Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 119: Moonlit Black Wolf
Several years after the chaos, the relationship between X City and Y City remained strained.
With the retreat of the Erosion Swamps, the continent was left in ruins. Humans were eager to grow three heads and six arms to work tirelessly to make money, fearing that they would miss the golden age. At this critical juncture, the United Government had to allocate a huge amount of expenditure to support the thirty thousand outsiders. Influenced by instigators, the opinions of the citizens weren’t insignificant—
With such a large investment, why not use it for development? Why not use it to build public infrastructure? The thirty thousand “sick seedlings” had grievances among themselves, like wolves that weren’t domesticated. Who knew when they would turn around and bite back?
If it weren’t for the firm methods of Zhu Yanchen, some human factions in Y City would have almost turned hostile.
Fortunately, the influence of the three major families still held sway—Zhu Yanchen, as the new leader of the Zhu family, commanded with no less authority than his father.
Representing the Xia family, Xia Liang, and representing the Tang family, Tang Heyu, both pledged allegiance to Zhu Yanchen. Most of the other major factions had formed rapidly in recent years, with unstable foundations and no means to compete. They could only watch as the benefits flowed to outsiders.
The humans harbored hidden discontent, and the situation was no better for the synthetic humans.
After the Synths Revolution ended, all synthetic humans migrated to X City, and the player system was abolished. The equipment and data that allowed access to the “other world” were transferred to X City.
The information left behind by Zhu Rong had long been made public, and the situation faced by synthetic humans wasn’t simple—while the erosion symptoms were easily treatable, stabilizing the artificially synthesized bodies was a difficult task. Even with the compensatory medical support from Y City, synthetic humans still had to undergo years of long-term treatment to achieve a basic normal life and lifespan.
To make matters worse, as the erosion symptoms improved, all the abilities of synthetic humans were greatly weakened, almost disappearing. The synthetic humans were in their prime, the age when they desired freedom the most. Spending years trapped by medication, feelings of dissatisfaction quietly grew—
“They must have softened up at the top. It’s been so long, and we can’t even find a team for revenge.”
Every week on the designated treatment day, to pass the long two days, the synthetic humans would enter the “other side” during the treatment process, experiencing a special weekend. But just the thought of lying in the real world with tubes inserted all over their bodies, unable to enjoy a good drink, made people feel frustrated.
“Revenge? Not everyone has enemies. Take those top-tier teams; half of them lost their loved ones, only thinking about the losses they suffered at the hands of humans—Zhu Yanchen has a good attitude. He did the necessary publicity, and the compensation he provided isn’t lacking. Even if we were to seek justice from the humans, we wouldn’t get better treatment. Think about it. How could those people risk their lives?”
“That’s easy for you to say. Isn’t it just a matter of showing some courage?” The young man clenched his teeth and slammed his glass onto the table.
On the other side of the bar, the bartender dressed as a one-eyed pirate glanced at him, making the young man’s expression even uglier.
“Opening up the data is definitely a way to corrupt us. Shu Jun’s head is spinning. He was deceived by such a cunning and treacherous person. You’ll see, once humans develop, X City won’t be able to hold on. With over a billion humans in the equation, even the newborn babies on our side need genetic stabilization. Being swallowed up is just a matter of time.”
“You’re just too used to living a comfortable life. I know plenty of people who have settled down and have no intention of fighting. This is how reality is, you either accept it or you don’t.”
“It’s truly humiliating,” the young man scoffed. “Someone needs to wake them up. How about this, once we’re out of here, we gather a few comrades and discuss… “
As he spoke, he glanced at the NPC bartender next to him—X City was currently led by Hu Yan, and the danger detection system from the “other side” program was still in place. If they were to discuss a plan to sabotage here, it wouldn’t take half a day before the Synthetic Human Government would come knocking on their door.
The NPC didn’t issue a warning. He just turned his face away and calmly wiped the glasses.
Only then did the young man breathe a sigh of relief.
In reality, this plan was neither too big nor too small. The next day, he gathered three to five people and reluctantly formed a combat unit to head to the border of Y City. If they caused some commotion, it would undoubtedly prove the malicious intentions of the United Government.
Y City had expanded significantly, and the border had reached the original settlement area. The current settlement area was different from before; clean and tidy, resembling a city.
The group found an inconspicuous inn. Compared to the flashy shops around it, this inn was modest, with barely any customers inside. It was a good place to take a rest. The innkeeper was tall and burly, wearing a hat adorned with two black pompoms, making him hard to miss.
When the guests entered, the innkeeper immediately grinned, revealing a bright smile. “Welcome, newcomers. Would you like to have dinner? Here’s our menu, and we also offer specialty snacks for delivery.”
The young man maintained a cold expression and responded icily.
“Just call me Uncle Pan.” The innkeeper ignored the group’s coldness and continued to smile. “If you need a place to stay, my inn is…”
“I’ll let you know if I need anything. No need for introductions,” the young man interrupted coldly. “…Start with five bottles of sparkling water, chilled.”
“Alright!” The innkeeper filtered out any unfriendliness automatically and happily rubbed his hands.
“The pastries from the delivery service here are pretty good.” The only other customer in the inn turned his head and casually started a conversation. “Eat them with hot soybean paste. They taste amazing.”
The young man furrowed his brow. Not only was the innkeeper troublesome, but even the customers were causing trouble. The signs weren’t good.
He couldn’t help but glance at the person—wearing bulging equipment that obscured most of their face and a peculiar hat on their head, giving them the appearance of a scavenger in the ruins. Their voice was young and cheerful, their complexion difficult to discern under the dim yellow light, with a few strands of gray hair peeking out from under the brim of their hat.
It was unclear whether the gray hair was dyed or a remnant of the sequelae of erosion.
“Gray Claw, helping me attract customers again?” Uncle Pan returned with the sparkling water; the bottle was covered in condensation droplets.
“It’s really delicious.” Gray Claw’s voice was also filled with joy. “That’s why I’m getting it to go. My partner is busy with work and can’t get away, but we both wanted to have a taste, so there’s no other choice.”
Uncle Pan’s smile took on a deeper meaning. “Please give my regards and thank him for taking care of us brothers’ business.”
“Of course, of course.”
The young man wasn’t in the mood to listen to these two humans chatting. He was still calculating tonight’s operation. The instructions for negotiating with the Synthetic Human Liaison Department in Y City should be clear, but he didn’t know if they would be able to gather information from the other side tonight…
The peculiar customer had only spoken that much and didn’t continue to bother them.
But that night, as the group got closer to the Synthetic Human Liaison Department, the surroundings grew increasingly deserted. The young man, leading the way, gradually became restless—his sense of direction had always been good, and as they approached their target, he felt the sensation drifting off course.
“Hey.” Just as the young man’s nerves reached their limit and he came to a halt, a greeting came from behind him.
A disproportionately large black wolf hid in the shadows of a high-rise building; its two gray eyes gleaming with a cold light. Against the backdrop of the sharply angular architecture, the scene before them seemed almost surreal. The young man’s hand trembled as he fired a shot.
“Don’t be so tense.” The bullet grazed the black wolf’s body, but it remained unfazed, speaking in a human voice. “I’m just here to confirm a few things.”
With that, the massive black beast stood motionless, silently giving them time to react.
The air froze for several minutes.
“Shu Jun?” Although the black wolf was smaller than he remembered, the young man still recognized the figure—there was only one person in the world who could transform into this form. He took a moment to adjust his breathing and tentatively spoke. “Aren’t you supposed to be held captive by humans?”
“Just a little trick.” The black wolf’s voice carried a hint of laughter. “It gets boring sleeping all alone. How about it? By appearing like this, I don’t need to prove my identity, right?”
“So, you’ve been lurking here all this time…”
“I don’t answer questions. I’m here to ask questions.” The black wolf tilted its head slightly, skillfully shifting the topic. “Did you come here for revenge or…?”
“It has nothing to do with personal grudges. Some of our fellow beings need to wake up and see the true face of humans. We’ve heard recent talk about ‘burdensome synthetic humans’.” The young man gritted his teeth. “Zhu Yanchen has malicious intentions. He’s boiling us frogs in warm water. He may appear innocent now, but once his term is over and the next leader takes office, the policies will change. We won’t have any good days!”
Under the bright moonlight, the giant black wolf appeared as dark as ink. Its ears twitched, listening attentively.
“…Reasonable concerns.” Shu Jun paused for a moment. “If you came here for this matter, I can promise that as long as I’m here, humans won’t lay a hand on synthetic humans for the next hundred years.”
Dozens of tendrils of erosion extended from the black wolf’s shadow, sliding along the surrounding walls.
“If humans do act, I will be the first one to stand up.”
By now, Shu Jun’s abilities had been exposed to a considerable extent. The young man looked at the tendrils of erosion with some trepidation, muttering softly, “How can we trust you? What if you side with humans… Weren’t you here today to protect this place as well?”
It was true that Shu Jun was originally a synthetic human, but he—or it—was no longer considered human. Moreover, Shu Jun’s relationship with Zhu Yanchen had always been ambiguous. Over the years, he had never appeared in X City, and it was possible that he had turned to protect the United Government…
Countless thoughts raced through the young man’s mind. Looking at the black beast before him, he even felt a hint of instinctual fear.
As if sensing that fear, the black wolf lowered its head. Its movements were extremely gentle, so as not to startle the group. “I am indeed here to protect this place.”
The faces of the young people instantly turned pale.
“…If you are seeking personal revenge, and the target is reasonable, and you have no intention of harming the innocent, then I won’t assist or interfere in the slightest.” Shu Jun maintained his wolf form and spoke with a calm tone. “However, since you desire a sense of security, I will ensure the safety of X City. Please go back.”
“We can’t trust you.”
The black wolf emitted a low chuckle. “You don’t have a choice.”
“You…!”
“There are even more human factions trying to incite conflict. Just as I am here, there are humans on the outskirts of X City working hard to maintain peace. The stability of these years cannot be upheld by a mere contract. Everyone, think carefully.”
“Don’t talk about not obstructing personal revenge.” Someone murmured quietly within the group. “If we randomly point out a person to kill, can you tell?”
“I know the names of each and every one of you, as well as the names of every deceased loved one, and even the date of their death. There is one human who remembers—remembers very well. So, how about it? Do you want to test me?”
Silence once again spread through the night.
“Go back,” Shu Jun said sincerely. “Even if you seek personal revenge, I suggest you take care of your health before coming.”
“…I don’t believe…” After a long time, the young man at the front murmured. “I don’t believe in Zhu Yanchen, and I don’t believe in you. There is no guarantee for the future of synthetic humans…”
“So far, 17 cases of marriage between humans and synthetic humans have been recognized. After the descendants of synthetic humans receive gene therapy, the differences between them and humans will become increasingly minimal. In a few decades, the concept of ‘synthetic humans’ will indeed disappear—not eradicated, but rather you will live your lives well and your descendants will integrate smoothly into the normal human population.”
Then, the voice of the black wolf lowered.
“But if it had been before, the flames of war would have been ignited. The new human factions would try their best to wipe you out, seeking more resources and tranquility.”
“How could I not know that? But we simply can’t trust humans! If we don’t take the initiative and remain vigilant, what’s the difference between that and waiting to be slaughtered? As the former captain of the Blackbirds, do you truly believe the nonsense from humans?” The young man questioned with a tone of disbelief.
“Of course, I don’t believe it,” the black wolf flicked its tail and responded in a cunning tone. “That’s why I’ll protect everyone.”
“…But we don’t trust you either!”
The black wolf twitched its ears again and narrowed its eyes in amusement.
As the conversation went back and forth, the team fell into a stalemate. They were infuriated by the situation—a former captain of the Blackbirds stood before them, smiling and spouting nonsense, exuding a ruffian-like touch.
However, the difference in strength was too great; they couldn’t defeat Shu Jun, and they couldn’t stay stuck in the same dialogue either. After a few hours, the team returned to the inn in frustration and ordered five servings of pancakes with sauce, looking exhausted.
Command center, rooftop restaurant, the leader’s private room.
“Someone came again tonight?” Zhu Yanchen rubbed the tendrils of erosion on Shu Jun’s back—Shu Jun had arrived in a hurry and didn’t have time to retract all his tendrils, so they were still trembling in the air.
“Sorry for being late. Those young ones are too quick.” Shu Jun scratched his head with his claw. “Yesterday, Yu Jin overheard them discussing it on ‘the other side’, and today they came running here—they’re still staying at Uncle Pan’s inn. It’s fortunate that you placed the Synthetic Humans Liaison Department there; I caught them one by one.”
“You’ve worked hard.” Zhu Yanchen lightly kissed the corner of Shu Jun’s mouth. “Recently, Yu Jin also intercepted a few saboteurs near X City… Those emerging factions haven’t been very honest.”
“They need to be dealt with.”
“We can take this opportunity to compare tactics,” Zhu Yanchen stated earnestly.
“Alright, this time, I will definitely win against you.” Shu Jun lightly bit Zhu Yanchen’s lower lip with his sharp teeth as his eyes curved with a smile. “On another note, my esteemed Chief Advisor, since we made plans to have a meal, let’s discuss official matters later.”
With that said, he took out a bag of pancakes from his pocket. “While they’re still warm, let’s eat quickly. Uncle Pan specially prepared them, and the crust is still crispy.”
“Mm.”
“Wait, wait, A’Yan, hold on, don’t kiss… Since we’re going to compare tactics, do I have to come over again tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’ve already arranged the schedule in advance.”
“So, you planned this in advance? I suspect you just wanted to see me more.”
Zhu Yanchen curled his lips. “Of course.”
Shu Jun took a big bite of the pancake, feigning a look of hesitation. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep up the act for even five seconds before completely breaking character—Captain Shu swallowed the bite in his mouth, and his eyes sparkled with delight.
“Alright, A’Yan, see you tomorrow.”
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