook, but she hated doing it. I’d only been lucky enough to taste her food once or twice when she was in a particularly good mood. Looks like I had this little tadpole to thank for another feast. Just as I was about to sneak a piece from the pan, Sadie slapped my hand away. "Drink your medicine first." She placed a bowl of viscous, pitch-black liquid in front of me. I recoiled instinctively. "Can I… not?" "Willa! Do you have any idea how much of a drain a human-entity hybrid pregnancy is on your system? Do you have a death wish?" Sadie was officially furious. "I'll drink it! Right after I finish eating!" I promised immediately. "Nope. It works best on an empty stomach." Fine. I’ll drink it. Bitter. So unbelievably bitter. The moment I finished, Sadie shoved a piece of tender short rib into my mouth. I chewed instinctively. It was heavenly. Once I was full, I leaned back and rubbed my stomach. A warmth spread through me, and I felt some of my power returning. No wonder I’d been so exhausted and hungry lately. It was all this little freeloader’s fault. 6 Life in Evergreen Meadows was bliss. Sadie cooked for me every day, coming up with new and delicious things to satisfy my cravings. But the damn instance was about to reopen, and my request for leave with the System was denied. I've heard the human world has things like labor laws. Maternity leave! There’s absolutely no respect for entity rights here. Sadie was in the kitchen, preparing a batch of snacks for me to take back for the next few days. I was sprawled on the couch, munching on a piece of spicy-sweet beef jerky. Dr. Miller’s culinary skills were truly second to none. "You just lie there waiting for me to cook for you. Have you no shame?" Sadie called from the kitchen, our usual banter in full swing. "You're the baby's godmother! Of course you have to cook!" The word 'polite' doesn't exist in my vocabulary. Back in the village, my belly seemed to inflate like a balloon, and with each passing day, I felt my power draining away. Sadie spent her days viciously cursing the man who didn't use a condom. I’d just grin and curse him right along with her. 7 The day before the instance reopened, Sadie went out. As the sky began to darken with no sign of her return, a knot of panic tightened in my chest. When the game isn't active, the wilderness at night is crawling with mindless, feral entities. Even a powerful entity like Sadie would be torn to shreds out there. After my 251st trip to the doorway to scan the horizon, I finally saw a lone figure in the distance. When Sadie stumbled through the door, she was covered in blood. Before I could even start screaming at her, she shoved something into my mouth. So accustomed to being fed by her, I swallowed without thinking. A potent wave of energy surged from my stomach, flooding every corner of my being. It was a Wraith Cap. They only grow in the Unhallowed Wilds, a place filled with retired, mindless instance bosses. "Are you insane?" I cried, helping the blood-soaked Sadie to a chair. "Birds of a feather, right? We're both lunatics," she slurred, completely unfazed. Sadie passed out. I carried her to the spare room and began tending to her wounds. Gently, I stroked my belly, where a tiny foot was kicking restlessly. "You have to be born safely now, little one," I whispered. "If only to make your auntie’s sacrifice worth it." 8 【Welcome to the A-Rank Instance: Crimson Hollow】 【Survive for 7 days by adhering to the following rules:】 【1. The people of Crimson Hollow are a close-knit and xenophobic community. Do not let the villagers discover your identity as outsiders.】 【2. There is a mysterious catacomb within Crimson Hollow. Find the entrance and place the required item.】 【3. The villagers of Crimson Hollow are the players' targets. The more villagers killed, the higher the player's score.】 【4. The Village Chief of Crimson Hollow will enter a berserk state on the final day. Discovering the truth can prevent this.】 【5. Crimson Hollow holds a mandatory village-wide training every evening at 7 PM. Do not be late.】 【6. An enemy force will attack Crimson Hollow on the seventh day. Identifying the enemy in advance and providing information about the catacombs may lead to a mysterious grand prize.】 I lay in bed, stroking my lively baby, awaiting the arrival of the player. With a baby on the way, my desire for men had plummeted. At the stroke of midnight, a flash of white light illuminated the room, and a man with the handle 【Spud】 materialized on my bed. Finally. Staying up late isn't good for the baby. I fell asleep instantly. The man kept fidgeting next to me. Annoyed, I kicked him clean off the bed. The world was finally quiet. When I woke up, 【Spud】 was gone. My first stop was Sadie's for breakfast. We had brisket breakfast burritos and a rich bone broth. It was divine. The first day is always the easiest, as the players spend their time exploring the village and searching for clues. Sadie was in her kitchen, muttering to herself as she prepared more braised short ribs for me, while I squatted outside, drooling. Suddenly, a book flew through the air towards me. I snatched it with lightning speed. "I'm writing down my recipes for you. After you give birth, you're cooking all of this for me!" I opened it. The first page was for braised short ribs. The rest of the book was blank. "Why is there only one recipe?" I asked, curious. "With the way you eat eighteen meals a day, be grateful I had time to write down one! When you're done with all this, you're going to make it up to me with a full-blown, Michelin-star feast!" she said through gritted teeth. I wasn't worried. Once the baby was born, I’d just have my daughter turn on the charm. Old Sadie would melt. She always was a sucker for a soft touch. 9 Full and happy, I started walking home and came across a group of ten strangers. They were wearing new, patched-up clothes, chattering excitedly at the village entrance. When they saw me approach, they all fell silent and, like the other villagers, greeted me with a respectful, "Chief." I stared them down, and not one of them dared to breathe. One of the men looked… vaguely familiar. But then again, we entities have a hard time distinguishing human faces. He probably just had one of those generic faces. It was only the first day, so I had no intention of making things difficult for them. I gave a slight nod and walked on. Once I was a good distance away, I heard them start whispering about "catacombs," "enemies," and a "grand prize." Must be discussing the game rules. When the male player assigned to my house returned that evening, I was gnawing on a pork knuckle. I heard him swallow hard and immediately turned my back to him. This was a gift from Sadie. No one else was getting a bite. At 6 PM, all the villagers and players gathered in Old Man Hemlock's backyard for training. Sadie led the drills in my place, while I watched from the side, one hand on my belly. The players were all clumped at the back, clumsily mimicking the movements. It was infuriating to watch. "You're all going to die the second the enemy shows up," I snapped, pointing at the players. "Straighten your arms! Are you throwing a punch or inviting someone to kill you?" Sadie quickly came over and shooed me away. As I walked off, I sighed. So weak. How do they survive out there? 10 During training on the second night, I saw that familiar-looking male player again. His name was Ethan. And damn, he was well-built. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, and handsome features. He had a pair of eyes that could flirt with a telephone pole and make it blush. I found my gaze drawn to his waist. Mmm. Nope. I'm a mother-to-be now. I have to be dignified. He kept sneaking glances at me during the drills. When I caught him, he didn't look away. Instead, he just smiled. What's he smiling about? My stomach is this big because of you damn men! I shot him a vicious glare and walked home, one hand supporting my back. That night, the player named 【Spud】 appeared on my bed right on schedule. He stared at my belly with open curiosity. "Chief, your stomach… did you just eat too much?" I rolled my eyes, too tired to bother with him. He, however, was a natural chatterbox and started telling me about the outside world. "You know, the player forums are going nuts. They're saying the boss of Crimson Hollow is pregnant. Everyone's guessing who the father is." My heart skipped a beat. The news had spread that fast? "Some people are guessing it's the boar demon from the next mountain over. Others think it's the fish monster from the Blackwater Bog. And some people are guessing…" He paused, leaning in conspiratorially. "They're guessing you devoured the last male player whole—body and soul—and just digested him completely." I… Seriously. It's a crime that this guy's imagination isn't being used to write novels. "Oh, by the way, Chief," he said, as if suddenly remembering something. "Do you remember a player from a few months back named 'Ethan'? S-class, super handsome?" My heart stuttered. Ethan? "Don't remember. I've slept with too many men," I said, my voice hard. Spud gave me a knowing, slightly sleazy grin. "Right, right. Part of the job description and all. But that Ethan guy was a legend. He's the only S-class player to ever get out of here alive and completely unharmed. After that, he just vanished. Never entered another instance. Some say he retired, found a quiet place to settle down." My mind was in turmoil. Could it really have been him? Fragments of that night flashed through my mind: hard-muscled abs, that lean, powerful grace, and the sound of ragged, suppressed breaths… My face grew hot. I pulled the blanket over my head. See no evil, think no evil. I'm a pregnant woman! 11 On the third day, the players finally found the entrance to the so-called "catacombs." It was hidden beneath the old burial ground behind the village. Leaning on Sadie for support, I went to see what was happening. A group of players was huddled around the entrance, chattering nervously. "Is this it? It looks creepy as hell." "The rules say we have to place an item. What item?" "Who's brave enough to go down?" I stared into the pitch-black opening, feeling a chill myself. I'd been the chief here for years and never knew this place existed. As everyone hesitated, Ethan stepped forward. "I'll go take a look." His voice was calm, but held an undeniable authority. All eyes turned to him. He took off his jacket, revealing a black, form-fitting tactical shirt underneath that left nothing to the imagination. I couldn't help but sneak another peek at his waist. Yep. That was the one. He glanced back at me, his expression complex and unreadable. Then, he leaped into the darkness. The crowd gasped. "Holy crap, is he for real?" "That's a top-tier player for you!" Spud puffed out his chest with pride. "You know it. Ethan once took on an A+ boss single-handedly." Sadie leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Something's not right with that guy. Stay away from him." I nodded, but my mind was a chaotic mess. Before long, Ethan emerged from the hole. He was a little dusty but seemed unharmed. "It's not a catacomb," he said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "It's more like a… a nursery." A nursery? Everyone was stunned into silence. "There are these… cocoon-like things hanging everywhere, with something moving inside them," Ethan described. "In the center, there's a stone altar with an indentation on it. That must be where the item goes." "So where's the item?" a female player asked. Ethan shook his head. "I couldn't find it." The players deflated like punctured balloons. I, however, was lost in thought. A nursery… All the entities in our village were directly deployed by the System. I'd never heard of any of us reproducing on our own. Could there be a hidden mechanic to this instance that even I didn't know about? 12 I was distracted all through dinner that evening. Sadie tapped my bowl with a chopstick. "What are you thinking about? Your head is in the clouds." "Sadie," I started hesitantly, "do you think… is it possible for a player to re-enter an instance they've already cleared?" "Impossible," Sadie said without a second thought. "The System has rules. For the sake of fairness, once a player clears an instance, they're locked out. Unless…" "Unless what?" I pressed. "Unless he's a 'Seeker.'" Sadie glanced at me. "It's a special status within the System, extremely rare. They can ignore the rules and travel freely between any instance they've visited. But there are only a handful of them in the entire game. They're practically myths." I fell silent. Ethan. The S-class player. The Seeker. The pieces were clicking into place, forming a wild theory in my mind. "Eat!" Sadie dropped another large piece of short rib into my bowl. "Who cares about Seekers? If the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you. Your only job right now is to take care of yourself and bring my goddaughter or godson into this world safely." I looked at the glistening piece of meat in my bowl, a warmth spreading through my chest. She was right. Who cares? I'll deal with whatever comes. I placed a hand on my belly. The little one kicked back. "You've got to be strong, little bean," I murmured. "Don't let your dad… or your auntie… down."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "385874", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel