Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Strange Digital World

“How miserable,” Qin Fei murmured, lying on the grass and mocking himself as he gazed at the sky above, where things utterly foreign to the human world drifted. The only certainty now was that he had not returned to the human world.

Why? One only had to look up—those red and white patterns, reminiscent of digital circuits, were impossibly out of place in reality. Not long ago, a flock of hawk beasts had flown overhead, and Qin Fei quickly realized he was still in the Digital World, though utterly unsure of his precise location.

Though this was indeed the Digital World, not a single other chosen child could be seen, and the landscape differed greatly from what he had previously encountered. Taichi was not by his side, nor was Agumon; evidently, they must have crossed over successfully—he hoped so, wished they had escaped this fate, and had not ended up half-paralyzed as he had.

The only slight comfort was that Loretta Beast and Black Doru Beast remained at his side, though both were still unconscious. Strangely, it was he, the fragile human, who had awakened first.

“Hiss—” With a deep breath, Qin Fei tried once more to sit up, but the pain sent cold sweat dripping down his brow and forced him to abandon the attempt. Feeling his dislocated ankle and the bruises mottling his body, he cursed his rotten luck yet again.

“Maybe this is the fate I deserve for being such a coward.” He forced a bitter smile, thinking himself utterly wretched for having abandoned the companions with whom he had weathered so much, all for the chance to return to the real world.

Perhaps this outcome was fitting.

“Why would a coward, someone so fond of his own life, ever cross over? Even if it’s into the world of Digimon that I’ve always loved…” Immobilized on the ground, Qin Fei could only distract himself with random thoughts, lest the agony in his ankle and throughout his body, coupled with exhaustion, lull him into sleep—something he feared, for he might be killed by a suddenly appearing ferocious Digimon while unconscious… Though, even awake, his feeble state would hardly protect him.

“Too reckless…” Qin Fei stared up at the strange scenery overhead, recalling everything that had happened along the way.

Having crossed into the Digimon world, with a Digimon of his own, he had been swept up in excitement; without careful thought, he followed the chosen children into their adventure. He had imagined a fairy-tale journey: meeting his Digimon, embarking on adventures, growing together, defeating evil Digimon, saving the world, and finally reaching a GOOD END.

After all, the story in the first series concluded just so—children and Digimon tearfully bidding farewell in a moving hat toss.

This was why Qin Fei had always hesitated to disrupt the plot too much.

But after twice nearly losing his life, fear and regret gnawed at him. This world was nothing like he had imagined—far from idyllic, it was fraught with danger.

The first time, facing Devimon, who had absorbed countless black gears and become terrifying, Qin Fei was easily crushed underfoot. In that moment, he felt for the first time the frailty of being human and the terror filling his heart—if Devimon pressed down even slightly, he would die beneath that monstrous foot… Even now, the memory made his heart race.

Had Loretta Beast not evolved into Dark Spider Witch at the crucial moment, and had Devimon not chosen to torment her before his eyes to satisfy its twisted mind, Qin Fei would have been nothing more than a soul lost under Devimon's heel, perhaps not even leaving a complete corpse behind.

The second time, facing Ape Beast alone, its ultimate form overwhelming Loretta Beast in a cat-and-mouse display of arrogance and cruelty—if it had been just a little more ruthless, he and Loretta Beast would have perished at the hands of that fearsome monkey. Though Loretta Beast narrowly evolved into Raging Tiger Saint and resolved the crisis, Qin Fei was never one to trust in luck.

He believed that fortune would not favor him forever; if confronted again with enemies too powerful to defeat, could he really entrust his and Loretta Beast’s safety to such an unreliable variable?

Thus, Qin Fei resolved to return to the real world, even if it meant Loretta Beast’s future evolution might be hindered. Compared to survival, evolution seemed insignificant.

He wished only for Loretta Beast to stay with him, safe and sound, free from illness and disaster—even the addition of Black Doru Beast was welcome.

Yet, such a simple wish had driven him to this desperate state. Loretta Beast and Black Doru Beast lay unconscious, he himself was gravely injured—it felt almost as if someone was punishing him for seeking comfort.

If a dangerous, evil Digimon happened by, Qin Fei’s journey would end in regret.

“So unwilling…” Qin Fei turned his head to gaze at Loretta Beast beside him, her delicate face furrowed in sleep, stirring a pang of sympathy in his heart.

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have designed you to look like this—at least now you wouldn’t seem so pitiable.” Lifting his aching arm, Qin Fei gently touched Loretta Beast’s smooth cheek, lost for a moment in admiration.

After all, she was crafted to be the most beautiful, most enchanting image in his heart.

“Thunk—”

“What’s this?”

Suddenly, a gentle light burst from his pocket, snapping Qin Fei from his daze. He struggled to reach inside and pull out the glowing object—it was the Holy Plan Digivice.

It seemed the device had sensed something familiar nearby.

“Why is a human here?”

As Qin Fei puzzled over the situation, a soft, puzzled voice sounded from beside him. Startled, he whipped his head around, then relaxed upon seeing the speaker.

It was an adorable Digimon, resembling a floppy-eared puppy.

True to its name, Qin Fei recognized it as Puppy Beast.

“Puppy Beast! Please help us, I beg you!” The despair in Qin Fei’s eyes finally sparked a glimmer of hope.

“…”

…

“You should stay here and recover—I’ll go find you something to eat.” After dragging Qin Fei with effort into a nearby cave, Puppy Beast sighed in relief.

Loretta Beast and Black Doru Beast were still lying unconscious on the other side of the cave, trapped in some strange state. Qin Fei wanted to check on them, but his current condition rendered him powerless.

“Thank you, Puppy Beast. If I ever get the chance, I’ll repay this kindness,” Qin Fei called out gratefully from the ground.

“Hmph, I don’t care for human gratitude. Just take care of yourself.” Puppy Beast glanced at the Holy Plan Digivice in Qin Fei’s pocket and continued, “If not for that thing giving me a familiar, comforting feeling, I wouldn’t have saved you at all.”

Hearing Puppy Beast’s somewhat cold tone, Qin Fei only smiled—this Digimon seemed cold on the outside, but warm-hearted within.

Puppy Beast seemed to have left.

But the dim, dry cave at last steadied Qin Fei’s uneasy heart.

Now, the most important thing was to recover his strength, then ask Puppy Beast about this unfamiliar place and see if there was any chance to reunite with the other chosen children.