Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 27: Hunting

To maintain the image of a “gentle ex-girlfriend”, Xia Liang had put on crying makeup with red circles around her eyes. During Elder Zhu’s eulogy, she pretended to be in a state of grief and confusion. Xia Liang’s performance was successful as no one came up to question her.

Her mind wandered eight hundred miles away while her face was sobbing…

Even though she knew that Zhu Yanchen wouldn’t come back, she didn’t feel anything at the moment; only a bit regretful.

According to Ai Xiaoxiao, Zhu Yanchen was terminally ill and had only two months left to live. But if it were up to Xia Liang, she wouldn’t have pushed the plan forward so quickly. At least she would have stayed in the city for another month. The erosion zone had a harsh environment, and even healthy people would find it difficult to endure. Even if Zhu Yanchen wanted to investigate something, he didn’t have to rush to his death.

As a result, although Zhu Yanchen had secretly transferred part of his command to her, his connections were still severed.

Xia Liang sighed. She could guess the topic the reporters were discussing—the Xia and Zhu families had always been friendly. If they dug deeper, Zhu Yanchen’s deceased mother was the adopted daughter of the elder of the Xia family. Even though there was no blood relationship, they were still half-inlaws.

She understood the Zhu family’s affairs better than anyone else.

When Elder Zhu was young, the Zhu family was at the pinnacle of power. Perhaps it was God’s plan to balance things out; Zhu Sheng married twice and had two sons, but now neither of them survived.

Zhu Sheng’s first wife died during childbirth, leaving behind the eldest son. Seven or eight years later, Zhu Sheng remarried and had Zhu Yanchen.

The eldest son was a carbon copy of Zhu Sheng, and Zhu Sheng loved him dearly. Unfortunately, the eldest son hadn’t even become a marshal yet when he died in a very suspicious “accident”. A year after his death, the second wife also passed away due to illness.

If it weren’t for the death of the eldest son, no one would have noticed Zhu Yanchen. The young master of the Zhu family had never had much presence, and he was introverted and quiet with no leadership qualities. When the eldest son died, people thought that Zhu Sheng’s family line would end. Who would have thought that after his mother’s death, Zhu Yanchen would change his nature and follow in his father’s footsteps?

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last.

Xia Liang was lost in thought when the overly sweet smell of coffee wafted into her nose. She turned her gaze and saw Ai Xiaoxiao rushing out of the door. It seemed that the captain of the Fourth Squadron wasn’t as cold-blooded as she had imagined.

She hoped that the following events would go smoothly and reached into her bag to fiddle with the chip that Zhu Yanchen had left behind.

Facing the storm ahead, they still had a lot of things to do.

However, facts proved that even a brilliant strategist like Marshal Zhu couldn’t foresee the real storm. When the press conference ended and everyone in the city had their own thoughts, Shu Jun in the erosion zone woke up again.

He woke up hungry. His body’s weakness was gone, leaving only an indescribable hunger that made him look at Zhu Yanchen with eyes full of green.

“Pack up. We’re going to the ruins in X City.” Zhu Yanchen saw the look in Shu Jun’s eyes and tidied up his collar solemnly. “The mud sled should still be there, with plenty of food on it.”

“Wait, if I eat all that, what about you?”

“Hunt with you.” Zhu Yanchen’s tone was quite natural. “With my current condition, mutant beast meat is edible.”

Thinking of the dried meat and salted butter in the package, Shu Jun couldn’t help but swallow his saliva. He was so hungry that even Monday looked quite appetizing. However, despite being hungry, he wasn’t driven by desire.

“I have something important to tell you.” Shu Jun looked at Zhu Yanchen’s body. “…Something very important.”

Shu Jun told him about Sweet Edge and Zhu Rong, as they just flew to X City. The mud sled was still in its original location. Shu Jun jumped onto the cargo platform eagerly and tore open a pack of butter. He didn’t mind the greasiness and ate it by itself.

Before leaving, Zhu Yanchen retrieved his briefcase and was now rummaging through it on the cargo platform, equipping himself with one weapon after another. Shu Jun ate the jerky slowly and looked at Zhu Yanchen’s attire, unable to help but smile.

Now that he was immune to corrosion, even in this heavily eroded area, Zhu Yanchen was dressed in lightweight clothes that were convenient for movement. He had a close-fitting weapon belt on his thighs, ankles, and waist and was loaded with various types of thermal weapons, but it was organized and not messy.

“You really know everything… What’s next, Grand Marshal? You’re not hanging by a death sentence now.” Shu Jun threw a bag of jerky over, and Zhu Yanchen caught it steadily.

With the jerky in hand, Marshal Zhu politely chewed a strand of meat and said, “Investigate X City. One is to check the alpha’s…Sweet Edge survival situation, and two is to look for clues from that year.”

Shu Jun scoffed, propping up his big sword and leaping to Zhu Yanchen’s side. “That’s not what I’m asking.”

Zhu Yanchen swallowed the food in his mouth and frowned.

“Based on the results, you saved me. I’ve repaid this favor now, so our conditions have stabilized. Why not take the opportunity to talk?” Shu Jun got very close, with a smile on his face, but his eyes were sharp. “…After all, I’m also in a hurry.”

His team was still living in a lie. Fortunately, there weren’t any matches recently. When the rest period ended, his comrades would face the Erosion Swamp again without knowing anything. The thought of this made Shu Jun’s stomach boil.

Previously, Zhu Yanchen had the deadline hanging over him, and he had to rely on stabilizing his physical condition. In a collaboration, there had to be some bargaining chips, so Shu Jun couldn’t act rashly. But now things were different. From the very beginning of telling Shu Jun the truth, to investigating Zhu Rong’s affairs, Zhu Yanchen’s position gradually became clear—Marshal Zhu clearly didn’t like the player system.

Since they both had time and similar goals, it was better to talk early to avoid delaying the opportunity.

“Okay.” Zhu Yanchen looked at Shu Jun seriously and answered quickly without even exhaling a single breath. “But I have a condition.”

Shu Jun raised his eyebrows.

“You haven’t eaten enough, have you?”

“…Ah?” Shu Jun thought the other party was going to say something big and important and was a little confused for a moment.

“I want to talk while hunting.” Zhu Yanchen also approached, using his height advantage that forced Shu Jun to look up irritatingly. “Come with me.”

What kind of condition is this? Shu Jun’s mind was full of question marks. However, a pack of butter really couldn’t fill him up, and he didn’t have any other ideas.

It wasn’t until they really started fighting that Shu Jun realized that this person wasn’t in a hurry to hunt at all. Zhu Yanchen seemed more like he was testing his new body, compensating for a long illness, or doing some kind of demonstration—if he didn’t use his ability and went directly against Zhu Yanchen, he could probably win, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“The player system can’t continue anymore.” When he said this, Zhu Yanchen was using his boots to step on a mutant giant snake—it was originally lurking in the mud, preparing to ambush Marshal Zhu, but was shot in the head.

“What did you plan to do before?”

Shu Jun swung his greatsword and cut a mutant beast beside him into two pieces. Dark purple blood spurted out, most of which was absorbed by Monday.

“If the player system is shut down immediately, all the outer defenses of the entire United Government will be reduced to zero. Even if you have become the leader, this will be your downfall. What’s more, you… uh, are already technically dead.”

Shu Jun desperately wished that the player system could be shut down immediately and all synths could know the truth. However, as a leader of a team, he also knew the consequences of acting rashly and emotionally. He knew that if he did this, the synths would undoubtedly launch a fierce rebellion, and the outcome would be disastrous to both sides that could potentially lead to mutual destruction.

However, things hadn’t reached such a desperate point yet. If Zhu Yanchen could be saved in this situation, Shu Jun hoped that his fellow synths could fight on the premise of  “obtaining a better life”.

They had to be prepared.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect the player system to be stopped smoothly in this generation.”

Zhu Yanchen turned around and directly hugged another mutated beast that pounced on him. He slammed it to the ground, then added two more shots. Blood splattered on his pale face, making it even more striking.

“I just wanted to take the first step and prove the possible loopholes in this system. You also saw that humans can only exert a certain level of influence on the Erosion Swamp, like Monday, and they don’t pose too much of a threat. But synths are different. They are ‘designed’ to resonate more with erosion. Relatively speaking, it’s also easier for the Erosion Swamp to obtain information from you.”

“Not to mention you, the exception among exceptions, Sweet Edge survived under the control of the Erosion Swamp because she was strong enough to retain a bit of consciousness and forcibly stay in X City… Shu Jun, if you were the Erosion Swamp and had complete human intelligence, what would you do?”

“Hide.”

As soon as Shu Jun spoke, he felt a chill down his back.

It was simple. If it were him, he would hide far away and let the most ordinary Erosion Swamp collect intelligence on the front lines to deceive humans. Then, when the intelligence was enough, he would strike and wipe out humans and synths in one fell swoop.

“Exactly.” Zhu Yanchen emptied his gun and quickly changed the magazine.

No wonder this person went deep into the erosion zone before he died. Shu Jun glanced at Zhu Yanchen. As long as there was no evidence, these would always be “speculations”, and people wouldn’t give up their safe lives for speculations.

Even if Zhu Yanchen returned with Shu Jun as evidence, his situation was too special. Compared with “Erosion Swamp obtaining a human brain,” he might be judged as “a synth obtaining an Erosion Swamp”, further stimulating the development of the player’s plan.

Behind two hundred years of peace lay the unknown, which could strike at any time. Shu Jun originally thought the situation was bad enough, but now it seemed that in order for his compatriots to survive, the situation was far more complicated than he thought.

Is this an unprecedented battle?

On the other side, the corpses of mutant beasts gradually piled up, enough for them to make a week’s worth of dry food. Zhu Yanchen stopped and wiped the sweat from his forehead; his face showing a bit of liveliness. Seeing that Shu Jun didn’t respond for a long time, he looked at him with some concern but saw a smile on his face.

“Interesting.” Shu Jun shook off the blood on his hand. “Grand Marshal, instead of thinking about the first step or not, let’s just solve it all at once. We’ll cooperate as usual. You help me adjust my body, and I’ll go meet with those hidden Erosion Swamp friends—”

“And you’ll help me take over the leadership position?” Zhu Yanchen took over the conversation.

“…And solve the synth problem at the same time. How about it? Can you do it, Chief Strategist?” Shu Jun bared his sharp canine teeth and reached out his hand.

This wasn’t a very formal declaration. He was originally waiting for a formal handshake or a challenge to this arrogant statement. However, Zhu Yanchen didn’t shake his hand. He leaned closer, extended his thumb, and wiped the bloodstains from Shu Jun’s face with it.

That finger was warm, and as its tip rolled over Shu Jun’s skin it caused him to tense his back.

“Of course,” Zhu Yanchen said softly.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 26: Immunity

Shu Jun’s following dreams were chaotic. He even dreamed of a roasted chicken floating in front of him. He happily stretched his head out and took a bite. The taste was slightly warm, but the texture was too tough. Shu Jun opened his eyes, dissatisfied, and saw a person in front of him.

He was biting Zhu Yanchen’s thumb.

There was a refreshing coolness on his face. Zhu Yanchen was holding a damp cloth, probably wiping his sweat. At this moment, Marshal Zhu looked at his bitten hand, then at Shu Jun, with a blank expression.

…Fortunately, he was half asleep and didn’t use much strength in his mouth. Shu Jun awkwardly released his mouth and chuckled twice.

Now he was lying on the ground, with a blanket underneath him that he didn’t know where it came from, and a pillow made of folded clothes behind his head. There was water next to the pillow that he could reach out and grab.

Shu Jun was stunned for a few seconds, as the Grand Marshal’s caregiving skills weren’t bad. Zhu Yanchen’s condition was too normal. If he wasn’t starving and weak all over, Shu Jun would have thought everything previous was all a nightmare.

“Don’t get up too quickly. You need to rest.” Zhu Yanchen wiped his hand. His sharp canine teeth didn’t pierce his skin, but some saliva was left behind. “If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, let me know immediately.”

“Okay,” Shu Jun replied, his voice still hoarse.

The scenes from the dream hadn’t yet dissipated from his mind, and he subconsciously observed the person in front of him.

Zhu Yanchen’s clothes were slightly old-fashioned and probably picked out from the room. The clothes looked like a one-size-fits-all so they seemed loose but when worn on him, the loose shirt and pants now had a slightly fitted feel.

This person had long and strong limbs, just right from exercise. His body wasn’t too thin or too exaggerated, and the fabric couldn’t conceal his smooth muscle lines. As a former “professional player”, Shu Jun also constantly paid attention to maintaining his physique. On the surface, Zhu Yanchen had a similar body shape to his, but considering that the other party had been in a state of heavy erosion, maintaining this state was frightening.

Marshal Zhu’s skin was still pale, but it wasn’t the sickly pale from before. His complexion had visibly improved. He no longer wrapped himself up like a dumpling or wore those cumbersome protective gear. This was the first time Shu Jun had seen Zhu Yanchen dressed so refreshingly.

As if noticing Shu Jun’s gaze, Zhu Yanchen turned his head, and his habitually cold expression softened slightly.

…Shu Jun wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but the awkwardness in Zhu Yanchen’s movements seemed to have disappeared. The other party no longer seemed to deliberately keep his distance. Unfortunately, Marshal Zhu’s temperament was cold, and his sharp eyebrows and eyes had a natural sense of alienation. Even if he softened his attitude, he was still far from the soft limbs of the young master in his dream.

Most likely, Sweet Edge’s intelligence had mixed into his brain, causing him to have strange dreams.

Shu Jun flipped himself over like a pancake, picked up his cup, and took a few sips of water. The cool and clean water slid down his throat, and he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

“Hungry—” As soon as Shu Jun woke up, Monday’s voice exploded. The sound was earth-shattering and extremely mournful. Shu Jun’s scalp tingled, and he almost choked on the water.

Zhu Yanchen sighed and decisively picked up Monday, putting it next to the purifier.

The screaming stopped abruptly.

Monday was angry. Its logic was quite simple—it couldn’t afford to provoke Shu Jun, this alpha-level Erosion Swamp. But if it couldn’t even deal with a human, what could it do? It instantly wriggled in the sword hilt, trying to tear a piece of meat from this ignorant human’s hand.

Then it found out that it couldn’t do it.

Not to mention eroding the hand, the erosion was busy huddling together, trying to stay away from Zhu Yanchen’s skin. When it bit down, its power wasn’t even as good as Shu Jun’s bite when he was dreaming, and it couldn’t even leave saliva.

Monday’s IQ wasn’t high enough to understand what had happened. It only confirmed one thing—there was no food to eat, and it couldn’t even bite the human. It was really aggrieved.

So Shu Jun watched as his greatsword slurped water and formed a lump next to the purifier, making a pitiful sound.

Zhu Yanchen then moved his fingers, looking unsurprised.

“What’s going on?” Shu Jun really choked this time.

“My equipment is mostly outside, so the test isn’t comprehensive.” Zhu Yanchen pointed to the remaining machinery on the table. There were more than ten test tubes filled with blood next to the machine. Shu Jun was sure that the bright red blood didn’t belong to him.

“But for now, it seems that I am immune to the erosion substance.”

If the water hadn’t gone down, Shu Jun was confident that he would choke for a third time. Monday also wasn’t idle either, letting out a quiet sob cooperatively.

“I think I need to sleep a little longer.” Shu Jun finished the water and slowly laid down. “Well, my brain is having trouble digesting.”

“Sleep then,” Zhu Yanchen said softly. “We have plenty of time.”

“Mm, I like to hear that.” Shu Jun muttered.

“Shu Jun.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Shu Jun yawned. “Unless I want to kill you, please don’t die so suddenly next time. It scared me to tears.”

Zhu Yanchen sensibly held back the “likewise” that was about to come out. Unfortunately, by the time he thought of a soft enough response, Shu Jun had fallen asleep. Zhu Yanchen wasn’t sure what he had done, but judging from Shu Jun’s physical condition, it must have been something that consumed a lot of energy—after all, there weren’t many things in this world that could tire an alpha-level Erosion Swamp.

The equipment in Zhu Rong’s room was barely usable. Before Shu Jun woke up, Zhu Yanchen tried his best to analyze his situation, and the results shocked him.

Not long ago, his tissue was eroded to the point that it was comparable to a honeycomb, and it could only be barely suppressed with strong medicine. Now, those eroded cells had changed their state and huddled together, simulating the state of normal cells, even obediently following the rules of the human body’s metabolism. Severely infected abnormal cells were then expelled from the body making the eroded scars disappear completely.

The pain that had accompanied him for more than ten years vanished without a trace, and his body was filled with strength that had never existed before.

Zhu Yanchen then tried to infect his own tissue sample with external eroded cells. The response of the external eroded cells was quite interesting—they first came into contact with his cells happily to obtain simple information, then turned their heads and ran away as if Zhu Yanchen was the source of the infection.

Zhu Yanchen couldn’t laugh or cry.

He had collected a considerable amount of data and could guess the general situation. The eroded cells mimicked normal cells and lived less comfortably than before. However, they were still dominated by Shu Jun’s “suppression” and had to follow their instincts. The eroded cells had no brains and had always run rampant in the human body. Now that they had suffered a huge loss, they would surely spread negative information desperately.

He conducted a series of experiments, and the results were similar—all eroded cells avoided him. Even if a small number of eroded cells couldn’t escape and involuntarily invaded his body, they had to adapt and painfully simulate cells, allowing his internal eroded cells to switch shifts and start metabolizing properly.

Together with the case of Greatsword Monday, the facts were already clear. Just like humans couldn’t control the activities of cells, even the sentient Erosion Swamp couldn’t control the instinctive reactions of the eroded cells.

Unless there was an Erosion Swamp that was smarter, stronger, and had highly similar abilities to Shu Jun, this balance couldn’t be broken.

…In retrospect, he might have been the first human to be immune to erosion in history.

Shu Jun had rewritten his fate once again.

Zhu Yanchen sat down next to the sleeping Shu Jun on the floor and quietly watched him sleep. Since they had met again, this person had constantly disrupted his plans—the plan to enter the erosion zone alone; the plan to face death calmly.

And even earlier, the plan was to protect this person from afar.

He could continue to live, which was a good thing. Without a doubt, the main task still had to be carried out, and the plan still had to be followed. However, the unplanned things… He was never good at personal communication, and the question of “how to naturally distance oneself before one’s own tragic death” hadn’t been resolved, but now it had become “how to friendly communicate after the death deadline disappeared”.

Zhu Yanchen thought seriously for a while and decided to keep the tactics simple. As he thought about it, he picked up the blanket, pushed back the hand that Shu Jun had thrown out, and tucked it back into the covers.

‘Maybe it’s not that difficult,’ he thought. At least in terms of details, this person hadn’t changed at all.

At the same time, in Y City,

Old Marshal Zhu stepped down from the podium with a gloomy face.

In theory, he was about to become the “former leader”. But since the election hadn’t yet ended, Elder Zhu wasn’t considered retired. The old leader’s oppressive presence was too strong, and none of the journalists dared to approach him—after all, the old sending the young to the netherworld was already bad luck, especially since he had just finished reading his son’s eulogy.

“Zhu Yanchen is really dead? The Zhu family is really…” murmured a journalist quietly in the audience.

“I remember those two from the Zhu family, father and son. Their relationship wasn’t good, was it?”

“It’s still his own son. Besides, Zhu Yanchen has a good reputation in tactics, unlike most of his peers, who are useless. Now, the Zhu family is in trouble. If you ask me, Elder Zhu will choose someone from the Xia family to support.”

“Maybe Elder Zhu will do it himself.”

“Shh, don’t joke about that.”

“Either way, they’ll just find a puppet. They can create another ‘genius’—fame is just a matter of propaganda. Zhu Yanchen may not have real skills. Even if Elder Zhu agrees with Yi Ning’s proposal, he won’t let the Tang family power rise. Let’s wait and see… but speaking of this, regardless of who goes up, as long as Elder Zhu makes a move, it’s already decided that the player system will be optimized, right? The previous disagreement between the father and son in the Zhu family seems to have been about this matter. I really don’t know what Zhu Yanchen was thinking. Maybe the young master really doesn’t know the hardships of the common people—”

“He’s dead. Have some respect.”

“Okay, okay, let’s talk about something else. The election is in less than three months, and Y City is going to change. Oh! What are you doing?”

The journalist was interrupted when someone bumped into his shoulder. He frowned halfway, realizing it was a pretty girl, and then he turned back. “Miss, you look familiar. Where—”

Ai Xiaoxiao bit through the bubble of her bubblegum and sneered, pushing her way out of the venue.

She had seen everything she needed to see, and the coffee flavor of the candy in her mouth had faded. Zhu Yanchen had been her nominal boss for years, so attending his funeral was a way of paying her respects.

She wrapped the bubblegum in paper and threw it into the nearby trash can. As she pulled her hand back, the communicator in her pocket vibrated again.

Strange. This was the reminder that only occurred after the arrival of the communication mutant beast. Did Zhu Yanchen really fake his death?

Two hours later, a loud scream and a change in tone followed in Ai’s Clinic.

“This is truly a masterpiece.” Ai Xiaoxiao looked at the message from the mutant beast and slapped the table. “I have to contact Dong Lao… The next three months will be interesting.”

Then she realized something, and the smile on her face slowly faded—was Zhu Yanchen’s immunity a factor that would prevent her from continuing her medical trials?

Forget it, Ai Xiaoxiao shook her head and opened a can of beer.

“To health.” She raised her can in the air.

Author’s note:

Marshal Zhu: Sorry, I didn’t really die, and I’ll be living for a long time.

Erosion in the Marshal: This is an underground sweatshop. Run away.jpg

Kinky Thoughts:

For those confused, basically what happened is that Shu Jun, using his alpha Erosion Swamp, suppressed the erosion inside Zhu Yanchen. Originally, the erosion was eating Zhu Yanchen’s cells alive, eroding everything. Under Shu Jun’s alpha suppression, they now obeyed his orders, and instead of eating Zhu Yanchen’s cell, they became and replaced his cells.

Erosion acts purely on the instinct of survival, and with an alpha around, they follow said alpha’s orders. However, the erosion acts exactly like cells in the sense that it’s not “controllable”. Just like human cells, they just make up the human, but the brain doesn’t direct the cells to do what the brain wants. It’s purely instinctive and designed by nature.

When other eroded cells come into contact with Zhu Yanchen’s cells, Zhu Yanchen’s eroded cells gives them a warning signal telling them to steer clear, which is why new erosion doesn’t erode Zhu Yanchen, and those that does manage to invade just replaces the current erosion cells that’s already obeying Shu Jun’s suppression.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 25: Broken Cocoon

Perhaps the intelligence from Sweet Edge had disturbed him, or perhaps the deep despair truly belonged to himself. Logically, he shouldn’t have collapsed because of losing a “net friend” who was both an enemy and a friend, but Shu Jun didn’t have time to think about these things.

Emotions didn’t lie.

Shu Jun stood still, hugged Zhu Yanchen in confusion while his mind was blank. Intense pain gripped his lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe, and he couldn’t even make a sound.

Not yet. It’s not time to give up. He couldn’t waste a minute now.

He frantically used his power to push himself forward, crossed the passage where the greatsword had swung before, and rushed into the deepest room of the stronghold. The lights in the room were still flickering dimly, and the purifier that Zhu Yanchen had installed earlier was still working.

This was the cleanest place nearby.

There were still some small items that Zhu Yanchen had been tinkering with on the table. Just a few hours ago, that person was fine here. The vivid images in his memory made Shu Jun’s spine tingle. He bit himself hard, and his sharp canine teeth almost pierced through his lips.

The pain and blood made him a little calmer.

Shu Jun picked up Zhu Yanchen and gently placed him on the ground. Zhu Yanchen’s expression was quite calm, even his sleep had never been so peaceful. The wound on his abdomen was still slowly oozing dark blood, and there was no sign of his breath or heartbeat returning.

Shu Jun tore open Zhu Yanchen’s collar and placed his palm on the layers of scars, starting to perform CPR.

Zhu Yanchen had no response, and his skin looked as if it was getting paler. Every passing second felt like a sharp blade, scraping against Shu Jun’s nerves. It wasn’t until his tears wet the other person’s chest that Shu Jun realized he was crying.

He had to come up with another way.

He didn’t have any medicine or equipment on hand, and there were no follow-up medical means. Within these short few minutes, he had to find another way out of nothingness.

Just after the bloody battle, his brain was still a bit sluggish, and he even had the feeling of imminent collapse. But Shu Jun didn’t dare stop moving. He repeatedly kissed those cold lips, and infused air into them.

His own ability was suppression, but even if he suppressed the erosion in Zhu Yanchen’s body, his body was already riddled with holes.

He had to find a way to treat Zhu Yanchen—at least to prevent his wounds from getting worse and get his organs to function normally.

…Speaking of which, how did he survive? It seemed that Zhu Yanchen had let him come into contact with the Erosion Swamp and the swamp in his body learned how to coexist with human bodies and tissues.

But Zhu Yanchen was a normal human being. He couldn’t withstand an entire Erosion Swamp. Before the Erosion Swamp could learn to coexist with human tissues, Zhu Yanchen’s flesh would be eroded to death—at most, leaving some fragments of information for the Erosion Swamp. Monday was a ready-made example.

This way wouldn’t work.

‘If only I could make the erosion in Zhu Yanchen’s body obedient,’ he thought desperately. ‘Let them spontaneously simulate human tissues, just like… just like those bloody creations of Sweet Edge.’

Wait a minute.

He defeated the Erosion Swamp in Sweet Edge and lingered in her mind for a while. Countless pieces of information flooded into his head, but what he could immediately recognize was only the “part that humans could understand”. What if his Erosion Swamp had access to relevant information? Could he already do similar things?

He didn’t need to construct a puppet giant, nor did he need to raise four-legged monsters. He just needed those scattered erosion to obediently stop destroying and instead simulate normal human tissues.

Fragmented erosion wasn’t the same as an Erosion Swamp. Shu Jun didn’t know if this whimsical plan could work. The only person who could answer him was right in front of him, with his body gradually growing colder.

There was no time left, and the only way was to experiment.

Shu Jun decisively raised his hand and fiercely grabbed his neck. His sharp nails broke through his skin, and blood immediately splattered out. This injury wasn’t serious enough to make him too weak to continue rescuing, but it wasn’t light either. If left unattended, he would undoubtedly die from blood loss.

The instinct of the Erosion Swamp was to survive, so now was the time to survive. If that skill really existed inside him, his instincts would force it out.

And he would remember that feeling.

This time, Shu Jun’s intuition wasn’t wrong. His weakened state actually helped him, as a lot of blood loss caused a hot and itchy sensation to gradually emerge on the side of his neck. Shu Jun quickly touched it with his fingertips—in less than half a minute, new flesh had already protruded from the deep wound.

Very good. But it was not enough yet; he wasn’t familiar enough with this feeling.

He raised his hand again, scratching his own neck, then mechanically continued with CPR. A large amount of blood splattered onto Zhu Yanchen’s tattered shirt, turning the white fabric into pure black.

Shu Jun’s vision gradually began to blur. The previous battle and blood loss made him both tired and hungry. He felt dizzy and wanted to fall asleep on the spot.

But he couldn’t fall down yet.

Shu Jun tore open the wound again, this time catching the tail of that inspiration.

One command after another kept looping, and Shu Jun tried to command the erosion in Zhu Yanchen’s body. Suppress, imitate. Suppress, imitate. Suppress again, and then imitate again.

Throughout the process, Shu Jun didn’t dare to breathe while his blood-covered hand always covered Zhu Yanchen’s chest. It was a mystical feeling, like trying to grip a lump of slippery mud and working hard to shape it into a delicate statue. The mud had no consciousness of its own; he could only try again and again.

Finally, the changes quietly appeared.

The blood that had splattered onto Zhu Yanchen’s body slowly disappeared, as if absorbed by his pale skin. The wound on Zhu Yanchen’s abdomen slowly healed at an extremely slow speed, and his exposed internal organs gradually gained blood color.

But it wasn’t enough yet.

When a person became weak to a certain degree, their spirit would seem to detach from their body. Shu Jun could no longer feel the sensation from his fingertips. He just kept repeating the rescue movements, focusing entirely on Zhu Yanchen.

Even if it hadn’t reached the level of forming an Erosion Swamp, the erosion substance had to obey. Shu Jun couldn’t afford to fail—although he didn’t know why, Shu Jun was quite certain that he couldn’t bear the consequences of failure.

Suppress, imitate, and finally dominate.

A slight vibration came from Zhu Yanchen’s dormant chest, and that pale body finally began to breathe again. Although the breath was weak and cold, it was indeed there.

He had brought him back.

Shu Jun stopped the cardiopulmonary resuscitation action, but he didn’t stop the mental command—to rescue until the end. He wasn’t sure if he could successfully return to this special mental state after this.

Zhu Yanchen, who had started breathing again, didn’t wake up, and Shu Jun still kept his hand on his chest. The restored heartbeat was like a shot of adrenaline, and Shu Jun remained motionless, sinking into a kind of almost fanatical state.

Repair it. Everything must be repaired. Shu Jun kept repeating to himself as he battled the erosion substance inside Zhu Yanchen’s body. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Shu Jun could even hear the Erosion Swamp inside his body screaming.

…You absolutely cannot harm this body.

After an unknown amount of time, a new change appeared.

The wound on Zhu Yanchen’s abdomen had long since disappeared, and black erosion gradually oozed out of his skin, connecting into patches, and then pulling into threads, slowly enveloping Zhu Yanchen’s body. Shu Jun’s brain was already unable to process the scene in front of him, he only knew that he seemed unable to touch Zhu Yanchen’s skin anymore.

So he got a little closer.

He opened his arms and hugged the black cocoon in front of him while continuing to repeat those commands.

Shu Jun didn’t know how much time had passed. His lips were cracked, his clothes were stuck to his skin by half-dried sweat, and his body was as heavy as lead. Everything around him became blurry, and he vaguely heard Monday screaming and shouting “hungry”.

Eventually, the cocoon made of erosion substance finally dried up, and the thin shell collapsed inch by inch, revealing the person inside.

Zhu Yanchen’s clothes had long been eroded away by the erosion substance, and so had his scars. Now his skin was smooth and intact, with a healthy flush. His once weak breath became steady and long, and his heartbeat was strong and powerful.

Shu Jun looked up and saw the other person opening his eyes.

It was probably over now. Shu Jun turned his numb brain and did one last thing.

“You…cover up…with this.” Shu Jun’s voice was hoarse and scary. He threw down his blood-soaked jacket and pushed it onto Zhu Yanchen. “Don’t run around naked…”

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze wandered around the room, finally stopping on Shu Jun, looking shocked and confused. “You—”

“Don’t ask, Grand Marshal.” Shu Jun smiled at him with effort. “I’m not doing so well. Anyway… Good morning.”

Before he finished speaking, he fell forward and slammed into Zhu Yanchen, who had just planned to get up, back onto the ground.

Zhu Yanchen: “…”

He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn’t move and allowed Shu Jun to rest his head on his chest. After a few minutes, he embraced Shu Jun tightly, lowered his head very carefully, and kissed the other’s forehead.

“Sleep well.” He looked at his own arm, which was stained with erosion, and whispered softly. “I’ll go get some medicine and come back soon.”

However, Zhu Yanchen hadn’t stood up yet and frowned, stopping his movements.

The erosion didn’t spread over his flesh and blood as usual and slowly eroded his body. Instead, this time, it was like mercury, forming a standard sphere on his skin, then rolling off the ground like raindrops splashing on lotus leaves.

Zhu Yanchen followed the rolling erosion with his eyes and finally noticed something strange about his body—the horrific eroded wounds on his hands had disappeared, his skin was extremely healthy, and not even a callus could be found.

This time, he remained silent for a long time.

He stiffened for more than ten minutes before lying down again and holding Shu Jun in his arms, who had fallen asleep.

“You’ve done something amazing again.” He closed his eyes.

“…Something quite amazing.”

Shu Jun had a dream.

Perhaps he had received too much strange information from Sweet Edge, but he dreamed of a scene he had never seen before.

He dreamed of wandering around the city on the “other side” when he was still young. It was late at night, and the stars were shining in the sky. Standing in front of him was another child, with delicate features and not too short hair softly hanging down his collarbone. He was half a head shorter than himself and had the thinness typical of a rich family child.

He—or she—looked a little frightened, shrank his shoulders, and moved awkwardly, like a fledgling bird that had just stepped out of its cage.

He heard himself asking with a smiling face, [It’s so late. Are you lost?]

The child was startled by someone speaking to him and didn’t answer.

[Hey, do you want to come with me?] Shu Jun naturally moved closer and said, [I know this place well. I can take you home…What’s your name?]

[…Yanchen.] The child seemed to have said two words, but his voice was too soft that Shu Jun only heard the last word.

[Smoke*?]

*Clarity: The child says (延辰) but Shu Jun misheard it as (烟尘) which means smoke.

He habitually scratched his hair.

[Then I’ll call you A’Yan.]

The author has something to say:

Yes, they are childhood sweethearts*!

*Bamboo horses (竹 马) Term used to refer to childhood friends who have grown up together.

Finally, I wrote it! I’m so happy! Why would I make a mistake and let the protagonist drop offline in the early stages? I wouldn’t—!

——

Shu Jun: I don’t believe it. The gap is too big. Someone must have eaten chemical fertilizer to grow taller!

Marshal: ? 

Kinky Thoughts:

Ah, so this is why Zhu Yanchen uses Smoke as his alias. I love childhood sweethearts stories!

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 24: Dead End

With such a threat like Shu Jun jumping up and down, the Erosion Swamp really didn’t bother to pay attention to Zhu Yanchen—he was just a human who was close to exhaustion and at the end of his life, so he wasn’t a threat at all.

However, Zhu Yanchen threw out a grappling hook, taking advantage of when the Erosion Swamp’s face was leaning down, and jumped all the way to its temple. His clothes were covered in blood, but he stood firmly and steadily, without any sense of weakness.

Several canisters slipped from his hands, and a milky white smoke rose up creating an irritating sizzling sound that followed immediately.

Like acid on flesh, the smoke not only didn’t rise with the wind but also burned against the Erosion Swamp. The erosion material on the surface of the head quickly squirmed, trying to fill the gap, but suddenly stopped halfway and hesitated.

A ten-square-meter hole opened up in the temple, and it couldn’t be closed for a while.

The head stared with its muddy eyes. This was far from a fatal injury, and the effect of the smoke was similar to that of a purifier. It purified the erosion within a certain range and forced the Erosion Swamp to change. Compared to a purifier that worked continuously, this smoke was more disposable—as long as there was enough time, the erosion would eventually be repaired.

Provided there was enough time.

Countless soft filaments stretched out, trying to protect the wound. However, the Erosion Swamp was a conglomerate of erosion substance, and when faced with an obvious threat, the material instinctively avoided it. Shu Jun naturally wouldn’t wait for them to finish dawdling. He took advantage of the momentum and thrust the tip of his sword forward, smashing into the wound with his entire body.

Just as the white smoke dissipated from the central area, Shu Jun’s sword touched the Erosion Swamp.

The timing was seamless.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t stay on the surface of Erosion Swamp for long. The grappling hook shot out again, and he swung over to the ruins of the nearby stronghold, climbing all the way to the roof. This time he took off his outermost protective suit, removed the parts on his back, and assembled a small sniper rifle.

Shu Jun focused all his energy on the Erosion Swamp. The erosion substance at the wound stopped wriggling and became gelatinous. The greatsword smoothly cleaved through the Erosion Swamp, revealing the gray-white brain. He reached out his hand, and the sharp claws plunged into the brain tissue—but this Erosion Swamp’s brain was too large for him to take out, so he could only destroy it bit by bit.

The Erosion Swamp slowly rolled over, trying to forcibly cover the wound with the erosion substance piled up below. Shu Jun closed his eyes and took a deep breath—

“Grand—Marshal—Zhu—”

Zhu Yanchen had just assembled the sniper rifle and paused when he heard the sound.

“I’m going to jump again—if you agree, shoot once—”

Zhu Yanchen laughed. The Erosion Swamp probably couldn’t understand, but he could instantly guess Shu Jun’s tactics. Now that he had “suppressed” it, Shu Jun would be fine. And…

And Shu Jun would soon have to fight alone, so he had to familiarize himself with his own physical condition as soon as possible.

Zhu Yanchen raised his gun and fired a shot into the sky. A cold feeling began to spread from his wound in his abdomen. The painkillers were wearing off, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to control his muscles.

Shu Jun heard the gunshot and drew his sword. “Monday, the information you want has arrived.”

At this moment, the sword only trembled in fear. Shu Jun didn’t wait for its agreement and immediately plunged it into the Erosion Swamp’s brain while the tissue was still regenerating.

In the next second, the Erosion Swamp summoned countless bloody creatures. They desperately tried to pull Shu Jun out of the wound, but he had already sunk deep inside.

This was literally sinking into the mind. Shu Jun held his breath and pushed aside the soft white texture. He continued to activate his “suppression” without stopping, squeezing the Erosion Swamp in his body frantically.

The Erosion Swamp’s instincts were simple: survival and evolution. Since Shu Jun’s swamp was theoretically stronger than this head, it would want to give it a try.

In the darkness, countless erosion tissues emerged from his spine and stirred the suppressed brain tissue together with the sword. Shu Jun couldn’t see the readings on the detection device on his wrist.

[Fusion degree: 28%]

[Fusion degree: 32%]

[Fusion degree: 45%]

……

Shu Jun no longer focused on destruction. He passed over Monday and tried his best to suppress the Erosion Swamp. He could feel the activity of the Erosion Swamp in his body. Around him, the erosion tissues froze and solidified layer by layer, with him at the center.

Human brain activity couldn’t stop for too long, and as a “student”, the Erosion Swamp must have inherited this trait.

His previously fluctuating suppression ability gradually became familiar, like limbs growing on his own body. Finally, the breath of the other Erosion Swamp gradually weakened. Like submitting, the fragmented information of the external erosion flowed into his mind.

…However, the process wasn’t pleasant. The information was extremely messy, without any order, and the despair it contained suffocated him.

These were the memories of this ancient player.

Shu Jun saw Zhu Rong again. The Zhu Rong in the “Erosion Swamp’s” memory was quite similar to Zhu Yanchen, but he was abnormally thin.

[You need to rest and not go to the battlefield in the near future.] Zhu Rong said to the owner of the memory. [You’re pushing yourself too hard.]

[I want to finish the test earlier so that everyone can experience this world.] Unlike now, the female voice at that time was clear and cheerful.

[Zhu Rong, why don’t we chat? Today, my cat…]

[Sorry, I have other plans.] Zhu Rong lowered his head.

[Huh? What?]

……

Still in the same room, faint arguing could be heard from outside the door.

[I won’t change the research direction.] Zhu Rong’s voice was easily recognizable.

[Your affection is putting everyone’s lives at risk.] Another male voice was extremely cold. [Now is a special time, and nobody cares about humanity. People are willing to support you because you saved their loved ones and friends. If they knew what you are doing now…]

[I see.] Zhu Rong’s response was particularly difficult. [Captain, I have no intention of stopping the system immediately. It’s just that the technology isn’t perfected, and I have to take all risks into account.]

[Can you guarantee the results? Resources are not for you to burn. The system has been running for five years without any issues. As a matter of family affection, this is my last warning to you. If you still do not start optimizing the system, what happens next will be beyond my control.]

Zhu Rong opened the door and walked into the room; his face gray and defeated.

[What’s wrong?] The female voice asked. [Things are not going well?]

[It’s nothing. Why are you hurt so badly again?]

[I was a little impatient. Sorry. But I believe in Dr. Zhu. No matter how serious it is, you can heal it—] The female voice was still light and happy, full of sunshine. [Although, haa, if there’s anything troubling you, it’s okay to talk about it. Or think about something good…]

The memory of the warrior turned her gaze to the injured players around her.

[So many people believe in you.] She said.

[Uh… Why are you crying? Are you feeling uncomfortable?]

……

[Happy birthday!] The female voice sounded again, and there was other laughter in the background. [Everyone, come and let’s toast to our Dr. Zhu Rong!]

[Happy birthday. You’re my favorite person in ‘this world’.]

It was still a very carefree and innocent voice.

Finally, the image that Shu Jun least wanted to see squeezed into his mind. This player was similar to himself. She also fell into the Erosion Swamp, but when she woke up, she was no longer human-shaped. She repeatedly checked her hands, and the bones in that hand were exposed, and a black erosion substance crawled on them.

She could no longer hold her sword, and her vision was blurred. Perhaps she was crying, Shu Jun thought. Her body kept convulsing as she struggled to crawl towards the stronghold. Shu Jun knew that feeling—in the midst of darkness and agony, one had to rely solely on faith to persevere.

Unfortunately, they were ultimately different.

The assimilated Erosion Swamp didn’t listen. People had never seen such a monster before, and the workers ran away in all directions while players tried to attack, only to be killed one by one by the liquid columns. Yet she still moved forward in a daze, continuing to devour and search aimlessly.

She used food to make up for what was purified by the purifiers, and she also knew how to avoid it with skills. People had only seen an Erosion Swamp attack on instinct, so they were completely powerless to fight back.

Although people had disappeared, the machines inside the stronghold didn’t stop immediately. The broadcast was still working, and intermittent voices crossed the erosion walls, echoing through the corridors.

[…Yesterday, we lost a hero. The top-ranked warrior “Sweet Edge” sacrificed herself in contact with the giant Erosion Swamp in O City… Today, Marshal Zhu announced the optimization of the existing system. Mr. Zhu Rong said he would retreat for research and didn’t attend…]

[I didn’t sacrifice myself. I am still alive.] She stopped in front of the door at the deepest part of the underground, which was exceptionally sturdy. There was a layer of wall between her and the door, so she couldn’t get in. [Dr. Zhu, are you there?]

She could smell the scent of people, mixed with some strange blood. There must be someone inside, and Zhu Rong may be injured, she thought. He would never leave without his soldiers. All she had to do was wait.

[You can heal me. You’ve always been able to heal me.]

[I’m waiting for you here.]

[Please, I want to go home.]

There was still silence inside the door. She continued to wait, from day to night, until she could no longer stand.

In the end, she gave up, dragging her huge body away from the stronghold and turning towards X City, just like what Shu Jun had done, to search for the non-existent “officials.”

……

Finally, the Erosion Swamp’s brain was completely suppressed. The white erosion masses stopped moving one after another and gradually turned black. The black erosion mass that originally formed the head began to flow and slowly turned into the appearance of a common Erosion Swamp.

In the center of the Erosion Swamp laid a human head. It was composed of erosion substance and was incomplete, with a few vertebrae attached below the neck. Shu Jun propped himself up with his sword and walked towards it with difficulty.

He knew it was bait, but…

As expected, several liquid columns suddenly rose and launched their final attack. Before Shu Jun could draw his sword, several gunshots were heard from a distance, and white smoke filled the air once again. The liquid columns collapsed after their last ditched attack and the Erosion Swamp returned to its calm state.

Shu Jun gestured his gratitude to Zhu Yanchen on the rooftop and continued to move forward.

“Sweet Edge,” he called softly. “It’s over.”

“Ah…” Upon hearing that name, the black head let out a sigh. She opened her mouth, sounding a bit dazed. “Is it the officials? You finally came… It feels like it’s been a long time…”

Then, as if suddenly coming to her senses, she widened her eyes and spoke sharply, “Hurry up and kill me, please—wait, who are you? Why can’t I get up…”

Perhaps due to her brain being messed up, she had fallen into complete confusion.

“Zhu Rong notified us.” Shu Jun tried to lower his voice. “It’s over. This is just a…”

He gritted his teeth. “This is just a bug.”

“Mm,” she replied softly, then closed her eyes again. “I don’t know how my cat is doing.”

“It’ll be fine.”

Shu Jun reached out and placed his hand on the head. “…Good night.”

This was the final “suppression”.

The head disintegrated into erosion substance, and the huge Erosion Swamp calmed down. In terms of size, it still counted as an alpha-level, but it was the kind that Shu Jun was familiar with—it only had instinct left and would only slowly move towards food.

It’s over.

Shu Jun had no desire to continue fighting. At present, there were insufficient combat resources, so there was no need to continue fighting it to the death. Zhu Yanchen was seriously injured, and he had to take him out of here quickly. In addition, he had obtained some intelligence, which might be useful for Marshal Zhu’s research.

Not to mention that his own mind was also in chaos, and Sweet Edge’s despair was still pressing on his nerves.

‘We both need a good rest,’ Shu Jun thought.

Zhu Yanchen was waiting for him on the rooftop. He leaned his body against the sniper rifle, and his protective clothing fluttered in the wind, giving off a sharp aura. It was no wonder that since they had been working together, this person had always stood steadily, like a drawn sword.

“You did well,” Zhu Yanchen said.

“Don’t worry about that. Just put on your mask quickly.”

Shu Jun habitually grabbed Zhu Yanchen, but the other party didn’t cooperate.

“Where’s your mask? Is there emergency medicine in your briefcase? Your wound must be treated as soon as possible. I’ll take you back to the gathering area now. I have information to tell you about the fight just now…”

Zhu Yanchen reached out and pressed Shu Jun’s lips, stopping his words. His fingers under the white gloves were as cold as ice.

“Sorry,” he said. “It’s over.”

“What are you talking about?!” Aren’t you still standing here?

“I just transmitted the last data earlier. It seems like I can only go this far.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was very soft. “Remember my words, go to Y City and find Ai Xiaoxiao.”

“I told you before, if you keep doing this, I’ll…” Shu Jun’s words were cut off.

He saw the wound on Zhu Yanchen’s abdomen. A deformed organ was exposed from the wound; its color was dull gray black. The amount of bleeding was unusually small. Perhaps due to the lighting, the blood also looked black.

This can’t be real.

They had just won a battle in perfect harmony, and there were still many things Shu Jun hadn’t had the chance to say.

“I know. I really meant it when I said I would listen to your advice before. If you hadn’t saved me when the four-legged Erosion Swamp appeared, I wouldn’t have been able to fight with you in this last battle,” Zhu Yanchen’s tone became even gentler, but Shu Jun wished he was still the cold and indifferent person before.

He shouldn’t have listened to him nagging. Even if he had to use force, he had to take Zhu Yanchen away from this dangerous place. Shu Jun took two steps forward, carefully observing the condition of Zhu Yanchen’s wound, ready to take action at any moment.

“…Can I hug you?”

Seeing this, Zhu Yanchen was silent for a moment before he asked this with a voice that was softer than a sigh.

“Don’t talk. Save your strength,” Shu Jun gently held him. Zhu Yanchen was slightly taller than him, so the action was a bit difficult. “You can hug for as long as you want. I’ll take you away now.”

‘Zhu Yanchen will be fine.’ Shu Jun convinced himself with effort. Everything he tried hard to do would always succeed. He wouldn’t lose; he had never lost.

The wind gathered at his feet as the Erosion Swamp still quietly boiled beside them. The night returned to silence, without a single trace of light in the sky and earth.

The heartbeat of the person in his arms disappeared.

Kinky Thoughts:

Ah, I always cry reading Nian Zhong’s work. 

For those who like this kind of morality/theme, I suggest reading Happy Doomsday from her (which I also worked on). I don’t want to talk too much about it, so I don’t give away any spoilers.

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