Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 8: Happy Cooperation

“…There isn’t an Erosion Swamp hidden inside of me, right?”

“Mm, but it’s still not very obedient.” Zhu Yanchen’s didn’t fluctuate. He clenched his gun while looking around vigilantly.

The corpse handler never managed to start the purifier. She was still nesting in the gap between the equipment, completely wooden. The room was filled with blood-red warning lights, and the sirens were blaring.

“Could it be that you brought me here today because you want me to have a good exchange with this small Erosion Swamp?” Shu Jun stood in Zhu Yanchen’s blind spot and kept talking.

This is just logic of the game setting. They are just discussing the game setting. Shu Jun tried to make a joke, trying to save the increasingly unpleasant topic—in a sense, Zhu Yanchen was right. He did “understand everything”, but unfortunately, understanding was one thing; accepting was another.

“This Erosion Swamp is artificially bred. It has only swallowed human corpses. The adaptability of its erosion substance and human tissue is very good,” Zhu Yanchen replied seriously to his joke. “As long as the Erosion Swamps come into contact with each other, there will be a simple exchange. The things on your body can draw on the experience of similar creatures, so as not to immediately fight to the death with your body.”

Shu Jun: “……”

As an aggregate of a group of microorganisms, the Erosion Swamp had no brains, let alone true intelligence. For example, they were more like creatures such as ants and bees. They would resonate and exchange simple information, but that was limited to just this.

The information necessary for survival would be exchanged between Erosion Swamps. Shu Jun had long known this, but this behavior had a premise: both sides had to be true Erosion Swamps.

The situation was more like “he’s the swamp” than “the swamp is hidden inside him”.

Why can’t this friend go offline? Because he accidentally fused too well with the Erosion Swamp, becoming so entangled that they were now inseparable, even a filter paper couldn’t filter them out. When Shu Jun thought this, he clicked his tongue. The development of the situation had become so unreal that he felt a sense of detachment.

There was a solution somewhere*, so there was no point in worrying about it.

*There’s always a way to get to a mountain, no matter which direction you take. Referring to (车到山前必有路，船到桥头自然直) Idiom referring to whatever challenges or difficulties one may encounter, there is always a solution or a way to overcome them.

The Corpse Parasite hadn’t moved. This kind of thing was always cautious. Since it was severely beaten unexpectedly, it wouldn’t act for a short time. Zhu Yanchen lowered the muzzle of his gun a little. Shu Jun glanced at the other’s protective suit and felt a little guilty. “Then I have finished communicating with the Erosion Swamp. Shall we go back?”

“Can’t go back.” Zhu Yanchen shook his head and walked to the place where the corpse handler was squatting. “You lost control here. The military has the means to detect the Erosion Swamp, so you’ve been exposed.”

Thinking about the shocking truth that caused him to lose control, thousands of question marks returned to Shu Jun, but before he could organize his words, Zhu Yanchen had already walked in front of the corpse handler.

“You’re not an employee here, are you?”

The woman, who was shrinking in the corner, raised her head. Her whole body stiffened like a woodcarving.

“How to turn on the purifiers in a timely manner is the first lesson for any corpse handler. No matter what happens, this step must never go wrong.” Zhu Yanchen sounded like he was in a bad mood. “And regular corpse handlers rotate once a month. Have you been here for more than a month?”

The woman nodded, shook her head again, and aimed her eyes at the gun on Marshal Zhu’s waist.

“According to the rules of shift work, there won’t be too much erosion substance in the body of a corpse handler, so they won’t be seen as clues by the Corpse Parasite to find an Erosion Swamp. It’s very cautious, and it only approaches after observing for a long time… In short, it was attracted by you.”

Zhu Yanchen’s tone became a little colder.

“If we didn’t happen to be here, not only would you die, but this Erosion Swamp would leak out. Now that the warning flares have been issued, someone will come here soon. Have you figured out how to explain things?”

The woman glanced at the three corpses not far away, hugged her knees tightly, and covered her mask.

Zhu Yanchen pondered for a moment. “You can’t get into this kind of institution alone. Take us to your stronghold. People can’t come back from the dead, but you can still make up for it.”

As he said this, he glanced at Shu Jun and found that he was also looking at him. Zhu Yanchen quickly retracted his gaze.

Shu Jun continued to stare at Zhu Yanchen’s back.

He suddenly understood the anomalies of “Smoke’s” journey—just like the A’Yan that he knew well, as long as he asked, the other party would definitely give an answer, but it was only an answer. Compared to A’Yan who was willing to discuss tactics in detail, the “Smoke” in front of him was subconsciously keeping his distance from him.

At least when he was sober.

Shu Jun could understand if he didn’t want to discuss plans with him or if he didn’t want to take the initiative to explain the reasons for his actions. There were too many things stuffed in his mind, and they needed time to be digested slowly before he could pursue the minutiae. But if he was replaced by Smoke from before, these things would definitely be put on the table and explained.

The Zhu Yanchen in front of him seemed to have no idea how to get along with him.

A’Yan didn’t talk much, but he wasn’t the type to be uneasy or nervous about this kind of thing. Shu Jun always felt there was a deeper reason behind it, but he really didn’t have a clue now.

To be honest, Shu Jun didn’t want to accept information passively all the time, and he didn’t like the awkward atmosphere between the two. Combined with his own laundry list of problems, there was only one solution.

Although absurd, he had to first determine whether this world was the so-called “reality”. Thanks to his previous episode, he had already thought of a way.

“A’Yan, my body will be fine this time.” Shu Jun made his tone look particularly relaxed.

A low “not for the time being” floated in the distance.

The imposter corpse handler was shaking as she said something to Zhu Yanchen. Shu Jun thought for a few seconds and strode forward. Seeing the man who had just taken out the erosion substance approach, the corpse handler couldn’t wait to squeeze into the crevices of the equipment. Zhu Yanchen was a little surprised by Shu Jun’s approach. He thought the other party was going to ask him more questions, so he turned around…

“Since you have been working here for more than a month, tell me the coordinates here.” Shu Jun deliberately stood behind Zhu Yanchen with a fierce expression on his face.

Speaking of which, Shu Jun was quite confident in his appearance, but with his gray hair color and beast-like vertical pupils, gentle tactics probably wouldn’t work.

Zhu Yanchen planned to stop the conversation from continuing, but Shu Jun put one arm in front of him and covered his mouth. The red light of the siren reflected in his gray-white eyes, and coupled with Shu Jun’s actions mimicking a kidnapper, the woman took a cold breath and immediately revealed the coordinates of this place, shaking as if she were sifting chaff.

“Thanks.” At least he should still have the courtesy he should have.

After saying that, Shu Jun didn’t let go of Zhu Yanchen. Instead, he continued to tighten his grip on him with his movements, grabbed the trembling woman with his other hand, and flew directly into the sky.

He knew the coordinates of the strongholds when he went online and offline. After confirming the location here, Shu Jun could figure out a way back.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t say a word the entire way, probably because he was angry, Shu Jun thought.

The building in the stronghold was familiar enough to put him at ease. Shu Jun stopped on the roof, put the two people down, and then climbed into the building. Unexpectedly, just as he was about to let go, he found that his wrist was bound by something.

Zhu Yanchen took a pair of handcuffs out of nowhere and handcuffed himself and Shu Jun together. The handcuffs used an electronic password lock so Shu Jun couldn’t even grab the key.

…Finally, there was a familiar feeling of tactics and mutual teasing with “Smoke” like in the past.

“Wait here. We’ll be back soon.” Judging from the tone of Zhu Yanchen’s speech to the corpse handler, his emotions seemed to reach a freezing point.

Shu Jun had no choice but to take Zhu Yanchen with him. The two of them snuck into the building through the window—it was midnight, so there weren’t many people still awake in the stronghold. Even with an extra person, Shu Jun slipped underground smoothly.

It was just that the matter of knocking out the guards became a bit more troublesome than usual.

The room where they usually went online was still the same. The familiar hibernating pods were neatly arranged. Shu Jun quickly found the one that belonged to him. After opening the hatch, he couldn’t help but frown.

Inside lay a young man he didn’t know.

Zhu Yanchen sighed and remained silent.

Shu Jun walked around again and finally found an empty pod in the corner. He pressed his palm on the control screen and began to verify his identity. Despite the fingerprint entry, the familiar game prompt didn’t appear and instead was replaced by a cold warning.

[Identification error. The authority of S-001 synthetic body “Shu Jun” has been canceled. Please enter the correct data.]

Shu Jun took a deep breath and pressed his palm again.

[Identification error. The authority of S-001 synthetic body “Shu Jun” has been canceled. Please enter the correct data.]

Switching to another hibernating pod, the prompt was still the same. Shu Jun lay down inside the hibernation pod and tried to operate the screen inside the machine.

[Identification error. The authority of S-001 synthetic body “Shu Jun” has been canceled. Please enter the correct data.]

Shu Jun clenched his fist. His face became uglier, and his movements became faster.

“Next, you will realize that this world is indeed ‘reality’.” After being dragged around for a while, Zhu Yanchen finally spoke.

“Then you will think your teammates are being used and won’t give up on them.”

“Finally, you’ll perceive that, as the original inhabitant of this world, I have known about it from the start.”

Shu Jun turned his head and suddenly brought the two of them closer—so close that he could feel the other’s breath. Zhu Yanchen made an odd movement. He seemed to want to grab the handle of his gun, but in the end, he didn’t. He exhaled again and gazed fixedly at Shu Jun, like he was waiting for something.

The handcuff still connected the two of them, and the air was frozen for a while.

Shu Jun was silent for ten minutes.

“That’s right,” he said, but there wasn’t much anger in his voice that Zhu Yanchen expected.

“But I won’t be stupid enough to go crazy here unprepared, disregarding the only person who is willing to tell me the truth.”

“I indeed want to save my teammates, and I will rescue them.”

“And you are a native of this world, with a high position and power, and you are able to stabilize my physical condition. You’re an excellent partner for cooperation.”

Zhu Yanchen showed a surprised expression for the first time.

“As for the rest… Since you decided to tell me this, there must be a reason for the previous concealment.” Shu Jun stretched out his handcuffed hand and grabbed Zhu Yanchen’s handcuffed hand. “This is a handshake.”

Zhu Yanchen still stared at him, as if quite surprised by his attitude. Shu Jun stood in place, surrounded by rows of hibernation pods. He looked at Zhu Yanchen calmly and smiled.

“I haven’t lost before, and I won’t lose this time.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>