Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 118: Birthday Gifts

Xu Kan sat in his favorite café for a long time.

As one grew older, the mind became less sharp than it was in youth. He had forgotten many things—he couldn’t remember when his wife had left, whether the accident had happened before or after his retirement. All he remembered was waking up and not seeing his wife anymore.

A blurry-faced doctor informed him that they had been in a car accident abroad and his wife had tragically passed away.

And his daughter… She was studying in another city. Unable to bear the pain of losing her mother, she had made up her mind to wander elsewhere. It had been a long time since she last came to see him, only occasional voice calls and brief videos.

Xu Kan touched his own hair—for someone approaching fifty, he still looked relatively young, with not many gray hairs and a sturdy physique. But when he calculated the time, his daughter was about to turn twenty-five.

Time passed so quickly.

From retiring from the Blackbirds to the occurrence of the accident, Xu Kan’s memories had become jumbled. However, over time, he gradually became accustomed to a life affected by the aftermath. His life wasn’t complicated—reading books, keeping up with the news, occasionally going to his favorite café to enjoy tea and coffee, exchanging a few words with strangers—and he was content.

Time had passed for too long, and his former comrades were scattered across the world, with only short greetings exchanged in writing.

The café was adorned with glass windows that were almost transparent to the point of nonexistence. The afternoon sunlight was warm and gentle. Xu Kan suddenly felt an inexplicable sadness. Everything in front of him seemed too unreal, and he felt disconnected from this scene.

He had thought about leaving this place, but every time he had that thought, his daughter’s messages would conveniently arrive, delicately expressing her hope that he would wait for her in their hometown. When he considered going to be with his daughter, she would always use the excuse of being busy with “studying and life.”

This year’s Reunion Festival, he couldn’t be sure if he would have to spend it through a video call. Xu Kan flipped through the book in his hand, unable to focus on a single word.

He had struggled for so many years in <Erosion>, but he had no one by his side. Today was his daughter’s birthday, and Xu Kan had deliberately chosen the best corner of the café, dressing up before leaving—just in case she had time for a video call, he wanted to be a cool father.

The café door opened, and the sound of high heels tapped on the floor. Xu Kan didn’t lift his head until those red high heels stopped in front of him.

“Dad,” the young woman said.

Xu Kan straightened up as if electrified and raised his head in disbelief.

After years of separation, his daughter’s appearance had become somewhat unfamiliar. She had exquisite makeup, a cold and sharp demeanor, and every movement she made was decisive. Xu Kan felt a bit dazed—his daughter seemed like a seasoned warrior.

“Dad, long time no see.” The woman sat across from him. “Do you like this surprise?”

A sour feeling surged in Xu Kan’s throat. “You little brat, you finally know to come back and visit your old man.”

Whether it was tears blurring his eyes or not, the woman’s expression instantly became complex—a mix of sadness and relief. She seemed sadder than him.

“…I found a job nearby, so it’s very convenient to see you from now on.” The woman sniffled. “You’ll probably find me annoying by then.”

Xu Kan wiped his face and let out a long breath. “My girl has grown up. Sijing, what kind of job did you find?”

The woman fell silent for a while. “Before we talk about that, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I changed my name, Dad. I don’t want to be… constantly bound by the past anymore, and you should let go too.”

Xu Kan was taken aback. “A perfectly good name, and you changed it just like that? Your mom—”

“‘Xia Jing’ definitely loved you. Now I can be sure that until she passed away, she never truly let go of you.” The woman took a deep breath. “But that’s all in the past, Dad. <Erosion> is closing down, and everything should come to an end.”

“Silly child, what are you saying? ‘Xia Jing’ was just the NPC name your mom was in charge of in <Erosion>. But since you don’t like it, well, that’s fine too. You’re grown up now and have your own thoughts… What name did you change to?”

“Xiaoxiao.” The woman curled her lips, her smile still tinged with a hint of sadness. “Dad, I became a doctor.”

This time, Xu Kan was even more stunned. He pondered for a while and then burst into laughter. “Indeed, you’re my daughter.”

“….?”

“I really like the name ‘Xiaoxiao’. Ah, it was back when I named you, wanting to commemorate my meeting with your mom… Maybe I should have called you ‘Xiaoxiao’ a long time ago. Don’t doubt it. Back when I was in <Erosion>, I met a very obedient little girl, and I gave her that name—”

Ai Xiaoxiao managed to maintain a smile, holding back her tears.

“I believe you,” she said. “…Dad.”

“Hm?”

“It’s nothing, I just wanted to call you that.”

“Oh, look at me, too caught up in talking. Now that you’re back, later I’ll take you to pick a gift. Whatever my girl wants, Dad will buy it for you, as a celebration for finding a good job.”

“I have something I want,” Ai Xiaoxiao said with reddened eyes. “Dad, can I take a photo with you? It’s been a long time since we… our family took a picture.”

Xu Kan was delighted, almost losing his bearings. He immediately stood up and shifted in his seat, making room in the best spot with sunlight. “Come, come, come. Dad couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The two of them squeezed into the corner of the café where the light was the strongest, closely huddled together, making the photo overflow with warmth.

“Dad.” Ai Xiaoxiao looked at Xu Kan frantically setting the screensaver and spoke with a hint of tears. “Thank you for the gift.”

“…I will accompany you for a lifetime.”

Two hours later, Ai Xiaoxiao stepped out of the hibernation pod. The photo remained in her database, and she projected it in the most prominent position in the medical hall.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you cry like this.” Seeing the other person shed tears, Xia Liang didn’t dare joke anymore. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“That photo… um, the face on it is a bit different from yours. Are you sure you want to display it outside?”

“It’s just a virtual image. I’ll adjust the data gradually. His daughter never existed from the beginning, so there won’t be a problem.” Ai Xiaoxiao took a tissue and wiped her nose. After drying her tears, she looked at the hibernation pod beside her.

The real Xu Kan in the real world—a quiet, liquid-like organism—was sleeping peacefully. Its body had a bit more color, but its form remained largely unchanged.

After the war, she tried countless methods. With the assistance of the command center, she could cure humans severely affected by erosion, stabilize the synthesis of human DNA, and let them live healthy lives. However, she couldn’t save the synths who had completely lost their forms.

She could only let them live a normal human lifespan, nothing more.

Ai Xiaoxiao raised her head, observing the modified “Bellflower” working quietly. Once today passed, the machinery in the command center would officially stop running. Starting from today, more than a hundred people, including Xu Kan, would officially return to synth society.

Handling intelligence might be a bit troublesome, but fortunately, the current leader had an efficient assistant—Tang Heyu had become the head of the research institute in the command center, and the old man loved tinkering with these things.

“After all this effort, synths still prefer this setup.” Xia Liang took a sip of her drink. “With the improved environment, I thought they wouldn’t immerse themselves in the virtual world anymore.”

“These hundred-plus people can only live on ‘the other side’. For the remaining thirty thousand, this can be considered a kind of farewell.” Ai Xiaoxiao caressed the lid of the hibernation pod. “The construction of X City will take time, and returning to ‘that side’ can also be seen as a form of decompression activity.”

“True. At least this time, the game is a true game.” Xia Liang finished her drink and smacked her lips.

“…I was just about to ask, are you so free? I don’t have time to fool around with you. Go back quickly.”

“Don’t be mean. I don’t have to perform now.” Xia Liang feigned tears. “You’re my only friend for life. Can’t I come and visit you?”

“I know you don’t need to pretend, but now the Xia family is under your control, right?” Ai Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue. “Marshal Xia, if you continue to loaf around, Zhu Yanchen will definitely take you down.”

“Tsk. I’ve checked his schedule. Mr. Zhu is having a sweet date outside, so why can’t I come out to hang out—”

“Hang out?” Ai Xiaoxiao’s gaze instantly sharpened.

“Just come out for a stroll—a stroll.” Xia Liang smiled brighter than flowers. “Oh, it’s been over half a year. Why are they still so clingy! It’s outrageous, let me tell you—”

Xia Liang’s gossip didn’t reach the ears of the people involved.

Zhu Yanchen had his eyes blindfolded, sitting in the back seat with a bewildered expression. Shu Jun happily hummed a tune, almost causing the car to take off in place.

Most of the erosion had retreated underwater, and the eroded land gradually recovered. Wild grass gradually covered the ground, mice scurried around in the bushes, and colorful birds perched on branches. The sky was a brilliant blue without a trace of clouds, and all the colors seemed more vibrant.

But there was a cost—the ground beneath the tires was no longer soft muddy soil but uneven terrain. The car sped like a crazy dog, and Zhu Yanchen, despite his extensive battle experience, almost vomited from the dizziness.

Leader Zhu clutched his pocket in pain, struggling to maintain an upright posture. He missed the time when the two of them could freely fly, but unfortunately, Shu Jun was technically in hibernation, and the surrounding surveillance stations were dense. They had to travel in a conventional manner.

“We’re almost there,” Shu Jun comforted him. “I, uh, I drove a bit fast. A’Yan, bear with it for a few more minutes.”

“Mmgh…”

Finally, the car came to a stop. Zhu Yanchen lay in the back seat for a while in a position reminiscent of a coffin, then got up.

Shu Jun didn’t remove the blindfold, instead gripping Zhu Yanchen’s hand tightly and leading him forward. “A’Yan, on your last birthday, resources were limited, so I didn’t give you a gift… Do you remember?”

“I remember.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was serious. “I remember very clearly.”

Shu Jun took a sharp breath. “Don’t make it sound like you’re holding a grudge, okay? Come, come, come, let me make up for the gift.”

He happily removed Zhu Yanchen’s blindfold, spreading his arms to showcase—

…A muddy field.

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze shifted from the left to the right of the field, then from the right to the left. He carefully examined it for a while, but only saw a large expanse of bare mud.

Shu Jun’s face twitched. He turned around in place, then carefully moved his body aside.

Just as Shu Jun moved, Zhu Yanchen’s gaze locked onto it—the center of the brown-black mud, two bellflowers bloomed. Whether it was the variety or the color, they resembled the ones they had raised in their childhood.

“I originally wanted to show you a field of flowers.” Shu Jun scratched his head in embarrassment. “Ai Xiaoxiao improved the seeds and shortened the growth period. I cleaned up the erosion from this area, but I failed because I lacked experience in planting… This thing isn’t as reliable as data in the virtual world, and in the end, only two plants survived.”

He stole a glance at Zhu Yanchen’s expression and cleared his throat on purpose. “If we replant another batch, your next birthday will have already passed! Then you’ll miss out on a gift for no reason. So, I…”

Shu Jun didn’t manage to finish his sentence.

Zhu Yanchen embraced his waist and kissed him earnestly. The kiss lasted long enough for Shu Jun to start making muffled sounds from his throat, and his hands became restless.

However, Zhu Yanchen firmly gripped his wrist.

“A’Yan?”

“I happen to have a gift too.” Zhu Yanchen released Shu Jun’s waist and took out a prepared small box from his pocket, handing it to Shu Jun with solemnity.

Shu Jun raised an eyebrow and opened the unremarkable box, then gasped—

Inside the box lay two rings in silence. The two rings were exactly the same in style, without any gemstone embellishments. One of the rings was entirely black, with a warm hue, while the other had been carefully polished and emitted a radiant white light.

Zhu Yanchen reached out and took the black one, wearing it on his left ring finger.

Shu Jun: “…”

Shu Jun: “Wait, what does this mean?”

“It’s a formal response,” Zhu Yanchen replied seriously. “Didn’t you confess to me in front of all the humans back then?”

“No, this…”

“You’re not agreeing?”

“It’s not a matter of agreeing or not!” Shu Jun picked up the ring, his expression somewhat dazed. “Is this it? Is it over? A’Yan, not to say anything, but when I confessed, I made a big scene—”

“Mm.” Zhu Yanchen carefully dug out the two bellflowers and headed towards the car.

“Hey, hey, why are you leaving? How could I possibly not agree? Even if we become an old married couple, we still need some sense of ceremony—”

“Come with me.” This time, Zhu Yanchen got into the driver’s seat and glanced at Shu Jun. “I won’t blindfold you.”

The car started, and it was a long journey once again. Zhu Yanchen drove the car extremely steadily, while Shu Jun gazed at the ring on his ring finger throughout the entire journey, occasionally murmuring to himself. Eventually, he fell asleep.

When the car stopped silently, Shu Jun woke up in a daze, with the sound of waves rolling into his ears.

On the cliff by the seaside stood a beautiful small house. Judging from its style and paint, the house was probably recently built. Monday proudly stood by the seaside, its size having grown significantly, almost matching the size of the house.

Shu Jun guessed most of it in his heart and quietly followed behind Zhu Yanchen. He mentally prepared himself, but when the door opened, he still almost exclaimed in surprise—

The interior decoration and items in the house were almost identical to their home on “the other side”.

“When the reconstruction of Y City was nearing completion, I secretly modified a few construction machines,” Zhu Yanchen said softly as he placed the two bellflowers into an empty flowerpot and put it on a sunny windowsill. “I restored the furniture and electrical appliances one by one… with the help of Mr. Tang and the others. In short…”

His voice grew smaller, and he spun the black ring on his finger round and round.

“I had Ai Xiaoxiao examine my body. Part of my body is sustained by erosion, and it will age, but the process will become very slow.” It seemed like he had made a decision, and his voice became clear again. “Shu Jun, we can still be with each other for a long time. In another ten years, when I step down from my position as the leader, this place will be our…”

His ears turned red, and his voice took another roller coaster-like dip.

“…Our home.”

Shu Jun covered his eyes with his hand and suddenly laughed. “I was wondering what it was… A’Yan, with your proposal turning out like this, could it be that you’re shy?”

“It’s true that I’m a bit nervous,” Zhu Yanchen admitted with a serious expression.

“This isn’t just nervousness; we call it being shy.” Shu Jun decisively took off the ring and removed the one from Zhu Yanchen’s finger. “Come on, let me demonstrate—A’Yan, marry me. Next year, I will definitely make the flower field happen.”

Zhu Yanchen’s expression became somewhat subtle. Before he could speak, Shu Jun continued in rapid succession, “If you don’t want to marry, it’s okay. Just marry me.”

“Ten years, right? By then, I’ll retire with you. As for during work, this place is a great vacation spot. Mm, it would also be suitable for holding a wedding. We can have a belated celebration then.”

With that said, Shu Jun narrowed his eyes and kissed the back of Zhu Yanchen’s hand. “So, what do you say? Will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

Zhu Yanchen pursed his lips, gently prying Shu Jun’s hand open. He reclaimed his own ring, swiftly slipped it back onto his finger, and carefully put the white wedding ring on Shu Jun’s finger.

“Of course,” Zhu Yanchen said with utmost solemnity.

“It’s a pity we don’t have any food; otherwise, we could have cooked a meal. Ah, right, there’s food in the car. Let’s go and get it.” Shu Jun waved his hand with the ring, lowering his voice. “After we finish eating… we need to test the bedding here. The backseat of the car is too narrow.”

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze remained fixated on the ring, and he lifted his head, revealing an incredibly satisfied smile.

However, they weren’t the only ones hungry.

Seeing its two guardians at the door, Monday couldn’t contain its excitement, opening its mouth, eagerly waiting for some erosion candies. But those two scoundrels entered the house and started talking to themselves, completely ignoring it.

Monday’s anticipation gradually turned into anger.

It extended one of its erosion tendrils, sneaked onto the balcony, and began chewing the leaves of the two bellflowers one by one. Chewing here, biting there, it was quite satisfied.

On that day, the observers at the coastal monitoring station reported that the newborn Sigma emitted a loud scream for unknown reasons. Shortly after, the scream turned into a whimper of grievance. After a wave of chewing sound waves passed, the whimper transformed into contented murmurs.

What happened to the newborn Sigma that day remains a mystery to this day.

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The author has something to say:

The main story has come to an end (:D 」∠)

This is my first attempt at writing a story of this length, and the pacing was faster than before. I learned a lot from this experience and also stumbled into some pitfalls (?) I will take the lessons and continue to work hard! XD

Lastly, I apologize for the significant delay in updates due to my recent health issues. (:з」∠)

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Kinky Thoughts:

This marks the end of the main story. If you like the author, I have done other works by her (Stray, Happy Doomsday, and Evil As Humans) that you should check out. I highly recommend Stray, as that is the work I discovered her from.

It seems that Nian Zhong tried a new writing style with Access Denied. I can’t say if I like it or not. Compared to her other work, this one I felt was too rushed, and many things were glossed over and smoothly resolved within a few paragraphs (very unlike her other work where plotlines are slowly developed).

I also think due to this, character development (especially for the side characters) wasn’t very fleshed out. Having read her other works, this certainly had a different style that I can’t say I like.

Overall, I did like the story, though not as much as her other works. The story was quite action-packed and definitely a page-turner. I just wish things were more detailed and developed more slowly. I could’ve read over 50 chapters just about their childhood past. I’m a sucker for childhood sweethearts.

Nevertheless, if you enjoyed it, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. I used Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

I would also like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. It in part fuels my motivation to release so frequently and try to finish this novel as soon as possible.

With that, there are still a few extras left.

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