Foolish play of the gods

Chapter 1: Delivery · “Doctor! Doctor! I think it’s coming!” · Heart-wrenching screams echoed through the dim, cramped clinic. A woman covered in filth and blood thrashed against the restraints of a rusted delivery chair. · “Hurry! Doctor, look at me! He’s coming out!!” · “Why aren’t you coming over? Doctor! Doctor!? Are you even a doctor?? Look at me!!!” · The Pregnant Woman’s shrieks grew sharper, her struggles more manic. Yet, the doctor standing nearby didn’t spare her a glance. He merely nodded, his voice slow and dismissive. · “Yes, yes, I’m coming. Don’t rush me. I’m preparing the delivery tools. Madam, surely you wouldn’t want your child hitting the floor the moment it’s born?” · These words seemed to strike a lethal blow to her escalating frenzy. Her momentum stalled, and her bloodshot eyes gradually regained a haunting clarity. Her pupils rolled mechanically and slowly until they fixed upon her own stomach. · “The child... yes, the child... the child can’t hit the floor. I’m giving birth... the child can’t hit the floor...” · She repeated the phrase like a mantra, her emotions stabilizing. Before long, the clinic fell silent again, save for the rhythmic clanging of metal hitting metal. · The doctor was forging his tools. · Fine sparks sprayed from the doctor’s hands, momentarily illuminating the gloom. · The sparks caught The Pregnant Woman’s attention. Clutching her belly, she craned her neck to look at the doctor’s back. Her eyes began to redden once more, her expression twisting back into a snarl. · “Doctor! What are you doing? What are you doing!?” · “Me? Didn’t I tell you? I’m preparing the delivery tools. We’ve had too many patients lately; the nurses are all busy helping elsewhere. I have to handle these chores myself.” · With that, Cheng Shi turned around. He presented a crude, jagged steel saw he had just hammered into shape. A bright, cheerful smile broke across his face, radiating a sense of pride. · “See? All ready.” · The moment The Pregnant Woman saw the saw, her entire body convulsed. Her desperate lunges pulled at the leather straps, causing the rusted chair to emit a teeth-gritting screech. · Her legs kicked wildly, splashing filth and blood everywhere. · “What are you doing! That’s not a delivery tool! What are you doing!!” · “Madam, please look closer. This is the Obstetric Delivery Technique.” · Cheng Shi approached her with the saw. His gaze lingered on the irregular, jagged teeth as if admiring a masterpiece. He clicked his tongue in appreciation. · “This is the cutting edge of medicine, recently published in Science. We only need to use this saw to open your abdomen, and your child can be born perfectly intact upon this delivery chair. It eliminates the tragedy of the child falling during a natural birth at the source and reduces the risk of infection. · Furthermore, these sharp teeth can widen the incision, ensuring the child’s head won’t get stuck due to a lack of space during the process.” · He measured the tool against her stomach, his eyes squinting behind a smile. · “Most importantly, this procedure currently has zero negative reviews.” · “Child... safe... my child... will be safe...” · “Yes, Madam. Rest assured, I am the most senior obstetrician in this clinic. I will guarantee the safety of your child.” · Granted this promise, she suddenly became ecstatic. She pounded her mountainous belly, stretching her neck forward in frantic impatience. · “Quick! Deliver the baby! My child is coming out! Fast, Doctor!! Fast!” · “It is my honor to serve you.” · Cheng Shi held the crude saw with a perfectly steady hand. He touched the blade to her skin and made a practiced, upward stroke. · Squelch— · A thin line of blood meandered upward. Like a ripe watermelon, she split open at the touch. · Immediately following that— · Bang— · The overburdened body acted like a punctured balloon, bursting violently and spraying filth in every direction. · She wasn’t dead yet. · She shrieked from the agonizing pain, her limbs flailing. Her gaze, filled with malice and terror, locked onto the doctor. She roared in madness. · “What are you doing? What are you doing!? You’re trying to kill me! You’re trying to kill my child!!” · Cheng Shi was splattered with blood, yet his face remained impeccably clean. He lowered the saw he had used as a shield and comforted his patient with another smile. · “Madam, it’s truly heartbreaking to hear you say that. I am saving both you and your child. Look, your child... has been born safely.” · The Pregnant Woman’s frantic movements ceased. With extreme joy, she looked down at her own womb. There, amidst the ruined mess of flesh, a pair of massive, pitch-black eyes blinked up at her. · The eyes were clear and bright, quite captivating. · Had their owner not been a writhing tentacle, they might have even been considered endearing. · Looking at the horrific Newborn, which resembled an octopus limb, Cheng Shi smiled warmly and offered his praise. · “Look at that. How healthy your child is. Those eyes are so spirited. You can tell at a glance he’s... er... he’s got big eyes.” · The joy on The Pregnant Woman’s face stiffened for a moment at the nonsensical compliment, but it didn't stop her from radiating an overflowing love for the creature. · Viscous black blood—tears of joy—leaked from her hollowed sockets. · “Child! My child!!” · “Yes, your child.” · “Bring my child to me! I want to see him! Is it a boy or a girl?” · Hearing this, Cheng Shi’s smile faltered. A look of slight conflict crossed his face. · Reasonably speaking, if one had to assign a gender to an octopus leg... · “Congratulations, Madam. It’s... a boy. He’s got... parts.” · It certainly had a "part." In fact, it was nothing but a part. · “A boy... a boy!?” · The Pregnant Woman’s voice spiked again. Even her severe injuries couldn't stop her from twisting and struggling. Madness crawled back onto her blood-stained, skeletal face. · “Why is it a boy! Why would it be a boy?! She was supposed to be a girl! It’s you! It must be your technique! It’s you!! You quack!!” · Perhaps sensing its mother’s rage, The Newborn lying in the pool of blood blinked innocently. · Admittedly, if one ignored the body and focused only on the eyes, it was almost cute. · Cheng Shi watched this tragicomedy, shook his head, and sighed. · “Madam, you should know that a child’s gender depends on the parents, not the doctor. Perhaps you should ask The Child’s Father.” · “The Child’s Father...” The Pregnant Woman’s eyes glazed over for a moment, then she suddenly broke into a malicious, mocking laugh. · “He’s gone... I ate him... Hahaha, he’s dead! That man actually wanted to be the child’s mother... He didn’t deserve it. Only I can be the mother...” · “...Hmm... excuse me?” · “He’s gone... can’t find him... Hahaha, he’s vanished... I am the child’s mother!” · Cheng Shi’s mental processing stalled for a second. · However, his rigorous professional training allowed him to seize the business opportunity immediately. He raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with excitement. · “If it’s just a simple matter of death, our clinic can provide you with a special Necromancy Consultation service. You still have a chance to ask him why your child is a boy. · However, this service might be a bit expensive. · But I believe that for the sake of the child, everything is worth it...” · He pitched the service with fervor, as if this single sale would net him a massive commission. · Moved by the doctor’s apparent sincerity, The Pregnant Woman’s gaze flickered between malice and confusion several times before she finally nodded like a hollow shell. · “My child needs an explanation. What do I do! Quick, Doctor, I want to ask him!” · “Very good, Madam. First, please close your eyes.” · Seeing her hesitantly comply, a localized, eerie smile curved on Cheng Shi’s lips. · He lifted the saw, moving the coarse, jagged teeth to her throat. · “Now, take a deep breath... yes, yes, very good. Tilt your head back. Yes, lift your neck a bit higher. Good. Don’t rush, it’ll be over in a moment...” · Squelch... · Cheng Shi’s hand slipped. · Thud... Something fell. · Blood sprayed out, painting a stunning vermillion mural across the white wall. · “Ah... while there was a slight mishap, the surgery was a success. Madam, you may go find The Child’s Father now.” · Cheng Shi clicked his tongue. He wiped his blood-slicked hands casually on his white coat and glanced at the head on the floor. · “Yikes, that’s creepy.” · He quickly kicked it aside, then raised his saw and turned to the tentacle resting on the patient's corpse. · The large eyes were still blinking. It didn't seem to realize what was happening, or perhaps it lacked any cognitive ability at all. · “Like I said, the service is a bit pricey. Your mother hasn’t paid yet, and she might not be back for a while. · How about... you pay for her?” · Despite its lack of cognition, The Newborn sensed the approach of death and began to struggle instinctively. · To Cheng Shi, however, this struggle looked more like an invitation. · The more a fish flopped on the cutting board, the more the fisherman enjoyed the chop. · Schlick— · Cheng Shi pierced its body without hesitation. The Newborn tentacle convulsed in agony. Within moments, those cute, large eyes lost their luster and became still. · On the very day it embraced birth, it also embraced death. · “Transaction complete. Thank you for your patronage!” · Cheng Shi gave an elegant bow. He dropped the saw and walked out of the dim room without looking back. · 【Single Player Trial (Leftovers: Birth) – Challenge Successful】 · 【Calculating score and settling rewards...】 · 【Player: Cheng Shi | Performance Rating: S】 · 【Acquired Food: Finger Bread (C) x5】 · 【Acquired Food: Canned Mucus Drink (C) x5】 · 【Acquired Food: Mock Eyeball Cake (B) x1】 · 【Path to Godhood +0, Ascension Ladder +0】(Single Player Trials do not grant points) · 【Current Path to Godhood Score: 2104 | Global Rank: 499713】 · 【Current Ascension Ladder Score: 156 | Path Rank: 74】 · 【Trial Cleared. Exiting...】 · [END]