Kaneki Ken still knelt on the cold ground, his left eye completely transformed into a horrifying crimson. His entire body trembled violently, uncontrollably, emitting heavy, painful gasps. Those eyes, filled with inhuman desire, were fixed on the human corpse before him, as if he wanted to devour it whole.
Dong Xiang squatted down, picked up the severed hand from the ground, blood trickling down her fair fingers. She held the severed hand up to Kaneki Ken, her voice calm: "Do you want it?"
Kaneki Ken's right hand shot up, trembling violently as he reached for the bloody, mangled limb. His pupils were completely consumed by a greedy craving for flesh in that instant.
However—
Just as his fingertips were about to touch the flesh, his left hand exploded with astonishing strength, gripping his right wrist tightly and pulling it back with brute force. He painfully arched his back, his forehead pressing heavily against the cold ground, his teeth biting down hard on his lower lip. Blood seeped out, mixing with uncontrollable tears that fell in large drops.
He Xi Qian Yu stood silently to the side, watching Kaneki Ken's struggle.
Suddenly transforming from a perfectly normal human into a Ghoul is something no one can easily accept.
Kaneki Ken was no exception. Even though his body was no longer human, the soul belonging to Kaneki Ken was still desperately struggling on the cliff edge of humanity.
"...Futile..." Slaughter's voice echoed in He Xi Qian Yu's mind, carrying a cold, mocking tone. "...Meaningless...resistance..."
"Aren't you going to eat?" Dong Xiang's gaze lingered on Kaneki Ken's crimson Ghoul eye, her tone tinged with inquiry. "Speaking of which, a single Ghoul eye...is quite rare..."
Suddenly, her pupils constricted sharply, as if she had finally recognized something. Her voice filled with surprise, "Wait...weren't you...the one with Rize that night...?" She abruptly turned, her gaze seeking confirmation from He Xi Qian Yu, her violet eyes questioning.
He Xi Qian Yu nodded silently, confirming her guess.
"What about his eye...?" Dong Xiang wanted to press further, but she was interrupted by Kaneki Ken's tearful roar.
"Save me...please...believe me..." Kaneki Ken's voice was broken and filled with the despair of a drowning man. "I'm human! I'm clearly human..."
His gaze uncontrollably fell back to the severed hand on the ground, his body trembling with intense craving. "...But...but why...do I...want to...eat it so badly...?"
"If it's that painful," Dong Xiang offered the severed hand to him again, her voice still flat, "then eat it."
Kaneki Ken's body stiffened abruptly. After a brief pause, a violent rejection erupted. He used all his strength to swat away the severed hand offered to him.
"No—!!!"
"No—!!!"
"No—!!!"
He curled up, screaming heartbreakingly.
"How could I possibly eat something like this! I'm not a Ghoul! I'm human—!!!"
...
Kaneki Ken's tragic struggle ultimately ended in failure when Dong Xiang, unable to bear it any longer, forcibly shoved a piece of flesh into his mouth.
The moment the flesh entered his throat, an instinctive sensation of "deliciousness" instantly swept through every cell of Kaneki Ken's body. However, this was immediately followed by an even more violent psychological backlash.
"Ugh—! Cough, cough! Ugh—!"
He painfully knelt on the ground, his hands clutching his throat, his body convulsing violently as he desperately dry-heaved. The physiological satisfaction and extreme psychological revulsion almost tore him apart.
"Why...why..." Kaneki Ken was covered in tears and snot, his voice hoarse and broken, filled with despair. "Did you make me...eat something like this...? Human flesh...how could I possibly...swallow it...?" He raised his face, stained with tears and blood. His crimson Ghoul eye and the eye still retaining human emotion simultaneously erupted with extreme pain. "I'm...human...! I'm completely different...from you...monsters!!!"
"Oh ho." He Xi Qian Yu clicked his tongue lightly and shook his head slightly.
"...Good show...to watch..." Slaughter's voice carried a familiar playfulness.
The word "monsters" perfectly and precisely hit Dong Xiang's raw nerve.
She abruptly lifted her head, her purple hair covering her right eye momentarily swinging away due to the violent movement, revealing the purple eye beneath. The next instant, her hair fell, re-covering her right eye.
Without any warning.
Dong Xiang's slender right leg lashed out like a steel whip, brutally kicking Kaneki Ken in the abdomen.
"Bang!"
Kaneki Ken was sent flying through the air like a broken sack. Before he could fall, Dong Xiang's figure was already close. She gripped Kaneki Ken's head tightly with her right hand and slammed his entire face into the rusty iron grate of a ventilation shaft nearby.
"Clang—!"
The sound of twisting metal accompanied the dull thud of bone and flesh impacting.
Dong Xiang's clenched fist mercilessly pounded Kaneki Ken's face.
One punch, two punches, three punches...
Finally, the arm that was gripping his collar erupted with astonishing strength, flinging him away like trash.
Kaneki Ken's body traced a helpless arc in the air, crashing heavily against the wall a few meters away, then falling to the cold ground.
"Pfft—!"
A large mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth, spreading a dazzling crimson stain on the dim ground.
"...Splendid..." Slaughter's voice was filled with delight.
He Xi Qian Yu's expression was one of helplessness. He couldn't just stand by anymore. If this continued, even a Ghoul's healing abilities wouldn't be able to save Kaneki Ken.
Dong Xiang was about to continue forward, but He Xi Qian Yu grabbed her wrist.
"That's enough. If you keep this up, he'll really die," He Xi Qian Yu shook his head at Dong Xiang.
Dong Xiang glanced at Kaneki Ken, who was sprawled on the ground. Finally, she let out a cold snort and shook off He Xi Qian Yu's hand.
He Xi Qian Yu turned and quickly walked to Kaneki Ken's side, half-crouching: "Kaneki, are you alright?"
"...Qianyu Ge..." Kaneki Ken looked up, his voice trembling uncontrollably, "...What...what should I do...?"
"Listen, Kaneki, I know this is hard for you to accept." He Xi Qian Yu placed his hand on his shoulder, looking directly into his eyes. "But you have to face reality."
"You are no longer human."
"Qianyu Jun is right." A familiar, gentle voice echoed in the alley.
"Manager?" Dong Xiang turned abruptly, a hint of surprise flashing in her purple eyes.
"Manager." He Xi Qian Yu wasn't surprised; he simply nodded slightly and withdrew his hand from Kaneki's shoulder.
"...Old man..." Slaughter was unceremonious.
"Show some respect to the Manager," He Xi Qian Yu reminded him helplessly in his mind.
"...Next time...definitely..." Slaughter responded perfunctorily.
...
Fangcun Gongshan walked slowly, as if the tragic scene around him was merely an ordinary sight.
"You're in a lot of pain, aren't you?" His gentle gaze fell on Kaneki Ken. "Come with me."
"Manager, why?" Dong Xiang couldn't help but ask, her tone filled with confusion.
Fangcun Gongshan raised his hand, interrupting her words, his gaze calmly sweeping over Dong Xiang and He Xi Qian Yu, finally returning to Kaneki Ken.
"Ghouls helping each other is our principle."