IBO -Chapter 36 Gluttony – Previous Timeline

This novel contains sensitive and taboo content like R*pe, Mu**er etc. Read only if you are comfortable.

Accompanied by the sound of rain, Song Yiran fell asleep. In his dream, he saw his deceased mother, Song Hang.

Song Hang stood in the distance with her back to him, leaving him with nothing but her silhouette.

This was the first time he had dreamed of his mother since her death. Ever since his parents passed away, he had never dreamed of them again.

Sometimes he wondered whether his parents were unwilling to see him, which was why they refused to appear in his dreams.

In his memories, his parents’ faces had grown blurry with the passage of time; only the photos at home recorded the once-happy faces of their family.

Song Yiran ran toward his mother excitedly, wanting to tell her how much he had missed her all these years.

He ran very fast—faster than the day he was hit by a car—but his mother, still facing away from him, kept drifting farther and farther away.

He chased her desperately, sprinting toward her retreating figure. He wanted so badly to see his mother one more time.

But no matter how fast he ran, how could he ever outrun the distance between life and death?

His mother’s back grew more and more distant, until he could no longer catch up.

Like a helpless child, he stared at her back and cried, “Mom, don’t go, okay?”

Song Hang turned around. She sighed softly. “Ranran, I’m already dead.”

“I know… but, but Mom, I really miss you so much! Could you talk with me for a little longer? I can barely even remember what your face looks like anymore…

Mom, I really miss you…”

Song Yiran cried uncontrollably, tears blurring his vision.

He wiped at them desperately, wanting to remember his mother’s face more clearly.

But there were too many tears—no matter how he wiped, he couldn’t dry them all.

Just like his longing for his mother, which would never stop.

Song Hang lifted Song Yiran’s face just like she used to when he was little, gently wiping away his tears. “Ranran, how have you been lately? Has anyone bullied you?”

“I’m doing really well now. I eat good food and drink well, and no one bullies me. I just… I just miss you so much.”

Song Yiran forced his eyes wide open, wanting to carve his mother’s face deep into his heart.

Song Hang carefully reminded him, “Mom misses you too, Ranran. You have to grow up well, eat your meals on time, stay up less late, and eat less junk food.”

“I will, Mom.”

Song Yiran nodded through his tears. He used to think his mother’s reminders were nagging, but after she was gone, he couldn’t help but miss those very words he once found annoying.

“Ranran, are you troubled by something?”

“Mom, how did you know?” Song Yiran had planned to share only good news and hide the bad, but his mother still saw through him.

Sure enough—experience really does count for something.

“You’re just like when you were little. Whenever you have something on your mind, your eyebrows wrinkle unconsciously. Can you tell Mom what’s been troubling you?”

“This story is super magical! I got bound to a system and traveled to an interstellar world to raise a kid! But Mom, I’m a little sad. I feel like I can’t give the kid a better life.”

Song Yiran hid the fact that he had been killed in a car accident, and that in the interstellar world he was isolated and helpless, surviving by picking up trash. He didn’t want his mother to worry about him again.

“This is a problem your dad and I used to face too,” Song Hang said gently. “When you were little, we couldn’t give you a better life. We always felt that we owed you. We couldn’t send you to better schools or give you better material conditions. But, Ranran, all of that was just what we thought. What really matters is what the other person thinks. Ranran, do you think your dad and I owed you something?”

“I’ve never thought that way. You raised me so well. I don’t think you owed me anything at all. You’re the best mom in the world!”

Song Yiran had never realized that his mother had once had such thoughts.

Song Hang smiled and patted his head. “Exactly. We parents always worry that what we give our children isn’t good enough, but in reality, children don’t necessarily think that way. Ranran, love goes both ways. You feel like you owe the kid because you love them—but the kid loves you too. Just like you love me and your dad.”

“Mom, I understand now!” Song Yiran had truly come to an awakening.

“Ranran, Mom has to go.”

“Mom, could you stay with me a little longer? I really can’t bear to part with you…”

Song Yiran’s tears burst forth again.

Song Hang couldn’t bear it either. “Ranran, Mom can’t bear to leave you either. But Mom has been dead for a long time now—dead people and the living can’t stay together for long. When Mom isn’t around, you still have to take good care of yourself. You must grow up well! Ranran, Mom will always love you, just like you will always love Mom. You’re Mom’s pride, and Mom will always be proud of you.”

Song Hang’s figure began to slowly fade. Just before she disappeared completely, she gave her child one last hug.

At last, her figure vanished entirely, leaving Song Yiran holding nothing at all.

He heard her final words echoing in his ears: “Ranran, you must grow up well.”

“Mom…” Song Yiran stared blankly at his empty arms as tear after tear slid down his cheeks.

This time, there was no one to wipe his tears away.

The scene in the dream shifted. Song Yiran found himself back at home—everything exactly as he remembered it, unchanged.

He saw his father wearing an apron, cooking in the kitchen. Hearing Song Yiran’s footsteps, his father didn’t even turn around.

“Ranran, school was tough today, huh? Dad made all your favorites—braised pork ribs, stir-fried beef, and oil-braised prawns. Go wash your hands; dinner will be ready soon.”

Looking at the scene before him, Song Yiran felt dazed. In that haze, it was as if he had returned to his school days, when nothing had changed and both Mom and Dad were still there.

If nothing had changed… how wonderful that would be.

Song Yiran stood there, unwilling to break the moment—because as long as it wasn’t broken, he could still be that young boy with both parents alive.

After bustling in the kitchen for a while, his father carried the dishes out. Song Yiran followed along, helping bring them to the table.

Once all the dishes were set, his father skillfully took out his mother’s exclusive rice bowl and set aside portions of the food for her in advance.

His mother often worked overtime until very late, and every evening his father would always save food for her ahead of time.

Song Yiran looked at everything before him. It was all so familiar, as if nothing had ever happened.

But soon, his father’s words pulled him back to reality.

“Ranran, I’m sorry we made you grow up alone.”

“It’s okay… I’ve lived well. This wasn’t your fault… Dad, I miss you so much…” Song Yiran couldn’t stop crying again.

His father held him tightly, heart aching. “Ranran, you don’t have to be strong. Dad knows it must have been very hard for you.”

“Dad, I really miss you. After you left, I thought about you every single day. For so, so, so long, I hadn’t seen you. I could barely even remember what you looked like.”

Song Yiran wailed in his father’s arms like a child.

Adults often swallow their grievances, licking their wounds only when they’re alone.

But in front of one’s parents, no matter how grown up you are, you become a child again—once wronged, you want nothing more than to cry and complain to them.

Song Yiran always thought he was mature enough, but the moment he saw his parents again, all the longing and grievance in his heart poured out uncontrollably.

In the end, his father faded away too, leaving Song Yiran holding nothing once more.

He couldn’t keep his parents—not even a wisp of wind beside them.

All that remained in the dream was his home and the food on the table. The dishes were still steaming, as if someone would come to eat them the next moment.

But no one ever would.

In the end, this place was left with only him once again.

Song Yiran stretched his demonic claws toward the dishes on the table. He didn’t use a bowl or chopsticks, just reached out with his hands to grab the food, stuffing whatever he caught straight into his mouth.

His mouth was already crammed full, yet he didn’t stop for a single moment, still shoving food in nonstop. He swallowed without chewing, then stuffed more in again.

Tears blurred his vision. His stomach was full of food, his mouth was full of food—he couldn’t eat another bite.

But it wasn’t enough. He felt so hungry. He wanted to eat.

Like a force-fed duck, he desperately stuffed food into his mouth. When his stomach could take no more, he finally lost control and vomited everything out.

**[Detected that host Song Yiran has relapsed during a dream. Please take measures.]**

555 was startled awake by the alert. The moment he saw the message, all sleepiness vanished, and he immediately barged into Song Yiran’s dream.

What he saw was a scene he would never forget in his system life.

He saw Song Yiran like a wild monkey, grabbing food with his hands and stuffing it into his mouth. His face and hands were smeared with oil, his mouth already full, yet he kept forcing more in.

After stuffing himself, he would collapse to the ground and vomit. After vomiting, he’d scramble back up and continue stuffing food into his mouth.

555 felt like his electronic eyes were being polluted, but that wasn’t the priority right now.

Song Yiran’s symptoms looked like human binge-eating disorder. This couldn’t go on—he had to stop him.

“Song Yiran! Stop eating!”

Song Yiran’s crazed state was interrupted by 555’s shout. He looked up and saw the furious 555.

“Song Yiran! What are you doing? Can this really make you feel happy?”

“I don’t know…” Song Yiran said blankly, touching his stomach.

He felt like there was a hole torn open inside his belly, one that could never be filled no matter what.

With a righteous expression, 555 questioned him, “Song Yiran, do you really need food? When you’re eating, I don’t see any happiness at all! Do you truly need these things?”

“555, it’s so empty here.” Song Yiran pointed at his stomach, his eyes filled with hollowness.

A trace of heartache appeared in 555’s eyes. “Wake up. You already ate dinner—this is just your dream! Your body isn’t hungry at all. You don’t need to eat, then vomit, then eat again. This is pathological behavior, Song Yiran. You’re sick.”

“Am I sick?”

Song Yiran looked at 555 through his tears. “555, what should I do? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I just want to fill my stomach.”

555 softened his tone and patiently guided him. “But you eat and vomit, vomit and eat, eat and vomit—your stomach will never be full that way. Are you really hungry? What is it that you want the most?”

“I… I want Mom and Dad.” Song Yiran’s tears fell even harder.

555 felt he had grasped the key point and spoke with great confidence. “I understand now! Food can’t fill you—nothing can fill you. Only love can fill you.”