Chapter 20: Malnutrition and Deception
On the second floor of the Griffin family house was Stewie's secret base.
After understanding his physical condition, Chris also breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he hadn't fully relaxed yet, as there was still a crucial matter he hadn't figured out.
"You said that I consumed high-energy food, which caused that life essence to accelerate and strengthen me. So, is there something I'm not aware of here?"
From Stewie's words just now, Chris realized he had overlooked something very important, but due to a lack of information, he didn't know what he had missed.
Fortunately, Stewie was nearby, so he asked him directly.
Stewie looked at Chris in surprise, not expecting Chris to be so perceptive this time, actually thinking of this point.
Originally, he had planned to use this missing information to mess with Chris again.
However, now that Chris had asked outright, Stewie felt bored. This meant that the effect of pranking Chris wouldn't meet his expectations, so he stated directly:
"Seeing that you've already noticed something, I'll tell you. Your body, with the Creeper's life essence enhancing it, is already different from conventional organisms—meaning humans."
Chris knew that Stewie hadn't finished speaking, so he made a 'go on' expression and continued to listen quietly.
Stewie felt very pleased that Chris hadn't interrupted him, so he continued, "This means you've already stepped into the realm of extraordinary life, surpassing human limitations. From now on, you can also possess various supernatural abilities, just like those monsters."
"Based on the Creeper information you provided, I'd estimate you should possess some of his abilities, such as temporary flight, super regeneration, and immense strength. But..."
Chris, who was constantly watching Stewie, understood his meaning. This was a cue for someone to play along.
"But what? Is there a price to pay?"
"Of course!"
Seeing Chris being so cooperative, Stewie was delighted.
Finally, there was someone in this moronic household who understood him.
Chris also didn't expect that simply going along with Stewie would make him so happy.
Seeing Stewie still joyful, Chris continued putting in effort, giving Stewie more validation.
"Then you can definitely solve this problem, right? From what you're saying, it's not a difficult task at all, is it?"
"Whoa, don't say that! You'll make me conceited."
Stewie waved his hands, adopting a posture of refusing to accept the compliment.
But Chris could still see from Stewie's face that his words were very effective; the little genius was already beaming.
After a show of false modesty, Stewie returned to normal, but the joy in his eyes had not yet faded.
A pleased Stewie then continued, "You must know that environment is crucial for living organisms. What kind of environment produces what kind of organism.
Just as whales can only live in the sea, humans can only move on land; the two cannot be reversed."
"If a whale were to appear on land, without the buoyancy of water, it would soon be crushed by its own massive weight.
And if humans were thrown into the ocean, humans without the ability to survive underwater would also perish in the sea."
"So, do you understand what happens when an extraordinary organism suddenly appears in a non-high-energy environment?"
Stewie's extensive scientific explanation had already made Chris understand the meaning of his words. He was like the whale that left the ocean, like the human who entered the sea.
He had entered an environment completely unsuitable for his survival!
Frightened by his own conclusion, Chris swallowed hard, tension causing him to salivate wildly, and cold sweat drenched his clothes.
Then, Chris said under Stewie's expectant gaze, "Will I... starve to death?"
"Good boy! You guessed right. That's why I said this matter is quite troublesome even for me.
I can't change the entire Earth's environment just for you; the scientific community would have my head."
"No way! I feel like I still have a chance. I don't need a very large space by myself. Can't you help me build a high-energy ecological chamber?
Or create some high-energy food. Oh, can I just eat protein powder as meals? It should work, right?
Earlier, I drank protein powder and it activated my life essence, so it should have an effect... right?"
As he spoke, Chris himself became less confident.
Because Stewie's expression hadn't changed at all. He sighed and patted Chris's knee, then comforted him, "Don't be like that, brother. I'm also very sad about this. It's not easy to have another family member who understands me, and I don't want you to die.
It's just that all those methods you mentioned require time, and you might not last until then."
Hearing Stewie's comfort, Chris completely gave up hope.
For Stewie, with his IQ capable of building a time machine, to confirm this matter was no less than the Grim Reaper standing before him with a scythe, telling him he was doomed.
Chris thought dejectedly, and then he suddenly noticed a crucial point.
Time machine—Stewie had a time machine!
"Wait, Stewie. You should have already built the time machine by now, right? If you make some high-energy food in the future and send it to the present, couldn't that allow me to survive longer? And during that time, couldn't a high-energy ecological chamber be built?"
Chris, overjoyed at finding a solution, quickly squatted down to ask Stewie.
Only when he squatted down did Chris notice Stewie's exasperated expression.
This immediately gave Chris a bad feeling. Could Stewie's words just now have been a trick?
"Oh, bloody hell! How much information about our universe has leaked out? You even know that I built a time machine!"
Realizing his plan to prank Chris had been exposed, Stewie stopped pretending and cursed repeatedly, making it hard to believe such foul language could come from an infant.
It seemed Stewie was still very bothered by the fact that he couldn't get one over on Chris.
But similarly, Chris was also cursing inwardly.
He had originally thought that in this world, the Griffin family would have slightly higher standards, and Stewie would even have some sense of decency.
But he never expected that Stewie would put on such an act.
To deceive him, he had gone on and on, making Chris truly accept his fate.
If he hadn't realized that Stewie had a time machine, he might have truly become a complete fool under Stewie's schemes.
However, since he realized it was all Stewie's trick, Chris felt relieved and turned to leave.
He had no time to play these mutual pranks with Stewie.
But just as Chris turned around, he heard Stewie speak again, "Hey, wait! I admit I wanted to see you make a fool of yourself before, but everything I said was true."
Chris stopped and looked back at Stewie. He didn't know if he should still trust this guy.
Fortunately, Chris's intuition kicked in again at this moment, giving him a premonition that walking out of that door would lead to disaster.
This made Chris stop, wanting to see what else Stewie had to say.
"Without an established energy cycle, ordinary extraordinary beings would indeed die in a low-energy environment, just like humans drowning.
You've only just entered the extraordinary realm, and your body's structure hasn't changed much yet, so it's not very obvious.
But once you completely absorb the Creeper's life essence, you'll understand that what I said is indeed true.
You will eventually die from malnutrition. Otherwise, why do you think that Creeper ate people, and could only be active for 23 days every 23 years?
Isn't it because he was no longer adapted to the environment of that era?"
Chris carefully recalled all the information about the Creeper, comparing it one by one with what Stewie said, and found no discrepancies.
"So, you mean... you want me to eat people?"
Chris asked with a strange expression, extremely conflicted inside, fearing Stewie would say yes.
Fortunately, Stewie's expression was even stranger than his, as if he was discovering for the first time that Chris could be so barbaric.
"No, no, no! What the hell are you thinking? You're insulting my intelligence here!"
"My idea is that whoever caused the problem should fix it. Since your issue is brought about by your talent, then use your talent to solve this matter.
I'll build an activator in these next couple of days to actively trigger your talent, and then you can enter a world that can solve your problem and find a solution directly."
Hearing the solution Stewie offered, Chris sighed and said, "Stewie, you're a damn genius!"
Stewie didn't mind Chris's profanity. He tilted his head and looked at Chris, eyes wide, asking, "So... we're cool again?"
Chris didn't answer with words, but instead showed it with his actions.
He bent down, picked up Stewie, and ruffled his genius head.
He was still a kid, just fond of pranks.
But in a place Chris couldn't see, an evil smile once again appeared on Stewie's face.
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