Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 82: Assassination

While the city was still under lockdown, Shu Jun brought Xia Yufeng back to Y City. Zhu Yanchen would continue to act as “Marshal” for a while longer, so Xia Yufeng was placed in the Ai’s Clinic—after all, Ai Xiaoxiao wasn’t there, so there weren’t many people in the clinic now.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t go to the command center that evening; he went straight back to the Zhu residence to meet Shu Jun.

When Zhu Yanchen’s mother and older brother were still around, the Zhu household was considered lively. Now, apart from the family doctor and the nanny, only Zhu Sheng and Zhu Yanchen remained in the Zhu household. The spacious and bright house had several unoccupied rooms. Zhu Sheng didn’t keep the rooms arranged for the deceased; the extra rooms were all cleared out, like discarded cicada shells.

The meal was plentiful, but there were only two people at the table.

Zhu Sheng informed him to come back for dinner. It seemed that even when he wasn’t around, Xia Yufeng would also come back to the Zhu residence for meals. Zhu Yanchen didn’t know if it was a performance for others or if Zhu Sheng didn’t want to dine alone.

Zhu Sheng wasn’t wasteful; the dinner consisted of three simple dishes. There was a clear stew of oxtail, a dish of cabbage and tofu, and a dish of minced meat stewed with eggs—all suitable for the elderly.

Zhu Yanchen took his seat and silently began eating.

“Your posture is much better today.” Zhu Sheng glanced at him.

“Practice pays off,” Zhu Yanchen replied calmly.

“Mm.”

Another awkward silence followed. Zhu Sheng ate slowly, and the large dining room was illuminated warmly by the lights. However, Zhu Yanchen sensed a coldness from the elderly man beside him. During this period, he interacted with Tang Heyu quite a bit. Although Tang Lao had some disrespectful tendencies, unlike an elder, he had a liveliness that Zhu Sheng lacked.

Although the Tang family didn’t like Tang Heyu, they lived together in a lively manner, taking good care of him. On the other hand, considering safety factors, there were no distant relatives living with Zhu Sheng.

Zhu Yanchen paused his spoon motion.

“…Zhu Lao.”

“Hmm?”

“Now that you know that the player system can cause various problems, should we consider cooperating with Yi Ning as a backup plan?”

As long as they eased up on the issue of the settlement’s residents, the conflict between the two could still be salvaged.

“Mm, I had someone look into Zhu Yanchen’s research. The reason the player system malfunctioned was because the Erosion Swamp consumed the synthetic human’s body and obtained a vast amount of information.” Zhu Sheng scooped a spoonful of stewed egg; his hand trembled with the characteristic tremor due to old age.

“…I see.”

“Then just make sure the Erosion Swamp doesn’t come into contact with them,” Zhu Sheng said casually. “After dealing with this batch of synthetic humans, I will find someone to optimize the new system. In the future, synthetic humans won’t need to venture deep into the erosion zone for operations. The loss of purification speed can be compensated by the productivity of the new ‘Players’.”

Then he paused and started talking to himself. “We need to make changes to the ‘campus training’ in the virtual city… the issue of separation between citizens and synthetic humans… hmm, and the handling after the service period…”

Zhu Yanchen tightened his grip on the spoon handle.

“What?” Zhu Sheng noticed Zhu Yanchen’s gaze and snapped out of his reverie. “Oh, you were just talking about cooperation with Yi Ning. Yi Ning is too softhearted and indecisive. If he becomes the leader, humans will be in big trouble.”

While saying this, Zhu Sheng stared at the spoon in front of him and didn’t even look at Zhu Yanchen.

Zhu Yanchen adjusted his emotions for a moment. “Why do we have to continue with the player system? Its flaws are glaring, and the risks are too great.”

“Do you know about nuclear energy towers? They were one of the important energy sources before the apocalypse.”

Considering Xia Yufeng’s knowledge, Zhu Yanchen answered cautiously, “I’ve heard a little bit about it.”

“It appeared hundreds of years ago, along with similar facilities like ‘nuclear power plants’. Compared to safe nuclear energy towers, nuclear power plants had the risk of leaks and even explosions. Once an accident occurred, the destruction that’s city-level wasn’t uncommon.”

Zhu Sheng showed an unusual interest.

“Of course, the probability of accidents was very low, but they did happen. At that time, it was crucial to various countries, and despite the risks, no one abandoned its benefits. The same principle applies to the player system. These are major matters concerning people’s livelihoods. If we stop progressing just because there are risks, humanity can’t develop at all.”

But life isn’t a machine.

“You…”

Zhu Yanchen took a breath, suppressing his emotions. “Are you sure you won’t consider abolishing the player system? Introduce the settlement’s residents as labor and let the machines handle the purification slowly. The difference would only be…”

“The efficiency would be too low, and the social burden too great.” Zhu Sheng interrupted, then glanced at Zhu Yanchen. “Xiao Xia, you’re quite talkative today.”

Zhu Yanchen remained silent for the rest of the time. After the meal was over, he stood up and left with one final question.

“Zhu Lao, have you ever regretted this insistence?”

Zhu Sheng didn’t directly answer. He sat in the bright and spacious dining room, his face reflecting the color of an old man. The dining room felt like a huge coffin.

“Continuing this is beneficial to the people, that’s for sure. If we give up now…”

Zhu Sheng didn’t finish his sentence until Zhu Yanchen left the dining room.

At the same time, elsewhere.

After hearing Zhu Yanchen’s words, Shu Jun didn’t taunt Yi Ning. As planned, he revealed some information to Yi Ning using the identity of “Gray Claw”, a resident of the settlement, and then politely declined Yi Ning’s recruitment request.

“I already have a boss.” Shu Jun whistled. “Sorry, Mr. Marshal.”

Yi Ning felt quite regretful, but he didn’t have the habit of forcing others. Under the protection of Yi Ning’s bodyguards, the two of them left the meeting restaurant.

“Mr. Gray Claw, where do you plan to go next? If you don’t have a place to stay, I can arrange it for you.”

“No need. I have to head to the outskirts to meet my boss.” Shu Jun waved his hand nonchalantly.

“I see. Then I…”

Before Yi Ning could finish speaking, he was suddenly pulled closer by Shu Jun. A bullet hit the spot where Yi Ning had just been standing.

“A sniper.” Shu Jun didn’t hesitate and tightly grabbed Yi Ning’s collar, swiftly entering the nearest alley. Yi Ning’s two bodyguards tried to follow but were shot in the head, one after the other.

“…The Zhu family.” Yi Ning gritted his teeth.

“What do you mean?” Shu Jun asked while observing the surroundings. “If you die, won’t the election be delayed? I remember Zhu Sheng wanted to settle things quickly.”

“Perhaps my recent actions were too noticeable, and he became aware of them.” Yi Ning furrowed his brow. “It’s a tense period now. Even if I die, Zhu Sheng can find a way to directly place Zhu… His puppet in power.”

“He’s really going all out this time.” Shu Jun adjusted the mask on his face. “By the way, with the city in lockdown like this, it’s unlikely that the residents from the outer settlements can vote. Lately, Zhu Yanchen has been quite active. Wouldn’t it be simpler to defeat you in a fair manner? Zhu Sheng seems lacking in confidence.”

“…Zhu Yanchen’s reputation isn’t good, and he has poor support among the people,” Yi Ning sighed softly. “Even if the settlement’s voting rights are cut off, my chances of winning against him are fifty-fifty.”

Once he exposed the evidence that Zhu Yanchen was a fake, he would win. Zhu Sheng must have realized his intentions and wanted to strike first, cutting off the source of trouble.

“I see.” Shu Jun smiled. “This is why I dislike all this political intrigue. Well, Lao Yi, you can’t die just yet.”

“Lao*…?!”

*Clarity: Since Shu Jun is addressing him as Lao, it means he regards Yi Ning on friendlier/closer terms now, which is why Yi Ning reacted like so (given they just met and shouldn’t be so familiar).

“Counting the sniper, we’re surrounded by about thirty people. They’re really determined to kill you.”

While speaking, Shu Jun scanned the dark alley with his gaze.

“To be honest, while you’re thinking about the settlement, aren’t you worried about Y City? What if you and Zhu Sheng cause trouble here, and the synthetic humans overthrow both of you? Wouldn’t that be putting the cart before the horse?”

“I don’t plan to kill Zhu Sheng. If things go wrong, he can protect Y City as much as he wants.” Yi Ning drew his sidearm. “I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t stand by and do nothing while my compatriots die before my eyes.”

Shu Jun: “……”

A’Yan’s judgment was accurate. Yi Ning was a kind person and would make a good leader, but he wouldn’t be qualified as a leader.

“Survive first, then give your speech, Yi Ning.” Shu Jun lowered his voice. “Now, it’s my turn to ask you. Where do you plan to go next?”

“The command center is definitely ambushed, and my own home is no good. If possible, I’d like to go to the Tang family.”

“No problem. Just remember to pay the fee.”

Unfortunately, they couldn’t fly. Shu Jun patted the backpack on his back. To deceive others, he had let it absorb some water and carefully wrapped the sword, placing it inside the backpack.

His powers couldn’t be used, and it was inconvenient to take out weapons, which made this battle truly exhausting.

Shu Jun sighed heavily, opened the communicator, and sent a few text messages to Zhu Yanchen. “Yi Ning, take off your uniform jacket and give it to me. Then hide in that trash bin over there. An hour later, someone from the Tang family will come to pick you up. Until then, no matter what you hear, don’t look outside, understand?”

“Gray Claw, how do you know the Tang family…”

“It’s my boss’ connection. Don’t ask further.” Shu Jun took off Yi Ning’s uniform hat and put it on his own head. “Hurry up and take it off. Once they surround us, you won’t have time to hide.”

Yi Ning had no choice but to take off his jacket and put on Shu Jun’s dirty settlement attire before getting up and hiding inside the trash bin. Fortunately, with the city on lockdown, there were fewer people throwing garbage, and the bin was relatively clean.

“The Marshal’s uniform looks pretty good.” Shu Jun laughed and tightened his belt. With one hand, he picked up the backpack and made a random gesture.

The “Duplication” ability activated, and another Yi Ning slowly stood up in front of him, whose eyes were lifeless and devoid of emotion.

Considering that the duplication could only create a superficial appearance, to ensure that the footsteps sounded authentic, Shu Jun added some erosion vines to weigh it down.

He thought for a moment, then opened the backpack, took out the balled-up Monday, and stuffed it into the “duplicate’s” body. Monday had been chewing a candy ball inside the bag, but suddenly being pulled out, it angrily made three clicking noises.

“Stop making a fuss.” Shu Jun glanced at the nearby trash bin, lowering his voice. “I’ll get you another candy. Stay inside this thing’s body—once you’ve shaken off the pursuers, sniff out my location and rendezvous with me.”

“Five.”

“What?”

“Five. Jars.”

“You’re exaggerating. If you keep making noise, I’ll lock you up in a can.” Shu Jun was both exasperated and amused.

“Two. Jars.”

“Fine, fine, two jars. Hurry up.”

“Happy.” Monday expressed its happiness.

“…As long as you’re happy.” Shu Jun ignored it and neatly stuffed it into the duplicate’s body, then gave the duplicate a command.

“They’ve run out! Yes, both of them ran out. One of them lost their backpack, which probably had another set of uniforms inside.” Nearby, an observing assassin began contacting his comrades.

“What should we do?”

“Chase. I’ll take teams A and B to chase the one on the east side, and teams C and D will go after the one on the west side. Lift the blockade on the alley… Yes, I’m sure there are only two people in the alley, and they both ran out.”

“Understood.”

About a dozen pursuers caught up. Shu Jun clicked his tongue, quickening his pace. However, his knowledge of the interior of Y City was limited. Even if he could traverse walls and roofs, there were still four or five people tightly pursuing him.

He didn’t know how Monday was doing.

Shu Jun shook his head and vaulted over a low wall with his bare hands. Unfortunately, he ended up at a dead end. It seemed like he had entered a residential area that had been converted from a factory, surrounded by intimidatingly tall walls.

Unless he used his powers or manipulated the erosion substance, he wouldn’t be able to climb over them.

“Wait, wait. I’m not Yi Ning.” Shu Jun pushed down the lower half of his mask and raised his hands. “Your target is Marshal Yi Ning, right? I’m just a worker from the settlement, doing tasks for money. Killing me won’t serve any purpose. How about we both take a step back? You can continue with your work, and I’ll just go home…”

“Get him.” One of the assassins made a gesture. “Ask him about Yi Ning’s whereabouts thoroughly.”

“No, no, no.” Shu Jun hastily waved his hands. “I really don’t know anything. I’ve been leading the synthetic humans all along, so I have a faster pace. Spare me, please.”

“There’s news from the other side. They confirmed Yi Ning’s death. The body fell into the river and was washed away. What should we do?” The reporter’s voice was very low, but Shu Jun heard it clearly.

The leader of the group glanced casually at Shu Jun. “Forget it, let’s go assist the other two teams. As for this one…”

Shu Jun stood at attention.

“Kill him. It’s better not to have any trouble.” The leader waved his hand. “He’s just someone from the settlement. If he disappears, no one will make a fuss.”

From behind the wall, the sound of dripping water reached Shu Jun’s ears. He sighed. “Everyone, I’m begging you. I haven’t seen your faces, and I’m not familiar with this place. How could I possibly leak any secrets? Yi Ning is dead, and I don’t want to offend anyone. I have a date tonight, and my lover is waiting for me—”

“That’s not what you said earlier,” one of them said coldly. “You said you were going to meet your boss. So, is your boss your wife? This guy is full of bullshit; we can’t let him live.”

“Can’t we negotiate?” The sound of water behind him was getting closer.

“Cut the crap. Do it.”

Gunshots rang out, but it wasn’t Shu Jun who was hit. Another figure appeared out of thin air—a distorted and contorted figure, limbs twisted, vaguely resembling a human but more like a pitiful corpse.

“Well done, Monday. I’ll get you three jars of candy.”

“You. Promise.” A few responses came from the body’s cavity. Shu Jun smiled, then directly tore open the “corpse” with one hand, gripping the wet hilt of the sword tightly.

The next moment, the assassins didn’t realize what had happened, and their thoughts sank into darkness.

“Within an hour, dispose of the bodies and bloodstains, including the clothing and metal. Don’t be picky.” Shu Jun gave orders to the erosion substance around him. “After finishing, disperse individually and ensure that you are at least ten kilometers apart.”

After cleaning up the scene, Shu Jun let out a long sigh of relief. Leaning against the wall, he stared at the slowly disappearing body with a face devoid of any expression. The air was cold and damp, intensifying the stench of blood.

At that moment, his communicator vibrated. Shu Jun swiftly answered the call.

“It’s me,” Zhu Yanchen’s voice came through. “I just spoke with Mr. Tang, and the Tang family has taken Yi Ning in. They will strengthen his protection until the end of the election.”

“Mm.”

“…In a bad mood?”

“You can tell?” Shu Jun laughed dryly.

“You killed people.”

“Spot on. Did you hide a camera on me or something? Yeah, I killed about four or five people. It feels…strangely exhilarating.”

It was a peculiar sense of pleasure. Shu Jun was acutely aware of his own sensations, and he was certain that something inhuman within him had been satisfied. On one hand, he felt discomfort, but on the other hand, he experienced a strange kind of pleasure—a sensation that could almost become addictive.

This contradiction threatened to tear his emotions apart. If this was the reward mechanism created by the Erosion Swamp through “hatred”, it was indeed quite troublesome.

“Does it feel truly pleasant?” Zhu Yanchen seemed to see through his thoughts.

“A’Yan, have I ever told you that you can be quite intimidating sometimes.”

“No,” Zhu Yanchen earnestly replied. “In this situation, I discussed it with Mr. Tang a few days ago. Your emotions are unstable right now. Don’t stay there for too long. Come back home first.”

“Go home?”

“…Come to me.”

Shu Jun no longer looked at the body on the ground. He lifted his head and gazed at the sky covered by dark clouds. The emotions that had nearly torn him apart were slowly calming down now.

“Yeah, I’ll head back now.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 81: Twenty One People

It was the first time Xia Liang had witnessed this kind of lockdown.

Y City was the most vital city in the entire continent, with a population of over tens of millions. The purification status in the city was excellent, and it had established the largest-ever network of factories. The resources produced not only served the needs of Y City itself but also supplied the surrounding expanding towns.

If Y City were compared to an anthill, the daily flow of people would resemble the level of ant colonies. Suddenly cutting off all connections with the outside world would deal a heavy blow to the city’s economy.

Zhu Sheng took drastic measures this time, and the city lockdown wasn’t a simple matter of manpower. Thick isolation walls rose from the ground, towering over twenty meters high. Heavy-duty purifiers were installed every five to six meters, ensuring tight defense.

Within this castle-like enclosure, only one entrance remained—many soldiers, merchant caravans, and citizens were still outside the city and unable to return momentarily. As long as they passed through the layers of screening at the entrance, they could reenter the city.

As for the residents of the settlements, who were usually not allowed to enter the city, everything remained unchanged. To make matters worse, the distribution of medicine to various settlements had also started to decrease.

Y City was gradually tightening its grip.

While the citizens hadn’t fully grasped the situation yet, Xia Liang understood clearly that the city was about to enter a state of war.

In addition, this city lockdown dealt a severe blow to the commerce-focused Tang family. With the elections yet to be held again and the settlements being excluded, the situation ahead was uncertain. Zhu Sheng clearly wanted to end the elections quickly and place the impostor Zhu Yanchen in the position of the city’s leader to focus on dealing with the Erosion Swamps.

However, the gesture was truly unsightly.

Zhu Sheng wasn’t a fool and wouldn’t be frightened by an Erosion Swamp-transformed Shu Jun. From the current perspective, he must have obtained other intelligence.

Unfortunately, her own abilities weren’t enough to be seen in front of that old fox. To probe recklessly would only expose Zhu Yanchen. Xia Liang tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued walking towards Zhu Yanchen’s office.

“Marshal Zhu is out.”

“He’s out again? Well, I’ll wait in his room then.”

With so many recent events, she had missed quite a few of her concerts. With no tasks at hand, Xia Liang found herself being sent over to Zhu Yanchen’s side by her family every other day. She was too lazy to go back home and face their nagging, so she decided to pass the time by watching television in Zhu Yanchen’s lounge as usual.

This way, she would be able to receive any news from Zhu Yanchen as soon as possible.

But it was a bit boring; not as interesting as arguing with Ai Xiaoxiao. Xia Liang let out a big yawn. In a rather unladylike manner, she propped her feet up and played with a tactical chip at her fingertips.

Everyone around her was bustling, leaving her with that peculiar feeling of emptiness once again.

The news on the screen was also quite dull. The sudden appearance of the isolation walls caused a small panic, and the official explanation was quite intimidating—to prevent a potential erosion flood following the erosion storm. In order to avoid a catastrophe like what happened in X City, Zhu Yanchen ordered the erection of the isolation walls.

It was also Marshal Zhu’s proposal to raise the defense level of the city during the Reunion Festival. The general public had a negative impression of Zhu Yanchen, so the media controlled by the Zhu family repeated that sentiment to the city’s residents for three days and nights.

Xia Liang sneered at the screen and cracked open a cold beer.

According to the program schedule, the next segment was supposed to be a debate between Zhu Yanchen and Yi Ning. Marshal Zhu must have gone out for that. However, after waiting for a few minutes, she received the news that the program was temporarily postponed.

What’s going on?

Now that Zhu Yanchen was the real deal and had his own affairs, she could understand that. But Yi Ning wasn’t that kind of person. He rarely canceled appointments. As long as Yi Ning was present, they could have switched to a solo interview with him.

Could it be that Luo Duan had targeted Yi Ning in light of the city lockdown?

Xia Liang put the beer down, opened her own screen, and used Zhu Yanchen’s authorization to access the surveillance footage inside the building. In the white room, Luo Duan was sitting by the windowsill, looking outside.

At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong. Xia Liang narrowed her eyes and observed more carefully.

The window was slightly ajar, and the white curtains swayed with the breeze. Luo Duan sat by the windowsill with his slightly long hair hanging down smoothly, without any movement.

Xia Liang abruptly stood up and skillfully tied her hair into a bun. Making sure her perfume masked the smell of alcohol, she strode out of the room.

“What is this about?” The guard stationed at Luo Duan’s door was taken aback.

“I’m here to offer my condolences.” Xia Liang smiled sweetly. “I’ve always liked Groundwater, so I wanted to meet their captain. Is that not possible?”

“I’m sorry Miss Xia. Marshal Yi Ning specifically instructed that nobody can see ‘Bitter Rain’ without his permission.”

“Could you make an exception?” Xia Liang showed a disappointed expression and her eyes welled with tears. “I just wanted an autograph, and all of you are here. What could possibly happen? ‘Bitter Rain’ has been quiet lately, so he probably doesn’t know what’s going on outside. Please, I’m begging you. Just three minutes.”

Then she murmured in disappointment. “If it’s not possible, I’ll go find Zhu Yanchen and have him grant permission.”

“Uh…” Setting aside the guard’s soft spot for a beautiful girl, Miss Xia not only represented the Xia family but was also the future fiancée of Marshal Zhu. The relationship between Yi Ning and Zhu Yanchen was already tense enough, and if Miss Xia were to mention something unnecessary…

“Okay, but we’ll accompany you inside. Please understand.” The guard relented.

“No problem.”

Xia Liang entered the room first and quickly glanced at the items near the window. Then she quietly took a breath and let out a fearful scream.

Sure enough, Luo Duan wasn’t in the room. Two layers of thin erosion substance were standing, one facing the surveillance camera and the other facing the monitoring window at the door, disguised to appear as a person sitting by the windowsill.

With the mission accomplished and the guards busy reporting, Xia Liang quietly left the room.

She had already provided the necessary alerts, and the internal inspections would be handled by the command center. There was a more serious problem now—

Where did Luo Duan go?

Where did Yi Ning and Zhu Yanchen go?

The current situation was extremely tense, and any slight misstep could have unimaginable consequences. Xia Liang made a quick decision and, after returning to Zhu Yanchen’s office, she immediately began contacting Marshal Zhu, whom she didn’t know the whereabouts of.

“Is your girlfriend checking up on you because you keep running to find this old man?”

Tang Heyu asked with a smirk in the underground bar.

“No,” Zhu Yanchen replied after the communication, sitting back in his seat. “It was just a report from my subordinate. Luo Duan has run away.”

This was the fourth day of their secret meeting.

Four days ago, Zhu Yanchen had briefly explained the situation to the old man. Tang Heyu’s mind hadn’t been ruined by alcohol; it was still as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, and he quickly accepted the reality.

To be honest, Zhu Yanchen wasn’t surprised. The drunken image of the old man was probably a kind of charm to ensure he didn’t enter politics again. Since he had been working for the Old Fourth all along, he couldn’t really be an alcoholic.

During these few days, in addition to perfecting the design of the “Suppression” weapon, the two of them also discussed a lot of knowledge and arguments related to the Erosion Swamp. Although their research directions initially had some differences, in the end, their basic understanding was similar.

Rather than wasting time on useless programs, Zhu Yanchen wanted to make the most of his time to absorb the knowledge of his senior.

“Considering the time, we should leave.” Tang Heyu took a sip of his drink. “I don’t know about others, but I’m not familiar with A’Sheng’s little tricks. Just watch, the next step will come soon—he will conduct a comprehensive screening before the city is completely locked down.”

“According to Zhu Sheng’s logic, there must be synth spies in the city. Luo Duan sought refuge with Yi Ning and played a game of hide-and-seek, which is why Zhu Sheng didn’t discover him—of course, now I know that the biggest spy is you, kid. There’s also the third party, Sigma, in this war.”

Zhu Yanchen had considered this point. If he were in Zhu Sheng’s position, he would probably do the same thing. But…

“I didn’t expect him to act so quickly.” Zhu Yanchen couldn’t hide his doubt.

“Yeah, according to common logic, a comprehensive screening should be done at least after the city is completely locked down, more like a last resort. So, compared to your old man, you’re still a bit green.”

Tang Heyu gave Zhu Yanchen a sideways glance.

“A’Sheng is doing this because he really wants to catch spies, and this forces them out—he has witnessed the ability of synths to control the Erosion Swamp. If a spy also has that kind of ability and is driven to a dead end, they will inevitably cause major casualties within the city. The fact that he’s sealing off the city so conspicuously and leaving such a long ‘buffer period for return’ implies it clearly. Any spy with a bit of brain will escape before the entrance is completely sealed.”

Zhu Yanchen slowly furrowed his brow and his expression turned grave.

“What? You don’t understand?”

“No, if Luo Duan is truly a spy for the synths, this approach is indeed reasonable. It might even buy us some time. But Luo Duan obeys Sigma, or rather…”

“Rather, it can be said that Luo Duan is almost like the ‘brain’ of Sigma, which is very important,” Tang Heyu said calmly.

“Yes.”

“Give up hope. Even if you call that guy Shu Jun over, you won’t be able to catch him now. Unlike ‘Purification’, ‘Suppression’ doesn’t kill the Erosion Swamp. Even if Luo Duan’s water control ability has been significantly weakened, he still has the ability to escape. He can completely disintegrate his body, infiltrate underground, and follow the flow of the underground water veins. Shu Jun can’t stop the natural flow of underground water veins.”

In other words, Zhu Sheng’s move hit the mark. Luo Duan wasn’t incapable of breaking through the containment, but rather was in poor physical condition and wanted to avoid conflict. Or worse, he believed that there was no high-value intelligence within the city, so there was no need to stay longer.

It was time to find an excuse to slip away and meet with Shu Jun.

Since Y City has been sealed, there had been no communication between the two for four whole days. However, with the strict lockdown in place and the entire city being inaccessible, he must find a way to transmit the information properly.

Just as Zhu Yanchen was pressing his temples, he heard the sound of a doorknob turning at the entrance. His scalp tightened, and he stood up, gripping the handle of his gun—

However, before he could turn around, his wrist was grabbed, and a head rested on his shoulder from behind.

“Don’t be so nervous, A’Yan.” Shu Jun released his grip on Zhu Yanchen’s wrist, lowered his hood, and leaned over to give a peck on the cheek. “It’s always been you who comes to find me, so I occasionally need to come to find you too.”

Tang Heyu gripped his bottle tightly, coughing forcefully a couple of times.

“Who is this?” Shu Jun straightened up, and a strand of erosion emerged from his sleeve, trembling as it closed the door.

“Tang Heyu, Senior Tang. An esteemed senior in erosion research. He’s on our side. I gave him a brief overview of the situation.” Zhu Yanchen introduced, extending his hand. “Shu Jun, why did you come?”

“Well, because ‘I really miss you,'” Shu Jun replied with a playful smile.

Marshal Zhu hesitated for a moment, and his pale earlobes reddened slightly. “There’s another reason.”

“Luo Duan has escaped, and I came to give you a warning. After all, I can fly fast,” Shu Jun said solemnly. “But this lockdown in Y City is really strict. There are alarm grids deployed even in the sky. I suppressed the erosion within my body and disguised myself as an ordinary person to blend in… But when it comes to leaving, it’s bound to be troublesome.”

“No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend checking up on you. Turns out, it’s your boyfriend checking up,” Tang Heyu said in a faint tone. “Chenchen, you never mentioned that you have this kind of relationship with the leader of the synthetics.”

“I wanted to tell you when the situation was right. After all…”

After all, this matter was irrelevant to the current situation, and he didn’t know how receptive the old man would be. If the two of them ended up arguing about this, it would only waste precious time.

“What? You actually hid our relationship from your elders.” Shu Jun sniffed mockingly. “Chenchen, that’s too much.”

Zhu Yanchen’s face twitched a few times. He seemed like he wanted to explain but also appeared somewhat at a loss, frozen in place.

Seeing the shattered facade, Shu Jun burst into laughter and playfully pinched Zhu Yanchen’s face. When he turned to Tang Heyu, his expression became completely serious.

“Mr. Tang.” He nodded. “Since A’Yan trusts you, I’ll be straightforward. Yesterday, I had a meeting with Luo Duan—it wasn’t a chance encounter, but an official meeting.”

“Neither A’Yan nor I expected that he would leave Y City so early. I handled the matter according to the original plan, but A’Yan needs to know.”

“…How many people?” Zhu Yanchen remained silent for a while, sighing.

“Twenty one people.”

“What are you talking about? The number of casualties?” Tang Heyu set down his glass, furrowing his brow tightly, deepening the wrinkles on his face.

“Yes and no.” Shu Jun took a deep breath. “I will tell you everything that has happened.”

Two days ago.

Luo Duan, who had escaped from Y City, followed the guidance of the Erosion Swamp and headed towards the direction where Sigma was located. However, he hadn’t gone far when his whole body felt heavy, causing him to immediately kneel down. In the midst of struggling breaths, a figure appeared in front of Luo Duan.

“Shu Jun,” Luo Duan said hoarsely.

“No wonder there was such a unique erosion reaction suddenly.” Shu Jun touched Monday, who was twisting around seeking praise. “Lao Luo, you managed to escape early.”

“Thanks to you.” Luo Duan took two steps back and sneered. “If it wasn’t for you causing a commotion at the stronghold, Zhu Sheng wouldn’t have reacted so intensely.”

“You’re well-informed. Living in the command center suits you.” Shu Jun waved at Monday, and the wind generated by the swing of his large sword carved several whirls in the muddy ground.

Luo Duan narrowed his eyes. “This place is surrounded by water, and there are also underground water veins. You can’t catch me.”

“I know,” Shu Jun said in a deep voice. “I just want you to wait here for me for twelve hours.”

“No need. I don’t want to listen to your grand speeches or watch your prepared tricks.” Luo Duan responded hoarsely. “Rest assured, I won’t attack immediately. Your cooperation with humans won’t last long. As long as you reveal a weakness, I will immediately bring the Erosion Swamp here and kill all of you…”

“You talk tough, but if you were really that ruthless, you wouldn’t have given Yi Ning a little tip.” Shu Jun interrupted without any reservation. “Lao Luo, do you know that Yi Ning went to the settlement today? He’s searching for the NPC that ‘assisted the Blackbirds in fighting against the Erosion Swamp back then.’ As a gesture of goodwill, he left the city before the lockdown and personally went to the settlement to invite them.”

“That idiot is certainly capable of doing such a thing.” Luo Duan suddenly laughed. “It seems that one of the NPCs is you? That sword of yours… Tsk, no wonder when we last met, you deliberately came empty-handed. Quite cunning, Captain Shu.”

“That’s not the point. You’re giving Yi Ning a chance—a chance to protect the settlements.”

“I just wanted him and Zhu Sheng to fight like dogs—a fierce fight. If you want to discuss these trivial matters, I’m sorry, but I have to hit the road.”

“Actually, giving someone a chance is not a bad idea.” Shu Jun looked straight into Luo Duan’s eyes. “Back at the Reunion Festival, if you had given your people a choice, there might have been quite a few who would have followed you.”

“And then you took them all away.” Luo Duan snorted coldly.

“That’s what I wanted to say.” Shu Jun plunged his sword into the muddy swamp. “Give me twelve hours, and I’ll return a portion to you.”

“What did you say?!”

“I said, give me twelve hours, and I’ll return a portion of the players to you.”

Luo Duan’s expression turned grim. “I thought you would…”

“I will take care of my own people. But as you can see, some people will always harbor hatred that can’t be resolved.”

Shu Jun spread his hands; his voice soft.

“I have done everything I can, but there are still those who hold onto their hatred, intending to kill or commit suicide. These people are old soldiers, and after all this time, that sentiment is certainly not a momentary impulse or confusion. I can’t force them to live in misery—I’m sure you understand that, Lao Luo.”

Luo Duan held his breath, his expression becoming complicated.

“You would kill them, right? Ah, I mean, feed them to Sigma…”

“Sigma?”

“The Erosion Patriarch that’s waiting for your return.”

“…I will.”

“So give me twelve hours. I will explain this matter and its consequences to those people clearly. If they still choose to follow you, I’ll bring them along. They’ve had enough time in the front lines, and a twelve-hour period of reconsideration should be enough.”

This time, Luo Duan fell silent for quite a while.

“Are you insane?” After a moment, Luo Duan spoke again. “You—”

“You think you’re black, and I’m white. You think I’m the compassionate ambassador guarding our people.” Shu Jun smiled, taking a step closer. “You think I would tie up those people without a second thought, then quickly eliminate Sigma to sweep everything under the rug?”

“Or rather.” Shu Jun took another step towards Luo Duan. “Do you think I’m willing to play the role of the good guy so that you can comfortably push yourself towards the path of the villain? You’re not good at being ruthless. That’s why you’ve always lost to me. I heard, Lao Luo, that you deliberately killed your own teammate, right? Tell me, did you cut off all your retreats, afraid that you might have a change of heart?”

The complex expression on Luo Duan’s face vanished, leaving behind a heavy atmosphere of gloom and suppression.

But before he could speak, he was seized by the scene in front of him—

Now Shu Jun stood just a step away from him, emanating an immensely oppressive aura. This oppression didn’t stem from a fighting intent, but rather carried boundless hatred and malice. The air instantly thickened like glue, and breathing became suffocatingly painful, reminiscent of drowning. His limbs felt as if they were frozen in ice, unable to move.

The difference in combat power was too great. Was it due to the disparity in the size of the Erosion Swamp within them? Or was it the difference in the Erosion Swamp’s unique abilities?

Luo Duan clenched his teeth, forcing himself to look into the other’s eyes. The grayish-white pupils held no trace of light, only bringing to mind the ashes of burnt bones.

“Sigma has shown me many things. It’s quite ironic, considering I’ve died once before as well.” Shu Jun grabbed hold of Luo Duan’s collar. “If it weren’t… truly a plan for human destruction, you wouldn’t have been involved in this, Luo Duan.”

“Twelve hours.” Luo Duan made a decisive decision, splitting himself into multiple fragments, ready to escape at any moment. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Those fragmented pieces hung in the air, resembling shattered colorful sculptures. Shu Jun released his grip on Luo Duan’s collar partially, snorting. “Then it’s settled.”

Twelve hours passed.

“Is it really okay to let them go like this?” Hu Yan watched more than twenty people leave, his voice trembling slightly. “They’re going to…”

“We managed to persuade seven of them to stay, and we did our best. As for Luo Duan, even provocation couldn’t bring him back. I believe he has made up his mind.” Shu Jun patted Hu Yan’s shoulder. “Those people will definitely disclose the location of the underground stronghold to Luo Duan. Let’s return early and arrange the transfer of the remaining teams. The remaining individuals have mostly stabilized, so things should be much easier.”

“Captain…”

“Yes?”

“I heard that when the Erosion Swamp devours a synthetic human, it becomes stronger. By doing this, won’t Sigma…”

“I will protect all of you. Don’t worry.” Shu Jun stared in the direction where the small group of people disappeared. “As for the humans… they have an obligation to resist the fury of those people.”

“…”

“Let’s go back.”

“Captain, is your cooperation with humans truly cooperation? Now that it’s just the two of us, if you have… ahem, if you have any other intentions, it would be good to let me prepare mentally.”

“What are you thinking!” Shu Jun gave Hu Yan a pat on the back of his head. “Why would I deceive you? Cooperation is just that, cooperation.”

“Because your expression just now was terrifying,” Hu Yan said softly.

“Oh.” Shu Jun rubbed his face. “You’re right, I should find someone to relieve some stress.”

……

“So, I came to deliver the information and relieve some stress.” Shu Jun summarized briefly, hugging Zhu Yanchen’s waist and burying his nose in his shoulder. “Anyway, that’s the situation. The synthetic humans have been organized into groups and taken to other settlements by members of the Old Fourth.”

The relaxed expression on Tang Heyu’s face disappeared. The old man stared intently at Shu Jun, his lips pursing and relaxing repeatedly.

“Are you worried, Tang Lao?” Shu Jun smiled, sensing the scrutiny. “Worried that your Grand Marshal has been deceived by me? Hey, A’Yan, what are you doing?!”

Zhu Yanchen turned around and flicked Shu Jun’s forehead. “Stop teasing the elder.”

Shu Jun’s hands still encircled Zhu Yanchen’s waist as a piece of cool erosion slipped from his hand and rubbed against his forehead. He buried his nose in Zhu Yanchen’s shoulder again making his voice slightly muffled. “Luo Duan is cautious. I’ve shown my strength, and with the collaboration of humans… From the current situation, if Sigma takes action, there are only two possibilities. First, friction arises between humans and synthetics, resulting in mutual destruction. Second, Luo Duan’s lifespan is nearing its end, and if Sigma doesn’t take action, they won’t be able to utilize his brain.”

“In other words, we still have time.” Tang Heyu summarized slowly while his eyes remained alert as he stared at Shu Jun.

“At most six months. I’ve reviewed Luo Duan’s information. The erosion has severely affected his brain, and its functions will gradually deteriorate. Now that he is partially fused with the Erosion Swamp, this process will only accelerate.” Zhu Yanchen jotted down a series of calculations and pushed them towards Tang Heyu. “Although Sigma will try to prolong his life, in the worst-case scenario, we only have two to three months left.”

“So, my Grand Marshal, put in more effort and quickly finish that election of yours. Time waits for no one.”

Shu Jun nudged Zhu Yanchen’s shoulder with his chin.

“Become the leader sooner and let me experience being the First Lady… er, First Gentleman.”

His tactics were quite successful. Tang Heyu’s expression shifted several times between “This thing is quite dangerous” and “This guy is improper”, eventually settling on the latter. The old man no longer glared at him but turned his head towards the corner of the wall, unable to bear it any longer.

“You two go ahead and talk. I’ll leave. Besides, I wouldn’t understand what you’re talking about anyway.” Shu Jun waved his hand after completing the relieving hug. “I actually have something to do. A’Yan, I’ll see you tonight.”

“I’ll see you off.” Zhu Yanchen calmly held Shu Jun’s hand, their fingers interlocking.

“Go on, go on.” Tang Heyu waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away invisible flies.

The underground bar was deep underground, with a staircase that went up for at least two floors. The corridor was dimly lit, and Zhu Yanchen didn’t let go of Shu Jun’s hand the entire time.

“Do you really have something to do?” he asked seriously.

“Well, didn’t I just say it? Yi Ning went to the settlement to find us. I gave him a response, saying that I’m willing to meet him.” Shu Jun’s voice was filled with a smile. “After all, I have to make some effort to help you secure the leadership position, right?”

“Don’t tease him too much. Yi Ning is quite talented, but he’s too naive.”

“That’s good, it’s not a ‘don’t kill him’ situation.” Shu Jun slightly loosened his grip, and his claw lightly scratched Zhu Yanchen’s palm. “Ah, A’Yan, I really like you.”

In the next second, his waist was embraced, and Zhu Yanchen kissed him gently, neither intense nor passionate. From their breaths to the touch of their tongues, Zhu Yanchen’s actions were full of tender solace.

Shu Jun let out a muffled sigh in his throat. His claw hooked onto Zhu Yanchen’s back, wholeheartedly responding to the kiss in the dimly lit corridor.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 80: City Lockdown

“Sir!” As Zhu Yanchen reached the exit of the building, his assistant, who was waiting outside, approached him. “Rest assured, the election is not over yet, and we won’t resort to violence easily.”

The Reunion Festival unrest disrupted the normal announcement of the election results. It had been too long, and the vote counting lost its effectiveness, requiring a restart. The Tang family saw this as an opportunity and sent people to the command center every few days to cause trouble, using it as a chance to make some mischief.

After all, Marshal Zhu’s position was high enough that it wasn’t easy for him to come out and meet people. The media added fuel to the fire, ready to throw countless accusations.

The Zhu family didn’t pay much attention to these behind-the-scenes maneuvers. Marshal Zhu’s reputation was already bad, and with so many fleas, what was a few more fabricated stories?

A pregnant woman showed up the day before, claiming that Marshal Zhu was the father of her child. Yesterday, a little boy with a Zhu family custom tie clip came and shouted “Dad” at Zhu Yanchen’s room. Compared to these people, although the old man this time was a bit crazy, he could be considered cute.

The guards at the entrance, seasoned from their experiences, looked at Marshal Zhu with sympathy in their eyes.

“Do you want us to drive him away for you, or just meet him casually?” The assistant carefully chose his words.

Recently, Zhu Yanchen either went out or hid in his room without being seen. Today, it was rare for him to appear, probably because he was tired of the harassment.

“Since I’m heading out anyway, I’ll just meet him casually,” Zhu Yanchen replied simply. “Do you have pen and paper?”

He took out a folded envelope from his pocket and quickly wrote a note on a piece of paper, then put an electronic wallet inside it. “Come with me. After I leave, give this envelope to the old man.”

Marshal Zhu put away the pen and looked at his assistant. “You know what to say.”

The assistants around the marshal were all experienced, so naturally, they understood Marshal Zhu’s intentions—use money to silence these people without being seen giving the money, to avoid being accused by the media.

“Understood, I won’t mention that it’s your money.” The assistant saluted. “I’ll find someone to distract him and handle it properly.”

“Mm.”

Strangely enough, the strange man didn’t show much excitement when he saw Zhu Yanchen appear.

Marshal Zhu reprimanded the man briefly, using official jargon. However, unlike the previous troublemakers who would lie on the road and make a scene when confronted with Zhu Yanchen’s “I don’t know” or “I don’t recognize” answers, the old man remained calm.

“Oh, then I must have found the wrong person.” Seeing Zhu Yanchen leave in a car, the old man’s emotions were unusually stable.

Two hours later, in an underground bar on the outskirts of Y City.

“…You’re indeed someone from ‘Marshal Zhu’s’ side.” The old man took a sip of the warm wine and let out a long exhale. “Ha, refreshing!”

“Your way of finding people is quite unique as well.” Zhu Yanchen had already disguised himself as “Smoke” in his usual appearance, sitting on the other side of the table.

“I may be old, but I’m not senile. I wouldn’t really think that such a genius could come from a settlement.”

The old man crunched a few beans and poured himself another cup of wine. The pungent smell of alcohol mixed with the heat caused the eyes to sting.

“To come up with a weapon completely different from the purifiers, one needs to have an understanding of the Erosion Swamp and solid research experience. Not to mention Y City, there are only a few places in the entire continent where such a person can come from—the self-built laboratory of the Tang family, the group of scholars raised by the Xia family, and the command center controlled by the Zhu family. I’ve caused quite a stir in all three places.”

The old man shifted his gaze and smiled at Zhu Yanchen with narrowed eyes.

“In the first two places, nothing happened after I caused a commotion. As for the command center, someone just dragged me into an alley a moment ago, shoved an envelope at me menacingly, and it even included the time and place of this meeting… But to be honest, I’m not surprised.”

Zhu Yanchen hadn’t touched his drink, but seeing the old man enjoying himself, he ordered a plate of meat.

The dim lights of the underground bar couldn’t conceal Zhu Yanchen’s discerning eyes. Not only himself, but the old man also wore a layer of disguise on his face. Serving the Old Fourth for so long, this old man was obviously not an ordinary person.

According to the rules of the Old Fourth, it was quite impolite to inquire about the other party’s background during a transaction. Zhu Yanchen wasn’t sure why the old man was breaking this rule, but the improved plan for the “Suppression” weapon was indeed in the old man’s hands.

He could only play along with him.

“Not surprised?”

The sauce-drenched meat slices quickly arrived at the table. Zhu Yanchen crossed his arms and continued calmly.

“Elder, you violated two taboos on this trip—as a researcher, you shouldn’t personally bring the merchandise. Second, you shouldn’t inquire about my identity either.”

“Why should I care about those rules? Now, I’ll do as I please.” The old man picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and waved it in front of Zhu Yanchen without courtesy. “I can see that you have something important to discuss! I’m not quite sure about some details of the weapon you made, and I can’t just guess them myself. As for the second thing…”

He coughed and raised his cloudy eyes. “I just wanted to confirm whether that kid Zhu Yanchen left behind any living legacy.”

Zhu Yanchen pursed his lips.

The old man leisurely drank another cup while his gaze turned sharp like an eagle. “Now it seems that you’re probably someone left behind by Zhu Yanchen, whether it’s an assistant, apprentice, or trusted subordinate… I don’t care who you are. I just want to know. Besides you, is there anyone else?”

Who is this old man?

“No, there isn’t.” Zhu Yanchen didn’t deny it.

“Hmm? What about that Gray Claw and One Eye? Aren’t they the same kind of people as you… Haa, what a pity.” The old man sighed. “I was thinking that if all of you had researched these things, we could have exchanged ideas and inspired each other.”

After speaking, he spread a blueprint on the table, not minding the greasy stains on the surface.

“Your previous design pursued perfection too much, the cost was very high, and the complex components inside are difficult to make.”

The old man tapped the paper, which still had soup stains on it.

“I made a few modifications for you. The power of this thing will be reduced by 20%, but the cost can be lowered to one-tenth of the original. Take a look and see if there’s anything that can’t be changed.”

Zhu Yanchen glanced at the densely packed calculation notes on the edge of the blueprint, and his heart skipped a beat.

This old man had real skills.

Zhu Yanchen knew firsthand the effectiveness of the “Suppression” ability from his acquaintance with Shu Jun. Only then could he understand its principles from the bottom of his heart. The old man, without any preparation, touched the new system and made changes without any issues, clearly having thoroughly grasped his train of thought.

Although Ai Xiaoxiao was able to operate outside the regular system with the tacit approval of the command center, suggesting that she was involved in the gray market, this old man was different—clearly possessing such talent, yet only working for the Old Fourth that managed the border markets…

He brought the blueprint closer and carefully examined the old man’s calculation methods and handwriting. Suddenly a sense of familiarity suddenly arose.

…Tang Heyu’s <Observation and Geographic Distribution Speculation of Dispersed Erosion Pathways> once included some manuscripts. The way the numbers were written, and the calculation habits were almost identical to those on the blueprint.

So that’s it.

This was truly an unexpected gain. Zhu Yanchen composed himself. “Let’s talk inside the private room.”

“Hmm? This is the Old Fourth’s territory, and there aren’t many people here now, so it shouldn’t be that sensitive.”

“Just in case.” Zhu Yanchen stood up. “I’ll have to trouble you.”

“Hmph.”

The two entered the private room, and Zhu Yanchen immediately locked the door and set up a disturbance device on the table to ensure that there wouldn’t be any audio or video recording.

“Young people are so fastidious these days.” Tang Heyu held a bottle of wine and burped. “Speak up. What modification needs to be kept this confidential?”

“Mr. Tang, long time no see.” Zhu Yanchen took off his mask and smiled slightly.

At the same time, in a distant settlement.

“Oh, when did you two go out?… Oh my, what happened to Brother Smoke? Why are your eyes bruised like this!”

Uncle Pan’s tumor on his head trembled, almost causing him to drop the pastry in his hand. “Do you want me to get some medicine? I got a good batch recently; I can give you a 30% discount—”

“We had a little conflict—a minor scuffle.” Shu Jun’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

Xia Yufeng had a swollen nose and bruised face, unable to speak in anger.

“Okay, but why resort to violence?” Uncle Pan frowned and his tone became serious. “Listen to your older brother. No matter the situation, when a couple is living together, no matter how angry you are, resorting to violence is unacceptable. Go back and apologize to Brother Smoke. Do you hear me?”

A trace of grievance appeared in Shu Jun’s joy. Unfortunately, the situation was sensitive, and he couldn’t implicate Uncle Pan, so he could only relent. “Uh, okay.”

He had inquired about the situation from Xia Yufeng. That group of elites had also been interviewed—all of them missed the spectacular scene of Shu Jun undergoing erosion transformation, so they only thought of Shu Jun as an exceptional synthetic human.

According to the soldiers, they were aware that Zhu Yanchen was a counterfeit, but they didn’t really care. In the eyes of the elite soldiers, replacing Xia Yufeng with Zhu Yanchen was like replacing non-recyclable garbage with recyclable garbage; fundamentally, there wasn’t much of a difference.

They simply followed Zhu Sheng’s orders and made themselves available to Xia Yufeng. This attack was also launched by Xia Yufeng under the pretext of “investigating the traces of synthetic humans”.

Knowing that these people were far from the truth, Shu Jun didn’t bother them further, only asking routine questions.

However, since they knew he was in this settlement, he couldn’t just let them go. The settlement had no shortage of experts, so he would keep them detained for a while and release them when the time was right. Shu Jun directly sent them to the synthetic human underground base, where Hu Yan would keep an eye on them.

As for Xia Yufeng, after extracting the information from him, Shu Jun really wanted to package and send this guy back to Y City. Unfortunately, it was already late in the day, and without the elite soldiers by his side, if Xia Yufeng encountered any trouble, he wouldn’t be able to explain it to Zhu Yanchen.

Captain Shu could only lock him in a cloakroom and secure the small door properly.

Having witnessed Shu Jun’s inhuman form, Xia Yufeng became much more obedient. He didn’t even dare to curse and wished he didn’t exist.

At midnight, Zhu Yanchen’s mutant beast messenger finally arrived. It entered through the window, stretched its eight legs as usual, and returned to its original position.

The Erosion Storm had just passed, and the concentration of erosion substance was higher in various areas, causing this creature to fly slower, resulting in a one-day delay in delivering the message.

Marshal Zhu didn’t send electronic messages and still used handwritten letters. The handwriting was beautiful and powerful as each stroke was carefully crafted. The content, as always, was concise and to the point—

[Obtained the plans today. Everything went smoothly. The vulnerabilities around me have been taken care of. Feel free to fix them as you wish. The new election is approaching, and the atmosphere in the city is tense. The leader may make significant moves in the near future.]

[You have a heavy workload over there. Don’t forget to rest and eat on time.]

“So long-winded.” Shu Jun muttered with a smile. “Is that okay, Marshal? Every time it’s the same sentence—at least change the wording.”

But today’s letter was different from the previous ones, as there was an additional line below. Zhu Yanchen was always meticulous, and this was the first time Shu Jun saw evidence of alterations in his letters.

The sentence [I miss you.] was crossed out and changed by Zhu Yanchen to [I will try to come back early.]. Then, [I will try to come back early.] was crossed out again and changed back to [I really miss you.].

Unfortunately, though Marshal Zhu had crossed them out carefully, he couldn’t escape Shu Jun’s sharp eyes.

The final alteration was forceful, although the handwriting was a bit soft, probably because Marshal Zhu was not accustomed to expressing himself in this way. Shu Jun shook his head with a smile, carefully folded the letter, and placed it in the deepest part of the bedside table. Then he took a pen, unfolded a piece of paper, and happily began drafting the contents of his reply.

However, things took an unexpected turn.

At the crucial moment when the election was about to be resumed, Zhu Sheng made an unexpected move—

Y City went on lockdown. Starting from today, no one could leave the city.

---

The author has something to say:

Shu Ge: ? Why are there still people going to visit the command center to touch porcelain? Monday, let’s go and call Dad!

Monday: ?

Marshal: ?

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 79: Misconceptions

Countered by Shu Jun, Xia Yufeng was initially angry. However, the scene of a living person changing form became overly stimulating that his anger couldn’t hold on for long.

Is it a mutant beast? Is it an illusion? Everything in front of his eyes seeped into his nerves, but his brain couldn’t comprehend it.

The elites he brought along were all knocked unconscious by Shu Jun’s erosion vine, and they didn’t even make a sound. Shu Jun’s wing-like structure behind him suddenly spread open, wrapping forward, and the sharp bone tips on the edges were aimed directly at Xia Yufeng’s throat.

Everything was planned, Xia Yufeng thought dazedly. No wonder he found the informant from the Fourth Family so easily and left the city smoothly. He should have anticipated that, as cunning as Zhu Yanchen was, he wouldn’t let him easily discover where his partner was.

Unless he had complete confidence in his partner’s strength.

Zhu Yanchen had gone mad. This wasn’t even a problem of collaborating with synthetics. No matter how he looked at the thing in front of him, it had nothing to do with synthetics. Zhu Yanchen was even more ruthless than Zhu Sheng—he must have deliberately revealed his flaws to completely regain the position of Marshal while letting him fall into a trap and having him disappear cleanly.

He didn’t even mind sacrificing a few innocent elite soldiers.

A sense of oppression and fear choked Xia Yufeng’s throat, and he could only let out a hoarse and frightened cry.

“Why are you not speaking?” Shu Jun approached again; his vertical pupils glowing in the dim environment, looking particularly terrifying. “Weren’t you quite talkative just now?”

“Well… You’re going to kill me anyway…” Xia Yufeng suddenly felt a sense of sorrow.

“You’re so negative.” Shu Jun lifted the corners of his mouth.

“What do you want me to say? My perspective?” This indifferent smile provoked Xia Yufeng once again. “My perspective is that I’m not wrong!”

“I was destined to be a servant of the Zhu family since I was born. Nowadays, who isn’t just trying to make a living? Zhu Yanchen’s original research was already against the rules. If he were discovered, I would definitely be punished too! What’s wrong with me reporting it? If you want to talk about the player system, fine. Let’s talk about it. Zhu Yanchen doesn’t know the hardships of the world. There are currently only thirty thousand synthetics in total. The purification progress is slow. The settlement policies haven’t kept up, and there are tens of millions of people in the city waiting for land to survive! He abandoned the productivity project and went to research the Erosion Swamp? Sympathizing with synthetics?”

Xia Yufeng raised his voice and his tone became shriller.

“Did he ever sympathize with the patients who were invaded by erosion in the hospital? Did he sympathize with the abandoned residents of the settlements? Things always have priorities, and he simply doesn’t know what’s good for him!”

“I know, I’m a small-minded person. I can’t do great things, and I don’t care about fairness. I just want to live a peaceful life and let my parents live well. But now? The patriarch of the Zhu family is using me as a substitute, and the son of the Zhu family is treating me like garbage and throwing me to you. Do they see me as a human? Why can’t I stand up for myself?”

Shu Jun looked at Xia Yufeng expressionlessly and slowly raised his hand.

Xia Yufeng quickly closed his eyes, curled his neck, and waited for death to come—it took him a lot of effort not to wet his pants.

But the expected pain didn’t come for a long time. Xia Yufeng cautiously opened one eye and found that Shu Jun took out a small notebook from his pocket and was earnestly writing something, resembling a gossip reporter during an interview.

Xia Yufeng: “…” This doesn’t seem right.

“Hmm, this should represent the thoughts of many citizens.” Shu Jun swiftly finished writing a page, biting the tip of his pen. This action, accompanied by his terrifying and eerie wings and the deformed tail-like structure, appeared particularly discordant. “Why are you stunned? Continue, continue.”

Xia Yufeng: “…No, continue what?”

“Continue with the momentum you had just now? Also, say more bad things about Zhu Yanchen.”

With a burst of determination followed by a decline, Xia Yufeng struggled to muster some courage, but now he couldn’t find the same resentment as before. He could only stand there awkwardly.

No, what’s going on? Are they a bickering couple? Even if they are arguing, it’s too childish to say bad things about someone.

“If… If you’re going to kill me, just do it! Stop with all the nonsense!”

“In that case, I’ll make my move—”

Xia Yufeng quickly closed his eyes again, his neck tensing even more than half a minute ago. He waited for a while, but there was no movement. Xia Yufeng opened his eyes again—Shu Jun had a serious expression, trying his best to hold back a laugh.

Damn demon!

Xia Yufeng almost burst into tears, but he held back, showing his strength.

“I won’t tease you anymore.” Shu Jun suppressed his smile and put the notebook and pen back in his pocket. “Since you don’t want to cooperate, I’ll correct your misconceptions.”

At this point, Xia Yufeng couldn’t figure out how the other party would refute him. He had been sitting on the cold bench in a border stronghold for so many years that these thoughts had seeped into his bones. Moreover, the other party wasn’t even human, so at least their standpoint was questionable.

However, Shu Jun didn’t lecture him with any profound truths.

He took a deep breath, and his vertical pupils contracted. The barren land not far away began to tremble, and a pitch-black erosion substance crawled up from the ground, gathering together. It seemed to form a huge Erosion Swamp. But it didn’t end there. The erosion substance continued to twist and deform, entwining into bizarre catapults, hurling several large rocks.

The wreckage of the purifiers was accurately hit, causing splashes of muddy water. Shu Jun clearly held back his strength—if those rocks had hit harder, the fragments of the purifier would have been scattered everywhere, and the guards’ lives would have been in danger.

The sky had become even darker at some point, with a cold wind swirling in place. The assembled catapults in the distance automatically disintegrated, and the Erosion Swamp crawled closer. It didn’t slowly devour like a normal Erosion Swamp but instantly sprouted black spikes taller than a person, all standing haphazardly. Those sharp black spikes intentionally avoided the people present, but judging from their sharpness, they were capable of piercing through anyone.

Xia Yufeng slowly turned his gaze and looked at the spike closest to him—it wasn’t just a simple spike. When he got closer, he realized that they were actually sharp black fingers with pointed nails, dry as corpses.

“If I were to act now, even if I couldn’t kill all the humans in the distant cities, wiping out 90% of Y City’s population wouldn’t be a problem. And that’s just considering me alone… Just like you said, we have 30,000 people.”

Shu Jun approached, and the bone tips on his wings scratched Xia Yufeng’s neck, causing dark red droplets of blood to slowly seep out.

“Guess why I haven’t made a move yet? Do you really believe that a human official can come and negotiate terms so casually?”

Xia Yufeng gulped down his saliva.

Could it be that this seduction tactic wasn’t orchestrated by a synthetic human but by Zhu Yanchen? This could be considered “feeding oneself to the swamp”.

“How difficult it is for you or how much the people in the settlements suffer, I don’t care. Regardless of how noble the humans’ reasons may be, we don’t have an obligation to understand them—since the harm is man-made, someone must pay the price.”

Those gray-white eyes were extremely cold.

“If it weren’t for the ‘research on the Erosion Swamp’ and the sympathy for synthetic humans that you mentioned about Zhu Yanchen, you would already be finished.”

Xia Yufeng gasped for breath. “S-So, are you cooperating now? What is there to cooperate on? Are you expecting Zhu Yanchen to cure you…?” This seemed too unreliable.

“The reason for cooperation is simple: There is an Erosion Swamp that is several times stronger than me watching us now. It is just waiting for the synthetics and humans to perish together so that it can take advantage. I really don’t want to do something that harms ourselves and benefits others.”

Shu Jun’s tone was equally cold.

“So, if Zhu Yanchen can become the leader and handle the matter of synthetic humans properly, then we can talk about this. Don’t you want to stay alive? He is your only chance for survival, so you better cooperate with all his actions.”

With that, Shu Jun let go of Xia Yufeng. Originally, Xia Yufeng was already breathless under the other party’s pressure, and now he sat down in the mud.

“I’ll tell you—I’ll tell you anything you want to hear.”

Shu Jun stared at him for a while, then took out the small notebook again with a serious expression. Finally, the surrounding air began to flow. “Hmm. Zhu Yanchen’s reputation, the current situation in the city, the habits of news transmission, one by one.”

Xia Yufeng took two deep breaths and began to explain everything in detail.

Y City.

“Xia Yufeng should be close to the settlement by now.” Xia Liang took a sip of tea. “How pitiful.”

“The next step is a critical moment, and I can’t leave any flaws around him. He has always disliked me and wouldn’t listen to what I have to say. Shu Jun’s persuasive ability is stronger.” Zhu Yanchen sat in front of his desk, reading the documents in his hands.

“A critical moment? I don’t see it. Those people from the Xia family were nagging at me today, telling me to come here and ‘repair the relationship’ with you.” Xia Liang twirled her hair ends. “Since the synthetic humans have all fled and ‘Dong Lao’ has nothing to do, I can only come here to kill time. Don’t worry, I don’t intend to ruin your relationship with Shu Jun.”

Zhu Yanchen looked at Xia Liang in silence.

“What? Are the two of you allowed to have a lovey-dovey time underground, but others are forbidden to speak about it?” Xia Liang rolled her eyes.

“Ai Xiaoxiao,” Zhu Yanchen said in a low voice.

“Don’t blame her. Encountering such earth-shattering news, Dr. Ai also had no one to confide in. In the end, she still doesn’t know who I am.” Xia Liang took another sip of tea and picked up a piece of pastry. “Go ahead and do your work. Once this period is over, I can return to the Xia family and report my progress.”

“Didn’t Zhu Sheng ask you to lead the troops?”

Xia Liang’s hand, holding the pastry, froze in mid-air. “Hmm, not just me—Zhu Sheng recently recalled the troops from the border outposts, and all the important positions are on high alert. Everyone is prepared to retreat at any time. I suspect he wants to implement a turtling tactic. What exactly did you do two days ago?”

“Shu Jun partially turned into an Erosion Swamp in front of him.”

“Wait a minute?! This isn’t what we agreed upon…”

“The operational strategy needs to be adjusted.” Zhu Yanchen withdrew his gaze, glanced at the screen in front of him, and then lowered his head to look at the documents. “Shu Jun proposed a new approach that is more reasonable than our previous ideas.”

It was different from the formal discussions Zhu Yanchen was accustomed to. This approach was suggested by Shu Jun while sitting on his lap, blowing air into his ear. Although the occasion proposed by the other party was quite ambiguous, the approach itself was clever and daring—it was quite good.

Unfortunately, being caressed by the erosion substance and having the other person’s legs hooked around his waist, Zhu Yanchen had to exert a lot of effort to focus. He suspected that this was one of Captain Shu’s newly developed pranks.

“Be careful not to be dazzled by love.” Xia Liang seemed to sense Zhu Yanchen’s momentary distraction and muttered softly.

“I won’t tolerate him in matters of such magnitude.” Zhu Yanchen obviously heard her. “As a Marshal, my primary duty is still to protect the people.”

“Okay, okay. What should we do now?”

“Maintain the situation, reinforce the military firepower, and buy time.” Marshal Zhu adjusted his gloves and lowered his eyes. “Wait for the right moment.”

“What is the right moment?”

“The moment when Sigma is lured here.”

“…Speaking of that, I’ve been concerned about it for a while.” Xia Liang cleared her throat. “Never mind how to deceive Sigma, how do you plan to convince the synthetic humans to deal with Sigma?”

“I don’t intend to convince them to deal with Sigma.”

“What are you saying?!”

“My thoughts haven’t changed. As long as the synthetics don’t cause trouble, it’s already being tolerant. It’s up to the humans themselves to fight this battle.”

Zhu Yanchen picked up the photo of fireworks on the table.

“This war is nearly two hundred years late.”

Xia Liang held onto the pastry, not eating or letting go. She finally realized that, in a certain sense, her boss was a complete madman.

A perfectly timed call released her from the situation.

“Marshal, there’s a strange person outside the command center gate, shouting to see you. He says the bird-repelling device you ordered is almost ready and wants you to come down and take a look.”

“I’ll go now. Xia Liang, I won’t be back for a while. You can go home.”

“Tsk.” Miss Xia quickly finished the pastry and drank the tea. “Understood, understood. You go ahead. I’ll lock the door.”

“Okay.”

Zhu Yanchen put on his coat and walked quickly towards the exit of the building. As he crossed the empty hallway, someone was walking back slowly and brushed past him.

“Yes.” Yi Ning just glanced at Zhu Yanchen lightly and then turned his head away, continuing his phone call. “One Eye, Gray Claw, and Smoke. These are the recruitment records of only three individuals… Hmm, I see. Send me the coordinates of the settlement later.”

Noticing Zhu Yanchen slowing down his pace, Yi Ning turned his head again and nodded perfunctorily at him.

Zhu Yanchen also gave a cold nod in return. Both of them quickened their steps simultaneously, walking away from each other, disappearing into the darkness at either end of the corridor.

---

The author has something to say:

Today, I, like Xia Yufeng, have become a little brother (.

——

Shu Ge in A’Yan’s eyes: A straightforward (?) and adorable boyfriend.

Shu Ge in the eyes of others: What the hell is this guy?

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 78: The Hidden Beauty of the Golden House

Yi Ning quickly detached himself from his emotions and calmly faced Luo Duan.

Unlike before, Luo Duan didn’t deliberately try to get close. He was like an ordinary person who had been cooped up in a room for a long time and gave Yi Ning a perfunctory greeting. Luo Duan glanced around the room, and his gaze lingered for two seconds in the direction where the screen had disappeared.

“The post-mission of the Reunion Festival is a closed mission, and we can’t add anyone to it,” Yi Ning explained preemptively. “I will notify you as soon as the next phase begins.”

“Mm.” Luo Duan’s smile was gentle. “Sir, I trust you quite a bit.”

Yi Ning held his breath for a few seconds.

The impact of observing someone else’s pain from a distance was far different from touching someone’s pain. He knew something had happened to Luo Duan, perhaps influenced by the recent recording. His heart stung for a moment.

“If there’s nothing else, you can leave.” Yi Ning immediately issued the dismissal order. “I remember telling you not to come here unless necessary.”

“I haven’t forgotten. This is the last time.”

Yi Ning narrowed his eyes.

Luo Duan paused for a while before continuing officially. “By the time the closed mission is over, I’ll be able to return to the team. I came here mainly to ask a question—I understand that we can’t add non-combatants like me to the closed mission, but what about the general public?”

“What general public?”

“I can help Groundwater recruit non-combatants and hire them temporarily,” Luo Duan continued with a smiling face. “Is that possible?”

“We can’t add anyone.” This was just to hire an NPC. Yi Ning waved his hand. “I have other matters to attend to, so you can go back.”

…The so-called “closed mission” didn’t exist at all. Marshal Yi just wanted to buy some more time. The rules were nothing more than a fabrication.

“It’s a shame. I rarely find someone useful.” Luo Duan shook his head. “You don’t seem interested in discussing the matter with me anymore, haa.”

Luo Duan stood up. His hair had grown a bit longer since his first visit, softly touching the back of his neck. Yi Ning stared at his figure with every cell in his body on high alert.

The captain of the Groundwater was very clever. If he continued to fabricate stories, it wouldn’t be long before he couldn’t hide it anymore.

The information about the X City ruins had spread, and the situation had escalated to this point. The tactic of coaxing synthetic humans was most likely not going to work. Luo Duan’s value was now minimal; at most useful as a hostage when necessary. But since large numbers of synthetic humans had yet to appear, there must be someone behind the scenes guiding them. Would this hostage really be useful to them?

Should he preemptively kill Luo Duan, who is considered one of the few strong individuals among the synthetic humans?

The erosion substance concentration in the command center was very low, making it convenient to take action here…

Sensing Yi Ning’s killing intent, Luo Duan stopped at the door, turned back, and still had a gentle smile on his face.

“As a parting gift, let me give you another hint.” Luo Duan’s voice remained soft and natural. “Zhu Sheng is not solely obsessed with power. If you find his weakness, you can counter him… You still want to save your compatriots, don’t you?”

Yi Ning was familiar with this tone. During those nights of endless conversation, Luo Duan liked to use this soothing tone to speak.

…Forget it. Let him stay. Besides being a hostage, Luo Duan might also know something about the black-robed individuals.

Closing the door, Yi Ning suddenly felt an unprecedented fatigue.

He had never felt his weakness so vividly before, but he truly couldn’t abandon his vulnerable side.

Tang Heyu was wrong; he wasn’t someone like Zhu Sheng. He couldn’t make “necessary sacrifices” to fulfill the needs of others. If he had to compare, he was quite cowardly, just like Mr. Tang in the past. Even if he knew the “right” path, he couldn’t take the first step.

Even with the impending disaster of the Erosion Swamp, he still wanted to protect those “burdensome” individuals rather than sacrificing them for the survival of the human race.

Yi Ning slumped onto the couch, grabbed a bottle of alcohol, and let the bitter liquid slowly slide down his throat.

He understood the hint Luo Duan gave him. Now was a great opportunity to restrain Zhu Sheng. If he handled it well, he should be able to save as many people from the settlements as possible while ensuring the preservation of humanity…

If he failed, he would only be able to offer his life as atonement.

…But thinking about it, he might not be able to afford that either. Yi Ning finished the bottle of alcohol and chuckled to himself.

Wait, something’s not right. Luo Duan just said, “As a parting gift, let me give you another hint.” Did he give me a hint before? Luo Duan previously mentioned hiring NPCs and assisting Groundwater…

NPCs?

[These people are quite interesting. Can I invite them next time Groundwater goes on a mission?]

Luo Duan mentioned something similar before. At that time, the Blackbirds was on a mission dealing with the abnormal Erosion Swamp near X City. There were three NPCs at the time: Gray Claw, Smoke, and One Eye.

Having “talents” with experience dealing with abnormal Erosion Swamps could be a breakthrough. Yi Ning placed the bottle down and took a deep breath. It seemed that keeping Luo Duan around was the right decision. He indeed had some usefulness.

While the situation wasn’t too severe, it was time to visit the settlements.

However, what Yi Ning didn’t expect was that someone had already taken the initiative before him, but this person wasn’t going to recruit talents. Xia Yufeng secretly selected a few experts from the elite team and quietly headed towards the settlement.

He chose the perfect timing. Ever since the Zhu father and son returned from the cultivation stronghold, they locked themselves indoors, busy with who knew what. Xia Yufeng snuck out of the command center, secretly brushing Zhu Yanchen’s face, and gathered manpower.

Opportunity waited for no one.

The recent news of the ruins of X City had filled him with fear. During this time, Zhu Yanchen had been carrying the title of “Marshal Zhu”, and Xia Yufeng had nothing to do, unable to stop his mind from wandering.

Zhu Yanchen barely said anything to him, treating him like a puppet. Considering his history of betrayal, Xia Yufeng couldn’t find fault with Zhu Yanchen. But with the situation becoming so dire, Zhu Yanchen was still busy with miscellaneous matters, making it impossible for him to relax.

Zhu Yanchen had a synthetic partner, and Xia Yufeng witnessed it! It was manageable during peacetime. Xia Yufeng could be cautious around him, working towards abolishing the player system and seizing power with the help of synthetic humans.

If the player system was abolished, people would suffer a bit more, but Xia Yufeng could still keep himself calm as long as he saved his own life.

But what about now? With the rebellion of the synthetic humans and the mutations in the Erosion Swamps, humanity was about to face a devastating war. This person actually dared to interact with the synthetic humans. Xia Yufeng feared Zhu Yanchen truly desired the leadership position to the extent of courting danger. If something went wrong, humanity would suffer heavy losses, and as a member of the three major families, Xia Yufeng would be the first to bear the brunt.

That wouldn’t do. He had to wake Zhu Yanchen up.

Why not start by ruining their cooperative relationship? After all, the synthetic humans had already severed ties with humanity. It was better to have an additional heavyweight traitor among humans than among the synthetics. Xia Yufeng summoned his lifelong courage and prepared a plan.

After Zhu Yanchen returned from the stronghold, he explicitly stated that he would need three days. Xia Yufeng had long prepared everything and was only waiting for this time limit.

After all, he had specifically selected top-tier elites, so his chances of survival were definitely high.

He took the worn-out armor that Zhu Yanchen had changed out of and bribed some lackeys from the Old Fourth merchant convoy, finally learning the location where Zhu Yanchen was hiding outside the city—a seemingly inconspicuous settlement.

“Hey, Brother Smoke.” When Xia Yufeng approached the inn, Uncle Pan warmly waved at him. “Why did you suddenly come back? Gray Claw isn’t here right now… Oh, and why do you have so many friends with you on this trip?”

Uncle Pan glanced at the six guards behind him, rubbing his hands even more eagerly.

As the human traitor, Xia Yufeng snorted behind his helmet. “Arrange rooms for these friends of mine. Where’s Gray Claw?”

“He’s negotiating with someone at the usual place.” Uncle Pan smiled, his eyes narrowing. “Do you want me to call him? Well, you go back to your room and wait. He’ll return on his own after he’s done.”

Xia Yufeng: “?!?”

He had seen the key to this inn in Zhu Yanchen’s possession, deducing that Zhu Yanchen had rented a room here… But usually, would the two cooperating parties stay together?

However, Xia Yufeng couldn’t afford to be too obvious. He took the room keys for the other and pretended to distribute them. Once they were away from Uncle Pan, he immediately led them all to Zhu Yanchen’s room.

As Xia Yufeng opened the door, his emotions were indescribable.

In his imagination, since Zhu Yanchen had rented the room for an extended period, he must have made some modifications. This place should be filled with the scent of war and conspiracy. It might even have multiple sleeping arrangements to explain why Zhu Yanchen and the synthetic human were living together in the same room.

But this room… felt like a home.

The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking the view of the grim buildings outside. The entire room was decorated in a fresh and cozy manner, with added bedside tables and other small furnishings. There was even a potted plant standing in the corner. A warm-toned tablecloth covered the old table, and in front of the small kitchen were oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and some unused basic ingredients in the cupboard.

The sleeping arrangements Xia Yufeng imagined were nowhere to be found. He only saw a large double bed. The mattress was obviously a high-quality replacement, the blanket was a mess, and it was clear that the other occupant of the room hadn’t bothered to tidy it up.

One pillow was crooked and askew at the head of the bed, showing signs of being slept on. Another pillow was bundled up within the sheets, with a slightly wrinkled pillowcase, clearly indicating that someone had tightly embraced it while sleeping. Considering that Zhu Yanchen had stayed in Y City for some time, this must have been the doing of the other occupant of the room.

This was the hidden lover in the golden house! Xia Yufeng suddenly realized.

All the mysteries were solved. It must have been the synthetic humans who used the strategy of a beautiful woman to bewitch Marshal Zhu. Zhu Yanchen, who already sympathized with the synthetic humans, was further misled by the seductive beauty, causing him to side with them at every turn and disregard the pressing human crisis.

“Find a place to hide. When that woman returns, pay attention to my hand signals—we’ll abduct her and get rid of her.”

“Yes!”

Xia Yufeng took a deep breath, removed his mask, and absentmindedly picked up a book from the bedside, pretending to read.

He waited for more than two hours.

Finally, a sound of a key opening the door came from outside. Xia Yufeng stopped flipping the pages, subconsciously held his breath, and prepared to meet Zhu Yanchen’s secret lover.

The door slowly opened.

……Zhu Yanchen’s secret lover was nothing like what Xia Yufeng had imagined.

A handsome young man stood at the door, carrying a huge black sword on his back and holding a large bag of food and drinks in his hand.

That person had a tall and beautiful figure, accentuated by the simple uniform, with a particularly sharp waistline. He didn’t cover his face, and his slightly dark complexion was accompanied by gray-white hair and eyes, like burnt ashes.

The young man’s facial features were also remarkably outstanding. Even though his gender seemed a bit off, he could still be considered on the level of a “Marshal’s lover”. However, that face seemed somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

Yes, it seemed to be the former captain of the Blackbirds. Xia Yufeng had spent a few years on the sidelines of the outpost, so he had come across some news about the players.

Zhu Yanchen… this is simply absurd!

Wait, didn’t Shu Jun of the Blackbirds die?

Ignoring the tumultuous thoughts in Xia Yufeng’s mind, Shu Jun furrowed his brows slowly. “I can’t believe Uncle Pan said A’Yan returned early. Why is it you? What are you doing here?”

Xia Yufeng hadn’t even started acting, and his identity had already been exposed. He felt a bit perplexed. “Ah?”

“You’re Xia Yufeng, the one we met at the Grand Theatre. I was wearing a mask at that time, so it’s normal that you didn’t recognize me.” Shu Jun sighed and placed the food on the table. “I specifically bought expensive eggs and sugar and wanted to try baking some small cakes…”

Xia Yufeng: “…” He couldn’t keep up with the pace of reality.

No, unexpected as it was, this person was still Zhu Yanchen’s little… No, Zhu Yanchen’s lover. Although dealing with Shu Jun would be tricky, they should be able to catch him off guard.

Shu Jun seemed completely defenseless as he unpacked the fresh ingredients and carefully put them in the refrigerator. “Speak up. A’Yan wouldn’t send you here for no reason. Has something happened in Y City? If you need my help…”

“There… is…” Suddenly, a strange sound came from behind Shu Jun.

As a result, Shu Jun pulled out a white pill from his pocket and stuffed it into the cloth wrapping his sword. The strange sound instantly disappeared, replaced by a strange and contented rumbling.

“If you need my help, I’m available now.” After completing this series of inexplicable actions, Shu Jun calmly continued.

Whatever.

Xia Yufeng made an attacking gesture. In an instant, the electric shock gun and the tranquilizer gun were aimed at Shu Jun. He let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground. The guards took out prepared bags and stuffed him inside.

“We can’t remove this sword.” One of the guards tugged at the sword belt, expressing confusion. “We don’t know how it’s secured, but anyway…”

“Just take everything with us and leave no trace.” Xia Yufeng gave the order. “Let’s leave through the back door.”

“Understood.”

To avoid other synthetic humans, Xia Yufeng found a sled at the door, and they headed straight for the edge of the erosion zone. Once they confirmed that there was no one around, they poured Shu Jun out of the bag.

“Let’s squeeze some information out of him and then get rid of him,” Xia Yufeng whispered. “Listen carefully, next—”

“If you kill me, A’Yan will be heartbroken. I advise you to think twice.” A cheerful voice interjected.

Shu Jun had at some point woken up. He turned himself over and was still tightly bound by metal chains. Instead of fear, the former captain’s face showed more curiosity.

“I know you two have a thing going on.” Xia Yufeng regained his composure upon seeing the chains still intact.

The guards were professionals and had already set up the highest-level purifiers around them. At the same time, six weapon-type purifiers were aimed at Shu Jun’s head. Even if Shu Jun could manipulate erosion, no erosion substance would dare approach this area.

“I never expected Zhu Yanchen to be so confused. It’s truly outrageous.” Confident of his safety, Xia Yufeng stood tall. “Today, I represent humanity and will put an end to his delusions.”

“Excuse me, I didn’t realize you were Zhu Sheng after all.” Shu Jun exclaimed in surprise. “You’re quite powerful, even managing the love affairs of adults.”

“Love affair? One for power, the other for revenge. It’s clear that you are colluding together. Listen, now you’ll confess what needs to be confessed, and I can make your death a bit easier. Otherwise—”

“How do you plan to deceive him? After all, Uncle Pan saw you and me enter the room.” Shu Jun interrupted Xia Yufeng’s speech.

“By then, we’ll take care of that Pan person. I warn you, don’t interrupt me again.” Amidst the loud buzzing of the purifiers, Xia Yufeng cleared his throat, his voice filled with satisfaction. “I represent humanity—”

“Why do I feel like you’re more of a personal grudge settler?” Shu Jun interrupted once again, smiling cheerfully. “Let me guess… half of it is for the righteousness you’ve imagined, and the other half is to embarrass Zhu Yanchen, or should I say, to embarrass the Zhu family?”

“I’m doing this to sever this abnormal relationship! And I’ve said it before, don’t interrupt me—”

“Just admit that you’re afraid. You’re afraid of the synthetic humans going out of control, and you’re also afraid of the Zhu family’s power. It’s not a big deal.” Shu Jun stared intently into Xia Yufeng’s eyes. “To be honest, it makes me a little disgusted when you talk to me with his face.”

“Third time’s the charm. I’ve warned you.” Xia Yufeng confirmed the status of the purifiers once again. Making sure they were still working, he lifted his foot, ready to kick Shu Jun in the face.

In the next second, all the purifiers exploded.

Xia Yufeng’s foot hit something hard, and as the smoke from the explosion cleared, he could see clearly—Shu Jun had instantly broken free from the chains, and the black giant sword was right in front of him.

The sword’s blade had a mouth that was excitedly howling and spewing out drool. “Block! Candy! Block! Candy!”

“Are you singing?” Shu Jun threw a white pill into the mouth and turned back to Xia Yufeng. “It seems A’Yan is really busy, so he asked me to discipline his underlings. You haven’t been very honest lately, have you?”

“You…”

“Do you really think A’Yan would be foolish enough to let you out and lead you here?” Shu Jun sneered. “Alright, then I’ll help him discipline you. As for the reward, we can discuss it when he comes back.”

He deliberately made the last sentence sound extremely ambiguous.

“You traitors.” Xia Yufeng’s face turned purple with anger, and he stuttered for words. “Enemies of humanity!”

“The purifiers are broken. Hurry up and put on your mask. It’ll make it more satisfying for me to beat you up.” Shu Jun extended a hand and easily blocked several purification bullets. Then he flicked the ash off his hand and grabbed Xia Yufeng by the collar.

“Opportunities like this are rare. Let me take this chance to listen—Mr. Xia, as a standard citizen of Y City, how do you view the current situation?”

Xia Yufeng couldn’t utter a word.

Shu Jun’s clothes transformed in a bizarre way, with strange “wings” spreading out from behind his waist and countless tail-like black vines sprouting from his back. Before the skilled fighters brought by Xia Yufeng could switch weapons, they were tightly bound by the erosion vines.

“Didn’t I say it before? Now I have some free time, and this time, I won’t interrupt you at all.”

---

The author has something to say:

Xia Yufeng: *Whimpers* Marshal Zhu has such peculiar tastes!

Shu Ge: I’m scaring people again, and I get a little excited thinking about it.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 77: Reverberation

Y City.

Yi Ning finally got his wish and met with Tang Heyu. Behind him was the Tang family, which made things much easier compared to Zhu Yanchen’s situation.

However, Tang Heyu himself didn’t seem very willing.

Seeing this young junior with high status and influence, Tang Heyu didn’t bother to clean himself up. He wore a dirty robe with traces of vomit in the corners. His gray hair was disheveled, emitting a strong odor. His nails hadn’t been trimmed in who knew how long, with black dirt accumulating in the crevices.

With a table between them, Yi Ning sat upright while Tang Heyu slouched in his chair, creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.

“What do you want, kid? I’m busy as hell. I don’t, hic, don’t have time to deal with you dogs fighting each other.” Tang Heyu was the first to speak, followed by a foul-smelling belch.

Yi Ning had seen a photo of Tang Heyu when he was young in the archives. The young man in the photo was elegant, vigorous, and completely different from the beggar-like old man in front of him.

“I didn’t come here for a power struggle. Recently, there has been a synthetic human rebellion. Have you heard about it?”

“My family talks about it all the time. Even the dogs in the backyard know. Is that all? I have things to do.”

Yi Ning didn’t mind Tang Heyu’s bad temper. “I want to ask about synthetic humans.”

“Ask me? Are all the researchers from the Tang family dead?” the old man muttered.

“Mr. Tang, you have extensive experience in the field of erosion prevention. The research we are currently conducting is dictated by the Zhu family, rather than being independent. I believe you know more than our generation.”

“The Zhu family, huh? Just because of that statement, I’ll let you ask a question.” Tang Heyu sneered, finally turning his drunken eyes towards Yi Ning. “Kid, what exactly do you want to ask?”

Yi Ning opened the briefcase beside him, took out a storage device, and projected the screen onto the center of the table.

“Zhu Yanchen’s thesis,” Yi Ning said in a solemn tone. “The Tang family researchers couldn’t fully interpret it.”

When Tang Heyu looked at the screen, his cloudy eyes cleared for a moment. But when Yi Ning looked closer, the old man’s gaze became unfocused again.

“I thought you were going to, hic, ask something else. Instead of asking this dim-witted old man, why don’t you ask the Zhu boy directly? Even if you two fight for the leadership position, it wouldn’t… escalate into an endless feud, right?”

After speaking, Tang Heyu pounded his belly twice and made a couple of burping sounds. Seeing the old man staring at the storage device, Yi Ning sighed and pushed the device a bit closer.

Tang Heyu had been abandoned by the Tang family. This old man either locked himself in his house and drank or slipped out of the Tang family mansion to get drunk. It was inevitable that he would be out of touch with firsthand information.

“I can’t ask him anymore. The real Zhu Yanchen is already dead, and the current one is a substitute brought by Zhu Sheng.”

The old man’s movement froze for a moment. “Dead?”

“Yes, I have my own set of speculations.”

Yi Ning didn’t hide anything from Tang Heyu. Combining the conclusions of the researchers, he detailed his conjecture about “Zhu Yanchen researching the Erosion Swamp since the age of fourteen or fifteen.” In the end, fearing that Tang Heyu might not be well-informed, he showed him the recent circulating “Ruins of X City” footage.

“…In short, I don’t think he would die in vain. I’m familiar with Zhu Yanchen’s methods. These theses and footage are most likely intentionally arranged by him. The reason he personally investigated is likely that he had been researching the Erosion Swamp for too long and was already seriously ill, so he decided to risk his life.”

Tang Heyu remained silent.

His intoxicated expression had long vanished. After a few minutes of silence, he slammed the teacup on the table to the ground.

“I only remember that he’s that old bastard Zhu Sheng’s son.” When Tang Heyu looked at Yi Ning again, his gaze became sharp. “…I almost forgot. He’s also Xia Jing’s son. I was wrong after all. That child followed Xia Jing.”

He stared at the shattered pieces of the teacup as the steam slowly dissipated. Then he wiped his eyes with his sleeve before raising his head.

“Kid, you got some backbone since you can speak like this for your opponent. But since Chenchen is gone and you brought his thesis here, what else do you want to ask?”

…Indeed, Tang Heyu was hiding something. He wasn’t the useless drunkard that the outside world portrayed him as.

“I don’t want to deceive you. I admire Zhu Yanchen’s perseverance, but I can’t empathize with synthetic humans.”

Yi Ning sat up even straighter.

“Given the current situation, although we have let them down, I cannot sit idly by while my compatriots die tragically. Zhu Sheng will undoubtedly sacrifice the settlements to ensure the safety of Y City. I want to save those people. Zhu Yanchen must have come up with countermeasures after studying the Erosion Swamp for so long. You are an expert in erosion prevention, and if there is a plan hidden in there, you will surely be able to see it.”

“I can’t access the command center’s system right now. Previously, I looked at his thesis based on occasional discussions with acquaintances.”

Tang Heyu scanned between the screens.

“I can probably see his train of thought. He’s proving that the player system has more disadvantages than benefits, providing sufficient reasons to suspend this system. It’s not an easy task, and at least he couldn’t have done it alone… What you’re looking for is probably not here.”

Yi Ning clenched his fist.

“But with the footage from X City, if Zhu Sheng is willing to investigate, he can find the problem. The person you should be looking for is not me—it’s Zhu Sheng.” Tang Heyu summarized leisurely.

“Even if he’s willing to accept the notion that ‘the player system has issues’ and suspend the production of new synthetic humans, it would still fulfill Zhu Yanchen’s wish, not mine.” Yi Ning’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “I can’t persuade Zhu Sheng, and I know myself that abandoning the settlements is the most rational course of action—I understand it logically, but I can’t accept it.”

“The great enemy is at hand, and you still want to save everyone?” Tang Heyu burst into loud laughter that was hoarse and unpleasant. “What a retribution, indeed. Do you know that you are just like the old Zhu Sheng back then—fucking identical.”

Yi Ning was stunned on the spot, not expecting to receive such an evaluation.

“To put it bluntly, I don’t have many years left to live. Isn’t the evidence from X City clear enough? These mutated Erosion Swamps were created by humans themselves. If humans are to perish like this, it’s just retribution.”

“But most people are innocent—”

“Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes.” Tang Heyu counted on his fingers. “Which natural disaster considers the victims? Tell me. Forget it, if you want to dream, go ahead… If you really want to protect the settlements, why not find some talented individuals from there and pave your own way?”

He gave Yi Ning a meaningful look. “The things the young people from the settlements come up with might actually be useful. Let’s end it here for today; I have my own matters to attend to.”

The old man stretched lazily. “I still have a bird repellent device to ponder over.”

Yi Ning gritted his teeth and bowed his head to bid farewell to Tang Heyu. It was clear that the old man intended to see him off, and there would be no results by staying any longer. Considering Tang Heyu’s hint, it seemed that he should pay more attention to the people in the settlements… but with so many settlements, how could he find said talented individuals?

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Just as Yi Ning was about to close the door, a thin and withered hand reached out, grasping the door frame. “I can’t access the command center’s system right now. I’ll give you a list, help me get the items on it.”

Yi Ning: “… ” This old man really had no manners. It was already so late, and he still wanted to study bird repellent devices.

“The FR-0923 file from Section C of the archives.” The old man lowered his voice and spoke solemnly. “Before bringing it to me, take a look at it yourself.”

Command Center.

Yi Ning was feeling restless. After leaving the Tang’s residence, he went straight to the archives.

Section C was the area where old files were stored. After rummaging for a while, Yi Ning pulled out a dusty box. The contents inside didn’t look like scientific research materials, no matter how he looked at them. If he remembered correctly, the documents on this shelf hadn’t even been entered into the system.

He brushed away the dust on the box and carefully took out the storage device and documents inside. After completing the borrowing procedure, Yi Ning brought them back to his own office and used a large screen to view the contents of the storage device.

<Records of Synthetic Human Mind Modifications>. The name Tang Heyu appeared in the column for the document organizer.

…What use did he have for looking at this? Just the long list of document names made his head spin.

However, as soon as the first video appeared, Yi Ning instantly abandoned his doubts.

The first section belonged to Xu Kan.

Yi Ning had heard this name before. Xu Kan was quite famous, considered one of the rare powerful individuals in the history of synthetic humans. Yi Ning was still young when Xu Kan retired, so even when he climbed to a high position, he never specifically looked into this person’s background.

Now he finally understood what had happened.

In the video, a young and beautiful girl was playing the piano. She played in remote settlements, in the depths of city streets, and in strongholds near the erosion zone. As long as she had a piano, even if it was damaged and out of tune, she could play clear and melodious tunes.

The girl was called Orphan Ai Jing, an important “NPC” recruited by the command center. She was adopted by the Xia family when she was fifteen years old and was renamed Xia Jing. She started appearing on the public stage and became extremely popular.

Like many other “entertainment stars” from the Xia family, Xia Jing often went on tours to player-rested towns, adding a touch of brightness to the gloomy world of <Erosion>.

Then she met Xu Kan.

When they first met, Xu Kan was eighteen years old, and Xia Jing was around twenty. No one knew what happened between them. By the time Xia’s family realized it, their music star seemed to have developed feelings for that handsome synthetic human.

Feelings that shouldn’t exist.

She composed music for him, and the two of them danced in empty rooms at the base. No one knew what Xu Kan was thinking. To him, she should have been just a pile of data. But he still watched over her and smiled brightly by her side.

Naturally, the Xia family couldn’t turn a blind eye to their adopted daughter getting involved with a synthetic human. It was a scandal at that time. Finally, after an accident, they took action.

Although they called it an accident, it was actually quite simple. Xia Jing, whether due to her intelligence or information she obtained elsewhere, informed Xu Kan about the truth of the player system, directly triggering a shock to his brain.

The Xia family dealt with the situation thoroughly—they specially arranged an NPC on the “other side” for Xu Kan; a woman NPC who bore a resemblance of about fifty to sixty percent to Xia Jing. The Xia family spared no expense, hiring someone to write a script based on Xia Jing’s personality and then finding another pianist to meticulously portray the girl who claimed to be the controller of Xia Jing within <Erosion>.

In the virtual city on the “other side”, Xu Kan quickly started a relationship with that fictional girl and soon got engaged. Xu Kan was busy with combat, so he had little private time, so it wasn’t difficult to deceive him.

As for the real Xia Jing, her performing career had come to an end. The Xia family made the decision to marry her off to Zhu Sheng, who was widowed and living alone. To prevent Xu Kan from suspecting anything, the wedding and the bride weren’t publicized to the player’s side. If someone mentioned it later, they would only say, “A member of the Xia family.”

On Xu Kan’s side, the Xia family had already prepared a deceptive explanation—they claimed that it was against regulations for players to be involved with NPCs, and since the two had established a romantic relationship, it was natural for “Xia Jing” to resign. Xu Kan didn’t inquire further about Xia Jing’s disappearance in <Erosion>.

The two of them disappeared from each other’s lives just as simply as dew drying up.

The matter was settled, but the aftermath remained. Xu Kan was deeply attached to the shadow of “Xia Jing”, and the Xia family had to arrange for him to marry the NPC. To enhance the authenticity and make the “other side” more real, they went all out and designed a daughter for Xu Kan.

A puppet-like wife, a puppet-like daughter.

Fortunately, as the captain of the Blackbirds, Xu Kan was busy and unable to be with his wife and daughter. He was destined not to retire, so the possibility of a leak was slim.

This enriched the player ecosystem on the “other side”, and Zhu Sheng tacitly approved of the Xia family’s actions. With Xu Kan’s death, the “other side” would only be left with a harmonious NPC family of three, making other players envious.

Thus, the matter was perfectly resolved. Although it didn’t affect the public, it had a significant impact on the upper echelons. Since then, Zhu Sheng specifically added a research topic to allow the modification of individual synthetic human memories, preventing the emergence of a second Xu Kan.

As the recorder, Tang Heyu’s dissatisfaction was evident on the paper.

[Human hearts are not child’s play.] Tang Heyu evaluated it this way. [This matter is wrong.]

The true event that caused the rift between Tang Heyu and Zhu Sheng occurred sixteen years ago.

…The second part of the record belonged to Zhu Yanchen.

There wasn’t much information about Zhu Yanchen. The entire incident occurred on the “other side”, and intelligence was limited. It was merely the termination of a friendship, but people were more concerned about the unexpected gift of artificial thoughts that could be implanted into a living person’s body.

This meant that the player system could be further improved, and people no longer needed to worry about cultivating synthetic humans with extreme or weak personalities. By erasing their original consciousness and implanting a well-planned personality, they didn’t even need to spend many years training soldiers, and the production cycle could be significantly shortened.

Zhu Sheng found Tang Heyu and invited him to lead a team to conduct this research, but Tang Heyu harshly rejected the offer. Tang Heyu even recorded their argument.

[Wasn’t I clear enough?] Tang Heyu, who was in his prime, roared. [The matter of the player system must be handled with utmost caution!]

[You’ve expended a lot of manpower and resources on research, and then what? Did you find any evidence?] Zhu Sheng’s expression was unpleasant.

[Do you really think this damn system is reasonable?] Tang Heyu’s face turned pale. [It’s not like I’m deliberately trying to give you trouble, A’Sheng. I found Zhu Rong’s manuscript at home, and you’ve seen it. It clearly states that this system should only be used as an emergency measure—]

[I have indeed seen it, and it mainly focuses on the treatment of synthetic humans. I placed it in the Zhu Rong Memorial Hall, where researchers come and go, and so far, no one has raised any questions. If even the founder, Zhu Rong, couldn’t provide the proof, do you really think you can decipher it?]

[…]

[Heyu, I won’t change my mind just because the founder said “how it should be”. What I want is evidence.]

[By the time evidence appears, it will be too late for you over there—]

[Do you want me to stop it? If I reveal such anomalies, not only your family but the Xia family will immediately turn against me. I will be ousted from this position, and a new leader will take the stage to restart the player system. By then, you won’t even have funding for basic research.]

[Then find a solution!]

[Why? Without synthetic humans purifying the surroundings, the people will never be able to live in peace. The mortality rate will rise again. The purifiers have been improved to the point where they can’t be improved any further, and the results are quite impressive. Instead of blindly stopping the system, it’s better to take advantage of this precious time for further development—after societal progress, there will undoubtedly be safer solutions. We still haven’t solved our most fundamental social problems, and the death rate in the settlements is still…]

[You can’t save everyone.]

[But I want to give it a try. Until we resolve our own predicament, we will always have to compromise on the synthetic human issue.]

[…You are too greedy.]

[Pot calling the kettle black.]

[It seems I’m really not suitable for this path. Let’s leave it at that. A’Sheng, I’m done. I understand your reasoning, but I just can’t bear to watch it anymore.]

[Heyu, don’t be stubborn. You have to shoulder your responsibility—]

[Fuck responsibility! If I could truly shoulder my responsibility, I should be immersed in the erosion and study it thoroughly.] Tang Heyu responded coldly. [But the lesions from the erosion are too painful, so I can’t do it… Since I am a coward, let me be weak till the end.]

A knock on the door sounded. Yi Ning quickly closed the screen. “Who is it?”

“It’s Luo Duan.” The person’s voice carried a smile. “Marshal Yi Ning, I have something I want to discuss with you.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 76: Bait

“Did Zhu Yanchen arrive?”

“Yes, the erosion concentration outside is too high. We just received close-range communication.”

Zhu Zheng nodded, feeling troubled.

“Marshal Zhu said that the Erosion Storm has just passed, and the nearby erosion concentration has remained high. When he heard that you were coming here, he specially brought in a number of heavy purifiers to reinforce the defense of the stronghold.”

Seeing Zhu Sheng’s silence, the messenger immediately added, “Based on the situation outside, he has already activated the heavy purifiers and is deploying them outside.”

Zhu Sheng snorted coldly.

When he found himself inspecting the cultivation stronghold, the Xia family’s boy hurriedly followed to show his loyalty. He was flattering too eagerly and ended up hitting a sore spot—considering the situation with the synthetics, those purifiers would inevitably need to be brought back to the city, making his efforts futile.

However, they could indeed make use of the heavy purifiers at the moment. The timing was quite fortunate. But considering the time, Xia Yufeng had already left Y City before he was attacked. This was probably just a pure coincidence.

“Have him surround the area. We can’t let this monster escape today. We must capture it for research. Its nature is similar to that of the Erosion Swamp, so start by using the purifiers to cut off the external supply of erosion substance.” Zhu Sheng waved his hand. “Don’t stop the attacks from outside.”

“Understood.”

The monster howled even louder, and fine cracks appeared on the thick glass of the observation platform. Fortunately, its movements were slow, and the elite soldiers reacted quickly, avoiding any fatal injuries.

“I’m curious. What are you exactly?” Zhu Sheng tapped his cane on the ground, took two steps forward, and pressed his hand against the specially reinforced glass. A few steps away, a massive claw covered in erosion swung past, leaving behind a large splatter of black dots resembling blood.

“Commander, th-th-that thing…” Although under Zhu Yanchen’s command, his subordinates had already started placing the heavy purifiers, they were still terrified.

“We received information from inside. That thing is composed of erosion substance. Since it’s erosion, the purifiers can be used.” Marshal Zhu stood in the wasteland, trying to make himself sound less calm.

He knew it was Shu Jun.

He also knew that the original plan had completely changed. The synth team should have conducted a standard infiltration and an attack within the realm of ordinary players. They no longer had a script in their hands, and now they could only rely on speculation to solve the situation.

The eerie creature shrouded in black mist exuded intense hatred with every move, completely unlike the person he knew.

“It’s too frightening.” Zhu Yanchen heard someone beside him sigh. “What is that thing exactly? Is it trying to assassinate Zhu Lao?”

“Don’t worry about anything else. Continue setting up the purifiers.”

“…Understood, sir.”

Xia Yufeng didn’t like commanding from the outside. In order to maintain his image as a fake, Zhu Yanchen climbed back into the car and closed his eyes.

He had lived for more than ten years in the worst-case scenario, and countless terrible assumptions exploded in his mind. As long as Zhu Sheng was killed, humanity would inevitably fall into chaos. What Shu Jun wanted was the survival of synthetic humans, not peaceful coexistence between humans and synthetics.

Those negative emotions didn’t disappear from within him. There was still a possibility of Shu Jun losing control—for example, he could have waited for Zhu Sheng to leave and then launched the attack, but he acted now and changed the plan.

As “Marshal Zhu”, he had ten thousand reasons to doubt the other party and assist in the attack.

Behind the tightly sealed mask, Zhu Yanchen slowly revealed a satisfied smile. After walking alone for so long, he had almost forgotten how good it felt to trust someone.

It was as if his entire heart had become lighter.

“Sir, isn’t the layout of this place problematic?” One of his subordinates tapped on the car window. “If it breaks out from this spot, our encirclement might collapse.”

“We don’t have enough purifiers. We must prioritize Zhu Lao’s safety.” Zhu Yanchen had already prepared an excuse. “This gap is enough to hold the monster.”

“But if one of them goes down, then here—”

“There’s no other choice. Zhu Lao’s safety comes first,” Zhu Yanchen repeated, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Bring a spare purifier onto the car. I’ll go inside the building for support.”

“But you just said we don’t have enough purifiers.” The subordinate squeezed the words out through his teeth. “Sir, this one can be used to reinforce the encirclement.”

“Zhu Lao is under attack. I need to go in and distract it.” Zhu Yanchen imitated Xia Yufeng’s tone. “The concentration of erosion inside is so high. I can’t just drive in there without any protection.”

“But Zhu Lao said—”

“I’m your direct superior.”

As soon as the purifier was in position, Zhu Yanchen stepped on the accelerator. The expensive armored vehicle broke through the black mist and headed straight towards the monster.

The purifier on the car was set to maximum, quickly thinning the black mist. The monster seemed to be provoked and raised its hand to strike the armored vehicle, diverting its attention away from Zhu Sheng for the first time. As it turned around, it was riddled with bullets from Zhu Sheng’s elite troops.

It let out a mournful scream.

The black mist descended entirely, rapidly churning around the armored vehicle, becoming so thick that it seemed to solidify, as if it wanted to drown the car’s owner alive in the mist.

Zhu Sheng lowered his gaze, looking at the vehicle in the courtyard—his expression constantly changing.

Relying on the thick anti-erosion coating, the armored vehicle rampaged through the courtyard, crushing the lower body of the monster. Deprived of its erosion supply, the colossal creature gradually collapsed, clawing at the ground and moving forward in an extremely eerie manner. Its attention was completely absorbed by the armored vehicle making its actions carry an unstoppable momentum.

On the verge of being swallowed by the black mist, the armored vehicle turned towards the gate, accelerating once again, barely exposing its front from the mist. The enraged monster chased after it, now reduced to only its upper body, but its wings continued flapping, allowing it to climb rapidly.

The armored vehicle started circling around the stronghold, luring the monster towards the perimeter of the purifier network to wear it down. The creature clearly sensed this scheme, and its tattered wings stirred up strong winds. It targeted a weak spot in the encirclement and managed to topple several heavy purifiers.

A breach was torn in the purifier network.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Marshal Zhu immediately increased the vehicle’s speed to the maximum, intending to make up for the loss and lead the freed monster away from the stronghold. Under continuous fire from numerous purification guns, the armored vehicle was enveloped in black mist and headed towards the depths of the wilderness.

That clever Xia Yufeng had ultimately let it escape. Zhu Sheng’s face turned extremely ugly as he glanced at the claw marks and cracks on the glass, fiercely knocking his cane on the floor.

In the wilderness, the black mist gradually dissipated, revealing the erosion net behind the armored vehicle—

The synths hung from the erosion net, surrounded by thick layers of erosion, being dragged behind the armored vehicle. Covered by dense black mist, no one noticed anything amiss as they escaped right under the eyes of the humans.

All thanks to the reckless intruder who burst in.

In a safe area, Shu Jun directly severed the erosion net. The synths lay scattered on the muddy ground like dried fish in a fishing net. The erosion net gradually transformed into pure erosion, blending into the wet mud.

Including Chai Xuyang, more than half of the thirty-something people were vomiting. However, the team had only experienced a rough journey, which was still better than being caught by the humans.

Shu Jun was indeed terrifying, and the strength of the human elite team was also awe-inspiring. They had never seen those intricately designed weapon-type purifiers before—they were powerful, but they required a high-erosion environment for adaptation. Even if Shu Jun had allowed them to seek revenge, they still wouldn’t have been able to lay a finger on Zhu Sheng.

The makeshift team lay sprawled in the wilderness, immersed in a long silence.

“…Let’s wait for Captain Shu to return and discuss it thoroughly.” Chai Xuyang was the first to speak. “Even if we want revenge, we need a more meticulous plan and more people.”

“I’m more concerned about Shu Jun’s abilities.” Another team member sighed. “If each of us could possess that kind of power, who needs a meticulous plan?”

“Speaking of this, why did Shu Jun abandon us?”

“It’s simple. He didn’t want any casualties in advance. That car just now could definitely ‘escape’ back to the base, so he had to drop us off beforehand. Once he drove the car far away, he would definitely come back.”

“That makes sense.”

“In terms of the outcome, can we consider this operation a success?”

“Judging from the results… I guess so.”

A few kilometers away.

Making sure there was no one around, Shu Jun dispersed the camouflage material and collapsed in a prone position on the muddy ground. “I’m exhausted.”

Zhu Yanchen got out of the car and stepped on the black mud with his military boots. “Why did you change the plan suddenly?”

“A’Yan.” Shu Jun grinned, revealing a big smile. “The plan did change, but we cooperated well together.”

Marshal Zhu reluctantly lifted his face mask. “Answer my question. Why didn’t you wait for Zhu Sheng to leave before making a move?”

Shu Jun turned his head; his vertical pupils contracted, giving a meaningful look in his eyes. “Because suddenly I felt that the destruction plan was better. Kill Zhu Sheng first, then wait for Luo Duan to kill Yi Ning, and completely suppress humanity—”

As he said this, he reached out and grabbed Zhu Yanchen, throwing him to the ground.

“When Sigma comes knocking, I’ll use human resources to destroy it and ensure the survival of the synthetic humans and a few useful humans.”

With that, he leaned down and teased Zhu Yanchen’s throat with his canine teeth as if he was going to bite.

“You kept playing along.” Marshal Zhu didn’t struggle.

“After fighting so many battles, I naturally would come up with similar ideas.” Shu Jun looked a bit dejected when he realized he didn’t deceive Zhu Yanchen. His Marshal was becoming more cunning and harder to fool. “A’Yan, would you dare say that when you just saw ‘that side of me’, you didn’t consider this possibility?”

He adjusted his posture, and a speck of black mud splashed onto Zhu Yanchen’s face. The black mud dot below his eye looked like a teardrop mole.

“I did consider it.” Zhu Yanchen didn’t deny it. He placed his hand on the back of Shu Jun’s neck, pressing his head down, and their foreheads touched. “But I trust you.”

“You, like this… haa, even if I wanted to do something bad, I wouldn’t have the heart to do it.” Shu Jun’s eyes curved, and his gray-white hair fell softly. “Actually, I was inspired by the original plan and found a better direction.”

“Mm, talk inside the car.” Zhu Yanchen let go of his hand. “You should rest for a while.”

With the ever-dutiful camouflage creatures around, they got into the car, and there was no trace of dirt left on them. This car was assigned to Marshal Zhu, with a comfortable and spacious backseat, along with drinks and food. It was the first time Shu Jun had ridden in such a car, and he forgot about his fatigue, unable to resist poking and prodding with his claws.

“Business.” Zhu Yanchen sighed, handing over a bottle of water.

“What’s the rush? Let me see… It’s best if we wait for another two hours before going back. It will be more thrilling that way.” Shu Jun retracted his messy claws and chugged the entire bottle of water in one breath. “Forget it, I won’t keep you in suspense—actually, it’s simple. Since we were able to use the ‘synthetic human threat’ to force the stronghold to strengthen its defense, indirectly protecting the children, why can’t we use the ‘synthetic human threat’ to force Zhu Sheng to enhance the defense and protect Y City?”

Zhu Yanchen was slightly taken aback.

“I promised my compatriots that I wouldn’t let them fight to protect humanity anymore, and I intend to keep that promise.”

As Shu Jun spoke, his aura became sharper, getting closer to the monster from earlier.

“But you have considered so much for us, so I want to consider something for you as well. By informing Zhu Sheng in advance about the existence of the mutated Erosion Swamp, if he has any sense, he will immediately strengthen the city defenses in Y City. When Sigma attacks, your compatriots will have a better chance.”

“The premise is that Sigma is willing to attack.” Zhu Yanchen furrowed his brow. “It won’t take unnecessary risks. It will surely wait for both sides to be weakened before making a move.”

“A’Yan, I won’t pretend to be a monster just to scare Zhu Sheng.” Shu Jun narrowed his eyes. “Besides, that image can be reused.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not easy to explain in just a few words. We need to discuss and refine the next actions together.” Shu Jun sighed. “But two hours from now, you’ll have to ‘escape’ back to the base. Let’s wrap up this operation first.”

He flipped over, sat on Zhu Yanchen’s thigh, and used his claw tip to hook the collar of his clothes. “To play the role of an escapee, you have to look more disheveled.”

Sure enough, Marshal Zhu froze in his seat again.

Shu Jun laughed for a long time, almost bursting into tears. When he finished laughing, he reached out and gently stroked the other’s cheek with his palm.

“…Thank you.” He leaned in gently. “Thank you for believing in me, A’Yan.”

On ordinary days, he had to calm his compatriots and couldn’t let his emotions get out of control. On the other hand, Shu Jun didn’t want to use Zhu Yanchen as a venting outlet, so he had to suppress the darkness brought by the Erosion Swamp deep in his heart. He had released it during the battle just now. Now, that darkness blended with Zhu Yanchen’s body temperature and settled down once again.

He let out a long breath and lightly kissed the tip of Zhu Yanchen’s nose.

“My Grand Marshal, we’ve talked about important matters. What do you plan to do with the remaining time?”

A strand of erosion substance climbed along his fingers, slipped into Zhu Yanchen’s collar, and sensually brushed against his collarbone. Marshal Zhu quietly gazed at the person on his lap for a while, then grabbed Shu Jun’s collar and pulled him in for a deep and passionate kiss.

“I should be the one saying thank you.” After a long kiss, Zhu Yanchen responded with slight breathlessness.

“Ohhh—” Shu Jun elongated his voice and unbuttoned the top button of Zhu Yanchen’s clothes with a bite. “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not interested in helping humanity. I’m only interested in you.”

“…I understand.”

“Good, as long as you understand.” Shu Jun closed the car windows, and in the darkness, the sensation of their skin touching became particularly clear. “Since we both have gratitude, how about we commit ourselves to each other?”

Zhu Yanchen remained sitting upright while his hands firmly held the waist of the person on his lap, feeling the supple and warm muscles beneath his palms.

“That’s a good idea,” he replied.

---

The author has something to say:

It’s not an exhilarating chase, but more like running on the beach (×

Zhu Lao (facing the monster): What is this?

It’s your son’s boyfriend.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 75: Monster

Zhu Sheng’s request was outrageous, and it would take some time for the team to gather and prepare. Zhu Sheng stood at the bottom exit, leaning on crutches, closing his eyes to rest.

“What’s going on?” someone murmured in the corner of the room.

“I don’t know,” another responded in a low voice. “It’s been a long time since Zhu Sheng left Y City, so his visit this time is already strange.”

“Hmm, did something happen in Y City?”

“Even if something happens in the city, it’s still safer than here. I heard that Zhu Sheng came to investigate the incident involving Marshal Zhu. The marshal was attacked by a mutant beast here, and that matter seems to be unresolved—information about the escaped mutant beast has been tampered with, and they couldn’t find any clues. People say that even the witnesses’ memories have faded; they only remember that the mutant beast had a humanoid form.”

“Didn’t Marshal Zhu return? If there’s something fishy, why not ask him?”

“Maybe they found new leads.”

“At a time like this, everyone is worried about the synthetic humans. Why would they suddenly start investigating a case…”

“Who knows what those higher-ups are thinking—shh, be quiet.”

The team that Zhu Sheng brought had finished gathering. They wore bulky anti-erosion suits, with oxygen-supplying packs on their backs, and carried assault-style purifiers that resembled heavy machine guns in their hands.

“Reporting sir, the observation deck on the 6^th floor has been cleared.”

“Understood.” Zhu Sheng glanced at the two gossiping people in the corner, then, without hesitation, he stepped out of the door.

The entire building was under strict lockdown, with reinforced windows tightly shut. Thick metal panels had been dropped on the inner side, completely isolating the erosion outside. Without windows, the originally bright corridor turned into a steel tunnel, adding a touch of gloom.

The indoor purifiers hummed as the air was filled with the smell of chemical agents.

The 6^th floor observation deck was relatively special. It wasn’t sealed with metal panels but separated by thick, clear special glass. This kind of special glass was quite expensive and rarely seen in ordinary strongholds.

Zhu Sheng stepped onto the observation deck.

The observation deck was a semicircular structure protruding from the ordinary corridor, tightly sealed with thick glass. On the outside of the glass, there was a half-circular combat platform, and on both sides, there were straight drop shafts leading to the first floor. The entire building was tightly sealed, and this was the only window at the moment.

Standing at this height, the outside scene was fully visible.

The black mist had thinned considerably, allowing people to see the blurry shadows of buildings across the way. But in the face of what was right in front of them, no one had the mindset to look at anything else—

The observation deck was spacious, and the two teams that Zhu Sheng brought, totaling 200 people, had already taken their positions in the wide corridor and the grand observation deck. This team was considered the elite of Y City and was well-trained. However, when they could see what was outside clearly, their breathing momentarily became erratic for a few seconds.

The location of the special stronghold was relatively safe that the personnel rarely even saw Corpse Parasite. Suddenly seeing what was right in front of them, several staff members who followed behind almost passed out.

What was outside was not a synthetic human at all, and it was obviously not a mutant beast.

It was entirely pitch-black, with viscous erosion surging on its surface. Rather than surging, this thing seemed to be composed of the erosion substance itself. At first glance, it looked like a distorted skeleton, with an elongated snout on its skull, resembling more of a beast like a wolf than a human. However, the outline below the head leaned towards a human form, with vine-like tendrils coiling around the “bones”, making it particularly horrifying.

Behind its deformed body hung two strange and grotesque wings. Black bone joints were exposed, and thin black limbs intertwined around them, resembling blood vessels. The wings had no feathers, and countless soft limbs trailed from the ends of the bone joints. They moved on their own without any wind, appearing as if they were peeled nerves.

Similar vine-like tendrils also coiled around its emaciated arms, ending in a structure resembling a human hand. The monster’s two claws landed on the building, and its bizarre skull headed straight for the observation deck. Many limbs dangled on the glass, and the strange hands left twisted fingerprints on the glass as they swayed.

This thing combined twisted beauty with even more intense grotesqueness and horror. It shouldn’t be a living creature; it would be more suitable as an idol to be worshiped by cultists.

As it spotted Zhu Sheng standing in front of it, it opened its mouth and emitted a sharp and chilling screech. Immediately, its double claws pounded down, causing the sturdy observation deck to shake violently. Zhu Sheng stared intently at the monster, which was within arm’s reach, without taking a step back.

When did it arrive? How did it move such a massive body and avoid surveillance? He couldn’t understand. But he could sense the hatred and madness emanating from the other side of the glass.

What on earth was this thing?

Even if an ordinary creature were infected, it wouldn’t have such a form and size. Yet it unquestionably existed outside the window, like a living nightmare.

The double claws on the other side pounded down once again, and the grating sound of scratching echoed as several glaring scratches appeared on the glass. Seeing that the glass didn’t shatter, that thing screeched sharply again, and the strange handprints previously imprinted on the glass sizzled. The special glass was rapidly eroding.

“Attack! Assault team, move to the combat platform and focus on attacking that thing’s wrists. Activate the floor defense shield and keep it at a distance.”

Zhu Sheng gave the order calmly.

His team didn’t hesitate. The two groups quickly entered the drop tunnels and reached the combat platform through mechanisms. They raised their weaponized purifiers and began to concentrate their fire on the monster’s two claws. At the same time, the shield-like defense barrier, with the sixth floor as its center, gradually expanded and enclosed the attacking assault team.

The monster’s claws, pressed against the building, were pushed away, causing its entire body to retreat several meters. Its claws were riddled with holes, emitting a discordant wail.

Then, countless vines appeared out of thin air, wriggling on its wounds. The two giant claws slowly regrew, looking identical to the previous ones. The surrounding black mist thinned again, ominously undulating.

“The body is composed of erosion substance.” Watching the monster’s disintegrating claws, deep wrinkles formed between Zhu Sheng’s brows. “Is that… an Erosion Swamp?”

Mutant beasts were only affected and mutated by erosion substance, but they were still fundamentally animals with their own flesh and blood. This situation wouldn’t occur.

Zhu Sheng’s heart sank.

If it were just a mutant beast, no matter how strange they became, they could be killed or controlled. But when facing a large-scale Erosion Swamp, they could only drive them away with purifiers. Those Erosion Swamps instinctively sought advantages and avoided harm; they would leave when they felt uncomfortable, allowing humans to survive.

However, what was in front of them didn’t look like it acted “solely on instinct”.

It hated them, and that hatred felt particularly genuine, unable to be faked.

[Father, the player system has hidden dangers.]

[Father, I looked up related information today. Forcibly increasing the resonance between synthetic humans and erosion substance may provide inappropriate information to the Erosion Swamp.]”

[Father, I believe the player system will cause a mutation in the Erosion Swamp.]

His son had mentioned similar things several times when he was in his teens. Unfortunately, Zhu Sheng wasn’t the first to hear such arguments. His good friend, Tang Heyu, had also been obsessed with this, but even as intelligent as Tang Heyu was, he ultimately couldn’t find any evidence.

If Tang Heyu had given up that deadly topic and continued his path as a politician, he would undoubtedly have achieved even greater success. However, Tang Heyu seemed to be enthralled by that issue, persistently seeking evidence.

Considering his wealth, life, and the pressure from the Tang family, Tang Heyu never personally came into contact with erosion substance. He could only engage in theoretical research and relied on existing information for deductions, which didn’t lead him very far.

Tang Heyu was the most talented person Zhu Sheng had ever met, and he fought to the end but couldn’t find any substantial evidence. He invested too much attention into synthetic humans and was ultimately crushed by his own sentimentality and pride, becoming a crazy alcoholic.

Zhu Yanchen was still young, probably concerned about his synthetic human friend, which was why he showed interest in these things.

[Similar theories have been proposed before, and there are also people who have ruined their lives researching this issue.] He replied to his son. [Our technology is limited by the times, and it’s not the time to consider these questions yet.]

Zhu Yanchen didn’t respond.

[Less than a thousand years ago, for the sake of development, humans also did things that were ‘bound to have disastrous consequences’. Realistically speaking, when it comes to emergencies, future generations will handle them.]

[But if something really happens, the ‘future generations’ may not have time to react. Father, this will undoubtedly be a research project that spans several generations…]

[That’s not something you should worry about.] Zhu Sheng interrupted his son. [I’ve said it before, it’s not the time to consider these questions yet. Regardless of where you heard those theories, stop your research.]

The player system had only been operational for two hundred years, and no flaws had appeared. If the system were shut down out of fear of “potential” destruction, it would only subject humanity to unnecessary hardships. It would be better to take the opportunity to develop further. When conditions improved and technology advanced, people wouldn’t need to risk their lives researching erosion; there would naturally be countermeasures.

Zhu Yanchen was too fixated and too naive. When he grew older, he would no longer be entangled with the so-called “treatment of synthetic humans”.

Later on, Xia Yufeng secretly reported to him, and Zhu Sheng destroyed Zhu Yanchen’s secret research materials. Since then, Zhu Yanchen seemed to have calmed down and, aside from firmly opposing the advancement of the player system, didn’t engage in any extreme actions.

In the end, his son died early.

Zhu Sheng looked at the roaring monster in front of him and suddenly felt a strange sensation—if Tang Heyu and Zhu Yanchen could see it with their own eyes, they might feel quite relieved. This was the “evidence” they had been pursuing for many years, and it appeared right in front of humanity like this.

The monster didn’t display too many strange abilities. So far, its attacks leaned more towards impact and accelerated erosion. His elite team was holding it back, and if they were prepared, they might be able to handle it.

His friend went insane, and his son died because of this. He had ultimately made a mistake and became the “future generation” facing the storm.

Outside the glass, below the monster.

Chai Xuyang found it hard to describe his current state of mind. He was probably scared, but as he got scared, it didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore. Moreover, from his perspective, this thing seemed somewhat inexplicably ridiculous.

Just a short while ago, he saw Shu Jun floating up. Countless erosion substance extended from the black mist, entwining his body and shaping it into a terrifying creature never seen before. The oppression from that thing was astonishing; he almost couldn’t stand.

Unfortunately, what followed was a bit of a mood-killer.

In the human field of view, the upper half of the monster was quite detailed and horrifying. But the lower half, shrouded in the black mist, was poorly made—vaguely resembling something in the mist, but he was close enough to see those sculptural-like structures clearly.

In Chai Xuyang’s view, it looked more like a larger-sized live mud sculpture in the midst of passionate carving—vivid and lifelike on top, but the lower half hadn’t been properly formed yet. The erosion substance supporting the upper body of the monster trembled and shook. If it weren’t for the fear of the Erosion Swamp, Chai Xuyang would almost feel sorry for them.

He found himself in such a strange state of emotions—scared to the point of wanting to cry, yet angry to the point of wanting to laugh.

…Although the urge to cry might be the main focus.

Shu Jun was in the center of this monster, completely impervious to any harm from the human guards. The way it screamed in pain indicated that it was holding back. Just considering that if Shu Jun were to utilize his wind-based abilities along with the attacks from this “Erosion Swamp sculpture”, destroying an entire building would be a piece of cake.

When did this person acquire such terrifying combat power?

Moreover, despite the comical appearance, the madness and hatred in Shu Jun’s actions weren’t fake; they were even more intense than Chai Xuyang’s own. In that case, why would someone like him try to prevent them from seeking indiscriminate revenge?

Chai Xuyang watched that thing madly smashing the window, taking in a sharp breath. His head was almost about to explode with question marks.

The human guards’ offensive became more intense causing the monster to spread its grotesque wings, preparing to attack the guards on the combat platform… But it deliberately slowed down its movements to give them a chance to evade.

What on earth was going on?

“What’s happening?” Suddenly, a voice cut through the mist, filled with astonishment. “That… What is that thing?!”

The players who were originally supposed to wait outside all gathered around, seemingly protected by invisible bubbles, and the black mist also avoided them.

“It’s hard to explain. In any case, that’s Shu Jun’s new ability.” Chai Xuyang’s voice was dry.

“Although we can guess it was you two who caused this, what the fuck is the difference between this and an Erosion Swamp…”

The players stared blankly at the intense battle unfolding above.

Taking advantage of their distraction from the joke-like lower half of the creature, Chai Xuyang quickly changed the topic. “Let’s not talk about that. Why did you suddenly come here?”

The player in the lead quickly regained his composure, his expression turning serious.

“Zhu Yanchen has arrived, and we need to inform you. We also wanted to lay low for a bit.” He gritted his teeth. “That guy even brought a lot of heavy-duty purifiers and set up a formation outside. Who knows where he got the information so quickly. I’m sure that Smoke leaked the news.”

“In any case, inform Shu Jun quickly. Once Zhu Yanchen’s purifier formation is fully set up, we might not be able to escape.”

“But… how do we notify him? If we shout out loud, the humans will know who he is.”

The players gathered together and began discussing in a flurry of voices. In less than half a minute, they all fell silent—

A strand of erosion substance crawled up beneath them, trembling as it twisted its body into several large characters.

[I saw.]

“…He says he saw it,” Chai Xuyang dryly explained.

The erosion substance stayed in that position for a while, then twisted and reshaped itself—

[Don’t worry, you can escape.]

---

The author has something to say:

Shu Jun: My boyfriend is here, so we can definitely escape.

But meeting the parents like this, the elders probably won’t approve of this relationship. (×

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 74: Within the Black Mist

Chai Xuyang deeply regretted his decision.

Why did he raise his hand recklessly? He should have just followed the majority. Now, it was too late to turn back. Shu Jun had made his intentions clear, and if Chai Xuyang were to backtrack now, he would be seen as indecisive.

Shu Jun’s actions were resolute, not just empty threats. Now, Chai Xuyang could only pray that Captain Shu had a plan to save them both from this predicament.

The others were also stubborn, refusing to act against their will. They remained firm near the stronghold, waiting for further instructions. The two of them, on the other hand, were isolated as they approached the stronghold, attempting to find an infiltration route.

Although the cultivation stronghold was close to the city, it was still located on the outskirts of the erosion zone. Thin mist hovered above the muddy ground, and the air passed through their masks, leaving a bitter taste. Shu Jun silently moved forward on the muddy ground, his footsteps making no sound.

Chai Xuyang silently followed, watching as the other team members disappeared from his sight.

Chai Xuyang was a member of Groundwater and considering the relationship between Groundwater and Blackbirds, there was an awkward atmosphere between the two of them. Others had always said that the captain of the Blackbirds was warm and friendly, but they never mentioned how imposing Shu Jun’s presence could be. After going around in circles for a while, Chai Xuyang couldn’t help but speak up—not out of boredom, but to bolster his courage.

“Um… Do you know where our captain is?” It had become somewhat of an unsolved mystery within Groundwater.

“He’s in Y City,” Shu Jun replied softly, without turning his head.

“And? Could you please update us on the situation? The other teams have their captains with them, but our captain is missing since the Reunion Festival…” Chai Xuyang struggled to swallow his saliva. “And we lost a comrade during the celebration.”

“Luo Duan has his own ideas. I will eventually inform everyone.” Shu Jun stopped walking and surveyed the nearby wall. “…But now is not the right time.”

“When will the captain return to the team?”

“I don’t know.”

“…And when will the captain be able to contact us?”

“I’m not sure.” Shu Jun finally turned his head and showed a complicated expression. “But I assure you, you will have the opportunity to speak with him. Okay, the patrol just left. Let’s go.”

Go where? With their limited weaponry, they were no different from being unarmed. Chai Xuyang closed his eyes in agony. Unfortunately, orders had to be followed. The two of them quickly climbed over the wall, huddling in a corner, waiting for another patrol to pass.

“I remember your ability is to control sand, right?”

“Yes.”

“Can you manipulate dust?”

“I can…” But it doesn’t seem very useful.

“In that case, let’s play a trick on those purifiers over there. We should be at a safe distance now. It doesn’t have to be too complicated. Just raise some dust and cause them to malfunction.”

Chai Xuyang agreed and began carefully manipulating the dust. Fine particles danced leisurely in the air, defying the wind as they entered the air vents of the purifiers. The noise from the machines grew louder, and overheating was only a matter of time.

Shu Jun nodded and rubbed his temples.

Shu Jun wasn’t feeling very comfortable himself. The purifiers here were much stronger than the ones at the Reunion Festival. He suppressed the erosion within his body to the limit but still felt uncomfortable. Fortunately, this location was close to the erosion zone, so the low erosion concentration here wasn’t as severe as in the city, allowing Chai Xuyang to use his abilities.

He had a rough idea of the patrol situation in this area. The main focus of defense was a familiar office building, indicating that an important figure was visiting. Compared to the incident where Shu Jun encountered Marshal Zhu, the current level of defense was even higher, clearly indicating the importance of the visitor.

Zhu Sheng.

…Y City should be busy with various matters at the moment, so why did Zhu Sheng suddenly come here?

During such a tense moment, Zhu Sheng’s presence meant that he would have a powerful security detail. The other team members were left outside, which was fortunate in a way. If they knew Zhu Sheng was here, they might seek immediate revenge, and Shu Jun wasn’t sure if he could stabilize the situation.

Currently, Luo Duan was lurking in Y City. If Zhu Sheng died here, Luo Duan would definitely assassinate Yi Ning. At that point, the humans would be left without a leader. Even if Zhu Yanchen took over, he wouldn’t be able to regain control immediately. Without any trace of the “Suppression” weapon and with Sigma taking advantage of the situation, they would be in deep trouble…

The pace of this war must not be controlled by Luo Duan.

“How about we retreat first?” Chai Xuyang suggested in a low voice after sabotaging the purifiers. “It doesn’t seem like a permanent reinforcement here. Captain Shu, let’s go back for now. We can come back when the situation improves.”

“And how do we explain our retreat? Those people outside will surely suspect the visit of a high-ranking human official and take action.”

“Why involve us then?” Chai Xuyang said with a snort. “Just bring over your little obedient Blackbirds. It would be much simpler.”

“Without you all around, I’ll send you to another settlement. What am I thinking, letting you extremists run rampant and stir up trouble.”

“But knowingly approaching danger isn’t wise,” Chai Xuyang complained even more quietly. “This is a dilemma.”

Shu Jun pinched his brow. Preparing for war required ruthlessness, but dealing with hatred required finesse. It was manageable when handling one side, but managing both made him exhausted.

Seeing Shu Jun’s silence, Chai Xuyang became more vocal.

“I don’t understand why you have to protect humans so adamantly. Yes, I know they may not all deserve to die, but this is going too far. Actually, I think the people outside have a point. Maybe it was that Smoke who did it. Humans can’t possibly be so kind-hearted to go through such trouble out of ‘sympathy’. They must have ulterior motives…”

These people hadn’t even fully digested reality yet, and they hadn’t even faced the challenging dish of Sigma. They still had no news about the treatment methods for synthetic humans. If he revealed everything at once, it would only lead to more desperate “Luo Duan” situations.

Shu Jun secretly made up his mind.

“Survival of the fittest has always been the rule, and we are famous for our expertise. Captain Shu, why don’t you consider this: let’s kill this high-ranking official as a warning to others…”

“Are the purifiers over there destroyed?” Shu Jun interrupted the incessant chatter of Chai Xuyang.

“Huh? It’s destroyed. I was just about to say…”

Before Chai Xuyang could finish speaking, Shu Jun threw a flashbang into the courtyard. “Run!”

With that, Shu Jun ran towards the tallest building in the stronghold. In theory, the synthetic human children would be kept on the lowest level. Looking at it from a different perspective, Zhu Sheng would probably be better off here.

Chai Xuyang was completely confused by his sudden actions. His mind was still in lecture mode, and it took him a while to react.

“What are you doing?” His voice was trembling.

“Just testing the opponent’s abilities to choose the next strategy.” Shu Jun grabbed Chai Xuyang’s clothes and pulled him forward. “Although the opponents are different, we’ll continue with the original plan—create a commotion and block the stronghold.”

…and meeting Leader Zhu. Shu Jun added that to his personal agenda.

“No, not this…” Bullets started flying, and Chai Xuyang’s legs went numb. He desperately kicked up dust to obstruct the enemy’s vision. The Erosion Swamps and the mutant beasts didn’t use guns, so he wasn’t accustomed to this type of combat environment.

“We were originally here to be the bad guys, so we might as well go all the way.” Shu Jun’s voice even carried a hint of amusement.

It’s over, it’s over, it’s over. Shu Jun has gone crazy. Chai Xuyang almost burst into tears.

As it turned out, the people brought by Zhu Sheng were indeed skilled. The guards instantly locked onto their positions and blocked all possible escape routes—if both of them were ordinary synthetic humans, they would have no chance of escaping.

The response from the other side was just too quick. Just as Chai Xuyang destroyed the nearby purifiers, more purifiers were activated. Chai Xuyang’s dust hadn’t fully risen before it fell back to the ground.

But then it was swept up again by the wind.

The nearby erosion concentration was too low, making it difficult for Shu Jun to manipulate. But as a genuine Erosion Swamp, his power far surpassed Chai Xuyang’s—he grabbed Chai Xuyang by the back of his collar with one hand, and then lifted them both using wind. The stronghold gradually shrank beneath them.

Luo Duan was also a top-level ability user, but his power was more supportive, and his offensive capabilities were far inferior to Shu Jun’s. Chai Xuyang was quite uncomfortable with this crazy fighting style, so he was so shocked that he couldn’t speak, and it took him a while to stammer out a sentence. “We’re… We’re flying so high…”

“I have a rough idea of their abilities. The erosion concentration below is too low, so I’m slowing down.”

Is this even human language? How is he still complaining about it being low? Chai Xuyang hadn’t seen any impact on Shu Jun’s ability intensity. What difference does it make if he slows down? They still have to go down later…

“Ahhhhhhh!” Before his brain could fully process it, Chai Xuyang couldn’t help but let out a scream.

Dense erosion gathered, almost forming a visible black mist. Shu Jun’s wind swirled the black mist together above their heads, creating a swirling dark cloud, like a whirlpool in the sky. Just looking at it with the naked eye, the ominous aura was enough to make one tremble.

Chai Xuyang was held by Shu Jun like a little chicken, completely numb. Isn’t Shu Jun’s ability related to wind? What on earth is that huge black vortex above their heads?

‘No, I know what it was,’ Chai Xuyang thought heavily. It was something he didn’t want to admit from the bottom of his heart.

He had never heard of players being able to manipulate erosion.

“We’re going down. Be careful.” Shu Jun glanced at the mass above their heads with a quite satisfied expression.

The two plummeted rapidly, with the black vortex following closely behind, crashing into the stronghold together. All the purifiers instantly overloaded. Within the black mist, they emitted a hoarse, sizzling sound as they collapsed one by one. Zhu Sheng’s people didn’t engage in direct confrontation; they immediately withdrew and infiltrated the interior of the building.

The black mist was truly terrifying. Chai Xuyang held his breath tightly, only to find the erosion mist bypassed him as if there was an invisible bubble around him.

He glanced at Shu Jun and refused to ponder the reason. “What are we doing now? Shall we open a window and blow things up?”

“Wait.”

“Wait? Wait for who?”

“Zhu Sheng.”

“After everything that’s happened, how could he come out? No, wait a minute, the people who came here are from Zhu Sheng?!”

“Yes. Wait and see. It won’t be in vain if he doesn’t come out.” Shu Jun concealed himself within the black mist, observing the people running back and forth in the corridor. “I just have something I want to show him, and you happen to have a chance to see it too.”

“……” Chai Xuyang had never been this homesick.

He shouldn’t have raised that hand after all.

In the depths of the cultivation stronghold.

Zhu Sheng stood in front of a screen, coldly observing the scene outside. Through the transparent screen, the erosion mist pervaded the surroundings of the building, as if the entire structure had sunk into a sea of smoke.

The stronghold commander wiped the sweat from his forehead and saluted. “For now, it appears that the attackers are mutated synthetic humans. From what we can tell, it is similar to the attackers from the Reunion Festival incident, possessing the ability to manipulate erosion.”

“Mm.” Zhu Sheng frowned.

“Sir, don’t worry. You are currently located on the lowest level of the building in the cultivation stronghold, and the building is specially designed with excellent sealing. Considering the situation just now, we have sealed off the entire building and purified the air according to the highest standards. They can’t harm you.”

“Mm.” Zhu Sheng’s brow remained furrowed.

“Our team has already begun assembling heavy weapon-type purifiers. Once the mist outside disperses a bit, we’ll be able to clean it up quickly. The two teams you brought have also switched to equipment with oxygen packs. The enemies won’t linger for long. Even if they’re synthetic humans, they will be affected by such high concentrations.”

“They’re not coming for me.” Zhu Sheng continued to stare at the screen. “My itinerary was absolutely confidential. It’s just a coincidence.”

“But…”

“They want to reclaim their young ones.” Zhu Sheng glanced at the small hibernation pods below.

Currently, he was sitting in a monitoring station, and the hibernation pods were densely arranged below. Many of them were emergency transfers, and there was no need to consider the <Erosion> activities of these young ones. The pods were tightly packed together, creating a dazzling sight.

“Just two individuals?”

“The number of people doesn’t matter. Whether they genuinely want to snatch the young ones or they’re intentionally doing it to provoke us, it proves one thing—they care about these young ones. Since they care, we will inevitably seal off the stronghold.”

Zhu Sheng tapped the ground with the tip of his cane.

“What I’m more curious about is that they knew there were visitors here but still insisted on attacking. The synthetic humans are quite interesting.”

“Sir, I don’t understand what you mean,” the stronghold commander responded helplessly.

“Whether they are in exile or hiding, their days won’t be easy. The number of synthetic humans is limited, and if they seek revenge, they will concentrate their strength. If they want to survive, they will value their lives… In theory, they should have waited for me to leave with my people and then launched a surprise attack, instead of being so arrogant.”

“Well…”

“I’ll go up there.” The old man tugged at the corners of his mouth. “The screen has limited angles; I want to see those two synthetic humans with my own eyes.”

“That’s too dangerous!”

“Bring along guards from both teams. I know the capabilities of my own people,” Zhu Sheng said lightly, ignoring the commander’s objections. “They haven’t made any substantial attacks yet. They’re waiting. The chaos outside might be intentionally created to show me.”

“I can send soldiers to observe and report back.”

“No, seeing is believing.”

Zhu Sheng raised his hand and waved it. “I’ve brought top-tier elites. If both teams can’t defend against two synthetic humans, there’s no point in me hiding here. If they can be stopped, my appearance as the culprit most likely will provoke their abilities. That’s valuable information.”

“You…”

“Take me up there,” Zhu Sheng repeated his request.

---

The author has something to say:

This might be the most intense, hostile parent meeting ever (?

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 73: Change of Plans

Yi Ning was unable to attach a camera to Luo Duan, but Luo Duan was able to keep an eye on him at all times.

During this period, he needed Shu Jun to help divert Zhu Sheng’s attention. When the time was ripe, he could leave the heart of this city and strike at the unsuspecting humans.

Before that, this was the safest place.

Even if Yi Ning had suspicions about him, given Yi Ning’s character, he probably couldn’t guess that he was the “Black Robe Leader” of that day. The whispers of the dead surrounded Luo Duan, and he was able to conceal his insane actions beneath the icy surface.

However, Yi Ning was able to climb up to his current position from the bottom, which also showed his intelligence. Luo Duan was very cautious. Apart from eating and sleeping, he spent most of his time reading. The environment around him was similar to semi-house arrest, but he rarely had leisure time.

Having been in contact with the Erosion Swamp for a long time, Luo Duan gradually began to perceive the intelligence of the so-called “Behind the Scenes Erosion Swamp”—from the sporadic descriptions of the small Erosion Swamp, he overestimated its intelligence. Although it absorbed information from the bodies of its brethren, it didn’t acquire human-like intelligence.

It was more like five-year-old children driven by hatred, holding enough poison to destroy everyone.

The reason the small Erosion Swamp enticed him was nothing more for his brain inside his skull. Since it couldn’t obtain Shu Jun, it could only outsource the task of “destroying humanity”.

Luo Duan couldn’t help but smile.

He leaned back on the soft backrest of the chair and slowly turned a page of the book. The sharp edge of the page cut his finger, but there was no trace of blood at the wound.

The room was tidy, with furniture similar to a hospital ward, all in pristine white. The air carried a delicate and pleasant fragrance, and soft notes floated out of a small speaker. The curtains were tightly drawn, the daylight lamp was turned on, and the atmosphere was so peaceful that it was unsettling.

Except for the erosion substance clinging to the walls like slime mold.

The black filament moved slowly, passing through cement and steel, conveying information.

“Marshal, th-th-this is fake, right? People at the edge of the city are spreading it, saying that the Erosion Swamp has mutated…”

“If the video is real, Zhu Yanchen’s research is real, and the flaws in the player system are real… Concealing the truth, abandoning the people, clandestine operations. They’ve done a great job.”

The small Erosion Swamp trembled slightly, and Luo Duan could hear the conversation clearly.

It seemed that Yi Ning was going to confront Zhu Sheng. Luo Duan lowered his eyelids and pondered emotionlessly. Yi Ning wasn’t lacking in intelligence and courage, but he was too soft by nature and lacked the talent to be a hero.

As for the deceased Zhu Yanchen… He didn’t care about how humans tampered with the player system.

At this point, he didn’t need to get involved. He only needed to create chaos when Yi Ning intervened and disrupted the situation, allowing things to spiral out of control. The more chaotic, the better, regardless of whether it was reasonable or not.

However, Luo Duan didn’t expect Yi Ning’s reaction to be even faster than he had anticipated.

“The video is real.” The assistant received the results the next day, his voice tinged with a sob. “Zhu Yanchen’s research, some people in the Tang family have seen it before. Although… Although…”

“What’s the matter?” Yi Ning sounded somewhat weary.

“It was Tang Heyu who mentioned it. You know, he’s a bit… eccentric. Sir, his words may not hold much weight…”

“What did Tang Heyu say?”

“He didn’t say much. I personally went to him, and he was still drunk. He said, ‘Those researchers wouldn’t understand even if they tried. Zhu Yanchen didn’t conduct his research according to the assigned topic; he was writing his own thing…’ He also said, ‘Even if they could understand it, those pampered individuals wouldn’t want to understand. It’s better to treat it as the ramblings of a spoiled brat.’ Shouldn’t you ask our own researchers again? Just judging from his demeanor, Tang Lao isn’t very reliable.”

“Our researchers provided feedback, saying they ‘haven’t thoroughly read it’—in other words, the project leaders didn’t pay attention to it. They believed there was no need to carefully read it.”

Luo Duan, eavesdropping on the conversation, wasn’t surprised.

Zhu Yanchen spent most of his time on the battlefield. To admit that they “didn’t understand” something written by such a person rather than dismissing it as “nonsense” was the first step in negating their own abilities. On the other hand, the project leaders had extensive experience, while Zhu Yanchen was an airdropped junior who was “in need of care” and had no relevant research background in his resume.

The research department was busy with various tasks. Considering all these factors, how could the experts spare their energy to read a “completely unrelated” and complex paper?

There was no excessive arrogance or malice. However, even so, the results they obtained would only be “shit that doesn’t make sense”.

However, even if it was meaningless ramblings, since they had to polish the reputation of the young master of the Zhu family, they still needed to store it in the database as a formality. After all, the current focus of research was on improving synthetic humans, not the behavior of the Erosion Swamp. These papers wouldn’t even have the chance to mislead others.

A crisp communication bell rang.

“I had them read it all night.” After a low conversation, Yi Ning raised his voice, sounding as cold as frost. “Currently, the researchers only understand about thirty to forty percent, but they can already discern something. Those papers have a coherent internal logic—they gradually prove the influence of synthetic humans on the Erosion Swamp and its hidden evolution.”

“And,” Marshal Yi Ning’s laughter turned even colder, “it appears that Zhu Yanchen didn’t seek fame through this. He had at least ten years of research experience in this field before entering the research department.”

“But he’s not even thirty!” The assistant was startled by Yi Ning’s mocking laughter, his voice becoming shrill. “If we discount the few years Marshal Zhu spent in the research department, according to that calculation, he would have started at the age of fourteen or fifteen… or…”

“I also started climbing up from the age of fourteen or fifteen,” Yi Ning calmly responded.

The assistant fell silent.

“I want them to analyze those papers as soon as possible. If Zhu Yanchen was willing to die to prove them, there must be something useful for humans in there.”

After a moment of hesitation, the assistant stammered. “Speaking of which, I heard that Zhu Sheng has also been paying attention to the database. Could he have discovered them too?”

“That’s his problem.” Yi Ning sipped his tea, his voice turning cold. “Arrange my schedule. I want to meet with Elder Tang Heyu.”

The room fell silent for a while before the assistant murmured softly. “If Zhu Lao insists on implementing the player system…”

“If Zhu Sheng has no intention of changing his policies, I will bring up some unspoken questions. The reason he can still hold his top position is simply because ‘Zhu Yanchen’ is not dead, and he and I will have another election.”

“I haven’t exposed him. First, considering the enormous power of the Zhu and Xia families, it’s difficult to obtain evidence. Second, I respect him. As for now, first, the impostor doesn’t have Zhu Yanchen’s research abilities, and I have evidence. Second… while I still respect him, I also need to fight for a way out for my compatriots.”

It seemed that the time was almost right. Luo Duan played with the erosion wrapped around his wrist and looked towards the closed window.

His deceased lover whispered in his ear, but he knew she was fake. “She” wasn’t smart enough to say anything clever.

But simple words were enough to be deadly.

Like “I miss you”, like “Are you okay?”, like “Why didn’t you grab my hand back then?”

Luo Duan lowered his head and gradually sank into the soft murmur.

Zhu Yanchen had infiltrated the city with the Old Fourth. Now, with the strict defense against synthetic humans, as a pure human who had no resonance with erosion, it was easy for him to pass through with a good disguise.

Marshals Zhu decided to contact the people from the Old Fourth first and hand over the prototype of the “Suppression” weapon, so they could start their research as soon as possible. Then he would exchange identities with Xia Yufeng.

This way, the night wouldn’t be too long and full of dreams*.

*Referring to the idiom (夜長夢多) which implies that if a situation drags on, something unfavorable may happen.

Ai Xiaoxiao was immersed in research outside the city, so the Ai’s Clinic was locked up tight. People on the streets were busy repairing the anti-erosion layer on their roofs, and overall, the mood was good, with playful banter exchanged between neighbors.

Zhu Yanchen ordered a flavored nutrient drink and bought a cheap pie, leaning against the street corner to enjoy his simple meal. The pie was average, but the filling was good. However, no matter how he tasted it, it was far from the pies baked by Shu Jun on the purifier.

The pie stall owner couldn’t hear the customer’s silent complaints and cheerfully attended to his business. The Erosion Storm from earlier had passed, and there were more people on the streets, making the atmosphere livelier.

For most people, it was just a well-defended Erosion Storm. The city residents had no clear understanding of how the player system operated, let alone the concept of “synthetic human rebellion”. Currently, since Zhu Sheng hadn’t yet located the synthetic humans, they naturally wouldn’t release any news in advance, causing panic among the citizens.

Zhu Yanchen collected his thoughts and began to ponder the possible countermeasures taken by Zhu Sheng. His movements became subconsciously elegant, contrasting with the atmosphere on the street.

When he noticed a few people looking in his direction, Zhu Yanchen quickly took a gulp of the nutrient drink in a hearty manner but ended up choking on it. Seeing him coughing, those curious gazes retreated.

“Smoke?” Just as Marshal Zhu finished coughing, he heard someone calling him from the entrance of an alley. Judging by the person’s appearance, they seemed to be from the Old Fourth, coming for the rendezvous.

“It’s me.” Zhu Yanchen hastily swallowed the pie in three bites, picked up the box, and went to meet them.

“I heard from the higher-ups that once there’s progress in this matter, we’ll inform you.” The rendezvous person wasn’t young; their face was covered enough to only reveal a few strands of graying hair.

Zhu Yanchen nodded. “It has been some time since the raw data was sent over. Do they have a rough estimate of when it will be ready? I can’t stay in Y City for long.”

He was indeed the founder of the Old Fourth, but the organization itself was loosely structured, and there were many individuals who preferred to remain anonymous. Zhu Yanchen could only hold the high-level identity in his hands, and if he wanted to inquire about the technical personnel who served as the backbone, it would be a taboo.

As a practical researcher, he only needed results and wasn’t concerned with these details. At most, he would ask a couple of questions.

“If it’s just equipment optimization, it should take around three days.” The rendezvous person was obviously acquainted with the technicians. “You don’t seem like someone who made it for personal use; you’re probably planning mass production, right?”

“Yes.”

“There are quite a few things that need to be modified, and it’s delicate work.” The rendezvous person said, “Just find a place to hide and wait.”

“Regarding the effectiveness of the ‘Suppression’…?”

“What suppression? The thing you made, that… sound wave-like gadget? Hmph, even a master will pay attention. How can someone so young be so concerned? Besides, this is just a prototype; you can’t expect it to be perfect right away.”

The rendezvous person lifted the box. “So young, yet making such a fuss about naming. If you ask me, this thing looks a lot like an ultrasonic bird repellent.”

Zhu Yanchen: “…Please help convey that portability is really important. Don’t make it too—”

“I got it, I got it. No need to fuss.”

This rendezvous person had quite a personality.

The next step was to infiltrate the command center. After submitting the documents, Zhu Yanchen directly contacted Xia Yufeng—Xia Liang was performing today, so he couldn’t summon her.

“Sure.” Xia Yufeng still had that indifferent tone but agreed quite straightforwardly.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t let this detail slip by. “What happened at the command center?”

“Ah, nothing major.” Xia Yufeng chuckled. “It’s just that Zhu Lao isn’t here, so it’s convenient for us to make the exchange.”

“Zhu Song isn’t there?”

“He went to the stronghold. It’ll probably take a few days for him to return.”

“Which stronghold?”

“Hey, what’s the matter with you? Didn’t we agree to come and pick up the items? Why do you care about where he went and what he’s doing?”

“Which stronghold?” Zhu Yanchen’s voice lowered.

“…Y-0023, the special cultivation stronghold—the ‘crime scene’ where you were kidnapped.” Xia Yufeng immediately responded obediently. “That place is primarily focused on research. He’s probably dealing with the synthetic humans there.”

“When did he leave?”

“He didn’t leave long ago, and he kept it quite low-key. His car is more stable, but slower. He probably just arrived… Why are you asking all these questions?”

This was bad.

Indeed, the cultivation stronghold focused more on research than regular strongholds. Whenever ordinary people captured new mutant beasts, they would store them in the cultivation stronghold for close observation to prevent sending high-risk hazards into the city.

To control these creatures, the defense facilities at the cultivation stronghold were much better than those at the ordinary strongholds. In order to make the most of the resources, the United Government would also keep the underdeveloped synthetic humans there.

Y-0023 was a large-scale cultivation stronghold, where 60% of the juvenile synthetic humans were raised. A few days ago, when Luo Duan caused a disturbance, the remaining 40% were likely also transferred to Y-0023.

…That was why Shu Jun chose Y-0023 as the target of the attack.

Calculating the time, Shu Jun would definitely collide with Zhu Song.

During a visit from the leader, the level of defense and security would be on a different level compared to usual. If bloodshed occurred in this operation, the road ahead would only become more difficult.

“Marshal Zhu, Marshal Zhu! Snap out of it,” Xia Yufeng called out dissatisfied. “If you don’t want to answer, fine, but don’t waste time. I also have risks to consider.”

“How many people did Zhu Song bring?”

When it reached this point, Xia Yufeng gradually realized the seriousness of the situation. He fell silent for a moment, and his tone became somewhat peculiar. “What? Are you going to send the synthetic humans to raid for the youngsters? Well, that would be walking right into the lion’s den. Marshal Zhu, are you really bringing people to attack the cultivation stronghold? It seems like you’re siding with the humans after all.”

Zhu Yanchen made a swift decision. “…I’ll replace you and go there myself.”

They were too far apart, and the stronghold was close to the erosion zone, so he couldn’t contact Shu Jun. But even if he couldn’t catch up, he could at least intervene under the guise of being a “Marshal” and salvage the situation to some extent.

“Go as me? How are you going to explain it to Zhu Song?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.” He had already thought of at least three excuses and would act accordingly.

The cultivation stronghold.

“The atmosphere feels off,” someone spoke up first.

‘Indeed, it feels off,’ Shu Jun thought. They were used to being at strongholds, and even if the cultivation stronghold required more manpower, the atmosphere shouldn’t be this tense.

“Could there be an ambush?” another person chimed in ominously. “Captain Shu, I can tell that your friend named ‘Smoke’ isn’t an ordinary person. Yu Jin is one thing; we’re all familiar with his whereabouts, and we can easily uncover his hideout. But this Smoke…”

“A’Yan won’t leak any information.” Shu Jun’s brow didn’t even furrow.

“Pardon my bluntness, but the Grand Tournament just ended, and how long have you known him? Humans have deceived us in countless ways. It doesn’t make sense for security to be enhanced like this shortly after we arrive. Even so, I don’t want to throw away my life without a fight.”

“The situation has indeed changed, but I suggest sticking to the original plan.”

Chai Xuyang had remained silent all along, but now he also looked at Shu Jun with some discontent.

“First, we don’t have the luxury to waste time. Every time we take action, we could leave behind clues for the enemy. Second, we not only need to frighten them into strengthening their security here, but also figure out why the security suddenly increased.”

“Just because you trust Smoke? If you want to believe, go ahead, but I don’t. I don’t want to put my face out there to get beaten.”

“This is an order.” Shu Jun narrowed his eyes behind his mask. “We’re soldiers. Soldiers cannot jeopardize the mission based on their personal likes or dislikes.”

“Humans have trained us to be soldiers, but I didn’t become one just because I enjoyed it.”

Shu Jun closed his eyes slightly. “Those willing to go with me, raise your hand.”

Chai Xuyang struggled for a moment, then tremblingly raised his hand. Unfortunately, no one else responded among the nearly thirty people.

“Whether we go with you or not, it means letting us kill. Isn’t it just making the citizens hate us? Even if they don’t deserve to die, I have no intention of getting along well with them.”

“Yeah, why should we restrain ourselves now?”

“That’s how war is—survival of the fittest. If those people come after us, we’ll kill them all—”

……

“I understand.” Shu Jun raised one hand. His pale eyes scanned the surroundings, causing everyone to shrink back.

Chai Xuyang’s whole body trembled, and in that instant, a chilling instinctive aura gripped him. He suddenly felt that the “Shu Jun” beside him wasn’t human, but something else—something extraordinarily dangerous. He almost immediately regretted his decision.

However, his hand remained frozen in the air, and his arm was immobilized by fear, unable to even bend.

“If you don’t want to go, I understand,” Shu Jun continued, his voice even carrying a hint of amusement. “Then it will just be me and Chai Xuyang.”

No, no, no, no. He didn’t want to. Chai Xuyang felt helpless and on the verge of tears.

The others fell silent. They only wanted to cause some trouble, make Shu Jun relent, and vent their emotions on those humans. They never expected this person to suddenly compromise and even be willing to throw his life away.

“Change of plans. The rest of you stay put. Protect yourselves and—”

Shu Jun adjusted the mask on his face and glanced at the others once again.

“—keep a close eye on me.”

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